'The Tragedy Of Macbeth' Starring Denzel Washington Is the Shakespeare Adaptation We've Been Longing For (NYFF Review)

For better or for worse, the works of William Shakespeare are so deeply embedded into literary history that many of us encounter at least one of his narratives before we exit our teen years. Still, as much as the 16th-century playwright is revered and emulated, much of his work has remained beyond the reach of the average person. Now, almost 500 years after Shakespeare's birth, Joel Cohen, in his first solo directing effort, has offered up a stunning adaptation of The Tragedy of Macbeth without the overdone fillers and the exhausting reimaginings that have plagued recent adaptations.

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'Dune' Has A Lot More To Do For A Truly Worthy Payoff (NYFF Review)

Thirty-five years after David Lynch's ill-fated adaptation of Frank Herbert's 1965 novel Dune crashed and burned on the big screen, director Denis Villeneuve has tried his hand at bringing the stunning epic to life. The film is a coming-of-age tale of sorts. It follows Paul Atreides (a stoic Timothée Chalamet), heir to the noble House of Atreides. Paul's whole world shifts from under him when the emperor orders his father Leto Atreides, the Duke of Atreides (Oscar Issac), to invade the dangerous desert planet Arrakis and begin cultivating the highly coveted spice. Spice allows for interstellar space travel and acts as a fountain-of-youth-like substance as well as a psychoactive.

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Lashana Lynch On Giving James Bond A Run For His Money In ‘No Time To Die

Daniel Craig is holstering James Bond’s pistol in his fifth and final Bond film, No Time To Die. Almost 60 years since the Ian Fleming character was first introduced to the world, Craig’s stoic Bond is hauntingly in touch with the real world. 

Set a few years after the events of Spectre, No Time To Die finds a restless but retired Bond living in Jamaica. Haunted by the events of his past, it doesn’t take long for his old friend, CIA agent Felix Leiter, played by Jeffrey Wright, to lure him out of retirement for a new mission in Cuba. 

Forever, the loner, Bond doesn’t anticipate the company of Nomi—played by Lashana Lynch—an MI6 00 agent who has more in common with the Aston Martin-loving spy than he could ever imagine. Ahead of the long-anticipated premiere of No Time To Die, EBONY chatted with Lynch about the mystery surrounding her character and where the franchise is headed next in regards to women. 

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How 'Power Book III: Raising Kanan' Soars Beyond The Original Series With Women At The Heart

Hollywood isn't exactly breaking the mold when it comes to new ideas. Though series like P-Valley and Sex Education offer fresh voices and perspectives, many of the films and TV series coming down the pipeline are reboots, revamps, or even flat-out retellings of narratives that we've already seen. Therefore, when Power Universe creator Courtney Kemp announced multiple spinoffs from the titular show, it caused quite a stir on social media and in the industry. 

Power followed James "Ghost" St. Patrick (Omari Hardwick), a powerful drug kingpin on a quest to become a legit businessman. However, throughout six seasons, Ghost learns that you can't outrun the sins of your past. The original series has spawned several spinoffs, including Power Book II: Ghost, which chronicles the life of Ghost's son, Tariq St. Patrick (Michael Rainey Jr.), in the aftermath of his father's death. 

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Bianca Lawson’s Most Timeless Acting Roles

There is a timelessness in the career and legacy of Bianca Lawson. At age 42, the effervescent artist has been praised for her ageless appearance. But to center her beauty without recognizing her talent would do the Queen Sugar actress a significant disservice. Lawson began her career in the early ’90s as a teen with roles in My So-Called Life, Dawson’s Creek, and the Black slayer Kendra on Buffy The Vampire Slayer. 

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ABC's reboot of 'The Wonder Years' recaptures the dramedy's magic and adds its own

In 1988, 29 million households watched the ABC premiere of "The Wonder Years," a critically acclaimed family dramedy set in the 1960s that showcased one of the most transitional periods in American history. The show indulged TV viewers' collective love of nostalgia even as it pushed the boundaries of the sitcom genre with its realism and its vulnerable take on adolescence.

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Nana Mensah On Her Directorial Debut 'Queen Of Glory,' Netflix's 'The Chair' & Doing It All

Nana Mensah wants to conquer every aspect of the entertainment industry, and she’s already on a roll. The Ghanaian-American writer, director, producer, and actress is known for her performances in plays like Nollywood Dreams and The Man From Nebraska. She has also been flexing her talents behind the scenes in the writer’s rooms for shows like HBO’s Random Acts of Flyness, Amazon’s The Power, and Netflix’s The Bonding. However, her directorial debut, Queen of Glory, and a new Netflix series, The Chair, where she stars opposite Sandra Oh, have pushed her center stage in ways that she never expected.

Continue reading at ESSENCE.

In Amazon's 'Mary J. Blige's My Life,' she shows how much power came from her vulnerability

For the past 30 years, Mary J. Blige, aptly crowned the Queen of Hip-Hop and R&B, has spilled her guts in her music, flooring audiences with her haunting tracks like "Not Gon' Cry" and "No More Drama."

The multi-platinum Grammy winner has lived out many triumphs in the spotlight throughout her career beyond her music, including two Oscar nominations, for her supporting role and song in Netflix's "Mudbound," and her work in the fan-favorite drama series "Power Book II: Ghost." However, as much as her fans have celebrated Blige's successes, she's also been open about her hard times, which have included addiction, abuse and her tumultuous divorce following a 15-year marriage.

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Life After ‘In the Heights’ Controversy: Here Are 9 Afro-Latino Stars Who Deserve Big Hollywood Roles

Jon M. Chu’s long-awaited film adaptation of Lin-Manuel Miranda’s “In the Heights” should have debuted to critical acclaim. From the dynamic musical numbers to the film’s stars, which include “Hamilton” standout Anthony Ramos, “Orange Is The New Black” star Dasha Polanco, and “Straight Outta Compton” breakout Corey Hawkins, all the signs pointed to another progressive hit on par with Chu’s “Crazy Rich Asians.”

Instead, in a film that was supposed to immortalize present-day Washington Heights — in a community called the Little Dominican Republic — the lack of Black and brown faces on screen was glaring. After all, 90 percent of Dominicans are of African descent. Unfortunately, as it is with “In the Heights,” colorism is pervasive in Latinidad. As a result, exhausting conversations about skin color, an entire market for skin lightening creams, and generation-long skin color preferences within families persist. All of this stems from rampant racism, colonialism, and anti-Blackness.

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Image: Pose/FX

Loki's Wunmi Mosaku On Not Changing For Hollywood: 'I Feel Blessed That I Look Like Me'

Long before she captured American audiences with her sharp portrayal of Ruby Baptiste in HBO’s Lovecraft Country, and later as the prideful Rial in Netflix’s His House, actress Wunmi Mosaku had amassed stellar acting credits. Born in Nigeria, raised in Manchester, England, and now based in Los Angeles, she confesses that making a name for herself in Hollywood is a bit like starting over. “I feel very new here,” the star says. “I don’t feel established in the U.S. I feel like I’m still finding my feet.”

In 2017, Mosaku became only the second Black actress in 62 years to score a British Academy Television Award (BAFTA), which she received for her supporting role in the film Damilola, Our Loved Boy. But that history-making win didn’t immediately shift the ground for her or change the type of parts she was offered. “It’s still up to the people who are making the shows,” she says. “A writer can write something, and then an executive producer can say, ‘No, we want them to look like this.’ Nothing happens overnight. But the only reason why I have a BAFTA is the Black actresses who came before me, who put in the legwork. It’s changing, but it’s slow.”

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Image: AMANDLA BARAKA

In Netflix's 'Fatherhood,' Kevin Hart gives a white dad's memoir new layers of meaning

Netflix's new dramatic comedy "Fatherhood," based on Matt Logelin's memoir, follows Matt, played by comedian Kevin Hart, a soon-to-be father who isn't quite taking the impending birth of his daughter seriously enough.

Though an emergency C-section upends his plans for a night out with the guys, both Matt and his wife, Liz (Deborah Ayorinde, of "Them"), who had health concerns during the pregnancy, are delighted with their newborn baby, Maddy.

However, shortly after giving birth, Liz dies suddenly of a pulmonary embolism, leaving a reeling Matt to try and deal with his grief and a brand-new baby on his own.

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In 'As Of Yet' One Black Woman Finds Her Voice In Isolation

So much of what humanity has experienced in the past year has reshaped who we are as a society. In As of Yet, helmed by co-directors Chanel James and Taylor Garron, one Black woman’s pandemic experience comes to life through video diaries, facial expressions, and FaceTime calls. When the film opens, Naomi (Garron) has been isolated in Brooklyn for months. She spends her days having solo dance parties, buying random items on Amazon, cooking elaborate meals, pretending to do puzzles, and touching base with her family and friends.

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Tribeca Film Festival Creates Opportunities For Burgeoning Black Filmmakers

Cinema has returned to New York City full force with the 20th annual Tribeca Film Festival. While movie-watching from home certainly has its advantages, the Tribeca Film Festival’s triumphant return with in-person programming is a turning point for the film community and movie lovers everywhere. 

Founded by Robert De Niro, Jane Rosenthal, and Craig Hatkoff the year after the 9/11 terror attacks rocked the city, 20 years later, Tribeca is serving as a place of communion as the city emerges from a year of uncertainty, isolation and confusion. Though the festival is typically held in April, this year it’s running from June 9-June 20 with Juneteenth programming that celebrates and recognizes Black talent in front of and behind the screen with in-person and virtual viewing options. 

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Starz's 'Blindspotting' series had a lot to live up to. So its creators forged a different path.

From "Soul Food" to "Clueless," there have been successful film-to-TV adaptations, but none have higher stakes than “Blindspotting.”

Based on director Carlos López Estrada's electrifying 2018 debut feature of the same name, which chronicled three days in life of Oakland, California, resident Collin (Daveed Diggs) and his best friend Miles (Rafael Casal), Starz's new dramedy series shifts the lens to Ashley (Emmy winner Jasmine Cephas Jones), Miles' girlfriend and the mother of his 6-year-old son, Sean (Atticus Woodward).

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4 TV Shows That Are Love Letters To Black Sisterhood And Style

TV is like a portal to other places and times. It gives us a front-row seat into other people’s lives. When I turn on my TV these days, I can be quickly transported back in time to the 1950s, seeing Deborah Ayorinde as Livia ‘Lucky’ Emory in a bold lip and vibrant mod dress as she combats racism and horror in THEM. A quick channel flip brings me to present-day London, where Michaela Coel’s ‘Arabella’ stays wrapped in oversized cardigans while sporting a bright pink wig in I May Destroy You. A button push on my remote thrusts me back in time to the ballrooms of 1980s New York City in Pose, where Black transgender women like Blanca (Mj Rodriguez), Angel (Indya Moore), and Elektra (Dominique Jackson) turn acid wash jeans, tulle, and satin into breathtaking high-glam moments. With Starz’s recently premiered show Run The World, we’re introduced to four new characters with effortless style who represent the modern day Black woman’s desired to slay, get paid and party with her gals. Run The World is a fashion party every Sunday night at 8:30pm EST (or turn up after the after party on the Starz App where you can catch the replay).

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In Amazon's 'The Underground Railroad,' Barry Jenkins gives us a stunning, heart-wrenching gift

Barry Jenkins' limited series adaptation of Colson Whitehead's Pulitzer Prize-winning novel, "The Underground Railroad," is not an easy watch; stories about the enslaved never are. Yet, this glorious television event — stunningly shot, dense and heartbreaking, grounded in both the horrors of the age and the rich, mesmerizing performances of stars Thuso Mbedu and Aaron Pierre — is as important as it is impactful. If we refuse to tell the true history of this country's deeply embedded racism and the journey of Black Americans across all mediums, we are doomed to remain in an endless time loop, continually repeating our past.

In recent years, after mainstream — usually white — praise of films such as "12 Years A Slave," "Django" and the television thriller "Underground," there has been a lot of pushback from Black critics about the plethora of stories centering slavery, Black pain and the antebellum South.

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How David and Jessica Oyelowo Turned Hollywood Frustration Into a Disney Production Deal

It’s a studio ritual almost as old as Hollywood: announce a production deal right before the release of a filmmaker’s new movie. For David and Jessica Oyelowo’s Yoruba/Saxon, the twinning of “The Water Man” (David’s directorial debut, which opened theatrically last week) and a two-year first-look Disney deal is more than industry rite. After seven years and six films, it means that the industry has started to catch up to them.

Like many actors, the Oyelowos created a company to improve their own opportunities. In their case, the struggles they faced mirrored a much larger one. “One of the main reasons we wanted to start the company was to have a voice and to provide a place for voices that weren’t being heard,” Jessica said in a recent interview with IndieWire. “For Hollywood to finance certain projects, they required a certain perspective on someone else’s story. We were looking at this as actors thinking, ‘How can we be the voice? How can we be the protagonist in our own stories when there’s always somebody else’s point of view to tell our stories?’ And particularly for Black voices. It’s been a massive problem for such a long time.”

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Netflix's 'The Upshaws' rejects the outdated respectability politics of modern Black sitcoms

Since the premiere of "The Cosby Show" in 1984 — two decades after the civil rights movement — there has been a seeming obsession with presenting "respectable" and "good" Black people on network TV to majority-white Americans. That obsession, of course, has deep roots: Black Americans are raised with the expectation that they must be twice as "good" and hard-working as their white counterparts not just to succeed but also to avoid being touched by racism and racist scrutiny.

The reality, though, was that portraying one's respectability to white people is not, and never was, a shield from systemic oppression or personal racism.

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Starz’s Run The World showcases the power of Black female friendship

“Sometimes you look up, and life is different… adapt and reinvention, that’s the game.” This is the advice that Erika Alexander’s character Barb gives her mentee Ella (Andrea Bordeaux) in Run The World, a new Starz comedy from Leigh Davenport. Twenty-eight years after Living Single first debuted, Davenport and executive producer Yvette Lee Bowser (who created the 1993-1998 Fox sitcom) introduce a brand new group of Black women to TV audiences, this time with a Harlem setting and 21st-century problems.

In addition to following in the wake of Bowser’s series, Run The World comes more than 20 years after the debuts of Sex And The City and Mara Brock Akil’s Girlfriends. Although it arrives at a time when shows like BET+’s Bigger and HBO’s Insecure are thriving on TV, Run The World has a different texture and tone than its contemporaries. While many series across the networks and streaming service speak to twentysomethings (save for Bigger), Run The World zeros in on the issues that many face in the third decade of life.

Continue reading at The A.V. Club

Pariah’ at 10: Dee Rees’ Groundbreaking Debut Paved the Way for ‘Moonlight’ and ‘Pose’

Ten years ago, filmmaker Dee Rees changed the game for queer filmmaking with her stunning semi-autobiographical debut feature, “Pariah.” The compelling coming-of-age story is set in Brooklyn and follows 17-year-old Alike (Adepero Oduye), a whip-smart high school student trying to grapple with her identity. At the same time, her straight-laced church-going parents, portrayed by Charles Parnell and Kim Waynes, continue to deny Alike’s evident sexual awakening.

“Pariah” was a force. Arriving at the Sundance Film Festival 15 years after Cheryl Dunye’s “The Watermelon Woman,” Rees’ first feature was nominated for countless awards and cemented her status as a major filmmaker. She followed it with “Mudbound” in 2017, which scored her an Oscar nomination for Best Adapted Screenplay. Her last effort, the Netflix-produced “The Last Thing He Wanted,” yielded mixed reviews — but Rees has already moved on with a slate of promising new projects, all of which suggest she’s on track to return to her “Pariah” roots.”

Continue reading at IndieWire.