'BlacKkKlansman' Is Spike Lee’s Most Blunt, Bold And Boisterous Film

Legendary director Spike Lee brings retired detective Ron Stallworth's memoir to life in his piercing new film BlacKkKlansman. An engrossing adaption of Stallworth’s induction as the first black police officer in the Colorado Springs Police Department, the film follows his first year on the force where Stallworth would find himself entangled in a case that would help humiliate the Ku Klux Klan. Set in the late '70s at the height of the Black Power movement, BlacKkKlansman centers on the young and ambitious Ron Stallworth (portrayed by John David Washington), who refuses to be shoved in the evidence room, a black token in an endless sea of white faces. When Kwame Ture, formerly known as Stokely Carmichael (portrayed by Corey Hawkins) visits Colorado Springs, Ron jumps at the chance to infiltrate the crowd and report back to his supervisor about black activism in the city. What he doesn’t expect is to befriend Patrice Dumas (portrayed by Laura Harrier), the leader of the local college's Black Student Union. Though Ron is intent on working within the system to make a change, Patrice uses more “radical” approaches to combat racism, white supremacy and injustices even when it means literally putting her body and life at risk.

Given a position in the police department's intelligence section for his efforts at the Kwame Ture rally, Ron finds himself fascinated with an ad that calls for white people to join the local chapter of the KKK. On a whim, Ron comes up with a scheme to infiltrate the organization and report on its members' heinous activities and behaviors. However, no matter how "white" Ron's voice might sound on the phone, his swagger, deep skin tone and gleaming afro prevent him from meeting the local klansmen face-to-face. Instead, he's forced to partner with Flip Zimmerman (portrayed seamlessly by Adam Driver), a seasoned Jewish detective who wants nothing to do with Ron’s investigation.

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Blindspotting with Daveed Diggs and Rafael Casal: Electrifying Oakland, Their Decade-Long Process and Storytelling

A raw and eye-opening commentary on race, gentrification and manhood, Daveed Diggs and Rafael Casal’s astounding Blindspotting electrifies Oakland on the big screen. The writing partners and childhood friends' moving narrative is helmed by first-time feature filmmaker Carlos López Estrada. The story follows two men – best friends Collin (Diggs) and Miles (Casal) – a misfit pair trying to navigate the ever-changing landscape of their hometown. With only three days left to complete his probation, Collin is determined to keep his nose clean, but the boisterous Miles seems to attract trouble at every turn. While Collin works carefully to mask his rage, witnessing the police murder an unarmed black man on the street one night brings it all bubbling to the surface. Miles, on the other hand, basks in his anger and not even his loving girlfriend, Ashley (Hamilton alum Jasmine Cephas Jones), or his pre-school age son can reel him in. Just before the film’s theatrical premiere, I talked with Diggs and Casal about Blindspotting, its origin and how they married raps and rhymes to construct such a powerful piece of art.

It turns out the film has been a long-time coming. "Almost ten years ago, the genesis of the idea formed," Diggs said. "One of our producers found Rafael through a YouTube wormhole. They found a bunch of his poetry. I'd approached about writing a script using some of the same techniques that he used in his poems. A couple of years later, I was introduced to producers Jess and Keith because of a gig they had asked Rafael to do. He couldn't make it, so I went and filled in. The four of us started speaking, and we decided we would start writing a film. The prompt was it would be about Oakland, it would be about the Bay, and it would star the two of us. Right after that, Oscar Grant was killed. We knew a film about Oakland had to encompass that."

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Situationships, Sex And Shenanigans: Our Predictions For Season 3 Of 'Insecure'

After an emotionally tumultuous and eye-opening season 2 of Insecure, the critically acclaimed series is set to drop its third season on August 12. This time it looks like Issa (Issa Rae) and Molly (Yvonne Orji) are entering their dirty thirties with the same ol’ shenanigans. Season 2 was the final nail in the coffin in Issa and Lawrence’s (Jay Ellis) relationship, and from what Ellis has told Angie Martinez, it doesn’t look like the former Best Buy employee will be penetrating Issa’s world anytime soon. In fact, after some much-needed closure, it looks like the man who forgot Issa's birthday is officially Black History. Even though we love Ellis as an actor, we aren’t mad that Lawrence and Issa are no longer circling one another. After all, we want to see Issa grow and prosper, and that’s just not going to be possible if she and her ex are still holding on to one another (symbolically or otherwise). But let's get back to the ladies on the show because that's what's so enchanting about the series. Rae and showrunner Prentice Penny are putting black women at the center and giving them the opportunity to tell their stories. Still, that’s not to say that even without the drama of Lawrence that Issa’s life is flawless.

The last time we saw the Stanford grad, she was moving out of the apartment she and Lawrence once shared and in with Daniel (Y'lan Noel), her college bae and the man with whom she cheated on Lawrence. Originally, Issa was supposed to move in with her brother, Ahmal (Jean Elie), but that quickly changed. Now, Issa is supposed to be sleeping on Daniel's s couch. But we’ve all seen Daniel, and we’ve indeed all witnessed the chemistry between the pair, so we'll give the new "roommates" until episode three before they fall back into bed together.

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'Sorry To Bother You' Is Sharp, Surreal And Brilliantly Biting

At present, the future isn’t looking all that bright, and if we examine the alternative universe in Boots Riley’s Sorry to Bother You, the near future looks even less promising. Set in Oakland, Riley’s whimsically boisterous satire focuses on Cassius Green (excellently portrayed by Lakeith Stanfield). Broke and desperate, Cassius is living in his uncle Sergio’s (Terry Crews) garage, aimlessly trying to find his purpose in life. His activist/artist fiancée, Detroit (Tessa Thompson), seems content in her present circumstances -- making artwork, protesting the blistering effects of capitalism and taking various odd jobs for cash. However, with his uncle facing foreclosure on his home, Cassius is desperate to live a more robust and financially stable life. Lacking any discernable skills or passions, Cassius snags a job at RegalView Telemarking. Plopped down in a dark, suffocating basement, Cassius struggles to bring in his commission-based pay. Luckily, after getting some advice from a more seasoned co-worker named Langston (Danny Glover), Cassius’ luck at work begins to change. He quickly rises the ranks – eventually becoming a coveted Power Caller in the building's penthouse under Mr. Blank (Omari Hardwick). Sorry to Bother You might seem straightforward, but its magic lies in Riley's writing and the writer/director's confidence and ambition.

Sharp and surreal, Cassius is jolted into the homes of the people that he’s calling, and that’s just the beginning of Riley's asymmetric take on storytelling. Langston’s advice is the real kicker. He instructs Cassius to use his “white voice” to bring in sales. A “white voice" isn’t simply a high pitched tone infused with proper grammar; Arrested Development’s David Cross speaks for Cassius when he opens his mouth – it’s pretty insane.

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You Can't Call Yourself A Black Cinephile If You Haven't Seen These 21 Films

With long summer days upon us and fewer television shows to choose from, now is the time to dive into the archives of Black cinema. From Oscar Micheaux's 20th-century silent work to Marlon Riggs' excellent documentary that cracked open the Black queer narrative in cinema to our more recent cherished films like Black Panther and Get Out, there is so much to explore in Black directed and Black cast films. At a time when various voices are contributing different narratives to Black film, it's important to see how complex Black stories have been throughout history. Micheaux's race films, for example, were in direct response to white propaganda that was validating the Ku Klux Klan. Riggs' Tongues Untied paved the way for Barry Jenkins' Moonlight, and Kathleen Collins opened the door for other Black female filmmakers like Julie Dash, Ava DuVernay, and Kasi Lemmons among others. Have you seen these movies?

Nothing But A Man

For its time, Nothing But A Man was revolutionary. Ivan Dixon starred as Duff Anderson a charismatic Pullman porter who sets his sights on Josie Dawson (Abbey Lincoln), a school teacher and preacher's daughter during one of his trips down South. Though her father doesn't approve, Josie and Duff fall in love and eventually marry. However, they must learn to weather the storms of their marriage and the deep racism of the Jim Crow South.

Nothing But A Man is a beautiful and nuanced work of art. The narrative also refuses to let Duff off the hook easily. Though racism and segregation contribute to his problems, his womanizing and anger also lead to issues of his own creation.

Juice

Set in Harlem in the '90s, Ernest Dickerson's iconic thriller Juice follows four young Black men, Bishop (Tupac Shakur), Q (Omar Epps), Steel (Jermaine Hopkins) and Raheem (Khalil Kain) whose lives change dramatically as a result of one tragic decision. With themes surrounding friendship, broken dreams, and the unpredictability of youth, the film is tragic and timeless.

Juice also proved to the world that the late Shakur was much more than just a West Coast rapper.

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'Whitney' Is Sobering But Lacks A Fresh Perspective

Whitney Houston’s voice was almost otherworldly; there's no denying it. Her legacy, though fraught with pain and tragedy, will never be erased. There has been much speculation about Houston, her career and the addictions that eventually led to her death, and now in the documentary film Whitney, Houston's family and director Kevin Macdonald are presenting their account of the late idol's life. Much of the film comes from the perspective of those closest to Houston, including her brothers, Michael and Gary, as well as her mother, Cissy Houston; ex-husband Bobby Brown; and even her co-star Kevin Costner. Using these confessionals, Macdonald outlines The Preacher’s Wife actress’s childhood in New Jersey through her death on that fateful February day in 2012. What stands out immediately is that the details of Houston’s childhood are up for debate. While some in her inner circle insist that her childhood was idyllic in spite of her parent's divorce, others tell a different story altogether. These never discussed aspects of Houston's adolescence paint a heartbreaking tale of molestation and immense pressure to get her voice just right.

While the narrative is intriguing, some of the stylistic choices in Whitney are odd. Macdonald intercuts footage like MTV commercials and news specials throughout the film with then-contemporary footage of Houston in an attempt to orient the audience. However, it often felt distracting. Additionally, though the film was executive produced by The Bodyguard star's sister-in-law, Pat Houston, and involved several close members of the Houston family, Macdonald did not spend a great deal of time with those nearest and dearest to Whitney, including her mother. The on-camera interviews in the film are heavily edited. Choppy cuts and transitions raise questions about authenticity, Macdonald's access and the impartiality of Whitney.

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Omari Hardwick Talks 'Real to Reel,' Legacy And 'Power': "I Would Love People To Say I Made Myself At Home In This Industry"

At his core, Omari Hardwick is a storyteller. While many folks met him in Ava DuVernay’s stellar 2011 film I Will Follow and then, of course, as the stoic drug kingpin Ghost in Starz’s Power, Hardwick's journey in the entertainment industry spans nearly two decades. Throughout his career, his work has covered almost every genre across multiple mediums and platforms. Presently, he’s busier than ever. Power returns for a fifth season on July 1; his indie film, A Boy. A Girl. A Dream, is making the rounds at film festivals across the nation; and he will be seen next in Boots Riley’s trippy and mesmerizing Sorry to Bother You. And yet, Hardwick’s hectic schedule is something that he’s wholeheartedly embraced. In fact, his success and love for visionary storytelling sparked his partnership with Gentleman Jack’s Real to Reel program.

In its second year, the program has given a platform to rising black filmmakers and provided them with an opportunity to share their stories and talent while receiving mentorship from Hardwick. In Harlem on a late spring evening after a full day of press for Power, Hardwick introduced four short films from New York City filmmakers of color. As the audience sat engrossed in the unique projects, Hardwick and I chatted about Real to Reel, his legacy, Power and how he hopes to influence artists coming after him.

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Oprah Winfrey, Mara Brock Akil And Michele Weaver On 'Love Is__,' Heartache And Lessons Learned

Black women aren’t often given the opportunity to tell our love stories publicly. Instead, our courtships, regrets, and lustful encounters are whispered about amongst our girlfriends. Epic love stories -- the ones that we see in movie theaters or on TV screens are typically reserved for white women, while advice from male “relationship experts,” and unfounded statistics are strewn across social media platforms and news sites telling Black women all the reasons we can't find love. With her new romance series, Love Is__ writer/showrunner Mara Brock Akil is reclaiming the romance genre for Black women by sharing her own very intimate story – a tale of how she and her husband, writer/director Salim Akil fell deeply in love. Love Is__ follows Nuri (portrayed by Michele Weaver) a rising writer in '90s Black Hollywood whose settling into her career in LA, making a name or herself, and furnishing her newly purchased home. Her life collides with Yasir (portrayed by Will Catlett), an aspiring writer-director without two nickels to rub together. Told from the perspective of the couple 20 years in the future, with music from everyone from Brownstone to Lauryn Hill contributing to the soundtrack, Akil invites you into this exhilarating time in her life, one that was full of romance, heartache, and so much magic. At the Love Is__ premiere in Los Angeles, I chatted with Akil, OWN CEO Oprah Winfrey and Weaver about the series, the power of Black love, and what can grasp from heartache.

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Mara Brock Akil And Salim Akil Talk Their Seductive New Show 'Love Is ___' With Series Leads Will Catlett & Michele Weaver

Love stories were made for the screen. There is a magic that comes with falling, diving in head first, and allowing yourself to become connected and enraptured with another soul. In romance films, the audience is pulled under quickly, caught up in the first mesmerizing moments of desire and lust. However, television allows artists and audiences to unpack the nuances of love. We are able to suss out the grit and imperfections that come with entangling two lives together. The enchantment is still there obviously, but there is also space for the reality of it all, the past relationships, finances, and the grind of daily life. Set in Los Angeles in the 1990’s, married Hollywood dream team Mara Brock Akil and Salim Akil -- who've brought us series like, Girlfriends, The Game, and Black Lightning, present Love Is__. A love story based loosely off of their relationship, the gorgeously shot drama follows Nuri (portrayed by Michele Weaver) and Yasir (portrayed by Will Catlett). Told from the perspective of the couple twenty years into the future, wiser Nuri (Wendy Davis) and Yasir (Clarke Peters) reflect on their initial spark. At different points in the lives and careers when they first meet, the pair sees something special in one another. When they first connect Nuri is a new homeowner with a coveted position in the writer’s room on a new black sitcom, Marvin. Yasir, on the other hand, is struggling in LA. A recent transplant from the Bay – he's an aspiring writer/director who is trying to make his last two unemployment checks stretch as far as possible. A week before the Love Is__ series premiere, I sat in the OWN offices in Los Angeles to chat with the Akils, Catlett, and Weaver about bringing the sexy and rich love story to the big screen, what it was like to reflect back on the ‘90s, and why seeing Black love on screen is so healing.

https://youtu.be/ZgRXkypO5_Y

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On 'Queen Sugar's Ralph Angel And The Nuances Of Black Fatherhood

n the canon of Black American television, Black fathers have been a staple – particularly on some of our most beloved sitcoms. From James Evans on Good Times to Phillip Banks on The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, these men have been the ultimate father figures for those of us who are deeply connected to our own fathers and for others who felt a paternal void. Despite varying economic statuses and levels of education, these men were pillars when it came to representing idyllic versions of Black nuclear families. They were was respectable, whole, and constant. After all, according to the CDC, Black dads who live with their children are actually the most involved fathers of any race. And yet, as much as we admire these characters, reciting classic lines, words of wisdom and reminiscing on our favorite scenes, these TV dads don’t look like the young Black fathers that we see on a daily basis. These are the young men pushing strollers down 116th street in Harlem or even styling their daughter’s hair on Instagram. Since networks and creators were so concerned about putting out a specific kind of Black image, they failed to pave the way for certain types of Black fathers to be seen on screen. These men look like our brothers, friends, or even the towering figures that have raised us. Though we’ve observed single Black fathers on TV before like Flex Washington on One on One, and even very involved fathers like on Kenny Chadway on Showtime’s Soul Food, Ava DuVernay’s Queen Sugar is the first time we've seen a single millennial Black father in a TV drama. Kofi Siriboe’s Ralph Angel is an anomaly on television. Stoic but loving, Ralph Angel is struggling to parent while trying to unravel his own identity as a Black man, father, ex-con, and landowner. His presence is very refreshing.

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The Cast Of 'The Lion King' On Broadway Unpack The Show's Majestic Blackness And Its Incredible 20-Year Legacy

For twenty years, Simba’s coming of age story has reigned on the Broadway stage. I saw it once as a child in the mid-'90s and again a few weeks ago to celebrate the show’s 20th anniversary. The experience was even more magnetic than I'd remembered. As the sun rises (literally) over the darkened theater, actress Tshidi Manye’s voice reigns out loud and clear as she belts, "Nants ingonyama bagithi Baba" opening the show with the iconic song "The Circle of Life." And with that, the audience is transported to Africa's Sahara. Giraffes move nimbly across the stage, and birds and elephants come swooping up through the aisles. It's enchanting to watch the majority black cast electrify the audience. It’s an experience that has become ingrained in actors Lindiwe Dlamini, James Brown-Orleans and Bonita Hamilton -- veterans of the show. Dlamini has been with the show since it opened in 1997. A lioness and shadow puppets operator, the South African native also acts as a den mother helping to integrate newer cast members into the show. Brown-Orleans and Hamilton aren’t novices either. Brown-Orleans has been with the production for sixteen years handling the puppets and portraying the hyena Banzai, while Hamilton has been with The Lion King for fourteen years as the hyena Shenzi. All three of the actors sat down to chat with Shadow and Act about The Lion King’s legacy and what the show has meant to them.

For Hamilton, The Lion King was an awakening. "It's one of the first shows that I'd ever seen," she said. "I saw it when it was in LA like in 1998 when I was in graduate school. I was sitting there, and I was watching it and it was the most amazing thing that I had ever seen in my life. The whole show I was like, ‘I don't know who I would play or what I would do in this show, but somehow I have to be a part of it.’ I'm from Montgomery, Alabama, and I had never seen such African influences on stage and African American excellence on stage. I'd never witnessed anything like that. It was a coming of age thing for me. I also think that it resonates with audiences throughout the world because it transcends. It transcends cultural barriers, race barriers and age barriers."

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Ntare Mwine Talks 'The Chi,' Embracing Ronnie And Connecting With The South Side

Some television shows make your heart race -- they make you gasp for breath as you anticipate the next twist and turn. Then, there are shows that speak to your soul; they seep into your consciousness dredging up long forgotten memories. In her outstanding drama series, The Chi, Golden Globe winner Lena Waithe give the South of Chicago back to its people. Told in a cinéma vérité style, The Chi shows everyday folks scratching, surviving and most importantly, living. Layering an extensive character study with a coming-of-age tale, Waithe seamlessly connects the lives of Emmett (Jacob Lattimore), Brandon (Jason Mitchell), Kevin (Alex R. Hibbert), and Ronnie (Ntare Mwine). We watch as they confront themselves, their Black manhood, and one another after a violent event interlocks their lives forever. Over the course of the ten-episode first season, it’s Ronnie that makes the biggest transformation – leading him down a path that even Ntare Mwine didn’t see coming.

As I stepped into the infamous Blue Moon Café in Brooklyn’s Fort Greene, I spotted Mwine seated near a window with a cup of tea in his hand; the actor stood as I approached. Unlike his character, Mwine’s face was bare, Ronnie’s infamous goatee and haunted eyes were gone for the moment. Instead, a bright and warm gaze greeted me. Mwine was eager to chat about the role that has changed his life most unexpectedly. The New York University alum wasn’t apart of the original cast of The Chi, nor was Ronnie a role he thought he could tackle. "I came on board the second round in the regular audition process," he remembered. "It was a role that I'd never done before, so I didn't think I was right for the part. But the casting director, Carmen Cuba, cast me in the show, The Knick, so I went. The audition scene was Ronnie high -- smoking on the couch. I had no idea how to even play this. I couldn't see myself doing it. I literally went to the audition just to thank Carmen for casting me in The Knick, because it had opened up so many other doors. I didn't do a great audition. I walked out and went back to the car. I got a call from my agent, saying, "She thinks you're right for the role, but she doesn't want to submit the tape she made, she thinks you can do a better tape." (Carmen) asked me to do a self-tape, but I was going to Uganda for the holidays. (I) came back, and never did the self-tape because I thought, “I'd love to do it, but I'm not right. They're gonna find someone from Chicago to do it.”

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Lance Gross Talks 'STAR,' Playing the Man Everyone Loves to Hate And Explosive Season 2 Finale

From the moment season 2 premiered, Fox’s STAR has put its foot on the gas, and the drama, music and sensational storylines haven’t slowed down since. This season has brought brand new goals, heartbreaks and even more obstacles for Carlotta (Queen Latifah), Star (Jude Demorest), Simone (Brittany O’Grady) and Alex (Ryan Destiny). As the second season barrels toward what will surely be a tumultuous conclusion, one character stands at the center -- orchestrating much of the chaos. Lance Gross made his STAR debut in season 2 as the mercurial Maurice Jetter, the head of A&R at Midtown Records. Though Maurice seemed to be a stand-up guy in the beginning, his true nature began to show as his past and his temperament started to unravel. It’s a role that Gross has thoroughly enjoyed diving headfirst into. "Maurice is so ambitious —he wants to win," the Oakland native explained to me ahead of STAR’s season two finale. "When I first started with this character I didn't know that he was gonna take the turn that he took. We all were kind of trying to figure out the character. In my talks with Lee Daniels, we knew he was going to become dark, but we didn't exactly know how. As the season progressed it just started to get real interesting. It’s fun because its something that I haven't really played too much in the past, and that's been interesting as an actor. I wouldn't say (Maurice) is a bad guy, I would just say he's about winning. He wants what's best for his artists and he sees something that shines in Star, so he's going full speed ahead with breaking her out.“

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Zazie Beetz Dishes On 'Deadpool 2,' Black Women Superheroes And Understanding The Spirit Of Mutant Mercenary, Domino

In Deadpool 2, Zazie Beetz makes her superhero debut as Domino in a flourish of luscious afro and nonchalance. A reluctant member of Wade Wilson’s newly formed X-Force, Domino has a dark and twisted past, but from her unbothered attitude, you’d never know it. Beetz was determined to make the character, originally created by Rob Liefeld, her own. The second she learned she was in the running for the role, the Atlanta actress set off on an adventure to figure out who Domino was in the Marvel comics and who she would become on the big screen. “As soon as the conversation began that I would potentially be engaging in and working with Ryan Reynolds and Dave Leitch on this movie, I began researching a bunch online," she revealed. "I went to a comic book store here in New York, where I live, and I told one of the employees, ‘I need to do some research on Domino.' Obviously, I had to ask without revealing what it was for. I was hoping to find comics that would encapsulate her spirit — not necessarily following a specific storyline trajectory or even sticking with one artist. So this man collected a bunch of different books that he thought would be good for me to look through, and I got the original comic where Deadpool, Domino and Gideon were introduced." After getting some context from the comics, Beetz moved on to the cartoon versions of Domino to get a sense of the character’s movements, cadence and tone. “I bounced around, and I watched one of the X-Men," the German native said. “There used to be this cartoon and Domino had a role in it. I watched that. For the audition, I felt it was important for me to understand her spirit and her character, and I did the best that I could. As we kept going, I continued. After booking the role, I deepened my research and deepened my involvement with the character and the universe."

Understanding Domino at her core was one thing, but getting physically prepared to play the mutant mercenary was another challenge. “The training ends up becoming this mental and emotional experience as well," Beetz reflected. “I was doing about four hours a day for many months. I was doing two hours in the morning of fight training, and boxing and choreography. It's kind of like learning a dance, martial arts, mixed martial arts, and then in the afternoon I did a bunch of weight training. I found the fight training to be actually a lot more fun for me because you're using your mind when you're sparring, and it's a whole body experience, and it's sort of this cardio mixed with knowledge and you're learning how to kick and you're learning how to punch and you have to adjust your body. With weight training, it felt very monotonous, and it felt like a challenge just all the way through and it didn't feel as mentally engaging."

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'Superfly': Director X, Trevor Jackson and Jason Mitchell On Bringing Gordon Parks Jr.'s Blueprint To The Present-Day

“There is a difference between getting out, and getting pushed out.” Michael K. Williams’ character Scatter offers those haunting words of advice to Youngblood Priest (portrayed by Trevor Jackson) in the new trailer for Superfly. Though this 21st-century film is a world away from Gordon Parks Jr.’s 1972 Harlem-set Super Fly, the core of the story remains untouched. Set in Atlanta, Jackson’s Preist has become increasingly wary of the drug game. The constant paranoia has become all-consuming. Determined to start over, he bands together with his girl Georgia (Lex Scott Davis) and his business partner Eddie (Jason Mitchell) for one last job before he vanishes. Seated at the helm is Director X, known for his astonishing music videos for everyone from Drake to Rihanna, and the filmmaker was determined to elevate Atlanta life in all of its glitz and glory without removing the layer of grime that comes with street life, violence, death and drugs. Seated in the center of a nightclub in ATL surrounded by equipment, props and the incessant chatter of extras in the background, X is clearly in his element. He'd been called upon to deliver a 2018 version of Super Fly, and he's determined to deliver. “We all know the reality of movies nowadays,“ he explained. “People want properties. If you're going to spend 20 million bucks, would you spend it on something you know people will be interested in right away, or would you spend it on an idea? We all miss the old days when people spent a lot of money on ideas they had, but this is the energy in the air right now. I think Cleopatra Jones is being remade. They're doing another Shaft. Even Taraji's Proud Mary; it's not a remake, but it's definitely in the energy of those old movies.”

Despite Hollywood's remake and reboot climate, X revealed that when he first received the script, though it was named Superfly, the tone of the original was nowhere to be found. For him, that was unacceptable. “I read the script, and it wasn't about a drug dealer trying to get out," he remembered. “I said, We gotta make Super Fly, so that’s the movie we’re making. You've got Scatter, Eddie, Georgia, Cynthia, all those main characters that were in the original are here. The major story points happen. We took the major beats of Super Fly and said, 'Alright, these are the major things that happen, these are the things that have to happen in our version, and all the other stuff we do from there is an expansion.'”

Though the original film was considered an action drama during its time, X wanted to elevate the narrative by amplifying the most explosive notes in the plot and fleshing out a glossy and elite Atlanta world for Priest. “There's a little bit of art to everything," the "Work" music video director expressed. “Everything's just a little hyper-real. I didn’t want to do this super realistic drug story. I'm not interested in that. We're making a fun summer movie. Strip club culture is such a big part of the scene out here, but even that, this is the Superfly version of Magic City. Atlanta is the Harlem of today. If you were poppin' in Harlem in the '70s, you was poppin' around the world. If you're poppin' in Atlanta, you're poppin' around the world. This is that black epicenter now."

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Actress Florence Kasumba Unveils How Her 20-Year Career Led Her To Become A Dora Milaje Warrior In 'Black Panther' And Her Hopes For What Comes Next

The moment Florence Kasumba introduced herself as Ayo, T’Challa’s security chief in Captain America: Civil War, audiences immediately knew the type of energy that the Dora Milaje would be giving to the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The Ugandan-born German actress made her MCU debut by staring down Black Widow (portrayed by Scarlett Johansson) as she sharply suggested the Russian spy turned Avenger “move or be moved.” What has come after has literally been cinematic history. When Ryan Coogler’s long-awaited Black Panther came rippling through the box office in Feb. 2018, eviscerating any expectations and quickly soaring to the $1 billion mark globally, we learned that women like Ayo, Okoye (Danai Gurira), Nakia (Lupita Nyong'o), Shuri (Letitia Wright) and the rest of the women of Wakanda were the pulse of the country. Now, as the film arrives on DVD, Kasumba, who gave us our first glimpse of the fearsome Wakandan women, is reflecting on the whirlwind that has been her life and career over the past few years. “You know what, this has been such a long journey, and I was so excited to be able to discuss it again,” she revealed. "Black Panther is such an amazing movie."

Kasumba’s role as Ayo turned out to be much more than she could have ever dreamed of, especially after it was expanded into Black Panther. “When I was cast for the security chief, she was a character that wasn't supposed to speak,” she explained. “So when I finally understood, okay this is a big Marvel movie, I wasn't that intimidated, because I thought, 'Okay you're going to do this job, and it's going to be easy to translate.' Then I showed up, and I was supposed to say a line. Years later, I'm very happy that people liked my interpretation of it.”

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'Dear White People' Vol. 2 Is Wittier, Bolder, Darker And More Impactful (Review)

Somebody is stirring up sh*t at Winchester University, and all of our faves are getting sucked into the storm. From the opening sequence of Dear White People Volume 2, it’s quite clear that the black students at the Armstrong-Parker House are about to confront much more than they did in the first season of the acclaimed Netflix series. Season 2 opens with an age-old debate, one that has started plenty of wars on Black Twitter and probably ended a friendship or two: salt versus sugar grits. The second season bangs on from there. Two weeks after the tumultuous protest against integrating Armstrong-Parker, and three weeks after Reggie (Marque Richardson) found himself staring down the barrel of a campus police officer's gun, Sam (Logan Browning) and the crew are struggling to pick up the pieces. It doesn’t help that they are now sharing their dorm with residents of the recently burned down Davis Hall. It's a change that has transformed their once safe space amid a predominantly white university into one fraught with microaggressions and disharmony. Apparently, the Caucasians find the scent of fried foods and Armstrong-Parker's choices in television programming offensive.

Mirroring the first season, Dear White People creator Justin Simien angles each episode of the 10-part second season from the perspective of one of the show's main character. However, this time, we go well beyond the surface, even stepping away from Winchester's campus completely. It’s not just Sam, Reggie or Coco (Antoinette Robertson) who get a spotlight this season. Lionel (DeRon Horton), Joelle (Ashley Blaine Featherson) and even Kelsey (Nia Jervier) get some well-deserved and much-needed fleshing out — giving new perspectives to the multiplicities and differences in the black diaspora.

Volume 2 of Dear White People is bolder. With the Trump election behind us, we're standing firmly in the midst of his presidency, batting a resurgence of white supremacy and racist rhetoric. Simien confronts it all head on. Though she’s used to her radio show "Dear White People" bringing forth criticism, it is now Sam herself who is under attack. A Twitter troll, @AltIvyW, is making her life miserable, assaulting her and the black study body with cruel tweets, abusive language and even threats to their safety. The mystery surrounding the identity of the troll is a thread that runs throughout the entire season. The relentlessness of being called everything from a monkey to a "half-breed bitch" is wearing down the most outspoken black woman at Winchester, and she's certainly not coming out of it unscathed.

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'13th' Cinematographer Hans Charles On 'Mr. SOUL!' And Being Deliberate About The Black Image

In the years following Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s assassination as the Civil Rights Movement began to fray and crack, the Black Power movement arose, and Ellis Haizlip’s PBS series SOUL! gave black artists, poets, musicians, dancers, creators and activists a platform to tell their stories. SOUL! debuted on September 12, 1968, with Patti LaBelle and the Bluebelles as its first musical guest. The show aired for five years before it was stamped out in the wake of President Richard Nixon’s suppression of the media. But for those five years, what Haizlip gave black people was glorious.

With their new documentary Mr. SOUL!, co-directors Melissa Haizlip and Sam Pollard celebrate Mr. Haizlip, an enigmatic and profound man who dedicated his life to honoring black people. To bring Mr. SOUL! to life, Haizlip and Pollard turned to actor Blair Underwood to narrate the film and 13th cinematographer Hans Charles to create the images. Amid the Tribeca Film Festival, I sat down to chat with Charles about Mr. SOUL!, black images and why he embraces being labeled a black cinematographer.

Charles’ journey into film began with a simple curiosity. "I think I just realized that there was a lot of action happening around the camera," he reflected. "There's just so much energy around it, that it felt like a place where you always would get a chance to work. That felt different from those people who wanted to be writers or directors. There is a certain energy and a certain sense of collaboration that occurs around the camera. That visual observation made an impression on me. I started as a film loader. I interned for Brad on a film called Mo. Then I became a second assistant on Mississippi Damned. Brad was teaching for one semester at Howard , and I was probably the worst cinematography student; I really didn't understand the technical concepts. But I would always be the first student there and the last student to leave. Toward the end of the semester, he asked two of us to be interns on a commercial he was doing. He asked his best student, and he asked me — the most enthusiastic student. I was the one who showed up the next day."

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'Phantom Cowboys' Beautifully Twists and Bends The Coming-Of-Age Genre (Tribeca Review)

Coming of age documentaries certainly aren't new territory. Recent films like Quest and Raising Bertie are stellar projects that document the transformative years of their subjects as they embark on the journey from their teen years to adulthood. Daniel Patrick Carbone's Phantom Cowboys uses that same model but twists it into something we've never seen before. Following three different young men -- Larry, Nick and Tyler from Pahokee, Florida; Trona, California; and Parkersburg, West Virginia -- Carbone introduces us to these young teens just as they are stepping into themselves. All three are on the cusp of shedding the wistful naivete of childhood, but instead of following them, Carbone breaks away, re-entering their lives seven years later to see where they’ve ended up. Pahokee, Trona and Parkersburg are all very particular places in the United States. Almost frozen in time, except for the glimpses of technology that Carbone hints at throughout the film, there is minimal opportunity for the people in these towns. When we first meet Larry at 13 years old, he spends his days running through sugarcane crops and shooting rabbits with his best friends. At 20, he’s taller, broader and newly released from prison after a 3-year bid for aggravated battery. Despite his circumstances, his spirit is not completely worn down, but his innocence and excitement about the world have long since disappeared.

In Trone, Nick's life plays out very differently. At 17, he lives for football, and his identity is deeply ingrained in his community. In Trone, the chemical plant seems to be the only way of life; Nick's father has worked there for decades. As a teen, Nick seems weary of a certain future at the plant, but at 23 with a 4 a.m. wakeup call, he’s thankful for the steady income and the familiarity the plant provides. In fact, he’s turned down a college football scholarship to remain close to his family, teaching his little brother to fix things and to ride a motorbike.

For Tyler, Parkersburg represents one thing, dirt racing. At 18, he spends his days with his father at a garage, making money to support his daughter. But at night, it's all about racing. When we meet Tyler again at 25, his obsession has begun to pay off. With four little girls and a wife to support, he’s starting to win races while making a name for himself in the racing community. When Tyler's not working or behind the wheel, he’s taking his daughters to and from school and tucking them in at night. He's completely cloaked in adulthood.

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Antonio J. Bell On The Dazzling Tribeca Selection, 'Nigerian Prince,' Navigating Lagos And Unraveling His Roots

To be black American is to be at once deeply rooted in and wholly disconnected from the continent of Africa. For first generation black Americans whose parents immigrated to the States from places like Nigeria, Ghana and Senegal, it can feel even more disconcerting. There is an understanding of the culture and the language, yet there is still a sense of division-- even among family. In 2017, writer/director Faraday Okoro received a $1 million grant from the inaugural AT&T’s Untold Stories program to produce his film Nigerian Prince. Set on the bustling streets of Lagos, Nigeria, Nigerian Prince follows Eze (portrayed by Antonio J. Bell), a sullen and internet addicted American teen who is shipped off to his parents' homeland after acting out at school. Evocative of The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air in an alternative universe, Eze finds himself adrift and under the care of his fearsome and determined Aunt Grace (Tina Mba). Determined to return home, Eze teams up with his captivating cousin Pius (newcomer Chinaza Uche), who just happens to be one of Lagos’ biggest con-artists.

For Bell, Nigerian Prince was a way to embrace his heritage and to stretch within his craft. “Funny enough, it was just like any other part," Bell said of his feature lead debut. "I auditioned for it. It was actually a busy week; I had like four or five other auditions on the same day. I was like, ‘I'm not getting this one.’ I’m not Nigerian; I’d never been anywhere near Africa. But I read for it, and I heard back like three days later and got a callback. Then I got another, and I spoke to Faraday and everybody, and I was signed onto the contract. It was really crazy."

Though family, connections and the true meaning of home are central themes in this humorous but intense film, scheming remains central. In Nigerian Prince, Prius has his hands in way more than a simple email scam. I asked Bell if he’d heard of the Nigerian prince emails or if he’d ever fallen victim to one. “Well it's funny because the year before I was buying an iPad for my daughter," he said laughing. “And there was a PayPal thing ... I was trying to pay somebody, but there was no PayPal account or website. It was like some kind of knockoff one from Africa. It was weird, nothing added up. When I figured out it wasn't real, I called PayPal. So I was aware of it loosely, but I didn't know what they were called before we did the movie."

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