In 1968, you couldn’t turn on the television, listen to the radio, or read something in print without seeing a White face. Even during the Civil Rights Movement, any presentation of the Black experience was almost always presented through a… Read More ›
CLTure
“Coming 2 America” is a serotonin-filled blast from the past.
To paraphrase a line from director Craig Brewer’s (Dolemite Is My Name) Coming 2 America, Hollywood is nothing but superhero films, remakes, and sequels no one asked for. Without getting into the numerous ways that’s an oversimplification that ignores the… Read More ›
The world must have turned upside down because “Hamilton” is coming home via Disney+.
In case you’re coming to this unclear on what actor/playwright Lin-Manuel Miranda’s Hamilton is about, the play follows significant moments of Founding Father Alexander Hamilton’s (Miranda) life from surviving severe illness as a child; coming to American from the Caribbean;… Read More ›
Musical dramedy hits “The High Note.”
In times of great stress like these, it’s important to remember what gets us through: art. Art, of course, can be anything from clothes, food, movies, projects, music, and more. They are the things which bring us joy and help… Read More ›
Writer/director Stella Meghie’s “The Photograph” asks her audience to look beyond the frame and love completely.
Writer/director Stella Meghie’s (Everything, Everything) new film, The Photograph, is a drama/romance depicting two love stories (one in the past, one in the present) connected by a picture. That description just scratches the surface of Meghie’s tale which examines not… Read More ›
“Spider-Man: Far From Home” is an adventurous conclusion for the MCU’s Phase 3.
Audiences and MCU characters alike don’t know what to expect in the wake of Avengers: Endgame. Loss of any kind takes time to properly heal from and, while audiences didn’t get much (barely three months between the release of Endgame… Read More ›
Strong performances and a tight script make “Late Night” resonate.
As theaters ramp up for animated animal adventures, alien invasions, and yet another zombie apocalypse, there’s a small work-place comedy executed by an incredible cast of comedic actors offering up something different. Written by Mindy Kaling (The Mindy Project), directed… Read More ›
“Booksmart” blends the real with the hyper-real to create absolute magic.
Watching Booksmart, the new teen comedy from Annapurna Pictures, you would not know that this is the directorial debut feature film for Olivia Wilde (Life Itself/House, M.D.). Nuts to bolts, Booksmart is a heat-seeking rocket of a film. It’s precise,… Read More ›
When times are hard, faith can help us “Breakthrough”.
January 19th, 2015, John Smith (portrayed by Marcel Ruiz) was playing on an iced-over lake in Missouri with some friends when the ice broke underneath them. While the other two got out, John remained in the water for 20 minutes… Read More ›
While a lot of fun, “Captain Marvel” relies too much on the past in establishing its present.
First teased during the post credits sequence of Avengers: Infinity War, the 21st Marvel Cinematic Universe entry Captain Marvel fully introduces audiences to a character MCU producer and mastermind Kevin Feige described as “…the strongest character [the MCU’s] ever had.”… Read More ›
“How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World” once more captures the imagination in a surprisingly emotional finale.
When audiences attend a children’s film, they don’t expect much: a few laughs, some sort of adventure, and perhaps a moral or two tucked in to give the adults something to discuss with the kids. Generally, expectations are pretty low…. Read More ›
Director Peter Jackson’s “They Shall Not Grow Old” brings the past to life like nothing before it.
Roughly four years ago, the Imperial War Museum began working with director Peter Jackson (The Lord of the Rings trilogy) to develop a documentary focused on World War I. His only directives: make it fresh and original. As a self-professed… Read More ›
If you’ve been craving a family-friendly “Deadpool”, you certainly get your wish.
For the uninitiated, Deadpool is a comic book character unlike any other. It’s not that he’s indestructible thanks to a mutant healing factor or that he’s a highly trained assassin, it’s that he knows he’s in a comic book. Having… Read More ›
“Creed II” embraces the past to blaze a new trail forward.
Whether you’re a fan of The Sweet Science or not, the name Rocky Balboa (portrayed by Sylvester Stallone) is likely the first name that springs to mind in any discussion of boxing. The 1976 drama Rocky first introduced audiences to… Read More ›
Jennifer Garner’s back in action with “Peppermint”.
There’s something deeply cathartic about a well-made revenge flick. Watching the mayhem unfold on screen while the hero pursues victory like an unrelenting Valkyrie, dispatching adversaries with dogged determination until they all lie broken and defeated at their feet. These… Read More ›
Go with a smile: “The Happytime Murders”.
If you were asked to name the first Muppet to pop into your head, the answer would inevitably be tied to your introductory experience. If you named Big Bird or Kermit, you likely know how to get to Sesame Street…. Read More ›
Spike Lee’s “BlacKkKlansman” is clarion call that the battles of the past are not over.
Director Spike Lee’s never been known to mince words and his latest project, BlacKkKlansman, will hit you like a sledgehammer in the gut. Lee utilizes the memoir of Ron Stallworth, the first black police officer in Colorado Springs, Colorado, to… Read More ›
Light the fuse on “Mission: Impossible – Fallout” and get ready for the ride of the summer.
There are few cinematic franchises as consistent in delivering action and thrills as the Mission: Impossible franchise. While not as institutionalized as the James Bond: 007 series nor as gratuitous as the Fast & Furious franchise, the Mission: Impossible films… Read More ›
“Hotel Transylvania 3: Summer Vacation” offers an entertainment break from the summertime heat.
Summertime brings with it the usual bevy of tent pole blockbusters and indie darlings, each scrapping for audience’s hard-earned dollars each and every Friday. Many of these films offer a chance at delicious distraction from the world at large, but… Read More ›
Small stakes don’t stop ‘Ant-Man and The Wasp’ from being big fun.
2015’s Ant-Man provided audiences a lighter mood in the Peyton Reed-directed heist film which helped to soften the blow of the largely serious Age of Ultron. It also acted as a backdoor introduction to Captain America: Civil War, a film… Read More ›