From the category archives:
The best documentaries have two distinguishing features: a distinct point-of-view; and/or a personal connection to the subject matter. By those measures, Evangeline Griego’s “God Willing” is a superb and powerful film. The film explores the religious cult known as The Brethren, founded in 1971 by a mysterious, messianic figure named Jim Roberts. The group recruits young Read More →
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UPDATE May 9: The film grossed $13.7 million in its opening weekend, which the L.A. Times described as “decent given the cost of the movie.” May 6: It’s a tried-and-true Hollywood formula: lovers from opposite sides of the tracks. And maybe it’s even been done before with African-American subjects, but that didn’t stop director Salim Read More →
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Writer/director Quentin Tarantino has reportedly turned in the final draft of a spaghetti western-style flick titled Django Unchained, which takes place during the era of American slavery. According to an indieWIRE affiliate: Django is a freed slave, who, under the tutelage of a German bounty hunter (Christopher Waltz) becomes a bad-ass bounty hunter himself, and after assisting Read More →
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Filmmaker Tyler Perry has had enough of Spike Lee dissing him and his films, saying at a press conference this week that Lee “can go straight to hell!” Perry’s latest, “Madea’s Big Happy Family,” opens Friday. His work has come under increasing criticism, particularly from Lee who has called Perry’s films “coonery” and buffonery.” Box Read More →
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Aaron Schock’s “Circo” is a remarkable documentary about a family-run circus that travels the small towns and byways of Mexico. The Ponce family has been in the circus business since the 19th century, but today it’s a constant struggle to stay afloat. That would be enough of a story, but here it’s overlaid with family Read More →
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Publicist-turned-filmmaker Ava DuVernay knows the film industry inside and out. So well, in fact, that when she made her first narrative feature, I Will Follow, not only did she write and direct the film, she also marketed, promoted, and distributed it. The film opens in select cities March 11th and, so far, it’s received rave reviews. DuVernay Read More →
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By Allison Samuels When a glamorous Halle Berry took the stage at the recent Academy Awards ceremony, viewers were reminded of that historic night when Berry took home the Oscar for Best Actress. In fact, a reminder was needed: Ever since her 2001 winning turn in “Monster’s Ball,” Berry hasn’t exactly wowed moviegoers with her Read More →
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On March 4th, the NAACP held its 42nd annual Image Awards ceremony to celebrate people of color in the fields of literature, television, film, and music. In its own words, the event is “a multi-cultural awards show from an African American point of view.” Surgeon General Regina M. Benjamin and President’s Award recipient General Colin Read More →
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After Sunday’s underwhelming Academy Awards ceremony we were desperate for a real laugh and it was supplied by The Jimmy Kimmel Show’s post-Oscar special. This video is a parody of “The King’s Speech,” with Mike Tyson in the Geoffrey Rush role. As for who plays the “King,” well, you’ll just have to watch for yourself. Read More →
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If you saw “True Grit,” you were surely impressed by the performance delivered by 14-year-old Hailee Steinfeld. You may also have been intrigued by her features, which hinted of a mixed heritage. Well, it turns out that Hailee’s mother, Cheri Domasin-Steinfeld, is half-Filipina and reportedly also part African-American. (Hailee’s father, Peter, is Jewish.) Hailee is Read More →
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