Obvious Child: My Review

Obvious Child starring comedian Jenny Slate is the art house hit critics love due to its handling of the hot topic of abortion and the star making performance of Slate, an SNL alum and co star of the FX series Married.

The movie starts with a breakup between Slate's character Donna Stern and her boyfriend Ryan who has been cheating on her with one of her close friends. On top of the breakup, Donna learns that the bookstore she has been working at for five years is closing down. After getting pissy drunk before her set at the club she does stand up at and turning the audience off by going on and on about her horrible breakup, Donna meets yuppie Max and a night of drunken sex leads to an unwanted pregnancy.

Slate's humor is crude at times and if you are easily turned off by that, then the jokes in the opening scenes will have you wondering why you rented this movie. But if blue humor doesn't bother you and you stick with the film you will find that the buzz surrounding Slate and writer/ director Gillian Robespierre is well deserved, and it has one anxious to see what is next from these two. Can I offer a suggestion? Maybe a sequel to Obvious Child because the ending left me hopeful for Max and Donna. Just saying!

50/50: My Review

Joseph Gordon Levitt as Adam in 50/50

I've been sleeping on Joseph Gordon Levitt,  and I could kick myself for doing so. After watching the magnificent 50/50  I must say I get the hype. I mean not only is Joseph a cutie, but a good actor to boot.  If you all haven't seen the movie, Redbox it, Netflix it, or wait for it to be shown again on cable.  Yes it's a tearjerker (Joseph's character has cancer, (hence the title) , but the movie also boasts some laughs and the cast which includes Anjelica Huston, Seth Rogan , Bryce Dallas Howard, and Anna Kendrick is stellar. 

If you've already seen it, post your comments below!

Jane the Virgin : TV Review

My timeline has been so full of love for the new CW fall show Jane the Virgin that I took some time on my off day last week to catch up on the show's first five eps to see if all the hype bestowed upon it by my Tweeples was well deserved.

I walked away hooked! Gina Rodriguez plays the titular character a virgin in her twenties who gets artificially inseminated by accident. Yes this premise sounds far fetched, but the cast and the writing makes this show one of the better series to premiere this Fall season. And I will go as far as saying I like it better than the much hyped How To Get Away With Murder, although I do watch that show as well. What sets this show apart is the cast, the writing, and the chemistry between the lead character and her two suitors (the fiancee and the millionaire whose baby she's carrying) both of whom are adorable and as the viewer one is torn as to who Jane should wind up with when the smoke clears. I am also impressed by the two actors who portray Jane's parents Andrea Navedo and Jaime Camil. Jaime's portrayal of Rogelio, the telenovela star who just found out about Jane is hilarious to say the least.

If you are not watching this show, my suggestion for you is to catch up on all the eps via the CW website before Monday's new episode.

Beyond the Lights: My Review

Great dramatic love stories with engaging leads of color are not always a quick sell in Hollywood, but they should be.  After seeing Gina Prince Bythewood’s Beyond the Lights today, might I suggest she be the go to writer/director if you want to tell this kind of tale right.  After impressing the hell out of critics and audiences with Love and Basketball, she followed up that film with The Secret Life of Bees, and now the wonderful Beyond the Lights, starring Gugu  Mbatha-Raw of Belle fame and Nate Parker who some say is the second coming of Denzel Washington.  Beyond the Lights has already been compared to the mega hits The Bodyguard and Mahogany, but it definitely can stand on its own. The story of Noni a pop star with an overt sexual image who just wants to sing and Kaz, the cop who saves her from a suicide attempt gets everything right from jump, and it doesn’t waste time getting the love story in motion.  The way Bythewood uses a flashback to set up the trajectory of a biracial child with an amazing voice who is virtually pushed into the limelight by a mother whose thirst for fame and riches outweighs thoughts of what's best for her daughter, lets the movie goer in as to how modern day Noni eventually winds up in the place of despair Kaz finds her in.

As a screenwriter, I studied the pace of the script and can honestly say the other reason for my going to see this film was not only to be entertained, but to also adopt some of the methods that makes Gina’s films work so damn well. It’s not easy being a writer and revising a script can be tedious, but after learning Gina goes through over 50 rewrites , you won’t hear any more complaints from me. If Beyond the Lights' many revisions resulted in what I saw today, then as one of the audience members that applauded the film as the credits rolled, Bythewood’s revisions netted the result she was looking for.

Orange Is The New Black Season 2 Premiere: My Review

I've been waiting to go back to Litchfield Prison for months now.  After the first season of Orange Is The New Black ended with WASP turned inmate Piper Chapman beating the living ish out of meth head/religious fanatic/abortionist killer Pennsatucky, diehard fans of the show have been anxiously wondering what was going to happen to Piper post the epic beat down.

The first ep of season 2 (directed by the brilliant Jodie Foster)  answers all questions although with the exception of Alex, none of my other Litchfield favorites appeared on the episode. You do get to meet a new set of prisoners who are even more disgusting than any of the ones at Litchfield, but fortunately you don't have to deal with them too long. As it turns out Piper and Alex are only in this new prison to await the trial of the man they were running drugs for. Alex wants Piper to lie fearing for both of their lives if the truth comes out, but Piper balks at this and refuses to lie. Piper's change of heart during the 3rd act only winds up slapping her in the face when her lawyer, (her former fiancee Larry's dad) washes his hands of her and Alex's decision to do what Piper was initially adamant to do gets her out of jail and leaves Piper behind bars and hopefully on the first bus back to Litchfield.

Overall this ep was good. I enjoyed the childhood flashbacks to when Piper was a little girl and seeing  actress Lori Petty as Lolly, one of the new inmates. Petty is an actress from back in the day (A League of Their Own, Point Break) who I must say kinda scared me with how badly she's aged.  Nonetheless I'm back on the grind and getting ready to watch episode 2 and drink a couple of Strawberitas.

Later !

Mother of George: My Review

Danai Gurira is best known as the brooding samurai Michonne on AMC's The Walking Dead, but what a lot of people don't know is that she is also an award winning playwright and the star of the critically acclaimed independent feature Mother of George.

Mother of George (directed by Andrew Dosunmu) is the story of married couple Ayodele and Adenike whose infertility struggles lead Adenike down a path from which there is no return, thanks to an idea planted by an overly interfering mother in law.

The film started off slow but soon picked up especially when a plan for conception is broached by Ma Ayo which completely shocked me considering how extreme it was. For someone who considers herself a modern woman, I for one could not grasp how much nagging Adenike took from Ma Ayo in regards to her getting pregnant.  Someone like me (with all respect) would've told the old lady to kick rocks, but I guess things are different in Nigerian culture. Ayodele's attitude also left a lot to be desired considering his reluctance to see a fertility specialist. I mean what man would refuse his wife who was so obviously desperate at that point to have his kid?  I guess the Nigerian male ego is a lot more fragile than most.

The ensemble as a whole are all good, but Danai's performance showed that there's more to her than the sword wielding uber intense Michonne that we welcome into our homes every Sunday night. I'm looking forward to other outside projects from her.

Belle: My Review

When I first saw the trailer for Belle months ago I knew that it was a special film. Yes it still dealt with the issue of slavery, but this time it was on a different scale. Belle was based on the true story of mixed race Dido Elizabeth Belle, the love child of Sir John Lindsey and a slave woman by the name of Maria Belle. Dido goes to live with John's uncle,William Murray, the 1st Earl of Mansfield at Kenwood House and is raised as part of the family. Yes there are restrictions such as being hidden away when company comes over, but compared to most people of color in those days, Belle was quite fortunate.

I never knew Dido's story, but it made for an interesting and well acted film. Amma Asante and her leading lady Gugu Mbatha-Raw are causing quite a stir with this indie which is garnering major praise from critics and audiences. When I went to a screening of it at Tara Cinema here in Atlanta over Mother's Day weekend, the film received applause from the audience at the end which is proof that it's touching a chord with moviegoers from all demographics. One entertainment program even touted Gugu as a breakout star in the vein of Lupita Nyong'o, and Asante is definitely a director to keep an eye on. Female directors are already a rarity and female directors of color are even rarer.  If Asante's big screen debut is any indication, I am predicting that she should purchase a trophy case for the Oscars and Golden Globes that will one day be coming her way.

People Votes Lupita Most Beautiful

This morning when it was revealed whom People Magazine chose as their Most Beautiful I had hoped that Lupita Nyong'o would be picked. I mean it's 2014 and to my knowledge a chocolate woman had never been chosen as the cover star for the yearly double issue that celebrates the most stunning women in entertainment. Yes I know Beyonce received the honor a few years back and is a woman of color, but she's not chocolate like Lupita and she certainly is not sporting the natural look like Lupita so effortlessly does.  I still could not wrap my head around People magazine being progressive enough to choose the Yale educated, Oscar winning actress, but I wasn't given them enough credit.

Kudos to People for recognizing black beauty in all its wonderful hues! And congrats to Lupita for representing us the way we are supposed to be represented (side eye to Mimi, Kenya, and Porsha)!

Christian Audiences Will Not Be Ignored

Easter weekend was a profitable one at the box office for the inspirational film Heaven Is For Real. I hadn't read the book on which the film is based, but I will say I thoroughly enjoyed the movie and will probably read the book eventually.

Heaven Is For Real is about a young boy named Colton Burpo who travels to heaven while undergoing emergency surgery. His account of heaven, the people he saw there, and what he saw on earth while he was there causes concern for his father and chaos in the church for which his father is the pastor. As it turns out a lot of people aren't as pleased about there being a heaven as one would think.

As a Christian, it is refreshing to see a movie that is for this demographic, that isn't corny or overly preachy. It's also nice to see that a film like this attracted the talents of Oscar nominees Greg Kinnear and Thomas Haden Church, and Emmy winner Margo Martindale. 

Hopefully Hollywood will continue to make films like this that inspire and are good enough for the whole family to appreciate.

October Baby: My Review

October Baby  is a movie that touches on unwanted pregnancy, adoption, and abortion. It's a faith based film from first time directors and brothers Jon and Andrew Erwin, and it centers around college student Hannah and her learning that she was given up for adoption after her birth mother's failed attempt at an abortion. In other words Hannah is an abortion survivor, but her fraternal twin did not survive. Hannah has to not only deal with that knowledge, but also discovering her birth mother who is now a successful attorney with a family of her own wants nothing to do with her. Add this and the growing attraction between her and her oldest friend Jason, poor Hannah is not a happy camper throughout most of the movie.

This movie was meh, not bad, not great. Rachel Hendrix  who portrays Hannah is a decent actress and I would like to see her in more projects. To be an unknown and carry a film is a huge weight, but with this being a Christian based movie with a small budget, the likelihood of the producers attracting a Shailene Woodley or Jennifer Lawrence for the role wasn't going to happen. The biggest names in this film are John Schneider and Jasmine Guy from the television classics, The Dukes of Hazzard, and A Different World.

The script wasn't perfect, but despite it's flaws I'm glad I was able to stream it on Netflix on a rainy Easter weekend!

The To Do List: My Review

If you are looking for a raunchy comedy in the vein of Superbad or Bridesmaids to enjoy on a night when there is nothing on the telly, do yourself a favor and rent The To Do List with Aubrey Plaza of Parks and Recreation. I don't watch Parks and Rec (and yes I know that I'm missing out so it's on my Netflix list), as Brandy Klark, a recent high school graduate who takes a strategic approach to losing her virginity. Between her more experienced besties Flora and Wendy and her older sister Amber, Brandy feels she has all the tools she needs to snag Rusty Waters. He is a fellow lifeguard at the community pool where Brandy is working for the summer, and she has been crushing on him since laying eyes on him at a graduation party. On top of that Brandy's friend Cameron has a major crush on her which makes things even more complicated.

This movie boasts a great cast which includes Connie Britton, Clark Gregg, and Rachel Bilson and cameos by the likes of Andy Samberg (SNL) and Jack McBrayer (30 Rock).

Rent at your own risk! You may hurt yourself from laughing so hard :)

Frankie & Alice: My Review

Movies about black people struggling with mental illness are few and far between. The only two that come to recent memory are Gifted Hands: The Ben Carson Story and Abducted:The Carlina White Story. Frankie and Alice is the true story of a go go dancer named Frankie (Halle Berry) who has multiple personality disorder. The two personalities wreaking havoc with Frankie's life are Genius, a 7 year old child, and a racist Southern belle by the name of Alice. Things come to a head for Frankie when "Alice" emerges during a tryst with a co worker where she attacks him. This event leads to the fateful meeting with Dr. Oz (Stellan Skarsgard), who is determined to help Frankie with her illness.

The movie is flawed, especially when it comes to setting up the reason as to why Frankie is suffering from this disorder and the role her mother (Phylicia Rashad) plays into it. Frankie also has a sister played by Chandra Wilson of Grey's Anatomy fame whose role is so small it might as well be nonexistent.

As someone who focuses in on the screenplay, I feel that the script if it had of delved more into Frankie's family, or present day Frankie who is living with her illness and is now married to a psychiatrist would have made the movie just that more interesting. The performances (with Halle being the standout) were fine, but the story needed some tweaking.  Do I recommend this as date night fare? Not really, but if it premieres on Lifetime or Netflix streaming definitely check it out!

Dallas Buyers Club:My Review

I know I'm late with this review, but after seeing Dallas Buyers Club this evening I had to blog about it. Matthew McConaughey and Jared Leto both deserved the acclaim they received. There is no question that these two both gave a thousand percent to their roles of Ron Woodruff and Rayon, two people suffering from AIDS, one a racist, homophobic redneck and the other a drug addicted transgender prostitute. I had heard that McConaughey's portrayal of Woodruff was a shock to the system of moviegoers used to seeing him portray the handsome romantic leading man, but in DBL McConaughey's skeletal frame,dark hair, and balls to the wall performance showed just how versatile an actor he can be.  I swear you go from being completely disgusted by Woodruff to rooting for him as he goes against the establishment to attain the drugs he and and so many others need to survive.

Woodruff's transformation from unsympathetic to endearing is cemented in a scene when he defends Rayon from a former "friend" who refuses to acknowledge Rayon because he's transgender. Leto's role was too small for my taste, but it served the purpose of showing that despite their initial differences, Ron and Rayon both realized they needed one another to survive.

I know the role of Rayon was a supporting one, but I would have liked to learn more about the character, especially his background as the disowned son of a banker who Rayon goes to see to get some money for Ron. I know this film was about Woodruff and his willingness to do whatever it took to get the drugs needed to extend the lives of AIDS patients, but Leto's performance left me wanting more of Rayon.

Very good film, but it's extremely raw in some instances so it's definitely not one for the kiddies.

Lupita Is the New Face Of Lancome

Okay I admit, I have been a tad bit obsessed with tracking any Lupita N'yongo news ever since she became the It girl of awards season.  After winning several awards for her portrayal of Patsy in 12 Years A Slave, the news was slow in coming. Yeah I heard the rumors of Lupita possibly being the star of the new Star Wars movie and of her adapting the book Americanah for the big screen, but nothing concrete, until today.

It was announced this morning that one of the biggest cosmetics companies, Lancome has signed Lupita as the new face of their line. This is great news for her especially in the wake of The Hollywood Reporter article that stated Lupita's chances of overcoming the post Oscar curse that plagues so many Black women would be a huge obstacle. It also stated that her ebony complexion would make it doubly harder for her to succeed in entertainment. I refused to buy into this antiquated thinking especially after the way she was embraced by mainstream America pre Oscar win.

Now I'm waiting for that film project to be announced that will take catapult Lupita to the status of a Jennifer Lawrence/Amy Adams. Hopefully I won't have to wait much longer.

First: My Review

The new web series First should quiet those who constantly complain about the lack of black love in the media. The show produced by web series queen Issa Rae details the love story of Charles and Robin, two childhood friends who reconnect as adults and begin dating. I just saw the inaugural episode, and it was fantastic.  I liked the way we were given some history on the characters by first reflecting back on their childhood years. This sets up the present where Charles and Robin go on their first date and while en route to their destination Robin teases Charles about the a girl he used to mess around with when they were kids not knowing that the whole time he was really interested in her.

Jahmela Biggs who plays Robin is also the creator and writer of the show. I like the premise and so far the chemistry between her and Will Catlett who plays Charles is enough to make me continue to tune in. This show has been described as a modern day Love Jones , and even though that is a worthwhile comparison, I feel the show has what it takes to succeed on its own merits without being perceived as Love Jones 2.0.

You can watch the series by subscribing to Issa Rae's You Tube channel.  Let me know what you think in the comments section below!

Short Term 12 : My Review

The film Short Term 12 has all the qualities of the perfect indie: great story, an excellent script, and a terrific ensemble cast headed by the soon to be extremely well known Brie Larson. The movie centers around Grace (Larson), a counselor at a foster care facility who is extremely good at her job. She takes a loving but firm approach with her charges, and it's quite obvious that they respect her despite their sometimes insolent attitudes. Grace is also juggling a relationship with Mason a fellow counselor and the father of the baby she is carrying. Even though Grace seemingly has it together on the outside, a newcomer to the facility by the name of Jayden brings up things from her past that Grace would rather not deal with, but has to if she can ever think of having a future with Mason.

Larson does an excellent job as Grace and was well deserving of the award recognition she received over the past several months. In a less crowded field, Larson possibly could have received an Oscar nod as well, but unfortunately she did not. Larson did however land a coveted spot on the cover of the Hollywood issue of Vanity Fair with the likes of Julia Roberts, George Clooney, Lupita Nyongo, and Jared Leto. She has also appeared in the films Don Juan, 21 Jump Street, and The Spectacular Now.

Another one to watch is Keith Stanfield who plays eighteen year old Marcus, a kid from an abusive background who has aged out of the system. His performance will break your heart and he along with Kaitlyn Dever who plays Jayden are two talents to keep an eye on.

Book Review: I've Never Been To Vegas but My Luggage Has

There are a lot of "how to survive the single life" books on the market, but Mandy Hale has written one that is not only written from a Christian perspective, but also written from a standpoint that all women despite their religious beliefs can relate to.

I’ve Never Been To Vegas but My Luggage Has is the second book from Mandy who is the creator of The Single Woman blog and the author of the book of the same name. I first became acquainted with Mandy through Twitter and quickly became a follower. What attracted me to her Tweets were the positivity and wisdom they exude. Mandy‘s unabashed honesty and straight shooter style is appreciated in a world where books for single Christians stick to the mantra of “pray and wait for your husband” or “this is the season where you should strictly be focused on the Lord”. They never speak to those that may struggle with wanting what they want in their timing not God’s. Not to knock those books, but Mandy is very frank about the mistakes she’s made with guys: falling for Mr. E, someone who repeatedly broke her heart; living out of wedlock with a physically abusive boyfriend; and struggling with depression and anxiety. I don’t want to give away too much of this wonderful book but if you are a single woman of any age and race please pick up this gem of a book, read Mandy’s blog,  http://thesinglewoman.net/ , check her out on You Tube, and follow her on social media. For those that need a little encouragement and perspective on this single journey, Mandy will provide it.

Zoe Saldana To Play Eartha Kitt In Biopic

After all the fuss in regards to Zoe Saldana playing Nina Simone in a biopic, I was psyched to learn she's been picked to play the late singer, actress , and activist Eartha Kitt. From what I've learned about Ms. Kitt, this role is tailor made for a ballsy actress like Saldana who is reportedly a big fan of the late legend.

I did my research on Ms. Kitt, and I must say she lived a very colorful life, a life tailor made for the big screen. Kitt grew up biracial and was born on a cotton plantation. She became a huge international star when she was blacklisted in America after voicing her opinions on the Vietnam War to Lady Bird Johnson. After bringing Johnson to tears at a luncheon , the then First Lady fled the room she was that upset. Ms. Kitt was also a linguist (she spoke in 4 languages and sang in 7).

This sounds like the perfect vehicle for someone like Taylor Hackford to direct who did a phenomenal job with Ray.

The Single Mom's Club: My Review

The two words “Tyler Perry ” leave a bad taste in movie critics mouths. Even though the majority of his movies have done good box office and his series and plays are successes, Perry cannot seem to catch a break or any praise for his work. Well his latest is no exception. The Single Moms Club is Tyler’s tribute to all the single moms out there doing their thing, and it boasted a cast that includes Nia Long, Cocoa Brown, Wendi McLendon-Covey, Zulay Hunao, and Amy Smart . The ladies all portray single mothers from varying rungs of the economic ladder who are placed together due to their kids’ misbehavior,  and in the process become sounding boards for one another.  Of course the ladies do not all click instantaneously, but when they do they decide to form a club where one of the ladies looks after the kids while the other ladies go out for a girl’s night.  Hence The Single Mom’s Club is born.

Is the movie perfect? No.  There were a couple of scenes that made me cringe because they were either badly executed or the dialogue seemed corny to me, but all in all I enjoyed the movie.  I was surprised that the opening weekend boasted weak numbers, but despite the lackluster box office, OWN is bringing the series version of the film to the small screen with an entirely new cast.  I just hope the revamped cast will have the audience believing in the power of friendship and girl power as much as the movie cast did.

Oscars 2014 : My Recap

As a moviegoer I always watch the Oscars, but this year it felt different. A lot of it has to do with having seen a lot of the movies nominated, the whirlwind known as Lupita,  a tight Best Actor and Best Picture race, and all things Jared Leto.

The movies that came out last year were unbelievably good. 12 Years A Slave took me on a journey that was depressing and dark, but it was a story that needed to be told. Is it a movie I would want to see again? A few months ago, I would have said no, but now I would change that to a maybe. I feared that the Academy's demographic would not see the film or would find it too graphic and in your face to award it Best Picture. They did not give the honor of Best Director to Steve McQueen, but the film did win the highest honor of the night which was well deserved and for Best Adapted Screenplay. Giving the Best Picture Award to American Hustle would have been a joke because let's face it even though the cast was stellar, the story was a miss. Gravity was a beautiful film, but it did not carry the emotional weight of 12 Years and these two films were 12 Years biggest competition during awards season.

The Best Supporting Actress category had me on edge due to the juggernaut known as Jennifer Lawrence. Yes Lupita won the majority of awards going into the Oscars, but Jennifer won some major ones as well including the BAFTA and Golden Globe. Lovely Lupita did win though, and I was beyond happy. She is a class act and her performance in 12 Years was mind blowing. Lupita has what it takes to go far, and I hope that casting directors are taking note of what she can bring to a film. With her beauty I would also like to see Lupita land a contract with a cosmetics company or design house which would boost her brand even more.

Cate Blanchett's win for Blue Jasmine was not surprising because her performance in that film was fabulous. I highly recommend that you rent Blue Jasmine if you have not seen it. Jasmine is not the most likable character, but Cate did an amazing job as did Sally Hawkins who plays Jasmine's sister Ginger in the movie. Sally was also nominated for her performance.

I do feel like a major slacker because I still have not seen Dallas Buyer's Club which is the movie that won Matthew McConaughey and Jared Leto their first Oscars. I have been a big fan of Matt's ever since A Time To Kill,  and I love that he is getting recognized as a character actor after going the rom com route. Now I am not knocking rom coms, but most have no depth. There are very few exceptions (When Harry Met Sally, Pretty Woman) that do, but most are fluffy and cute. Matt's over being fluffy and cute, and that's fine with me. If you can do more, do it. If you are limited as an actor, stick to what you know. 

Jared Leto on the other hand is one of those guys I had heard of, but never really paid much attention to. Basically all I knew about him was that he was once engaged to Cameron Diaz and was on that show My So Called Life. Now that Jared has won the Oscar, here's hoping he is not going to take another 6 year break from acting. Not only is he a talented actor and musician, but gorgeous and seemingly humble and together. Plus any guy who would go the lengths he goes to for parts (gaining over 60 lbs for Chapter 27 and losing 40 for DBH) is an actor worth respecting. I can't wait to see what he does next!

I cannot finish my post without giving a shout out to P!nk and Pharrell who both performed on the show last night and Ellen DeGeneres who gets my vote as Best Host. Anyone who would order pizza for the audience and take a selfie with the celebs is someone whom the producers should want to host the Oscars again next year. She made what was a very long evening into an enjoyable experience. Good job Ellen!

The selfie that broke records