Exclusive: Watch the season finale of 'Keloid'

In the season finale of The Black TV & Film Collective’s supernatural web-series, Keloid — Keloid (David Nixon) discovers a devastating secret that shocks him to his core. With a tracker on his tail and his past resurfacing to haunt him, Keloid must race against time before his mother Marielle (Aba Woodruff)  goes into hibernation. Desperate to uncover the mysteries of his lineage and the reasons behind his superhuman gifts, Marielle reveals something that will change Keloid's perspective forever. Watch the season finale of Keloid exclusively on Shadow and Act, before it goes live to the public on Thursday, Aug. 24. You can also peep our coverage of the series overall here.

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A definitive ranking of the Top 8 characters on 'Power' that we've despised

The fourth season of Starz’s Power comes to a close this Sunday, and everything that has happened up until this point will lead to what will surely be an explosive conclusion. With the death of his eldest daughter, Raina (Donshea Hopkins)  — Ghost (Omari Hardwick) will certainly be embarking on a vicious path for revenge, unlike anything we’ve seen thus far. This season much of our collective frustration has been geared toward Tariq (Michael Rainey Jr.) the St. Patrick’s insolent teenage son, whose anger and desire to play gangsta helped lead to his twin sister’s death. Power doesn't have any shortage of villains, and throughout the seasons there have been plenty of characters who’ve earned our disdain. Ahead of the season finale, peep the top 8 characters we've despised on Power. Continue reading at Shadow and Act.

'Power' Season 4, Episode 9 recap: “That Ain’t Me”

As the ninth episode of the fourth season of Power opens, Tariq (Michael Rainey Jr.) is attempting to be less terrible. He’s interviewing for a position at the boarding school in Connecticut Raina (Donshea Hopkins) told him about. (It’s the same school Angela attended.) Though the interviewer points out the decline in Riq's academics and behavior, the boy still aces the interview. Later, when Ghost (Omari Hardwick) drops the Riq off at school he proudly shows his son a news story that says his name has been cleared. Riq seems pleased, but he also asks if they should fear Kanan's (Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson) return. Ghost explains that Kanan will leave them alone because they are all witnesses to Juke Box's (Anika Noni Rose) murder. He also urges Riq to let go of his guilt. At Angela’s (Lela Loren) apartment, she and her sister Paz (Elizabeth Rodriguez) are getting ready for their day. Paz has been saying with her baby sister since the whole Mike (David Fumero) incident. She’s pissed that Angela used herself as bait, but she’s glad Mike is dead.

In a car somewhere in the city, Tommy (Joseph Sikora) and Teresi (William Sadler) are talking on the phone. Since Teresi was the one who took Mike out for Ghost and Tommy, he now wants a favor. He asks Tommy to come and see him in prison. Because Tommy is a felon, he’s going to need proof that they are family to get in to see him. Teresi assures Tommy that his mother Kate (Patricia Kalember) has all the proof he needs. He tells Tommy he’s not the kind of guy that would deny his own son. “That ain’t me,” he says.

At a warehouse somewhere, Tommy’s men are playing poker. They are all delighted that they’ve avoided a war with the Hermanas and they have turned in their coins to receive their new shipment of drugs which is set to arrive the next day. They all agree that as long as Tommy stays chill, they’re good. Unfortunately, stupid ass Dre (Rotimi) and Cristobal (Matt Cedeño) have other plans. They want the organization for themselves, and they’re going to have to do something drastic to get it from Tommy.

At the Feds, Angela meets with the new US Attorney for the Eastern District. New lady applauds Angela for her work on bringing Mike in. However, she explains that since they were not able to prosecute him they must win back the public's trust. The first step for the Feds is making an appearance at the Destroy Injustice Gala. This year, the Gala just happens to be honoring the newly exonerated James “Ghost” St. Patrick. New Attorney lady says that after the Gala, she doesn't want to ever hear St. Patrick’s name again. She also asks Angela her opinion about appointing the new Head of Criminal since Mike's death has left the job vacant. Her choices are either John Mak (Sung Kang) or Saxe (Shane Johnson). Angela thinks she deserves the promotion, but new lady basically laughs in her face.

Meanwhile, in Queens, Ghost and Councilman Rashad Tate (Larenz Tate) are walking the streets and getting interviewed by Olivia (the reporter that interviewed the St. Patricks and was real thirsty and in Ghost’s face a few episodes ago). This new ultra visibility is going to come back to haunt Ghost.

At the St. Patrick’s penthouse, Silver (Brandon Victor Dixon) and Tasha (Naturi Naughton) are still on and as bold as humanly possible. Silver is supposed to be dropping off some of the St. Patrick’s belongings that were seized by the FBI during Ghost's incarceration. Instead, in between smooches, Tasha tells him about her plans to expand the weave shop with Keisha (La La Anthony). She also tells Silver that she's going to divorce Ghost as soon as his real estate venture with Simon Stern (Victor Garber) gets off the ground. (Tasha, we love you girl, but sometimes you need to move in silence.)

At a gym somewhere, Riq is playing ball when Brains and Big Country finally run up him, The boy acts unbothered (personally I would've been afraid.) He assures the two that he’s not snitching because he would be guilty by association. He also asks them where his share of the money from the hit is. Riq’s balls must have dropped between this episode and the last one.

Later Ghost and Stern are meeting about their upcoming vote with the City Council. Stern is pissed that Ghost has made friends with Tate and he decides to take the reigns at the vote as a form of punishment. Ghost tells Stern that since he owns 51 percent of the venture, he wants a bigger role. Stern tells him nah. (When will this old white man learn Ghost ain’t the one?!)

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You've never seen a black superhero story like 'Keloid' before

Our teen years can sometimes feel stifling — we find ourselves confined in a box desperate to stretch out and explore adulthood while clinging to the safety of adolescence. Without any of the unexpected trials of life, it's a bewildering time and the unexpected can feel overwhelming. Coming-of-age stories are plentiful in Hollywood for this very reason. Audiences relish the opportunity to watch characters grow and change — to make those pivotal choices that could shape their lives forever. From Juice to Higher Learning and most recently, J.D. Dillard’s Sleight, Black males have often been the subjects of these particular stories. Now, The Black TV & Film Collective’s riveting web-series, Keloid has taken this particular narrative and revived it in a fresh and sensational way.

The web-series follows Keloid (David Nixon), a shy young man whose ability to control electricity along with his telepathy, teleportation and telekinesis gifts have left him lonely and desperate to connect with anyone other than his overbearing mother, Marielle (Aba Woodruff).

Continue reading at Shadow and Act.

'Power' Season 4, Episode 8 recap: “It’s Done”

After a night of sexing Tasha (Naturi Naughton), Silver (Brandon Victor Dixon) wakes up in his bed alone. As he turns over, he sees a note from Tasha saying that she had fun. Shortly thereafter he gets a call from his doorman saying that he has a visitor. Walking toward his elevator, a barely dressed Silver greets (Ghost) who wants to know if Silver has any information about either themselves or Proctor (Jerry Ferrara) getting investigated. Silver tells him nah, but he'll keep him up to speed if that changes. As Ghost turns to leave, he spots Tasha’s earring on the floor. Ghost definitely knows Silver is sexing his wife. (But he also has no room to say anything.)

At the warehouse, Tommy (Joseph Sikora) is pissed that he hasn’t heard back from the Hermanas and he tells Dre (Rotimi) that he needs to gear up for war. Tommy isn’t certain that this is the right thing to do, but he’s made his choice, so he’s going with it. Dre claims that he’ll let his runners know and that he backs Tommy one hundred percent. (Lies he tells.)

On the street, Saxe (Shane Johnson) is on his way to meet up with Angela (Lela Loren) and Donovan (Ty Jones) to continue piecing together their theory that Mike (David Fumero) is the mole. As he’s about to hail a cab, Mike runs up on Saxe extra paranoid to ask if John Mak (Sung Kang) has spoken to him separately about the investigation. Saxe brushes it off and hurries along to Angela’s place. Mike is on the verge of losing it.

At the penthouse, Keisha (La La Anthony) is trying to get Tasha’s attention, but Tasha is too busy thinking about the good good that she got from Silver. Just as Tasha is about to tell Keisha about her new boo, Raina (Donshea Hopkins) walks in to show her mom a brochure for a boarding school. Immediately, Tasha notices the bruise on her daughter's arm. Raina covers for her brother and gets her mom to say she’ll consider the boarding school. Meanwhile, on the couch, Tariq (Michael Rainey Jr.) texts Brains telling him he wants in. (Ugh, I wish this boy would find some business.)

Continue reading at Shadow and Act.

'Power' Season 4, Episode 7 recap: “You Lied to My Face”

Ghost (Omar Hardwick) and Tariq (Michael Rainey Jr.) are on the train from Queens, and both of them are traumatized from fall with Kanan (Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson) and Juke Box (Anika Noni Rose). Tommy (Joseph Sikora) arrives back in NYC and visits his stash house to find his henchmen tied up. He learns that Ghost was the one who robbed him and he has questions. Just as he’s about to retaliate, Tommy gets a call from Ghost saying that Kanan is alive and that Tariq is in trouble.

Tommy jumps in his car to go and pick Riq and Ghost up. When they meet, Tommy tells Ghost about the ransom demand and about Kanan. The entire time the two men are having this conversation, Tariq is looking on. Before they head home, Tommy asks Tariq if Dre (Rotimi) knew that Kanan was alive. Tariq lies to protect Dre.

At the Feds office, John Mak (Sung Kang) tells Angela (Lela Loren), Mike (David Fumero) and Saxe (Shane Johnson) that they’ve been suspended and that they’ll probably be fired. Apparently, Mok was able to avoid the same plight. With no logins and no clearance, the team is ass out. John is still determined to get justice for Greg (Andy Bean). As they exit the meeting, Saxe tells Anglea that he’s coming for her. (LMAO OK Saxe.)

Ghost and Tariq are greeted by a distraught Tasha (Naturi Naughton) when they walk into the penthouse. Riq tells his mother that she lied to his face about everything. Before things go left, Ghost pulls Tasha into the bedroom and confront her about the ransom, Kanan, and everything that’s been happening while he was locked up. He tries to blame Tasha for their son spiraling out of control. Apparently, he thinks she had “one job” while he was away. Tasha isn’t having it. She reminds him that this all happened because he left the family and was too busy pretending to be someone he wasn’t with Angela. Ghost says, “I didn’t leave the family, I left you.”

Continue reading at Shadow and Act.

BlackStar Film Festival Spotlight: 'How They Sway' — a glimpse inside a predominantly black dance company in Atlanta

The beauty of ballet — the precision, whimsical costumes and classical performances like The Nutcracker and Black Swan are well known and regaled across the globe. Black ballet, on the other hand, is an entirely different beast. Black people have long-since by excluded from the historically exclusive craft. In this tiny world of elite dance a small number of names including Alvin Ailey, Misty Copeland and the Dance Theater of Harlem reign loudly. Other brown hued dancers — those who have studied the power of point and the mastery of the pirouette often go unnoticed. In How They Sway, director Jaad Asante gives viewers a glimpse into Atlanta’s predominantly black dance company, Ballethnic. Founded in 1990 by husband/wife team Waverly T. Lucas II and Nena Gilreath, Asante turns her lens on the dancers. We watch as they prepare for their take on Tchaikovsky’s classic ballet which they’ve named The Urban Nutcracker.

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BlackStar Film Festival Spotlight: Time travel & police brutality collide in 'See You Yesterday,' exec produced by Spike Lee

Loss often feels unfathomable — a festering wound that never quite seems to heal. All-consuming at times the weight of it all bears down on you. It becomes the sole object of your focus, the pain and heartbreak demand every ounce of emotion that you have. In some instances, the overwhelming sense of sadness might cause you to do some shocking things. In his superb short film See You Yesterday, director Stefon Bristol explores the anguish of losing a loved one through the lens of science fiction. (Think J.D. Dillard’s Sleight or the Black Film & TV Collective’s web series, Keloid.)

Set in Brooklyn and executive produced by Spike Lee, the film follows quirky teen CJ (Eden Duncan-Smith) and her best friend Sebastian (Dante Crichlow). Devastated by the untimely death of her older brother Calvin (Parish Bradley), CJ is determined to fix it. She and  Sebastian build a time machine with the hopes of returning to the past and changing the course of events that led to Calvin's shocking death.

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BlackStar Film Festival Spotlight: 'The Tale Of Four,' directed by Gabourey Sidibe, starring Aisha Hinds, Ledisi & more

It is a burdensome thing to try and hold the plight of an entire community on your back. In the Black community, it's a responsibility often given to women. We are expected to stand in the thick of it all and cope, often neglecting our own psychological turmoil. From director Gabourey Sidibe, The Tale Of Four is a short-film that delves into the frequently daunting circumstances of everyday life for Black women. Inspired by the Nina Simone song of the same name, The Tale of Four confronts issues of violence, trauma and self-loathing over the course of twenty minutes.

In the midst of another monstrous case of police brutality, we meet four women— Peaches (Aisha Hinds), Saffronia (Meagan Kimberly Smith), Sweet Thing (Dana Gourrier) and Sara (Ledisi Young). These women are being crushed under the weight of duty to protect others that stems from both love and obligation. In the midst of the hashtags, news reports and a justice failing system, the four women are trying to come to terms with who they are and what’s next for them. The film also features Jussie Smolett.

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Review: 'STEP' is a spectacular embrace of black sisterhood

There is a deep ache embedded in Black femaleness — one not often considered when examining the experiences of brown hued women and girls. A mix of passion, fear and determination grips you and jolts you awake, settling deep into your person as you transition from adolescence to womanhood. Amanda Lipitz’s outstanding debut documentary STEP captures all of those feelings, provoking tears and electrifying the viewer’s soul. STEP opens in Baltimore during the fall of 2015. Just a few months after the horrifying murder of 25-year-old Freddie Gray— the city and the rest of the country remained on edge. On Franklin Street, the Baltimore Leadership School for Young Women is a haven for some of the city’s most vulnerable. STEP centers on three young women in their senior year —all members of the school’s inaugural class, chronicling their personal lives, their educational endeavors and following them into the gymnasium where they lose themselves in the stomping and bolstering beats of step dance routines.

Effervescent step captain Blessin Giraldo started the team in the sixth grade, but her frequent absences (she missed 53 days of school the year prior) and rocky home life causes friction in the classroom and in her relationships with her teammates. Cori Grainger, a quiet straight-A student, uses stepping to tap into her alter ego. It’s a side of her that stays hidden away at home with her mother, stepfather and six younger siblings. Cori seems most comfortable coding on her laptop and striving for an acceptance letter to the prestigious Johns Hopkins University. Then there’s Tayla Solomon — who proclaims that she’s a notch down from Beyoncé when it comes to her step skills — her ever-present corrections officer mother keeps the deadpan teen in check.

As the “Lethal Ladies of BLSYW” press forward in pursuit of the ultimate prize, placement in the Bowie State step competition they must learn to confront every obstacle thrown their way. Life can be callous to Black women, so for younger girls, the challenges that they encounter often seem insurmountable.

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JET: Be In the Now | Jhené's Journey [Exclusive Interview]

'Power' Season 4, Episode 6 Recap: “New Man”

Ghost (Omari Hardwick) is home — but he’s still being haunted by prison. He startles awake in the penthouse after dreaming about beating CO Marshall Williams’ (RIP Charlie Murphy) head in. Looking over, he realizes that Tasha (Naturi Naughton) didn’t sleep in the bed next to him. Why would she? Showering and putting on one of his usual suits, Ghost tries to become James again, but he’s not quite feeling like himself. Entering the kitchen, Tasha is there, but none of the kids are (apparently, they’re all at sleepovers). In the absence of his children, Ghost tries to approach Tasha about starting over. He promises that everything that went down between himself and Angela (Lela Loren) is a wrap. Tasha is unmoved. She tells her husband that she just watched Angela blow up her life for him. She also informs Ghost that she’s just dealing with him for the sake of appearances. What did he expect?

At Truth, the Feds have unlocked the doors and Ghost is feeling pretty pleased. He smiles for the first time in forever as he turns on all of the lights. That is until Simon Stern (Victor Garber) rolls up on him talking about a business deal and debt owned. Apparently Stern loaned Tasha some coins. In exchange, Stern wants Ghost to be the CEO of a new real estate venture. He needs Ghost’s Black face for the tax credit and publicity. In the midst of their conversation, Ghost’s burner phone rings. It’s Tony Teresi (William Sadler) wanting to know why Tommy (Joseph Sikora) hasn’t been in touch. Ghost tries to buy more time with the old Gangster (if you recall Teresi knows Ghost killed Marshal), he hasn’t been able to get a hold of Tommy since he got out, but Teresi is getting impatient.

In some empty house in Queens Juke Box (Anika Noni Rose) is holding Tariq (Michael Rainey Jr.) hostage, but the boy doesn’t know it yet. He’s so damn gullible that he believes he’s just chilling there until his new friend Slim (who is really Kanan (Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson) arrives. Juke Box is getting annoyed because Kanan hasn’t confronted Ghost yet and she’s had to come up with ways to get Tasha off of Tariq’s back.

In Manhattan, Tasha and Keisha (La La Anthony) are having brunch. Keisha is PISSED! She’s ready to reopen her weave shop and get it back legit, and she’s also irritated that she hasn’t heard a word from Tommy. Tasha tries to talk her friend off the ledge, but it’s clearly not working. Tasha texts Tommy to find out where he’s been but we all know, Tommy doesn’t have his phone.

In Chicago, Tommy meets with Jason Micic (Mike Dopud), the head of the organization. He tells Tommy that Ghost is out of jail (which Tommy didn’t know) and that he’s impressed with the work he’s done thus far. Jason informs Tommy that he thinks he would be a good replacement for Milan (Callan Mulvey) and that he wants him to run both the East and West Coasts. In return, Jason asks that Tommy cut all ties with Ghost (yeah, that’s never gonna happen). Though he’s ready to get back on the road for NYC, (why is he driving 22 hours?! I guess he doesn’t want a paper trail) Jason informs Tommy that he’ll be staying the night to celebrate his potential promotion Chicago style.

Continue reading at Shadow and Act.

'Power' Season 4, Episode 5 Recap: “Don't Thank Me”

Angela (Lela Loren) is trying to run her guilt away, but it’s not going to work. She finally tells her older sister Paz (Elizabeth Rodriguez) that she thinks Jamie (Omari Hardwick) is innocent. Paz is no fan of Ghost’s (after all he’s a liar, cheater and murderer.) However, she does tell her sister that if she knows something that proves Ghost didn’t kill Greg (Andy Bean) — she has to tell the truth. In prison, Silver (Brandon Victor Dixon) is doing his best to calm an enraged Ghost. With Proctor (Jerry Ferrara) out, Ghost doesn’t trust Silver to win his freedom. Silver calmly tells him that he has no other choice. He says, “I’m the ni**a standing between you and a needle.” With the asset forfeiture hearing approaching, Ghost has no other option than to put his life in Silver’s hands.

At the Feds, Angela (who seems to get more and more simple each episode) approaches Mike (David Fumer) about the surveillance tape. She thinks that the tape proves Ghost never hid the gun before she arrested him. Angela also notes that Mike was the one who last viewed the footage. Mike being the OG that he is (and Greg’s real killer) essentially tells Angela to STFU. Their conversation is interrupted by a delighted Saxe (Shane Johnson) who comes bursting in the room with evidence for the forfeiture hearing. The Feds have found a seven-figure check paid from Tommy (Joseph Sikora) to Club Truth. They are going to try and say that it was a hit payment. They think (or at least are going to claim) that Tommy paid Ghost to kill Greg.

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'Power' Season 4, Episode 4 Recap: “We're In This Together”

As I open this recap, I’d just like to acknowledge the fact that Tommy (Joseph Sikora) is even more insane that I’d previously thought which is saying A LOT — but we’ll get to that shortly. "We're in This Together" begins with Ghost (Omari Hardwick) lifting weights in the rec room. Resigned to his current situation, he seems determined to make the most of his prison time. This doesn’t stop Marshal Williams (Charlie Murphy), the prison guard/U.S. Marshall from antagonizing Ghost. In fact, he runs up on G and tries to choke him out with a barbell.

At the St. Patrick’s penthouse, Tommy is sleeping on the couch (They don’t have a guest room?!). He’s taken Ghost’s request to take care of his family to heart, but that doesn’t stop Keisha (La La Anthony) from blowing up his phone. Apparently, he slipped out of her bed in the wee hours of the morning and Keisha is not too pleased about it.

At the Feds, Saxe (Shane Johnson) and Mike (David Fumero) are still reeling from DNA fall out, and they are letting Angela (Lela Loren) HAVE IT. Though John (Sung Kang) sticks up for her at first, when the conference room clears he checks Angela for going behind his back and offering Ghost a deal. He tells her since she wants to be helpful; she needs to approach Tasha (Naturi Naughton) to get more info. Angela doesn’t want to, but she has no other choice.

Proctor (Jerry Ferrara) and Silver (Brandon Victor Dixon) meet with Ghost in prison, and they tell him that both Julio (J.R. Ramirez) and Dre (Rotimi) were picked up and questioned by the Feds. Ghost doesn’t seem too bothered because he knows his men are loyal. Silver reminds him that associating with known felons is not a good look. The attorneys inform Ghost that their new focus is on getting the gun thrown out. On the low, Ghost asks Proctor to look into Marshal Williams, and he reminds him to also inform Tommy about the money drop he needs to make to Teresi (William Sadler). Tommy must find out any info he can on the old gangster.

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Raunchy & Real ‘Girls Trip’ Might Be the Best Comedy of the Summer [REVIEW]

Malcolm D. Lee just gets Black women. The nuances and intricacies of Black womanhood aren’t often considered in cinema, especially not in studio films. Much more complex than its name, Girls Trip takes its comedic cues from the best aspects of The Hangover and Bridesmaids while underscoring the specificities of what makes Black women unique. The Best Man director isn’t afraid to get hyper-specific or raunchy, and his choices pay off immensely.

Directing from a script penned by Black-ish creator Kenya Barris and screenwriter Tracy Oliver, four college friends reunite at the annual ESSENCE Festival in New Orleans after being apart for five years. Dubbed the Flossy Posse — married bestselling author Ryan (Regina Hall), divorced single mom Lisa (Jada Pinkett Smith), celebrity gossip blogger Sasha (Queen Latifah) and the fiercely loyal but hot-headed Dina (Tiffany Haddish) converge on the vibrant NOLA streets for a long overdue girls weekend.

Girls Trip throws the middle finger to the myth of the Black Superwoman. Not one member of the Flossy Posse has it all together. Lisa is so consumed with motherhood that it takes her friends not so subtle nudging for her to rediscover her identity and sexuality. Formally renowned writer Sasha is barely making ends meet competing against The Shade Rooms and Perez Hilton’s of the world. Then there is Dina, who is determined to live her best life by being exactly who she is. Still, it’s Ryan’s life that might be the biggest façade of all. With her ex-NFL player hubby Stewart (Luke Cage’s Mike Colter) at her side and a new self-help book, You Can Have It All, we soon learn there’s a reason Ryan has avoided her girls for so long.

Read more at EBONY.com.

'Power' Season 4, Episode 3 Recap: “The Kind of Man You Are”

Ghost’s (Omari Hardwick) legal troubles are now spreading out to his associates. As the episode opens, Tommy (Joseph Sikora), Dre (Rotimi), Julio (J.R. Ramirez) and Keisha (La La Anthony) are all hemmed up by the Feds and brought in for questioning. Though Julio and Dre paint Ghost as a do-gooder who gives back to those from the hood, Keisha inadvertently slips up and gives Angela (Lela Loren) information that could be used to break the spousal privilege between Ghost and Tasha (Naturi Naughton). Anglea wants to paint Tasha as Ghost’s accomplice.

In jail, Proctor (Jerry Ferrara) introduces Ghost to his second chair, Terry Silver (Brandon Victor Dixon). Immediately, Ghost and Silver aren’t feeling one another. Ghost seems desperate to get Silver to see him as an innocent man, but Silver just wants to win. Ghost walks through the day Greg (Andy Bean) died with Silver to try and establish an alibi. He doesn’t have one, but when looking at the crime scene, he does notice a phone in Greg’s drawer that hadn’t been there when he initially broke into his apartment. It’s new info for Proctor and Silver, but it might not actually help. Later, when the attorneys return, Ghost recalls being pulled over by Greg the day Greg died. He’s adamant that Angela knows about the stop. Silver and Proctor try to find evidence since Greg never logged it.

Somewhere in the city, Tommy drops Tariq (Michael Rainey Jr.) and Raina (Donshea Hopkins) off at school. After waving Rena goodbye, he tries to have a heart to heart with Riq, but the boy is still on BS. Tommy tries to reassure Tariq that his dad is innocent of killing Greg, but in seeing Tariq’s reaction, Tommy also realizes that something is not quite right with the boy.

Later, after determining the Feds are trying to break spousal privilege, Proctor decides they NEED to get Ghost’s DNA thrown out from the case, and he sets about trying to make that happen. Meanwhile, in prison, Tony Teresi (William Sadler) gets a packet of Ramen noodles delivered to his cell. We discover that a phone is actually embedded in the dry noodles. From the voice on the other line, Tony gets more deets on Tommy, and he learns Tommy runs with a man named Ghost. Though the voice on the other line has no idea who Ghost might be. Tony starts piecing things together.

At the Feds office, John Mak (Sung Kang) is pissed. He’s annoyed that the team got nothing from Ghost’s associates because he is determined that Ghost gets the needle and that Tommy and the whole organization go down as well. Once Angela tells him the info she got from Keisha in order to break spousal privilege his mood does brighten. Angela tries to reason with him about leaving Tasha out of the trial for the sake of the kids, but John wants blood. We also learn that Ghost’s old club manager Kantos (Adam Huss) is willing to talk to the Feds, but he wants full immunity. The Feds blow him off… for now.

In school, some asshole jock named Ethan sends out a mass text about Ghost being up for the death penalty. Rena get’s the text and is distraught, but Riq takes care of it before taking off to hang with Kanan (Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson). Crying, Rena tries to run after her brother and is photographed by the paparazzi. At her apartment, Keisha tells Tommy she’s afraid Tasha will give them up if her kids are on the line. Tommy tries to reassure her that Tasha would never do that, but he also looks unsure.

Continue reading at Shadow and Act.

Review: 'Spider-Man: Homecoming' is refreshing AF

Peter Parker isn’t really a superhero — at least not yet. In the latest installment of Marvel’s Spider-Man franchise, British actor Tom Holland slides on the red suit, but this time Parker is a baby-faced 15-year-old who is just trying to stay focused in high school while keeping his new alter-ego a secret from his anxious Aunt May (Marisa Tomei). There is no spider bite here. Parker is already radioactive, and quite frankly an origin story isn't actually necessary. Instead, Spider-Man: Homecoming, follows Parker in the aftermath of the events of Captain America: Civil War. Despite his notable role in the battle between Cap’ and Iron Man, nothing much has changed for the high school misfit. However, his desperation to prove himself leads him on the quest of a lifetime. With Tony Stark aka Iron Man (Robert Downey Jr.) as his reluctant mentor, Parker finds himself stifled and confined to Queens, taking care of the petty crimes that occur in his neighborhood. Unfortunately, he doesn’t exactly possess that smooth Avenger flair that Black Widow, Black Panther and Thor evoke when taking down criminals. However, Parker’s innocence and naivety are what makes Spider-Man: Homecoming so charming. Holland’s Peter Parker is utterly relatable and accessible. Unlike the Tobey Maguire or Andrew Garfield helmed franchises, Holland’s Parker is something we haven't quite seen before. He has fears and uncertainties, and his desire to take on more than he can handle just might be his Achilles heel.

Though most of his days are spent attempting to solve petty crimes, Parker finally happens upon a real ATM heist that involves some super intense high tech weaponry. (Pay attention to this part of the film if you want to get the connection between Homecoming and the first Avengers film.) This is where a sensationally casted Michael Keaton steps in as the sinister and bat sh*t crazy Adrian Toomes aka Vulture. Batman fans will certainly get a kick out of this casting. With Vulture on the loose, and Iron Man not heading Parker’s warnings, Parker decides he must take matters into his own hands.

Continue reading at Shadow and Act.

Interview: Director Ernest Dickerson on the 25th Anniversary of 'Juice'

25 years ago, Ernest Dickerson who was then an upcoming cinematographer made his mark on Black cinema with "Juice." With new talent including Omar Epps, Khalil Kahn and then newcomer Tupac Shakur, Dickerson crafted an iconic thriller about four young men from Harlem whose lives change dramatically as a result of one tragic decision. Over two decades later and with everything from "The Wire," to his forthcoming film "Double Play" under his belt, Dickerson took the time to chat with me about making "Juice" while looking back on his profound journey in the entertainment industry.

Aramide Tinubu: Hi Mr. Dickerson, thank you so much for speaking with me today.

Ernest Dickerson: Sure.

AT: Congratulations on the 25th anniversary of "Juice," it's a wonderful thing to celebrate. How did you come up with the film’s narrative, and how did you and Gerard Brown come together to write the film’s screenplay.

ED: Gosh it was so long ago. I remember I wanted to do a film noir through the eyes of a 16 or 17-year-old. We were horrified by how guns were becoming so prevalent among our youth. We first wrote "Juice" in the early 80's. It was almost eight years before we were finally able to make a movie.

AT: Oh Wow!

ED: In the middle of the ‘80s we started seeing the prevalence of guns coming up among kids, and how that seemed to be changing the whole landscape. We wanted to write a story about that. So, that's really how it started. And, you know, I had always wanted to do something about kids. You would see that they were spending all night out, and I said, you know, whatever they were into, there is an idea for a movie there. So, that was another part of the germination. So, it was quite a few things.

AT: Wonderful. Why did you decide to use relatively unknown actors for the four main roles? Juice really introduced Tupac Shakur; he wasn't Tupac as we know him, Khalil Kain, Omar Epps, and Jermaine Hopkins. You chose to grab people who actually weren't well known at the time. Why did you make that decision?

ED: I thought it would be more real. I didn't see any known actors ... any known, young, African-American actors in that age range who would be realistic in those roles. So, you definitely, you want to go out to unknowns. I have been saying that from the very beginning.

AT: Excellent, that makes sense. I know that with Tupac he auditioned with one of his friends, and he read for the role of Q originally, but then you had him come back and read for Bishop. What did you see in Tupac during that audition that made you feel like he could become Bishop?

ED: I think the main thing that got me is, all of the other actors that came in to audition for Bishop, they automatically went ballistic, but there was nothing behind their going ballistic. So, it was that, and you've got vulnerability, you know? There is a deep pain in the character of Bishop that Tupac understood. I mean, he brought that in Bishop.

'Power' Season 4, Episode 2 Recap: "Things Are Going To Get Worse"

Prison looks very rough on Ghost (Omari Hardwick). Injured from his violent encounter with the prison guards at the end of the season premiere, Ghost is now dealing with blood in his urine and a possible broken rib. Gone is the polished and well put together James St. Patrick that we’ve grown accustomed to over the past three seasons of this series. At home, Tasha (Naturi Naughton) is trying to reassure Tariq (Michael Rainey Jr.) and Raina (Donshea Hopkins) of their father’s innocence, even though he won’t be home anytime soon. She also warns them to keep their family business to themselves and to NEVER refer to their father as Ghost. Tariq is insolent and rude, and he’s not trying to hear anything that his mother is saying.

Meanwhile, the sexual tension between Keisha (La La Anthony) and Tommy (Joseph Sikora) is building. Disturbed by the fact that Ghost hasn’t been granted bail, Keisha barges into Tommy’s loft to tell him she wants his and Tasha’s hands out of her business. Tommy tells her that he can’t have that, not with all eyes on Ghost and his associates. He assures Keisha that he has her back and that everything will work out in the end.

Back in prison, Proctor (Jerry Ferrara) visits Ghost in jail, he tells Ghost that his hands are tied until the prosecution shows their hand, but he also warns his client to suppress his baser self. Meanwhile, at work, Angela (Lela Loren) should be humiliated since her colleagues are discussing her sex life. In a back and forth split screen Proctor convinces Ghost and AUSA John Mak (Sung Kang) convinces Angela that neither of them can take the stand. The timeline and knowledge of their relationship hurts the Feds’ case and the love triangle between Ghost, Angela, and Greg (Andy Bean) would give Ghost a motive. Instead, John decides that he wants to go for Ghost, Tommy, and their entire drug empire.

Continue reading at Shadow and Act.

EBONY Magazine July/August 2017 : Oprah's OWN 'Queen Sugar'