Issa Rae Is Reflecting On 10 Years of 'Awkward Black Girl' And Envisioning What's Next

With a plethora of Black faces on TV and in films in everything from HBO's I May Destroy You to FX's Pose and OWN's Queen Sugar, it seems unimaginable that just a decade ago, there were almost no Black or brown faces on the big and small screens. Growing up watching a plethora of series like Living Single and The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air and seeing movies like Love & Basketball and Friday Issa Rae found herself baffled by the lack of representation in the 2010s, so she decided to do something about it. 

One year before Kerry Washington introduced us to Olivia Pope, Rae gave us a witty, refreshing, and unique depiction of Black women on-screen. The Mis-Adventures of Awkward Black Girl debuted on YouTube in 2011 and immediately swept across the internet like wildfire. The series garnered die-hard fans, critical acclaim, and a Shorty Award. 

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'My Name Is Pauli Murray' Review: A Knockout Doc Immortalizing A Truly Trailblazing Pioneer

Many Black Americans' contributions to this country have been erased, buried, or stamped out of the history books. Influential figures like Thurgood Marshall and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., whose legacies have outlived them, remain pillars — but they were not the only history makers. They often weren't even the first. Though their name is still not well known, Dr. Pauli Murray was an activist, lawyer, poet, and priest whose fight against racism and segregation in the 1930s and 1940s paved the way for the Civil Rights Movements of the 1950s and 1960s. Moreover, Murray's term paper at Howard Law became a blueprint for 1955's Brown V. Board of Education, and the late Ruth Bader Ginsburg credited Murray's work in the 1960s for her landmark 1971 Supreme Court win for woman's rights.

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R#J' Review: A Bold 'Romeo And Juliet' Social Media Reimagining Doesn't Quite Come Together

From Baz Luhrmann's Romeo + Juliet to 2000's Romeo Must Die, there are dozens of interpretations of William Shakespeare's 16th-century tragedy in cinema. From animated features to loosely based interpretations like West Side Story, the narrative of the star-crossed lovers from warring families is not unfamiliar. However, in his modern retelling, Carey Williams' R#J is unlike anything seen before in cinema.

When the film first opens, the camera pans to what appears to be a picturesque beach in Verona. However, the audience soon realizes that instead of landscape, this is the background of a cell phone screen. R#J then introduces Romeo (Camaron Engels), a seemingly happy-go-lucky young man with bright brown skin. Though we see glimpses of his face through his Instagram feed, his personality is unveiled through his DMs, Spotify playlists, and likes. His world expands when we finally see him on-screen, this time through a FaceTime video between himself and his best friends Benvolio (RJ Cyler) and Mercutio (Siddiq Saunderson).

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'Judas and the Black Messiah' Review: An Outstanding, Absorbing Narrative That Gets To The Heart Of Fred Hampton

For many of us, our introduction to Black Panther Deputy Chairman Fred Hampton began with his bullet-riddled body, a blood-soaked mattress, and a frigid winter night in Chicago. The then- 21-year-old revolutionary was a pillar in one of America's most segregated cities and in the fight for Black justice overall. In Shaka King's Judas and the Black Messiah, Hampton's (Daniel Kalyuua) brilliance, strength, and charisma are realized. While the film highlights the forces that eventually snuffed out his life, his legacy burns eternal. 

Set in 1968, Judas does not open with Hampton, but instead, with William O'Neil (LaKeith Stanfield), a low-level criminal who, after finding himself in the clutches of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), infiltrates the Panthers and weasels his way into Hampton's inner circle. Previous films and documentaries have shown snippets of the Illinois Black Panther Party during this violate time in the country's history. However, this film is perhaps the most complete portrait of who Hampton was as a man, a revolutionary, and an expectant father. 

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'Ailey' Gives Audiences A Glimpse Of the Renowned Choreographer Who Infused Memory Into Movement

When Ailey opens, the late Cicely Tyson comes into focus, standing glorious and regal on stage at the Kennedy Center for the Arts honoring the famed dancer and choreographer. Even then, at the tail end of his life, Alvin Ailey’s legacy both in the dance world and in the Black community was thunderous. 

Though he was an honoree at the Kennedy Center Honors just 30 years after founding the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre, not much was known about the reclusive dancer and choreographer’s personal life or past. Using his own words, never-before-seen interviews, archival footage, and accounts from those closest to him like Robert Battle, Carmen de Lavallade, and Judith Jamison, filmmaker Jamila Wignot unveils a figure for whom dancing and movement was like air and water. 

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Questlove's 'Summer of Soul (… Or When the Revolution Could Not Be Televised)' Unearths A Crowning Jewel In Black History

Amid our current civil rights movement and a tumultuous year that has brought forth a great deal of struggle and hardship, Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson has given us a gift. With his directorial debut Summer of Soul (… Or When the Revolution Could Not Be Televised), he has unearthed an aspect of Black history that won’t soon be forgotten. 

The year 1969 was pivotal for Black people. While much of the world was concerned with getting the first man on the moon, the Black community was focused inward, still reeling from a turbulent decade that stole the lives of Malcolm X, Medgar Evers, Martin Luther King Jr., and countless others. It was the final year of a decade marked by chaos, violence, and determination. It was also the year we shed the word negro and became Black.

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Colorism Is Just The Tip Of The Iceberg In 'Passing'

What we know of race, not ethnicity or culture, but race in and of itself is that it’s a manmade construct. Yet, it has defined so much of our lives, journeys, and experiences — especially in America. Bringing Nella Larsen’s 1929 novel Passing to the big screen, Rebecca Hall’s directorial debut is a visceral drama centering on race relations, colorism, jealously, anguish, and desire. 

Set in Harlem amid the renaissance of the 1920’s, Passing follows Irene (Tessa Thompson) and Clare (Rutha Negga), childhood friends who meet again by happenstance one blazing hot summer day in the posh tearoom of New York City’s Drayton Hotel. It should have been a warm reunion, filled with talks of girlhood and current undertakings. However, from the moment Clare catches Irene’s eye across the grandly decorated room, something sinister begins brewing between the two women. 

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Sundance's Black Stories Are More Accessible Than Ever

Each year, filmmakers, cinephiles, and the creme-de-la-creme of the entertainment industry make their way to Park City, Utah for the Sundance Film Festival to be the first to watch some of the most buzzed-about films of the year. 

People like Ava DuVernay, Ryan Coogler, and Radha Blank have had career-defining moments at Sundance. This year, just like every other major cultural event, the largest independent film festival in the United States will look very different. Instead of gathering in theaters, coffee shops, and parties, Sundance attendees will be convening around their screens from the comfort and safety of their homes.

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As She Prepares To Tell All In Her Biopic And Documentary, Wendy Williams Doesn't Need Your Pity

For more than three decades, Wendy Williams has taken the world by storm with her bold personality and shocking commentary on celebrities and popular culture. From the radio to a syndicated talk show, the media personality has established a mega-brand as well as some major adversaries. Despite her past candor about her addiction, relationships, and self-image issues, in the past several years, whispers about Williams’ personal life and her long-term marriage to her now ex-husband, Kevin Hunter, have been front-page news.

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Actresses GG Townson And Laila Odom On What It Took To Become Salt-N-Pepa

The roots of women in Hip-Hop stretch back to the origins of the genre. As we praise artists like Megan Thee Stallion, Cardi B, and Nicki Minaj, it’s increasingly important to pay homage to the trailblazers that came before them. Salt-N-Pepa, one of the top-selling music groups of all time and the first female rap group to go Platinum, helped define a generation.

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There's No Connection In 'The Sounding'

Speech is just one form of communication; there is also writing, language, signing, touch, and various other ways humans connect. Therefore when you are blocked from these kinds of connections, it can be both frustrating and isolating. In her film, The Sounding, director, writer, and actress Catherine Eaton portray Liv, a woman who lives off Maine's coast on a remote island.

Under her grandfather Lionel (Harris Yulin), Liv has remained in her little bubble — literally. Though she developed normally as a young girl, Liv suddenly stopped speaking and still has not resumed decades later. Though Lionel, a scientist, was desperate to find a cause or cure for Liv's self-imposed silence, he's resigned himself to just making her happy. However, amid a health crisis, he's determined to find a path forward for Liv when he's gone. 

Summoned to the island by Lionel, Michael (Teddy Sears) finds himself mesmerized by Liv and her condition. He is wholly determined to find the root of her silence, despite Lionel's pleading to protect her. Things escalate further when Liv begins to speak through Shakespeare's prose to express herself, forcing Micheal to choose between Lionel's wishes and his desire to "help" as a doctor. 

Any fan of Shakespeare will undoubtedly be moved by Eaton's vast knowledge of the iconic playwright's words. Also, the chemistry between herself and her co-star, Sears, is palpable. However, that's where the interest and intrigue in The Sounding ends. Even enthusiasts of Shakespeare will probably be exasperated as Liv launches the thick prose at Michael and later when she rebels in a psychiatric hospital. 

Her outbursts and acts of violence seem to come out of nowhere since the audience is offered no insight into this side of her personality prior. The outbursts are neither consistent nor revelatory, adding no information or details to the character or the film overall. 

Moreover, there is never any real explanation regarding Liv's condition, leaving the audience increasingly frustrated with the narrative's direction and even less intrigued than when the film opened. Instead of a full-fledged script, The Sounding appears to sit on an idea of lovely acting and striking scenery. 

This is not to say all is lost; rounding out the cast with Eaton, Yulin, and Sears is a veteran actor, Frankie Faison as Roland, Lionel's friend and lawyer. The ensemble alone shows poetic handling of the often dense dialogue and lush silences. Moreover, The Sounding is a stunning film. Along with her cinematographer, David Kruta, Eaton creates a majestic sequence of images rivaling any big-budget project. 

Yet, despite having all of the right pieces, The Sounding doesn't quite come together in the end. Instead, we are left in the same place we began. 

The Sounding is now available on VOD.

'The Ringmaster' Is A Fascinating Circus

Filmmaking has specific rules. There are codes that directors live by to bring a narrative to their audience. This is not to say filmmakers can't alter particular rules. We've seen characters break the fourth wall, and the composition of some films have also shifted in a way that the audience may not have expected. However, for documentary films, in particular, filmmakers must remain neutral, never interjecting themselves into the material. In co-directors Dave Newberg and Molly Dworsky’s documentary, The Ringmaster, filmmaker turned subject Zachary Capp plants himself centerstage in someone else's story. What unfurls is a confounding yet intriguing narrative.

The Ringmaster was meant to center Larry Lang, an unassuming aging chef known as the Midwest's onion ring master. The film opens in a frenzy of confusion and frustration. We soon learn that Capp has been crafting Larry's story for over three years, much to the disappointment of his co-producers and crew. It's also been to the determinant of his bank account. 

Drawn to Larry because of the memories of his childhood and Lang's family history in the restaurant world, Newberg seeks to unpack the story of Micheal's Steakhouse, a beloved restaurant in his mother's hometown of Worthington, Minnesota, owned by Larry's father, Micheal. At first, the Langs story appears to be the American dream. However, a series of tragedies, including arson, illness, and death, proves that it hasn't been. 

While Larry set out to reopen his father's dream, he soon finds himself settling into other restaurants where he continued to make his beloved onion rings. Whether you're a foodie or not, onions rings can't carry a film, and the audience is quickly made aware that Larry, in particular, is not a good film subject. Quiet and unassuming, it's more than obvious that he wants to be left alone to fry his onion rings, content to lives his days out in the kitchen and spend time at home with his older sister, Linda.  

A film novice with an addictive personality, Capp is both unwilling and unable to accept Larry for who he is. Therefore, what happens next is a wild goose chase to deliver the "perfect" documentary. The movie begins barreling down a path of confounding edits, poor judgment, and a clear infatuation with notoriety.

Though there is a warm layer of human interest that runs throughout the film, much of The Ringmaster is an engaging train wreck. In what becomes a three-plus-year saga, we watch Larry and then Capp's producing partners become increasingly determined to distance themselves with his manic compulsion to find the perfect ending as the director throws more and money into an already sinking shift. 

Well-meaning, watching Capp inject himself into the film and Larry's life was cringing worthy. As the film's subject morphs, it shapes out to be the story of a rich kid, ambling along to find his life's purpose without having a true game plan or direction. It's incredibly uncomfortable as Capp pushes a clearly uncomfortable Larry toward opportunities he never asked for. 

Since there is so much awry with The Ringmaster from the documentary and the subject's relationship to audio and editing, it should have gone up in flames. However, by handing the film over to Newberg and Molly Dworsky and taking a step back and finding the film within the film, the audience is left with an eye-opening saga about obsession, access, and the craft of storytelling. 

The Ringmaster is currently on Amazon Prime.

'Blood From Stone' Is A Vampire Flick About the Human Condition

There has been no shortage of vampire flicks in Hollywood. Stemming from 1931's Dracula to the teen saga, Twilight, which first debuted in 2008, there has been a collective obsession with the blood-sucking undead. There have also been many varied portrayals of vampires. From the grotesque vampires in Buffy the Vampire Slayer to the hunky and brooding Salvatore brothers in The Vampire Diaries, writers and directors have taken liberties when showcasing these mystic beings on the big and small screens. 

Set in Las Vegas, director Geoff Ryan's Blood From Stone is one of the more intriguing vampire films seen lately. Told through a muted lens, the film follows Jure (Vanja Kapetanovic), an ancient vampire who goes by the name of Joe in the present day. While the world has pressed forward, Jure has not. He is still nostalgic for the days where he didn't have to hide in plain sight. He's unable to exist in the present day. Instead, he allows his blood lust to spiral out of control. His impulses often lead to him draining patrons at various bars, even though he's supposed to be blending in. 

Along with his obsession with blood and alcohol, Jure is dangerously fixated on his ex-girlfriend, a vampire named Darya (Gabriella Toth), who goes by Nico's name. Though she's desperately lonely, Nico is content to live out her nights as a bartender, leaning into her humanity and flying under the radar. However, as he has in the past, Jure's presence in her life threatens to throw everything she's so carefully balancing into chaos.

It's hard to do anything "new" with the vampire genre, and though Ryan is working with a limited budget, he succeeds with several fresh perspectives. In past films, we've seen vampires who are immune to alcohol. However, Jure has discovered how blissful obliteration can be when he makes sure his victims are drunk before draining them dry. 

Moreover, Darya doesn't apologize for longing for a normal life. Instead, Ryan highlights how Jure's constant interference in her life — from the beginning when he made her his vampire bride- has caused her a great deal of agony through the centuries. Blood From Stone is a film about the undead. Yet, the issues that Jure and Darya face together, especially as he pushes her toward her baser instincts, have never been more human. 

In addition to being well-acted, the film works because it doesn't try to stretch above its limits. Neither Jure nor Nico sparkle or shine and there aren't any odd or misplaced special effects that would undoubtedly pull the viewer out of the story. There are fangs and blood, but there is nothing comical about them. 

Though Blood From Stone did feel a bit lengthy at times, and it left the viewer with more questions than it answered, it's a mostly successful and engaging film, full of humor, blood, and wit about the urges and desires that we've all experienced at one point or another. The movie is about the human condition, but the main characters simply happen to be vampires. 

Blood From Stone is available on Amazon Prime, Blu-ray, and more

'Ice Cream in the Cupboard' Is A Devastatingly Authentic View of Alzheimer's

Many films chronicle the devastation that comes with dealing with memory loss and diseases like Alzheimer's and dementia. From The Notebook to The Vow, films like these have given people an inside glimpse of what it might mean to deal with these types of diagnoses. These movies have been careful to showcase the perspective of the person who has the disease and their loved ones' point of view. However, no matter how well done these films might be, they are often glossy and a bit romanticized. Based on Pat Moffett's acclaimed book, Ice Cream in the Cupboard director Drew Pollins wanted to offer a different perspective on what it means to deal with these diseases. It is a point of view that is a bit harsher and more volatile than what's usually depicted in films. 

Based on Moffett's real-life, Ice Cream in the Cupboard is told in several chapters, one that begins some 27 years ago when Pat (Dana Ashbrook) and Carmen (Claudia Ferri) first cross paths. Their unexpected encounter is one of those moments that jilt your life forever, shifting your world on its axis. Pressing forward nearly three-decades in the future, we reencounter Carmen and Pat, this time in their 50s, happily married with college-aged children. 

Time has been good to them, but things haven't been perfect. Pat's past infidelity comes spiraling up to the surface on one unassuming day, causing Carmen to fly into a fit of rage and violently pushing her husband into the pool while threatening to stab him with a knife. 

Floored by his wife's outburst, Pat retreats to a hotel, but things continue to remain off-center for Carmen. Her memory is continually shotty, she quickly loses track of time, and her life timeline is entirely off-kilter. Finally, recognizing that something is wrong, Pat and Carmen head to a doctor, where the long-time budget administrator is diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimers. 

What happens next isn't pretty or fuzzy, but it's perhaps one of the most authentic portrayals of the disease that's been seen in Hollywood thus far. Highlighting Carmen's lack of impulse control and temper as the illness continues to wear down on her, Pat and his children are increasingly broken but determined to step up. 

Sadly, due to Carmen's young age, her diagnosis and the disease's progression is accelerated, pushing Pat to grasp on to their past memories while preparing himself to let go of the woman who has been by his side for nearly 30 years. 

Perfectly paced and gripping, Ashbrook and Feri do a wonderful job as a couple trying to hold tight to the short time they have left. Though there are some lighthearted moments in the film off laughter and play, Pollins makes to keep his sense focus on the subject at hand — how much and how quickly Alzheimer's steals from the people it affects. 

The gripping film is undoubtedly a challenge to watch at times. However, its authenticity as it reflects on what can be a very emotionally and physically violent disease is unmatched. Moreover, there are no warm and fussy moments in the end, only what was in the past and what's to come in the future. 

Ice Cream in the Cupboard is now being distributed by Gravitas Ventures.

In Netflix's 'Bridgerton,' Shonda Rhimes reinvents how to present race in a period piece

Television and cinema have had a long love affair with Great Britain during the lush Regency era. From classic novels reimagined on screen, like "Pride and Prejudice" and "Emma," to historical dramas about their authors, like "Becoming Jane" and "Bright Star," there has always been something intriguing for moviegoers about this period. But in Netflix's new series "Bridgerton," premiering on Christmas Day, producer and media mogul Shonda Rhimes, along with "Scandal" and "Grey's Anatomy" producer Chris Van Dusen, have completely reimagined how to present that time and place on film.

Continue reading at NBC Think.

'Soul' Review: Pixar's First Film With A Black Lead Is A Dazzling Journey About Dreams And Commitment

In 2020, many people no longer adhere to archaic understandings of life paths and the impact that one individual can make on the world. Though life certainly isn't without its challenges, many of us are beginning to understand that you can have many passions, journeys, and dreams throughout your lifetime. If you are lucky and brave enough to embark on one or more of them, then you've really lived. In Disney/Pixar's latest film, Soul co-directors Pete Doctors and Kemp Powers remind the wisest and youngest among us that life isn't about the destination; it's about the journey.

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Angela Bassett, Loretta Devine and Lela Rochon on ‘that scene” from ‘Waiting To Exhale’

In the 25 years since Waiting to Exhale’s debut, the ground has shifted for Black female representation. The film, which was written by Terry McMillan and brought to life by Forest Whitaker, was the catalyst for that change.

Savannah (Whitney Houston), Robin (Lela Rochon), Bernadine (Angela Bassett), and Gloria (Loretta Devine) entranced audiences as they navigated life, love, and the bonds of sisterhood. It was a welcome and refreshing anomaly amid a slew of films that focused on narratives from the inner city — mostly centering Black men. The film changed the industry and catapulted the stars of nearly everyone who touched it. Now, on this pivotal anniversary, the key female players — plus the guys who portrayed their boyfriends, husbands and sons — talk to ZORA about making one of the most iconic films in history.

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Disney+ is spending billions on sequels, reboots and remakes. But where are the new ideas?

For years, Hollywood has leaned into reboots and remakes, trying to put a newer spin on classics like "Sabrina the Teenage Witch" or "The Italian Job" — and some have even been wildly successful, like Al Pacino's turn in "Scarface" (a remake of the 1932 movie) and the Bradley Cooper-directed "A Star Is Born." Still, others almost certainly could've been left in the past, since the original versions were and are easily accessible for current and future generations to enjoy at their leisure.

Yet, reboots and remakes aren't going away anytime soon. And in these unprecedented times, when regularly going out to the movies may very well become a relic of the past, Disney has decided to double down on its reboot efforts in a significant way. Deadline reported the company will be spending $14 billion to $16 billion for new content — but few new ideas — on its Disney +, Hulu and ESPN+ streaming services by 2024.

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'Alex Wheatle' is the latest revelation from Steve McQueen’s 'Small Axe'

In most biopics, filmmakers offer their audience a sweeping bird’s-eye view of the life of a historical figure. These films chronicle the person’s childhood and any trials or tribulations they may have faced before ending in a typical flourish of the subject’s successes and triumphs. In Alex Wheatle, the fourth film in the Small Axe anthology, which follows London’s West Indian community from the 1960s into the 1980s, Steve McQueen offers something different. The British-born filmmaker presents a snapshot of the life of a young man who was never meant to rise above his circumstances.

Continue reading at The A.V. Club.

Merle Dandridge On 'The Flight Attendant' And That Mysterious 'Greenleaf' Spinoff

In their new comedy-drama thriller, HBO Max has reimagined Chris Bohjalian's The Flight Attendant for the small-screen. The compelling miniseries follows Cassie Bowmen (Kaley Cuoco), a first-class flight attendant who wakes up hungover in a swanky Bangkok hotel room with a dead man next to her. As Cassie tries to piece together the previous evening, she attempts to go on about her life as if nothing happened. As her co-workers and good friends, Shane (Griffin Matthews) and Megan (Rosie Perez) become increasingly suspicious; the FBI begins putting their case together. 

Tasked to solve this murder mystery, Greenleaf alum Merle Dandridge stars as FBI agent Kim Hammond, a whip-smart woman who suffers no fools and has even less patience for Cassie's convoluted story. Ahead of The Flight Attendant's debut on HBO MAX, Shadow and Act chatted with Dandridge about the series' twists and turns, and why portraying Kim has been a breath of fresh air. 

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