Minding The Gap Examines Friendship, Growing Pains and Family
When “Boyhood” was released a few years back it was considered revolutionary because it was filmed over an extended period of time. Well, clearly Bing Liu took that premise a step further and concentrated his documentary Minding The Gap around the lives of his two friends Zack , Kiere while turning the camera on himself. I had the pleasure of screening the film alongside Bing at the AFI DOCS film festival in Washington, D.C. I quietly observed the filmmaker still being uncomfortable when the lens is turned on him. It broke my heart…literally. As kids we often go through life without a care in the world. Our biggest concern is where,…
Awkafina and Nico Santos Steal the Show in Crazy Rich Asians
Crazy Rich Asians serves as a reminder of the cultural differences in society which makes us unique. In the African-American community, our bond through the church, food and music have been staples for decades. As a child, I remember fondly going to church on Sunday and bonding over the service with dinners in the church basement. As beautiful as these memories are, there is also a stigma within our community concerning skin color, hair texture and economic class. Light skinned was considered better. Wavy or Straght hair was considered better. If your family introduced you to society as a debutante through “Jack and Jill”, your family supposedly was financially sound…
Dog Days is for the Quintessential Lover of Furry Friends and Romance
Dogs have always been a part of me life. My family has owned many of them over the years, but the one who is the most memorable is Mr. Spanky. Yup, you guessed it. He’s named after The Little Rascal character Spanky because that is exactly what he is…a little rascal. I can’t imagine a day where I don’t arrive home to see his smiling little furry face ready and waiting to give me all the love and doggy kisses I can handle. There is nothing better than the love of a furry four-legged friend, mostly because it is unconditional…no matter what. Dog Days illustrates doggy love from three…
Spike Lee’s BlacKkKlansman Hits a Nerve and Spotlights Racism
The Civil Rights movement is known for struggle, protesting, Angela Davis, great soul music and the ongoing underground existence of the Klu Klux Klan. As a college student in Columbia, Missouri, we were told to stay inside one weekend as the Klan marched past our dorm. I was like, really??!! The KKK is still a thing. Well, apparently they were still raging on when rookie cop Ron Stallworth (John David Washington) became the first African-American detective to serve at the Colorado Springs Police Department. Determined not to be chained to his desk or be assigned to mundane tasks, he comes up with the brilliant idea to infiltrate and expose the…
Christopher Robin Reignites Childhood Memories with Winnie the Pooh
When my father was ill, I contemplated placing him in a facility where I thought he would be more comfortable. As we discussed this prospect, my father said something to me I will never forget. “If I hang around a bunch of people who act old, then they’ll make me feel old too.” I got it immediately and we never discussed it again. I’m fortunate that I was born to two people who are perpetually young at heart. A characteristic they passed on to me genetically, that I will forever be grateful. So, naturally, Christopher Robin struck a chord with me for a variety of reasons. It’s so easy to…
Christopher Robin’s Winnie the Pooh is Real and his name is Jim Cummings!
Winnie the Pooh, that lovable little dude from Hundred Acre Wood along with his crew Tigger, Piglet aand Eeyore are back! This time in the live-action animated Disney feature Christopher Robin. At a recent roundtable, myself and some other bloggers squeezed out a few secrets from Pooh’s alter-ego Jim Cummings. But first, let me share just a few little known facts that even surprised me Sterling Holloway was the original voice of Pooh until he passed on from a heart-attack in November 1992. Paul Winchell, however, who was a major television star in the 50’s with “The Paul Winchell Show,” was a very skilled ventriloquist with medical training and became…
AAFCA REVIEW: Wrinkle in Time Taps in to Inner Child & Warrior Mode
Be uniquely you, take a child to see A Wrinkle in time when it opens in theaters nationwide on March 9th to tap into YOUR inner child. Source: AAFCA REVIEW: Wrinkle in Time Taps in to Inner Child & Warrior Mode
Mission Impossible: Fallout is Best in Tom Cruise Franchise
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again – Tom Cruise is the true embodiment of a real movie star. A star, who on name and face recognition, makes audiences excited to see their films no matter what the subject. Very few are able to command that type of box office cachet and Cruise is definitely at the top of the list. Mission Impossible: Fallout is by far the best of the franchise, which now includes six films. Unable to catch my breath from all the thrilling fight scenes, death-defying stunts and just overall adrenaline ride, I can tell you unequivocably that you’ll most definitely need a bubble bath,…
Teen Titans Go! To The Movies is Hysterically Hype Fun on the Big Screen
Ever wonder why of all the superheroes why Robin has never had his own flick? So, do the Teen Titans!!! This is the type of superhero animation movie that will put a smile on your face and in your heart. The Teen Titans want to get a superhero film greenlit by the studio starring sidekick Robin so badly they actually go back in history with an attempt to alter the outcome of every superhero known to man. Unfortunately, it doesn’t quite go the way they planned and a plethora of shenanigans ensue in the process providing the audience of adults and kids alike with hilarity that is sorely needed right…
McQueen documentary is an Intimate Look at Fashionable Insecure Genius
Alexander McQueen was a name uttered quite often at one time on the red carpet of numerous award shows. His design ranged from the macabre to immaculate, stunning, conversational piece fashion that was truly as unique as the man who created this walkable art. Produced by Bleecker Street Media and directed by Ian Bonhote and Peter Ettedgui, McQueen sheds light on the humble beginning of this young, ambitious designer, his relationship with Givenchy and how his unique style was fostered, developed and ultimately became his undoing. Like so many before McQueen, it’s that diamond in the rough brilliance which drives them mad and isolates these artists into a world that…
