How She Move (2008) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)`How She Move' takes many plot steps we've seen before. Reminiscent of some of the dramatic moves taken in films like `Take the Lead,' and `Akeelah and the Bee,' the movie makes quite an impression when the characters are on stage ready to dance.
A second generation Jamaican, Rayanne (Raya) Green (Rutina Wesley) is a child prodigy, ready to go to prestigious colleges after an education at a private high school. The only thing keeping her from the best prospects are her family's finances. She has to drop out and enroll at a public school, where she is now an outsider to her former friend, Michelle (Tre' Armstrong), and her peer group. All the while she and her family are grieving over the loss of her elder sister, Pam, and all the fallout of her deadly drug use.
Trying to keep her head up, Raya is well-rounded. While she is an ace at academics, she is also sharp on the auto shop floor where all her friends gather to stomp out the latest moves. More interested in her romantically, Bishop (Dwain Murphy), who has known her since fifth grade, makes advances, but shuns the prospect of having her in his stomp "crew". Potentially, she must do the balancing act of many talented teenagers: She has to study for her exams, practice her dance moves with the boys, and come up with a way to pay for her tuition. Added to that is the reluctant misery she faces by becoming Michelle's tutor to avoid suspension after a physical fight.
`How She Move' is an enjoyable film experience. While the acting is second rate compared to what we`ve seen in `American Gangster (2-Disc Unrated Extended Edition)' and `The Great Debaters,' the characters are thoroughly lovable. Some suspension of disbelief is also necessary. (Are they all really allowed all this class time to practice their dance steps in the auto shop? Sometimes we actually see them working on their cars, and then we only see the adults when a fight breaks out in the shop.) Often times we get so dazzled, we don't even care.
The real answer lies with the entertainment. Some of the situations and tension we've experienced in similar films with praiseworthy themes, but the real star of the movie is the dancing. When that comes front and center, we get a real extravaganza. Sort of the 'American Idol - The Best of Seasons 1 - 4' of the stomp experience, the contest, `Step Monster' is a real spectrum of choreography and flair. And it is in this way that 'How She Move' is most effective: When it lets the dancing do the talking.
(***=Good movie)

Click Here to see more reviews about: How She Move (2008)

How She Move is an energetic, gritty and ultimately inspiring coming of age tale about a gifted young woman who defies all the rules as she step dances her heart out to achieve her dreams. Featuring a fresh cast of new discoveries, this Sundance Film Festival hit marks the feature film debut of the electric RUTINA WESLEY, with street-style step sequences by top choreographer Hi Hat and special appearances by R&B singer-songwriter Keyshia Cole and comedian DeRay Davis. Bursting with raw talent and intelligence, Raya Green (WESLEY), the daughter of Jamaican immigrants, has always been the family’s one great hope. She won the rare chance to break out of their drug and crime-infested neighborhood when she was accepted into the exclusive Seaton Academy. But when her sister dies of an overdose, the family is shattered and Raya is forced to return to the place she tried so hard to escape.

Get 12% OFF

Click here for more information about How She Move (2008)

Perfect Combination (2010) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)In a nutshell: this flick has all the shortcomings of late night cable tv soft-core porn, with none of the advantages.
The long form: everything about this movie screams "BUDGET!": hack writing [seriously, I could've written better dialog, & I'm as Wonderbread as they come!], super tight camera angles (to disguise the fact that they were shooting all the exteriors on the same street w/o having to hassle w/ permitting perhaps?), mid-70s monoaural sound quality, casting unknowns, etc. etc.
As far as I'm concerned, the only reason to own this movie is so you can see how far Tiffany Hines outshines the material she was given; I expect to see her become a big star! All the other talent turn in decent performances too, but they're really held back by the material they were given: Ms. Hines has the ability to take what she's given & run with it, regardless.
The only way to save this dog would be if there'd been more skin, as it is, the story & characters aren't very believable, the pacing is poor, and the direction is so marginal it intrudes upon the story.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Perfect Combination (2010)

Rick (Christian Keyes, Madea Goes to Jail) has got it allexcept a steady woman. As his 30th birthday approaches, he decides to enlist the help of a matchmaking service called Perfect Combination, launching a hilarious dating journey of one catastrophic date after another. With his luck and the "help" of an over-opinionated group of friends with their own romantic problems, will Rick ever find true love? With an irresistible cast that includes Angell Conwell (Baby Boy), Tiffany Hines (Beyond the Break) and Kareem Grimes (The Shield), Perfect Combination adds up to sexy, laugh-out-loud fun!

Get 53% OFF

Click here for more information about Perfect Combination (2010)

A Mother's Prayer (2009) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I saw the actual play and fell in love with the story! Everyone can relate to the struggles this family encounters. The singing is unbelievable (thank you Johnny Gill and Shirley Murdock) and the humor is sure to brighten your day. This play will open up your eyes and heart, and re-teach you some life lessons you've may have lost.

Click Here to see more reviews about: A Mother's Prayer (2009)

A Mother's Prayer, starring Robin Givens (Tyler Perry's The Family That Preys), Johnny Gill (legendary R&B singer), Shirley Murdock (Man of Her Dreams) and Jermaine Crawford (HBO's The Wire), tells the compelling, heartwarming tale of family members torn apart by their individual struggles. The only thing that can truly bring the family back together is a mother's dying wishes. With a lot of love, this family is about to learn the true meaning of the saying: the family that prays together stays together. Come along on an emotional journey through song, laughter and triumph.

Get 40% OFF

Click here for more information about A Mother's Prayer (2009)

On the Downlow Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)1. THERE'S SOMETHING HERE THAT DIDN'T SURPRISE ME. In a lot of the scenarios, the straight Blacks had some clue about the DL brothas. One guy said when his girlfriend and he broke up, she screamed, "You like hot dogs anyway!" But yet she later took him back. When one guy came out as bisexual, his military father said, "I had been hearing stories of that." A straight female friend said to one DL man, "I knew that!" The Black community is my own community and I do think that sometimes it's not that brothas are hiding; it's that straights are willing to ignore the facts because they don't want them to be true in the first place. This DL thing is not fool-proof.
2. THERE'S SOMETHING HERE THAT SADDENS ME OR MAKES ME EMPATHIZE WITH STRAIGHT WOMEN. First, one brotha is dancing in sexy rhythm with his girlfriend, then later he comes out to her while his boyfriend is at the same table. The woman asks, "Does this mean this is the end of you and me?" and the DL guy affirms that. The sista bows down her head in sadness. I think a whole bunch of straight female viewers are going to get teary-eyed at this. This woman did not ask that her man be gay. She lost what she thought was a good partner through no fault of her own. The documentary does not pursue the issue further and some may feel that this short-changes her unfairly. But this scene reminds me of Dina Matos-McGreevey's autobiography and Liza Minelli's comments about the legitimate pain of straight women who find out the real deal about their male partners. Perhaps someone could make a documentary about how they suffer too. Those interested in this from a Black woman's perspective may want to read LaJoyce Brookings' autobiography.
3. THERE'S SOMETHING THAT ANNOYED ME. A lot of the people filmed had their faces blurred. The camera purposely used blurry movements so the viewer couldn't see some of the actions taking place by people in the camera's range. The DL brothas speak in low, mumbly tones so you could barely hear what they are saying. From an aesthetic perspective, this may have given a visual imagery to a topic that is meant to be so secret. But if you are a viewer that likes to be given all the facts and have a better chance to come up with your own conclusions, then you may hate a lot of this.
4. MISCELLANEOUS STUFF. Other discussions of DL have implied that DL brothas avoid openly gay men like the plague. The four men here never suggest that being gay and being DL are mutually exclusive. In a lot of ways, "down low" just means "closeted." In "Boundaries of Blackness," Dr. Cathy Cohen said the MSM term is frustrating because MSM often get busy with openly gay men. Remember when J.L. King said to Oprah, "Will & Grace and Queer as Folk don't matter because they concern whites, not blacks!"? Some say that DL brothas get down only intraracially. Some say DL is a response to not just Black homophobia, but also to white gay racism. The legal book "Hybrid" makes mention of this. In other words, DL may come from the thought that "White gays exclude us and Black straights would punish us if they knew the real deal, so this is how we'll negotiate those two things." Here, there seemed to be more interracial action that one might imagine. Don't get me wrong: this wasn't like the infuriating "Brother to Brother" where no Black male couples were present. There are brotha-loving brothas here. It's just that there are more whites here than some may imagine. Finally, I think bisexual activists may have a lot to say about this. These men never suggest that liking men equates to not liking women. They never say, "I'm so proud and excited that others don't know the real me!" They seem to be suggesting that liking men may prevent them from getting with women, so they just keep that side of them under wraps. If there were more acceptance of bisexual males, then maybe DL-ness would not be so widespread.

Click Here to see more reviews about: On the Downlow

In this artful and thought-provoking film, highly regarded experimental filmmaker Abigail Child follows four young African American men in urban Cleveland, Ohio, who all live life on the downlow (the DL).Uncomfortable with being termed gay, as it doesn t correspond with their concept of Black masculinity, the men in this film straddle two seemingly incompatible worlds. Billy claims that the best sex of his life was with the mother of his two children, but he lives with a man. A self-described thug, Ray prefers drag queens. Kerwin desires not only a beautiful woman on his arm, but a man as well. And Antonio, an ex-con who picked up the DL lifestyle while incarcerated, is dating George, whose teenage girlfriend doesn t know that George, too, is on the DL. Together, these men s stories offer a rare window into both the allure and struggle of the DL lifestyle.Interweaving their narratives through candid interviews and intimate cinematography by Arthur Jafa (Crooklyn, Daughters of the Dust), ON THE DOWNLOW offers a penetrating glimpse into a split existence: one life lies on the surface, and another is hidden below.DVD Features: Original Casting Interviews; Trailer; Filmmaker Biography

Get 41% OFF

Click here for more information about On the Downlow

Our Family Wedding (2010) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)Our Family Wedding is a good movie, just know in advance that it's not a flat-out comedy. Shot by the same director as 1999's "The Wood", it's mostly a warm movie about love and marriage, with a few funny scenes thrown in.
The best part about the film is its cast. A gorgeous America Ferrera shines as Lucia, wife-to-be of future doctor Marcus Boyd (Lance Gross of House of Payne). Great acting and chemistry between the two offer warm scenes that will make viewers both laugh and cry. As a long time fan of Forest Whitaker, it was refreshing to see him in a comedy. And is it just me, or does Regina King get even more lovely with each film?
While Chappelle Show veteran Charlie Murphy has limited screen time in the movie, he steals every scene that he's in. Warren Sapp, Noel Gugliemi and Taye Diggs also make for funny moments, though all three get "blink and you missed them" roles (Diggs oddly isn't credited).
My biggest complaint with the movie is that the story has been done before. Boy meets girl, parents get involved, culture clash ensues, all leading up to a predictable ending. It's more Meet the Parents than Hangover, with only a few laugh out loud moments (though the reception seating montage is funny and clever). What's interesting is that they really don't milk the ethnic differences as much as you'd assume that they would.
It isn't a comedy blockbuster, but it's still a good film, especially if you enjoyed movies like The Wood. A good cast and some feel-good moments make it worth watching at least once before you decide on buying the DVD.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Our Family Wedding (2010)

OUR FAMILY WEDDING - DVD Movie

Get 35% OFF

Click here for more information about Our Family Wedding (2010)

Mother and Child (2010) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)Three children, one not yet born. Three lives that are obscurely linked. Rodrigo Garcia has made his career with films sympathetic to the feelings of women, and his "Mother and Child" is so emotionally affecting because it is concerned only with their feelings. The storylines coil and eventually join, but that's just a narrative device. If these characters had no connection, their lives would be equally evocative.
The film is founded on three performances by Annette Bening, Kerry Washington and Naomi Watts. All have rarely been better. Bening plays Karen, a caregiver at work, where she's a physical therapist, and at home, where she cares for her mother (Eileen Ryan). There will be no one to care for her: When she was 14, she gave up a child for adoption, and now she yearns to have that child back. This is not a film about the wisdom of adoption, however, but about Karen's desire for her child.
Kerry Washington plays Lucy, happily married, childless, trying to adopt a child. She finds one she loves, but the baby's birth mother, Ray (Shareeka Epps), is a piece of work. She considers it a seller's market and is fiercely determined that her unborn baby will find a good home with worthy parents. She's more exacting than an adoption agency. Epps is very good, very focused, here.
Naomi Watts is Elizabeth, a lawyer who is concentrated not so much on her career but on her power, and how her sexuality can be a part of that. She goes to work for a Los Angeles law firm and makes it her business to have an affair with Paul, one of the partners (Samuel L. Jackson). She calls the shots, perhaps because she never knew her own parents, and fears a feeling of abandonment.Samuel L. Jackson and Naomi Watts.(Enlarge Image)A quiet, nurturing person at the intersection of these lives is Sister Joanne (Cherry Jones), a nun at a church adoption bureau. She is childless, of course, but content; she accepts her state as part of her service to God and is devoted to her clients. The nun is one of several important supporting characters who give "Mother and Child" richness. In this large cast, the actors are gifted and well-cast down to the smaller roles, and each one is important to the development of the story -- not just added for diversion or variety.
These include Sofia (Elpidia Carrillo), Karen's maid, who has a daughter who sometimes comes to work with her, and embodies some of Karen's regrets. Paul has daughters of his own, as does Paco (Jimmy Smits), Karen's friend at work. They have what she doesn't. Lucy's mother (S. Epatha Merkerson) is a nurturing parent, unlike her mother-in-law, who is cruel about the absence of a grandchild.
Garcia, whose credits include "Things You Can Tell Just by Looking at Her" (2000) and "Nine Lives" (2005), has created an interwoven plot not just for the purpose of being clever. Each facet revolves to illuminate the others. The characters reflect aspects of the central dilemma of the childless mothers. It doesn't argue that all mothers require children, and indeed the nun may be the happiest woman here. It simply argues that these mothers believe that they do.
Of all the performances, Samuel L. Jackson's is the most surprising. It sometimes appears that the busy Jackson will take almost any role to stay working. (Remember "Black Snake Moan"?) This film provides a reminder of his subtlety. He is a powerful, successful man, relatively helpless with a demanding and sexually skilled woman like Elizabeth. They like the sex, there is no love, she does not want to be involved in his personal life, and there is something there that disturbs him.
Bening, Watts and Washington create three distinct beings with three distinct lives. They don't all "share the same problem," but they believe they share the same solution. Garcia embeds their needs in the details of their lives, so we don't emerge with ideas about them, but feelings.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Mother and Child (2010)

From writer-director Rodrigo Garcia (TV'S Big Love, Nine Lives) and executive producer Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu (Babel) comes the moving story of three women and the power of the unbreakable bond between mother and child. Three women's lives share a common core: the have all been profoundly affected by adoption. Karen (Annette Bening) placed a baby for adoption at age 14 and has been haunted ever since by the daughter she never knew. Elizabeth (Naomi Watts) grew up as an adopted child; she's a bright and ambitious lawyer, but a flinty loner in her personal life. Lucy (Kerry Washington) and her husband are just embarking on the adoption odyssey, hoping for the opportunity to become parents.

Get 43% OFF

Click here for more information about Mother and Child (2010)

Preacher's Kid (2010) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)This movie is reality. As one reviewer said, yes it has cussing in it - some in the church (And in my lifetime, I've heard someone curse in the church. Did I agree with it - no but it happens. Folk also lie and lust in the church. Come on let's keep it real - no church is perfect. No person is perfect. Kids age 13 and older hear cussing and see things on the TV and in the neighborhood, and at church. The main topic of the movie is a parent, who happens to be a pastor has a strong hold on his daughter, who is over 21, because his wife died and she stepped in to help him with some things his wife was doing. He's very dependent on her, and don't want her to go out and enjoy life - not even a simple movie so she gets fed up and leaves home. She had to learn the hard way that life isn't so easy and she returns to her first love - God and her family.
Parents it's up to you to allow your kids to see this. You can watch it with them and explain different situations so they won't be naive to the world when they get out of there teaching the boys to be young men and the girls to carry themselves as young ladies. I absolutely loved it - almost teared up a few times.....ok I did - lol. I think it is a good movie for those 13 and older. Kids now and days know more now than we did when we were that age. I can't wait to get my own copy of it now that it's coming out on DVD.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Preacher's Kid (2010)

Family, faith and music: small-town girl Angie King leaves the first two behind to pursue a dream of singing stardom. LeToya Luckett of the original Destiny's Child makes her movie breakthrough in this inspiring tale bursting with music (including performances by Luckett and co-star/R&B hitmaker Durrell "Tank" Babbs) and talent. Luckett plays Angie, the daughter of a stern but loving bishop, whose attraction to the hunky star (Tank) of a traveling gospel show takes her on the road...and into romance, heartbreak and the realization that the happiness she seeks may be in the home she left behind. But will her disapproving father welcome his prodigal daughter back? Join Angie on a powerful coming-of-age journey.

Get 60% OFF

Click here for more information about Preacher's Kid (2010)

When the Lights Go Out Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)This dvd is awesome! It's funny, entertaining and real. I liked how relateable and real the characters seemed and the overall presentation of the play. It was like I was watching a movie and not a stage play. Another thing I enjoyed most was the story content. The message pointed back to Christ. The bonus material was really cool too. Overall I loved it and would recommend it!

Click Here to see more reviews about: When the Lights Go Out

There is no bond stronger than the bond of family, but when betrayal and heartbreak strike, those ties are severely tested! WHEN THE LIGHTS GO OUT tells the story of a family who has lost its way…maybe forever. Only through the power of love, faith and forgiveness can they rediscover what’s truly important and let the light back in! With the talents of Wendy Raquel Robinson (The Steve Harvey Show), Keith Robinson (Dreamgirls), Clifton Powell (Ray) and R&B sensation Lloyd, WHEN THE LIGHTS GO OUT shines with warmth, humor and song.

Get 7% OFF

Click here for more information about When the Lights Go Out