Spike Lee and Samuel L. Jackson celebrate Lee's 2019 Oscar win for Best Adapted Screenplay for BlackKklansman. // Getty Images The 2019 Academy Awards have come to an end and #BlackGirlMagic and #BlackBoyJoy were in full effect as some of our favorites walked away with gold statuettes, some after a 30-year uphill climb. Black Panther was a big winner, taking home Oscars … [Read more...]
Best films of 2018
In 2018, the stories told, talent on view, compelling characters, emotions expressed, and genres stretched were just amazing. It was more than enough to make viewers track films from the theaters to streaming services. Or vice versa. Check out the year in movies. Enjoy. Best Films Ben Is Back – The plague of drug addiction hits the tony suburbs and writer/director … [Read more...]
‘Green Book,’ a moving dramedy that touches on a timely topic
Don Shirley (Mahershala Ali) was a promising prodigy whose formal training in classical piano began when he was admitted to Russia's prestigious Leningrad Conservatory at the age of nine. Because he had the misfortune of being raised in Florida in the Jim Crow Era, it was very unlikely that his extraordinary talent would be appreciated anywhere in the South upon his return to … [Read more...]
Traveling while Black: ‘Green Book’ guides still resonate today
In the summer of 2017, the NAACP issued a travel advisory for the state of Missouri. Modeled after the international advisories issued by the U.S. State Department, the NAACP statement cautioned travelers of color about the “looming danger” of discrimination, harassment and violence at the hands of Missouri law enforcement, businesses and citizens. The civil rights … [Read more...]