“Black Panther” Rewrites the Rules on How to Make a Powerful Superhero Movie
MARCH 13, 2018 Among the many wonderful things about Ryan Coogler’s latest film, “Black Panther,” is that the director doesn’t approach it as a superhero movie. It’s as if…
African-American
Now Playing In Your Living Room — Mary J. Blige Shines in Dee Rees’ Powerful “Mudbound”
DECEMBER 6, 2017 One of the more pleasant surprises of this moviegoing year has been the growing quality of Netflix original films. Already we have had Noam Baumbach’s wonderful…
Kathryn Bigelow’s “Detroit” Is Not an Easy Night at the Movies, But It’s an Important One
AUGUST 3, 2017 I have to admit that I wasn’t exactly looking forward to reviewing Oscar-winner Kathryn Bigelow’s latest film “Detroit,” which opens nationwide tomorrow. Not that I thought…
“Get Out” — Can You Picture “Guess Who’s Coming To Dinner” As a Horror Movie?
MARCH 15, 2017 Over the past few months, several of the most acclaimed films out there have centered on race and the African-American experience in the United States. In…
The Civil Rights Struggle As Told Through the Voice of James Baldwin in the Bracing “I Am Not Your Negro”
FEBRUARY 15, 2017 I envy any moviegoer who sees writer James Baldwin on screen for the very first time. The esteemed writer had a presence when speaking before a…
“Hidden Figures” — A Crowd-Pleaser That’s Actually Pretty Good
JANUARY 31, 2017 crowd-pleas·er noun noun: crowd-pleaser; plural noun: crowd-pleasers; noun: crowdpleaser; plural noun: crowdpleasers a person or thing with great popular appeal. Unless you’ve been living in an…
Denzel Will Earn Your Applause, and Viola Will Break Your Heart in August Wilson’s “Fences”
DECEMBER 20, 2016 Denzel Washington faced a very big decision when he agreed to direct the film version of August Wilson’s Pulitzer Prize-winning play, “Fences.” He could either “open…
When All of Its Pieces Come Together, “Moonlight” Packs an Emotional Wallop
DECEMBER 12, 2016 “Moonlight” is the kind of great film that doesn’t announce itself at the door as a Great Film. It sneaks up on you quietly, and just…
Nate Parker’s Powerful But Uneven “The Birth of a Nation” Hits Theaters With a Lot of Baggage
OCTOBER 9, 2016 This is a really tough film to review, as it comes with an uncommon amount of baggage. Nate Parker’s “The Birth of a Nation,” which opened…
Donald Trump’s Pitch to African-American Voters — “What the Hell Do You Have To Lose?”
AUGUST 23, 2016 Photo: Getty I go away for 6 days to celebrate my mother-in-law’s special birthday (Happy 96th, Ruth!), and when I come back, all hell has broken…
