Black Nativity Movie Review

Black Nativity was written by Langston Huges, Harlem Renaissance most iconic poets and leader during that era.  Black Nativity is a great family movie for the Holidays.  Black Nativity was directed by Kasi Lemmons, she also directed "Eve's Bayou.  The film's modern-day retelling of Christ's birth is sprinkled with lines from Hughes' poetry and the stage production's script, as well as shout-outs to the hero's namesake.  

The movie stars Forest Whitaker, Angela Bassett, Jennifer Hudson, Tyese Gibson, Luke James, Mary J. Blige, Nasir (Nas) Jones and Jacob Latimore. The movie starts off in Baltimore Maryland with Langston (Latimore), who was named after the great poet of the Harlem Renaissance, Langston Hughes.  His mother (Hudson) works couple of jobs with long hours to make ends meet, his father is not around and he never met his grandparents.  His mother is getting evicted from her home in Maryland and she send Langston to Harlem to spend Christmas with his grandparents.  Revered Cobb (Whitaker) and his wife Mrs. Cobb (Bassett).  

His first impression of New York wasn't a good one but he managed to make his way to grandparents's house.  Langston wanted answers from his grandparents, he wanted to discuss why his mother never talked about them and why she refused to visit them.  Langston's grandparents told him to ask his mother.  Throughout the movie,  Langston had some divine intervention to help him understand the past through songs. In the process he learns how to heal from spiritual wounds and learns to forgive his mother, grandparents, and his father.  

Watch the trailer here:

Hunger Games: Catching Fire

The Hunger games franchise is so awesome to me (better than the Twilight franchise).  After reading the book I was super excited to see the movie.  In Catching Fire, Katniss (Oscar winner, Jennifer Lawrence) and Peeta (Josh Hutcherson) headed out on a victory tour where they were forced to speak to all of the districts about the fallen tributes.  The people in the districts are brewing up to rebel against the capital and President Snow.  But before leaving, Katniss is visited by the cruel President Snow (Donald Sutherland) and is basically told that he is not buying her affection for Peeta. He knows it was all for show and is concerned their actions could spark an uprising against the Capitol.


President Snow is not convince that Katniss and Peeta are an item, their efforts fails to impress him but the public is believing every word and actions of their romance.  The new Hunger games tournament is starting and they called it Quater Quell.  It's essentially an all-star tournament, where winners from previous tournaments are selected to face off against each other, leaving only one survivor.  The twist is that they are fighting adults and not just kids in this film.  Many of the competitors are now adults and even in the their late 70s.  None of them want any part of the games, but have no say in the matter. The movie is startlingly mature and does not feel like something only geared for pre-teens and teens. Twilight series this definitely is not.

The acting is really good in Catching Fire.  Katniss is a role model that many girls can look up too.  She's smart, tough, loves her family, and heroic.  You feel every emotions that she feels in the movie.  They added new characters in this film,  Joanna, a bad ass from District 7.  She's very mean-spirited and sarcastic but I really like her character.  Beetee (Jeffrey Wright) he's very smart and inventive. Sam Claflin as Finnick, Claflin, in fact, is probably going to be a face to watch out for. His charisma is a very welcome addition to the cast.




This movie will have you at the edge of your seat it's one emotional roller-coaster, especially if you didn't read the book.  I can't wait until the next two films of Hunger games.  They are going to break down Book 3 into two films, just like they did with twilight.  The movie is over two hours and it never drags. 


Speak on it:
Did you see the movie? Did you enjoyed the movie as much as I did?

The Best Man's Holiday gave THOR a run for its money or millions!

The Best Man's Holiday is the Number 2 movie!! Not bad at all.

Guess what, America? Black people do go to the movies. African Americans do like to see themselves on-screen, especially in a positive and a non-stereotypical way.  Black people not always robbers, murderers, and gang banger like some movie like to portray.    Malcolm D. Lee (Spike Lee's cousin) delivers 14 years later to the sequel of Best Man with the Best Man's Holiday.  The movie earned a total of $30.6 million, Lee created the film with a $17 million budget. (Did the stars even get pay-hopefully they will earn some profit from the movie). Many critics said that movie will only earned in the first weekend around $15-20 millions, boy, were they wrong.  When Best Man first debut in 1999, the movie earned $9 million on the first week. Great improvement! By the way, did the cast even aged? They look amazing!!! 40 is the new 20! 

The film starts Morris Chestnut, Monica Calhoun, Melissa De Sousa, Taye Diggs, Regina Hall, Terrence Howard, Sanaa Lathan and Nia Long — for a Christmas session of laughs, a lot of tears, and on-no moments. 

Harper Steward (Taye Diggs) and his wife Robin Steward (Sanaa Lathan) are expecting their first child.  Harper's writing career is not on top as it was in the first movie.  He needs to find another best seller but at what cost. Lance Sullivan (Morris Chestnut) is a huge football star with the NY giants is about to retired but him and his wife Mia Sullivan (Monica Calhoun) are hiding a secret from their friends.  The whole crew will be spending the holidays with the Sullivan, but will the Sullivan revived the secret. Not to mention deal with all the drama that comes with having old friends like Julian (Harold Perrineau), Candy (Regina Hall), Shelby (Melissa De Sousa), Jordan (Nia Long) – and of course, acid-tongued Quentin (Terrence Howard) all under one roof again. While both old wounds and new pains threaten the group’s bond, they soon learn that there’s no better time than the holidays in which to celebrate life, love, and good friendship.

Very great movie to see with a group of friends or with a significant other.  Please go and support this movie and Hollywood will eventually get the message. (bring some tissues) :)

Speak on it.
Did you see the movie? What are your thoughts? What did you like the most about the movie?

Baggage Claim

This is a girlfriends flick! :)

I had the privilege to see the movie Baggage Claim last week, thanks to Essence Magazine. Baggage Claim is a very fun, flirty, and predictable movie. Many of the people that we love the most are in this movie (especially Jill Scott). 

This movie was directed by David E. Talbert, he known in the African American community for writing and directed many plays just like Tyler Perry.  The beautiful Paula Patton plays "Montana Moore" a desperate flight attendant that has 30 days to find a man for her little sister's wedding, plays by Lauren London.

Paula Patton's character, Montana used her airline connections to "accidentally" meet up with her ex-boyfriends and rekindle some kind of flame with one of them.  LaLa Anthony, Uncle Tommy, Rickey Smiley, just to name a few friends that are helping her track down her exes.  She racks up more than 30,000 miles and comedic encounters, all the while searching for the perfect guy. This movie is worth supporting! It will open nationwide on this Friday, September 27.

Opens: Sept. 27 (Fox Searchlight)

Production: 260 Degrees, Sneak Preview Entertainment

Cast: Paula Patton, Derek Luke, Taye Diggs, Jill Scott, Boris Kodjoe, Tremaine Neverson, Adam Brody, Jenifer Lewis, Lauren London, Christina Milian, Djimon Hounsou, Ned Beatty

Director: David E. Talbert

Screenwriter: David E. Talbert

DC Brunch Review: Matchbox

Matchbox Brunch - Location

Chinatown - 713 H. Street, NW

WDC 20001

 

Matchbox is known best for their pizza but their brunch menu is amazing. I ordered the brunch pizza and the matchbox mimosa. (pictured above) The prices are very affordable and the atmosphere was very chic and modern.  The location is located in the busy area of downtown Chinatown DC near the Verizon center which makes it very chic. We were seated on the third level in an extremely comfy booth. All levels of the restaurant and the outside patio area look very inviting and warm. Matchbox is much more than a fast-food pizza place-interesting decor to take advantage of the restored building and a variety of seating options. Our waitress were the best, very friendly, knowledgeable, and dead on with recommendations, efficiency, and demeanor.

I will highly recommend Matchbox for your next brunch but they don't have bottomless mimosas. :( 

Hit the Floor

I really like VH-1 new scripted drama, Hit the Floor.  I thought it was going to be about sexy women dancing and having sex with basketball player but it's not. It has an OK story line that's make you tune in each week. Last night episode, Ahsha moved into German's apartment after Ahsha left her mother's house.  Ahsha is still upset with her mother after finding out that Coach Pete is her father.  Her mother told her that her father was a one night stand and she never heard from him again. 

 Pete and Sloane talk for the first time about their past relationship. In a power play with Olivia, Jelena sets up Ahsha to fail at the Devil Girls' annual calendar photo shoot about making her pose for February.  Jelena always pose for the month of February but she knew Ahsha was going to fail.  Ahsha caught on to the possibility that Jelena is trying to sabotage her at every turn.  During the phot o shoot, Ahsha needed to take a break and helped herself to a solo tour of Derek’s mansion (Derek plays for the Devils - see the picture of the cutie below) the baller cornered her for a sexy speech about confidence and doing what you love and for her is DANCE. “When is your head clear? When are you all instinct?” he asked. Of course, Derek is shirtless and talking very close to Ahsha.  After the prep talk, Ahsha rocked the photo shoot, thanks to Derek. Jelena was not happy about the success of her photo shoot.  At the end, she was thinking about a new plan to sabotage Ahsha. Below is a clip of the last night dance scene. 

What did you think about last night episode?  Do you like Hit the Floor?

Speak on it!

Temptation the Movie

Have you seen Tyler Perry's newest movie, Temptation?  Before, I start the review.  This movie was only showing at 2,000 movie theaters, compare to the Croods that was showing at 4,000 movie theaters and G.I. Joe was showing at 3,700 theaters.  Keep this in mind......I will do a future blog on this topic. 

Back to the review.......An ambitious married woman's named Judith (played by Jurnee- Smollett- Bell) is seduce by a handsome billionaire (played by Robbie Jones) leads to betrayal, recklessness, and this affair will change your life forever.  

Judith (Jurnee) and Brice (Lance) get hitched, they move to D.C.and set out on their careers. Brice is happy being a pharmacist; the more ambitious Judith lands a gig at a high-end millionaire matchmaker service as a relationship counselor, where Vanessa Williams is boss, who had a french accent in the movie.   

Then, one day, a charming millionaire named Harley (Robbie Jones) comes into Judith’s office and needed help about a joint business deal.  But it quickly turned into him relentlessly pursues her, with his money and his 8 pack abs.  Judith was getting restless and bored with Brice at home and Harley was giving her all the attention that she needed.  The relationship between Judith and Harley went from 1 - 100 within a couple of scenes.  Many women would had just been happy with Lance Gross taking off his shirt in the movie than watch the relationship between Judith and Harley unfold. Haley told his Judith that he's crazy in love, to normal people that's a red flag to run the other direction but not for Judith. Harley expose Judith to drug, money, and a lavish lifestyle. At this point, the movie is very predictable but entertaining at the same time. 

I didn't like the ending of the movie and thought it could had been better.  No happy endings this time around. 
Grade: B

Tyler Perry had this to say in one his interview about the movie: This is definitely one of the most provocative movies - sexually and otherwise - that I've made," says the director. "There are a lot of people who struggle in their relationships. They make bad choices about their marriages. They get divorced. And so many of them don't step out of their situation and really think about the consequences of what they're doing. This movie asks, 'Are you sure you want to do this?' It sends up a flag."
 Cast: Jurnee Smollett-Bell (Judith), Lance Gross (Brice), Kim Kardashian (Ava), Vanessa Williams (Janice), Robbie Jones (Harley), Renée Taylor (Ms. Waco Chapman), Ella Joyce (Sarah) and Brandy Norwood (Melinda).

Did you see the movie?  What did you like about it? Give your opinion.  I would love to hear from you.