Black on Black Cinema - Black Movie Reviews

This week on Black on Black Cinema, the guys return to introduce the next film, "Malcolm & Marie" starring John David Washington and Zendaya. The film follows the couple as they have a night of exploring some deep-seeded cracks in their relationship. The random topic of the week is about Black History Month. The easily answerable question is posed about the month, but what does it really mean and why and how the month's meaning could go further.

This week on Black on Black Cinema, the guys return to discuss the final two episodes of Steve McQueen's anthology series, "Small Axe." The first episode is "Alex Wheatle," which follows the title character on his journey from housing for kids abandoned by their parents to becoming a revolutionary writer in West London during the 1980s. The second film is entitled "Education," which follows a young kid named Kingsley Smith as he is put into the British ESN (Education Sub-Normal) system unfairly.

This week on Black on Black Cinema, the guys return to discuss episodes 2 and 3 of the Small Axe anthology series co-written and directed by Steve McQueen. This episode will cover the short films entitled "Lovers Rock" and "Red, White, and Blue."  "Lovers Rock" tells the story of two people who meet at a party in 1980 in West London. The hosts discuss the stylized storytelling, the cinematography, and most importantly the messaging behind community insulation, vulnerability, and outright physical expression. "Red, White, and Blue" follows Leroy Logan, a Black man who joins the London Metropolitan police force to try and change it for the better. He deals with push back from his few officers who are white, as well as, from his father.

This week on Black on Black Cinema, the guys return to discuss and review the first episode of the Small Axe anthology directed and co-written by Steve McQueen. This episode is entitled "Mangrove." The film is about the Mangrove restaurant in west London and the 1971 trial of the Mangrove Nine. It stars Shaun Parkes, Letitia Wright, Malachi Kirby, Rochenda Sandall, Alex Jennings, and Jack Lowden.

This week on Black on Black Cinema, the guys return to announce the next film of sorts. The guys will be tackling the first episode of the Steve McQueen anthology, Small Axe. The first episode is entitled "Mangrove." The episode (2 hours long) is about the Mangrove restaurant in west London and the 1971 trial of the Mangrove Nine. It stars Letitia Wright, Shaun Parkes, Malachi Kirby, Rochenda Sandall, Alex Jennings, and Jack Lowden. The random topic of the week is about the riots from Trump supporters in Washington D.C. and the level of hypocrisy we see with the treatment of white domestic terrorists vs people of color fighting for civil rights.

This week on Black on Black Cinema, the guys return with a special guest, T'ara, to discuss the 2020 film, "Ma Rainey's Black Bottom" starring Viola Davis, Chadwick Boseman, Coleman Domingo, Glynn Turman, and Michael Potts. The film is based on the August Wilson play of the same name. Following the "Mother of Blues," Ma Rainey, as she and her band attempt a recording session in Chicago in 1927. Conflicts begin to arise between band members, Rainey, and an ambitious trumpet player named Levee.

This week on Black on Black Cinema, the guys return to introduce the next film, "Ma Rainey's Black Bottom" newly released on Netflix. The random topic this week is about the idea of movies/plays like "Fences" being inappropriate for some and why the hosts believe these type of stories help explain the complexity of being Black in America, and largely prepares young people for how to build their armor for being Black.

This week on Black on Black Cinema, the guys return to discuss the 1999 comedy, "Life" starring Eddie Murphy and Martin Lawrence. The film follows two men during Prohibition, loudmouth Harlem grifter Ray (Eddie Murphy) and the no-nonsense Claude (Martin Lawrence) who team up on a bootlegging mission to Mississippi. However they run into trouble when a crooked lawman hits them with a phony murder charge. Ray and Claude are given life sentences and shipped off to jail, where they must think of a way to prove their innocence and avoid the brutal guards while battling their biggest enemies -- their opposing personalities.

This week on Black on Black Cinema, the guys return to announce the next film, the 1999 comedy "Life" starring Eddie Murphy and Martin Lawrence. The film follows two guys who get setup on a murder charge by a crooked cop during the prohibition era. The two men are sent to jail for life and work to prove their innocence while driving each other crazy. The random topic of the week is just that, completely random. With not much to chat about this week, Jay and Micah just talk about getting older, parenting, and more.

This week on Black on Black Cinema, the guys return to discuss the film "Charm City Kings" that tells the story of a young kid named Mouse who desperately wants to join The Midnight Clique, the infamous Baltimore dirt bike riders who rule the summertime streets. When Midnight's leader, Blax, takes 14-year-old Mouse under his wing, Mouse soon finds himself torn between the straight-and-narrow and a road filled with fast money and violence.