Black on Black Cinema - Black Movie Reviews

Eight married college friends plus one other non-friend go to Colorado for their annual week-long reunion, but the mood shifts when one couple's infidelity comes to light. Secrets are revealed and each couple begins to question their own marriage. Over the course of the week, the couples battle with issues of commitment, betrayal, and forgiveness and examine their lives as individuals and as committed couples. This film explores the resultant emotional impact that infidelity and love have upon the constitution of marriage. The film stars Tyler Pery, Janet Jackson, Jill Scott, Malik Yoba, Sharon Leal, Tasha Smith, Michael Jai White, Richard T. Jones, Denise Boutte, and Keesha Sharp.

This week on Black on Black Cinema, the guys are back to introduce the next film. It's that time again, our once a year deep dive into the crazy that is Tyler Perry. You asked for it, and we shall deliver. Next week's episode is on the 2007 film, "Why Did I Get Married." Dealing with married couples who each have unique interactions and problems. The random topic of the week is all about the rekindle conversation around cultural appropriation/appreciation and Bruno Mars. Is he a culture vulture? What does that mean in the modern era, and why is there such a rift between some GenX and Millenials on this particular topic?

This week on Black on Black Cinema, the guys return to discuss "Roman J. Israel Esq." The legal drama starring Denzel Washington as Roman J. Israel Esq., a lawyer who has spent his career as the man behind the curtain so to speak. An eccentric legal savant, Israel must confront his hardline views of helping the poor and the disaffected when he is thrust into a world of money and power that he's only seen from a safe distance. When an opportunity for a different life comes into conflict with one's beliefs, this is where the character must decide if his lifelong held convictions are truly worth the sacrifices that he has made. Cast: Denzel Washington Colin Farrell Carmen Ejogo

This week on Black on Black Cinema, the guys are back to announce the next film starring Denzel Washington just in time for Oscar season, "Roman J. Israel Esq." The film depicts Washington as a former civil rights lawyer trying to find his way in the world after he loses his lifelong legal partner. The random topic this week is all about other minorities desire to get their own "Black Panther" level film to represent them, and some odd pushback from some Black folks on social media. A wider conversation on why Black people are always the first through the door when it comes to racial equity issues and why our actions after that matter greatly to other minorities in the long run.

This week on Black on Black Cinema, the guys are back to discuss the latest Marvel film, and the show's first comic book movie, Black Panther. Not just an exciting comic book film, but there is so much more to Ryan Coogler's third film of his career. Making his big onscreen debut in Captain America: Civil War, the character of Black Panther/T'Challa (Chadwick Boseman) gets to finally step out on his own solo adventure. While the wait was long, it was more than worth it. Director Ryan Coogler manages to deliver Marvel's most diverse and unique adventure to date. Taking place in the fictional country of Wakanda, a hidden gem of Africa with technology that far surpasses the rest of the world, we see the coronation of the new king T'Challa. After watching his father be murdered in Captain America: Civil War, he must become the new leader of his people and learn to balance that with his superheroics and need to be a good man. T'Challa will be challenged not only at home by other tribes but also from enemies from afar, including the arms dealer Ulysses Klaue (Andy Serkis) and a newcomer, Erik "Killmonger" Stevens (Michael B. Jordan) whose background is most complex than it appears. T'Challa does have the benefit of not having to fight alone. He is supported by his tech genius sister Shuri (Letitia Wright), head of his royal guard, the Dora Milage, Okoye (Danai Gurira), and his former lover and spy operative Nakia (Lupita Nyong'o).

The guys have decided to toss away their previous movie choice and jump right in and handle the likely biggest Black film in the last 10 years and probably for the next 10, Black Panther. The first comic book movie that has ever been done on the show, but a timely and important one. Marvel's latest film isn't just a run of the mill action adventure (though those elements are there), but there is an undercurrent of Blackness that runs through the film that it deserved the Black on Black Cinema full treatment. The preview topic this week is all about Quincy Jones' interview with Vulture in which he spills the beans on Michael Jackson, Marlon Brando, Ivanka Trump, Richard Pryor, Marvin Gaye, and many others. We also get into how freeing it is to be old and Black.

This week on Black on Black Cinema, the guys are back to discuss the 2016 comedy film, Barbershop: The Next Cut. This is the third movie in the Ice Cube led Barbershop series. We are once again taken to Chicago to Calvin's Barbershop to deal with Black issues that are brought up in the shop as well as movements of fighting against Chicago's gang problem. Ice Cube is joined by Common, Nicki Minaj, Cedric the Entertainer, Regina Hall, Deon Cole, Eve, Anthony Anderson, and many others to once again showcase one of the most important staples in Black America, the Barbershop (and Beauty Shop).

This week on a new preview episode of Black on Black Cinema, the guys (minus Terrence) are back to introduce the next film to be reviewed, Barbershop: The Next Cut. The random topic of the week will just be a mailbag episode. We asked our fan group to drop some questions/topics they wanted us to address and we did so...enjoy!

Detroit is a 2017 American period crime drama film directed by Kathryn Bigelow and written by Mark Boal. Based on the Algiers Motel incident during Detroit's 1967 12th Street Riot, the film's release commemorated the 50th anniversary of the event. The film stars John Boyega, Will Poulter, Algee Smith, Jason Mitchell, John Krasinski and Anthony Mackie. The film is a depiction of the 12th street riots' beginning and then pivots to the specific events inside the Algiers Motel and the subsequent trial that followed. Dealing with the physical as well as, psychological damage that is inflicted on these teenagers who find themselves being blamed for shooting at the military and local police. Issues of racial injustice, police brutality, character assassinations, and more are peppered throughout the film. The hosts discuss not only the film but the controversies and criticisms that surrounded it.

This week on Black on Black Cinema, the guys are back to announce the next film, Detroit. Detailing the infamous Algiers Motel incident during the Detroit riots in the 1960s. The random topic of the week deals with a look at MLK Jr.'s dream for America and how close we've come to achieving it and how much further we have to go.