THE GHOST WHO WALKS (2019)

 

Directed By: Cody Stokes Written By: Cody Stokes & Ben Bostick Cinematography: Michael Lockridge 

Cast: Garland Scott, Frank Mosley, Alexia Rasmussen, Gil Darnell, Dasha Nekrasova, Nattalyee Randall, Peter Mayer 

After five years in prison, guards lead Nolan to his freedom. But Nolan's ticket out came courtesy of ratting on his former boss. A death sentence for any man. His goal: find Lena and Amy-his ex and their five-year-old daughter he's never met-and get them out of the city, to a new life together, before the ghosts of his past can track him down and kill him.

SLEEPLESS (2017)

Directed By: Baran Bo Odar Written By: Andrea Berloff  Based in the film “NUIT BLANCHE” Written by: Frederic Jardin, Nicolas Saada & Olivier Douyere  Cinematography: Mirai Malaimaire Jr. Editor: Robert Rzesacz

Cast: Jamie Foxx, Michelle Monaghan, Dermot Mulroney Jr., Scoot Mcnairy, Tip T.I. Harris, David Harbour, Gabrielle Union 

Undercover Las Vegas police officer Vincent Downs finds himself trapped in a web of corrupt cops, internal affairs and violent gangsters. When a failed heist leads to the kidnapping of his son, Downs must race against time during an intense and restless night to save him and bring the criminals to justice.

MEAN JOHNNY BARROWS (1975)

Directed & Edited by: Fred Williamson Written By: Jolivett Gato & Charles Walker 

Cast: Fred Williamson, Roddy McDowall, Stuart Whitman, Tony Caruso, Jenny Sherman, Luther Adler, R.G. Armstrong, Elliott Gould, Mike Henry 

A G.I. is unjustly thrown out of the service, and winds up being a gas station attendant. A gangster wants to hire him as a hitman. He agrees, with disastrous results.

JUDAS AND THE BLACK MESSIAH (2021)

  

Directed By: Shaka King  Written By: Shaka King & Will Berson  Story By: Shaka King, Will Berson, Kenneth Lucas & Keith Lucas Cinematography: Sean Bobbitt  Editor: Kristin Sprague 

Cast: LaKeith Stanfield, Daniel Kaluuya, Jesse Plemons, Dominique Fishback, Ashton Sanders, Algee Smith, Lil Rel Howery, Martin Sheen, Darrell Britt-Gibson, Dominique Thorne, Robert Longstreet, Jermaine Fowler 

Fred Hampton, a young, charismatic activist, becomes Chairman of the Illinois chapter of the Black Panther Party - putting him directly in the crosshairs of the government, the FBI, and the Chicago Police. But to destroy the revolution, the authorities are going to need a man on the inside.

MA RAINEY’S BLACK BOTTOM (2020)

Directed by: George C. Wolfe Written By: Rueben Santiago-Hudson Based On the play Written By: August Wilson Cinematography: Tobias A. Schliessler Editor: Andrew Mondahein

Cast: Chadwick Boseman, Viola Davis, Colman Domingo, Glynn Turman, Michael Potts, Jonny Clyde, Jeremy Shamos, Taylour Paige, Dusan Brown

During a recording session, tensions rise between Ma Rainey, her ambitious horn player, and the white management determined to control the uncontrollable "Mother of the Blues".

SMALL AXE: ALEX WHEATLE (2020)

 

Directed By: Steve McQueen  Written By: Steve McQueen & Alastair Siddons  Cinematography: Shabier Kirchner  Editor: Chris Dickens & Steve McQueen

Cast: Sheyi Cole, Khali Best, Fumilayo Brown-Olatej, Riley Burgin, Ross Cahill, Zakiyyah Deen, Robbie Gee, Jonathan Jules, Ashley McGuire 

Alex Wheatle follows the true story of award-winning writer, Alex Wheatle, from a young boy through his early adult years. Having spent his childhood in a mostly white institutional care home with no love or family, he finally finds not only a sense of community for the first time in Brixton, but his identity and ability to grow his passion for music and DJing. When he is thrown in prison during the Brixton Uprising of 1981, he confronts his past and sees a path to healing

THE PHOTOGRAPH (2020)

 

Written & Directed By: Stella Meghie  Cinematography: Mark Schwartzbard  Editor: Shannon Baker Davis 

Cast: Issa Rae, LaKeith Stanfield, Chante Adams, Y’Lan Noel, Kelvin Harrison jr., Lil Rel Howery, Teyonah Parris, Jasmine Cephas Jones, Rob Morgan, Courtney B. Vance, Chelsea Peretti 

A series of intertwining love stories set in the past and in the present.

THE LOVEBIRDS (2020)

Directed By: Michael Showalter  Written by: Brendan Gall & Aaron Abrams Story By:  Brendan Gall, Aaron Abrams & Martin Geri Cinematography: Brian Burgoyne  Editor: Vince Filippone & Robert Nassau

Cast: Issa Rae, Kumail Nanjiani, Paul Sparks, Anna Camp, Kyle Bornheimer, Catherine Cohen, Andrene Ward-Hammond, Barry Rothbart

 

A couple experiences a defining moment in their relationship when they are unintentionally embroiled in a murder mystery. As their journey to clear their names takes them from one extreme - and hilarious - circumstance to the next, they must figure out how they, and their relationship, can survive the night.

THE WEEKEND (2018)

Written & Directed By: Stella Meghie Cinematography: Kris Belchevski Editor: Shannon Baker Davis 

Cast: Sasheer Zamata, Tone Bell, Dewanda Wise, Kym Whitley, Y’Lan Noel, Josefina Landeros 

A comedian goes away for the weekend with an ex-boyfriend and his new girlfriend.

TOO READS OF THE YEAR: THE FAVORITE BOOKS READ IN 2020

The list includes more entertainment. Based books than usual. Where as usually I try to two two lists. This year I tried to stick to upbeat books and books that made me happy or at least Subjects I am interested in

Here we go...

1. BECOMING SUPERMAN: A WRITER’S JOURNEY FROM POVERTY TO HOLLYWOOD By J. Michael Straczynski

Inspirational, Shocking tale of triumph after triumph. Didn’t expect what I read. As I thought it would be atypical autobiography. His early Life was hardcore and a miracle he survived the way he did. Seeing. His great triumphs though it doesn’t end there as he still has many obstacles to face of a different kind.

2.      ALRIGHT, ALRIGHT, ALRIGHT: THE ORAL HISTORY OF RICHARD LINKALTER’S DAZED & CONFUSED By Melissa Maerz

3.     THE HOUSE OF PSYCHOTIC WOMEN: AN AUTOBIOGRAPHICAL TOPOGRAPHY OF NEUROSIS IN HORROR AND EXPLOITATION FILMS By Kier-La Janesse

4. SOMEONE WHO WILL LOVE YOU IN ALL YOUR DAMAGED GLORY (STORIES) By Raphael Bob Woksberg 

5. DARKLY: BLACKNESS AND AMERICA’S GOTHIC SOUL By Leila Taylor 

6.                 SURRENDER WHITE PEOPLE!: OUR UNCONDITIONAL TERMS FOR PEACE By D.L. Hughley & Doug Moe 

7. LAUGH LINES: MY LIFE HELPING FUNNY PEOPLE BE FUNNIER By Alan Zweibel 

8.   BEGIN AGAIN: JAMES BALDWIN’S AMERICA AND IT’S URGENT LESSONS FOR OUR OWN By Eddie S. Glaube 

9.       THE OFFICE: THE UNTOLD STORY OF THE GREATEST SITCOM OF THE 200’S By Andy Greene

 

10.   TIME STAMP: MUSINGS OF AN INTROVERTED BLACK BOY By Marcus Granderson 

11. ONLY AMERICANS BURN IN HELL By Jarrett Kober 

12.         GOD LEVEL KNOWLEDGE DARTS: LIFE LESSONS FROM THE BRONX By Desus & Mero 

13.            FUCKING HISTORY: 111 LESSONS YOU SHOULD HAVE LEARNED IN SCHOOL By The Captain 

14.        WOW, NO THANK YOU By Samantha Irby 

15.        THE COLORED MUSEUM (Play) By George C. Wolfe 

THE LITTLE THINGS (2021)

 

Written & Directed By: John Lee Hancock Cinematography: John Schwartzman  Editor: Robert Frazen 

Cast: Denzel Washington, Rami Malek, Jared Leto, Terry Kinney, Chris Bauer, Natalie Morales, Judith Scott, Michael Hyatt, Isabel Arraiza, Jason James Richter, Frederick Koehler, Maya Kazan

Kern County Deputy Sheriff Joe "Deke" Deacon is sent to Los Angeles for what should have been a quick evidence-gathering assignment. Instead, he becomes embroiled in the search for a killer who is terrorizing the city. Leading the hunt, L.A. Sheriff Department Sergeant Jim Baxter, impressed with Deke's cop instincts, unofficially engages his help. But as they track the killer, Baxter is unaware that the investigation is dredging up echoes of Deke's past, uncovering disturbing secrets that could threaten more than his case.

JEFF OF THE CINEFILES & UNFINISHED BUSINESS: HALL OF FAME - FILE #0065: LOVER’S ROCK (2020)

Story & Directed By: Steve McQueen Written By: Steve McQueen & Courttia Newland  Cinematography: Shabier Kirchner  Editor: Chris Dickens & Steve McQueen 

Cast: Amarah-Jae St. Aubyn, Michael Ward, Shaniqua Okwok, Kedar Williams Stirling, Ellis George, Francis Lovehall, Daniel Francis-Swaby, Kadeem Ramsey 

A single evening at a house party in 1980s West London sets the scene, developing intertwined relationships against a background of violence, romance, and music.

HE GOT GAME (1998)

 

Written & Directed By: Spike Lee Cinematography: Ellen Kuras & Malik Hassan Sayeed  Editor: Barry Alexander Brown 

Cast: Ray Allen, Denzel Washington, Milla Jovovich, Bill Nunn, Rosario Dawson, Ned Beatty, Hill Harper, Rick Fox, John Turturro, Zelda Harris, Thomas Jefferson Byrd, Roger Guenveir Smith, Lonette McKee, Arthur J. Nescarella, Jim Brown, Jennifer Esposito, Saul Stein, Ron Cephas Jones, Jamie Hector, Kim Director, Heather Hunter, Jill Kelly 

Jake Shuttlesworth is in prison serving time for killing his wife in a violent family feud. He is released on parole, but with one condition - he must persuade his son, genius basketball player Jesus to sign with the governor's alma mater university, Big State. And Jake only has a week to do it.