We've been fans of Karen Gillan since she first appeared on Doctor Who as the 11th Doctor's companion, Amy Pond. Amy was a strong woman who could handle herself in any adventure. Her time with the Doctor led to moments of both humor and heartache, all of which Gillan pulled off beautifully. Of course, the actress went on to global fame as Nebula in the MCU movies, and her star continues to rise. Gillan currently stars in the new Netflix movie, Gunpowder Milkshake (out now), where she plays a hitwoman named Sam. How one feels about this movie will likely... Read more →

Warning: This post includes discussions of suicide. Also, in the interest of full disclosure, I lost a loved one to suicide years ago. If you believe that influences this review, that's your call. Anthony Bourdain was one of the greatest storytellers in the history of the United States. The chef-turned author-turned TV show host-turned beloved global icon entertained millions around the world with his passion for cooking, his behind-the-scenes restaurant stories, and eventually his desire to gain a better understanding of humanity, largely shaped by what people in other countries eat. He was a rebel, an inquisitive mind, and a... Read more →

This was our first trip to the movies in 18 months. It was almost more about needing to experience a larger-than-life adventure on the big screen than anything else. Of course, watching Scarlett Johansson take out the bad guys is always fun. Summary: Black Widow is set in the immediate aftermath of the events of Captain America: Civil War. The Avengers have split up, and Natasha Romanoff is on the run from the U.S. government when she receives a mysterious package from an unlikely character. Watching her protect the contents of said package gives the viewers the opportunity to fill... Read more →

The last time we saw Eddie Murphy, he was starring in the terrific Dolemite Is My Name in 2019. Murphy brought his A-game in that role, so it was exciting to hear he was putting together Coming 2 America (now available on Amazon Prime Video.) Murphy once again plays Prince Akeem (along with many other roles), and Arsenio Hall returns from wherever he's been hiding to play Akeem's adviser Semmi (also along with many other roles.) Honestly, it's not clear that anyone was asking for a sequel to Coming To America some 33 years after the original was released. (A... Read more →

Fred Hampton was assassinated on December 4, 1969, while he was sleeping at his home, during a raid by the Cook County State's Attorney's office which was aided by both the Chicago Police Department and the FBI. The 21-year-old leader of the Illinois Black Panther Party was deemed a dangerous threat to the dominant racist culture who had to be eliminated. It was eventually revealed that law enforcement was helped by an informant named William O'Neal. Hampton's story deserves much more attention in our schools, particularly given the current tensions regarding the police and racism. For that reason, it's good... Read more →

Oscar-winning actress Regina King has moved into the director's chair, and her first movie, One Night In Miami, is knock-out. Based on a play by Kemp Powers (and now playing on Amazon Prime Video, plus a theatrical release), the story is based on the fact that Malcolm X, Muhammad Ali (still going by Cassius Clay at the time), Jim Brown, and Sam Cooke were in all in Miami on February 25, 1964, when Clay beat Sonny Liston to become the boxing heavyweight champion of the world. The film uses that historic event to place these four icons into a cramped... Read more →

Let's talk expectations: We were late to the party for the the 2017 blockbuster Wonder Woman movie and didn't catch it until it came out on Netflix. That was a mistake. Everything about that movie was meant to be seen in a theater. It was a big adventure, and the visuals were stunning, including star Gal Godot. However, the key part was that Godot played a bad-ass warrior who took care of business, no matter what challenges were thrown her way. Her performance of this larger-than-life superhero would have been done the most justice on a large screen. That's why... Read more →

Spike Lee is back with a new movie called Da 5 Bloods, which was originally intended for the theaters but is now out on Netflix. It's the story of four black Vietnam veterans who return to the former battlefield to both reclaim the remains of their fallen leader, as well as recover a box of stolen gold bars they hid some 50 years earlier. It's an ambitious movie, and Lee seems to be trying to make one of the defining statements in the Black Lives Matter era. The final result is a powerful and thought-provoking experience. The veterans are Paul... Read more →

Adam Sandler and "great movie" is not a pairing that generally comes to mind. The SNL alum was king of the the box office in the late 1990's with easy comedies like Happy Gilmore, Waterboy, and The Wedding Singer. However, he's been known for the better part of the last two decades as the king of the "Razzie Awards" with many nominations for the worst movies and performances of the year (with an occasional exception like Punch-Drunk Love and Spanglish.) With that in mind, it was intriguing to hear critics saying that he deserves an Oscar nomination for his role... Read more →

Eddie Murphy is ready to close out 2019 in style. He'll be hosting Saturday Night Live in December, which will be the first time he's done that in 35 years. While we wait for that appearance, check out his new Netflix movie, Dolemite Is My Name, (out now.) Murphy plays Rudy Ray Moore, a frustrated singer and comedian who found fame as a legendary blaxploitation star (and also became known as the "godfather of rap") in the 1970's and 80's. You can debate whether or not this is a comeback role for Murphy, but there's no doubt he delivers one... Read more →