Jeremy Pope - THE INSPECTION

"The Inspection is a 2022 American drama film written and directed by Elegance Bratton. Inspired by Bratton's real-life experiences, the film follows a young man who faces homophobia, both at a Marines boot camp and at home from his mother. It stars Jeremy Pope, Raúl Castillo, McCaul Lombardi, Aaron Dominguez, Nicholas Logan, Eman Esfandi, Andrew Kai, Aubrey Joseph, Bokeem Woodbine, and Gabrielle Union." - Wikipedia

THE INSPECTION is a study in building character, especially in the sense that Ellis (Pope) more so builds the characters of those around him as they come to accept who he is. By eventually becoming a family away from family, they realize that his sexual orientation is as much a part of him as his drive, his trustworthiness, his ability to stand with his fellow grunts. And they're made better by understanding that his "difference" is really no different than any of theirs.

Of course, not everyone sees it that way -- his mother Inez (Gabrielle Union) is somehow under the impression that he joined the military in order to become a hetero man who would get all the ladies. That somehow the training was a "get straight" camp. It would be hilarious if it wasn't so tragic.

In this interview, Jeremy talks about his character's journey.

THE INSPECTION is available on streaming platforms.

#JeremyPope #GabrielleUnion

#EleganceBratton #A24

Damn, that was fun! I don’t know about you, but I find the symbolism of a Black woman destroying one of the most famous icons of beauty in the world (read — a specific type of beauty) in order to crumble the ill-gotten empire of a con-artist White man who is only wealthy and considered legendary because he stole ideas and credit from others (most notably from said Black woman) and surrounded himself with “yes men” pretty fucking disruptive.

Not only that, but in this interview with Janelle Monáe, she pointed out that the symbolism goes even further. Cassandra and Helen, the names of the twins she plays in the movie, are referencing the sisters of the same names in Greek mythology. Despite being familiar with their stories (more so Cassandra’s than Helen’s) I didn’t catch the reference, but it goes to show that there are near countless fun layers of the film to peel back. Naturally, Helen of Troy was considered one of the most beautiful women in the world, and she was responsible for burning Troy to the ground.

Written and directed by Rian Johnson, Glass Onion is the latest installment of the Knives Out (or “A Benoit Blanc Mystery”) series. And it’s a complex — yet deliberately deceptively simple and fun — murder mystery that puts the social media age on trial (I mean, who hasn’t heard of at least one Birdie [Kate Hudson]?).

Simple, much like the “murder mystery” set up in the beginning, because it’s easy to see how Miles (played perfectly by Edward Norton) would be the vainglorious villain. But complex, because it could have turned out a number of ways. In fact, it just as easily could have ended with each one of them having a hand in Cass’s (Andi’s) physical death, just as they did her social and financial “death”.

As mentioned and shown in the movie, the mystery is a glass onion itself — seemingly complex with many layers, but the center is in plain sight.

There’s an interesting thing that happens — in watching movies and in life. Observing our reactions, questioning our perceptions. When Miles gives the drink to Duke (Dave Bautista) the first time, I noticed. And I clocked the fact that he switched it in his retelling. But — even though I initially thought that he deliberately poisoned his friend — I made excuses for Miles.

Maybe he misremembered. Maybe he told it differently because he didn’t want to be blamed, but he didn’t do it intentionally. And “so it goes”. And while that’s just a natural part of trying to figure out a mystery, isn’t that kind of the point? Earlier in the movie, Lionel (Leslie Odom Jr.) explains to shareholders that while a lot of what Miles does is insane garbage, he is given the benefit of the doubt because of one idea he presented that was bankable.

That is what those like him live on. Enough to make the audience doubt what is right in front of their faces — Miles was the one with the most to lose if Cass revealed that she had the real napkin all along. It’s as clear as day when she (really, Helen disguised as Cass) arrives on the island and the blood drains from Miles’s face.

Like the first Knives Out, the cast is simply immaculate. The performances are seamless and believable, no matter how outlandish the characters. They could have been plucked from any news story from the past few years about said types of people. And Daniel Craig’s take on the detective has given us a new, engaging icon in Benoit Blanc, in the style of Jessica Fletcher (R.I.P. the great Angela Lansbury, making an appearance in the film in one of her last roles), Columbo, Monk, Sherlock Holmes, Hercule Poirot, Miss Marple and others.

(As a side-note, I watched this movie a second time with my SO, and he was the one who caught that Hugh Grant’s character and Benoit are married. I thought Hugh was his butler or assistant, like a Batman and Alfred situation!)

And, of course, Janelle Monáe playing as two (or rather three) characters was likely one of her most intricate film performances thus far. #KnivesOut

The richness of RICHES! A thoroughly dynamic show, RICHES follows two families separated by an ocean and drawn together by a man and his company. One of the best things about this show is that it includes several Black cultures - African, British, American, Caribbean. There's so much to explore with this series, but ultimately it is a fun, nail-biting drama in the vein of the classic DYNASTY. So if that's your thing, you will adore RICHES.

In this interview, Deborah Olayinka Ayorinde talks about how her role in RICHES differs from her role in another popular series, THEM, and the challenges of acting.

 

#AmazonStudios #AbbyAjayi #DeborahAyorinde  #HughQuarshie  #SarahNiles  #BrendanCoyle  #HermioneNorris #BlackHistoryMonth #filmandtvhistory

"[Set in England in 1980] EMPIRE OF LIGHT is a 2022 British romantic drama film written and directed by Sam Mendes. The film stars Olivia Colman, Micheal Ward, Monica Dolan, Tom Brooke, Tanya Moodie, Hannah Onslow, Crystal Clarke, Toby Jones, and Colin Firth." - Wikipedia

I would say that EMPIRE OF LIGHT is not what you would expect. It starts off seemingly only focused on one subject, but blossoms into a story about two people who manage to grow through different but nevertheless similar experiences. Hilary (Olivia Colman) and Stephen (Micheal Ward) almost couldn't be any different. She's a middle-aged White woman dealing with sexual harassment on the job. Stephen is a bright, young Black man with his whole future ahead of him. Yet through a shared feeling of being abused and outcast, they build something of a relationship, albeit temporary, that changes them. It's a lovely story--with some hints of HAROLD AND MAUDE--a carefully crafted visual love letter to film, and a sympathetic portrayal of the struggles of living in a world that often refuses to acknowledge the pain, both physical and mental, of "outsiders".

I was glad to see that it went more in depth about the experience of racism and understanding it from multiple points of view, rather than simply having Stephen be a one-dimensional symbol for Hilary's growth. While there is growth from her experiences with Stephen, it's mutual and is more about the ways in which shared emotions can impact each person in unexpected ways.

I also enjoyed the cinematic composition of the film as much as the symbolic changes in Hilary's style of dress as she continued to inwardly transform, particularly near and at the end of the story.

In this interview, Sam Mendes talks about the intricate nature of the story and the deeply personal experiences that influenced him during the writing and directing of the movie. #SamMendes #EmpireofLight #OliviaColman #MichealWard

Created by Michelle King and Robert King (both of whom also created the hit show EVIL) and Phil Alden Robinson, the series deals with a law firm and the internal and external drama that comes with that. Audra and Michael play Liz and Julius, respectively.

In season six, Audra finds herself at odds with the new bigshot at the firm, played by Andre Braugher - all while chaos abounds due to protests outside and terrorist threats inside the firm.

In this interview, they talk about their expectations of working on the final season and working with Braugher.

Episodes available on Paramountplus.

#AudraMcDonald #MichaelBoatman #RobertKing #MichelleKing #PhilAldenRobinson #AndreBraugher #ChristineBaranski #SarahSteele #CharmaineBingwa #ParamountPlus #CBS #TheGoodFight #EvilSeries

This harrowing documentary visits in the present day some of those children whose lives were upended during Hurricane Katrina. Largely forgotten by the mainstream after the tragedy, they have had to come to terms with what it meant to relocate and adjust in a world that treated them as a burden.

The director himself was also a child then, and uses his own experiences and emotions to round out this meaningful film that brings a light to what it means to look out for oneself and those less fortunate. It also takes into account the responsibility our system has to rebuild not just cities and towns but also lives, after disasters.

Available on hbomax.

#EdwardBuckles #MieshaWilliams #CierraChenier #ArnoldBurks #CalvinBaxter #DamarisCalliet #QuintinaThomasGreen #LutherClementLam #AudreyRosenberg #HBOMax

One of the beautiful things about CAUSEWAY is that in the pacing you can see the tendrils of human feeling and connection forming. The silence between interactions is full in a way that hints at the depth of the inner worlds of Lynsey (Jennifer Lawrence) and James (Brian Tyree Henry), two people who find each other through their traumas.

I was pleasantly surprised, as I expected this film to more or less be a depressing romp through a neverending land of sadness - which certainly has its merits in cinema and storytelling. That's what I emotionally and intellectually prepared for. However, it's quite the opposite and, frankly, I loved it for that. It deftly tells an in-depth story of loss and recovery, but without leaving an overall feeling of heavy despair (which, of course, can sometimes be excellent in a story).

As in most relationships, their journey learning about one another is layered and it gets peeled back slowly throughout the course of the film. To the point where I believed it would end differently. There didn't seem to be enough time to fully bring in the ending at which the rest of the story hinted. Yet that is another thing the movie does exceedingly well - putting a great deal into a small amount of time without it feeling overcrowded, desperate, or like it's still missing something.

In this interview Brian and Jennifer talk about the bond their characters develop and the meaning that audiences can get from the film, and more.

Available on Apple TV Plus.

#JenniferLawrence #BrianTyreeHenry

#JayneHoudyshell #LindaEmond #StephenMcKinleyHenderson

#SamiraWiley #OttessaMoshfegh #LukeGoebel

#ElizabethSanders #JustineCiarrocchi #LilaNeugebauer #filmhistory #blackfilmhistory #cinemahistory #movies #filmandtvawards #appletvplus

This documentary was so thought-provoking for me, about how mentally healthy perspectives at a young age can contribute to shaping a person's life. That might be an odd (partial) takeaway, given the richness of Sidney Poitier's life. But while watching the film, that is one of the aspects I heavily keyed into. While, clearly, not the only factor, I ruminated about how much of who he was stemmed from that one fact.

Naturally, there’s a lot that went into his life and the project, as he had an extensive career and life that touched many people. But there are a few moments that stood out to me the most.

When he talked about how he was raised and the fact that being considered “less than” was not a factor for him growing up because there were only two White people living on Cat Island, Bahamas, where he was raised before moving back to Florida at 15. People were just people. There were no Jim Crow laws, covert or overt racism influencing how he saw himself or how others saw him.

Though as a teen he was developing a habit if getting into trouble before moving to the US, it was interesting to see how the seeds of his later character were potentially already there. Of course, we know that both nature and nurture are factors in development, and that is also as clear in his case as in any other with different upbringings from his. But it was interesting to see how things developed for him without being born into and potentially heavily influenced by all the minutiae of systemic oppression of that time, even with being born into financial poverty.

So in coming to the United States, he didn’t understand the rules and conducted himself as such. I’ve often wondered about and talked about the ways in which some of the best parts of people’s core personalities develop without the influence of others and without oppression. While it is unquestionably possible to overcome damage done by oppression, as I watched the documentary I thought about how his persistence and good nature was a throughline, and how those natural inclinations were nurtured in his youth before arriving in the United States. (It was good to see how the joyful prediction given when he was a baby came to pass.)

And as an actor, he broke down barriers and contributed to showing the world it was possible for Black people to not only be considered equal, but also extraordinary. He was a man of respect and integrity, not out of a want for approval, but because that is how he saw himself and that is how those natural core aspects of himself were allowed to develop before he ever crossed paths with Jim Crow and other designs of racial oppression.

Not only did he have a natural talent, but he worked hard to cultivate his skills as an entertainer. One of the joys of the documentary is seeing the history of his friendships with other entertainers and actors like Harry Belafonte, and how they all persisted despite the racism thrown at them.

Overall, it's a grand historical piece of work and more than worth the watch.

Produced by Oprah Winfrey and

Derik Murray.

This series is a must watch! Created by Raamla Mohamed and produced by Kerry Washington and Raamla, among others, the show adds another fabulous Black woman lawyer to the pantheon that includes Oliva Pope herself. Jax (Emayatzy Corinealdi) is great at her job, but is having a less stellar time balancing her complicated love life. Not that she's not having her fun, but whereas she's clear on what she wants and doesn't want, her wants and the wants of the men in her life don't always mesh well.

On top of that, she has taken on a case that might bleed over into the rest of her life and cause an entirely new set of problems.

The show is highly recommended, and scenes flow effortlessly from one to the next. It's fast-paced and examines complex issues like racism, relationship dynamics, and the justice system and wraps them into an entertaining series that grabs attention from the start. Many of the characters are relatable or sympathetic in different ways, showing different perspectives without judgment (in most cases).

In this interview, the cast and creator talk about styling, the themes of the show, how it relates to real life, and some of what it takes to bring all of that to the screen.

Episodes are available on Hulu and ABC.

#EmayatzyCorinealdi #McKinleyFreeman #AngelaGrovey #SeanPatrickThomas #MichaelEaly #TimJo #RaamlaMohamed #KerryWashington #OnyxCollective #ABC #Hulu

From Creator #SaschaPenn and #50Cent, #RaisingKanan follows young Kanan in the 90s. As much as it is about the drug trade, it's also about family and music and the struggles that come with all three.

One thing that stood out to me about this excellent series is the attention to detail with the time period. Several times while watching it - I had memories of owning, or people I knew owning - pieces of clothing and jewelry of that era. It was incredibly realistic, and puts into perspective just how much things have changed in that respect over the years.

But some things never change, and concerning the relationships on the show that is also an aspect that pulls one in while watching. The conflicts between family members, the revelations, lies, loyalty, backstabbing. All things that are as relatable today as they were hundreds and thousands of years ago.

There's a Shakespearean component to the series as well, with the high-drama and stakes taking on an operatic tone.

In this interview, #OmarEpps and Sascha discuss what goes into making all of that come to life. The series has been renewed for a third season

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#PatinaMiller #MekaiCurtis #Starz #Power #PowerBook3 #PowerBook