25 Movies 'Every Black Woman Should Watch'

Being the huge movie fan that I am and an avid reader of Essence Magazine, I found it very interesting to see their recommendations of the "Top 25 Movies Every Black Woman Should Watch". So figured I would take a look and provide my own remix version!! Check it out below (in no particular order):

1. Love Jones: 

A classic love story and a true showcase of black love. Larenz Tate and Nia Long have the perfect chemistry. A movie that I can watch over and over again, and never get tired.

2. Malcolm X:

Here is a movie that has the perfect equation...Eye Candy (that is Denzel Washington)+ History of an Icon that was heavily discussed in school= Amazing film and performance!! Many have said this is not just a movie, but a movement!!

3. What's Love Got To Do With It? 

Probably one of the best performance from Angela Bassett. She nailed this roll to a tee. And what was not to like a about seeing a black triumph and make it BIG!!

4. The Best Man:

And as an added bonus we get a sequel!! YES...YES...YES!!

5. Mahongany:

This movie is the perfect example of a true transformation. This film channels everything fashion, modeling, and a dramatic love affair with fine as wine Billy Dee Williams.

6. Sparkle (1976)

Family, Fame, and Love...each has its place in this girl group's lives.

7. The Color Purple:

Another classic book to film adaptation that examines the many facets of the black woman and her struggle to survive, maintain strength, and being true to one's self inside and out.

8. Eve's Bayou

"Memory is a selection of images, some elusive, others printed indelibly on the brain. The summer I killed my father, I was 10 years old." Now that is some deep stuff coming from a young child. I can remember watching this film and being hooked immediately. Director Kasi Lemmons shocks each and every one of your senses, and potentially even cast a spell on you. :-)

9. Waiting to Exhale:

I really like this movie! It showed the real deal of what happens in the lives of black women, everything from sex, dating, scandal, hurt, pain, love, and so much more. We could relate to at least one of the ladies or at least some part of them. The bond that each of these sistas had was truly genuine! And to top it off, it was accompanied by an awesome soundtrack!!

10. Daughters of the Dust: 

This quote said it best: "I've never seen another movie like it. It's a uniquely African and African-American story, but also a universal one at the same time. It's the lyrical story of a Gullah family on St. Helena Island on the eve of their move to the mainland (US/South Carolina). The visuals are stunning, the acting is great, and the story is original. To boot, the filmmaker, Julie Dash was the first Black woman to have her feature film (this one) distributed theatrically nationwide. The Library of Congress selected the film for the National Film Registry." --Akkida McDowell, Deputy Research Editor, ESSENCE Magazine 

11. Boomerang

"If you don't know the dialogue from this film, you need to learn it ASAP. Boomerang really created the blueprint for the Black creative executive. Love, money, drama, and sex. What more could you ask for? --Emil Wilbekin, Editor-at-Large, ESSENCE

12. Friday

Comedy, Chris Tucker, Bernie Mac, No Job!!

13. Foxy Brown

Pam Grier paved the way for ALL women to be able to play an action heroine, in a lead role. And she did it in true style!! Foxy was not one to mees with!!

14. Cleopatra Jones

Here is a woman who takes down a whole gang of men, by herself, and looks real fly at the same time. The sista got it going on!! You can't tell me Cleopatra was not a diva!

15. A Raisin in the Sun (1961)

Sidney Poitier, Ruby Dee, Diana Sands...enough said!! True Legends.

16. School Daze:

Everything from "Good or Bad Hair...see if I care" to HBCU Homecomings, to Campus Revolutionaries!! You betta wake up!!

17. Their Eyes Were Watching God:

"It's a fantastic movie adaption to the famed book by Zora Neale Hurston starring Halle Berry and Michael Ealy. Not only does the main character, Janie Crawford (Berry) represent many women struggling to find themselves in life, she also fights to not let love rule her." --Derrick Taylor, Associate Editor, ESSENCE.com

18. Coming to America

"She's your queen to beeeee...." and "Sexual Chocolate (drops the mic)" 

19. Brown Sugar:

Hip Hop and Black Love, works for me!!

20. The Wiz:

"This lavish musical production of an all-Black retelling of The Wizard of Oz, showcased some of the greatest talents of all time."

21. I Will Follow: 

This movie was phenomenal, you can't help but look at your own self and family and see big or small pieces of your own life. I could totally relate with the main character Maye, when you invest so much emotionally into a something or someone, you can drain every bit of existence. But somehow that light at the end of tunnel becomes a little clearer and you can begin the fight again!

22. Set It Off:

Hats off to F. Gary Gray for this film right here. A movie about black women who stick together all the way to the end, despite the obstacles that are presented in front of them. Friendship at its finest. One of my fave movies of the 90s.

23. Love and Basketball

Friendship, Basketball, Memories...in the end love prevails!

24. Harlem Nights

"You shot my pinkie toe!!" If you have not seen this movie, stop right now and  go to Netflix and be prepared to laugh all day and all night!!

25. Poetic Justice

Before Kendrick Lamr made this into a hit track, the movie had already did the job.

Now this is just my take, but feel free to chime in on what might be on your list!!

2013 Movies January to December

Check out this list of movies that will be coming out this year... 

I see some potential Box Office Hits in the making!!

Very interesting!! I already see a few things on my list of MUST SEE!! 

What about you?!!

Low Expectations of 'What to Expect When You're Expecting'

What To Expect When You’re Expecting is a film adaptation based on the New York Times bestseller pregnancy guide of the same name.  The film takes a look at the joys of parenting and parenting-to-be through the lives of five interconnected couples.  In almost two hours, the film attempts to illustrate the ups and downs of adoption, the undesirable side effects of pregnancy, and the unfortunate mishaps.

The film centers around five Atlanta couples:  the high profile celebrity couple Evan (Matthew Morrison) and Jules (Cameron Diaz), Alex (Rodrigo Santoro) and his photographer wife Holly (Jennifer Lopez), former NASCAR driver Ramsey (Dennis Quaid) and his much younger trophy wife Skyler (Brooklyn Decker),  Ramsey’s adult son Gary (Ben Falcone) and his “baby-crazy” businesswomen/author wife Wendy (Hunger Games‘ Elizabeth Banks), and rival food truck chefs Marco (Chace Crawford) and Rosie (Anna Kendrick) who put the “cart before the horse” before even going on a first date.  All the couples are at different stages of their lives, but all await the arrival of their bundles of joy.

However, the cast falls short in the category of balanced chemistry.  Director Kirk Jones (Nanny McPhee) misses the mark and doesn’t do the novel justice.  Screenwriters Shauna Cross (Whip It) and Heather Hach (Freaky Friday) have done better and sadly this film does not highlight their writing talents.  Between attempts to make you laugh, there are a few tender moments, but unfortunately not enough to carry the film.

Although What To Expect When You’re Expecting focuses on expectant motherhood, the film tries to show the role that the father plays in the journey.  Outside of a few of Chris Rock’s typical comedic rants about fatherhood (which lacks in comparison to the stand-up routine he is known for) and a major meltdown by Banks’ character, there’s very little that this movie offers that actually lives up to the title.  To make matters worse, the films worst offenses were the over dramatized acting, forced laughter, and a lack of fluidity between the actors.  The film’s storyline delivers an unbalanced mishmash of vignettes.  In essence, it tries too hard to make you laugh and fails to bring cohesion between plot and characters.

If you don’t mind witnessing a dysfunctional man’s club, jumping from story to story with no clear direction, or finding humor in watching a screaming woman go into labor, then maybe this is the movie for you. What To Expect When You’re Expecting has a notable cast, but disappointingly it’s a flat and lackluster comedy.

Rating: 5.5 out of 10 stars

Day 3 of Black Movie Month "Coming to America"

Oh I just had to spotlight this film!! This 1988 comedy is in a league of its own with a cast that truly makes it shine on its own. Coming to America is a movie that I can watch over and over and still laugh till it hurts!!For me this is one of Eddie Murphy's most hilarious films to date. And there are so many cameo appearances the list could go for days.

The writing and direction was fantastic along with it being perfectly paced, with constant sight gags and wittiness. The chemistry between Eddie Murphy (Akeem) and the rest of the cast is perfect. Arsenio Hall (Semmi) as well as Eddie Murphy show you that they are experts at playing different characters in the movie. And the barber shop scenes still holds the title as one of the funniest scenes in the movies, hands down!!

Although the movie is supposed to center on the Prince finding his Queen it is more about the comedic situations, and not a complex love story. And that is fine by me laughter is good for the soul. This is a good film to represent the 80s. And regardless of how young or old this movie will always be remembered!!

Now one of my all-time favorite scenes from the film..."She's your Queen-to-be. A Queen-to-be forever. A Queen who'll do whatever his highness desires. She's your Queen-to-be. A vision of perfection. An object of affection to quench your royal fire. Completely free from infection. To be used at your discretion. Waiting only for your direction. Your Queen-to-be."

And the dance routine that comes before it, I am still trying to get those moves down...lol


Coming to America is another classic that guarantees to keep you entertained from beginning to the absolute end.

Fall 2011 Movie Line-up

Well we made it through the summer folks now its time to bring it down a couple of notches or maybe continue to go up!! Today's posts include the Fall Movie line-up! Plenty of action, drama, and a little comedy a perfect combo of films.

Contagion (September 9th) follows the rapid progress of a lethal airborne virus that kills within days. As the fast-moving epidemic grows, the worldwide medical community races to find a cure and control the panic that spreads faster than the virus itself. As the virus spreads around the world, ordinary people struggle to survive in a society coming apart.


Warrior (September 9th) A former boxer (Nick Nolte), whose alcoholism tore apart his family, welcomes back his youngest son (Tom Hardy) and trains him to compete in a mixed martial arts tournament – a path that puts the son on a collision course with his older brother (Joel Edgerton).


Drive (September 16th) A Hollywood stunt performer (Ryan Gosling) who moonlights as a wheelman discovers that a contract has been put on him after a heist gone wrong.


Straw Dogs (September 16th) L.A. screenwriter David Sumner relocates with his wife to her hometown in the deep South. There, while tensions build between them, a brewing conflict with locals becomes a threat to them both.


Moneyball (September 23rd) The story centers on Billy Beane and his arrival as Oakland's general manager. Through analysis and a new, non-traditional sabermetric approach to scouting players, Beane attempts to create a competitive baseball team at a fraction of the cost of the large market teams.


The Ides of March (October 7th) An idealistic staffer for a newbie presidential candidate gets a crash course on dirty politics during his stint on the campaign trail.


The Rum Diary (October 28th) Paul Kemp is a freelance journalist who finds himself at a critical turning point in his life while writing for a run-down newspaper in the Caribbean. Paul is challenged on many levels as he tries to carve out a more secure niche for himself amidst a group of lost souls all bent on self-destruction.


Anonymous (October 28th) A political thriller advancing the theory that it was in fact Edward De Vere, Earl of Oxford who penned Shakespeare's plays; set against the backdrop of the succession of Queen Elizabeth I, and the Essex Rebellion against her.

Eddie Murphy Drops out of Richard Pryor Biopic

As many know, Eddie Murphy has always credited Richard Pryor as being his inspiration for getting into comedy. He pretty much did a perfect imitation of him in his concert film Raw, and even casted him in his directorial effort Harlem Nights. So it was just seem natural that he would star in the film about his idol's life.

So it was a big shock when Entertainment Weekly broke the story last week that Murphy was dropping out of the Pryor biopic. The movie, called "Richard Pryor: Is it Something I Said," will be written and directed by Bill Condon. Condon was also behind Dreamgirls, the 2006 musical that earned Murphy his only Oscar nomination. According to the report, Murphy left over conflicts with the project's original studio, Paramount Pictures.

Even more surprising is the identity of the star who is stepping into the role of Pryor: Marlon Wayans. EW.com reports that Wayans filmed a 13-minute screen test where he "transforms into Pryor" that secured the role for him.

While the movie will obviously have its share of comedy -- its producers include Adam Sandler and Chris Rock, along with Pryor's widow Jennifer Lee Pryor -- it will also tell the dramatic story of the comic's battles with drug addiction. There is no word yet if it goes into Pryor's later years when he was confined to a wheelchair due to multiple sclerosis. The film is set to begin shooting in the spring.

*Reported by Entertainment Weekly

Couples Retreat (2009)

"It may be paradise... but it's no vacation."

Couples Retreat is a movie I recommend every couple to see for two main reasons, one the obvious it pure enetertainment but also it gives a alot of advice and tips that can be very informative.

I liked the fact of how it dealt with the very real trauma of a disintegrating relationship. Couples Retreat takes the high road by providing the audience with comic imagery and dialogue to offset the devastating and bitter arguments. This movie does an excellent job of not shying away from hiding the truth of the pain and hurt feelings these characters go through, but they tend to not over accentuate these moments for the sake of staying within the realm of comedy.

In the grand scheme of things, one can appreciate the comedy, because at the end of the day, you just want to be entertained at the movies, and watching characters yell and put each other down in a comedy, as well as other ridiculous things is not anyone's definition of a comedy

But all in all, the laughs come constantly, but at the same time there are a few scenes that make you think of your relationship and how you might be able to make it better.

Grade: B

For All my Madea Fans...she's back!!

Well it has been a minute since we have seen Madea showcased in Tyler Perry's film series but it seems like it was well worth the wait. I have always been a fan of Tyler Perry's movies and his stage plays as well. So this was a treat for me to see that one of my favorite stage plays will be on film, Madea Goes to Jail. Well here's a brief synopsis as well as the trailer for your viewing.

After a high-speed freeway chase puts Madea (Tyler Perry) in front of the judge, her reprieve is short-lived as anger management issues get the best of her and land her in jail. A gleeful Joe (Tyler Perry) couldn’t be happier at Madea’s misfortune. But Madea’s eccentric family members the Browns (David and Tamala Mann) rally behind her, lending their special “country” brand of support. Meanwhile, Assistant District Attorney Joshua Hardaway (Derek Luke) is on the fast track to career success. But Hardaway lands a case too personal to handle - defending young prostitute and former drug addict Candace Washington (Keisha Knight Pulliam)—and asks his fiancé and fellow ADA Linda Holmes (Ion Overman) to fill in on his behalf. When Candace ends up in jail, Madea befriends the young woman, protecting her in a “motherly” way as only Madea can.

In Theaters February 20, 2009

Hilarious...Fall out my chair funny

Wow this movie was truly unexpected for me!! How you ask well I figured it would be funny, but I didn't realize the magnitude of it. This romantic comedy film definitely brings the laughter as well as a message of importance. "Sometimes one has to step from beyond the norm, if you want true happiness."

Four Christmases stars Vince Vaughn (Brad) and Reese Witherspoon (Kate) as a San Francisco, California couple who have every intention of going to Fiji together for Christmas, making sure they avoid visiting all four of their divorced parents' homes. Their idea of a holiday vacation includes sipping margaritas by the pool and couples massages, but not this year! With shorts and sunglasses packed, Brad and Kate are trapped at the San Francisco airport by a fogbank that cancels every outbound flight. And to make matters even worse they are caught on tape by a local news crew, which reveals there whereabouts to the city...and worse yet their families. Now they have no choice but to visit their families for some holiday cheer. With no escape, With no escape and no excuses, they are now expected home by Brad's Father (Robert Duvall) and Kate's mother (Mary Steenburgen), as well as Brad's mother (Sissy Spacek) and Kate's father (Jon Voight), thereby celebrating four Christmases in one day. With each homecoming visit they are both thrown into a marathon of events. However in the midst of all the family drama, Kate has an epiphany and finds herself playing another tune, while Brad is singing his way to freedom.

At the end of the day both Brad and Kate have a new perspective on where their current relationships stands and where they are headed to. With each visit to their parents both discover a little more about each other as well as themselves, finally giving themselves a chance to truly "love" each other .

In this film Reese Witherspoon and Vince Vaughn demonstrate a great character chemistry which keeps the audience captivated. This film not only brought the comedy side of Christmas but at the same time delievered the holiday messages we are all use to hearing. It was also pleasantly surprising to see the likes of Reese witherspoon and Vince Vaughn teamed up with screen legends Robert DuVall and Jon Voight. A great Christmas film to add to the books!

Grade: B+