New Name Change...Still Same Great Information!!!

Wassup Good People!! Just wanted to let you know that blog has received a name change!

Today will be the first day of my site's new name, "Black Savant Cinema." I decided to switch it up a little bit and add some sophistication!!

Stay tuned for more new updates this week!!

Madea's Big Happy Family...Just in time for Easter

As many of you know, tis the season for the "midnight shows". And my first one for the year is Tyler Perry's Madea's Big Happy Family.

What a more appropriate movie to come out during the Easter weekend. Here is a movie that gives you all the basics good actors, decent plot, important lessons/messages, and of course laughter. This is Tyler Perry's 11th film that he has directed and/or written and with each year I definitely see progression (6th in which the Madea character plays a role). With this movie in particular we have somewhat of a completely new cast (Shannon Kane, Rodney Perry, Teyana Taylor) with a seasoned veteran (Loretta Devine), we even get to see the "Old Spice" guy in a serious role.

Here's a small synopsis just to get the ball rolling...

Madea jumps into action when her niece, Shirley, receives distressing news about her health. All Shirley wants is to gather her three adult children around her and share the news as a family. But Tammy, Kimberly and Byron are too distracted by their own problems: Tammy can't manage her unruly children or her broken marriage; Kimberly is gripped with anger and takes it out on her husband; and Byron, after spending two years in jail, is under pressure to deal drugs again. It's up to Madea, with the help of the equally rambunctious Aunt Bam, to gather the clan together and make things right the only way she knows how: with a lot of tough love, laughter ... and the revelation of a long-buried family secret. -Lionsgate

For the most part we the viewer get an opportunity to see if this family can get on one accord for the sake of their mother. As much as it may come off as foolish or "shucking and jiving" I can appreciate the style in which Tyler Perry uses to get his point across. We all may not agree with the method, but the end result still keeps us coming back for more.

So many messages are in this movie, you might not realize that its playing a dual role, to teach and to entertain. As a matter fact many of the topics that were discussed probably will hit very close to home (violative sibling rivalry, respect for parents/elders, "baby-daddy & baby-mama drama", rape, keeping secrets). I must point out something interesting about the Madea character. Although she is still her same feisty self, in this movie she seems to tone it down just a little. Her character is so convincing, for just a brief moment you forget about her shenanigans.

As always we get there are messages that we must take from the film, but this one seemed to be more of movie that geared at making you laugh versus being a teachable moment. Now maybe that was the plan, or maybe not.

The central theme with this movie is the importance of family communication. So often we get wrapped up my family does this, and my family does that, that we forget about the simple things. Shirley (Loretta Devine) just wants her family to be together just one last time, is that too much to ask for these days? But until everyone can see past their own spotlight, that will never be accomplished.

In addition to the central theme/focus there was actually some pretty good acting.  Of course Ms. Devine always puts on an excellent performance, maybe soon she will get the recognition that she deserves. Now there were three folks in particular that surprised me and in a good way. Shad "Bow Wow" Moss, Cassi Davis, and Isaiah Mustafa all seemed to put a little bit more "acting power" than their fellow cast mates. Each one of them stood out for me partly because they played a significant role to the family. Without giving too much Davis, Moss, and Mustafa are like the glue that keeps everything together. Then you have some pretty good performances from comedian Rodney Perry (Harold) and Teyana Taylor (Sabrina) who definitely add some comic relief. And we can't forget Mr. Brown and Cora (David & Tamala Mann) their performances speak for themselves.

Now we can talk about the fact that Tyler Perry dresses up like a woman all day everyday, but when it boils down the question for me will still remain "what's the bigger picture?" I am all for one not promoting negative stereotypes. But at the same time we can learn from them, its kind of like looking at a mirror and seeing our faults so that we can correct them.

All in all, its a pretty good movie for what it is worth. As with most of Perry's film all the family can check this out and get something that they can take home with them.

Rating: 3 out of 5 stars

Stay Tuned!!

I got a special treat for you all...Stay tuned this weekend, I am putting together a G-Breezy's Director's Cut FIRST!!  On this past week I conducted my first film documentary interview!!

For all my comic book fans or for those interested in learning, I was able to sit down with new filmmaker Dr. Jonathan Gayles and discuss his documentary Shaft or Sidney Poitier: Black Masculinity in Comic Books . 

"Through interviews with prominent artists, scholars and cultural critics along with images from the comic books themselves, this film examines the degree to which early Black superheroes generally adhered to common stereotypes about Black men. From the humorous, to the offensive, early Black superheroes are critically considered."

Check out the trailer below:

I look forward to your thoughts and comments!! For more information about the film go to  Black Superhero Doc

So stay tuned you don't want to miss this!!

Waiting to Exhale Part 2 ... Just maybe

Twentieth Century Fox is developing Getting to Happy, the recently released sequel to Waiting to Exhale. The book catches up with the four women in Waiting to Exhale 15 years later. If you all recall it has been about 16 years since the premiere Terry McMillan's film adaptation Waiting to Exhale.

Waiting to Exhale, centers on four female friends living in the Phoenix, Arizona area and their relationships with men and one another. All of them are "holding their breath" until the day they can feel comfortable in a committed relationship with a man. The movie is notable for having an all-African American cast. The 'Los Angeles Times would even call it a "social phenomenon". 

Now 15 years later we resume the story with Getting Happy.  All four women are back, but this time, of course, they're middle-aged. The issues of their youth have morphed into new ones. There are children now from failed relationships and grandchildren, too, along with failed businesses and second mortgages. Each of the four is in her 50s, or about to be, and not quite sure what to do with herself.

During a recent sit-down with Jumping the Broom & Waiting to Exhale stars Angela Bassett and Loretta Devine they both briefly mentioned that a Waiting to Exhale 2 is in the works/talks. Check out some of the comments below...

Is there talks about a ‘Waiting to Exhale 2’?

Loretta Devine: There’s talk.

Angela Bassett: There’s talk. We’re in the middle stages of talking. There’s a script in place, and they (the writers) are happy with it, but there needs to be some tweaking of it. Forest (Whitaker) is on board to direct it. It could go within a year. That’s about all I can tell you. We haven’t read the script because they are getting it together. We can read it now, but they are going to change it. We’ll read it in six weeks.

No too long ago, McMillian tweeted the following statement, “We are working on the script for HAPPY. Will know in about a month or so when we’ll begin production. Probably on screens in 2012.”

This should be good!!

Diahann Carroll & Kerry Washington are Timeless Beauty!!

Actresses Diahann Carroll and Kerry Washington sat for a recent feature story in O Magazine called "Timeless Beauty." 75-year-old Diahann Carroll and 34-year-old Kerry Washington who will be costarring together in the upcoming comedy We the Peeples chat about clothes, shoes and finding balance in the current issue of O Magazine.

Check out some of the gorgeous pics and highlights of these outstanding ladies ...

Diahann Carroll…

On Kerry
“Kerry reminds me a lot of myself at her age. She has a trained eye for detail and what suits her figure. And she has an innate self-confidence, a coolness about how lovely she is.”

On Fashion
“My fashion life exists mainly through work, so I dress to be event appropriate. I see clothes as a performance.”

Kerry Washington…

On working a modern mix of designers and affordable labels
“I inhabit a lot of different worlds and I’m always trying to find balance.”  

On Fashion
“Fashion is an art. Clothes are a costume we use to express who we are.”  

Just love it! Black Star Beauty and Power at its finest!!

Trailer Alert: "The Help"

Got a new film for you to be on the look out for ladies and gents...The Help is an upcoming film adaptation of Kathryn Stockett's 2009 novel. Now I have been keeping my eye on this film ever since I found out that Academy-Award nominated actress Viola Davis was in starring in the lead role. Check out the synopsis and a clip...


Aibileen Clark (Viola Davis) is a middle-aged African-American maid who has spent her life raising white children and has recently lost her only son; Minny Jackson (Octavia Spencer) is an African-American maid who has often offended her employers despite her family's struggles with money and her desperate need for jobs; and Eugenia "Skeeter" Phelan (Emma Stone) is a young white woman who has recently moved back home after graduating from college to find out her childhood maid has mysteriously disappeared. These three stories intertwine to explain how life in Jackson, Mississippi revolves around "the help"; yet they are always kept at a certain distance because of racial lines.


The Help (Trailer No. 1)

I am intrigued to see what this finish product will be but at the same I am a bit skeptical of its overall portrayal. I hate to say the obvious, so I will keep quiet.I guess I should be looking at the bigger picture, so until then I will wait to see what transpires after the film is released.


The Help has a release date of August 12, 2011.

DVD Releases 4/19/2011

Check out this week's new DVD releases...

The King's Speech (R)

Gulliver's Travels (PG)

The Way Back (PG-13)

Rabbit Hole (PG-13)

Somewhere (R)

What's going to be on your shelf?