“The first African-American political leaders began to serve following the Civil War…Known as Reconstruction, this period represented a window of opportunity for African-Americans… Many [Black] political leaders emerged during this period, using their political power and influence to push for equality and justice for all Americans… Unfortunately, the Reconstruction period was short-lived, lasting only from 1865-1877. States in the South… passed laws that essentially took away the citizenship rights of African-Americans… These legislative measures were called Jim Crow laws. It would take nearly 100 years and … the Civil Rights Movement before African-Americans would again be guaranteed the right to…
Author: Kam Williams
There are a number of action films whose opening scenes alone are well worth the price of admission. Taken (2008), District B-13 (2004) Super 8 (2011) and Dawn of the Dead (2004) are four which automatically come to mind. Feel free to add The Fate of the Furious to the list of flicks that grab you by the throat right off the bat. The fun starts in Cuba, which is where newlyweds Dom (Vin Diesel) and Letty (Michelle Rodriguez) are happily honeymooning. But their nuptial bliss is interrupted when Dom comes to the rescue when a repo man threatens to…
Despicable Me 3 is actually the 4th installment in the animated franchise, provided you count the prequel Minions, which some may consider a spin-off. Co-directed by Pierre Coffin, Kyle Balda and Eric Guillon, this episode revolves around Gru (Steve Carell) who discovers that he has an identical twin before facing-off against his most formidable foe ever. As the film unfolds, we find the reformed reprobate and wife Lucy (Kristen Wiig) being fired from by the Anti-Villain League for failing to prevent Balthazar Bratt (Trey Parker) from purloining a priceless pink diamond. FYI, Balthazar was an adorable child star until Hollywood…
Whenever a classic television series is made into a movie, the buzz always seems to be about whether the screen version will be a creative variation on the theme or merely a campy, cornball, take-the-money-and-run ripoff trading in familiar formulas and shopworn cliches. After all, for every inspired adaptation like Batman (1989), Charlie’s Angels (2000) and 21 Jump Street (2012) there are just as many bitter disappointments, al a Dragnet (1987), I Spy (2002) and Get Smart (2008). Fortunately, Chips is more in league with the worthwhile remakes rather than the ones leaving you wondering why they ever bothered. The…
All you really need to know about Baby Driver is that it’s the best film of the year so far, hands down. The picture was written and directed by Edgar Wright, who is best known for a trio of British comedies starring Simon Pegg: Shaun of the Dead (2004), Hot Fuzz (2007) and The World’s End (2013). Wright ventured across the Atlantic to Atlanta to shoot his latest offering, a labor of love a couple of decades in the making. For, this genre-defying tour de force had its genesis in “Bellbottoms,” a discordant punk anthem he considered a song in…
Samantha “Sam” Kingston (Zoey Deutch) was a spoiled-rotten brat the night she perished in a tragic car crash. First of all, she and her little sister Izzy (Erica Tremblay) were lucky enough to be raised in the lap of luxury by a couple of loving parents (Jennifer Beals and Nicholas Lea). Secondly, the recently-deceased 17 year-old was not only leaving behind a handsome boyfriend in Rob (Kian Lawley), but an ardent admirer in Kent (Logan Miller), a Platonic friend she’d taken for granted since grade school. Sam was also pretty popular at Ridgview High School where she was a member…
Paul (Joel Edgerton) found a safe refuge for his family far from the rest of humanity in the wake of a deadly plague that’s been decimating the planet. At least that’s what he thought about their remote hideout until his wife’s (Carmen Ejogo) dad somehow caught the disease. After allowing Sarah and their son (Kelvin Harrison, Jr.) to say their goodbyes through germ-proof respirators, Paul put a bullet in his ailing father-in-law’s head before he had a chance to infect one of them, too. While the body was being cremated, traumatized, 17 year-old Travis tried to comfort himself as much…
A bar mitzvah is in full swing at an Orthodox temple in Jerusalem when the balcony designated for women worshipers suddenly gives way. Once the dust settles, the attendees discover to their horror that the collapse has left the wife of the rabbi in a coma, and her inconsolable husband (Abraham Celektar) in a state of shock. As the days roll by, it becomes clear that neither Rabbi Menashe nor the Mussyof Synagogue will be back to normal anytime soon. With the building closed pending renovations, the congregation is initially grateful to find a temporary home out of town. However,…
“Barack Obama’s speech at the 2004 Democratic National Convention instantly catapulted him into the national spotlight and led to his election four years later as America’s first African-American president. In this penetrating biography, David J. Garrow delivers an epic work about the life of Barack Obama, creating a rich tapestry of a life little understood, until now… In Rising Star, Garrow has created a vivid portrait that reveals not only the people and forces that shaped the future president but also the ways in which he used those influences to serve his larger aspirations. This is a gripping read about…
Amandla Stenberg first gained recognition for her role as Rue in The Hunger Games, alongside Jennifer Lawrence, Liam Hemsworth and Josh Hutcherson. After the success of that film, Amandla earned the 2012 Teen Choice Award with Jennifer for Best Film Chemistry. She was also nominated for NAACP Image and Black Reel Awards for that performance. Amandla made her big screen debut in the breakout role of young Cataleya Restrepo in Colombiana. In January 2016, she appeared in As You Are which premiered at Sundance. The independent film won the Special Jury Prize at that year’s festival. She recently finished shooting…