By Dwight Brown NNPA Film Critic In 2011 there were highlights and low points. Let’s forget the latter and celebrate the best efforts in film from a year of gems. African heritage films, black actors in general release movies, black filmmakers creating their voice or establishing reputations. Foreign films, documentaries and first films too. The […]
Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol (***1/2)
By Dwight Brown NNPA Film Critic Mission accomplished! This is hands down the best MI chapter in the franchise, with astounding stunts, strong emotional depth, and a break-neck pace that rarely subsides. IMF agent Ethan Hunt (Tom Cruise) languishes on a cot in a Moscow prison. Feverishly working on his computer, fellow agent and tech […]
Tower Heist (**)
By Dwight Brown NNPA Film Critic In this “Occupy Wall Street” age, pitting the working class against the super rich is a topical theme. Throw in a Bernie Madoff character and there should be more than enough reason for the proletariats to rise up and give greedy, callous billionaires grief. This action comedy’s heart is […]
Toronto: So Much More Than The International Film Festival
Anyone connected to the film industry will tell you that the Toronto International Film Festival is the best film festival in the world. What they fail to mention is that it’s also the perfect attraction for a lively vacation. >> Read More
2011 Toronto International Film Festival
By Dwight Brown NNPA Film Critic The best films of the year made their annual pilgrimage to the 36th annual Toronto Film Festival. Black films, actors and directors were in the mix along with noteworthy general release movies that may make their mark on 2011 ten best lists. The only odd note this year is […]
The Help (**)
By Dwight Brown NNPA Film Critic “The Help,” a best-selling book about a white woman who helps black maids rebel in the 1960s segregated south, was probably a better read than it is a cinematic experience. On the big screen, the white “savior” liberating black people storyline seems dated and almost offensive. Skeeter (Emma Stone) […]
Aruba: The Beach Is Just The Beginning
Tourists flock to Aruba, a Caribbean island 19 miles off the coast of South America, for the pristine, white-sand shoreline and placid, clear waters. But when you consider the island’s culture, history, nightlife, restaurants, sports and dramatic desert terrain, alluring beaches are just the opening act. >> Read More
For Colored Girls (**)
By Dwight Brown NNPA Film Critic It’s like watching 10,000 Oprah Winfrey shows squeezed into 134 minutes – and no one gets a free car! Some works of art should just be left alone. Would you paint a wider smile on the Mona Lisa? Would you add a break dancing routine to Alvin Ailey’s Revelations? […]
Unstoppable (***1/2)
By Dwight Brown NNPA Film Critic “Just letting you know, we’re going to run this b—- down!” Runaway Train, Speed, we’ve seen out of control behemoth vehicles before and for some reason we fall for the heart-palpitating notion of innocent people being killed by an uncontrollable force. Granted Unstoppable doesn’t break the mold, but it’s […]
Due Date (*1/2)
By Dwight Brown NNPA Film Critic Filmmaker Todd Phillips wrote and directed The Hangover, the highest grossing R-rated comedy of all time. It won a Golden Globe for Best Motion Picture – Comedy or Musical. “The Hangover” had it all: shocking debauchery, sardonic comic performances (Zach Galifianakis, Bradley Cooper, Justin Bartha, Ed Helms), eccentric cameos […]