October London is the Rebirth of Cool

(****) “Make me, make me wanna get down tonight….” October London sang what was on the ... [ Read More ]
Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning

(***1/2) If there’s one thing that we’ve learned over the 30-year history of this ... [ Read More ]
Hurry Up Tomorrow

(**1/2) There’s something beautiful and intriguing about what you’re watching. What you’re ... [ Read More ]
Black Tea has NYC premiere at 2025 New York African Film Festival

(**) Even master auteurs have an off day. A premise that doesn’t pan out. A vision that ... [ Read More ]
Thunderbolts*

(**1/2) When will the Marvel Universe stop feeding on its own? Never. But at least ... [ Read More ]
Havoc

(**1/2) Bullets will fly. Blood will be shed. When the dust settles, bodies will pile ... [ Read More ]
Sinners

(***) Is it possible to admire the artistry of a movie more than the movie itself? ... [ Read More ]
The Amateur

(***) Hell hath no fury like a nerd seeking revenge. That hardly seems like a threat, ... [ Read More ]
The Friend

(***) Damn that’s a big dog. A big sad dog. So, what’s his problem? Well, he’s in ... [ Read More ]
The Woman in the Yard

(**1/2) The chickens are dead in their bloodied coop. The dog is gone, too. Is the ... [ Read More ]
Magazine Dreams

(**) Images of Jonathan Majors (Creed III) in a skimpy swimsuit, sporting a lean, ... [ Read More ]
Black Bag

(***) “There’s been a breach.” “We have a traitor.” “Who’s a suspect?” “Your ... [ Read More ]

Los Angles: An African-American Heritage Tour Complements LA’s Pan African Film Festival

February 19, 2014 By: Dwight Brown

The 22nd annual Pan African Film Festival ran from February 6 to 17 at the Baldwin Hills Crenshaw Plaza in Los Angeles. The festival, a cornerstone of Black History Month in Los Angeles, opens the door to LA’s thriving black community. Museums, restaurants, neighborhoods and sites brimming with black culture beckon travelers. Read More […]

Grudge Match (***)

January 10, 2014 By: Dwight Brown

By Dwight Brown NNPA Film Critic This is a charming and disarming geezer sports movie. Somewhat formulaic, but a lot of fun regardless. In fact, you may get so caught up in the moment you’ll celebrate your gray and throw your Grecian Formula away. The genesis of this AARPish story came from screenwriter Tim Kelleher […]

Mandela Long Walk to Freedom (***1/2)

January 10, 2014 By: Dwight Brown

By Dwight Brown NNPA Film Critic You’d think the life and times of Nelson Mandela, the man who saved South Africa from the evils of apartheid, had already been thoroughly documented. However, that’s not the case. Sure the media covered the interminable prison sentence ended by worldwide economic/political pressure, the inauguration of South Africa’s first […]

Black Nativity

January 10, 2014 By: Dwight Brown

By Dwight Brown NNPA Film Critic “When a mother bestows a name on her child, it reveals her hopes.” Black Nativity, a celebrated “gospel song-play” by acclaimed poet/novelist/playwright Langston Hughes, was first staged in the 1950s with Alvin Ailey and Carmen De Lavallade. Director/writer Kasi Lemmons (Eve’s Bayou) adapts that piece into a modern, urban […]

The Best Man Holiday (***)

January 10, 2014 By: Dwight Brown

By Dwight Brown NNPA Film Critic Running into old friends often brings up mixed feelings. Fond recollections. Unfinished business. Bad memories. Petty rivalries. Insecurities. Unrequited love. That’s the range of emotions and dynamics in this follow-up film to the 1999 romantic comedy The Best Man. Fourteen years later this gaggle of educated, bourgeoisie friends still […]

An American Promise Shines at the 2013 New York Film Festival

January 10, 2014 By: Dwight Brown

By Dwight Brown NNPA Film Critic As the New York Film Festival kicked off its 51st year, African heritage films were few and far between, but exceptional. 12 Years A Slave stole the spotlight as it leads the Oscar race for Best Picture. The thought-provoking documentaryAmerican Promise is the modern-day bookend to a movie like […]

THE BEST FILMS OF 2013

January 2, 2014 By: Dwight Brown

By Dwight Brown NNPA Film Critic In a banner year for filmmaking, black films, filmmakers, screenwriters and actors thrived. You can enjoy their movies, and those of other people who showcased their talent in 2013, by hitting the theaters this holiday season or seeing films on DVD or VOD. 12 Years a Slave (****) – […]

Puerto Rico – A Wedding Location with Honeymoon Possibilities

December 3, 2013 By: Dwight Brown

A trip to my godson’s wedding reminded me, an African American travel writer, that the reason I’ve loved Puerto Rico for so many years is not just the quiet life, endless beaches, delectable food, tasty rum and Medalla beer, but the people. The wedding I attended put everything in perspective again. And a trip around […]

Toronto: Dining and Daytrippin’ Around the International Film Festival

September 19, 2013 By: Dwight Brown

Thousand of film lovers travel to Toronto every year to witness the latest crop of Oscar®-caliber films at the Toronto International Film Festival. In between screening compelling dramas like 12 Years a Slave (2013 People’s Choice Winner), thrilling sci-fi films like Gravity and foreign language epics like The Liberator (Libertador), attendees find time to eat […]

Miami: Discover Luxury Hotels Off The Beaten Path

September 6, 2013 By: Dwight Brown

Vacationers, by the thousands, flock to South Beach crowding the streets, hotels and restaurants. But if you prefer a luxury Miami vacation, away from the throngs, you can find swank havens in Mid Miami Beach, Bal Harbour, Aventura and on Fisher Island. Swank, wellness-orientated hotels. Beverly Hills-caliber accommodations. Golf resorts with championship courses. Private island […]