Maya Angelou And Still I Rise (2016) User Reviews

Star-studded biography

[Red-125 · 7/10 · 30 January 2021]

Maya Angelou and Still I Rise (2016) was co-directed by Bob Hercules and Rita Coburn Whack.

Maya Angelou was an icon of our times. This is a solid biography, filled with clips from Angelou's past as well as interviews with celebrities who knew her: Cicely Tyson, Diahann Carroll, Nikki Giovanni, Hillary and Bill Clinton, Oprah Winfrey, etc.

Somehow, this biography didn't move me as much as I thought it would. It's true that, not being a person of color, I may have missed some aspects of Dr. Angelou's personality and achievements that others perceived.

For me--as for many--Maya Angelou is remembered as a poet. I think that's what was missing from the film. We hardly heard Dr. Angelou or anyone else recite her poetry. I think that would have made for a more meaningful movie.

The film worked well on the small screen. It has a very strong IMDb rating of 7.9. I didn't think it was quite that good, and rated it 7.

A Remarkable Documentary About a Remarkable Woman

[Hitchcoc · 10/10 · 24 February 2017]

This is a beautifully constructed documentary that gives a total picture of the amazing Maya Angelou. It goes back to her roots which included being raped as a child, to her dancing and singing. It wasn't long before she began to become the voice of humanity and blackness. It includes the cream of the black artists. There is a bit where they list a series of black performers who play before sold out audiences and then are not allowed to go out an mingle with the crowds. Imagine, the people paid a fortune to see Sammy Davis, Jr., and yet he had to go back to his dressing room after he performed. She prospered. But she faced off against authority and kept to her African roots. If you talk about the civil rights movement and she was there. Of course, she eventually became one of America's greatest poets.

An outstanding, full-length biographical documentary on American icon, Maya Angelou.

[danielchace · 10/10 · 22 September 2016]

This is a definitive film about an American icon. It is beautifully crafted and surprisingly immersive and emotional, touching on themes of race, language, civil rights and creativity among many others. Beyond being an entertaining and comprehensive exploration of a fascinating life, it shall correctly be considered "important," especially for these times. The film was accepted to Cannes, has won multiple festival awards, and deserves Oscar nomination. Not only is it the result of a successful first-time collaboration between Co-Directors Bob Hercules and Rita Coburn Whack, it is the most ambitious documentary (of many strong ones) produced by Media Process Group. The long creative partnership between Hercules and acclaimed cinematographer Keith Walker is on full display in this big feature doc, anchored by gorgeous interviews with a large cast of notables (including Maya Angelou, Cicely Tyson, Oprah Winfrey, Bill and Hillary Clinton, Quincy Jones, Louis Gossett Jr., and many others) and backed by a thorough array of exceptional archival footage and rare still images. I highly recommend it.

Amazing and Inspirational

[chatterboxchronicles · 10/10 · 17 January 2018]

I didn't know much about Maya Angelou before watching this documentary. I wasn't interested in the past because I'm a conservative and had always heard she was very liberal. That said, I fell in love with her watching this documentary. When you see and hear her story, all of the struggles she overcame and just her passion, strength and determination, you walk away inspired. I can't wait to read her many books that she has written.