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SaritaLaurin
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Emergency (2022)
just stop already
I am tired of this narrative. The movie made absolutely no sense up until the police part. I understood what the writer was trying to make when it came to the friend believing his other friend and what he said about the police. The fact that it wasn't until the end where he agreed with his friend that he shouldn't have helped the white girl even though he was trying to just be a decent human being. This is where I can see the sincerity and the understanding of two brothers relating to something that they've never physically related to before. However, the fact that they were making all of these weird decisions as said in other reviews was totally out of context. Real black men do not go out of their way to help a white girl the way that they are trying to dissuade in this movie. To be honest I'm tired of these movies about police brutality and I'm tired of movies about a black man and a white girl and him getting into trouble due to helping a white woman. We already know this narrative and it's definitely true in America. Black people are actually done watching these type of movies so the only people you probably have watching them pirate black. I'm only watching this movie so I can review until all my black friend to either watch it with discretion or don't watch it at all. How about making movies about black superheroes or making movies about real black history and African history that make sense and speaks to all human beings. Better yet I could care less if it relates to other human beings as long as black people can see themselves on film as anything but stereotypes.
Alice (2022)
Had a lot of potential
Not reading other reviews because I am sure they are harder on this movie than it needs to be, but I will be as real as possible. The storyline was actually very good. Reminding me a little of the movie Antebellum and how there are these cruel white people who are still living hundreds of years in the past to keep their black slaves from knowing they are actually free. So here is what I didn't like about the movie and could've done such a better job at. One, I wished Alice would have gone through a couple of more things right before deciding to go confront Paul. Two, Commons character needed more depth and he should have got the help from his black panther brothers , etc to help free the others. Third, where did the husband who was supposed to be dead come from?
What I did like was Keke Palners acting, she has always been great with expression. I liked the history lessons we got in the movie. I also liked that it was in the 70s during a time where black people were fighting for civil rights. It showed the audience how black people had been fightingbfor freedom since the beginning. As a writer, there are quite a few things I would've changed or added to spruce it up. Movies like these need more depth, especially when it comes to liberating stories. But overall with the right changes it could have easily been am 8 star movie!
On the Line (2022)
Tugs at your heartstrings
Imagine having a family member that you loved so much that was constantly suicidal? That any phone call could be the last. "On the Line" took me on a short roller coaster of events of a young male actor, Lamarr, who is literally walking into an audition, only to be called by his mother that his brother,Devin, had once again called her and said his final goodbyes. She desperately wants Lamarr to try to find him but he needs this role. As he makes the obvious hard decision to go into the audition, he is plagued by past events that writer and director, Brianna Devons, so cleverly portrays as he waits to be called in to audition. I was surprised and taken with heavy emotions as Lamarr uses the pain from his brothers situation to guide him through the audition. The judges were wowed by him and the story ended on a good note. The acting and quick storytelling was not only great, but the familiarity hit home as well. The need for discussion about these situations in society is more evident than ever. Mental health is seen in films but not always the main story. Devons touched on a subject most don't and we need to see this more in film. I do wish this was a longer project and that we could see more of the story and how it is handled and could be handled by family, friends and the world. I only gave it a nine because I wish it was longer.
Rim of the World (2019)
Mixed Feelings
The trailer made me watch this movie because I enjoy teen movies that have alien action. I appreciate kid actors that are really good, and honestly three out of four of these kids were good actors to me, so I thought I'd give it a try.
This movie had some really good special affects and the storyline wasn't bad either, however what I really loved was the constant references to other movies, lines and even scenes were familiar. I wasn't sure if the director meant to do that or simply copied, either way, as a movie lover, it was fun to catch those kind of things. One example, was the Jurassic Park style hiding scene where the kids are hiding in the kitchen, terrified of the alien. I also couldn't tell if the stereotypical scenes like when they were too happy to be getting away with something, obviously leading to them NOT getting away with it was on purpose or not. I found myself knowing exactly what was about to happen and it did. The downsize to this movie, which is what gave it 5 stars was the constant stereotypical roles they gave each kid and the forced adult behavior that makes me sick to my stomach. The black kid has the father thats going to jail, he over sexualizes women, curses and is a bully. A character flaw that Hollywood loves to put on any black man let alone a boy. The asian girl who can't speak but when she does she references warrior quotes(her acting was terrible btw). The hispanic boy that is a juvenile delinquent. And the white boy(who always ends up saving the day) overcomes his fears and becomes the hero. I don't know if the director/writers wanted the stereotype there to show us how ridiculous Hollywood is, or they simply just profited off the same stereotypical bs that is super insulting to the human race if you ask me. However, I did enjoy some parts but the whole time had mixed feelings. Even the end was kind of a shrug of the shoulders. Zack Stentz, if your goal was to be incredibly stereotypical in a funny way, then kudos to you on the film, but if not then shame on you because this film could have went a 1000 different ways and still could have made a perfectly good impression and given you more than an average rating.
Down for Whatever (2018)
Pulls at Your Heartstrings
Down For Whatever is a TVone original movie, but you can watch it on Tubi for free. It gives us a basic storyline of Tracy, a successful doctor and Mike, who is a detective. First of all, Hosea Chanchez and Letoya Luckett have always been great actors to me that don't get enough credit and I was actually very happy they were able to bring justice to this movie. So the story goes that Tracy grew up in foster care, didn't know her family and decides she was ready to look for them. Well, ironically two girls who reak havoc on a town and kill her husbands partner, happened to be kin to her. Timothy Folsome (director) did a great job at giving us a natural look into the reality of the situation. Of course she is conflicted and what makes it worse is her job and her marriage might be at stake. It almost gives you a , what would I do if it was me? The whole time you find yourself picking a side. There were some really good actors in this movie, which I haven't seen in a minute in urban films that haven't been properly advertised. It does talk about the test of family loyalty. And it opens up a wide conversation of what goes on in these corrupt police departments. I even found myself pissed off at the end of the movie, throwing my hands up in the air that the writer couldn't have given us a better ending, but as the story began to fully conclude I totally clapped my hands and actually almost cried.
American Skin (2019)
Just what America Needed
I could give two fs about the bad reviews. I didn't even look at them. You want an honest, real review off someone who ACTUALLY watched it. Keep Reading...
America is NEVER ready for the REAL. But honestly, all these movies being made in the past and present, stem from somewhere. And lets just be real, we KNOW our justice system is MESSED UP! And AMERICAN SKIN did a beautiful job at outlining what the justice system does and how we ALL view it. The cops, the everyday white people who are clueless, African Americans, women, other minorities, and even the BACK THE BLUE proud cops. My favorite I mean ABSOLUTE favorite part of this movie, was when lead character let everyone get their feelings out. He gave everyone a fair chance to speak their peace. Even the cop who killed his son. I thought it was a desperate yet much needed idea; he did his own thing because the court system failed him. You know how many people probably wish they had a fair trial but because the court system is all about money and keeping black and brown people behind bars, not everyone gets that fair chance.
I know its ugly to see. very ugly. But America is an ugly country. And to be honest. American skin should be CRAWLING!!! PLEASE WATCH THIS MOVIE with an open mind and an open heart. It was def crafted. And the sad part about it all, is black people/African Americans ALWAYS FORGIVE and in that forgiveness, its ALWAYS TAKEN for granted.
WATCH IT FOF YOURSELF!
Acrimony (2018)
Typical Tyler Perry
I can't lie, I went in with low expectations of the movie but secretly hoping that it surprised me. And it did. I loved the plot and I haven't really seen a movie that focused on the actual emotions and steps of hurt and damaged people. Especially women. The only thing that bugged me was the ending. Too fast and it didn't really add up to me. Which is why I titled this review Typical Tyler Perry and exactly why I gave it 7 stars. Overall, Taraji and the other actors were great. Job well done!