davesmooth

This is the most comprehensive, detailed, and informative series of any covering the Civil Rights struggles from the early stages through the 1980's. This is a must see for any person looking to get information and insight on what the struggle for equality was like for black people in America. They compile actual footage from historical events, along with interviews with some of the people who were actually there. This series will make you go through a range of emotions as you actually feel of part of the history that you are viewing. Julian Bond, (who participated in many of these events) does a masterful job a narrating the entire series. This is one series that you must have in your collection.

When this movie first came out back in 1984, Prince was one of the hottest acts around. Everyone wanted to see this movie, which was not much more than a extended music video. The acting was pretty bad, but what can you expect from musicians acting on the big screen for the first time? Despite that, it was still a very entertaining film! Morris Day and Jerome Benton provide some all time classic comedy, especially their rendition of "The Password", which will make you think of Abbott & Costello doing their "who's on first" baseball routine.

Appolina (who went by a single name then) provided some beautiful breasts, so you had the brief nudity covered. Plus, she is very attractive. And of course, the soundtrack of the album is one of the best Prince ever recorded. Prince later on had a fallout with Warner Bros. and changed his name, but at this particular time in his career, he was at the top of his game.

This movie doesn't rank in the all time great category, but it is pretty entertaining.

When I first came across the title "Shawshank Redemption" I didn't have a clue as to what it was about, since I didn't know the plot. But it had Tim Robbins and Morgan Freeman as it's stars, so I figured that it was worth a peek. What a peek!! This movie is awesome!! Not the classic tale of a innocent man being sent to jail for a crime that he didn't commit, this movie was much more detailed. It shows you how cruel prison life can be. (Although, if you want a better picture of prison life today, I suggest watching "American Me") You have everything in this picture, Corrupt Prison Warden, Sadistic Guards, and a innocent man caught in the middle. You can not help but admire Tim Robbins character "Andy Dufresne" as he waits patiently for almost 20 years before he is able to rectify his situation. Talk about patience and perseverance! This is one movie that will tug at your heart. Excellent movie.

This movie has one of the most classic scenes in the history of cinema. The scene where Sally tells Harry how easy it is for a woman to fake an orgasm and then, demonstrates it in the restaurant is straight classic!! That part alone, is worth watching the movie. On a whole, it's a cute story about falling in love, and finding love where you least expect it. The principle characters Harry (Billy Crystal) & Sally (Meg Ryan) find their paths keep crossing after a chance meeting while driving to New York. They try to set their friends up with each other, before realizing that they are the ones who are meant for each other. A cute film.

This series was without a doubt, the best police drama made in the 90's. It was action packed, contemporary, well written, cutting edge material. The show evolved around the characters of J.C.Williams & Eddie Torres who were so connected with the gritty streets of N.Y.C., it made them naturals for the undercover work that they were assigned. Lt. Cooper was perfect as the no nonsense commander of the unit who gave them just enough flexibility to get the job done. The story lines read out of the newspaper of the day and every week, they would have whoever was the top current musical artist perform at "Natalie's", so the show stay current with the times.

The show went south when the stars tried to pull a "Friends" and demand higher salaries and wanted their contracts renegotiated. The producers responded by killing off Torres and replacing Cooper. It was a shame, because the show was a hit. After DeLorenzo & D'Arbanville left the show, it only lasted one more season, and it was not as good as the first three seasons. I'm not sure if it is on DVD, but if it is, it's worth the price.

This movie is terrible. STRAIGHT TERRIBLE!! One of the worst movies ever made!! I went to see this movie because the first one was so good, I thought that the "sequel" would be at least decent. WRONG!! The plot was weak and the acting was hokey. It was just a terrible movie. The director tried to capitalize on the popularity of the first movie, and rushed to make this B.S. They should have just left well enough alone. Kim Cattrell (Who later gained fame on "Sex And The City") didn't even bother to reprise her role as "Miss Honeywell" which should have been the indicator of how bad this movie was. Don't even watch this on video or DVD! A total waste of film!! Matter of fact, you need to find the producer and ask him for a refund!!

When you do a bio of a person, usually the movie lacks in some capacity, (See Malcolm X or The Greatest) however,this movie does Ray Charles justice.

The movie takes you from Ray's early childhood in dirt poor Florida, going blind as a young child, having a strong mother who wouldn't let her son's physical handicap stop him mentally, through his rise to stardom and his drug habit. Also, his womanizing ways are documented, which was an unexpected sub-plot.

The music is authentic, and the casting is superb.

Jamie Foxx does a brilliant job portraying Charles. He is so realistic, you can actually look at the pictures of him and the real Ray at that age, and do a double take.

This is a movie worth going to see.

The thing about this movie that makes it so great, is that if you knew the T.V. series from the 1960's of the same name, you knew the outcome. Yet, they were able to make this movie very interesting. It doesn't hurt to have Harrison Ford and Tommy Lee Jones, (Who was superb as Sam Gerard) star, but this movie is very well done.

I only saw a couple episodes of the original "Fugitive" starring David Jansen, but I know from research that it was a extremely popular show in the 1960's. The same basic plot was used in the motion picture version, with a twist, that can be related to in today's society. That's what makes the picture credible. This movie may not match original T.V. series in popularity, however it does do it justice in terms of believability.

If you want to look at the orgins of the so called "blaxploitation" movies of the 1970's, then look no further than "The Mack", as one of the forerunners. This movie explored the world of the street PIMP, which during that time, in the black community, was actually a quasi respected way of making a living. Up until that time, PIMPS were just accepted in the black community, however, this movie sort of "glorified" PIMPING, and gave it some twisted form of respectability. Not that PIMPS were looked upon as leaders in the community, on the contrary, they were not. However, with their flashy clothes, cars, and high end living, theirs was a profession that was envied by many. Men wanted to live out their fantasies of having multiple women, and PIMPS provided this escape.

As far as the movie, for the time period, it was good. If you look at it 30 years after, you have to put it into perspective for the period. Max Julien is Goldie, a petty thief who turns to PIMPING upon his release from prison. Richard Pryor is his loyal sidekick, Slim, and together they go from the bottom to the top of the PIMP game. Along the way, you see the Goldie has a heart, it was is really a heartless business.

Of course you have your crooked white cops and some other hilarious PIMPS. (NOTE: Some real live PIMP'S were also used in this movie, so it does have some degree of authenticity) Roger E. Mosley does a great job as Goldie's brother who is against everything that Goldie stands for.

If you are interested in PIMPING, then this is a must see movie.

This movie is the best movie ever made depicting the World War II era. It is the most realistic, violent, true to life depiction of what WWII was really about. Most of the previous movies, romanticized the experience. This movie gives you gritty, no nonsense look at exactly what the troops faced, from their food, down to the vocabulary. You come to understand why most veterans from this war, never mentioned what they experienced. It's about as close as you can get to war without actually being in it. This movie does for WWII, what Platoon did for Vietnam. I still can't see why this movie didn't get Best Picture over "Shakesphere In Love". Spielberg did get Best Director, but the movie should have won as well.

This is a must see movie.

This movie is straight comedy. I was cracking up watching it. Beanie Sigel is "Beans" a psychotic Pilly drug dealer who is bent on making it all the way to the top of the drug game. His method is direct and to the point. If you don't join his crew, he's going to kill you. I real offer that you can't refuse.

Damon Dash and Shawn Carter (Jay-Z) are rival drug dealers who are at the top of the drug game. Dash is very funny in his role. You can hardly understand what the hell Jay-Z is saying. The comedy is that as Beans comes up the ladder towards Dash, he doesn't even know who the hell they are, and even tells him as much. However, Dash, who is Damon in this movie, quickly lets him know that he can still be street when necessary, by kidnapping Beans's woman. (That phone exchange is classic!!)

This is a straight to video movie, but it is worth watching. I crack up every time I watch it. The acting isn't Oscar worthy, but it's decent. The women in here are attractive, especially Jay-Z's hit girl at the end. The plot is basic, so you won't have a problem following along. Worth a look.

While some people are quick to condemn "Belly" as nothing more than a extended music video, I found it to be a very good movie. DMX and Nas are partners in crime who are looking to the drug game to "blow up". They hook up with a Jamaican Drug lord, who in turn, puts them in touch with some of the best drugs in the Western Hemisphere. They expand their operations to Nebraska, (Of all places, but the significance here, is middle America uses drugs too!) where they run into a local punk, who calls the police on them.

Without giving to much away. Nas starts to get some morals and is looking to escape the drug life. Part of this is the influence of his girlfriend T, played by T-Boz of "TLC". She reminds him of his family,(they have a daughter together), and that they have enough to go straight.

While Nas is looking to go straight, DMX (Tommy in the movie) is going deeper into the mix. Until finally he is caught up by the FBI, and is given the choice, kill the Minister (Played by Ben Chavis now Ben X) and walk or go to jail.

The underlying messages of this movie is very powerful. I would recommend this to anyone. Good Movie.

In a era where "blaxploitation" movies were made in mass production, this Sidney Poitier directed movie broke the mold. This was the first of three movies that teamed Sidney with Bill Cosby, and their chemistry was magic. Poitier as Steve Jackson and Cosby as Wardell Franklin are two ordinary hard working guys who get a vacation and they go to the hottest place in town, "Madam Zenobia's".

While there, the place is held up by a hoodlum by the name of "Sliky Slim" and everyone is robbed of everything on their person. What Jackson later learns is that in his wallet that was stolen, was a sweepstakes ticket worth $50,000. The ensuing comedy is how Jackson & Franklin hit "the streets" looking for the robbers. That's what make the movie so funny. Poitier's & Cosby's characters are as square as a couple of L 7's, and they are in the "underworld" looking for their jackpot ticket.

The supporting cast is just as funny. Calvin Lockhart as Silky Slim, Richard Pryor as Sharp Eye Washington, Paula Kelly as Leggy Peggy, Harold Nicholas as Little Seynour, and of course, Harry Belefonte as Geechie Dan Beurford. (Belefonte actually had his mouth wired for this role like Marlon Brando did in "The Godfather" to make it look authentic like that movie)

This movie is a pretty entertaining watch. A lot of the dialog is "slang" that was popular in the 1970's, which sort of also gives you a historical perspective. (although I still wonder who the hell came up with "Jive Turkey") Worth adding to your DVD collection.

I saw this movie at the theater in Hollywood while I was still in High School in L.A. This movie had a such profound affect on my friend at the time, that he changed his name to "Ram Rod" in honor of the PIMP in this movie.

This is a classic B movie. Wings Hauger is classic as the sadistic PIMP, RAM ROD. That name alone is classic. It's funny, most real PIMP'S will use some form of punishment to keep their "workers" in line, but RAM ROD goes way over the top. Matter of fact, RAM ROD is something like a Super PIMP the way he carries on.

Fred "Rerun" Berry is cast as "Sugar PIMP". A grape eating PIMP. This gives the movie some serious comedy relief. A PIMP laying up eating grapes? C'mon, get real.

In short, although sick but entertaining, this movie does not even come close to what real life PIMPING and Prostitution is about.

This was a great show that was pulled after one season. It was like a 2000's version of Miami Vice but with cooler people. The using of Los Angeles as a backdrop was a good choice, because most of the drama cop shows are set around New York. The action was fast paced, and the music was updated weekly. Tiffany, Bill, And Peter were cast superbly, and the scripts were well written. It's a shame that Fox pulled this show. They didn't give it time to gather a following. If I remember correct, they kept switching the nights it was on, which is a major factor in trying to keep viewers. The show ended with a cliff hanger that made you think that it was coming back. If you can catch this show on video, or on cable anywhere, you will not be disappointed.

Great Movie. Gripping tale of 4 women who turn to robbing banks to make it out of ghetto life. The 4, played by Jada Pinkett, (Not married to Will Smith at time of filming) Vivica A. Fox, Dana Owens (Better know as Queen Latifa) and newcomer at the time, Kimberly Elise all work legally until they figure that crime will pay them more than honest work. Blair Underwood is excellent as the love interest for Stoney (Pinkett) with his Harvard education mixed with a street knowledge. Pace of the movie is good, and it all flows very well. Excellent movie. Worth renting from Blockbuster.

John Singleton's directorial debut is a classic! Even then Presidential Contender Bill Clinton, acknowledged what a great movie this is. Set in South Central L.A. in the 1990's this gripping tale evolves around a single black father raising his only son and installing in him values to help him become a man. This is a great point that Singleton took time to illustrate since the majority of men in the black community are often raised by their single mothers. The principles that Furious (Played by Larry Fishborne) install in Trey (Played By Cuba Gooding Jr.)are something not portrayed in mainstream movies. Singleton carefully weaves this into every day life experienced in the lower income black community, drugs, gang activity, violence, & the general feeling of hopelessness. The result, a excellent movie worthy of a Oscar nomination. ( I think that Singleton may have been nominated for Best Director that year) A Must See Movie!!

This is one of the worst movies ever made!! I was so dissapointed when I saw this, I almost walked out! I was thinking that this would pick up where the original "SuperFly" left of. The plot, if it was one, was lost at the beginning. The actor who played "Priest", I don't even remember this guys name, but he couldn't act to save his life. Margaret Avery, ("Color Purple", "Which Way Is Up?") who is a pretty good actress, was totally lost in this horrible movie. This movie was just plain terrible. Bad writing, bad directing, bad acting, it was just plain BAD!!! You couldn't even pay me to see this again, that's how bad it was!! No wonder Ron O'Neal didn't reprise his role as Priest, it was BAD!! This movie is a total waste of time.

This movie is such a great movie, along the lines of "Boys In The Hood". It's one of the first mainstream movies that examine the life of Mexican Americans. A gripping, gritty, no non sense tale of growing up in the gang culture of East Los Angeles. It follows the life of Santana,(Played brilliantly by Edward J. Olmos) who's mother was raped in the "Zoot Suit" riots in L.A. back in the 1940's, to produce him. So he comes out of the womb on the bad foot. Then, the guy who he thinks is his father, hates him, and it takes his mother's death before he knows the truth and understands why. Meanwhile, he grows up into the gang culture of "East Los" and spends the majority of his life in jail. It's in jail that he discovers his "power", and becomes the leader of the powerful "La EME" "The Mexican Mafia".

The Gang has the numbers, and they control life inside the prison, which in this case, art does truly imitate reality.

Once he is released from prison and returns to his old neighborhood, he discovers love, and he starts to view life in a different perspective. However, the power of the gang won't let him change, for it's viewed as weakness. He ends up back in jail, on a rap he actually didn't committ, where he has to decide, stay true to the gang, or to himself.

A harsh look at how the gang is family, and your family is the gang. A must see movie. William Forsythe also delivers a great performance.

This is the first movie, (although some will argue "The Deer Hunter" or "Apocolypse Now") that really tells how horrifying life was in Vietnam. The realism that Oliver Stone delievers, prior to this movie, had not been done. Hollywood had a history of making war seem romantic, and actually cool. Stone gave you the reality of war, with no holds barred, and thus paved the way for future films, like "Saving Private Ryan" (Another must see movie)

If you want to see how a war really is, this is a must see movie.

This is one of John Singleton's best movies, (right behind "Boys In The Hood") It is a powerful drama based on real life events in Rosewood, Florida in the 1930's. The way that the black character's were lynched is pretty disturbing, especially when viewed in the year 2000, however it is important to understand history as it was. A great movie.

An excellent movie. Superb acting by Mary Alice, Phillip M. Thomas, and a young Irene Cara. Tony King was very realistic in his role of Satin. This movie was one of the last predominately "all black" movies of the 70's and unlike the "blaxploitation" movies of that era, this movie actually had a plot, and was very well done. The movie soundtrack, sung by Aretha Franklin, was popular on the R&B charts at the time.