Movies
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Leaving Neverland: Reconciling With the ‘Man in the Mirror’
Trigger Warning: Please be advised, the documentary described in this article contains extremely graphic descriptions of child sexual abuse. I had never seen anyone dance the way he did. My two younger cousins and I spent a multitude of hours watching—no, analyzing—Michael Jackson’s HIStory, the VHS anthology of his greatest hits. We created a makeshift…
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Sweet Thang: Jordan Peele’s ‘Candyman’ Revealed
Evangelist Kimberly Jones, affectionately known as Lil’ Kim, once asked the important question, “So, how many licks does it take ‘til you get to the center of the… ?” It’s a question that deserves an answer, after the reveal of the actor who is set to play the role of “Candyman” in Jordan Peele’s new…
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Lisa Bonet’s ‘C’mon, White People’ Eyeroll, Explained
You can literally feel the anxiety enveloping Bonet like a racism boa constrictor.
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Shirley, You Must Be Playing: Green Book Writer Says He Didn't Know Musician's Family 'Existed' While Making Film
In a disappointing but not altogether surprising left-turn that soured one of the most inclusive, entertaining Oscar ceremonies in memory, Green Book, a racial reconciliation fantasy written for white people, by white people secured the Academy Award for Best Picture. Green Book also won awards for Best Original Screenplay and Best Actor in Supporting Role,…
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The Green Book: Guide to Freedom Documentary Provides a Guide to the Truth We Deserve
When Green Book premiered in theaters, one of the biggest complaints of the film was a simple and egregious oversight: Despite the title of the film, not one black person is seen actually touching the book which inspired the film’s title. On Sunday night, February 24, Green Book took home three major Academy Awards: Best…
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2019 Oscars: Regina BEEN King
There may not have been any Kevin Hart yelling “nooooo, I wasn’t ready!” to any of the nominees, but the 91st Academy Awards brought the blackness. February 2019 has provided us a horrible Black History Month so far, but queens such as Regina King and blackety-black films such as Black Panther swooped in to save…
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The Black Cop Behind the White Hood: Ron Stallworth Talks BlacKkKlansman, Unequivocally Supports Black Lives Matter
When I first heard the synopsis for BlacKkKlansman—a black police officer infiltrates the Colorado chapter of the Ku Klux Klan with the help of a white, Jewish surrogate—I thought to myself, “Wow, you can’t make this shit up.” Turns out, they didn’t. About five years ago, The Root interviewed the real-life Ron Stallworth for the…
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Oscar Nominee Hannah Beachler Talks Breaking Ceilings and What’s Next: ‘Black People Belong in Space’
It’s almost been a year to the day since Black Panther production designer Hannah Beachler walked The Root (and our readers!) through the enticing world of Wakanda—a world we’d come to uphold forever. Speaking to Beachler, her husky voice warms over you like the homegirl you always had—or wanted. Making history as the first African…
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Daniel Kaluuya and Lakeith Stanfield in Talks to Star in Fred Hampton Film Produced by Ryan Coogler
A film about Fred Hampton is coming from Warner Brothers, reportedly titled Jesus Was My Homeboy. Hampton was the founder and chairman of the Chicago chapter of the Black Panther Party. On Dec. 4, 1969, the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office and the Federal Bureau of Investigation ordered Chicago police to infiltrate the party’s headquarters.…
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Negro Noir: The Preacher’s Son Truly Pops Off During the Last 15 Minutes
Movies that are “so bad, they’re good” are one of life’s unsung treasures. And like anything, adding blackness to that principle is like adding proper seasoning. Thus, I introduce you to our new series reviewing/recapping bad black movies, Negro Noir. As our queen-in-chief Danielle Belton pointed out, it’s so black, the title of the series…