Movies
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'American Princess' Indeed: Issa Rae to Star In New Rom-Com
The rom-com—that much maligned and neglected genre—has been enjoying a bit of a revival lately. And who better to join its resurgence than CoverGirl spokeswoman and Insecure creator, Issa Rae? The dynamic and multitalented Rae recently landed the lead role in American Princess, a new feature film that will be produced by Paul Feig and…
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Film Based on Epic Twitter Saga 'Zola' Gets Its Star
It’s been called “The Greatest Stripper Saga Ever Tweeted”—so great, in fact, that the epic 2015 Twitter thread spun by Aziah “Zola” Wells is headed to the silver screen. Now, filmmakers have announced they’ve finally found a lead for the film—up-and-coming actress Taylour Paige. Paige has previously appeared on the HBO series Ballers, Grey’s Anatomy, and…
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Choose Wisely: Will Smith Teases Role As Genie in Live-Action Aladdin Remake
Now, this is a story all about how a genie’s lamp got flipped turned upside down and I’d like to take a minute just sit right there I’ll tell you how Will Smith became a star outside of Bel-Air. Yes, admittedly I know that line was the epitome of corny, but that does not change…
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The People's Eyeroll: Dwayne Johnson's Casting as John Henry Prompts Deserved Backlash
Dwayne Johnson has a lane, and he’s rocked the hell out of it. Truth be told, it’s a lucrative lane: the affable action star has made good money off of, well, being an affable action star. But on Tuesday, with the announcement of his latest project, an adaptation of the African-American folk hero John Henry,…
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Darth MAGA: Study Reveals Racist Star Wars Fans Mad About the Black Stormtrooper Are Trump Trolls and Russian Bots
If you waded through the pile of trash water-damaged after being submerged in white tears, just beneath the damp, charred Nike remains and shattered remnants of Keurig coffeemakers, you might find some moist movie posters from Star Wars: The Last Jedi. The paraphernalia probably won’t be as soaked as the stuff from Star Wars: The…
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In Monsters and Men, the Impact of a Police Shooting Is Examined From 3 Different Viewpoints
As activists in Sacramento, Calif., continue to demonstrate and demand justice in the police-related deaths of Stephon Clark, Brandon Smith and Darell Richardson, it’s a reminder that extrajudicial violence by police takes it toll on the community at large just as it does on the families of the victims. The constant presence of police violence…
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Watch: Killmonger Fights Putin and Other Observations From the Official Creed II Trailer
The official trailer for Creed II: Killmonger vs. Putin debuted Wednesday, shocking everyone by revealing (spoiler alert) that, instead of being buried in the ocean with his ancestors, Erik Killmonger swam to the shore, found a great dermatologist, and got his old army buddy Rambo to retire from being Tango and/or Cash in order to…
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It’s a Wrap! Urbanworld Closes Its 22nd Year With a Very Promising Slate of Fall Films
Collaboration, innovation and the power of women—these were recurrent themes at the 2018 Urbanworld Film Festival, which brought unseen gems, highly-anticipated box office hits, and established and up-and-coming filmmakers and talents from all over the world together for five incredible days in New York City. The week, which opened with the Tiffany Haddish and Kevin…
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An Argument for Why Donald Glover in The Martian Is the Greatest Magical Negro Ever
We’ve seen myriad depictions of the Magical Negro on screen. Some, like Morgan Freeman in Bruce Almighty, are omnipotent. Some, like Chris Rock in Dogma, bring comedy relief and strange hair. And then others, like Anthony Mackie in The Adjustment Bureau, are basically motion-sensor lights for white people. But none of these Magic-ass Negroes are…