documentary
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Exclusive Excerpt: This Documentary Explores the Real-Life Blues Behind Ma Rainey's Black Bottom
Netflix’s Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom starring Viola Davis, Chadwick Boseman (in his last role before his death), Taylour Paige, Colman Domingo, Glynn Turman and more comes to Netflix on Friday, Dec. 18 and like many dramatized biopics, the much-anticipated film may incite your eagerness to learn more about the real woman behind the film. Cue…
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Michael Jackson Estate's Request to Take HBO Disparagement Dispute to Arbitration Has Been Granted
It looks like the legal tussle between HBO and Michael Jackson’s estate over the highly controversial documentary Leaving Neverland, which accused Jackson of sexually abusing Wade Robson and James Safechuck when they were young boys, will be heard by an arbitrator. According to Variety, an appeals court has granted Jackson’s estate appeal request in regard…
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Tiger, Tiger Woods Y'all: Documentary America's Son Set for ESPN Premiere
If there’s one thing that I love, it’s a good-ass documentary—especially if it involves sports. And while 2020 has been a resounding clusterfuck otherwise, it’s been a spectacular year on the film front, as sports docs like Netflix’s Uppity, Quibi’s The Scheme, and Blackballed have not only raised the bar but have explored how racial dynamics…
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Giving Voice Trailer First-Look: August Wilson Lives On Through the Students Who Recite His Monologues
I recently attended the advanced virtual screening for Netflix’s film adaptation of Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom (whew, still processing the amazing performances in that one, but I’ll share more on that later), and following the film, Samuel L. Jackson moderated a Q&A with the cast and crew. At multiple points in the panel, Jackson alluded…
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Dawn Porter on Documenting Rep. John Lewis: 'Telling Untold and Overlooked Stories Is Good Trouble'
It’s been a few months since the world lost one of its greatest, Rep. John Lewis, and of course, his grand legacy will live on. One of the ways that has been made possible is the recent documentary chronicling his 60-plus years of activism, John Lewis: Good Trouble. Directed by Dawn Porter, John Lewis: Good…
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Console Wars Is a Fun Look at the Height of the Sony-Nintendo Beef
There was a brief period of time where Sega and Nintendo were the only real contenders for the gaming throne. If Mario was Tupac then Sonic was Biggie. Emotions surrounding the two brands ran so high that I almost got beat as a kid for suggesting Sonic Adventure was cooler than Super Mario 64. (I…
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MLK/FBI First Look Clip: How Martin Luther King Jr. Became the 'Most Dangerous Negro' After the March on Washington
Today, Martin Luther King, Jr. is lauded as an American hero—a direct contrast to the actual reality of an activist whose own country terrorized him. In the upcoming documentary MLK/FBI, that very contradiction is explored in depth. From the press release provided to The Root: Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. is remembered today as an…
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We May Not Have New Rihanna Music, But We’re Getting a New Rihanna Documentary Next Year
While Rihanna’s Navy could very well be awaiting the mythical ‘R9’ album until…Heaven only knows…at least they’ll have a new documentary about the superstar to hold them over. The long-awaited Rihanna documentary, directed by Peter Berg (Battleship, Friday Night Lights), will be hitting our television screens in summer 2021. According to a new Collider interview…
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Idris Elba's Fight School Docuseries Aims to Teach More Than Just Boxing
Idris Elba is hoping to provide seven underprivileged boxers with stability, structure and a chance at victory for his new BBC Two documentary series, Idris Elba’s Fight School. “Living and training together over six intense months in London, the school recruits will battle it out against other amateurs and work towards a big showcase finale,”…
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Hot 97 Employee Pasquale 'Paddy Duke' Raucci Fired for Involvment in Shooting Death of Yusuf Hawkins
Pasquale “Paddy Duke” Raucci, the commercial programming director for New York hip-hop radio station Hot 97, has been fired from his position after the HBO documentary, Yusuf Hawkins: Storm Over Brooklyn, showed his alleged ties to Hawkins’ death. The announcement of Raucci’s firing comes 31 years to the day that Hawkins was killed on August…