Tichina Arnold Movies
Dedicated film buffs will remember Tichina Arnold as Crystal, one of the three black girls who perform R&B numbers as a Greek chorus, in Frank Oz's imaginative movie musical Little Shop of Horrors (1986). Arnold was only 15 at the time; her career continued steadily after that, with a role or two almost every year. Though the actress' cinematic efforts -- such as How I Got Into College (1989) and the Paul Mazursky/Woody Allen collaboration Scenes from a Mall (1990) -- were typically disappointing, she delighted fans with her neat comic turn as Pam James (opposite Little Shop collaborator Tisha Campbell) in the Martin Lawrence sitcom Martin (1992-1997), and -- on a similar note -- waxed hilarious as housewife and mother Rochelle on the nostalgic Chris Rock sitcom Everybody Hates Chris (premiering in 2005). In 2007, Arnold reunited with Lawrence (as his "straight man" wife) in the big screen road comedy/buddy film Wild Hogs. She next took a decidedly serious turn, playing the lead in the period drama The Lena Baker Story, about the first woman to be executed via the electric chair in Georgia. ~ Nathan Southern, All Movie Guide
A mismatched group of bored suburbanites longing to escape the stress of their daily lives and embrace the freedom of the open road finds that it takes more than polished chrome and leather jackets to truly experience the biker lifestyle in this revved-up road comedy starring John Travolta, Tim Allen, Martin Lawrence, and William H. Macy. Upon trading the comfort of their couches for the thunderous rumble of two-wheeled street machines, these four adventurous riders cross paths with the notorious Del Fuegos -- an authentic biker gang that doesn't take kindly to the weekend warrior type. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Tim Allen, John Travolta, (more)
- 2006
- Add Everybody Hates Chris: Season 02 to QueueAdd Everybody Hates Chris: Season 02 to top of Queue
Inspired by his childhood experiences, comedian Chris Rock narrates the hilarious, touching story of a teenager growing up as the eldest of children in Brooklyn, New York during the early 1980s. Uprooted to a new neighborhood and bused into a predominantly white middle school two hours away by his strict, hard-working parents, Chris struggles to find his place while keeping his siblings in line at home and surmounting the challenges of junior high. This responsible, resilient adolescent brings a distinct, funny spin to his everyday trials and traumas in this single-camera comedy.
- Starring:
- Tyler James Williams, Terry Crews, (more)
A pair of estranged twins driven apart by the death of their parents find reconciliation and redemption after following radically different paths in life in director Charles Randolph-Wright's righteous tale of sibling rivalry and divine intervention. Upon losing their parents, twin brothers Teshawn (Billöah Greene) and Wesley Tucker (Darien Sills-Evans) each attempt to deal with the devastating blow in their own personal ways. While Wesley falls back on his faith by becoming a respected Harlem minister, Teshawn breaks into the music business by transforming himself into thuggish gangsta rapper Zulu. With his star on the rise and the future looking bright, Teshawn is suddenly forced to flee his West Coast home for the safety of Harlem when vengeful record producer Bull Sharky (Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje) vows to put an end to more than just his recording career. As Teshawn seeks sanctuary in the open arms of his forgiving brother and the gospel church, his work with the failing church choir offers fulfilling sense of community that soon leads him into the arms of attractive churchgoer Kia (Janine Green) -- a no-nonsense woman of God who holds Harlem's rich history near and dear to her heart. Now, as Bull Sharky and violent his crew begin knocking down doors in a desperate attempt to locate the exiled hip-hop star, Teshawn and Wesley are compelled to confront the past in order to clear the path for a brighter future. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Billöah Greene, Darien Sills-Evans, (more)
Television director Neema Barnette directs the forceful drama Civil Brand, based on a story by Preston A. Whitmore II. Shot with a micro-budget of 500,000 dollars, the film stars confrontational rap and hip-hop artists Mos Def, MC Lyte, and Da Brat. The story concerns a women's prison that exploits its largely African-American inmate population as cheap labor to manufacture products for a corporation. Mostly incarcerated due to domestic violence situations, the inmates also face sexual abuse as the hands of the prison staff, headed by Captain Deese (Clifton Powell) and Warden Nelson (Reed McCants). Accused of murder, Frances Shepard (Lisa Rae) joins forces with inmates Little Momma (Lark Voorhies), Wet (Monica Calhoun), and Nikki Barnes (N'Bushe Wright), as well as law student Michael (Mos Def), in order to start an uprising. ~ Andrea LeVasseur, All Movie Guide
- 1997
A theme of racial harmony underlies this comedy-drama. The couple Joe (Ernie Hudson) and Annabelle Lee (Pam Grier) learn the baby they are adopting is not black but Chinese. As Julian Lee (Dante Basco), reaches teen-hood, his father dies and the adopted boy moves with his mom to Atlanta. Here he hopes to make friends with the local teens, who are somewhat perplexed by the Asian-American's hip-hop slang and high scores when he grabs the basketball. Julian intervenes when his younger brother Perry (Rashaan Nall) falls in with local gangsta Frog (Tone Loc) and his group. Meanwhile, in a parallel plot, similar problems surface for clueless foreign-exchange student May-Ling (Margaret Cho). She's baffled to find herself living with a black family, a situation leading to inventive cross-cultural comedy. The film's soundtrack combines hip-hop, funk, and Asian instrumentals. Shown at the 1997 Hamptons Film Festival. ~ Bhob Stewart, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Ernie Hudson, Pam Grier, (more)
Heeeey! Comic superstar Martin Lawrence (Bad Boys, Wild Hogs) proves three's a charm in the hilarious third season of this classic comedy. Martin's in the house -- and in the WZUP studio -- driving girlfriend Gina nuts and entertaining buddies Tommy and Cole with his outrageous antics. All your favorite players including Sheneneh, Jerome and Mama Payne are back in action and hysterical as ever. If you don't already know wazzup with Martin... then you so crazy!
- Starring:
- Martin Lawrence, Thomas Mikal Ford, (more)
Wazzup? Superstar Martin Lawrence (Open Season, Big Momma's House) is back in 27 uproarious episodes from the hilarious second season of his classic show! Whether he's stepping into the boxing ring, delivering a baby or running amok in Hollywood, Martin never ceases to amaze and amuse. With his long-suffering girlfriend Gina and core crew of Tommy, Cole and Pam by his side, as well as an outrageous group of oddballs: back-sassing Sheneneh, clueless Jerome and wise-cracking Mama Payne, Martin proves that a second helping is even better than the first!
- Starring:
- Martin Lawrence, Thomas Mikal Ford, (more)
Martin Lawrence (Bad Boys, Big Momma's House) plays Martin Payne, a brash radio personality who always speaks his mind, often to the frustration of Gina (Tisha Campbell), his feisty but eternally forgiving girlfriend. Always around are Martin's "hang out partners," Tommy, Cole, and Pam (Tichina Arnold), a co-worker of Gina's. Find out wazzup in the outrageous world of Martin.
- Starring:
- Martin Lawrence, Thomas Mikal Ford, (more)
- 1990
In a fictionalized replay of the notorious Tawana Brawley incident, African-American teenager Astrea Crawford (Kisha Miller) claims that she was gang-raped by white policemen. As Greevey (George Dzundza) and Logan (Chris Noth) pursue their investigation, assistant D.A.'s Stone (Michael Moriarty) and Robinette (Richard Brooks) attempt to build a case against the accused -- if indeed there is a case. The inevitable racial tensions are exacerbated by the interference, and inflammatory rhetoric, of flamboyant black congressman Ronald Eaton (J.A. Preston). ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
Woody Allen and Bette Midler star as a well-heeled couple who spend their 16th wedding anniversary at the mall shopping for a party that they're throwing that night. In the course of the shopping afternoon, they watch their marriage hit the rocks as serious problems develop when the guy admits to an earlier infidelity, and an out-and-out argument develops. ~ All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Bette Midler, Woody Allen, (more)
- 1989
Vanessa Williams guest stars as a college drama student named Jade, who inveigles Theo (Malcolm-Jamal Warner) into helping her rehearse a love scene. Accused of lacking the proper emotions, Theo responds by passionately kissing Jade--just as his girlfriend Justine (Michelle Thomas) enters the scene! Refusing to believe Theo's protestations of innocence, Justine walks out on him, whereupon our hero turns to his dad Cliff (Bill Cosby) for advice on winning her back. Cliff responds with one simple command: "Beg!" ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
This teen comedy from Savage Steve Holland stars Corey Parker as an underachieving high schooler who hatches a crazy plot with valedictorian Lara Flynn Boyle to gain acceptance into a prestigious university. ~ Jason Ankeny, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Anthony Edwards, Corey Parker, (more)
It started as a 1960 Roger Corman horror comedy, filmed in two days; it then inspired a lavish 1982 Broadway musical with music and lyrics by Alan Menken and Howard Ashman. Finally in 1986, Little Shop of Horrors (1960) graduated into a multimillion-dollar, all-star film musical. Rick Moranis plays nebbishy Seymour Krelborn, who works in a rundown flower shop on Skid Row. While his boss (Vincent Gardenia) bemoans the lack of business, Seymour seeks a way of bringing the shop -- and himself -- fame and fortune. He purchases a strange plant from an even stranger oriental street vendor (Vincent Wong), naming the plant after his girlfriend Audrey (Ellen Greene, one of the few carry-overs from the Broadway version). Gradually, Seymour learns to his horror that "Audrey II" (given the voice of R&B performer Levi Stubbs) craves blood and flesh. With each of Audrey II's "FEEED MEEE"s, Seymour must scare up human food to satisfy the plant's appetite. One such victim is dentist Steve Martin, a leather-jacketed Elvis type (the dentist's ultra-masochistic patient played by Jack Nicholson in the 1960 original is here impersonated by Bill Murray). The lighthearted tone of the film darkens as Audrey II grows in monstrosity, but the unhappy ending of the Broadway version is avoided herein. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Rick Moranis, Ellen Greene, (more)
