Vernon Reid Movies

This performance video features music by Yohimbe Brothers, a collaboration between Vernon Reid and DJ Logic. The group offers a mix of rap, funk, and Latin beats, while the accompanying video offers a psychedelic exploration of how the music feels. ~ Perry Seibert, Rovi

Writer-director Lawrence Malkin's thriller Five Fingers casts Ryan Philippe as Martijn, a gifted Dutch jazz pianist who flies to Morocco to set up a food assistance program. On Middle Eastern soil, however, he and his security person, Gavin (portrayed by Colm Meaney) are promptly kidnapped by terrorists, dragged to a warehouse, chained down and blindfolded. The captors promptly kill Gavin and then begin systematic attempts to extract information from the pianist (about where he obtained the money to set up the program) - by cutting off his fingers one at a time. Martijn insists on his own ignorance, though in time it becomes clear that all is not what it seems. Laurence Fishburne portrays the head terrorist, Ahmat, Said Taghmaoui his sidekick, Youseff. Malkin co-authored the script with Chad Thurman. ~ Nathan Southern, Rovi

Filmmaker Thomas Allen Harris focuses on the roles both his stepfather, Pule "Lee" Leinaeng, and the African National Congress played in bringing down apartheid from outside the confines of South Africa in this documentary that aims to strike a balance between intimate biography and searing social history. As the grip of apartheid was strengthening, a young group of concerned African National Congress activists exiled themselves to Botswana, Tanzania, and other "safe" locations outside of South Africa in hopes of battling oppression from the outside. By utilizing actors to create dramatic reenactments of events from that time, inter-cutting the newly shot footage with archival images, and tracing the path of his stepfather to the United States, Harris attempts to both personalize the plight of the ANC and simultaneously offer an in-depth account of the struggles the group faced while trying to abolish tyranny and restore justice to their homeland. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

The United States Congress named 2003 the "Year of the Blues" as part of an initiative by several musical education groups to make more Americans aware of the history and heritage of blues music, one of America's most important homegrown art forms. To kick off this celebration of the blues, a special concert was held at New York City's historic Radio City Music Hall, and Lightning in a Bottle documents a memorable evening of music from a star-studded roster of artists. Offering a glimpse at the rehearsals and preparations that went into putting the show together as well as the evening's best performances, Lightning in a Bottle includes appearances by B.B. King, Bonnie Raitt, Steven Tyler and Joe Perry of Aerosmith, Macy Gray, Buddy Guy, Chuck D., Solomon Burke, David Johansen, Jimmie Vaughan and Kim Wilson of the Fabulous Thunderbirds, Alison Krauss, and many more. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

Paid in Full marks the feature debut of director Charles Stone III, who rose to fame after creating Budweiser's "Wassup" commercials. The urban gangster drama is loosely based on the true story of 1980s Harlem drug kingpins AZ, Rich Porter, and Alpo. (This story was also the basis for a documentary, Game Over (Part 1).) Ace (Wood Harris) works at a laundromat, struggling to get by, while his friend Mitch (Mekhi Phifer) lives the high life selling heroin. His sister's boyfriend, Calvin (Kevin Carroll) also sells drugs, and looks down on Ace for struggling to earn a living. Out delivering laundry one day, Ace meets Lulu (Esai Morales), a big time coke dealer, who lives better than anyone Ace has ever known. When Lulu leaves some coke in the pocket of a coat he's having cleaned, Ace returns it to him, and Lulu rewards him for his honesty by letting him keep the drugs. When Calvin gets busted, Ace hesitantly takes his place in the neighborhood, and starts working for Lulu. As the crack business takes off, Ace finds himself making more money than he knows what to do with. Mitch goes to jail for a short time, where another inmate, Rico (rapper Cam'ron in his acting debut), defends him in a fight. By the time Mitch gets out of prison, Ace is running the neighborhood. Ace makes Mitch his right-hand man, and when Rico gets out of jail, he joins the crew. The drugs and money flow, and Ace tries to keep everyone happy, but there are some who want what's his, and will stop at nothing to get it. Paid in Full was shown at the 2002 Urbanworld Film Festival. ~ Josh Ralske, Rovi

This environmentally conscious comedy, set in New York City, comments on a variety of social and ecological problems. Shareen Lightfoot and Claire Mayakovsky are lovers living in New York. There they try to cope with all the filth, noise pollution, and chaos. Shareen owns a garbage-clearing business, while Claire works in a sushi bar, Naga Saki, in Manhattan. When not working, the two try to educate their daughter. The lovers are appalled when they discover that the ubiquitous GX Corporation, which floods the airwaves with it's motto: "We Care," is selling deadly cat food. Trouble ensues. ~ Sandra Brennan, Rovi