African American Classics Movies
Blaxploitation icon Pam Grier stars as Foxy Brown, a sexy but streetwise woman whose ne'er-do-well brother Link (Antonio Fargas) is a drug dealer who owes mobsters 20,000 dollars. To get the hoods off his back, Link names Foxy's boyfriend as a government agent trying to wipe out organized crime, and the mob soon has him rubbed out. But Hell hath no fury like Foxy Brown scorned; posing as a hooker to get the inside scoop on the mob, she goes on a crusade to find out who murdered her man, and she exacts revenge with the help of a local activist group. The supporting cast includes cult figure Sid Haig as a bad guy (as usual) and Peter Brown and Kathryn Loder as a seriously kinky couple who rule the local mob. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi
- Starring:
- Pam Grier, Antonio Fargas, (more)
Ugandan dictator Idi Amin Dada was but a distant irritation to everyone but his own countrymen and the British Empire until his perfidy became headline material in the early '70s. The first director to provide an in-depth study of this gregarious madman was director Barbet Schroeder, with his General Idi Amin Dada. In this documentary, Schroeder and his crew travel to Uganda to spend several days with the despot, one-on-one. The uncomfortable truths revealed in the film are all the most amazing when one realizes that Schroeder could not release his documentary without Amin's approval. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
Bill Cosby mugs so uncontrollably that it looks as if he may be the victim of a muscular disorder in the inane and unfunny Ghost Dad. Cosby plays Elliot, a workaholic widower with three children -- Danny (Salim Grant), Amanda (Brooke Fontainbe), and the teenage Diane (Kimberly Russell). Elliot is hoping to close a big deal that will mean a promotion, more money, and lots of perks, but a cab ride with a freaked-out cab driver causes his untimely demise. Elliot discovers that he is now a ghost and has to learn to spend more time with his kids rather than worry about money and career. Otherwise, after three days, he'll be whisked away into the great beyond. ~ Paul Brenner, Rovi
- Starring:
- Bill Cosby, Kimberly Russell, (more)
Eddie Murphy followed up his Beverly Hills Cop success with this fantasy adventure that plops him right into the land of Ray Harryhausen and Indiana Jones. The plot revolves around a God-like youngster (J.L. Reate) known as a "golden child," who has been sent to Tibet to bring the gift of compassion to humanity. But the devil isn't idle, sending his emissary, Sardo Numspa (Charles Dance) to kidnap the golden child. Sardo absconds with the child and takes off to Los Angeles. In L.A., a beautiful Tibetan priestess named Kee Nang (Charlotte Lewis) seeks out Chandler Jarrell (Eddie Murphy), a social worker and self-styled "finder of lost children." She tells Chandler he has been chosen to rescue the magical child from the devil and save the world from evil. Before Chandler can let go of his first riposte, he finds himself holding a magic dagger, following a sacred parakeet, and under-going several trials by fire. He also falls in love with Kee Nang, who at one point in the film has to be brought back from the dead. ~ Paul Brenner, Rovi
- Starring:
- Eddie Murphy, Charles Dance, (more)
Although the characters' names were changed, The Great White Hope was a thinly veiled account of the trials and tribulations of boxer Jack Johnson, based on the play by Howard Sackler and directed by Martin Ritt. James Earl Jones stars as boxing great Jack Jefferson, who defeats Frank Bardy Larry Pennell in a Reno, Nevada bout to become the world's first black heavyweight champion. After crossing a state line with his white girlfriend Eleanor (Jane Alexander in her feature debut), however, Jack is arrested and tried under the miscegenation-barring Mann Act. Found guilty and sentenced to three years in prison, Jack escapes and leaves the U.S., but he's dogged by his now bad reputation and can't get honest work as a fighter. Offered his freedom from criminal charges if he'll agree to a fixed fight in Cuba that will restore the title to a white contender, Jack refuses and Eleanor commits suicide, their life on the run overwhelming her. Jack finally accepts the bout in Havana, but he fights his opponent with everything he's got. ~ Karl Williams, Rovi
- Starring:
- James Earl Jones, Jane Alexander, (more)
Reggae star Jimmy Cliff is the principal reason that The Harder They Come was one of the first truly successful films to come out of Jamaica. Cliff plays Ivan, a young would-be singer who finds the going rough when he hits the big city of Kingston. Jailed for participating in a knife fight, Ivan is exploited by a dishonest record-company executive upon his release. Turning his back on the establishment, Ivan becomes involved in the marijuana trade. He keeps the police at arm's length by offering them a slice of the action, but ultimately finds himself in the middle of a bloody raid. Ivan kills several cops and escapes, whereupon the duplicitous record exec releases Ivan's single "The Harder They Come," elevating the fugitive to the status of folk hero. The Harder They Come utilizes a take-no-prisoners approach to its material and presents an unadorned view of the seamier side of Jamaica life. The film resulted in an incredible upsurge in the popularity of reggae music in America; among the highlights in its hit-after-hit score are "You Can Really Get It If You Want It," "Sitting in Limbo," "Johnny Too Bad," and the title song. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
Undercover Brother began life as an animated series on the Internet. The satirical cartoon was created by novelist and screenwriter John Ridley (Three Kings) for the website urbanentertainment.com. Ridley wrote the screenplay with Michael McCullers, co-writer of the Austin Powers sequels, and it was directed by Malcolm D. Lee (Spike Lee's cousin, and the writer/director of The Best Man). The film stars Eddie Griffin (of TV's Malcolm and Eddie) as Undercover Brother, he of the gold Cadillac convertible and huge Afro, who uses gadgets and disguises to steal from the rich and give to the poor. His activities are discovered by the B.R.O.T.H.E.R.H.O.O.D., a spy organization devoted to subverting The Man (Robert Trumbull) and his henchman, Mr. Feather (Chris Kattan), who use their power over the media to demean black people and destroy racial unity. The spy organization is run by The Chief (Chi McBride), who is constantly screaming at his subordinates. They include Sistah Girl (Aunjanue Ellis), a beautiful martial artist, Conspiracy Brother (Dave Chappelle), who sees white supremacist plots everywhere, and Smart Brother (Gary Anthony Williams, who provided the voice of Undercover Brother in the cartoon), who supplies the operatives with gadgets and information. When a popular black political figure, General Boutwell (Billy Dee Williams), calls a press conference, presumably to announce his presidential candidacy, and instead announces that he's opening a chain of fried chicken restaurants, the B.R.O.T.H.E.R.H.O.O.D. rightly suspects foul play, and recruits Undercover Brother to look into it. He goes undercover as an uptight buppie to work for The Man, but his cover is soon blown, and the seductive White She Devil (Denise Richards) is sent in to use her feminine wiles to destroy Undercover Brother. ~ Josh Ralske, Rovi
- Starring:
- Eddie Griffin, Chris Kattan, (more)
The genesis of this Oscar-winning documentary feature was one of the more appalling miscarriages of justice in recent American history. In May of 2000, Mary Ann Stephens, a 65-year-old tourist from Georgia, was shot and killed by a black assailant in Jacksonville, FL. Anxious not to damage their tourist trade, the Jacksonville police rushed out and picked up the first black "suspect" who happened to be available: 15-year-old Brendon Butler, who at the time of his arrest, was en route to a job interview. The grieving husband of of the murder victim, who had glimpsed the killer from a distance, was virtually coerced by the arresting officers into identifying Butler as the guilty party -- and later, thanks to the strong-arm tactics of his interrogators, and without benefit of counsel, the boy confessed to a crime which he did not commit. Brash, chain-smoking public defender Pat McGuinness, sensing that the prosecution's case stank to high heaven, proceeded to mount a courtroom defense for Butler which may well survive the decades as a textbook case of brilliant jurisprudence -- while the trial itself will undoubtedly forever serve as a cautionary example of the perils and pitfalls and prejudice of "swift justice." Assembled by French documentary filmmaker Jean-Xavier de Lestrade, this 111-minute feature was originally released under the title Un coupable ideal. As Murder on a Sunday Morning, the film was afforded a Los Angeles theatrical showing in September of 2001 to qualify for the Academy Awards; most Americans, however, saw the film when it aired on the HBO cable network on April 2, 2002. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
Adversaries become wary allies in this free-wheeling action comedy. Hank Rafferty (Steve Zahn) is a Los Angeles Police Department officer who finds himself out of a job after he becomes involved in a violent altercation with police academy flunk-out Earl Montgomery (Martin Lawrence), escalating into a media event which brings the LAPD a wealth of bad publicity. Unable to find work, Hank finally takes a job as a "rent-a-cop" with a private security firm -- and discovers to his annoyance that his new partner is Earl. While neither of them are thrilled to be working together on the lowest strata of the law enforcement community, the two find themselves dealing with bigger crime than they expected when they stumble across evidence of a elite smuggling network operated by criminal mastermind Nash (Eric Roberts). Hank and Earl want to put Nash out of business, and they try without success to persuade the police of the importance of the case. But before long they discover it's not just Nash's men who are after them, but two high-ranking LAPD officials, Lt. Washington (Bill Duke) and Detective McDuff (Colm Feore). National Security was directed by Dennis Dugan, who'd previously helmed antic comedies starring Adam Sandler and Chris Farley; this film also marked Martin Lawrence's entry into the elite of Hollywood's comedy stars, with Lawrence taking home a 20-million-dollar paycheck for his work on the picture. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi
- Starring:
- Martin Lawrence, Steve Zahn, (more)
This documentary offers an inside look at Colors United, a performing-arts workshop set up as an after-school activity for at-risk teens at Jordan High School in the tough Los Angeles neighborhood of Watts. As the students rehearse a musical theater piece (a musical update of Romeo and Juliet called Watts Side Story), we learn more about the African-American and Latino teenagers involved in the project, as they struggle against the temptations of guns, drugs, and violence and use Colors United as a safe haven and a means of expressing their thoughts, fears, and aspirations. Colors Straight Up received an Academy Award nomination in 1997 for Best Documentary Feature. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi
The white-run Mafia and the black-run numbers game meet head on with explosive impact in this period crime thriller. Ellsworth "Bumpy" Johnson (Laurence Fishburne) is an African-American ex-con who, after a stay in prison, returns to Harlem at the height of its renaissance before World War II. Looking for work, Bumpy becomes a lieutenant for Stephanie St. Clair (Cicely Tyson), the queen of Harlem's numbers racket. Bumpy's old friend Illinois Gordon (Chi McBride) gently expresses his concern about Bumpy's life of crime, and social worker Francine Hughes (Vanessa L. Williams), who is attracted to Bumpy (and vice versa), suggests he should be doing something more positive with his life. But Bumpy contends that the numbers game is the only business in the community that blacks are able to control themselves. The numbers game is very profitable -- enough so that mob boss "Lucky" Luciano (Andy Garcia) wants in on the action. He assigns one of his key men, "Dutch" Schultz (Tim Roth), to try to strike a deal with Stephanie, but negotiation isn't Dutch's strong suit -- he finds that murder is a far more effective tactic in taking control of a business, and Dutch is not the sort of person who's bothered by violence. Hoodlum was director Bill Duke's second film set in the milieu of the Gangster days of the 1920s and 1930s, after his breakthrough picture A Rage in Harlem. ~ Sandra Brennan, Rovi
- Starring:
- Laurence Fishburne, Tim Roth, (more)
Richard Pryor's performance at the New York Improv on April, 29th, 1971 features the comedian giving his thoughts on sex, drugs, and race relations. Included is "Wino Preacher & Willie the Junkie," showcasing Pryor in the irreverent style that parlayed his career as a stand-up comic into a successful international star of films and television. There is an advisory warning for the strong language. ~ Dan Pavlides, Rovi
- 1998
- R
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Terry McMillan and Ron Bass wrote this screenplay based on McMillan's semi-autobiographical best-selling novel (over 2,000,000 copies in print before the release of this film). San Francisco stockbroker Stella (Angela Bassett), a 40-year-old divorcee, has a nice Marin County home and an 11-year-old son, Quincy (Michael J. Pagan). With Quincy off to see his dad, Stella and her best friend Delilah (Whoopi Goldberg) vacation in Jamaica, where she meets sexy, good-looking Winston Shakespeare (Taye Diggs). He's the man of her dreams in every way except one -- he's half her age. Even so, a romance develops. Grammy Award-winning songwriters Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis supervised the film's music and produced the R&B-slanted soundtrack album. Shown at the 1998 Urbanworld Film Festival (NY). ~ Bhob Stewart, Rovi
- Starring:
- Angela Bassett, Taye Diggs, (more)
Director Peter Werner teams with screenwriters David Stevens and Carol Schreder to adapt author Alex Haley's sprawling novel centering on the struggles of an African American family contending with racism and strife while living in the rural south. Set in the early-20th Century, the film follows aging widow Flora as she sets her sights north following the death of her husband. Though the determined matriarch had hoped to start a new life for her family away from the prejudice that gripped the American south, she discovers that their struggle is far from over when the country is plunged into the Great Depression, and the entire globe is rocked by two world wars. Later, brave black leaders fight for social change in the Civil Rights Movement, and the Black Panthers emerge as a force to be reckoned with. Through it all, Flora never loses the will to give her children the best life possible. Queen Latifah, Mario Van Peebles, Cicely Tyson, and Blair Underwood star. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi
- Starring:
- Cicely Tyson
This sports documentary examines the life and basketball career of Hakeem Olajuwon. The film briefly touches on Olajuwon's Nigerian heritage and then moves on to his recruitment and eventual signing to play basketball at the University of Houston. Olajuwon was an unusual recruit in that he had hardly ever played basketball until he reached college, but being over 7 feet tallt helped him eventually become one of the best centers to ever play the college game. After college, Olajuwon was drafted into the NBA, spending his career with the Houston Rockets, winning two championships and several personal awards. The film mainly consists of clips of Olajuwon's play and commentary from teammates, other players, coaches and sports writers. ~ Ed Atkinson, Rovi
Though not well-known outside of a small circle of rabid fans, black satirist/comedian and the star of several blaxploitation films Rudy Ray Moore (AKA "Dolemite") had a profound influence on the comedy of Richard Pryor and Eddie Murphy. This film profiles his life and career. Highlights include interviews with Moore, performance footage, and interviews with some of his more famous fans, including rappers Ice-T and Eazy-E, as well as clips from Moore's early films. ~ Sandra Brennan, Rovi
This fanciful, animated feature from French artist and director Michel Ocelot is based on a popular folk tale from West Africa. Kirikou (voice of Theo Sebeko) informs his mother from the womb that it's time for him to be born, but when she's too slow, he simply does the work himself. After learning that his parents' village is being threatened by a sorceress with a taste for human flesh, Kirikou leaps into action to save the day, encountering friends and foes along the way, including a monster who can drain waterfalls and lakes with his enormous thirst and a wise man living on a magic mountain. Kirikou and the Sorceress also features an original score by acclaimed Senegalese musician Youssou N'Dour. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi
- Starring:
- Fezele Mpeka
- 1996
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This documentary examines the evidence on both sides, of the guilt or innocence of Abu Jamal, a black man who was convicted in the 1981 murder of a white Philadelphia police officer. Now serving time on death row, Abu Jamal has always maintained his innocence, and his cause has been taken up by many activists and celebrities. Others remain skeptical of his innocence. The film presents the evidence, much of which is contradictory in nature. The ensuing controversy makes for an engrossing documentary on the nature of the judicial system in America. While in prison, Abu Jamal has become an author and NPR journalist. The documentary was taken from HBO's America Undercover series, but contains much new information, film footage, and interviews never before seen. ~ Rose of Sharon Winter, Rovi
- 1993
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Bluesland: A Portrait of American Music presents a swinging look at the history and highlights of a rich musical heritage. Rare footage and concert films fill out this 90-minute documentary. As the soundtrack for the downtrodden, the blues has blossomed in folk circles. The characters that populate its landscape are both brilliant and tragic. Such artists making appearances in Bluesland: A Portrait of American Music are Bessie Smith, B.B. King, Muddy Waters, Dinah Washington, Leadbelly, Big Bill Broonzy, and Sonny Boy Williamson. Writers Albert Murray and Robert Palmer discuss the evolution of the blues. ~ Sarah Ing, Rovi
Trevor Nunn's acclaimed 1993 production of Dubose Heyward and Ira Gershwin's classic fable of the tragic love affair between crippled Porgy (Willard White) and beautiful but troubled Bess (Cynthia Haymon) was widely acclaimed as one of the definitive stagings of one of America's best-known operas. Nunn restaged his production for a television adaptation commissioned by the BBC, and this video captures the impressive results. Gregg Baker and Damon Evans highlight the supporting cast, and the London Philharmonic (under the direction of Simon Rattle) provide the musical accompaniment. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi
Tony Todd and Baywatch babe Donna D'Errico star in the third volume in the Candyman series, in which a woman who is related to the "Candyman" of the previous stories decides it's time the family did something to clear his name. However, she inadvertently sets another series of gory killings in motion. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi
- Starring:
- Tony Todd, Nick Corri, (more)
A young African-American couple navigates the tricky paths of romance and athletics in this drama. Quincy McCall (Omar Epps) and Monica Wright (Sanaa Lathan) grew up in the same neighborhood and have known each other since childhood. As they grow into adulthood, they fall in love, but they also share another all-consuming passion: basketball. They've followed the game all their lives and have no small amount of talent on the court. As Quincy and Monica struggle to make their relationship work, they follow separate career paths though high school and college basketball and, they hope, into stardom in big-league professional ball. Love and Basketball was the first feature film for writer/director Gina Prince-Bythewood, who previously helmed several comedy specials for Dave Chappelle. Spike Lee co-produced. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi
- Starring:
- Sanaa Lathan, Omar Epps, (more)
- 2000
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A stellar roster of rock and reggae superstars pay tribute to the legendary songwriter, singer, and bandleader Bob Marley in this concert video, recorded live in Oracabessa Bay, Jamaica in late 1999. One Love: The Bob Marley Tribute Concert includes appearances by Bob's backing group the Wailers, Marley's son Ziggy Marley with his group the Melody Makers, and the Marley family. In addition, Erykah Badu, Lauryn Hill, Ben Harper, Chrissie Hynde, Tracy Chapman, Eve, Darius Rucker (of Hootie and the Blowfish), Chris Robinson (of the Black Crowes), Queen Latifah, and Toots and the Maytalls join in to perform a program of Marley's greatest songs. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi
Patrice Lumumba was a passionate advocate for freedom in colonial Africa, and when the Belgian Congo was granted independent (and was later renamed Zaire), Lumumba was the new nation's first prime minister. However, Lumumba's dream of freedom and dignity for the people of the Congo made him a controversial and dangerous figure, and this biographical drama explores his short, tumultuous life. We first encounter Lumumba (Eriq Ebouaney) in the late 1950's, when his National Congo Movement is gaining widespread public support, despite opposition from the nation's political leaders. Hoping to avoid a violent overthrow, the Belgian government begins negotiations with the NCM to turn rule of the Congo over to the citizens, and Lumumba and his political party are swept into power during the nation's first independent election. However, Lumumba's desire to bring a peaceful and orderly transfer of power soon earns him enemies of all political stripes. Militant advocates for freedom demand that white Belgian officers of the nation's military be replaced with African soldiers at once, while Belgian colonists are met with violence, sparking a revolt by the white settlers that leads to a bloody civil war. Lumumba was directed and co-written by Raoul Peck, who previously directed the acclaimed documentary Lumumba: Death of a Prophet. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi
- Starring:
- Eriq Ebouaney, Alex Descas, (more)
Matty Rich's Straight out of Brooklyn is an unflinching portrait of an African-American family struggling to survive in a Brooklyn housing project. The family's oldest son (Lawrence Gilliard Jr.) decides that the easiest way to get his family out of the projects is by robbing a local drug dealer, but that plan turns disastrous when the pusher and his gang track the boy and his family down. Rich was only 19 years old at the time he wrote and directed Straight out of Brooklyn (he also appears as Larry in the film). ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, Rovi
- Starring:
- Lawrence Gilliard, Jr., George T. Odom, (more)
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