Lamont Bentley Movies
A Milwaukee native and father of two who first found fame after moving to Los Angeles with his mother Loyce, an aspiring singer, Lamont Bentley first appeared onscreen in such popular television shows as Family Matters and The Parent 'Hood before making an impression on viewers with a recurring role on the popular UPN sitcom Moesha. In 2001, Bentley appeared as ill-fated rapper Tupac Shakur in the made-for-television movie Too Legit: The MC Hammer Story, with additional appearances in such features as Tales from the Hood and The Wash hinting at a successful future in features. Unfortunately Bentley's career was cut tragically short when, following appearances in the Spike Lee drama Sucker Free City and the Sticky Fingaz musical A Day in the Life, the up-and-coming actor suffered a fatal car accident while driving on the San Diego Freeway. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
This throwback to the frolicsome comedies of the 1970s is from writer/director D.J. Pooh, creator of Friday (1995) and 3 Strikes (2000). Dr. Dre stars as Sean, who's financially strapped and on the verge of losing his home and his car until his roommate Dee Loc Snoop Dogg suggests he join him as an employee at the local car wash. Tensions mount between the pals when the establishment's eccentric owner Mr. Washington (George Wallace) promotes the more mature and responsible Sean over Dee Loc, and Sean is subsequently forced to crack down on his scamming buddy's side hustles and locker room assignations with female co-workers. When their boss is kidnapped, however, Sean and Dee Loc must work together to save their employer, their jobs, and their friendship. Angell Conwell and Tom "Tiny" Lister Jr. co-star in this urban farce flavored with a hip-hop soundtrack. ~ Karl Williams, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, (more)
A man thinks he's found the woman of his dreams until he discovers someone else already had the same idea in this romantic comedy-drama with a primarily Hispanic cast. Mike (Jaime P. Gomez) is employed at a psychiatric hospital in California, where he meets Gabriela (Seidy Lopez), a young woman who is also working there while she completes her degree. Mike finds Gabriela to be sweet, charming, intelligent, and very beautiful, but there's a problem -- Gabriela has a fiancé, Pat (Zach Galligan). While Pat and Gabriela's relationship is hardly perfect -- she's very busy with work and school, and he's very devoted to his career -- Gabriela takes it very seriously, and Mike tries to resign himself to the fact that he and Gabriela are never going to be anything more than friends. But as they spend more time together, sparks begin to fly between Mike and Gabriela, forcing her to choose one man over the other. Completed in 2000, Gabriela found a distributor in 2001, when it was picked up by the independent distribution firm Power Point Films. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jaime Gomez, Seidy Lopez, (more)
- 2001
The meteoric rise and precipitous fall of the rap singer known as MC Hammer is chronicled in this made-for-TV biopic. The film recounts the protagonist's early days as impoverished Oakland youngster Stanley Burrell, who earned the nickname "Hammer" while serving as a batboy for the Athletics because of his close resemblance to baseball superstar Henry Aaron. After a brief career as a gospel singer and lay minister, he gained popularity on the music-video circuit. By the age of 27, MC Hammer was the biggest-selling recording artist in rap history, so famous that he even "appeared" on a weekly Saturday-morning TV cartoon series. Sadly, his good days were numbered, and by 1996 the singer (whose personal wealth had once been estimated at $30 million) was filing for bankruptcy. Through good times and bad, however, Hammer could count upon the love and support of his wife, Stephanie. Although Hammer himself was one of the producers of Too Legit: The MC Hammer Story, the film was unsparing in its depiction of the inner demons that helped to ruin his career. Romany Malco stars as the title character, backed up by the original master recordings of Hammer's biggest hits, while Tangi Miller is seen as Stephanie. Too Legit: The MC Hammer Story first aired on the VH1 cable network on December 19, 2001. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Romany Malco
- 1998
A homicide witness and her son are killed, and Andy (Dennis Franz) and Bobby (Jimmy Smits) think that the suspect's lawyer may have had a hand in the homicides. Elsewhere, Diane (Kim Delaney) and Jill (Andrea Thompson) investigate a missing persons case, and James (Nicholas Turturro) and Greg (Gordon Clapp) go after the peddlers of phony sports memorabilia (leading to another desultory romance for Greg). Amidst this activity, Andy is advised by his doctor to start taking Viagra, and Bobby and Diane hope to use their lunch hour to get married in a civil ceremony. This 90-minute episode was the last in NYPD Blue's fifth season. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
Frank Military and Susan Rhinehart scripted this western, a look back at the post-Civil War Black cavalry troops known as the Buffalo Soldiers, the fierce fighting unit previously covered in a PBS four-parter (1970) and an NBC pilot (1979). In the New Mexico Territory, ex-slave Sgt. Wyatt (Danny Glover) and the Buffalo soldiers arrest Captain Draper (Robert Knott) and other Texas Rangers, but politics mean the Rangers are quietly freed later. Back at Fort Craig, Wyatt reports to anti-black General Pike (Tom Bower) and Col. Grierson (Bob Gunton), a white responsible for assembling and supporting the black regiment. A search is underway for Indian chief Victorio (Harrison Lowe). Indian prophet Nana (Chesley Wilson) is tortured in an effort to get him to reveal Victorio's whereabouts. Determining that Victorio is at Rattlesnake Springs, the Buffalo Soldiers head in that direction for a confrontation. Filmed in the desert of Arizona's Cochise County, Buffalo Soldiers premiered December 7, 1997 on TNT. ~ Bhob Stewart, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Danny Glover, Bob Gunton, (more)
Boyz N the Hood meets Tales from the Crypt in this alternately horrific, funny, and socially conscious anthology film. The four grim vignettes are framed by the tale of three street hoods who break into Mr. Simm's inner-city funeral home to find a stash of drugs. The mortician puts them off, by telling them a few eerie stories about his "patrons." ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Clarence Williams III, Joe Torry, (more)
