Johnnie Hobbs Jr. Movies
A woman accused could be either a killer or a victim in this psychological drama from director Bill Duke. Valerie Maas (Aunjanue Ellis) is a God-fearing housewife and artist who one day finds herself in a situation she never imaged possible -- being questioned on murder charges by no-nonsense police detective Hicks (Lou Gossett Jr.) and Simmons (Clifton Davis), a district attorney eager to close this case. As Valerie repeatedly insists she's not a murderer, she tells the story of the last several months of her life. Valerie's husband, Dutch (Razaaq Adoti), is a psychiatrist with a practice in Atlanta who was offered a high-paying job by his old friend Monica (Paula Jai Parker), who works at a hospital in Philadelphia. Dutch takes the job and Valerie dutifully follows, and as she seeks solace in the women's support group at local church, Dutch spends more and more time with drug-abusing Monica, her wealthy but disinterested husband, Kevin (Roger Guenveur Smith), and obsessively womanizing musician Ryan Chambers (Leon). As Valerie's marriage begins to fall apart, she suspects her husband is being unfaithful, but she's shocked to discover the truth is more complicated than she imagined. Cover also stars Vivica A. Fox, Patti LaBelle, and Mya Harrison. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Louis Gossett, Jr., Vivica A. Fox, (more)
Music video director Richard Murray makes his feature debut with this hip-hop crime thriller about an ambitious kid caught in the shady underworld of the recording industry. Sam Jones III (Erik Triggs) is a wannabe rap artist working menial jobs at Ill Wax Records by day and sneaking into the studio and laying down some tracks by night. His activities have already attracted the welcome attention of Cheryl (Zo Saldana), a bodacious marketing executive. Meanwhile, the company's villainous president Bobby Starr (Dean Winters) is bullying rap phoneme Prolifik (Nelly) into doing his debut record Bobby's way. On the same night that Sam and his buddy Malik sneak into the studios, Prolifik and his master tapes are abducted and soon the prime suspect appears to be none other than Sam. With the wrathful Starr on his tail and the cops closing in, Sam is forced to find the crook responsible the crime and fast. This film played at the 2001 Toronto Film Festival. ~ Jonathan Crow, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Sam Jones III, Zoe Saldana, (more)
Four college students are forced to pay for their actions after a startling act of violence in this urban drama. Katrina (MC Lyte) is a college freshman who, after attending a big party on campus, is invited to a smaller private get-together being thrown by Will (Wood Harris), a charismatic senior. After plenty of drinking, Will and his buddies slip a dose of a "date rape" drug into Katrina's wine, and four men violate her after she's passed out. Will and his cohorts think the whole sordid matter is over the next morning, but it quickly becomes evident that Katrina is not about to forgive or forget the incident. Train Ride also features appearances by Russell Hornsby, Joe Clair, rapper Guru, and Esther Rolle in her final screen appearance (the film was released well over a year after her death in November 1998). ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Thomas Braxton Jr., Wood Harris, (more)
