Quincy Jones Movies

Interviews with Wyclef Jean, Quincy Jones, and Andy Garcia offer insight into the rich legacy of legendary Cuban vocalist Celia Cruz in this documentary exploring how one woman's voice shattered the barriers of racism and sexism across the globe. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

As originally screened at the Tribeca Film Festival, at the Cannes Film Festival, and on Turner Classic Movies, the mammoth, epic-length documentary Brando chronicles in encyclopedic detail (and with a consistently reverent overtone) the life and career of the man widely regarded as the most formidable American actor of the 20th century - famous for not only reshaping, but reinventing the craft of film acting and teaching audiences how to view a motion picture performance. Divided into chronological, thematically-unified segments, the film first treats Marlon Brando's dysfunctional upbringing - his alcoholic mother, his abusive father, his stint at a military academy - before charting his acting tutelage at the behest of Stella Adler and his early cinematic and theatrical roles, including work for Elia Kazan, who famously made many aggressive (and unsuccessful) attempts to discipline the headstrong actor onscreen. Throughout this segment, many Hollywood A-list actors appear - among them, Al Pacino, Johnny Depp and Robert Duvall - expostulating at length on Brando's influence over their approaches to performance, and attempting with great effort to define the elusive style known as "method acting" that Brando helped to create. The second half of the documentary moves into Brando's career during the '70s, '80s and '90s, covering the production of The Godfather, the actor's noteworthy political activism, and his tumultuous personal life. Francis Ford Coppola, who of course teamed with Brando for the first Godfather installment and for Apocalypse Now, is noticeably absent from the proceedings. ~ Nathan Southern, Rovi

A coproduction of the BET network and filmmaker-musical producer QDIII (aka Quincy Jones III, Beef: The Series offered insight and intimate detail vis-à-vis the many "celebrity conflicts" which permeated showbiz in general and the Hip Hop field in particular. Amoong those featured were the well-publicized (and sometimes not so well-publicized) feuds between Kobe and Shaq, 50 Cent and Ja Rule, R. Kelly and Jay Z, Li'l Romeo and Bow Wow, former Dogg Pound colleagues Daz and Kurupt, and--perhaps inevitably, since this was a cable series--the battle between Dave Chapelle and Comedy Central. Though viewers tuned in to watch the sparks (and insults) fly, producer QD3 insisted that it was not his purpose to "promote negativity", and went out of his way to bring many of the cobatants together on neutral ground to air their differences in a mature, level-headed fashion. Beef: The Series premiered on October 4, 2006. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Rockin' the Corps documents a music and comedy concert held to honor Marines returning from Iraq. The concert offers a variety of acts including the hard rocking Kiss and Ted Nugent, the hip-hop sound of Ja Rule, the smooth R&B of Destiny's Child, and the comedy of Cedric the Entertainer, Louie Anderson, and Jay Mohr. ~ Perry Seibert, Rovi

The Art of 16 Bars features interviews with major hip-hop stars that involve them discussing how they rose to prominence. Among the artists who offer their insights are 50 Cent, Nas, Kanye West, Russell Simmons, and The RZA. ~ Perry Seibert, Rovi

The biggest names in show business come together to offer their opinions on one of the most inflammatory words in the English language in filmmaker Todd Williams' revealing and thought-provoking documentary. In its long and complex history, the word "nigger" has gone from a cutting and derogatory racial slur to a term of endearment frequently used by African-American youth culture. Though the word has in a sense been "taken back" by the very people that it targeted, it still has the power to anger and enrage when taken out of its new context. As a variety of celebrities including Quincy Jones, Russell Simmons, George Carlin, Damon Dash, and Bryant Gumbel offer their opinions on this polarizing word, the taboo of language is broken to reveal an ever-changing society that is constantly attempting to make sense of a dark past while simultaneously attempting to build a brighter future. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

Documentary filmmaker Thomas Gibson directed this investigation into the rise of the Republican right wing in America, and how this has impacted the African-American community. Letter to the President explores the different way in which the policies Reagan and Bush administrations have damaged the lives of black youth, from the government-approved distribution of crack cocaine in inner-city neighborhoods to economic policies that have widened the divide between the rich and the poor. Gibson's film also parallels this phenomenon with the rise of rap and hip-hop music, and how these styles have provided a voice for disenfranchised youth. Letter to the President includes interviews with KRS-One, 50 Cent, Damon Dash, Ghostface Killah, Dick Gregory, Amiri Baraka, and many more; Snoop Dogg narrates. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

Acclaimed documentary filmmaker Peter Spirer (Rhyme & Reason, East Coast Mix, Volume 1: Another Reason to Rhyme, BloodTies) directs this look at the life and art of rap artist Tupac Shakur. In addition to rare footage of Shakur, the film includes interviews with significant members of the rap world like Suge Knight and Snoop Dogg. ~ Perry Seibert, Rovi

Set in the institutionally segregated New Orleans of 1965, the made-for-cable Passing Glory is the story of black priest Father Joseph Verrett (Andre Braugher) and his efforts to arrange the first integrated high-school basketball game in the city's history. Against the wishes of trepid white parish leader Father Robert Grant (Rip Torn), Fr. Verrett encourages the team members of the all-black -- and undefeated -- St. Augustine High School basketball team to prepare to play the equally successful all-white team of Jesuit Prep. Throughout it all, Fr. Verrett must learn to curb his own impatience over the racial status quo, and to keep his own faith afloat. Although some of the scenes are drawn in broad, unsubtle strokes -- especially those involving the bigoted father of Jesuit Prep's best player -- the film is thoroughly credible, right down to the last-second winning basket. Earning extra points for having its heart in the right place, Passing Glory made its TNT cable network bow on February 21, 1999. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Low-rent, poorly-lit superhero action is the order of the day in this film from television director Kenneth Johnson -- who makes several references to his series Alien Nation throughout the course of the movie. NBA basketball superstar Shaquille O'Neal stars as John Henry Irons, a weapons designer and metallurgical genius who is developing a new sonic weapon for the military with the help of Sparks (Annabeth Gish), a computer whiz. When an accident caused by unscrupulous superior Nathaniel Burke (Judd Nelson) leaves Sparks paralyzed, Irons quits his job in disgust. It turns out later that Burke has begun mass-producing the weapon and selling it to terrorists and L.A. street gangs, so Irons and Sparks team up with Uncle Joe (Richard Roundtree), a junkyard artist, to create a suit of armor and a gadget-packed sledgehammer. Irons dons the suit and becomes known as the superhero Steel, who kicks criminal posterior all over the city with his impenetrable get-up and high-tech gizmos. Before long, Burke's comeuppance is in the offing. Although specific references to it were excised between the source material and script, the original DC Comics version of Steel was a spin-off of the Superman comics series. ~ Karl Williams, Rovi

Volume Seven of this 10-part series has interviews and profiles of such greats as Hendrix, Page, Townsend, and Van Halen; guys so big you only need to know their last names to know you're in the presence of masters. Make way for the ax masters! Lots of history and gritty low-down about the average Guitar God's life, including the crude and not-so-pretty bits. They tell it like it is. ~ Leslie Birdwell, Rovi

The History of Rock 'n' Roll, Volume Eight: The 70's is part of the ten-volume Time-Warner History of Rock 'n' Roll set. Each of the ten volumes covers a specific aspect of the exciting cultural phenomenon of rock music, documenting everything from Elvis "the Pelvis" Presley to the MTV revolution. Volume Eight: The 70's, Have a Nice Decade looks at musical innovations such as metal, glam, disco, reggae, and funk. The program also discusses the work of vintage superstars Elton John, Steely Dan, Pink Floyd, Peter Frampton, and Bruce Springsteen. ~ Betsy Boyd, Rovi