2017-10-30 03:18
It's been two weeks since the New York Film Festival wrapped, nearly 4 weeks since Hollywood has imploded following the news of Harvey Weinstein's dirty behavior, and there is a lot to talk… Read More
Blog Directory > Arts & Entertainment Blogs > Reel Talk Online arts-and-entertainment Blog >
2017-09-23 03:30
It's the time of year when Stephen King reminds us that he is the king of terror. He's having a major year, what with the IT remake killing it at the box office and the small scree… Read More
2017-09-23 03:12
Some of you may already know what I am going to say here. But I am going to back into it anyway. STRONGER, the new Boston Marathon bombing movie starring Jake Gyllenhaal and Tatiana Maslany… Read More
2017-09-07 04:52
Let's all hail George Takei, who made it off the Starship Enterprise decades ago and since become a nerd icon and important human rights activist. He continues to do the Lord's work today by… Read More
2017-09-07 03:41
The world has been in desperate need for an epic drama from a black woman director for quite some time time (Ava Duvernay's Selma was three whole years ago, during which time there have been… Read More
2017-08-17 01:15
I'm here for Hollywood icons telling their stories in their own words in documentary form. Because too often their stories are distorted or downright inaccurate in feature films--especially… Read More
2017-08-16 02:52
None of that headline is actually me being facetious. It's true. Justin Simien, the writer/director behind both the TV and film versions of the race "satire" Dear White People, has signed on… Read More
2017-08-09 11:31
Hey good people,I, along with Jamie Broadnax and Valerie Complex (both from Black Girl Nerds), have just submitted a panel discussion Women of Color Film Critics and Representation for… Read More
2017-08-09 04:29
Come hell or high water, I do plan to cover the New York Film Festival again this year. And, judging by the main slate of films just announced by the Film Society of Lincoln Center, it's goi… Read More
2017-08-02 03:15
If there is one film I kept hearing about out of Sundance this year, it is this one. CALL ME BY YOUR NAME is said to be charming and soul stirring work from Italian director Luca Guadag… Read More
2017-07-28 03:03
Literally every single time I think that I want to move to the suburbs when I grow up, I think about every single horror movie and the fact most heinous, unsolved murders happen in Suburbia… Read More
2017-07-24 11:00
I'l have to assume that there will come a day when a black woman headlining a film isn't cause for a think piece, social media hashtag, and a parade. But today is still not that day. And I d… Read More
2017-07-19 04:18
Well, I'll be doggone. The Wonder Woman comic was inspired by two badass queer women? And we get to see their story on the big screen, written and directed by a queer woman of color (Angela… Read More
2017-07-17 12:18
For what it's worth, LANDLINE is just about the most harmless film you'll watch this year. It's not bad. It's not great. But it is unremarkable.The most interesting thing about it is the fac… Read More
2017-07-07 11:00
Make no mistake: what we've seen with the latest contributions to the Planet of the Apes franchise is in a word, spectacular. From the special effects to the astonishing performances led by… Read More
2017-06-30 03:28
So, one of my writer friends insists that this is "the female version of The Hangover." Take from that what you will. The Hangover is actually a movie I can't seem to quit, but I have never… Read More
2017-06-28 11:00
For all intents and purposes, writer/director Edgar Wright's BABY DRIVER is having a moment. Here it is, at the height of summer and, most of us still thinking that Wonder Woman is… Read More
2017-06-23 13:16
Sofia Coppola has a problem. I don't know if it's her privileged Hollywood upbringing or what, but she is fascinated by the mundane, detached, and the overwhelming emptiness of life. But my… Read More
2017-06-22 11:00
In case you've been underground, the trailer for director Ryan Coogler's Black Panther hit recently and it was everything dreams are made of, and puts Chadwick Boseman at the forefront… Read More
2017-06-21 11:00
No matter where you fell with it, The Get Down, which was abruptly canceled by Netflix recently, at least it centered on young characters of color who were given the agency they deserve to c… Read More
2017-06-19 11:00
I will always find it interesting when people fail to recognize (or flat out dismiss) a political statement, even despite the subtlety of the situation and the argument of "how far we've com… Read More
2017-06-17 02:59
Okay, first of all, if you still haven't seen Hell or High Water you are losing at life, big time. And not because Jeff Bridges is in it. Though his performance was hyped up, let the record… Read More
2017-06-15 11:00
I know, right? It's so cliche. Two young women look to spice up their summer and take their minds off things like sour breakups by going deep sea diving in the middle of the ocean, hoping to… Read More
2017-06-07 14:11
For a film that's supposedly "the first to address Trump-era issues this year," BEATRIZ AT DINNER quickly destroys the very character it aims to present as a social justice warrior… Read More
2017-05-23 11:00
Gina Prince-Bythewood and a scene from Shots Fired featuring DeWanda WiseIf you haven't been watching SHOTS FIRED on Fox, then you've been missing out on one of the smartest, timely, an… Read More
2017-05-22 11:21
Koroma with producer Jaeki ChoI maintain that director Salima Koroma's feature documentary, BAD RAP, was one of the most unexpected, personal, and bold non-fiction narratives at last year's… Read More
2017-05-22 02:40
You've gotta hand it to Sean "Puff Daddy" Combs (yes, I still call him Puff Daddy); he is always on message. Twenty -four years ago he founded Bad Boy Records, which became the preeminent hi… Read More
2017-05-19 03:01
Can I tell you how excited I am to see a young girl of color play a badass heroine in a major motion picture again? I feel like we haven't seen this since...Beasts of the Southern Wild? In a… Read More
2017-05-17 11:00
Please tell me that Steve Carrell and Emma Stone have much better chemistry in BATTLE OF THE SEXES than they do in the trailer. Also, please tell me that Hollywood is not trying to turn Emma… Read More
2017-05-17 03:24
The first thing I thought when I saw this trailer for 47 METERS DOWN, in which Mandy Moore is terrorized by bloodthirsty shark, is "But if you eat Mandy Moore, who will take care of the thre… Read More
2017-05-11 12:28
SNATCHED starts off innocent enough, for Amy Schumer standards. Emily (Schumer), a young woman with her head up her own a$$, is all hyped for her impending Ecuadorian vacation with her boyfr… Read More
2017-05-11 02:13
It was just four years ago when Lakeith Stanfield seemingly dropped out of the sky and captivated audiences in Short Term 12. Since then he's continued to take on bolder and more interesting… Read More
2017-05-08 12:17
There's a moment early in director Ridley Scott's new film ALIEN COVENANT that pretty much sets up the remainder of the film. It's about 30 minutes in, and a series of fatal errors have alre… Read More
2017-04-28 11:00
Literally, every time I think of Whitney Houston, I get sad. Her untimely death in 2012, though some may argue we saw coming for at least a decade, still devastates me something awful. When… Read More
2017-04-27 18:00
In just one week's time, the 2017 Tribeca Film Festival has managed to highlight a remarkable variety of films and conversations that highlight diverse storytelling, genres, characters, cult… Read More
2017-04-27 02:39
The always amazing Helen Mirren continues to live her best life ever, defying ageism in Hollywood by playing everything from badass action heroes to villainesses and Queen Elizabeth. Next up… Read More
2017-04-26 11:30
Literally as I started writing this review, a headline flashed across my TV screen highlighting yet another trans woman of color who was senselessly killed while she was out minding her busi… Read More
2017-04-26 11:00
Films like PSYCHOPATHS, which premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival, are the reasons why horror snobs hate the genre so much: no originality, gratuitous gore, and no identity of t… Read More
2017-04-25 11:30
It's no secret that white men embody the largest percentage of serial killers in the United States. Which immediately begs the question, why? What incites such rage in white males, the most… Read More
2017-04-25 11:00
Hi. Have you heard the name Cate Blanchett, two-time Academy Award-winning actress? She's pretty great, been in a few good movies. Perhaps you've heard of her? Well, if you haven't, please s… Read More
2017-04-24 11:00
As omnipresent as music mogul Clive Davis is, I have to say I have never been interested in learning more about his personal life outside of the countless recording artists he's mentored and… Read More
2017-04-22 01:00
Despite its astounding resonance, it's strange to look back on the L.A. riots now as an adult. Twenty-five years ago this month I was just 10 years old (almost 11, as I would have said then)… Read More
2017-04-21 03:31
Rarely does a horror filmmaker come out the gate with a narrative so layered and complex, yet so primal that it stays in your mind long after you've seen it. Such is the case of Ben Young, w… Read More
2017-04-21 00:20
So, let's just say I have yet to warm up to Lily Collins as an actress. And that maybe the fact that her dad is Phil Collins has nothing to do with her apparently thriving career. Yeah, let'… Read More
2017-04-20 00:11
Black teenage mothers are still some of the most misrepresented and stereotyped people in the U.S., and those negative images have only been perpetuated on the big screen. Which makes a docu… Read More
2017-04-19 20:38
Those of you who have been following this site for a while know that, try as I might, anthology horror films fail to impress me. They tend to be inconsistent, B minus iterations of the genre… Read More
2017-04-17 11:38
We usually hear the story in the same way. The acquittal of four white police officers in the brutal 1992 beating of Rodney King in Los Angeles led to what has simply been referred to as the… Read More
2017-04-13 06:59
If you're unfamiliar with the 1967 Detroit riot, one of the most violent racially-charged civil disturbances ever in U.S. history, it will behoove you to do some Google fact checking before… Read More
2017-04-13 06:31
A few weeks after the U.S. presidential election of Donald Trump last year, my friends began to worry about what was to become of the social order in America—whether our white friends… Read More
2017-04-10 11:00
At a time when jazz is populating mainstream cinema and helping white filmmakers win Oscars, it seems a good time to revisit some of the important voices that helped re-energize the genre an… Read More
2017-04-07 03:30
Back in the '90s, filmmakers like John Singleton and Spike Lee were at the top of their games, bringing African-American narratives to the forefront and on the big screen, making big bucks a… Read More
2017-04-04 11:00
If you pay attention to its log line, you might assume THE TRANSFIGURATION is a love story about two quirky teens who geek out over genre fiction and vampire lore. It's not, not exclusively… Read More
2017-04-03 11:00
For what it's worth, you'll likely not see another film like COLOSSAL in theaters this year. And I can't imagine that you would want to. Kudos to writer/director Nacho Vigalondo for com… Read More
2017-04-01 04:52
It's been several months and still no one has been able to answer me about why Dominic Toretto and his wily gang of speed chasing hustlers have abandoned their "Fast" moniker and are now ope… Read More
2017-03-30 14:31
As reproductive rights continue to be threatened in Trump America, it makes you look at pregnancy and period horror—two of the genre's most prominent tropes—a little differe… Read More
2017-03-24 03:03
I always knew Frances McDormand was my spirit animal. Now her shade has risen to its full potential in writer/director Martin McDonagh's (In Bruges) kooky yet grave drama, THREE BILLBOA… Read More
2017-03-22 13:31
If it ain't broke, don't fix it, right? Though I Am Not Your Negro didn't win the best documentary Oscar last month, it's still one of the most successful docs at the 2017 box office (grossi… Read More
2017-03-22 04:05
It's hard to get comfortable with the fact that the corrupt, totalitarian future George Owell predicted in his 1949 dystopian novel, 1984, is eerily aligned with the society we're living in… Read More
2017-03-20 11:00
I've never liked the idea of liking a movie out of obligation, appreciating a movie because a particular filmmaker is so "respected" and "creates real art" that we need to "appreciate" it. S… Read More
2017-03-17 13:15
I feel like we don't honor Noomi Rapace enough. Beginning in 2009, she embodied one of the most complex woman characters the big screen has ever seen as the title role in the Swedish trilogy… Read More
2017-03-16 11:00
With just a few more days left of SXSW, the festival has announced its 2017 Jury and Special Awards, which include two engrossing narrative short films that defy genre and expectations… Read More
2017-03-15 12:56
Similar to The Purge, THE BELKO EXPERIMENT is an obscene horror populated with seemingly innocuous characters ready to take lives at a moment's notice as soon as repercussions are no lo… Read More
2017-03-13 11:00
You know you're watching a good short film when it leaves you hungry for more. And that's just what DO NO HARM, which premiered at SXSW Festival, left me feeling. That's not to say that… Read More
2017-03-11 13:00
I know some of you were weary of yet another film-to-TV adaptation, but guys, Animal Kingdom on TNT is the kind of low-key crazy family drama that you never knew you needed in your lives. An… Read More
2017-03-11 12:00
I'm going to try to not get in my feelings as I gush over these images of Ruth Negga in the new season of AMC's Preacher and not think about how she was robbed of an Oscar for her performanc… Read More
2017-03-11 04:15
LITTLE BOXES, a subtly profound yet quirky dramedy (and one of my favorite movies at last year's Tribeca Film Festival), now has a trailer. So now you all can see what I've been raving about… Read More
2017-03-10 14:07
As you may remember, I wasn't gung ho about the first season of Baz Luhrmann's hip-hop origin series, The Get Down, Part I. Mostly because the storylines were so oversaturated. But it had en… Read More
2017-03-09 04:31
I should have known that when Nas, one of the greatest rappers of all time, opened the 2014 Tribeca Film Festival with his biographical documentary, it would only be a matter of time when Pu… Read More
2017-03-08 05:06
The 2017 Tribeca Film Festival lineup is looking really good so far. Today's press release unveils an impressive slate of short films—of which 40% were directed by women—curated… Read More
2017-03-06 12:00
In writer/director Onur Tukel's CATFIGHT, Sandra Oh and Anne Heche are literally at each other's throats. No, this is not a metaphor. Throughout nearly the entire 90-minute film, two of Holl… Read More
2017-03-04 05:22
If you're like me, you're still suffering from Oscar hangover and it hasn't even been a week yet. But, we're in the thick of film festival season, which means it's time to start looking ahea… Read More
2017-03-01 12:00
Those of you who loved writer/director Bong Joon-ho's Snowpiercer will want to pay attention to his new genre film, a Netflix original, starring Jake Gyllenhaal, Tilda Swinton, Giancarlo Esp… Read More
2017-02-28 12:00
Yes, I could have written that headline differently, but I think we all need to get used to saying "Oscar winner Suicide Squad." Because that, in fact, is neither fake news nor a drill. This… Read More
2017-02-27 09:25
And finally, after a wacky ending to a sadly predictable Academy Awards ceremony Sunday evening, Moonlight, the actual best film from 2016, takes home the night's most prestigious award for… Read More
2017-02-26 02:19
I know I say this every year, but the Film Independent Spirit Awards just get it. You know you're watching the right award show if Moonlight becomes the film with the most amount of awards o… Read More
2017-02-25 04:43
I've always had a thing for coming-of-age films that are slightly off kilter and unexpected. Such seems to be the case with THE TRANSFORMATION, a film in which a young black boy and a white… Read More
2017-02-23 13:24
The best supporting actress Oscar category may be the one I have the least complaints about. Really, I don't hate any of the performances. Do I like some more than others? I mean, are there… Read More
2017-02-23 12:30
This may be the truest form of a teaser I've seen in a long while. From director Ridley Scott's ALIEN: COVENANT, this clip titled Last Supper introduces the ensemble cast (includin… Read More
2017-02-23 03:46
If you're like me, you've been feening for a new film from Charlie McDowell, who directed the out-of-nowhere amazing The One I Love, for what seems like forever. That wait is finally ov… Read More
2017-02-22 14:54
One of this year's most talked about categories, best supporting actor not only represents cultural diversity, but also themes and age demographic. Still, there should be only one clear winn… Read More
2017-02-21 12:00
Every time I look at Oscar's best actress category, it reminds me of nothing but missed opportunities (seriously, no Annette Bening, Amy Adams, or Taraji P. Henson?). So, choosing the best s… Read More
2017-02-20 12:00
Over the years, the Oscar telecast has neglected to show clips from the nominated performances, which has always bugged me - partly because it's the last time we get to see why those perform… Read More
2017-02-19 02:17
As some of you may already know, I'm not a fan of writer/director Terrence Malick. I guess you can identify me as someone who appreciates his work but, like so many other revered filmmakers… Read More
2017-02-14 04:31
You may remember how much I salivated over 2015's A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night directed by Ana Lily Amirpour. It was a striking, haunting, and completely out-of-left field full length fe… Read More
2017-02-10 12:00
Few situations are as anxiety-inducing as meeting your significant other's parents for the first time. While you're eager to find out whether they'll like you, you're also sizing them up on… Read More
2017-02-10 05:12
I have now attempted to write this review of director Amma Asante's new film, A UNITED KINGDOM, four times. Which is weird because it's not a bad film; it just doesn't leave an impression. S… Read More
2017-02-09 05:03
I'll admit, the first few seconds of this trailer for THE BEGUILED, writer/director Sofia Coppola's latest, had me bored stiff. Another well draped period film that entails several wome… Read More
2017-02-08 05:17
If you've been following this blog for a while, then you probably already know that I have a soft spot for genre film. Literally, the darker the better. The kookier the better. So you can im… Read More
2017-02-06 12:00
With so many contemporary mainstream American horror films now biting off the vintage style of the '60s and '70s, a defining time for the genre, what does it say when a filmmaker seeks to re… Read More
2017-02-04 04:31
By the way, I was on ABC News Digital this week, bashing La La Land talking about the Oscar race coming off the Screen Actors Guild Awards last weekend. With my partners in the ring, ho… Read More
2017-02-04 03:35
I think the film shorts are the only Oscar categories for which I haven't see a single nominee, about which I am ashamed. Luckily, Shorts HD has just released a trailer compilation for each… Read More
2017-02-03 04:18
Today the 2017 Tribeca Film Festival announced that their opening night film will be CLIVE DAVIS: THE SOUNDTRACK OF OUR LIVES, followed by a concert featuring Aretha Franklin, Jennifer Hudso… Read More
2017-02-01 05:08
As some of you already know, I'll be headed to the South by Southwest (SXSW) Festival in March, and I have already begun forming my to-watch list. Just today, an announcement from the festiv… Read More
2017-01-30 04:52
Long overdueIn a move great enough to nearly return the Earth back on its axis in these horrifying times, Denzel Washington finally wins a Best Actor Screen Actors Guild Award for his tremen… Read More
2017-01-25 14:52
Likely still on a high from yesterday's Oscar nominations announcement, four of my favorite nominees shared their reactions to receiving Hollywood's highest honor (statements from Focus Feat… Read More
2017-01-24 15:24
I chose this pic from Nocturnal Animals because of the epic side eyeSo, this happened. Hacksaw Ridge (you know, one of the most mediocre films last year) made it all the way to the best pict… Read More
2017-01-22 05:16
Are we really surprised? A filmmaker who has a track record of luring us into a movie with a great premise, keeping our attention for a while, then whacking us on the head with a foam hammer… Read More
2017-01-18 04:04
I kinda love that in its flurry to win the Guinness record for producing the most original content in the shortest amount of time, Netflix found a way to squeeze out an anti-Valentine film w… Read More
2017-01-16 23:25
I was really kinda hoping to kick off the new year with a great horror movie, or even a decent one. Last winter 10 Cloverfield Lane was a pleasant surprise in the first quarter of 2016… Read More
2017-01-11 04:15
It's bad when so many random acts of violence happen in seemingly such a short amount of time, consecutively, that they begin to run together. That's kind of what happened with me when I hea… Read More
Subscribe to Reel Talk Online
Get updates delivered right to your inbox!