Negromancer News Bits and Bites from February 14th to 20th, 2021 - Update #29

by Leroy Douresseaux a.k.a. "I Reads You"

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ENTERTAINMENT AND CULTURE NEWS: 

MOVIES - From Deadline:  Edgar Wright ("Baby Driver") will co-write and direct a new film adaptation of Stephen King's 1982 novel, "The Running Man" (published under the pen name Richard Bachman).  It will not be a remake of the 1987 film adaptation of the novel, which starred Arnold Schwarzenegger.

MOVIES - From Deadline:  Thanks to various sexual harassment and misconduct allegations, Hollywood power house, Brett Ratner, has not directed a film since 2014's Hercules.  He is ready to make his comeback with a biopic of disgraced musical act, "Milli Vanilli." 

DISNEY - From YahooEntertainment:   Disney's new animated film, "Raya and the Last Dragon" introduces the first Southeast Asian Disney princess and heroine.

TELEVISION - From BleedingCool:  AMC and streaming service Shudder are developing a horror anthology series that showcases horror stories from Black directors and writers.

AWARDS - From Deadline: The nominations for the 2021 / 21st annual Black Reel Awards have been announced.

TELEVISION - From Deadline:  CBS has cancelled its long-running sitcom, "Mom," after eight seasons.  The finale is set for May 6th, 2021.

From Deadline:  CBS is ending "NCIS: New Orleans" after seven seasons.  The series finale will end May 16th, 2021.

TRAILER - From YouTube:   This is the first  "official restricted trailer" for the "Mortal Kombat" reboot, which arrives on HBO Max April 16, 2021.

CELEBRITY - From Deadline:  Ashley Judd is sharing photos and details about her recent African misadventure, which included shattering her leg in a jungle in the Congo last week.

MOVIES - From Variety:   Oscar-winning will produce and star in a film about Shirley Chisholm, the first Black congresswoman.  Oscar-winning screenwriter, John Ridley, will write and direct the film.

STREAMING - From ShadowandAct:   Netflix's Kevin Hart-Wesley Snipes drama series, "True Story," adds Lauren London, Will Catlett and more new cast.

MOVIES - From Deadline:   Keke Palmer will star in director Jordan Peele's next film.  Little is known about the film, and Oscar-nominated actor, Daniel Kaluuya, is in negotiations to also star in the film.

MOVIES - From IndieWire:   Oscar-winning director Martin Scorsese takes aim at streaming’s lack of curation and core: "cinema Is being devalued by content."

AWARDS - From Deadline:   The nominations for the 2021 / 73rd annaul Writers Guild of America Awards have been announced.

DISNEY - From Vulture:   Disney unveils new "Cruella" poster featuring Emma Stone.

POLITICS - From Truthout:  An alarming revelation from a Republican senator, Sen. Tommy Tuberville, on Wednesday night suggests that former President Donald Trump continued to incite his mob of loyalists during the Capitol breach on January 6 even after learning that his then-vice president, Mike Pence's life was in danger.

MOVIES - From CBR:  As Zack Snyder awaits the release of his new film, "Zack Snyder's Justice League," he talks about developing a faithful adaptation of the King Arthur legend.

DISNEY - From THR:   Digital TV Research says that the streaming service, Disney+, will have more subscribers in 2026 than Netflix's streaming service.  However, it says that Disney+ will only have more subscribers than Netflix in only one country - India.

MUSIC - From CNN:   Rapper Nicki Minaj's father, 64-year-old Robert Maraj, dies in hit-and-run that occurred in Mineola, Long Island, police say.

BOX OFFICE - From Deadline:   The winner of the 2/12 to 2/14/2021 weekend box office is "Croods: A New Age" with an estimated take of 2.66 million dollars.  The film, from DreamWorks Animation, was originally a Thanksgiving 2020 release.

From Variety:   The Chinese New Year led to a record-breaking holiday weekend at the Chinese box office - 775 million dollars.  "Detective Chinatown 3" lead the way with a record 424 million dollar debut.

From Deadline:  Director Nate Parker's "American Skin" becomes distributor, Vertical Entertainment's highest grossing PVOD (premium video on demand) release.

From Deadline:   "The Mauritanian," "The World To Come," and "Willy’s Wonderland" battle at the specialty box office.

CRIME - From YahooNews:  Attacks on older Asians stoke fear as Lunar New Year begins

CULTURE - From CNN:  People reflect on losing parents to the QAnon conspiracy.

COMICS TO MOVIES - DC CINEMA - From YouTube:   There is a new trailer (Sun., Feb. 14th) for the film now known as "Zack Snyder's Justice League."

MOVIES - From YahooEntertainment:   This year is the 30th anniversary of the release of the eventual "Best Picture" Oscar winner, "Silence of the Lambs."  Star Jodie Foster admits in a new interview that she was afraid of co-star Anthony Hopkins, who played the infamous "Hannibal Lecter."

MUSIC - From Variety:   In the wake of accusations of sexism and misogyny against Justin Timberlake regarding his treatment of former girlfriend Britney Spears, and the “wardrobe malfunction” with Janet Jackson at the Super Bowl in 2004, he has apologized to both women in an Instagram post.

OBITS:

From Deadline:   Stage, film, and television actor, Christopher Pennock, has died at the age of 76, Friday, February 12, 2021.  He is best know for playing "Gabriel Collins" on the final season of the former ABC soap opera, "Dark Shadows" (1966-1971).  Pennock also appeared in numerous other daytime and primetime soap operas, including "General Hospital," "The Young and the Restless," and "Knots Landing," to name a few.

From YahooSports:   Former NFL player, Vincent Jackson, has died at the age of 38, Monday, February 15, 2021.  He was found dead in a hotel in Brandon, a suburb of Tampa, Florida.  He played 12 years in the NFL as a wide receiver, first for the San Diego Chargers (2005-2011) and then, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2012-2016).  He was a three-time Pro Bowl player (2009-2011).

Negromancer News Bits and Bites from December 9th to 15th, 2018 - Update #25

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AWARDS - From TheWrap:  The 2018 European Film Awards named director Pawel Pawlikowski's "Cold War" the "Best European Film" of 2018.

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SCANDAL - From YahooEntertainment:  Jennifer Lawrence denies claims made in a lawsuit that she had a sexual relationship with disgraced movie mogul, Harvey Weinstein.

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TELEVISION - From THR:  Disney has fired actor Stoney Westmoreland from its Disney Channel TV series, "Andi Mack."  Westmoreland was arrested in Utah after he used an online dating app to attempt a sexual liason with a 13-year-old.

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STREAMING - From Deadline:  Apple TV lands rights to produced new content based on the classic comic strip, "Peanuts."

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SCANDAL - From Deadline:  CBS secretly settled a sexual harassment claim by Eliza Dushku for $9.5 million.  The claim concerned Dushku's appearance on the current CBS TV series, "Bull," and its star, Michael Weatherly.

From YahooTV:  Cybill Shepherd says that CBS' now-disgraced for chairman, Les Moonves, cancelled her 1990s CBS comedy series, "Cybill," because she would not have sexual relations with him.

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MUSIC - From BleedingCool:  The 2019 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductee class will include Janet Jackson, Radiohead, The Cure, Stevie Nicks, Roxy Music, Def Leppard, and The Zombies.  The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony is scheduled to take place on  March 29th 2019 at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, with a tv broadcast scheduled to air on HBO at a later date.

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STREAMING - From Collider:   Steven Yeun, best known for playing Glenn Rhee on "The Walking Dead," will star in an episode of Jordan Peele's "The Twilight Zone" for CBS All Access.

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PIXAR - From Deadline:   Chris Pratt, Tom Holland, Octavia Butler, and Julia Louis-Dreyfus lead the voice cast of Pixar's film, "Onward," which is being directed by Dan Scanlon and is due March 2020.

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AWARDS - From TheWrap:  The 2019 Screen Actors Guild Awards nominations have been announced.

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STREAMING - From TVLine:  Netflix has greenlit a biographical series based on the life of slain Tejano music singer, the late Selena Quintanilla-Perez a.k.a. "Selena."

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CULTURE - From TIME:  "Time Magazines'" has named is "Person of the Year" for 2018, and it is "The Guardians and the War on Truth," with an emphasis on murdered Saudi journalist, Jamal Khashoggi.

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COMICS - From THR:  There is a new comic book publisher, TKO Studios, that wants to change the way readers buy comic books.

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MOVIES - From TheDailyBeast:  Director Adam McKay, who is seeing the release of his Dick Cheney film, "Vice," talks about the time he was forced to film a Donald Trump cameo for his film, "The Other Guys."  Apparently, if you want to film on a Trump property, you have to film a cameo of Trump for your film.

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TELEVISION - From Variety:  Starz's hit series, "Power," has shut down production of its sixth season after a production assistant was killed in an on-set accident.

From Deadline:  NBC is developing "Conway," a detective series from Vin Diesel and his One Race TV company and also Universal Television.

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STREAMING - From THR:  Netflix has ordered its first "African original" series, "Queen Sono."

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BOX OFFICE - From BoxOfficeMojo:  The winner of the 12/7to 12/9/2018 weekend box office is "Ralph Breaks the Internet" with an estimated take of $16.1 million.  This is the film's third week in the top spot.

From TheWrap:  Warner Bros. opened its upcoming DC Comics' superhero flick, "Aquaman," in China, two weeks before its U.S. debut.  The result is a $93 million opening weekend in China.

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AWARDS - From TheWrap:  Los Angeles Film Critics Association name Alfonso Cuaron's "Roma" the best film of 2018.

From THR:  The New York Film Critics Online also name "Roma" best film of 2018.

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ECO - From RSN:  How the Iconic 1968 Earthrise Photo Changed Our Relationship to the Planet

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STREAMING - From SlashFilm:  "Sister Act 3" is being produced for the streaming service, Disney+.  Whoopi Goldberg, who starred in the first two films, will not be involved with the new film... reportedly.

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AWARDS - From Deadline:  "Minding the Gap" takes the top prize at the 2018 IDA Documentary Awards.

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SPORTS - From ESPN:  University of Oklahoma junior quarterback, Kyler Murray, is the winner of the 2018 Heisman Trophy, as the top player in college football.  Murray is the second consecutive Sooner to win the trophy following the 2017 winner, Baker Mayfield, who is currently a quarterback for the NFL's Cleveland Brown.

OBITS:

From Variety:  One of the most revered jazz singers of the 20th century, Nancy Wilson, has died at the age of 81, Thursday, December 13, 2018.  Wilson, who won three Grammys and recorded more than 70 albums, also had a 1974-75 NBC variety series, "The Nancy Wilson Show."  She was also a frequent guests on variety shows hosted by Carol Burnett, Andy Williams, and Flip Wilson.

From Variety:  The actress Sondra Locke died at the age of 74, November 3, 2018.  She received a best supporting actress Oscar nomination for her first movie role in the film, "The Heart is a Lonely Hunter."  She is probably best known for her association with Clint Eastwood.  She appeared in several of his films, including as a murderous, vengeful rape victim in "Sudden Impact."  Locke also had a romantic relationship with Eastwood that was quite contentious.

2018 Soul Train Awards Nominees - Full List; Winners Announced Nov. 25th

BET Announces Official Nominees for the 2018 Soul Train Awards:
H.E.R. and Bruno Mars Lead with 6 Nominations Followed by SZA, Ella Mai, Daniel Caesar, and Cardi B

Iconic Best Friend Duo Tisha Campbell and Tichina Arnold to Host Annual Awards Taping at the Orleans Theater in Las Vegas on November 17th

4-Time Grammy Award Winning Songstress Erykah Badu to Receive the Legend Award

Multi-Platinum Songstress Faith Evans to Be Honored with Lady of Soul Award

Soul Train Awards 2018 Premieres on BET and BET HER, November 25th at 8PM ET

#SOULTRAINAWARDS

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--BET Networks announced the nominees for the 2018 Soul Train Awards across 12 different categories. The annual celebration will recognize the best in Soul, R&B and Hip-Hop from legends to the next generation. Filming on November 17th at the Orleans Arena in Las Vegas, BET presents: 2018 Soul Train Awards will air on BET and BET HER on November 25th, 2018 at 8PM ET.

2018 breakout star, H.E.R. ties with last year’s top winner, Bruno Mars, for the most nods, leading the nominations with six each. H.E.R.’s nominations include ‘Song of the Year,’ ‘Best R&B/Soul Female Artist,’ ‘Album/Mixtape of the Year,’ ‘Best Collaboration Performance,’ ‘Video of the Year,’ and ‘The Ashford and Simpson Songwriters Award.’ Bruno’s nominations include ‘Best R&B/Soul Male,’ ‘Song of the Year, ‘Best Dance Performance, ‘Best Collaboration Performance,’ ‘The Ashford and Simpson Songwriters Award’ ‘Video of the Year,’ for “Finesse.”

Other nominees include SZA who garnered 5 nods, Ella Mai, Daniel Caesar, and Cardi B each garnered 4 nods for this year’s awards.

Known for being the iconic best friend duo on the 90’s hit show Martin, real life best friends Tisha Campbell and Tichina Arnold are sure to bring the fun at this year’s awards.

Four-time Grammy Award-winning, singer-songwriter, artist, director/producer, holistic healer, activist, and mother Erykah Badu, is set to receive the Legend Award. No stranger to the Soul Train Awards stage, serving as the 2017 host of the awards, Badu’s career has roots deeply planted in soul. The New York Times described Badu’s groundbreaking debut, 1997’s “Baduizm,” as “traditional soul vocals, staccato hip-hop rhythms and laid-back jazzy grooves.” Yet, hindsight reveals that Badu’s debut was more than just an album, it was the introduction of a new lifestyle. In her career spanning over two decades, Badu has continued to use her platform as an altar. By incorporating instruments such as tuning forks, crystal singing bowls, and gem stones and more into her music, she has created a wave of healing energy throughout the planet. But her true instrument is the 'intent' with which she sings.

The fourth annual Lady of Soul Award will be presented to multi-platinum Grammy Award-winning artist, songwriter, and record producer Faith Evans. With a music career spanning over two decades, Faith has released eight studio albums, with over 18 million albums sold and spawning over 30 singles. Faith has also performed on 20+ soundtracks and a host of guest appearances during her career. Faith Evans is a seven-time Grammy nominee; winning “Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group” in 1998 for “I’ll Be Missing You,” an homage to her late husband and hip-hop legend Notorious B.I.G.

BET Presents: 2018 Soul Train Awards will feature an exciting lineup of unforgettable performances and viewers can expect special appearances by some of the brightest stars in entertainment. The event annually showcases Soul Train’s impact on the history of music and dance from the 70s to today.

BET Presents: 2018 Soul Train Awards is produced by Jesse Collins Entertainment. Executive Producers of the network telecast are as follows: Connie Orlando from BET and Jesse Collins from Jesse Collins Entertainment.

For show information, please visit BET.com/SoulTrain, the official site for BET Presents: 2018 Soul Train Awards.

The complete list of nominees for BET Presents: 2018 Soul Train Awards are:

BEST NEW ARTIST
DANIEL CAESAR
JORJA SMITH
KALI UCHIS
LEON THOMAS
NORMANI
QUEEN NAIJA

SOUL TRAIN CERTIFIED AWARD
ASHANTI
JORJA SMITH
LEDISI
LENNY KRAVITZ
MAJOR.
TAMIA

BEST R&B/SOUL FEMALE ARTIST
BEYONCE
ELLA MAI
H.E.R.
MARIAH CAREY
SZA

BEST R&B/SOUL MALE ARTIST
BRUNO MARS
CHILDISH GAMBINO
DANIEL CAESAR
JOHN LEGEND
KHALID
TANK

BEST GOSPEL/INSPIRATIONAL AWARD
ANDRA DAY
KIRK FRANKLIN
LECRAE
SNOOP DOGG
TORI KELLY

RHYTHM & BARS AWARD (BEST HIP-HOP SONG OF THE YEAR)
CARDI B - I LIKE IT FEAT. BAD BUNNY & J BALVIN
CHILDISH GAMBINO - THIS IS AMERICA
DJ KHALED - NO BRAINER FEAT. JUSTIN BIEBER, CHANCE THE RAPPER AND QUAVO
DRAKE - IN MY FEELINGS
THE CARTERS - APE S**T

SONG OF THE YEAR
BRUNO MARS - FINESSE (REMIX) FEAT. CARDI B
ELLA MAI - BOO'D UP
H.E.R. - EVERY KIND OF WAY
SZA - THE WEEKEND
THE INTERNET - COME OVER

ALBUM/MIXTAPE OF THE YEAR
CHLOE X HALLE - THE KIDS ARE ALRIGHT
CHRIS BROWN - HEARTBREAK ON A FULL MOON
H.E.R. - H.E.R.
LEON BRIDGES - GOOD THING
MIGUEL - WAR & LEISURE
THE INTERNET - HIVE MIND

THE ASHFORD AND SIMPSON SONGWRITER'S AWARD

• FINESSE (REMIX) - WRITTEN BY: GENE HERNANDEZ, BELCALIS ALMANZAR, CHRIS BROWN, JAMES FAUNTLEROY, PHILIP LAWRENCE, RAY MCCULLOUGH, KLENORD RAPHAEL, JEREMY REEVES, JAMES YIP, RAY ROMULUS (BRUNO MARS FEAT. CARDI B)
• SUMMERTIME MAGIC - WRITTEN BY: DONALD GLOVER, LUDWIG GORANSSON (CHILDISH GAMBINO)
• BEST PART - WRITTEN BY: ASHTON SIMMONDS, H.E.R., RILEY BELL, MATTHEW BURNETT, JORDAN EVANS (DANIEL CAESAR FEAT. H.E.R.)
• BOO'D UP - WRITTEN BY: ELLA HOWELL, DIJON MCFARLANE, JOELLE JAMES, LARRANCE DOPSON (ELLA MAI)
• FOCUS - WRITTEN BY: H.E.R., DARHYL CAMPER, JUSTIN LOVE (H.E.R.)
• BROKEN CLOCKS - WRITTEN BY: SOLANA ROWE, CODY FAYNE, ADAM FEENEY, ASHTON SIMMONDS, THOMAS BEESLEY (SZA)

BEST DANCE PERFORMANCE
BRUNO MARS - FINESSE (REMIX) FEAT. CARDI B
CHRIS BROWN - TEMPO
CIARA - LEVEL UP
HOODCELEBRITYY - WALKING TROPHY
JANET JACKSON - MADE FOR NOW FEAT. DADDY YANKEE

BEST COLLABORATION PERFORMANCE
BRUNO MARS - FINESSE (REMIX) FEAT. CARDI B
DANIEL CAESAR - BEST PART FEAT. H.E.R.
JOHN LEGEND - A GOOD NIGHT FEAT. BLOODPOP
KHALID, 6LACK, TY DOLLA $IGN - OTW
SZA - DOVES IN THE WIND FEAT. KENDRICK LAMAR

VIDEO OF THE YEAR
BRUNO MARS -  FINESSE (REMIX) FEAT. CARDI B
ELLA MAI - BOO'D UP
H.E.R. - AVENUE
SZA - BROKEN CLOCKS
THE INTERNET - COME OVER

 
ABOUT BET NETWORKS:
BET Networks, a subsidiary of Viacom Inc. (NASDAQ:VIA, VIA.B), is the nation's leading provider of quality entertainment, music, news and public affairs television programming for the African-American audience. The primary BET channel reaches more than 90 million households and can be seen in the United States, Canada, the Caribbean, the United Kingdom and sub-Saharan Africa. BET is the dominant African-American consumer brand with a diverse group of business extensions: BET.com, a leading Internet destination for Black entertainment, music, culture, and news; BET HER, a 24-hour entertainment network targeting the African-American Woman; BET Music Networks - BET Jams, BET Soul and BET Gospel; BET Home Entertainment; BET Live, BET’s growing festival business; BET Mobile, which provides ringtones, games and video content for wireless devices; and BET International, which operates BET around the globe.

About Soul Train Holdings
SOUL TRAIN HOLDINGS, LLC was formed in May 2008 and is owned by InterMedia Partners and a partnership between Magic Johnson Enterprises and Ron Burkle's investment firm, The Yucaipa Companies. The iconic franchise and catalog consists of more than 1,100 episodes and 40 specials from Don Cornelius Productions, Inc. Soul Train is the longest running, first-run, nationally syndicated music program in television history. During its 35-year run, the show featured lasting innovations such as the Soul Train line and the legendary sign off “Love, Peace and Soul.” At the heart of the show was Don Cornelius, the dancers and influential artists such as James Brown, Al Green, Ike & Tina Turner, Hall & Oates, Donna Summer, Marvin Gaye, The Jackson 5, Aretha Franklin, Stevie Wonder, Elton John, Whitney Houston, David Bowie, Prince, Run D.M.C. and Destiny’s Child.

About the Orleans Arena
The Orleans Arena, a Boyd Gaming facility located just west of the Las Vegas Strip, is one of the nation’s leading multi-purpose sports and entertainment facilities and the 2014 recipient of the Venue Excellence Award from the International Association of Venue Managers. In addition, the Orleans Arena is one of only a handful of arenas in the United States to achieve LEED Gold Certification and is part of the largest company in Nevada to achieve SHARP Certification for commitments to safe venue operations. According to Venues Today magazine, the Orleans Arena, which hosts more than 200 events each year, consistently ranks in the Top 10 for ticket sales in the United States and internationally among venues of similar size. These events include nationally touring concerts, NCAA basketball conference tournaments, family shows, motorsports and other unique events. For more information, call 702-365-7469 or visit www.OrleansArena.com. Stay connected to the Orleans Arena on Facebook (www.facebook.com/orleansarena) and on Twitter (@orleansarena).

About Jesse Collins Entertainment
Jesse Collins Entertainment (JCE) is a full service television and film production company founded by entertainment industry veteran Jesse Collins. For more than a decade, Collins has played an integral role in producing some of television’s most memorable moments in music entertainment. Collins has produced ground-breaking and award winning television programming including the BET Awards, the Grammy Awards, Soul Train Awards, BET Honors, UNCF An Evening of Stars, ABFF Awards and the BET Hip Hop Awards. Collins was an executive producer of the hit TV series, Real Husbands of Hollywood starring Kevin Hart, the critically-acclaimed The New Edition Story, a biopic on the boy band that aired as a 3-part mini-series on BET in January 2017 and posted record ratings for the network and attracted nearly 30 million viewers. He is also the executive producer of VH1 shows Dear Mama and Hip Hop Squares with Ice Cube. He has appeared on the cover of Vibe magazine and has been featured in numerous publications including Ebony magazine. JCE recent debut The Bobby Brown Story aired on BET on September 4 and 5, 2018 drawing over 13MM total viewers in its premiere week.

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Negromancer News Bits and Bites from October 7th to 13th, 2018 - Update #19

Support Leroy on Patreon:

MOVIES - From Variety:  James Emswiller, an Emmy-winning sound mixer, died after a fall on the set on Tom Hank's Mr. Rogers' biopic, "You Are My Friend."  Emswiller was 61 years old, and won his Emmy for his work on Queen Latifah's "Bessie."

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MOVIES - From Variety:  HBO has acquired the Jeffrey Wright prison drama, "O.G."

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TELEVISION - From TVGuide:  Jennifer Garner confirms that a reboot of her early 2000s ABC series, "Alias," is happening, but that it is still in the early stages.

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DISNEY - From Variety:  Fox will be ready to close the Disney deal January 1, 2019.

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COMICS-FILM - From YahooET:  Maggie Gyllenhaal remembers her "The Dark Knight" co-star, the late Heath Ledger, for being "on a whole other level" on the set of Chris Nolan's 2008 film.

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AWARDS-MUSIC - From PopSugar:  Here is a list winners from the 2018 American Movie Awards.

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STAR TREK - From Deadline:  First look at Rebecca Romijn as "Number One" on CBS All Access' "Star Trek: Discovery" Season 2.

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COMICS-TV - From YahooEntertainment:  First look at actress Ruby Red as "Batwoman" has been released.  Batwoman will appear in The CW's "Arrowverse" event that crossover through episodes of "Arrow," "The Flash," and "Supergirl."

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COMICS-FILM - From TheWrap:  James Gunn is in talks to writer "Suicide Squad 2" for Warner Bros./DC Comics, with the possibility of directing the film also.

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MUSIC - From RockHall:  Janet Jackson, LL Cool J, Radiohead among 15 nominees for the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2019. The acts that win induction for the Class of 2019 will be announced in December (2018).

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TELEVISION - From ShadowandAct:  Fox is developing a late-night talk show featuring Nick Cannon.

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MOVIES - From TheWrap:  Michael Pena of Marvel's "Ant-Man" franchise, is to play "Mr. Roarke" in a film based on the classic TV series, "Fantasy Island."  The late Ricardo Montalban originated the role on the ABC series.

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MUSIC - From RollingStone:  Foo Fighters stage Nirvana reunion.

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BOX OFFICE - From BoxOfficeMojo:  The winner of the 10/5 to 10/7/2018 weekend box office is "Venom" with an estimated take of $80 million.  That is the largest box office opening weekend for October.

From TheWrap:  "The Hate U Give" and "Free Solo" lead indie box office.

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MOVIES - From Deadline:  Oscar-winning documentary filmmaker, Alex Gibney, talks about how his film, "No Stone Unturned" could cause him to be arrested.

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JAMES BOND - From IndieWire:  Don't expect a female James Bond, says Bond producer Barbara Broccoli.

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BUSINESS - From QZ:  Did you know that Amazon has its own private brands?

OBITS:

From ESPN:  Basketball coach and innovator, Fred "Tex" Winter, has died at the age of 96, Wednesday, October 10, 2018.  Winter pioneered the "triangle offense," which helped propel the NBA's Los Angeles Lakers and Chicago Bulls to multiple NBA championships.

From Variety:  Movie producer, Arnold Kopelson, has died at the age of 83, Monday, October 8, 2018.  Kopelson won a "Best Picture" Oscar for producing Oliver Stone's film, "Platoon."   He earned a "Best Picture" Oscar nomination for producing "The Fugitive."

From Variety:   The actor, Scott Wilson, has died at the age of 76; it was announced Saturday, October 6, 2018.  Wilson was best known for playing the farmer, "Hershel Green," on AMC's "The Walking Dead" from 2011 to 2014.

From Deadline:  The actress, Celeste Yarnell, has died at the age of 74, Sunday, October 7, 2018.  "Star Trek" fans remember her for playing "Yeomen Martha London" in the "Star Trek: The Original Series" second season episode, "The Apple."  She appeared in a number of episodes of TV series in the 1960s and 1970s and in the 1968 Elvis Presley film, "Live a Little, Love a Little."

2016 Image Awards Nominations - Literature and Recording Categories

The NAACP announced nominees for its 47th annual Image Awards, which celebrate the accomplishments of people of color in Television, Recording (Music), Literary (Books), Motion Picture, Documentary (film and television), Writing (for film and television), Directing (for film and television), and Animated/CGI (for film and television).  Winners will be announced February 5, 2016 during a ceremony airing live on TV One.

2016 / 47th NAACP Image Awards nominees - Literary and Music Recording categories:

LITERATURE
Outstanding Literary Work – Fiction
“Driving the King” – Ravi Howard (HarperCollins/Harper)
“Ghost Summer: Stories” – Tananarive Due (Prime Books)
“Mama’s Boy” – ReShonda Tate Billingsley (Gallery Books, a division of Simon & Schuster)
“Stand Your Ground” – Victoria Christopher Murrary (Touchstone)
“Under the Udala Trees” – Chinelo Okparanta (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt)

Outstanding Literary Work – Non-Fiction

• “50 Billion Dollar Boss: African American Women Sharing Stories of Success in Entrepreneurship and Leadership” – Kathey Porter (Author), Andrea Hoffman(Author), (Palgrave Macmillan)
• “Ghettoside: A True Story of Murder in America” – Jill Leovy (Spiegel & Grau)
• “SHOWDOWN: Thurgood Marshall and the Supreme Court Nomination That Changed America” – Wil Haygood (Alfred A. Knopf)
• “Spectacle: The Astonishing Life of Ota Benga” – Pamela Newkirk (HarperCollins/Amistad)
• “The Light of the World” – Elizabeth Alexander (Grand Central Publishing)

Outstanding Literary Work – Debut Author

• “Between The World and Me” – Ta-Nehisi Coates (Spiegel & Grau)
• “The Fishermen” – Chigozie Obioma (Little, Brown & Company)
• “The Star Side of Bird Hill” – Naomi Jackson (Penguin Press)
• “The Turner House” – Angela Flournoy (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt)
• “The Wind In The Reeds: A Storm, A Play And The City That Could Not Be Broken” – Wendell Pierce (Author), Rod Dreher (Author), (Riverhead Books)

Outstanding Literary Work – Biography/ Auto-Biography

• “After the Dance: My Life with Marvin Gaye” – Jan Gaye (Author), David Ritz (With), (HarperCollins/Amistad)
• “Between The World and Me” – Ta-Nehisi Coates (Spiegel & Grau)
• “One Righteous Man: Samuel Battle and the Shattering of the Color Line in New York” – Arthur Browne (Beacon Press)
• “Power Forward: My Presidential Education” – Reggie Love (Simon & Schuster)
• “Year of Yes: How to Dance It Out, Stand In the Sun and Be Your Own Person” – Shonda Rhimes (Simon & Schuster)

Outstanding Literary Work – Instructional

• “Big Words to Little Me: Tips and Advice for the Younger Self” – Sakina Ibrahim (Author), Jessie Lee (With), (Createspace (Self published))
• “Free Your Mind: An African American Guide to Meditation and Freedom” – Cortez R. Rainey (CreateSpace)
• “Grandbaby Cakes: Modern Recipes, Vintage Charm, Soulful Memories” – Jocelyn Delk Adams (Agate Surrey)
• “Keep Calm… It’s Just Real Estate: Your No-Stress Guide To Buying A Home” – Egypt Sherrod (Perseus/Running Press)
• “Soul Food Love: Healthy Recipes Inspired by One Hundred Years of Cooking in a Black Family” – Alice Randall (Author), Caroline Randall Williams (Author), (Clarkson Potter)

Outstanding Literary Work – Poetry
“Catalog of Unabashed Gratitude” – Ross Gay (University of Pittsburgh Press)
“How to Be Drawn” – Terrance Hayes (Penguin Books / Penguin Random House)
“Reconnaissance” – Carl Phillips (Farrar, Straus and Giroux)
“Redbone” – Mahogany L. Browne (Willow Books)
“Wild Hundreds” – Nate Marshall (University of Pittsburgh Press)

Outstanding Literary Work – Children

• “Chasing Freedom: The Life Journeys of Harriet Tubman and Susan B. Anthony, Inspired by Historical Facts” – Nikki Grimes (Author), Michele Wood (Illustrator), (Orchard Books / Scholastic)
• “Gordon Parks How the Photographer Captured Black and White America” – Carole Boston Weatherford (Author), Jamey Christoph (Illustrator), (Albert Whitman & Company)
• “Granddaddy’s Turn: A Journey to the Ballot Box” – Michael S. Bandy (Author), Eric Stein (Author), James E. Ransome (Illustrator), (Candlewick Press)
• “If You Plant a Seed” – Kadir Nelson (Balzer + Bray, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers)
• “New Shoes” – Susan Lynn Meyer (Author), Eric Velasquez (Illustrator), (Holiday House)

Outstanding Literary Work – Youth/Teens

• “Rhythm Ride: A Road Trip Through the Motown Sound” – Andrea Davis Pinkney (Roaring Brook Press)
• “Stella By Starlight” – Sharon Draper (Simon & Schuster)
• “Untwine” – Edwidge Danticat (Scholastic Press)
• “X: A Novel” – Ilyasah Shabazz (Author), Kekla Magoon (With), (Candlewick Press)
• “You Are Wonderfully Made: 12 Life-Changing Principles for Teen Girls to Embrace” – Gwen Richardson (Author), Sylvia Daye Richardson (Author), (Cushcity Communications)

RECORDING

Outstanding New Artist
Andra Day (Warner Bros. Records)
Judith Hill (NPG Records)
Jussie Smollett (Columbia Records)
The Weeknd (Republic Records)
Yazz (Columbia Records)

Outstanding Male Artist
Charlie Wilson (RCA Records)
Kendrick Lamar (Top Dawg Entertainment/Aftermath/Interscope)
Pharrell Williams (Columbia Records/iamOTHER)
The Weeknd (Republic Records)
Tyrese Gibson (Voltron Recordz)

Outstanding Female Artist
Janet Jackson (Rhythm Nation/BMG)
Jazmine Sullivan (RCA Records)
Jill Scott (Atlantic Records)
Lalah Hathaway (Hathaway Entertainment/Entertainment One)
Lauryn Hill (RCA Records)

Outstanding Duo, Group or Collaboration

• “Conqueror” – Empire Cast feat. Estelle & Jussie Smollett (Columbia Records)
• “Hamilton: An American Musical” – Original Broadway Cast (Atlantic Records)
• “No Sleeep” – Janet Jackson feat. J. Cole (Rhythm Nation/BMG)
• “One Man Can Change The World” – Big Sean feat. Kanye West and John Legend (G.O.O.D. Music/Def Jam Recordings)
• “Sound & Color” – Alabama Shakes (ATO Records)

Outstanding Jazz Album

• “BrotherLEE Love: Celebrating Lee Morgan” – Terell Stafford Quintet (Capri Records)
• “Dee Dee’s Feathers” – Dee Dee Bridgewater, Irvin Mayfield, New Orleans Jazz Orchestra (Okeh)
• “Miles Davis at Newport 1955-1975: The Bootleg Series Vol. 4” – Miles Davis (Columbia/Legacy Recordings)
• “The Complete Concert By The Sea” – Erroll Garner (Legacy Recordings/Octave Music Publishing Corporation)
• The Epic” – Kamasi Washington (Brainfeeder)

Outstanding Gospel Album – (Traditional or Contemporary)

• “A Different Place” – Kim Burrell (Shanachie Entertainment)
• “It’s Personal” – Tina Campbell (Gee Tree Creative)
• “Losing My Religion” – Kirk Franklin (RCA Inspiration)
• “The Gospel According To Jazz – Chapter IV” – Kirk Whalum (Mack Avenue Records, Rendezvous, Top Drawer Records)
• “You Shall Live” – Marvin Sapp (RCA Inspiration)

Outstanding Music Video
“Can’t Feel My Face” – The Weeknd (Republic Records)
“Freedom” – Pharrell Williams (Columbia Records/iamOTHER)
“No Sleeep” – Janet Jackson feat. J. Cole (Rhythm Nation/BMG)
“Shame” – Tyrese Gibson (Voltron Recordz)
“Sound & Color” – Alabama Shakes (ATO Records)

Outstanding Song – Traditional
“Back Together” – Jill Scott (Atlantic Records)
“Everytime I’m With You” – Seal (Reprise Records)
“Feeling Good” – Lauryn Hill (RCA Records)
“Goodnight Kisses” – Charlie Wilson (RCA Records)
“Let It Burn” – Jazmine Sullivan (RCA Records)

Outstanding Album
“Beauty Behind the Madness” – The Weeknd (Republic Records)
“Empire (Original Soundtrack from Season One)” – Empire Cast (Columbia Records)
“Forever Charlie” – Charlie Wilson (RCA Records)
“Unbreakable” – Janet Jackson (Rhythm Nation/BMG)
“Woman” – Jill Scott (Atlantic Records)

Outstanding Song – Contemporary
“Conqueror” – Empire Cast feat. Estelle & Jussie Smollett (Columbia)
“Freedom” – Pharrell Williams (Columbia Records/iamOTHER)
“No Sleeep” – Janet Jackson feat. J. Cole (Rhythm Nation/BMG)
“Unbreakable” – Janet Jackson (Rhythm Nation/BMG)
“You’re So Beautiful” – Empire Cast feat. Jussie Smollett & Yazz (Columbia Records)

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Review: "For Colored Girls" is Sho Enuf Good

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 15 (of 2011) by Leroy Douresseaux

For Colored Girls (2010)
Running time: 134 minutes (2 hours, 14 minutes)
MPAA – R for some disturbing violence including a rape, sexual content and language
DIRECTOR: Tyler Perry
WRITER: Tyler Perry (based upon the play For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide When the Rainbow Is Enuf by Ntozake Shange)
PRODUCERS: Roger M. Bobb, Paul Hall, and Tyler Perry
CINEMATOGRAPHER: Alexander Gruszynski
EDITOR: Maysie Hoy

DRAMA

Starring: Kimberly Elise, Janet Jackson, Loretta Devine, Thandie Newton, Anika Noni Rose, Kerry Washington, Tessa Thompson, Phylicia Rashad, Whoopi Goldberg, Macy Gray, Michael Ealy, Omari Hardwick, Richard Lawson, Hill Harper, and Khalil Kain

For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide When the Rainbow Is Enuf is a 1975 stage play written by American playwright and poet, Ntozake Shange. It is my understanding that the Obie Award-winning play is a series of 20 poems or poetic monologues that express the struggles and obstacles that African-American women face throughout their lives.

Tyler Perry, the playwright turned prolific film director, adapted Shange’s play into the 2010 film, For Colored Girls. The film explores the lives of nine modern African American women, interconnected by one way or another, and uses poetic vignettes to illuminate their struggles, suffering, and conflicts (abuse, rape, and abortion, among others).

Among the characters is Joanne “Jo” Bradmore (Janet Jackson), a magazine publisher whose husband, Carl Bradmore (Omari Hardwick), is unfaithful. Promiscuous Tangie Adrose (Thandie Newton) and troubled teenager, Nyla (Tessa Thompson), are estranged sisters who find their mother, Alice Adrose (Whoopi Goldberg), to be the thing between them. Crystal Wallace (Kimberly Elise), who works for Jo, fails to see the true danger her abusive boyfriend, war veteran Beau Willie Brown (Michael Ealy), poses to her and her children. Meanwhile, watching everything and hoping to bring everyone together is apartment manager, Gilda (Phylicia Rashad).

I’ve always thought that Tyler Perry is as capable of directing moving film dramas as he is at staging broad comedies, and For Colored Girls affirms that, although 2009’s I Can Do Bad All By Myself already proved Perry could do drama. I’m surprised that this film has gotten such negative reviews, especially because Perry has taken the black social pathologies this story depicts and has transformed them into riveting tales of human pathology with a universal appeal.

Perry’s nuanced staging and graceful directing of the camera transform what could have been downbeat into a mesmerizing panorama of compelling character dramas. Seriously, if For Colored Girls looked exactly the same and a white filmmaker like Stephen Daldry, David Fincher, or Christopher Nolan was credited as the director, film critics would be turning verbal cartwheels to praise this film. Perry’s work here as a director can be described as, at least, occasionally virtuoso, and while his screenwriting here is weaker than his directing, Perry, as both writer and director, has done a superb job turning these poetic vignettes into a powerful film.

Perry gets some fantastic performances from his cast, especially the actresses, who all hit strong emotional notes. I hate to single out any, but if I had to pick favorites, I would go with Kimberly Elise, Thandie Newton, and Phylicia Rashad. Every moment she is onscreen, Elise delivers magic; her every move and glance makes you believe that Crystal Wallace is real. Thandie Newton is effortless in her brilliance (as usual), and Rashad shows colors, shades, and textures in a performance that certainly surprised me. I never knew she was that good.

However, all the women in this film shine, giving stirring performances that help For Colored Girls to ring true. Even if Tyler Perry doesn’t get his due from critics and haters, he has given us our due – a great African-American drama about Black women.

9 of 10
A+

Friday, February 18, 2011

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Lionsgate Releases First Image from Tyler Perry's "For Colored Girls"

This is the first image from Tyler Perry's upcoming film, For Colored Girls.

Pictured are from left to right: Anika Noni Rose (as Yasmine), Kerry Washington (as Kelly), Janet Jackson (as Joanna), Kimberly Elise (as Crystal), Phylicia Rashad (as Gilda), Loretta Devine (as Juanita), Tessa Thompson (Nyla) and Thandie Newton (Tangie) in "For Colored Girls." Photo credit: Patrick Harbron

Lionsgate recently announced that the film's release date has been moved up from the Martin Luther King holiday weekend in 2011 to November 5 2010.
 
To see this image at a larger size, go here.

Review: "Why Did I Get Married?" Finds Laughs in the Drama of Married Life

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 10 (of 2008) by Leroy Douresseaux

Tyler Perry’s Why Did I Get Married? (2007)
Running time: 118 minutes (1 hour, 58 minutes)
MPAA – PG-13 for mature thematic material, sexual references, and language
DIRECTOR: Tyler Perry
WRITER: Tyler Perry (based upon his play)
PRODUCERS: Tyler Perry and Reuben Cannon
CINEMATOGRAPHER: Toyomichi Kurita
EDITOR: Maysie Hoy
2008 Image Awards winner

DRAMA with elements of comedy and romance

Starring: Tyler Perry, Janet Jackson, Jill Scott, Sharon Leal, Malik Yoba, Richard T. Jones, Tasha Smith, Michael Jai White, Denise Boutte, Lamman Tucker, Keesha Sharp, and Kaira Whitehead

Why Did I Get Married? is the fourth Tyler Perry film in a little over two-and half years and Perry’s third directorial effort. Perry’s tried and true formula of inspiration, friendship, prayer, and God is evident in every moment of Why Did I Get Married?, and Perry’s continues to improve as a filmmaker.

Eight married college friends reunite for their annual retreat to an exotic locale. This year the retreat is a beautiful Lake Leland home in the snowy mountains of Colorado. Best-selling author and popular psychologist, Patricia (Janet Jackson), and her successful architect husband, Gavin (Malik Yoba), share a tragedy that may tear their marriage apart if the two ever decide to be open about it. Rising attorney Dianne (Sharon Leal) is career driven, but her supportive husband, Terry (Tyler Perry), is fed-up that his marriage is sexless and that the couple has only one child. Angela (Tasha Smith) and Marcus (Michael Jai White) argue all the time. The final couple is Shelia (Jill Scott), a sweet woman troubled by body-image issues because of she is way overweight. Her weight issues are exacerbated by her emotionally abusive husband, Mike (Richard T. Jones), who has actually brought his barely-secret mistress, Trina (Denise Boutte), on the retreat.

The friends expect fun and relaxation on their retreat, but when the secrets and lies come pouring out, friendships and marriages seem broken beyond repair. Then, Sheriff Troy (Lamman Tucker) comes to the rescue.

Tyler Perry’s “Black gospel theatre” stage plays are loud, raucous, and preachy, and the ones that Perry has adapted to film retain much of their spell-the-message-in-capital-letters charm. Not all of the acting is good Janet Jackson as Patricia and Sharon Leal as Dianne love to act it out loudly and, thus, are a bit too over the top. Still, Why Did I Get Married? works. You’ll find yourself pulling oh-so hard for the downtrodden and mistreated (especially Shelia), and loving it when the villains get their comeuppance (especially Mike). There’s plenty of reason to call up giant belly laughs or even howl with laughter (thanks to the delightful scene-stealing Tasha Smith as Angela).

The message here, as it always is in Perry’s work, is believe in yourself and never believe that God has abandoned you. Well, then, thank God for Tyler Perry – for making fine, entertaining films like Why Did I Get Married? with this simply, but too true message.

8 of 10
A

Thursday, February 28, 2008

NOTES:
2008 Image Awards: 1 win: “Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture” (Janet Jackson); 3 nominations: “Outstanding Actress in a Motion Picture” (Jill Scott), “Outstanding Motion Picture,” and “Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture” (Tyler Perry)

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Review: Why Did I Get Married Too?

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 20 of (2010) by Leroy Douresseaux


Why Did I Get Married Too? (2010)
Running time: 121 minutes (2 hours, 1 minute)
MPAA – PG-13 for thematic material including sexuality, language, drug references and some domestic violence
WRITER/DIRECTOR: Tyler Perry
PRODUCERS: Tyler Perry and Reuben Cannon
CINEMATOGRAPHER: Toyomichi Kurita
EDITOR: Maysie Hoy

DRAMA with elements of comedy

Starring: Tyler Perry, Janet Jackson, Jill Scott, Sharon Neal, Malik Yoba, Richard T. Jones, Tasha Smith, Lamman Rucker, Michael Jai White, Louis Gossett Jr., Cicely Tyson, Richard Whiten, and K Callan

We last saw them in the 2007 film, Why Did I Get Married?, working through marriage and relationship issues at a beautiful house in the snowy mountains of Colorado. Now, Why Did I Get Married Too? reunites those four close couples. They have gathered together in the Bahamas for their annual one-week reunion. They’re eager to reconnect and share news about their lives and relationships, but there are some changes and looming troubles.

Best-selling author and popular psychologist, Patricia (Janet Jackson), and her successful architect husband, Gavin (Malik Yoba), show their friends smiles, but their marriage is deeply troubled. Successful attorney, Dianne (Sharon Leal) and her supportive husband, Terry (Tyler Perry), once had sexless marriage, but while there is now plenty of lovemaking, a secret threatens to destroy their union.

Angela (Tasha Smith) and Marcus (Michael Jai White) still argue all the time, but now Marcus has a successful new career as a television sports commentator. Angela, who once criticized Marcus for not having a job, is now jealous that Marcus makes more money than she does, and that envy drives her suspicious that he is cheating on her.

Shelia (Jill Scott) replaced her emotionally abusive and philandering husband, Mike (Richard T. Jones), with the former Colorado sheriff, Troy (Lamman Rucker). However, a recent move, a new baby, and Troy’s difficulty finding a job have put a strain on their marriage. Then, Mike also decides to visit the Bahamas.

2007’s Why Did I Get Married? was a scandalous relationship comedy and engaging reunion drama. It had plenty of soap opera theatrics and over-the-top drama with a capitol “D.” Why Did I Get Married Too? is also filled with theatrics and big “D” drama, but this second film is also darker and edgier. These squabbling couples now have even bigger problems, problems that would give marriage counselors pause. In each case, husband and wife are unsatisfied with each other, and instead of talking through their problems, they scream at each other, rant and rave, and storm out the door.

It’s fun to watch… sometimes. Other times, it’s painful to watch – not only because the anger is so raw, but also because sometimes the couples’ problems seemed contrived. This might be Tyler Perry’s best effort at writing emotional character drama and at constructing multi-layered conflict. This may also be his worst screenwriting simply because the quarreling and marital problems come across as greatly exaggerated. Perry packs this movie’s two hours with wall-to-wall marital discord; then, he ties it up with a pat happy ending that simply cannot wash away the grit Why Did I Get Married Too? leaves in the viewer’s mouth.

This is still a Tyler Perry movie, so it is entertaining, and there is also a cameo at the end that adds much needed sweet to the previous two hour’s sour. Still, with all the arguing the characters do here, the question is not Why Did I Get Married Too? but why are any of them still married!

6 of 10
B

Sunday, April 11, 2010