movies – The Double Scoop

Jamie Foxx Will Produce Marvin Gaye TV SERIES

Author: Amy Nicole

Over the last three decades many attempts have been made to produce a Marvin Gaye biopic, but none have been successful due to disapproval from the late singer’s family.

The 2013 film “Sexual Healing” was the last attempt at producing a Marvin Gaye biopic. Lenny Kravitz was originally cast to star in the film but was later replaced by actor Jesse L. Martin. Due to lack of funds and family lawsuits, the movie stopped production three weeks before completion. Check out the trailer for that unreleased film here.

Jamie Foxx recently managed to gain the family’s approval and is set to executive produce a tv series about the singer’s life. Suzanne de Passe of Passe Jones Entertainment and Marvin Gaye III (Marvin Gaye’s son) will also serve as executive producers for the series. The film is said to be a powerful and defining telling of Marvin Gaye’s life.

The late singer is best known for his hit singles What’s Going On, Let’s Get It On, and Sexual Healing. In 1984 he was fatally shot by his father at age 44.

I’m a huge fan of music biopics so I’m excited to see this series! Jamie Foxx is very talented so I’m sure he won’t disappoint! What do you guys think about the upcoming series?

Almost Christmas Movie Premiere

Author: Amy Nicole

Last weekend I covered the Almost Christmas movie premiere in Charlotte, North Carolina which was held at the Studio Movie Grill. The event was hosted by “Elevate The Way You Indulge,” a local event planning company.

The premiere kicked off with an upscale red carpet entrance, and afterwards guests were able to socialize and eat in the studio lounge while the dj spinned. The attendees (including myself) got a chance to participate in the internet viral mannequin challenge LOL! After the red carpet affair guests watched a private screening of the film. The night ended on a LIT note with a closing after-party.

The premiere was a celebration of local actor Keon Mitchell who made his film debut in the movie. Keon portrays the younger version of Danny Glover’s character Walter. I was able to speak with Keon about his experience being in the film.

I had a great time covering the event! Check out some of the event footage below:

Greenleaf Season1 Review

Author: Amy Nicole

When I first saw the preview for Greenleaf I wasn’t sure what to expect but I was certainly intrigued by the storyline. A mega church in the south becomes disrupted by family scandal, secrets and lies. You hear about church scandals all the time so I was excited to see how a script would play out on television. Religion is such a sensitive topic for most people so I think it’s good to have a show that doesn’t sugarcoat the topic.

The show centers around the Greenleaf family; a prestigious, wealthy, black family in Memphis Tennessee. Bishop James Greenleaf(Keith David) is the patriarch of the family and Lady Mae (Lynn Whitfield) is his devoted wife. They are the pastor and first lady of Calvary Church. The show also follows the lives of their three adult children: Jacob, Charity, and Grace. Oprah Winfrey has a recurring role on the show as Lady Mae’s sister but they have an estranged relationship which can at times get volatile.

Each family member has their own unique story which unravels more secrets and scandals.

Just to give you an idea Charity discovers that her husband is struggling with his sexuality and Jacob is having an affair with an employee of the church. (Yasss honey it gets real LOL!)

Grace is the central character in the show. She returns home to Memphis with her teenage daughter Sophia after being gone for over 20 years to attend the funeral of her sister Faith. After coming back home she makes the decision to stay and return to the ministry. Grace no longer considers herself a very religious person but she does have a relationship with God. I can relate a lot to Grace in this aspect because I don’t consider myself to be religious anymore. I definitely have a strong relationship with God, but I don’t feel like I need a title to define that relationship. As the show progresses you learn what turned Grace away from the church and her family.

I grew up in Mississippi which is a huge Bible belt state, and I think the depiction of the southern church and congregation is very accurate! From the women wearing the big church hats to the overzealous pastors it was very on point .

I think the biggest issue with the the church is the fixation with church leaders. Most people that attend church look up to church leaders as if they are perfect when in fact they are far from it. They make mistakes just like everyone else which the show depicts. The biggest scandal on the show this season is when the family discovers that Lady Mae’s brother, Mac McCready had been sexually assaulting young girls in the church for years including Bishop Greenleaf and Lady Mae’s deceased daughter Faith.

The season concludes with Mac arriving at the Greenleaf mansion escorted by police officers. Mac kisses Lady Mae on the cheek before entering the house to confront the bishop which in my opinion signified an act of betrayal like when Judas kissed Jesus on the cheek before he betrayed him in the Bible.

Some people might get offended by the series and say that it is disrespectful to the Christian religion but I would definitely disagree. The show is real and it highlights relatable issues. Growing up I was taught to just pray about my problems and everything would be okay but as I became an adult I realized that life was not that simple. Greenleaf exposes the reality of the church. Going to church doesn’t erase your problems and it doesn’t make you any better than anyone else. The show focuses on flawed human beings who are all trying to figure out and navigate through life the best way they can by having faith.

I really enjoyed Greenleaf and I’m very excited to see what type of drama season two will bring!

Photo Credit: Variety

Photo Credit: GreenLeafOwnTV

BARBERSHOP 3 Review

Author: Amy Nicole

It’s hard to believe that the first two Barbershop movies came out over 12 years ago! When I heard there would be another sequel added to the series I was definitely excited. I was curious to see how much the character’s lives had changed over the years.

Although Barbershop 3 focuses on the good times of catching up with old family and friends, it also addresses some serious issues such as the rampant gun violence in Chicago. In the film Calvin’s son Jalen is now a teenager and Calvin and his wife Jennifer struggle with protecting him from gang life. The barbershop also faces financial challenges and its location puts the business at risk for crime.

Over the years the barbershop and characters have gone through quite a bit of changes. The shop has now combined with a beauty salon owned by Angie(Regina Hall). This merger introduces fans to some new characters most notably Draya played by Nicki Minaj. It also ignites quite a few hilarious scenes in the movie as the men face off against the women.

Terri(Eve) is now married to Rashad(Common) who is also a new barber in the shop. She also has a baby and a stepson. Jimmy is now an established politician and JD (Anthony Anderson) owns a successful food truck business called Gansta Grubs which employs former gang members. Eddie’s character for the most part remains the same. His blunt, sarcastic and unpredictable humor will definitely keep you laughing throughout the movie. Most of the ladies will be disappointed that Michael Ealy will not be reprising his role as pretty boy Ricky….. sigh…..

Overall the movie was pretty good. I don’t think it was as good as the first two but most sequels rarely top the original. The film ignites conversations about topics such as the black lives matter movement and double standards among men and women. What I loved most about the film was the positive relationship portrayed between Calvin and his son Jalen. There is a stereotype that black men are not good fathers so it was nice to see a contradiction to that stigma in the film.

Photo Credit: Slash Film

Nina Simone Movie Trailer Sparks Outrage

Author: Amy Nicole

The first trailer for the Nina Simone movie that premiered last week has the internet going crazy but not in a good way. The movie titled “Nina” stars actress Zoe Saldana as Nina Simone. The film will cover the life of the singer and civil rights activist and it will chronicle her career demise and return to music.

When it was first announced that Saldana would be portraying Nina Simone, producers were met with a lot of criticism particularly from black viewers who believed that an actress who better resembled Simone should have been cast for the role. Nina Simone had a very dark complexion and she was known for her strong ethnic features. I think the biggest issue with Saldana being cast for the role is that she does not identify as African American but as a Black Latino.

Watching the trailer you can visibly see Saldana’s heavy dark make-up and prosthetic nose. Many have compared Saldana’s appearance in the movie to a caricature. Singer India Arie is one of the many people who have spoken out against the film. She had the following to say about the casting choice:

“I think the best way to say it is that they casted her against type and went too far to make her fit,” she explained. “It’s not my place to say how Zoe Saldana perceives herself, and I can’t say how anybody else perceives her either.”

Nina Simone’s daughter, Simone Kelly says that she isn’t upset with Zoe Saldana but is upset with the director Cynthia Mort for telling an inaccurate story of her mother. Kelly stated that the family wasn’t consulted for the film.

Honestly because of my age I wasn’t too familiar with the life of Nina Simone. I knew she was a singer but I didn’t realize how significant her legacy was until I recently watched the documentary “What Happened Miss Simone” . I’m interested in watching the movie and I’m also a fan of Zoe Saldana so I will definitely be checking the film out.

“Nina” is scheduled to be released on April 22, 2016.

Check out the trailer below:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p6yfxOCiHr4

Photo Credit: Atlanta Black Star

RYAN COOGLER TO DIRECT MARVEL’S BLACK PANTHER

Ryan Coogler has officially been confirmed as the director for Marvel’s Black Panther! Although Coogler is still fairly new to directing he has two dynamic feature films behind his belt. He directed the 2013 award winning film Fruitvale Station, based on the true story of Oscar Grant, and most recently the movie Creed which is a spinoff from the Rocky franchise.

The Black Panther movie will be historic for Marvel because the character is the first black superhero in mainstream American comics. According to Marvel Studios, viewers can expect an African ambiance which will give fans an inside look into the nation of Wakanda, the fictional African nation that Black Panther rules over. Actor Chadwick Boseman is currently cast to play the lead role of Black Panther.

Due to the cultural background of the film Marvel felt it was important to give the movie authenticity by seeking out a black director. Because Coogler is young and a diverse filmmaker he will definitely bring a unique spin to the film.

Black Panther is set to hit theaters in 2018!

Source: INQUISITR

Photo Credit: MovieWeb

TUPAC BIOPIC “ALL EYEZ ON ME” CURRENTLY FILMING IN ATLANTA GEORGIA

The rumors that have been circulating for years regarding a Tupac movie can finally be put to rest. It has officially been confirmed that production for a Tupac biopic entitled “All Eyez on Me” is currently being filmed in Atlanta, Georgia. One of the films’ producers, L.T. Hutton confirmed the film by recently posting several behind the scenes photos from the set on his Instagram page.

The film is being directed by Benny Boom and it will supposedly cover the rappers entire life including his death in 1996. Unknown actor Demetrius Shipp Jr. has been cast to portray Tupac and from looking at his pictures he is definitely a good choice as he bears a striking resemblance to the late rapper.

tupac-shakur-demetrius-shipp-jr — Left (Demetrius Shipp Jr.) Right (Tupac Shakur)

Initially the film was to be directed by John Singelton(Boys In The Hood) but he stepped down from the project in April stating that the late rappers legacy wasn’t being respected and that there were attempts to sue Tupac’s mother Afeni Shakur.

L.T. Hutton refuted those claims and stated that Singleton was actually fired from the project. Singleton is reportedly working on a separate Tupac movie which he says will be much better than the film currently in production.

Let’s hope that these claims aren’t true and that the movie will pay homage to the late rapper’s legacy.

What are your thoughts about the forthcoming biopic? Do you plan on watching?

Source: Hip Hop DX

Photo Credit: Black Time Travel; Top.de

Chadwick Boseman To Portray Thurgood Marshall In Upcoming Film

In the course of only three years actor Chadwick Boseman has starred in 2 biopics. He portrayed James Brown last year in the film Get On Up and in 2013 he portrayed legendary baseball player Jackie Robinson in the movie 42. Soon Boseman will add another biopic to his resume as he has been casted to play Thurgood Marshall, the first African American Supreme Court Justice. Thurgood Marshall was an active member of the NAACP and he was also a civil rights activist. The film is being directed by Reginald Hudlin and will focus on an early case in Marshalls’ career.

Although I’m excited about Boseman being selected for the film some critics believe that his casting in a third biopic shows the lack of support by Hollywood to seek out and employ qualified black actors. Initially after filming Get On Up, Boseman stated that he had no interest in starring in another biopic. We’re not sure what changed his mind but none the less I’m definitely looking forward to the film.

Source: Atlanta Black Star