I got a call on a Saturday from an exec at YouTube who asked me if I wanted to do a 90 minute special about the protests and police brutality. Of course, I said yes. The catch was it needed to air in 9 days. A combination of brilliant activists, journalists, scholars, and…
+ Read MoreBET will kick-off its ‘Juneteenth Freedom Day Marathon,’ under its “Content For Change” initiative, with inspirational films, music videos and messages of hope starting Friday, June 19, at 7 AM ET/PT Sen. Kamala Harris, Sen. Corey Booker, Rev. Al Sharpton, Chloe x Halle, Soledad O’Brien, TIP ‘T.I.’ Harris, “American Soul’s”…
+ Read MoreWhen I posted this, I didn’t know there was video! Here is this in-depth video of Bill Simmons and his all star crew discussing BOOMERANG!
+ Read MoreIn 1969, Gordon Parks became the first black director to make a major Hollywood studio film. His career made it possible for the next generation to fight their way into the mainstream — only to face the same opposition Parks had. BY A.O. SCOTT April 13, 2020 IN 1968, 20 YEARS…
+ Read MoreI was with a friend the other day who asked me how many movies I had made. I started to do a count because I wasn’t sure. I said ten but I realized I was leaving some movies out. So I made this list. It’s much longer than I thought it would be. I’ve…
+ Read MoreMelvin Van Peebles had directed a few short films in the late ’50s when he left San Francisco for Hollywood with the goal of trading his day job on a cable car for a career behind the camera. “They said, ‘We don’t need cable car operators as film directors,’” said…
+ Read MoreIt’s taken a while, but BOOMERANG has finally been generally acknowledged as one of the great romantic comedies. Here’s two articles that testify to his enduring appeal: HUFFINGTON POST: 9 MOVIES THAT CHANGED THE WAY WE THINK ABOUT BLACK LOVE “Boomerang” (1992) “Of all movies on this list, Reg Hudlin’s ‘Boomerang’ has the unique…
+ Read MoreFROM CLASSICS LIKE “LOVES JONES” TO NEW FEATURE “THE PHOTOGRAPH,” A WRITER MUSES ON THE IMPACT OF STORIES CENTERED AROUND BLACK LOVE. When I was a kid, my mom made the mistake of placing a TV with cable in my bedroom. I was already digesting too much “adult” content, but…
+ Read MoreI was lucky enough to meet Ashley Boone shortly after I arrived in Hollywood. Here’s why it was a big deal: He Was ‘Star Wars’ ‘ Secret Weapon, So Why Was He Forgotten? Ashley Boone Jr., the first black president of a major Hollywood studio, helped make George Lucas’ quirky space…
+ Read More1. THE POPULARITY OF BLACK GODFATHER 2. THE CRITICAL AND COMMERCIAL SUCCESS OF BLACK MOVIE SOUNDTRACK AT THE BOWL 3. SAFETY 4. THE 50TH NAACP IMAGE AWARDS 5. I DIRECTED A COUPLE OF HOURS OF TV AS WELL 6. THE SUCCESSFUL TEST SCREENING OF EMPEROR 7. TAKING CARE OF FAMILY…
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