Summary: A horrifying urban drama about an obese girl and single mother named Precious.  The Harlem teen is suffering a monstrosity of abuse in her home, neighborhood and school. Attempting to beat the odds, she is inspired by the unexpected, striving for education and fighting not to repeat the same cycle of circumstances.

Review: Believe the hype, Lee Daniels‘ Precious: Based on the Novel By Sapphire is everything you expect it to be, and more. While Daniels has already proved himself as a visionary and edgy director and producer with films like Shadowboxer and The Woodsman, the Philadelphia native has topped himself in what is clearly the best film of the year thus far — the best in acting, directing and writing. From the first type on the screen to the closing credits, Daniels and everyone involved managed to take a classic novel that one would think is impossible for the big screen and paint a prolific portrait that will go down as one of the great films in American cinema.

Precious breaks you open and digs right down into your spirit. No matter who you are, we all have tinges of Precious in our lives. As extreme as the story is, it’s real, tangible and deeply vivid. Lee Daniels’ talents are so monumental that you can almost smell the funk of Precious’ home and touch the sweat on her pained face. It’s a movie that took me a solid 24 hours to recover from.

Gabourey Sidibe stars as Precious, in a debut performance that is comparable to Barbra Streisand in Funny Girl or Jennifer Hudson in Dreamgirls.  Sidibe, who is actually 26 years old, engulfed herself in Precious with taste, ease and vigor.

Mariah Carey plays a social worker and uppercuts anyone who thinks she has no acting chops. She holds her own on the screen with actors who were acting like Mariah hits those mega notes. The movie also included legendary rocker Lenny Kravitz and Robin Thicke’s wife Paula Patton. In addition, there are a slew of newcomers whose lives will change after being in such an excellent film.

But, it is the acting from Baltimore native Mo’Nique that will annihilate every viewer of Precious. Mo’Nique performed like it was the last second of her life as Precious’ mother, Mary. Not a trace of Mo’Nique, the “skinny bitches are evil” diva was on the screen. She was revolting, terrifying and absolutely grueling.  Daniels, who is known to grind audiences with uncomfortable but important scenes (think the graphic sex scene in Monster’s Ball), let Mo’Nique go further than probably any director would let her go. Mo’Nique was a life force on celluloid. Even if Bette Davis, Joan Crawford and Katherine Hepburn all came back from the dead — they could not pull that Oscar out of Mo’Nique’s hands.

Unless something earth-shattering is coming down the pike within the next two months, Precious is most definitely the best movie of the year. Reserve your tickets now. If movies can changes lives, this one will change yours.

Precious is in theaters this Friday, November 6th.

Summary: Based on the life story of Sandra Laing, a light-skinned black woman who was born to White parents in 1950s apartheid South Africa. Laing struggles with issues of racial identity from her family, the court system and her community.

Review: Anyone who has been effected by light versus dark skin will be floored at Skin, based on a true story. Once upon a time, race was a legal system and for Sandra Laing, who was born to white parents (blood tests proved the Laings were her biological parents),  she looked like a light-skinned black girl. Tucked away in a rural area, Sandra is shocked when she attends school and her Blackness is made obvious by hateful classmates, even though she cries, “I am not black!” Lines like this echo classics like Imitation of Life and Pinky.

For legal reasons, Laing’s race goes from White to colored to White to back to colored. Laing’s parents love her but are clearly disgusted by her Blackness, especially her father. In one scene her father ecstatically shouts, “She’s white again! She’s white again!” Still not satisfied, Sandra attempts to lighten and bleach her skin. Scenes like these are painful to watch, which might be an experience specific to African-Americans, but Skin goes so deep, bringing up our global roots that we sometimes like to ignore.

Skin is directed by Anthony Fabian, which is his first feature length. While the movie unravels typically, its delivery is satisfying and keeps the audience intrigued. But, it is the shock factor of Laing’s story that keeps your jaw to the floor: The physical abuse from her parents, the cruelty of the court system, violence from educators and even how Black Africans turn their back on Laing. Laing lived a painful, rejected and lonely life. Sadly, according to published reports, Laing’s two other brothers refuse to speak to her to this day.

Sandra Laing is played by the consistently superb Sophie Okonedo. Her performance is extremely subtle, head bowed and talking softly, which at times feels sluggish. Okonedo never gets the epic monologue or climactic emotional moment that is so important for dramatic tearjerkers. However, in watching footage of the real-life Sandra Laing, she seems to be a quiet spirit, very close to what Okonedo portrayed. Therefore, Okonedo did her job.

All of the other performances are just as solid. Alice Krige and Sam Neill easily capture the parents who are loving, but delusional racists. Laing’s love interest is Tony Kgoroge, who has a commanding presence and I can only hope we will see more of him.

Towards the end, Skin loses some of its color, but the movie remains as a powerful and untold story about race.

On another note, Sandra’s father took a blood test to prove he was indeed her father. Her “Blackness” was regarded as a “genetic abnormality,” however, some scholars contend that blood tests were not scientifically reliable measurements of paternity. It was 1955, and DNA tests were unimaginable.  Although Laing’s parents are both deceased, I couldn’t help but wonder if there was a DNA test done today if Mr. Laing would still be her father. I have never heard of a “genetic abnormality” creating a child who looks distinctly Black – Maury Povich would probably say, “You are not the father!”

Skin is in select theaters now.

Summary: A concert documentary on the late, great Michael Jackson’s  This Is It tour.  The film follows the last two months of MJ’s life through rehearsal footage, his dancers and crew, and music.

Review: There is no doubt that Michael Jackson is a genius, but some have doubted if he is human or at least treated him like he wasn’t.  Michael Jackson’s This Is It flawlessly highlights his talents, but it also humanizes him in a way that the public has never seen. He was humble, kind, intelligent and had a sense of humor. Unfortunately, Jackson was so crucified by the media that he probably didn’t feel comfortable showing this candid side. Thankfully, fans, lovers of music, lovers of dance and those who appreciate humanity, have this documentary.  The tag line for the doc is “Like you’ve never seen him before.” In most cases that would be media hype, but in this case, it’s the absolute truth.

At this point, we all give any Michael Jackson project the side-eye, wondering if another person is trying to capitalize off the King of Pop’s name. However, in this case, not enough praise can be given to the creators of This Is It, especially the director and MJ’s choreographer, Kenny Ortega. This Is It clearly comes from a pure place and honors Jackson’s legacy like no other project since his death.

This Is It includes most of Jackson’s hit songs like “Billie Jean,” “Thriller,” “I’ll Be There” and  “Beat It.” The viewer gets an intimate look at Jackson’s rehearsal style, his quest for perfection and gifted attention to microscopic detail.  Jackson operated from feeling and passion, at one point, when he is standing in one space after a musical number he says, “We’re sizzling,” to the crew that waits for him to move. Or, while arranging the music, he walks the musical director through the tempo and explains, “You gotta let it simmer” versus jumping right in to the beat.  It’s truly fascinating to watch and makes you want to study so you can somehow factor these skills into your own life.  It would be similar to viewing footage of Beethoven composing a musical number or Picasso painting a portrait. This glimpse into MJ’s genius is awe-inspiring.

With all the rumors, there were some doubts if Michael could still perform and sing like his fans would expect. This Is It clearly shows Michael still had it.  The dancing was incredible with his movements like water.  Personally, I was amazed at MJ’s vocals.  At 50 years old his voice was in stellar shape. To hear him hit those nearly 30-year-old notes (no key change!) in “Human Nature,” do improvisations on “I Just Can’t Stop Loving You,” or doing vocal warm-ups was riveting.

Most importantly, in Michael Jackson’s This Is It, you don’t see death, just life.  There is no sadness or tears; you walk out with a smile on your face, feeling loved and more human. Forget the controversies, scandals and drama. This Is It is truly who Michael Jackson was — his music. It’s a film that you don’t want to end.

Michael Jackson’s This Is It opens toay and is only in theaters for two weeks.

Summary: Jigsaw is back… again, to make people value life through sadistic traps and games.

Review: Who can expect something worthy of good reviews after the sixth installment?  Saw is the Friday The 13th or Nightmare On Elm Street of this generation: plots are secondary, strong acting is unnecessary and the creators are more interested in cashing in on the franchise.

Well, this time around the writers of Saw watched too many Michael Moore movies. The victims are all folks who are involved in predatory lending and denying health care. Yep, Jigsaw is a health care advocate — in his own gruesome way. For some viewers, this might be a cute little twist, for others it will be Saw taking itself way too seriously. Whatever the case, this injection of social commentary is about as much storyline as you will get in Saw VI.

On the gore level, it’s just as gruesome as the rest. However, unlike the first two Saws, it’s purely for shock value and completely irrelevant to the story.  Random people pop up like janitors, secretaries and detectives, their scenes are so quick you forget their names and why they are forced to play Jigsaw’s game. There is no investment in the disposable and underdeveloped characters.

On the other hand, the traps are interesting. It’s clear the creators are focused more on intricate traps than a movie that would keep your attention. This lack of intellect and creativity is perplexing, considering the first two Saws are horror classics with clever twists. Do writers and producers purposely give up when there are too many sequels?  I’m assuming the creators of Saw walked into the movie saying, “We are going to make a stupid movie and everyone will watch it because it’s Halloween!” Talk about being duped.

Saw VI is in theaters now.

Summary: After the killer of Clyde Shelton’s (Gerard Butler) family is released on parole, he seeks revenge on all who were involved in the lack of justice for his wife and daughter.

Review: Like many action-revenge movies, Law Abiding Citizen starts strong. The intro scene is always graphic. There is a trigger for why he must take the law into his own hands and before you know it, he is Superman.

Of course, someone who takes the law into his own hands is no original plot. But, in pop movies like these I am not expecting fresh ideas and groundbreaking material. Give me some solid acting, hardcore action and most importantly, a respectably believable plot line and I’m happy. Law Abiding Citizen failed on the believable part, which unfortunately ruined a potentially enjoyable movie.

The director F. Gary Gray is clearly one of the most gifted directors of this generation. I can only assume he started with a messy script and tried his best to make it work. The implausible, like Butler’s character’s laughable demands and epic revenge sequences with no explanations, leave you with a “Huh?” rather than a “Wow!” The man seeking revenge might have been more believable if he was a psychic with X-Men gifts or a god sitting in jail, magically having the power to create chaos behind bars.

The action is good, but the scenarios are so outlandish that it’s hard to enjoy the big explosions. Butler as the family man-turned-psycho is a treat to watch.  Jamie Foxx effectively slips right into his role of the heartless lawyer. Viola Davis, who plays the Mayor of Philadelphia, doesn’t appear until an hour into the movie — you could basically describe her role as a cameo, which was a disappointment. Actually, what might’ve saved the movie is if Viola Davis was the one who was wronged by the justice system and seeking revenge. Ms. Viola could read the back of a Listerine bottle and make it award-worthy!

Law Abiding Citizen is in theaters now.

Review: Based on the true story of Michael Peterson, Britain’s most famous and violent prisoner. Peterson was incarcerated at the age of 19 and soon changed his name to Charles Bronson (after the popular movie star). Deciding that he wanted to be famous, he was an unruly prisoner, spending 30 out of his 34 years in solitary confinement and he is still in prison to this day.

Summary: Bronson is all about style and flawless acting rather than a completely enjoyable movie. Tom Hardy, who plays Bronson, gives a disgustingly excellent performance with monologues, various costumes and musical numbers. He manages to take us into the world of Michael Peterson/Charles Bronson, who is creative, campy and crazy, but there is no explanation for his psychosis. The movie shows no childhood abuse and no reason for his obsession with being a career criminal. One can only assume there is no reason – this is just how Bronson was born. Nonetheless, Hardy cleverly manages to give the unsympathetic character a spirit.

The director, Nicholas Winding Refn, delivers the movie with incredible color, style and polish. Any film guru or even student of film would have to admire Refn’s cinematography and eye for making the unnatural work. That said, the glamour was almost distracting in a movie that is about such an outrageous person. I needed a little more grit and grime than glowing perfection. Hardy’s vulgar performance is not complimented by Refn’s decorative filmmaking style. The movie might have been more effective if it followed a standard biopic tale versus something that played like an off-off-off Broadway musical.

Whatever the case, even with its flaws Bronson is still a good movie. Not sure if I would recommend it, but you may hear the film’s name this awards season.

Bronson is playing in select theaters now.

Summary: Black Dynamite avenges all of his enemies in this satire of the 1970s Black exploitation films.

Review: There have been several spoofs on the over-the-top era of Black exploitation films of the 1970s (one might say Black exploitation films were spoofs themselves). But, director Scott Sanders and co-writer Michael Jai White perfect the urban camp genre in a film that will easily go down as classic in the way of 1988’s I’m Gonna Git You Sucka or 1999’s Jackie’s Back. Black Dynamite is deliciously packed with jive talk, big Afros, sticking it to the man and lines like, “Shake the scene you turkeys!”

Michael Jai White, who is one of the most underrated actors of this generation, plays Black Dynamite. His performance as the smooth talking, always-lands-a-Kung-Fu-kick-and-never-gets-hit-by-a-bullet hero seems like he was time warped right from 1972. Everything from his look, walk and talk personified the big Black hero who overthrows “The Man,” but still keeps his Afro even on each side while doing it.

On paper, Black Dynamite couldn’t have been the most interesting. I couldn’t imagine an actor reading lines that say, “This is where we stick it to The Man — The Honky House!” and think it was brilliant comedy. Therefore, lines like these are all about the delivery and a clear vision. Sanders and the gifted comedians (Arsenio Hall, Kym Whitley, Tommy Davidson, and Nicole Sullivan) deserve incredible accolades for nailing a film that could’ve clearly been a dud.

Black Dynamite is at its best when it overflows with camp and raunch. Names like Honeybee and hang out spots like Rosco’s Chili and Donuts, make the trashy film enjoyable from the opening scene to the rolling credits. Furthermore, even if you’ve never seen a Black exploitation film you will be thoroughly entertained by “DY-NO-MITE! DY-NO-MITE!”

Black Dynamite is in theaters today.

Summary: A suburban couple is being haunted.

Review: I wanted to love it. I thought I would love it. Considering the hype, I expected Paranormal Activity would at least equal Blair Witch Project. However, this film has got to be one of the most boring and predictable horror movies of the year. How many times can a door creak? How many times can you hear booming foot steps? How many times can someone wake up screaming? According to Paranormal Activity, for about 84 minutes and suddenly people are terrified.

I certainly respect filmmakers who can make a movie for less than $11,000 — kudos to them.  Nonetheless, as much as I wanted to love this movie, I was completely disappointed. There was little to no storyline. The characters had no sense of urgency and were eye-rolling predictable. There was no explanation as to why this was happening. The “terror” was redundant. The movie had no sense of direction.  At any moment, I was waiting to be overwhelmed with fear, instead I was underwhelmed with media hype.

The hand-held style of filmmaking does not bother me. Sometimes it creates an atmosphere of tension.  But, in Paranormal it was an atmosphere of irritation.  In order to keep an audience engaged with this realism style of shaky camera angles, you need consistent drama and a building of suspense that results in a climax — this wasn’t the case.

In reviewing the film, there isn’t but so much to say because not enough happened. About 10 minutes of the flick could’ve been on YouTube and it would’ve been an internet sensation with millions of hits. However, as a feature-length movie, many viewers will be horrified with boredom at this overly hyped, unoriginal drip of a movie.

Paranormal Activity is in select cities now.

Summary: Comedian Chris Rock tackles the epic history of hair in the Black community.

Review: The term “good hair” has lived with the African-American community for ions, cementing itself into the Black American lexicon. Most of us can remember, or some still say, lines like, “She got good hair!” While the term has often been brushed off as one of the things we just “do” as Black folks, Chris Rock has analyzed this mindset, the history and the choices behind Black folks and their hair.

Good Hair could have easily gone the way of judgmental and didactic — I’ve known many women who wear their hair “natural” and deem Black women who use perms and weaves as sell-outs and adhering to standards of Whiteness. On the other hand, I’ve known weaved out females who stress the natural looked is played and, “I’m not gonna get a job looking like Angela Davis!” Therefore, Rock had a risky topic on his plate — plus, he is a man. However, quite brilliantly, Rock skillfully peeled back the archaic layers, opening up a dialogue that could’ve been volatile.  His talent made the doc hilarious and thought-provoking, rising above race and gender.

One of the first steps to becoming a good documentarian is to realize you are not the star of the show. So, when a celebrity as A-list as Rock makes a documentary, you have to wonder if his star power will overshadow the message. Thankfully, it doesn’t. Rock uses himself as the vessel by interviewing women at salons, chatting with men at barber shops, talking with a chemist about the chemicals in hair products and even traveling to India to discover the origins of weaves.

Don’t think Good Hair is a rambling of facts and laughs. Skillfully moving the story forward, Rock highlights the Bronner Brothers International Hair Show in Atlanta, Georgia. This legendary hair show and the quirky yet extremely competitive personalities he features, give the movie a bloodline, linking together the profit of hair and style. One of the most astounding revelations: African Americans spend $9 billion a year on all things hair.

Rock has others voicing their thoughts on the good hair philosophy like Nia Long, Maya Angelou (she got her first perm at 70!), Salt-N-Pepa , Andre Harrell and two perm icons: Ice-T and Al Sharpton. Rock balances a story that could easily be too specific or agenda-pushing — with his style of humor and wit, even if you can’t relate to Good Hair, you will be informed, laugh and come away with sensitivity to the African-American experience.

Good Hair opens in select cities Friday, October 9th and nationwide Friday, October 23rd.

Summary: The story of five young Black men from Akron, Ohio, who captured the nation’s attention with their journey from the inner-city to winning a national high school basketball championship. Featuring LeBron James, the celebrity of the group, the documentary traces the life of each player and their coach.

Review: A movie about five boys making it out of the hood via basketball could’ve easily went down cliché lane. Fortunately, the director, Kristopher Belman, focused on individual stories and let basketball play a secondary role.  Whether you are a basketball fan or not, the journeys of these men are more interesting than any three-pointers on the court.

Every member of the “Five Fab,” as they were called, has a tale to tell and with confessional interviews, exclusive archival footage and raw emotion, the audience gets an intimate look at the lives of these young men. Issues of identity, poverty, abandonment, failure and athleticism all come to the surface in a way that is rarely shown in African-American men. More Than a Game showcases a bond of boys to men that was not hyper-masculine or contrived through a diatribe of street credibility.  From a battered gym to seven years later as the Fighting Irish basketball team at the predominately White St. Vincent–St. Mary High, the five young men became a support network — something every young person needs if they are dealt more than a handful of adversity.

The doc is standard in its delivery, but isn’t as basic as a random sports special. More importantly, in the way that Valentino: The Last Empire was enjoyable without knowing fashion, More Than a Game transcends the world of sports. While LeBron James is clearly the main attraction and it’s interesting to see him open up when he is notoriously guarded, even if the Cleveland Cavaliers star wasn’t a well-known sports figure, More Than a Game would be equally as inspiring; the movie stands on its own.

The documentary ends on a high note, and if it wasn’t a true story it would be sappy and unoriginal (I could do a list of all the bad sports movies that torture us with the same ending).  But, this is the truth.  For a story that starts with poverty, abandonment and, in many cases, no way out  — it’s inspiring to see these kids found their own route to success.

Ironically, basketball wasn’t what made them successful.  It was through this circle of consistency and dependability as young boys that made them a success — with that type of support you can ride above your circumstances whether you aspire to be a doctor, lawyer, or sports player — overall, deeply inspiring.  That said, for every young kid who sees More Than a Game and thinks they are the next LeBron James — it should be mandatory to watch 1994’s Hoop Dreams.

More than a Game is in theaters tomorrow.