Last night (June 16) saw the premiere of HBO’s latest new series, Euphoria. Euphoria features a lead performance from Zendaya and is produced by A24 and Drake. From the very opening scene, Euphoria delivers gut-punching visuals. To open the show, Rue (Zendaya) narrates her birth while a camera follows her journey out of her mother’s…
Category: Film and TV
Movie Review: ‘Booksmart’
The 2010s decade has gifted us with many coming-of-age movies that are destined to become classics. On the dramatic side think Call Me By Your Name or Moonlight; on the comedy side think Easy A, Edge of Seventeen, Lady Bird, or Love, Simon. Booksmart, Olivia Wilde’s directorial debut, deserves a spot on that list. Booksmart…
T.V. Review: ‘When They See Us’
Netflix’s latest limited series is a gut-punching four episode saga of the darkest evils of the U.S. Justice System. When They See Us, directed by Oscar-nominee and Emmy-winner Ava DuVernay, is a raw retelling of the notorious Central Park Five case. Five young boys of color, Yusef Salaam, Antron McCray, Korey Wise, Kevin Richardson, and…
Beyoncé’s ‘Homecoming’ Is a Massive Triumph
In the wee hours of the morning (3 A.M. EST to be exact), Beyoncé released an in-depth look at the making of her legendary headlining set at 2018’s Coachella. That iconic performance, now commonly referred to as Beychella, was an astounding showcase of passion, showmanship, musicality, and the specific experience of homecoming at HBCUs (read…
Review: Donald Glover Releases ‘Guava Island’
When Donald Glover said that his next album would be his last and that he would be retiring the Childish Gambino alter ego, things changed. What would have been a normal album cycle turned into an elongated farewell to one of the most fascinating musical acts of the decade. Gambino released the controversial “This Is…
Movie Review: Jordan Peele’s ‘Us’ Is a Glorious Nightmare
SLIGHT SPOILERS AHEAD How do you follow-up your $255.5 million grossing and Academy Award-winning debut film? You create an even more chilling horror destined to garner even more success. Us tells the story of a family that is attacked by soulless exact copies of themselves. Although it is structured like a home invasion thriller, Us…
2019 Oscars Predictions
BEST ACTRESS This year’s nominees include everyone from newbies to veterans and comediennes to British breakouts. Glenn Close will be contending for her incredible performance in The Wife; this will be her seventh nomination. Glenn is currently the living actor with the most Oscar nominations without a win. Also in contention are first-time nominees Lady…
2019 GRAMMYs Recap
Allegedly, last night was Music’s Biggest Night. The 61st Annual Grammy Awards were held in Los Angeles; decked out with explosive performances, surprisingly solid results, and tributes galore, the Grammys delivered a formidable telecast despite the lack of major superstars. THE AWARDS Kacey Musgraves’ gorgeous Golden Hour was awarded the top prize (Album of the Year), while…
GRAMMYs Watch: Who’s Taking Home Album of the Year?
This year is going to be full of surprises. Every category in the General Field (Best New Artist; Album/Record/Song of the Year) has been expanded from five to eight nominees. In past years, we could rely on traditional voting patterns to make strong predictions. Now, this expansion of the field, coupled with the increased blurring…
GRAMMYs Watch: Who’s Winning In the Rap Categories?
Best Rap Performance The nominees: “Be Careful” (Cardi B); “Nice for What” (Drake); “Bubblin’” (Anderson .Paak); “King’s Dead” (Kendrick Lamar, Jay Rock, Future, James Blake); “SICKO MODE” (Travis Scott, Drake, Swae Lee, Big Hawk) As much as I adore Anderson .Paak and his effervescent single, “Bubblin’,” I think it’s safe to say that he will…
