Roger Ebert

In the competitive world of entertainment, getting an original screenplay noticed by Hollywood can be a daunting task. That’s if you even have an agent. Granted, studios love a well-written, ready-to-shoot original piece; however, for writers who have not been...

We watch with great joy when the police officer pulls over the bad guy, then strolls to the back of their car and smashes the taillight to create probable cause. We don’t flinch when the detective unplugs the camera during...

Purlie Victorious, Ossie Davis’ 1961 satirical play, is an obsession of mine, one I first discovered I had when I saw the 1963 movie version, “Gone are the Days,” 14 years ago. I became instantly fascinated by the idea that...

“When I think of Barbie, I think of a little white doll with blue eyes, blonde hair, pink lips, and just all in pink.” From this first statement, audiences should brace for an all-encompassing discussion around the most famous doll...

“Orphan Black” was a series that took the television industry by storm. It boasted an ensemble cast of characters, nearly all played by Tatiana Maslany. Although it often went off the rails, it remained an engaging science fiction story throughout...

Low-budget, urban-set crime dramas were a pretty prevalent film genre throughout much of the 1990s, particularly during the first half of the decade. Examples of the urban-set crime drama include modern cult classics like Mario Van Peebles' "New Jack City...

The following table of contents features all articles published during Black Writers Week 2024 (June 17th through June 23rd). —The Editors REVIEWS Naked Acts by Niani ScottSlave Play. Not a Movie. A Play. by Brandon Towns FEATURES Introduction to Black Writers Week...

The 5th Annual LightReel Film Festival concluded on June 8, 2024, after completing its strongest slate of films, panels, and parties in its short five-year history. During a year when concerns were raised about movie attendance's downward trend, LightReel tripled...

From Hattie McDaniel to Shonda Rhimes to Debra Martin Chase, Black women have shifted the narrative and broken down barriers where we were never expected, welcomed, or encouraged to succeed.  As women leaders, there has been a tendency for the...

When “The Underground Railroad” premiered on Amazon Prime Video during the pandemic, some were worried. At a moment when Black bodies were occupying grisly breaking news and haunting police chest cameras, many wondered if it was the right time for...