“Keanu” = Not Your Average Buddy Action Film
The AHH movie review of “Keanu” starring Keegan-Michael Key, Jordan Peele, Tiffany Haddish, Method Man, Luis Guzman, Will Forte and Nia Long.
Exclusive Interview With Keegan-Michael Key and Jordan Peele, Stars Of “Keanu”
All Hip Hop correspondent Kylie Krabbe’s exclusive interview with Keegan-Michael Key and Jordan Peele, stars of the New Line Cinema comedy “Keanu.” “Keanu” opens nationwide in theaters on April 29, 2016.
“Barbershop: The Next Cut” Gets 91% Approval Rating Opening Weekend
“Barbershop: The Next Cut” earns unprecedented 91% on Rotten Tomatoes in nationwide first weekend outing.
“Barbershop: The Next Cut” Keeps The Comedy On Fleek But Real
All Hip Hop movie review of ” Barbershop: The Next Cut,” from Warner Bros. Pictures starring Ice Cube, Cedric The Entertainer, Regina Hall, Anthony Anderson, Common, Deon Cole, Eve and Nicki Minaj.
“Lights Out” Takes Fear To A Dark Place
“Lights Out” is a horror motion picture release from New Line Cinema and Warner Bros. Pictures starring Maria Bello, Teresa Palmer, Gabriel Bateman and Billy Burke, set for nationwide theater release July 22, 2016.
“The Conjuring 2” Takes Demon Hunting Overseas
Warner Bros. Pictures and New Line Cinema releases a new trailer for it’s horror pic “The Conjuring 2,” starring Vera Farming and Patrick Wilson and set for nationwide release June 10, 2016.
10 Things That Make “Deadpool” An Instant Classic
We’ve said it here and it’s been said just about everywhere – “Deadpool” is an awesome film. However, for those head cases who still want to be convinced, or those who simply want to say “I told you so,” we thought we’d put together our own list about what it is that makes this movie a dead to rights instant cult classic: The “Anti” Opening Credit Sequence. Never seen before, but sure to be emulated, the opening credit sequence of “Deadpool” makes no bones about having no love for the establishment or the labels that it bestows on the credit hungry “movie star”. Kudos for setting the tone for this love letter to the folks that live outside the colored lines, or at the very least those who like to think themselves cool enough to thrive in that alternative pool. It Got Made Gangsta. After almost ten years of “Deadpool” stagnating in development hell at New Line Cinema, in 2014 somebody mysteriously leaked some action sequence test footage that Ryan Reynolds and “Deadpool” director Tim Miller had shot previously as “proof of concept” footage. When it hit YouTube, the fan response was enough to get 20th Century Fox to scoop up what New Line had been neglecting to act on. Could it have been Reynolds who did it? We’ll never know, but somebody over at New Line is feeling all kinds of ass right about now. Breakout Use Of Sex as an Effective and Eye Catching Way To Convey The Passage of Time in a Relationship Between Two Hot Consenting Adults. Pretty much enough said. Why on earth has no one ever thought to do this before? Who knows… but it’s pretty unconventionally cult brilliant. Breaking The Fourth Wall Like a Boomerang And Not Giving A Damn. For those who like their revenge flicks Kurosawa style with a dash of that modern Tarantino worthy swing, this film goes very far to give viewers a signature 360 Deadpool curated commentating experience straight from the point of view of our anti-hero. Finding New Kick Ass Female Talent. Two words – Morena Baccarin. To see her is to love her in this movie. She’s just that cool that ladies want to be her and guys want to… be Deadpool – if you know what we’re saying here. It doesn’t hurt that she looks like a modern reincarnation of Sophia Loren either. Female Characters That Are Tough But Not Stiff. Morena Baccarin isn’t the only cool female in this movie who knows how to crack some tennis balls and then some. Gina Carrano is a doing what she does best as the wickedly invincible Angel Dust, and Brianna Hildebrand is too much fun as the authentically bored but dutifully effective Negasonic Teenage Warhead. As if all teenagers aren’t this way, right? Best Buddy Scene One on One Bonding Over An Infant Appendage. You just have to trust us on this one. Just know that as a nod to other beyond cool female characters, this scene involves the always-incredible Leslie Uggams as Blind Al. It’s so good, you just get the shivers again and again. Best Sidekick “We’re All In This Together” Realism. Why is it in so many hero movies that the best friend is only a quality best friend if they want to be the equivalent of a ride to die chick? I don’t know about you, but if I’m Joe Blow and my bestie is Superman, he best handle his own biz, cause you only live once and I’m a lover not a fighter when it comes to superhero grown folk problems. To that end, Deadpool and his right hand man Weasel, played in winning fashion by the always expressively deadpan T.J. Miller hits it right on the head. Best Update Of Bonding With Your Cabbie. The Use of Taxi Cabs in Deadpool is an unexpected nod to Deadpool’s never leaving much of a carbon footprint anywhere, which is just so green for an antihero…. unless of course he’s blowing up a building or a highway. But the real gem in this movie is the teacher student relationship set up between Deadpool and Dopinder, his trusty go to cabby, played with innocent aplomb by Karan Soni. Never since Travis Bickle has bonding been so effortlessly sweet yet twisted between anti-hero and protégé. Not Letting Our Favorite Songs From The Late 80’s Die. Deadpool’s respect for WHAM’s “Carless Whisper” is truly something special, not to mention that the movie dusts off Salt–N-Pepa to much deserved effect. Being All Hip Hop, we had to give a holla back for that one.
"Barbershop: The Next Cut" Sneak Peak Preview
Opening nationwide on April 15th, Warner Bros. Pictures in association with Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures and New Line Cinema is coming out with the third installment of the beloved “Barbershop” movies with “Barbershop: The Next Cut.” In this continuation of the story that we have come to know and love, the streets may have changed for the worse, but Calvin and his shop are still solid as a rock when it comes to keeping folks together with the perfect mix of on fleek style, hard won wisdom and some much needed comic relief. When the elected officials downtown just aren’t protecting the community the way that they should, Calvin and the shop take the matter into their own hands in signature style. Protecting friends, family and the girls and guys just around the way with a safe place to sit, get a cut and style, along with a healthy dose of the dozens, the hashtag #barbershopsavestheneighborhood says everything and more when it comes to this “Next Cut”. Starring Ice Cube, Cedric The Entertainer, Regina Hall, Anthony Anderson, Eve, JB Smoove, LaMorne Morris, Sean Patrick Thomas, Deon Cole, Common and Nicki Minaj, just the cast alone hints that the day you see this movie could indeed be a very good day. [youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g2tacfpfpE0&w=640&h=360]
CREED The Movie: A Knockout Not To Be Missed
Too often the problem with great movie franchises is that the films that follow can’t handle the task of staying true to what was special about the original while still being strong enough to stand alone. In order to hide these gaps, sequels routinely get crammed with a superfluous glut of famous names and expensive action sequences dripping with inconsequential cinematic fluff. Happily, CREED is not a part of this hackneyed tradition. Due largely to the clear-eyed and naturalistic steering of director Ryan Coogler, CREED more than rises to the occasion as a boxer’s clinic on staying true to a classic while also forging it’s own very unique and entertaining path. Make no mistake, there are famous names in the film, starting notably with Sylvester Stallone’s Rocky and ending with the very palpable specter of actor Carl Weathers’ Apollo Creed. However, the sizable bulk of CREED’s star power comes from today’s world of professional boxing versus Hollywood, giving CREED an understated but singularly modern authenticity. With former WBA and WBC Super Middleweight champion Andre Ward and Philly born and bred Puerto Rican Light Middleweight champion Gabriel Rosado putting in major screen time, even if you don’t know who they are going in, the fights in CREED crackle with an electricity that can’t be ignored. While the fighting is top notch in CREED with a stylistic POV bent that gives EA Sport’s FIGHT NIGHT video games a run for their money, the film doesn’t get lost in the purely physical. What makes CREED transcend its subject matter is that it taps into the universal by changing focus from the enemy without to the more elusive enemy within that we all carry. Indeed, the fact that the film’s primary antagonist, “Pretty” Ricky Conlon, played with a lot of success by former British WBC Light Heavyweight champion Anthony Bellew, doesn’t have more screen time is an intriguing departure from most ROCKY films. But rather than obsess about this creative choice, filmmaker Coogler embraces it by doubling down and posing one question via every central character in CREED both old and new: “What makes a person fight when they are almost certain to lose?” The answers in CREED aren’t simple nor do they disappoint. It is almost guaranteed that every moviegoer based on their own life experiences will have their own takeaway on the validity of these answers as shown though CREED’s lens in this atypical but fresh addition to the ROCKY series. Michael B. Jordan is both moving and believable physically and mentally in his portrayal of a young guy who can mix it up in the ring, but suffers greatly from the demons that put him there. Tessa Thompson has a fire and vulnerability as Adonis’ love interest, a woman who supports Adonis, but has a life of her own. Phylicia Rashad is the best that we have ever seen her as the concerned yet deeply conflicted parent who cannot bear to be too close or too far from the child that she has decided to love against all odds and convention. However, despite all of these wonderful performances, by far the best fusion of old and new is the beautifully wrought yet easily fractured relationship between Michael B. Jordan’s Creed and Sylvester Stallone’s shopworn Rocky Balboa. As the cinematic relationship between their fictional characters suggests, the scenes that Jordan and Stallone play together bring out the best of both in this very satisfying movie with knockout cinematic results. CREED from Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures, Warner Bros. Pictures and New Line Cinema opens nationwide today, November 25, 2015.
Future Inspired by CREED for Hot “Last Breath” Single
[facebook url=”https://www.facebook.com/BET/videos/10153112313645404/” /] Hip Hop Artist Future talks to Ryan Coogler, writer and director of the Warner Bros. movie CREED, as well as stars Michael B. Jordan, Tessa B. Johnson and Sylvester Stallone about how he was inspired by this new cinematic chapter in the ROCKY saga to create his single “Last Breath”. In CREED, Jordan stars as the late Apollo Creed’s son being trained by Sylvester Stallone as the iconic Rocky Balboa in this release from Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures, Warner Bros. Pictures and New Line Cinema that opens nationwide on November 25th.
'93 til Infinity: Our favorite "Menace II Society" Characters
It’s the ultimate “hood” movie and a hip-hop classic and cultural influencer. In celebration of the 20th Anniversary of Menace to Society, AllHipHop.com takes a look back at the movie, our favorite characters, and our favorite quotable lines. (READ ALSO: Menace II Society: 20 Years Later) Tyrin Turner as Kaydee “Caine” Lawson Quotable: “Yo, I don’t think you know me, homie.” 1993: Turner seemed to have appeared out of nowhere when he turned up as the star of Menace to Society in 1993. Prior to the film, Turner appeared in Janet Jackson’s “Rhythm Nation” video as well the 1992 crime thriller Deep Cover. As Caine, Turner brought to life one of urban films most memorable protagonists. 2013: After Menace, Turner made numerous television and music video appearances. For a short time, Turner was also as a member of the Geto Boys, appearing on several albums, although he never released a solo project. Turner also played another memorable urban film character appearing as “the illest ni**a in Nebraska,” Rico in Belly. Larenz Tate as O. Dog Quotable: “What you say about my Momma?” 1993: Starting his career with a string of television appearances as far back as the 80s, Menace to Society was Tate’s first feature role. O-Dog was the film’s youngest and most dangerous character, often killing for the slightest perceived disrespect. 2013: Between 1995 and 1998, Tate starred in Dead Presidents [also a Hughes Brothers film], the cult classic Love Jones and Why Do Fools Fall in Love: The Frankie Lymon story. In the early 2000’s, Tate had roles in the Oscar-winning films Ray and Crash. Larenz Tate recently got into directing, crafting a Conjure Cognac commercial for friend, Ludacris. Jada Pinkett-Smith as Ronnie Quotable: “See, that’s the key word. Caine. N***a, you ain’t Caine, stop drinking up all the beer.” 1993: After moving from Baltimore, MD to California, Pinkett-Smith networked her way into small roles and behind the scenes work. In Menace to Society, Pinkett-Smith played Ronnie, a single mother to the child of Caine’s surrogate father Pernell. Once Pernell is sent to prison to serve a life sentence, Caine takes on the responsibility of looking out for Ronnie and her and Pernell’s son Anthony. Their relationship ends up being one where they take care of each other until they fall in love and intend to move to Atlanta, GA with Pernell’s blessing. 2013: Pinkett-Smith experienced a great amount of success after Menace throughout the 90s. She was featured on A Different World, and starred in the urban film classic Set It Off. Pinkett-Smith has also made strides as a wife, musician, mother, business-woman and humanitarian. With husband, Will Smith they have produced movies and television series through their production company Overbrook Productions. Her children Jaden and Willow are both musicians and actors. Clifton Powell as Chauncey Quotable: “Yo, Wax. Let me get some links with them grits, n***a. I’m hungrier than a muthaf**ka out here.” 1993: Powell appeared in in Menace as a neighborhood OG who only cared about himself. Chauncey was one of the films least likable characters. He dimed Caine and O-Dog out to the police after catching a beatdown over Ronnie, in fact, one of the best things about him was his nickname, “Fa**ot A**Chauncey.” 2013: Since Menace, Powell has gone on become one of the hardest working men in black Hollywood. He has appeared in numerous major and independent films. Powell’s second-most recognized character is Pinky, a pimp and record store owner in the Friday franchise. Bill Duke as “Detective” Quotable: “You know you done f**ked up, don’t ya?” 1993: Known for his imposing physique with a height of almost 6’4″, Bill Duke debuted in the 1976 classic Car Wash as Abdullah Mohammed Akbar, a hood dude turned Muslim revolutionary. Duke has played a number of action and crime drama roles, but sometimes dabbles in comedy. His role in Menace was both terrifying and funny when he caught Caine up in a lie during questioning about the liquor store slaying. 2013: Duke is still working. He did a voiceover for a Boondocks episode, reprising his famous line. Duke also played a drug kingpin in 50 Cent’s biopic, Get Rich or Die Trying. Bill Duke is also a Director and mentor for young people seeking careers in the creative arts. MC Eiht as A-Wax Quotable: “Both of y’all actin’ like some muthaf**kin’ bi**hes… Man, gimmie my muthaf**kin’ joint.” 1993: MC Eiht, released three albums as one of the founding members of rap group Compton’s Most Wanted before signing on to be a part of the Hughes Brothers’ debut film Menace to Society. While his character A-Wax was expert at playing either the devil’s advocate or the devil himself, MC Eiht is best remembered for his role in the movie’s soundtrack. “Straight up Menace” was a narrative from Caine’s point of view from childhood until his unfortunate demise. 2013: Currently, MC Eiht is experiencing a career revival after signing with DJ Premier’s independent label Year Round Records in 2011, and his recent contribution to Kendrick Lamar’s major label debut Good Kid, M.A.A.d City. What’s your favorite Menace II Society quote or character?
