Year: 2021

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“The Neutral Ground” (2021). Cast: CJ Hunt (narrator and interviewer), Mitch Landrieu, Jason Williams, Christy Coleman, Michael “Quess” Moore, Malcolm Suber, Angela Kinlaw, Thomas Taylor, Karen Cox, Ashley Rogers, Dr. Ibrahima Seck, Abdul Aziz, Luther Gray, Freddi Evans, Dread Scott, Mr. Hunt, Darcy McKinnon. Archive Footage: Pierre McGraw, Donald Trump, David Duke. Director: CJ Hunt. Web site. Trailer. Movie. When the truth remains hidden, it’s difficult to move forward and make progress in resolving thorny social issues. But, when it’s intentionally buried under a barrage of myths and lies designed to purposely obscure it, that makes the effort considerably more daunting. That doesn’t mean it’s impossible, though, as chronicled in the satirical and emotionally charged new documentary, “The Neutral Ground.” In 2015, the New Orleans City Council considered a proposal to take down four statues honoring Confederate Civil War “heroes” and organizations, including those dedicated to General Robert E. Lee, commander of Southern forces, General P.G.T. Beauregard, the military officer who fired the first shots of the Civil War at South Carolina’s Ft. Sumter, and Confederate President Jefferson Davis. A hotly debated public hearing was held, characterized by passionate arguments from proponents on both sides of the issue. It was ...

“The One and Only Dick Gregory” (2021). Cast: Interviews: Chris Rick, Kevin Hart, Dave Chappelle, Harry Belafonte, Wanda Sykes, Nick Cannon, Lena Waithe, W. Kamau Bell, Rob Schneider, Lillian Gregory, Christian Gregory, Ayanna Gregory, Greg Gregory, Myrlie Evers-Williams, Robert Lipsyte, Edward Schmitt, Sheila Moses, Steve Jaffe, Lawrence O’Donnell, Rock Newman, Cathy Hughes, Jack Healy, John Bellamy, Gordon Brooks, Joe Madison. Archive Footage: Dick Gregory, Medgar Evers, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Merv Griffin, Jack Paar, Mike Wallace, David Frost, Ed Bradley, Arsenio Hall, Hugh Hefner, J. Edgar Hoover, Muhammed Ali, Michael Jackson, John Lennon, Yoko Ono. Director: Andre Gaines. Screenplay: Andre Gaines. Web site. Trailer. Living one’s truth is indeed a virtue – and one that some say is becoming increasingly rare in these contentious times. It’s unclear whether this is due to an unwillingness or an inability to do so. Either way, though, if we’re to revive this practice, we need inspiring examples to draw from, and, these days that means looking to our past to find suitable role models to help show us the way. So it is in the superb new biographical documentary, “The One and Only Dick Gregory.” When a film’s title claims to be about ...

“Summer of Soul (…Or, When the Revolution Could Not Be Televised)” (2021). Cast: Interviews: Stevie Wonder, Gladys Knight, Marilyn McCoo, Billy Davis Jr., Mavis Staples, Chris Rock, Charlayne Hunter-Gault, Jesse Jackson, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Sheila E., Greg Tate. Performance Archive Footage: Stevie Wonder, Nina Simone, B.B. King, the Staples Singers, Sly & the Family Stone, the 5th Dimension, Gladys Knight & the Pips, the Chambers Brothers, David Ruffin, Hugh Masekela, Mahalia Jackson, Abbey Lincoln, Max Roach, Ray Barretto, the Edwin Hawkins Singers, Mongo Santamaria, Moms Mabley, Willie Tyler & Lester. Other Archive Footage: Tony Lawrence, John Lindsay, Jesse Jackson. Director: Ahmir-Khalib “Questlove” Thompson. Web site. Trailer. It’s sad when a milestone event fades into obscurity. When one examines the impact it had at the time of its staging, one would hope that such a legacy would be sustained. However, those who remember the event carry the spirit of its impact within them, and, with a little help, it just might be possible to bring it back to life and celebrate the breakthrough it represented. Such is the case with the entertaining and uplifting new music documentary, “Summer of Soul (…Or, When the Revolution Could Not Be Televised).” As America headed into ...

How do we get in touch with who we really are and what we want out of life? It all comes down to mindfulness, and we just might find some clues by watching a movie! Find out more by reading “Mindfulness in the Movies” in the latest issue of Modern Warrior magazine (formerly Life Quote Journal). For more about this uplifting new online publication, click here ...

With the 2021 American Film Institute Documentary Film Festival (AFI DOCS) now in the books, it’s time to sum up the 12 offerings that I screened, some of which will be released in theaters, online and on television on the very near future. A number of excellent films are coming out of this festival, and I encourage viewers to catch them when available. Some of these titles will be featured in full reviews in the coming months. The scoring for these pictures is on a 1-5 scale (5 being must-see, 1 being should-skip). I have adjusted the scores here slightly from those listed on my Quick Cuts page summaries in order to more accurately reflect my views of the films in question (the Quick Cuts scores match how I voted in the festival’s audience ratings, the scoring for which is somewhat more restrictive than what I’ve posted in this blog). This is the first time I have attended (i.e., streamed) releases from this festival, and I must say that, for the most part, I was indeed favorably impressed. It was a well-run, highly affordable event, and I recommend it highly. My only criticism would be that the length of the ...