Diary of a Mad Black Woman (2005)

Cast
Helen - Kimberly Elise
Charles - Steve Harris
Madea, Joe, Brian - Tyler Perry
Orlando - Shemar Moore

Synopsis
Helen's marriage is crumbling around her and she turns to her grandmother, Madea, to help her get through it.

I really felt like I had to include a Tyler Perry movie in this series. No matter how you feel about his movies you can't say that he hasn't has a major impact on the industry. I think it's a huge deal that he comes out with movie after movie with all African American casts and they continue to do well in the box office. This was his first movie. It came out 11 years ago and there's no stopping him. People consistently come out and support these films year after year. They keep debunking the myth that people don't want to see our stories on the big screen.
I know a lot of people don't like the portrayal of African Americans in his movies, but here's what I think. His film represent a certain group of people in the African American community. No, we are not all like that and that's something that everyone must understand. But there are people that can relate to these characters and they should be able to see themselves on the big screen just like everyone else. So yes, I do think that Diary of a Mad Black Woman and Tyler Perry films do have a place in this industry.

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Waiting to Exhale (1995)

Cast
Savannah - Whitney Houston
Bernadine - Angela Bassett
Gloria - Loretta Devine
Robin - Lela Rochon

Synopsis
This film follows a group of four friends throughout a year. We see all of the ups and downs they go through with family, relationships and careers. It's based off a novel by Terry McMillan.

In an industry where theaters are filled with films about white males, here we have a box office hit about a group of African American women. Four women who are different, complex, and have a great friendship with each other. Four women that are just dealing with whatever life throws at them. Four women that are relatable to women no matter what color they are. This is what happens when you write real, non-stereotypical portrayals of Black women. Not only do we come out, support and love it, but all women do.
The success of this film proved that there was a want for films centered around Black women and our stories being told from our perspective. It paved the way for films like 'Set it Off' and shows like 'Girlfriends.' The characters in this film gave us #squadgoals and #friendshipgoals before they were even a thing to hashtag.
I can't talk about this movie without mentioning that Angela Bassett gave us on of the most iconic film scenes. A scene that I've seen others try to recreate, but there's nothing like the original. There are other scenes in this film that I've seen recreated on TV shows and movies. Imitation is the highest form of flattery, right?
I appreciate this movie and everything it's has to offer. From the amazing acting, writing, and directing to that soundtrack. It's a classic in my book.

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Hollywood Shuffle (1987)

Cast
Bobby Taylor - Robert Townsend
Stevie Taylor - Craigus R. Johnson
Uncle Ray - David McKnight
Donald - Keenen Ivory Wayans
Lydia - Anne-Marie Johnson

Synopsis
Bobby Taylor is an actor who aspires to get various different types of roles, but it seems that the only ones he's able to get are stereotypical. This film follows him as goes through the audition process for a movie. We often get a peek into his thoughts by seeing some of his daydreams. In the end, Bobby has a serious decision to make; whether he can play these roles or not.

This film is a satire and as funny and ridiculous as satires can be, there's always truth in them. This is true for Hollywood Shuffle. With this film we are getting a peek into life as a Black actor in Hollywood. We see the struggles that they face, specifically in this film, with the lack of diverse roles that they're offered.
There were two things that I really loved about this movie. One is the moral to the story. The first part of the massage is to the actors and lets them know that they don't have to play these roles. The second part is to the writers and lets them know that they are responsible for writing diverse roles for Black actors to play. These stereotypical roles shouldn't be written and actors shouldn't feel like they have to portray these roles just to have a job and be successful.
The other thing that I loved is how it all came full circle at the end. Bobby's grandmother said many times that Bobby didn't have to take this movie job playing this stereotypical role and that there are always jobs at the post office. Now when he quits you can think that he's going to apply for a job at the post office. But he ends up finding a job acting in a commercial for the post office. Bobby was able to make his grandmother happy without giving up on his dream. That's another great message of this movie; never give up.

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Cooley High (1975)

Cast
Preach - Glynn Turman
Cochise - Lawrence Hilton-Jacobs
Mr. Mason - Garrett Morris

Synopsis
This film takes place in the mid 60's and follows a group of teenage boys who live in Chicago. It follows them in their adventures in adolescence.

To understand the importance of this films, you must first consider the time that it came out; the 70's. This was the time when blacksplotation films were all the rage, but this films was different. This was the beginning of more diverse stories being told. Cooley High is coming of age movie that doesn't focus on crime and drugs. It's just about people living their lives and dealing with everything that comes with it. There are elements that are specific to African Americans, but it's also relatable to everyone.
Diverse storytelling will always be important because African Americans aren't all alike. Sure, there are similarities but there are also differences. We are not a one dimensional group of people. There are cultural things that link us but we are all individuals who live and experience different things. Showing our similarities and differences helps others understand this. Believe it or not, when people aren't exposed to certain group of people they tend to use TV and movies as a looking glass into their culture. If all they see is one thing they assume that all of those people are like that. In order to stop this from happening, we must do what Eric Monte (writer) did with Cooley High and show the diversity of our people.

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Blade (1998)

Cast
Blade - Wesley Snipes
Deacon Frost - Stephen Dorff
Whistler - Kris Kristofferson
Karen - N'Bushe Wright
Vanessa - Sanaa Lathan

Synopsis
Blade is half-human, half-vampire who made it his mission to take out all of the evil vampires. After he rescues Karen, she makes him show her the ropes and that takes them on one crazy adventure.

In order to understand the importance of Blade, you have to understand some things about the Sci-Fi genre. To me, this is the genre where the impossible can be possible. Anything can happen in this genre. When working in this genre, you have the ability to create whatever universe you want. With that being said, it's a shame when I see so few African Americans as heroes in these universes and so few even included in these universes at all. This is why Blade is so important.
Not only are we present in this universe, but we have an African American man as the hero. I mean, there's a scene where an attack happens in the hospital and the police come in and shoot at Blade. Obviously, the bullets bounce off of him. The imagery of that alone makes me go "wow!"
Blade was also a huge box office hit in a time when comic book movies were flops. Now, we often hear the excuse that the reason there are so few movies made with African American leads/casts is because they won't sell at the box office. Blade's success debunks that excuse. It also helped Marvel become what we all know it to be today by being its first real success in theaters. If it wasn't for Blade, we might not have the Black Panther film to look forward to in a couple of years.

Source: An unsung hero
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Hallelujah (1929)

Cast
Zeke - Daniel L. Haynes
Chick - Nina Mae McKinney
Hot Shot - William Fountaine
Parson - Harry Gray
Mammy - Fanny Belle DeKnight
Spunk - Everett McGarrity
Missy Rose - Victoria Spivey

Synopsis
This is a story about Zeke who seduced by a dancer named Chick. She ends up scamming out of the $100 he made from selling his family's cotton crop. We then see the series of events that happen to him after this event. I would categorize this film as a musical.

From what happens on screen to what I read about what happened behind the scenes, there are so many things that make this film important. So let's begin. This film's cast is made up of an all Black cast. That is something that rarely happened during that time. It was 1929, a time where it was hard for African Americans to get extra roles and when blackface was acceptable. But the director, King Vidor, of this movie didn't want that. He fought to make this cast all Black. Another thing he fought for was to get a real picture of what it was like to be Black in the south. He went as far as getting help from Black people behind the scenes when he didn't know what to do. This is also huge because the only way we were being depicted in the movies was in a stereotypical way. Here is a film that went above and beyond to make sure that didn't happen and it was said that among all the films of that time, this one did a much better job of representation.

I just find it crazy how the problems that this movie faced, with getting made and even getting distributed to theaters are the same problems African Americans are facing now in Hollywood. We still are being depicted as stereotypes and it's still hard to get roles. I think we need more people like King Vidor who are willing to put in the hard work a determination to make changes in the industry. Then, maybe, 80 years from now we won't be looking back and saying we're still facing these issues.

Sources: 25 Important Movies on Race, King Vidor's Hallelujah
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A Raisin in the Sun (1961)

Cast
Lena Younger - Claudia McNeil
Walter Lee Younger - Sidney Poitier
Ruth Younger - Ruby Dee
Beneatha "Benny" Younger - Diana Sands
Travis Younger - Steven Perry

Synopsis
The patriarch of the Younger family has died and the $10,000 insurance check is on it's way. Everyone in the family has their own ideas of what to do with the money, but it's Lena's decision. This play follows the actions of the family during this time.
This is the movie version of the play written by Lorraine Hansberry.

This film gives us a peek into the life of an African American family, and it's not stereotypical at all. What we see is a hard working family that has come into some money and all they want to do is use it to do better for their family.
Whenever we see African Americans in films that aren't portraying a stereotype, it's important. We are all different people. We're not all lazy, uneducated, entertainers. We're not all tough, super strong people who can take on anything and everything without feeling hurt or pain. We see that in Walter who goes to work everyday and then spends his time off trying to find a way to build something for his family. We see that in Lena who is the matriarch of the family and worked as long as she could. We see that in Lena who, even though pregnant, said she would work with her baby on her back to help pay the bills. And we see it in Beneatha who's studying to be a doctor but also continues to educate herself in other things. Beneatha is also eager to learn many different things. Does this sound like a lazy uneducated family to you?
We are also able to see these characters and their range of emotions. They are able to be happy and upset, strong and vulnerable. These characters are not one dimensional.
One character who's influence I only came to understand recently is Beneatha. She is a feminist, and her ideas where very much ahead of her time. I mean, she wasn't going to get married and raise a family until she had a career of her own. She also had many ways of expressing herself with all her different hobbies. I see aspects of her in characters like Denise Huxtable and Freddie Brooks.
Another thing I find important is how the different generations of this household are portrayed. You have the oldest one, Lena, who just wants to use the money to buy a house for a family. This is important to her because she came from the south. Her family were slaves. Buying this house means that her family went from working for white people to living next door to them. Then you have Walter who wants to invest the money into a business. He's more of a risk taker. Lastly, you have Beneatha who would use the money for school. She the biggest risk taker of them all because she wants to enter a field that not a lot of women are in. Instead of just getting married and raising a family, she wants a career of her own. All three of them want more ownership, they just want to achieve it in different ways.

This film is very important and influential. We wouldn't have to read the play in school or have so many remakes of the film if it wasn't. I love it enough to have the play in my book collection and soon I'll add this version of the film to my movie collection.

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New Winter Shows!

While all my fall shows went on a horrifyingly long hiatus, I took it upon myself to pass the time by checking out some new shows that premiered this winter. Here's my verdict on those.

Legends of Tomorrow

This show got off to shaky start for me and I'm still not sold on it. I was not a fan of Jax being drugged and taken against his will. I'm also not a fan of Carter. He's just too much of an eager beaver for me. I felt that he needed to chill and let Kendra remember her past lives in her time, instead of trying to force it on her. 

Also, this show only has one goal: to kill Vandal Savage. I'm forced the believe that this is all we're going to get week in and week out, and I know they'll be in different situations. I just hope that I don't get bored of it.

Now I'm a TGIT fan, so I will only give this show my live viewership for one more week. Then it can live in my DVR.   

X-Files

I finally caught up, and even though this show had only been out of my life for a month I was still super excited when it came back. I'm loving every minute of it! 

Recovery Road

ABC Family, well Freeform now, shows always hook me in. I mean who doesn't love a slightly teenage, more so young adult drama? Plus, the shows on this network always tackle important issues and they do it so well. I just have to support that.

Superstore

I am very picky when it comes to anything in the comedy genre. So I think it's a miracle that I've found one that I actually enjoy. This show makes me laugh and that' all I ask for. The cherry on top of this sundae is representation. I love how diverse the cast is and not only does it represent people of different sexes and races, but it even represents people with disabilities. That's something that I rarely see on TV today.

Have you watched any of these shows? What are your thoughts?