Imagine for a moment that you can’t buy popcorn at the movie theater. No $9 popcorns. No 54-ounce sodas. Not even a drop of nacho cheese. Instead, fresh garden salads of kale, collards, and carrots grown from the ground right beneath your feet. Bongos and chimes resonate as PLP The Unity sings about sharing, loving and rising together as a community. I couldn’t help but think, ‘What a refreshing change of pace from my usual bloated sugar rushed viewing state.’
The sun had just set on a comfortable summer evening in North Philly where Philadelphia Urban Creators’ organic farm hosted Street Movies, an independent film festival brought in part by Get Lucid and Scribe Video Center. Emcee Jeaninne Kayembe assured us that our good vibes would help the plants grow better. So there I sat, feeling a new kind of kale and bongo fueled vibe beneath a clear night sky as short films began.
First up was Them That Do, the story of Lisa Barkley, a Philadelphia resident who transformed her backyard into a fruit tree orchard. To Lisa, it wasn’t just about gardening and sustainability, it was about building the community and getting kids off the violent streets.
The Story of an Egg revealed the true meaning of terms such as ‘cage free’ and ‘free range.’ Spoiler Alert: These terms are misleading and don’t mean much. It all depends how you define ‘cage’ and ‘range’ because in most cases, these chickens are still in warehouses. ‘Pastured’ eggs come from chickens that are actually raised outside. “What’s the difference?” you might ask. Try comparing a sunny-side up cage-free egg to a pastured one. I did and I’m switching to pastured.
Creation Story weaved between live action and claymation as a mother tells her daughter how god created people and why we style our hair. Well, most people do.
During the poetry-filled intermission, I could almost feel the plants growing. My vibe was on fire. These were movies that mattered. Movies about actual issues going on in the community. There were no action-packed CGI remakes to send my senses into oblivion. This was better. This was healthy. This was a slice of life that you can’t get in a normal theater. I was actually learning something. I could feel the community come together in an area otherwise lacking and it felt good.
Makin It made me wonder what it’s like to have only one pair of shoes for a few years and work in construction every day. This was the situation for an impoverished teenage boy who couldn’t afford new sneakers so he painted them with wall paint; not exactly the hottest trend in shoe fashion. He was ridiculed, but went on to become the first in his family to go to college.
When Ron McNair was 9, he refused to leave the segregated public library without being able to check out his books. One of these books sparked his interest in outer space and ever since then, Ron had his Eyes on the Stars. Ron became the second African American in space, but in 1986 he died during a rocket launch 73 seconds after liftoff.
My personal favorite, El Doctor, was the story of a married couple who hires two illegal immigrants in a Home Depot parking lot to repair their deck. After a tragedy of errors, we’re left to reflect on the differences between our own individual consciences and the law.
In Mama Jo, a community mother confronts an estranged young man who she raised years ago. The young man seems to be headed down the wrong path, but the mother can’t get through to him anymore. He’s too grown up to listen to listen to his guardian, yet at the same time, too naïve to know what’s best for him.
As a studio comedy writer, this was all so foreign to me; not just the atmosphere, but the content of the films shown. It’s amazing what filmmakers can do when they’re not bound by Hollywood’s constraints: financing, commercial appeal, getting Adam Sandler to sign onto the project. There’s such a wide range of meaningful stories to tell when the focus is on community, not money. Street Movies opened my eyes to the community around me and I plan to get more involved.
Join the cast of “Toni’s Revenge” for an unforgettable evening as they dive into the much-awaited sequel to “Who?”
After spending over two years in confinement, Toni has finally escaped and is determined to settle the score with her cousin Kendra and her family. The stage is set for a dramatic showdown filled with shocking twists and a fierce quest for revenge.
As Toni sets out on her mission, nothing will hinder her. Loyalties will be tested, new secrets will emerge, and the boundaries between justice and vengeance will become blurred. Will Toni reclaim her strength, or will Kendra outmaneuver her again?
Get ready for a night packed with suspense and drama that will keep you on the edge of your seat! Don’t miss your opportunity to witness this captivating saga unfold.
With the Snyder Cut of Justice League finally being released this month, I thought it’d be fun to take a look at all of the live-action incarnations of comics greatest superhero team. No, I didn’t stutter and you know I’m right. If you don’t know, the Justice League consists of the greatest heroes in DC Comics. “The Magnificent Seven” as they’re know are comprised of Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman, The Flash, Green Lantern, Aquaman, and Martian Manhunter with Manhunter later being replaced by Cyborg in updated and current versions of the team. They come together when just one hero isn’t enough. If you’re like a lot of mainstream fans, you’ll most likely know the team from the astounding and near perfect animated series that aired on Cartoon Network but that’s not why we’re here. Let’s get into the meat and potatoes of it all.
Honorable Mention
Justice League: Mortal
This incarnation of the team never came to fruition. Famed director George Miller was attached to direct with a budget of around $220 million. The casting left something to be desired. D.J. Catrona was cast as Superman, Armie Hammer as Batman, Megan Gale as Wonder Woman, and Teresa Palmer, whom auditioned for the Wonder Woman role, was cast as Talia al Ghul. I’m only on board with Armie Hammer as the Caped Crusader, but everyone else can kick rocks. They don’t make a lick of sense and that especially goes for Teresa Palmer as the Daughter of the Demon. Two of the better casting choices, Common as Green Lantern John Stewart and Adam Brody as the Barry Allen version of the Flash, are solid but I honestly believe that Brody would have been better served as Wally West. The best casting decision was Jay Baruchel as Maxwell Lord.
There were many reasons that this movie didn’t come forth. The Writers Strike happened and production had to be delayed for three months which caused the options of the cast to lapse. The movie was supposed to be filmed in Australia but the Australian government denied Warner Bros a 40% tax rebate as they felt that there weren’t enough Australian actors hired. There were more delays and the success of The Dark Knight caused Warner Bros to focus on singular films.
Justice League
If the reviews are to be believed, then the Joss Whedon directed version of the film will be long forgotten. Joss Whedon had to finish Snyder’s film due to a family tragedy. He ended up cutting much of what Snyder intended including removing a majority Cyborg’s scenes and story as he was clearly intended to be the focal point of the film. If you’ve seen one Joss Whedon film or TV show, then you’ve seen them all and you know what to expect and that is very much true here. What Snyder had set forth has largely been forgotten with Whedon putting his usual flair on the writing. If you’ve been living under a rock then you know all about the claims made by Ray Fisher. The racism, the treatment by Whedon, and so much more. The less said about this film, the better.
Legends of the Superheroes
This 1979 two-part television special featured the most famous Batman and Robin at the time, the late Adam West and Burt Ward. Other heroes included Black Canary, Captain Marvel [now Shazam], Flash, Green Lantern, Hawkman, Huntress and many more. This one was mostly played for laughs.
Smallville
The decades long comic book series had their own version of the League featuring Clark Kent, the Flash, Cyborg, Green Arrow, and Aquaman. The characters were all introduced in previous episodes where they were given proper introductions. Chloe Sullivan, Clark’s long time best friend, acted as the surrogate Oracle using the code name “Watchtower”. Later in the series, they were joined by Black Canary and Martian Manhunter with Manhunter having a prominent tutor-like role on the show. Smallville also gave us the first time live-action iteration of the Justice Society of America.
Arrowverse
A combination of the CW Arrowverse shows, this Justice League featured characters from the various shows. With the ending of Crisis on Infinite Earths, the amalgamation of Earth-Prime (Earth-1, Earth-38, and Black Lightning’s Earth) needed a team for such an occasion where one hero wouldn’t be enough. Taking on the Anti-Monitor, all of the heroes were needed. If you know DC Comics, you know that when the words “Crisis” are uttered, it’s about to go down, In the end, our heroes were successful but not without suffering a great loss. Oliver Queen after becoming the Spectre, sacrificed himself for the greater good. The Arrowverse team consists of White Canary, The Flash, Supergirl, Batwoman, Martian Manhunter, Black Lightning, Superman, and an empty seat to honor the man who started it all, Green Arrow.
The long awaited clash of the titans is here! Check out the trailer below for Godzilla vs Kong! Who do you have your bets on? Who will emerge victorious? Find out on HBO Max March 26, 2021.
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