#written by Issa Rae

[pollencoveredman]

issa rae looks so good in her barbie poster she’s so mother

[gingerylangylang1979]

How Colorism fuels BW/WM swirls in media

I guess this is maybe a counterpoint/companion post to this one and the dialogue started with @theonlyamazingtazmin in the comments.

That post was an ask that black women set personal boundaries around how the ship and media about the ship is effecting our well being. But an equally important conversation is why do we so often have to look to interracial couples for a well written romance for dark skinned black women. While I'm cautious about the level in investment in these pairings, I cannot deny the appeal and why it's almost a default because of how much romance for dark skinned black woman is gate kept.

My initial remedy to this frustration of how we attach ourselves to this pairing was, we need to watch and support black romance and and black tv shows and movies. But a lot of the problem is in doing just that. I watched mostly black shows in my youth and the pattern was already established of me always seeing the dark skin woman alone or butch while the lighter girls had their pick.

My favorite show as a teen was A Different World. And as ground breaking as that show was in many respects I do have to call out the paradigm it reinforced. Dwayne was obsessed with Whitley, the whitest looking woman shown on campus, and he was the darkest man shown on campus. Ron liked her best friend, Millie, a light skin girl, after that wasn't a thing it was like so crazy that he ended up with Jaleesa. His mom (the fab Patti LaBelle) kept telling him to get with the dark skinned girl with the pretty teeth, but it was like he resisted vehemently beforehand. He does, but then ends up with biracial Freddy and Jaleesa ends up with an old man and becomes a stepmom as her best option.

Back when I had HBO (I only pay for one subscription at a time and my current roommates decided to do the Disney+ package, but I only end up watching Hulu) I watched Insecure but didn't finish. I'm curious to see what happened romantically with the characters. Did they follow the same playbook? I don't want to be spoiled because I hope to continue that show one day, so please don't tell me. But I remember in the precursor to this show, Awkward Black Girl, Issa's love interest was a like pretty average, kinda lame white guy. Her black crush never panned out. I kind of rooted for her and white boy but like not that enthusiastically. I just wanted her to be loved, so tried to be into it, but honestly was like, is this her best option? I didn't finish because it frustrated me that he was her best option. Personal note: I need to finish an Issa Rae show.

Fast forward to literally as of yesterday. I started watching Queen Sugar (Hulu tries to represent black shows and movies but the selections aren't the best, if anyoen has recs, please share) because I said I want to watch more black entertainment like I did in my youth. The most recent try before this was Atlanta and I just wasn't impressed. Come to find out how douchey Donald Glover is about black women and got turned off. Anyways, I did get invested in QS after a few episodes and even cried. So what turned me off a bit and I hope doesn't put me off the show? Spoiler alert: The darkest woman, Nova, is a white cop's mistress. This isn't revealed right away. It opens with them having a sensual morning after but for some reason despite him being hot, I felt ick. Like, I predicted there was something ick coming, and sure enough she's the long term side piece. Her fine af dark skinned brother's ex is a light skinned woman and there seems to be a mild flirtation with his son's Latina teacher. The light skinned sister is married to a man about her skin tone. The aunt who is medium skin tone has a husband darker than her. So it kind of reinforced the colorism and that Nova's only option out of everyone else has to be a white man, and a white man that can't fully commit to her at that.

Now, let me jump back to why I got so invested in Richonne. I know some people probably like does this girl only hardcore ship traumatized curly haired blue eyed white men with dark skinned black women? Not intentionally, haha! But that was the most epic love story I've seen with a black woman who looks anything like me. I wasn't even expecting to ship anything on that bleak ass show. Not my fault. Maybe I'm not looking hard enough? But yeah, when I reached my adult years I kind of got tired of looking for the romance I wanted to see, that represented me, in black media and being disappointed. Because the dark skinned girls didn't get the same love as the lighter ones (or they are lesbians but that's a whole other post). I'm not saying white media isn't guilty. It's just white media when they tend to give a dark skinned black woman a romance it's with a white man if she isn't alone or a lesbian, just like black shows, but the romance tends to be deeper if it's main plot point, or at least that's what I see in Richonne and Carmy x Sydney.

I think there is a good and bad side to this. On one hand yes, give it to me. On the other is it only palatable for a dark skinned black woman to get love in a show with a mixed cast with a white man because there is still and aversion to black love for these women? It's so complex. This is why when I wrote my Syd and Carmy fic I intentionally made her ex a dark skinned black man. Carmy is mad jealous of him. It's not a real love triangle, he just frames it as one because he's insecure of her highly successful, young Idris Elba looking almost fiance, who her dad loves and is a family friend. So, of course Carmy is in his feelings. Although Syd dated white guys I didn't want the strongest competition to be another white guy. And I have Syd speak to the lameness of these other white men on purpose, on multiple occasions. She was always kind of chasing a Carmy replica but not because they were white, it's because he imprinted on her. But she chased trying to be with her ex just as hard, but for different reasons and in a different way.

Anyways, I don't even know what to expect from media at this point because often what we see onscreen does reflect reality. I'll describe myself. I'm a petite, slim curvy girl, cocoa complexion, kinky curly who often gets that "so pretty for a black girl" type compliment in the black community and from racist white people. My dating history has been mixed and mostly white (two Asians also in the mix) in my latter years by default. When I was in high school the few black boys (I went to a mostly white school) chased the white, Latina, or light skinned girls. And the few that were interested were not desirable trouble makers. One was so bad he verbally abused me in front of people consistently and then I found out he had a crush one me. No thanks, red flags galore. The first somewhat decent boy that was interested and actually knew me was my white boy best friend who tried to make a move one day. I wasn't interested, didn't see it coming, but it started a pattern. I just wanted to be his bestie because we were both film geeks, had family trauma, were loners, smoked weed, and were in theater together. It's so funny because he was a dead ringer for Leonardo Dicaprio and all the white girls swooned for him and I was like eh (never thought Leo was all that). So, no, I didn't view him as a prize romantically. But this same type thing continued with white guy friends secretly having a crush and me like not being that excited. But one day I did like one, gave it a try, and was like, ok cool, I can try this. And since then I get way more interest from white men than black men.

*Caveat, I'm currently single and don't think race has any influence on quality of men. My long term Asian ex was the worst boyfriend of my life and I'm still traumatized. Long story.

So should I be this surprised that media reflects my same experience? I don't know what the solution is going forward. Like, will media change and influence society or does society need to change to influence media?

[penny-hartzs]

Let's talk more fashion: who are your top ten fictional characters with the best style 🥰

Right off the bat I have to go with Carrie Bradshaw. She annoyed me to no end for most of the series (apart from that one episode where she went to a house party and someone stole her shoes and she insisted that the guests pay her back for them) but I'd be lying if I said that her outfits don't continue to be iconic and they are always going to be a huge chapter of costume design and fashion. Patricia Field really is THAT woman.

2. Rachel Green my forever girl has to be number 2. I love so many things about her style and how it evolves throughout the seasons. In the early days it was jeans, T-Shirts and overalls but in such a chic and 90's way and then as she starts working in fashion and growing more into a more grownup version of herself she has an amazing office wardrobe that I still take inspo from. I also love all her slip dresses.

3. Meave Maisel. I started watching The Marvelous Mrs Maisel mainly because of the clothes and the fact that it was written by Amy Sherman Palladino and I stayed for as long as I did for the clothes as well. I believe the plot got a bit tired and the creators got distracted by the fact that the budget kept getting bigger so therefore they thought the show should be getting flashier instead of more human and funny but you'll never catch me complaining about the costumes because, well look at them!

4. Lisa Fremont. LISTEN. The costumes in this movie (which is Rear Window, directed by Alfred Hitchcock) are my Roman Empire. Especially the black and white dress combined with Grace Kelly's incredible beauty makes it one of the most iconic fashion moments in cinema history and we should give Edith Head (the costume designer) her flowers.

5. Fran Fine. It took me a while to realize what an absolute fashion icon this woman is because I didn't watch The Nanny as a kid or teenager (I still haven't watched all of it and I plan on making it right eventually) but omg the absolute serve after serve after serve AFTER SERVE. Plus, that body is bodying. And a special mention to this particular outfit which is all of my dreams coming true:

6. Issa from Insecure

This show's entire costume department deserved all the Emmys, Oscars, Tonys, just everything but Issa's style was always my absolute favorite because it was so versatile and reflected on her character journey as well. Plus I loved the fact that even when she had a casual look on, there were still so many smart details about it. Argh I miss Insecure so much I need Issa Rae back on my screen immediately.

7. Daisy Jones. This character has had a tight grip on my heart ever since I read the book and I knew I'd love her when I watched the tv adaptation but I didn't expect to love her to the point I spent all of last spring trying to find pieces to recreate her entire cool girl hippy wardrobe. And also I just have to mention this "gold dust woman" moment because it was arguably the most iconic outfit of them all

8. Holly Golightly

I don't think I need to say too much about her to be honest do I? Audrey Hepburn is literally a work of art, in this movie and in general. My maybe somewhat unpopular opinion is that the pink outfit is my favorite one :')

Honourable mentions:

Monica Geller/ Blair Waldorf/ Cher Horowitz/ Zoe from Grownish (I hate the show though)/ Devi from Never Have I Ever/ Hilary Banks from The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air

[pradashaya]

Am I written by Sofia Coppola or Issa Rae? I honestly do not know. I feel like a coalescence of both!

[tinyreviews]

Movie Review: American Fiction 2023. Sarcastic wit. Hilarious punchline. Must Watch!

I gave this movie a pass at first. But the hype from the Oscars made me watch it and I enjoyed this movie a lot! For a comedy, it dealt with quite a lot of serious topics. The last act is kinda messy but the punchline hit right.

It’s a clever story. The structure is clever. The characters are clever. The dialog is clever. The ending is hilarious. MUST WATCH!

Did you find the movie (and dialog) clever? I like the sister, Lisa, a lot!

American Fiction is a 2023 American comedy-drama film written and directed by Cord Jefferson, in his feature directorial debut. Based on the 2001 novel Erasure by Percival Everett, it stars Jeffrey Wright, Tracee Ellis Ross, Issa Rae, Sterling K. Brown, John Ortiz, Erika Alexander, Leslie Uggams, Adam Brody, and Keith David.

[warningsine]

Produced by Issa Rae, written by Syreeta Singleton and directed by Lawrence Lamont.

Best friends and roommates Dreux (Keke Palmer) and Alyssa (SZA) are about to have One of Them Days. When they discover Alyssa’s boyfriend has blown their rent money, the duo finds themselves going to extremes in a comical race against the clock to avoid eviction and keep their friendship intact.

Directed by: Lawrence Lamont Written by: Syreeta Singleton

[xenodisparity]

What is Black Film?

If you were to ask for an answer immediately, I wouldn’t know. I’d probably say something stupid like “The Color Purple” (dir. Steven Spielberg). But with further analysis, I’d be honest. I don’t know. I don’t know what “Black Film” is. Is it the connection a movie holds within the culture? Does an all black crew necessitate the “Black Film” tagline?

I’m going to regurgitate a phrase I’ve heard very often. “Black People are not a Monolith”, and with that being said, not everything NEEDS to be a black film. But that rhetoric is harmful. Bear with me here. My personal perspective on Black culture in film & tv is entirely warped. Astray. Discombobulated. Any word you wanna used to describe…f**ked up. I give credit to the lack of positive representation of myself in media as a growing black boy, all the way to a young man.

What do I mean by this? Why am I so confusing right now? Because I’m confused. Because I myself don’t know how I feel about this topic. But I am not ignorant. I am not complacent. I know that there is more to the world that I can learn. I know that there is more to the culture than what I’ve seen so far, and at this point, it is my duty to make sure I see through.

Fourteen year old me would have sucked his teeth and rolled his eyes at the thought of having a conversation about the idea of Black Film. Particularly because he believed that it wasn’t necessary. He believed that not everything needed to involve Black people. “The world doesn’t revolve around you” is the phrase he consistently said to himself. He was tired of the internet. He was tired of social media pages such as “The Shaderoom” and “Worldstar”, which popularized gossip & instigation within the black community. He thought it was ignorant.

Let me switch gears real quick and talk about a movie I’ve recently watched titled, “American Fiction”. It was written, produced, and directed by Cord Jefferson. A black man. American Fiction tells the story of Thelonius ‘Monk’ Ellison, a black author who is fed up with Black stories in entertainment always including pain, or negativity. Monk is played by Jeffery Wright. Opposite of Jeffery Wright is Issa Rae, who plays Sintara Golden, a popular author who writes stories about the black experience, whether it be negative or positive.

In the movie, Monk goes through a series of events fueled by envy, disdain, hypocrisy, and jealousy. He wants his novels to become popular. He’s a black man creating stories. To him, that’s a “Black story” Experiencing his novel is the “Black experience” because he is the black man who wrote it. He doesn’t want to “feed” into the stereotypes and create a story centered around black trauma.

But that’s not what makes the bread. It’s even more apparent when Monk’s sister dies suddenly, the caretaker for his mother. His sisters death is the catalyst for this movie. It creates his motives. He doesn’t even grieve the loss of her life. He can’t accept it. His mother’s health rapidly declines after her daughter’s death. He still cannot accept it. Monk closes himself off internally from everyone. He has a complex.

Monk is getting anxious. He needs money to pay for his mother’s care. Their family has a maid, but she found love. She wants to leave and get married. Monk lets her leave. Throughout the movie, Monk questions why isn’t he in love, why isn’t he married. Why is he so much like his father, but not at the same time. Did I mention Monk’s father committed suicide by gunshot when he was younger? Oh I didn’t? Sorry. Monk is going through a lot as you can see. I didn’t even need to add that part.

Are you noticing something? Has your brain flipped? No? Yes? Maybe so?

Monk succumbs to his desires and writes a book titled “Fuck”, written by a fictional character, “Stagg R. Leigh”. Stagg is a fugitive on the run, but he wanted to write a book and share his terrible, no good, dirty black experience. Monk uses this pen name and fictional character to garner millions of dollars in revenue. He can finally pay for his mother’s care.

But now here comes the next battle…Internalized Racism!! Monk is shocked that “Fuck” is critically acclaimed. Monk denounces the work in private, but he secretly loves the attention. He got what he wanted. He got his popularity, he got his coin. But at what cost? He had to dig into the stereotypes he hates so much. Here’s the kneeslapper, Monk himself IS a stereotype.

Monk & Sintara Golden are chosen to join three white judges on a panel for the literary awards. But Monk doesn’t care about black stories because he only allows himself to see the negativity in them. He doesn’t allow himself to understand the representation, to be empathetic and realize that the world doesn’t revolve around his ideals. Monk thinks that Issa Rae’s character, Sintara Golden, is fetishizing and exploiting black trauma.

He called her work “Black trauma porn”. Monk believes that Black people have the potential to be more, to create better stories. Sintara tells him “Potential is what people see when they think what’s infront of this isn’t good enough.” This silences Monk. The jury for the awards ends in the three white voices declaring that “Fuck” by Stagg R. Leigh is essential to black voices. Much to Sintara & Monk’s dismay.

At the literary awards ceremony, “Fuck” is revealed to be the winner of this year’s award. The crowd applauses as they look around for Stagg R. Leigh. Monk’s anxiety is at an all time high. He decides to go on stage. Monk reveals he has a confession to make, but right before he speaks, we smash to black.

What? Excuse me? Is that how it ends? These are all the thoughts I had until we opened again on Monk reading off a script while speaking with a movie director played by Adam Brody. They’re on the set of “Plantation Annihilation”. The director criticizes Monk for the smash to black ending, calling it boring. He needs to bring “more”.

Has this entire movie been a screenplay Monk has been writing? Is Monk really the man we know? The conversation with Brody’s character ends when him and Monk come to a conclusion. Right as Monk goes to the stage and proclaims his pen name, a SWAT team runs in and points weapons at him. At Stagg R. Leigh. They then shoot him down, proclaiming the award trophy was a gun.

The director loves this ending, and Monk sighs. Shortly before he leaves, he comes face to face with an actor dressed as an enslaved man. The actor throws up a peace sign, and Monk nods. He drives away & we finally cut to black. The End.

In this movie we had a man by the name of Thelonius ‘Monk’ Ellison battle his own internalized racism in regard to what a “Black story” is. I saw my fourteen year old self in Monk. I related to how Monk felt about the negativity within Black stories. The difference is, I didn’t let myself become ignorant, I didn’t turn my head at the sight of stereotypes, and I most certainly did not become a hypocrite.

The thematic elements of “American Fiction” are plain as day. Yet, they’re so complex, so nuanced, that I am itching to watch it again. I want to see what else I can uncover. The standard of Black entertainment is always under a lens. From Spike Lee to John Singleton…and even…..Tyler Perry. Black stories are plentiful, despite the content. Representation matters. Getting more Black faces on screen matters.

With this watch of “American Fiction”, and my personal opinions aside, I can finally answer the original question.

What is Black Film?

Black film is an amalgamation of collaborative effort between several Black entertainers to tell a story about the Black experience.

[thepastisalreadywritten]

Key Takeaways

While Barbie is away, Ken is listing his room in her iconic Malibu DreamHouse on Airbnb and bringing Barbie’s all-pink world back by popular demand.

In celebration of the highly anticipated release of BARBIE only in theaters on 21 July 2023, Ken is inviting two lucky guests to stay in the newly revamped Malibu DreamHouse in all its Kendom glory.

This summer, it’s Ken’s turn to take hosting for a spin. That’s right – Barbie’s Malibu DreamHouse is back by popular demand on Airbnb – with a twist.

While everyone’s favorite doll makes her live-action film debut in BARBIE, Ken (played by Ryan Gosling) is handing over the keys and hosting an overnight stay in the newly renovated and iconic Malibu DreamHouse.

Barbie is everything, and he’s always been “Just Ken” – until now! Ken has revamped part of Barbie’s Malibu DreamHouse with everything he loves (rollerblading, anyone?).

And though guests can clearly see his, ahem, Kenergy, Barbie’s signature pink remains ever-present throughout the life-size, toy-inspired home, as she’s done her own redecorating since the last time the Malibu DreamHouse was available for guests.

“We all have dreams, and Barbie is lucky enough to have a house full of them,” said Ken.

“But now, it’s my turn, and I can’t wait to host guests inside these one-of-a-kind – dare I say, one-of-a-Ken? – digs.”

Ken is adding hosting to one of his passions in celebration of the release of the highly anticipated BARBIE film.

Directed by Greta Gerwig, written by Gerwig & Noah Baumbach, and starring Margot Robbie, Ryan Gosling, America Ferrara, Kate McKinnnon, Issa Rae, Rhea Perlman, and Will Ferrell.

[historyhermann]

Young Love Spoiler-Filled Review

Young Love is a mature animated comedy spun off from the short film, Hair Love, by Matthew A. Cherry, Everett Downing Jr., and Bruce W. Smith. Cherry, who created this series, began working in the entertainment industry in 2007. Downing created the Afrofuturist series My Dad the Bounty Hunter. Smith created The Proud Family and The Proud Family: Louder and Prouder. Sony Pictures Animation, Blue Key Entertainment, and Lion Forge Animation produced this series. This article was written during the 2023 SAG-AFTRA strike. Without the labor of actors currently on strike, Young Love, being reviewed here, wouldn't exist.

Reprinted from Pop Culture Maniacs and Wayback Machine. This was the fifty-third article I wrote for Pop Culture Maniacs. This post was originally published on October 18, 2023.

This series comes at a time that there are growing number of Black-centered animated series on streaming services, including My Dad the Bounty Hunter, The Proud Family: Louder and Prouder, Craig of the Creek, Supa Team 4, Kizazi Moto: Generation Fire, Central Park, and Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur. There are also ongoing indie animations, like Guardian Instance, Diver: The Animated Series, and Silver Lin, by Black animator Brandon Wright. In addition, indie animations such as Defenders of Alodia, LimeLight, and Captain Zero are in development. Iwájú, Dantai, Cookies & Milk, Tiana, and Iyanu: Child of Wonder are five animated series set to premiere on streaming platforms in the future.

Young Love follows a tight-knit Black family trying to pursue their dreams. It goes beyond what is depicted in Hair Love. Only Angela Young (voiced by Issa Rae), spoke in that film. In this series, Rae reprises her role. Kid Cudi and Brooke Monroe Conaway join her. Cudi voices her partner, Stephen Love. Conaway voices her daughter, Zuri Michaela Young-Love. The first episode pulls you into their world, as does the animation style. Stephen is an aspiring music producer. Angela is a hair stylist. She enters her workplace, the salon, Sister Locs, two months after she left the hospital, but is out of practice.

The episode goes on from there, with Stephen and Angela showing support for their daughter at a school auction. Star (voiced by Tamar Braxton) and Angela's parents, Russell Young (voiced by Henry Lennix) and Gigi Young (voiced by Loretta Devine), are introduced. Stephen and Angela rent their apartment from Russell, who is often hounding Stephen to pay the rent. Stephen, Angela, and Zuri often have fun together, despite their challenges. However, there are tensions. Angela wants to complete her bucket list, which she put together before her chemotherapy. Zuri has dug tunnels through the apartment, so she moves through undetected. At other times, Stephen and Angela help Zuri with her school projects.

Through it all, comedy is part and parcel of this series, mixed with occasional coarse language, suggestive dialogue, and violence. Young Love doesn't sugarcoat life in Chicago or tense family dynamics, but shows them realistically instead. At the same time, the series highlights the role of the sharing economy, sexist beliefs from men (claims of women's incapability), and gangs. The latter is manifested in Lil Ankh (voiced by Idrys). He is a rap/hip hop star and Stephen works for him. When it comes to the sharing economy, Angela convinces her fellow co-worker, Cheri, to use a digital app for booking appointments.

The series has a strong slice-of-life vibe, from the fight between Russell and a 1970s washing machine (he finally wins when he puts it at the curb), Zuri and Gigi going to apartments managed by Russell to collect rent (to prove women aren't incapable). At the same time, it provides commentary on social media influencers. In the fourth episode, for instance, Zuri becomes friends with Stacy, after she objects to the book selection by the school librarian, Ms. Green and feels guilt for her homelessness, resulting in her inviting Stacey and her family to stay in the Young's apartment.

This quickly goes wrong when Angela becomes a social media influencer and exploits the new residents, using them to gain followers. They strike back by mooching off her. Angela and Zuri get their new occupants (Stacey and her family) to leave by getting them a hotel room. In the end, they do very well for themselves. Supporters gift them an entire house, while Zuri, Stephen, and Angela don't even have a whole house. In some ways, Angela and Zuri get what they deserve. Overall, the episode is critical of social media influencers and their negative influence. Crowdfunding's positives are hinted. This episode has a similar message to that communicated about such individuals in Karma's World and The Proud Family: Louder and Prouder.

The value of art and the creative process is key theme in Young Love. For instance, in the fourth episode, Stephen connects with his nephew, Amir (voiced by Noah Cottrell), who likes to spray paint. He brings him to a modern art exhibit, exciting him. This goes further in the next episode, when Stephen puts aside his contract with Lil Ankh, after the latter rejects his beats, and tries to ink a deal with a White male advertising executive. He hopes that this will help him break free of Ankh.

The firm is steeped in White bro culture. It is racist but hidden behind niceties. The executive he met previously is joined by a few others. They all dress like Black people, claim they "get" them, and are "allies." While he cringes, he goes along with it because of the compensation. This episode criticizes "inclusive" corporate culture. In reality, the culture of this corporation is the "same old race shit." This gets worse when Stephen uncovers that he's making a racially tinged laundry detergent jingle.

What follows is a funny sequence: a Twitter bird chases Stephen and Star. They are confronted by historical Black figures who warn them against making the jingle. They ignore this, and make a subversive jingle, with Black power themes. The White ad execs don't know better. This is squashed when Lil Ankh releases a similar song, and they have to return the money. Even worse, Lil Ankh calls out Stephen as "trash" and a "traitor." It is no accident that in the same episode, Angela bonds with a new client, a Black woman named Jade, one of the only Black women who leads a PR firm. Zuri tries to sell cookies to "get back" at the Girl Scouts.

This series is more than a mix of slice-of-life and drama. The episodes often come with warnings for strong or coarse language, and occasional violence. Unlike other series, aimed at all ages, Young Love is aimed at mature adults. It doesn't whitewash anything. Take for example, the sixth episode, when Stephen tries to figure out who he is without Lil Ankh, who stole his beats without credit, and ends up in a bad funk. After he brings Zuri to school, his beat-up car breaks down. He gets four flat tires. It is almost a manifestation of 1998 hit by The Coup, "Cars & Shoes."

If that isn't bad enough, Ankh refuses to give him credit. Star continues working with Ankh despite him being a scumbag. With this defeat, he imagines everyone criticizing his work, and even fills out employment applications that Russell gave him. There is then a twist: Russell once was drummer for a funk band! He declares that he sees potential in Stephen, saying he believes in him and says music is Stephen's identity. This is just the inspiration he needs. It is not mistake that everyone learns a lesson by the end of the episode: Angela learns that she should stop meddling in people's lives as a life coach and Zuri stops trying to tell people's fortunes with a demonic cootie-catcher. The episode ends with Stephen teaching Zuri piano chords. Angela welcomes further bonding between Zuri and Stephen.

The next episode of Young Love is one of my favorites since it contains social commentary on pyramid schemes, video game addiction, and comedy (known as throwing shade in this series). For the first of these topics, Angela tries to extract her mom from a pyramid scheme called Ruminate, to sell reported "holy water." This changes when the devious speaker declares that a benefit is an "all-exclusive" trip to Paris. She then accepts it since a vacation to Paris is on her bucket list.

They end up hawking this to more people until they realize the obvious: it is a swindle. They get a ticket, but to Paris, Illinois, not Paris, France, infuriating them. Angela says that Chicago's broken educational system was a cause for her poor choice. She thanks her mom for teaching her to believe in herself again. While Angela and her mom round up "the crew" (those they roped into the scheme) to take down Ruminate, no one believes their tall tale, which appears partially fabricated.

The commentary on video game addiction and comedy is more straightforward. Stephen becomes resolute and determined to beat Hustle Quest, a video game that his nephew Amir made. After several days, he is victorious. However, Zuri easily beats the game in a few minutes, surprising Stephen. The latter makes clear that becoming obsessed with something short-lived is a waste of time. It implies that people have different forms of obsession. Video game addiction is listed in the International Classification of Diseases (ICD). However, there isn't a consensus on whether it is separate disorder or manifestation of other disorders.

When it comes to comedy, Zuri learns from Amir how to show "shade" on people. She stands up to Twan (voiced by Debra Wilson), who is calling people names. Both end up in the principal's office. He chastises them for their behavior. The principal says that if they continue, they will become comedians who charge pennies for jokes. Zuri and Twan decide to team up and tell jokes together, and charge people for it.

The principal's line may be a dig at comedians and how some will do anything to be funny, even if it takes others down. On the other hand, it might be more tongue-and-cheek, considering the comedy of Young Love itself. Consider the next episode. Zuri believes that her parents are having sex. Instead, they are trying to coordinate a schedule. Zuri's initiation is somewhat right: after she leaves, they try to have sex. However, Stephen's desire for chicken wins out, annoying Angela.

Of all the episodes, the eighth episode touches on the value of artwork, drug use in the Black community, the value of artwork, and "spicing up" romance. For the first of these topics, Amir bonds with Zuri. Amir honors his father by spray painting on a wall. Zuri unknowingly helps him, as does a young Black man wearing a face mask. This empowering message about art fits with other episodes. In comparison, series such as The Proud Family: Louder and Prouder do not have similar messages.

On the second of the topics, Stephen and Angela try to find a place where they went early on in their relationship. However, the restaurant has disappeared, and they feel out of place in a now-gentrified neighborhood. Focusing on gentrification in Young Love is not unique. Kizazi Moto, Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur, City of Ghosts, and Birdie Wing did the same. Stephen and Angela are skeptical about going into a shop, sitting where the restaurant they loved was located. They only enter to charge their phones. A White woman runs the store. She welcomes them, bowing, and welcomes them with "namaste." In some ways, she represents spiritualist White people.

This soon changes. Angela and Stephen drink their tea. It's infused with THC, otherwise known as tetrahydrocannabinol. It's the main psychoactive ingredient in cannabis. They remain high for the rest of the episode. This doesn't stop them from giving zingers to White people. Angela calls gentrification "domestic imperialism" and describes a nearby White shop owner as a "colonizer." They find the food truck run by the chef who once ran their beloved restaurant. They are so high that Angela doesn't discipline Zuri for leaving the house (she was supposed to stay put). Stephen just vibes while this happens.

Apart from The Freak Brothers, an indie animated series which is absolute dreck, and an allusion in an episode of Steven Universe Future, I can't think of any other series which gives a positive portrayal of getting high. None of the other Black animated series I mentioned earlier even approach the topic of drug use at all. Executives would consider it "too mature" for all-ages series. Perhaps they think it could increase drug use since one study suggested popular music about cannabis could do. More likely, they have certain perceptions of children's wants, which don't always align with reality.

Otherwise, the final plot thread, of spicing up romance, takes place between Russell and Gigi. They give each other presents, but Gigi remains annoyed that each year repeats itself. Rain continues to stop Russell's plans to go out for their romantic anniversary. She demands they change things up and Russell ends up delivering. He returns in the uniform of a letter carrier (his former job). The message this communicates is that love is possible between anyone, no matter their age. It fits with the rest of the series, in which Russell, Gigi, Angela, Stephen, and Zuri live in the same building. In fact, Stephen, Zuri, and Angela live above Gigi and Russell, and have a cat named Rocky, who is a character in some ways, but never speaks.

Later episodes involve Stephen and Angela either helping their daughter, Zuri, or trying to bond with others. The latter is on display when Amir goes with Stephen to buy expensive sneakers, which cost $300.00. Angela begins to come into her own, as she runs the salon, known as Sister Locs, and realizes that she can't be the "cool" boss, but needs firm instead. Stephen tries to compose some beats and realizes he shouldn't be like Lil Ankh, but should chart his own path. When it comes to helping Zuri, her parents get her out of a situation where she caused students to riot over coffee cake, after she thought she was Angela Davis.

These episodes set the stage for the final two episodes of Young Love. In the first of these episodes, Angela's parents (and Zuri's grandparents by extension) demand that Zuri come to church after she complains that God is ignoring her prayers. They are horrified after Stephen calls out religion as corrupt and Angela says spirituality is what is best for Zuri. Going to church is uncomfortable for Stephen and Angela. In the process, Angela lies. She claims she's married to Stephen. At the same time, the episode shows how certain people can be charlatans. Zuri poses as the "chosen one" so she can one-up her friend, Sky. She even tries to take away the Star student idea when Sky begins questioning her.

In this series, God is a Black man. He is remarkably busy and claims to not have time to involve himself in people's affairs. He is similar to the God, with a light bulb as a head, in Disenchantment, voiced by Phil LaMarr, a well-known Black male voice actor. The episode has an interesting twist. It turns out that the financial advisor who helped Angela and Stephen get their finances in order, and deal with their overdue payments, was God himself. In addition, the Principal's worry about lawsuits (when Zuri claims she is the chosen one) and separation of church and state is timely, since some sneer at legal prohibition of religious involvement in public schools, in the U.S., and desire the re-introduction of (Christian) prayer.

This nuanced approach to religion in Young Love, ending with Angela's parents remaining religious, while Angela, Zuri, and Stephen are spiritualists, is unique. It differs from lip service the Simpsons family shows to churchgoing in The Simpsons, or lack of religious worship in The Proud Family, and its reboot. This nuance reflects the fact that only 16% of Americans committed to attending religious services in person. A 2021 survey is even more pertinent. One-in-five Black Americans told survey takers they are religiously unaffiliated. Instead, they identify as agnostic, atheist, or “nothing in particular.” This is especially the case among Gen Z and Millennials. In addition, a recent survey attested that over 10% of Asian Americans are non-religious.

The Young Love series finale builds upon the penultimate episode. It begins with Zuri's declaration that she will marry her classmate, BJ. This goes awry when he swallows a strawberry with a ring inside. Following this, Zuri, and Angela's parents, pressure Stephen and Angela to get married. At first, neither wants this. They laud their freedom from "binding chains of matrimony." Both describe themselves, to the school principal, as loving parents committed to providing Zuri with a stable home. Non-marriage between Angela and Stephen remained in part because of Stephen's repeated failures to propose marriage.

Russell's claim that no weddings or marriages will cause an apocalypse impacts this decision. A recent poll is relevant: Americans expressed worries about declining marriages. Even so, Catholics and historically Black Protestants, especially, had less concern about those with fewer children. That poll also noted that larger groups took a neutral view. They believed that the declining number of marriages is neither positive nor negative for society. At the same time, many women said, in a related poll, of Americans that they took the traditional, and patriarchal route, by taking their husband's surname in opposite-sex marriages.

As such, Russell's view is unhinged. Society has existed, and will continue to exist, without marriage. There is public support among Americans for a nuclear family, even though few see parenthood or marriage as "central to living a fulfilling life." Russell's response is akin to the "No on Infinity" ad in the Futurama "Proposition Infinity" episode. That ad satirizes people against same-sex marriage. Russell's fear combines with Angela's fear that she will become a 1950s-style housewife, a path she thinks Zuri will follow. At the same time, Stephen fears Angela will leave him, causing him to live alone in a house in 1980s-style situation.

The episode ends with both eschewing the idea of marriage, after Angela says they are going too fast, Stephen remains unsure, and Angela's therapist says she should not put everyone else's needs before her own. Gigi stops Zuri's brainless child bride marriage proposal to BJ. Stephen and Angela agree to have a very long romantic engagement instead of marriage, saying that love is holding their little family together. Even so, there is a marriage between Gigi and Russell. It is a re-marriage, a re-stating of commitment between them. The wedding goes on its head, after they play a song Stephen produced and begin throwing cake at each other. Overall, this episode is a clever way to end Young Love. It makes clear that love isn't only possible through marriage.

In this way, it makes a different point that Spy x Family, with Loid and Yor's marriage of convenience, made without either being in love with one another, at first. The views of Angela and Stephen on marriage align with criticism of the marriage institution, even of same-sex marriage. Critics argue that marriage perpetuates a system which makes married people "more worthy of...health care and economic rights" than others. Such critics include Michael Warner (in his book The Trouble with Normal), Kate Millett, Shulamith Firestone, Simone de Beauvoir, Eleanor Leacock, Clare Chambers, and Dean Spade.

Obviously, Young Love is not some political manifesto extolling how marriage is not the be-all, end-all for love. But it is a breath of fresh air from the many series out there, either directly (Tangled) or indirectly stating that marriage is the only way to ensure that love can be long-lasting. There can still be romantic friendships and romances without any legally binding life-long commitments. Unfortunately, popular culture depictions of those friendships or romances are rare. Instead, shows fit with the societal expectation of marriage and the idea that unmarried/single people are abhorrent, bizarre, or "suspicious." This mentality has seeped into online communities of fans who enjoy yuri or yaoi. Such fans believe that two or more characters in love need to marry.

The fact that Young Love grew from a short film named Hair Love, which is less than seven minutes long, is phenomenal. Hair Love features a young Black girl awoken by a cat, trying out a new hair style, and following a video of her mother, who has an easy-to-use hair tutorial. In Hair Love, neither she, nor her dad, who tries to help her with her hair, which he fights, akin to what Moon Girl/Lunella in Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur did, speaks. Her mother has the only speaking role.

Young Love wasn't crowdfunded like Hair Love. However, the same company produced it: Lion Forge Animation, along with other companies. That animation studio, a division of Lion Forge Entertainment, is known for Drawn In, Rhymes Through the Times, The Park Bench; and Rise Up, Sing Out. In addition, the studio announced work on a film (Heiress) and TV series (Iyanu: Child of Wonder and Hero's Journey the Series).

As I mentioned in my last review, Max screwed over this series by posting four episodes a week. This made the series almost impossible to keep up with. It ensured that not even one Wikipedian would create a page for the series. Instead, the series is only a redirect on the Hair Love page. This is unfortunate, since social media chatter on X/Twitter is generally positive, except for a few people using clips out of context to bash the show. Users call it cute, slick, cool, hilarious, hip, perfect, and heartwarming. On other social media platforms, and among critics, the reception appears to be positive.

Issa Rae, Kid Cudi, Brooke Monroe Conaway, Tamar Braxton, Henry Lennix, Loretta Devine, Idrys, Debra Wilson, and Noah Cottrell, voice actors for this series, bring their talent to the table. Mara Junot (as Cynthia Love), Mike Smith (as Dwayne), and many others, join them. Their experience allows the series to tackle topics like bullying, masculinity, gender roles, marketing, racial justice, exploitation of Black culture with ease. Even so, not everything gets equal emotional weight.

Rae is new to voice acting, apart from voicing the mother in Hair Love and Jessica Drew in Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse. Similarly, Cudi voiced Jabari in Entergalactic and Clay in Trolls Band Together. Junot recently voiced Beta in My Dad the Bounty Hunter. Devine has voiced many characters, as have Lennix and Smith. Wilson recently voiced Amanda Waller in My Adventures with Superman, Terra Snapdragon in The Owl House, Quinn's mother in Final Space, and Z'oto in Star Trek: Lower Decks. In contrast, this series is the first voice role for Conaway, Cottrell, and Braxton.

I hope that this series gets a second season. It would give new/newish screenwriters like Brian Ashburn, Breannah Gibson, R. Malcolm Jones, Kelsey Barry, Jackson DeLoach, Juston Gordon-Montgomery, Guillermo Martinez, story writer Jeanine Daniels, executive story editor Keisha Zollar, and seasoned writers such as Willie Hunter, Carl Jones, Randa Sheppard, and Dayna Lynne North, a chance to shine again. Knowing how turbulent the animation industry, in the U.S., is right now, and how the executives are stonewalling SAG-AFTRA (resulting in a continued actor's strike), I am doubting it will happen.

Young Love is currently streaming on Max.

© 2023 Burkely Hermann. All rights reserved.

[theentrainmentupdates]

Barbie Movie Review: Margot Robbie Gives a New Spin on the Iconic Doll

Barbie is a 2023 American live-action comedy film directed by Greta Gerwig and written by Gerwig and Noah Baumbach. It stars Margot Robbie as Barbie, Ryan Gosling as Ken, and a supporting cast that includes America Ferrera, Simu Liu, Kate McKinnon, Alexandra Shipp, Will Ferrell, Issa Rae, Hari Nef, and Michael Cera. In the film, Barbie is a doll who is fired from her job at Mattel and sent to live in the real world.

The film has been praised for its subversive take on the Barbie brand, its funny and heartwarming script, and its stellar performances. Robbie is particularly praised for her portrayal of Barbie, bringing a new level of depth and complexity to the character.

Did you know that Barbie and Oppenheimer were released on the same day? If you want to know more about Oppenheimer, check out the Oppenheimer Film Review on entrainmentupdates, which is considered to be one of the Best Movie Review site in the entertainment category.

Positives Review:

Margot Robbie is excellent as Barbie.

The script is funny and heartwarming.

The film is visually stunning.

The supporting cast is great.

Negatives Review:

The film is a bit too long.

Some of the jokes fall flat.

Overall:

Barbie is a fun and heartwarming film that gives a subversive take on the Barbie brand. The film is well-acted, well-written, and visually stunning. While it is a bit too long, it is still a worthwhile watch for fans of Margot Robbie, Greta Gerwig, or simply good movies.

Entrainmentupdates is a website that offers in-depth reviews of movies, TV shows, and other forms of entertainment. The site's reviews are written by a team of experienced critics who have a deep understanding of the entertainment industry. They are also known for their honest and unbiased reviews, which are never influenced by advertising or other outside factors and they are considered as the Best Movie Review Site.

[i-reviews-tuff]

Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse (2023)

Quick Reviews Directed by Joaquim Dos Santos, Kemp Powers, & Justin K. Thompson Written by Phil Lord, Chris Miller, & David Callaham Starring the voices of Shameik Moore, Hailee Steinfeld, Jason Schwartzman, Jake Johnson, Issa Rae, Daniel Kaluuya, Brian Tyree Henry, Luna Lauren Vélez, Greta Lee, Andy Samberg, Rachel Dratch, Jorma Taccone, Shea Whigham, & Oscar Isaac Release Date: June 2,…

[cityofgeek]

SPIDER-MAN: ACROSS THE SPIDER-VERSE spins a beautiful, perfect web.

SPIDER-MAN: ACROSS THE SPIDER-VERSE swings as high as its predecessor in a crowd-pleasing, but emotionally driven romp across the franchise.

SPIDER-MAN: ACROSS THE SPIDER-VERSE 2023; Sony Animation; 2h20m. Written by Phil Lord, Chris Miller, & Dave Callam, from the characters created by Stan Lee, Steve Ditko and others. Directed by Joaquim Dos Santos, Kemp Powers, Justin K Thompson. Starring the voices of Shameik Moore, Hailee Steinfeld, Oscar Isaac, Jake Johnson, Issa Rae In December of 2018, Spider-Man: Into the Spider-verse…

[kickmag]

22 From 2022

It's 2023 already and 2022 seemed to go by in a flash. Take a look back at some of the best albums of 2022. 

Beyoncé- Renaissance 

Beyonce's Renaissance did the unexpected by putting house music back into the American mainstream.  The singer's late gay uncle Johnny was the main inspiration and the album cover's reference to Bianca Jagger's famous horse ride at New York City's Paradise Garage set the tone. The foundation of house music was represented with veterans like Honey Dijon and Green Velvet but the current Afrobeats sound was also present. The album received nine Grammy nominations but longtime fans really want to know if it will win Album of the Year. 

Lizzo- Special 

Lizzo's feel-good mix of disco, R&B, funk and hip-hop was bright and sounded like a yearlong summer.  Cuz I Love You was such a big deal that some people wondered if her fourth album would be just as good. Special was inspired by self-care, sisterhood and relationships. The album was led-by single "About Damn Time" that had Nile Rodgers & Chic written all over it. Lizzo's proud acknowledgement of  '70s and '80s dance music was heard throughout the album that killed any worries about her ability to have another impactful album. 

Steve Lacy-Gemini Rights

Lacy's Gemini Rights is the moment he became mainstream official thanks to his TikTok hit "Bad Habit." But his obvious Prince influence and wicked abilities produced a whole album of singable ditties for the ages. The pliable falsetto, swift guitar, pure lyrics and Rick James-inspired look got Lacy ready for stardom. The brilliance he demonstrated on his 2017 demo grew and hit a critical mass and now there are many more eyes and ears curious about his next output. 

Jazmine Sullivan-Heaux Tales, Mo'Tales: The Deluxe 

Jazmine Sullivan's Heaux Tales was updated with 10 more songs added to the original album. The conceptual EP  about Black women's relationships and sexual autonomy resonated with fans and snared a Grammy for Best R&B album in 2022. The deluxe edition gave more women a chance to tell their tale and Sullivan's fiery but raspy tone expanded space to emote.  Ari Lennox, anderson.paak and H.E.R. are on the original and Issa Rae is a guest on the newer version. 

Danger Mouse and Black Thought's Cheat Codes collaboration sounded like the equivalent of a rap LSD trip. Black Thought's words flowed over funky blues riffs, Western film themes, '60s rock and lazy jazz licks. Guests included Joey Bada$$, Run The Jewels, ASAP Rocky, Raekwon and Michael Kiwanuka. A posthumous contribution from MF DOOM on "Belize" was a surprise made eerie by Danger Mouse's choice of somber horns in the background. 

See the rest of the list.

[tinyreviews]

The last act is where it's all at, action, the reveal, the twists, the tension, the thrills... but also the goddammed "TO BE CONTINUED". ARE YOU KIDDING ME? IT'S THE BEST AND THE WORST!

Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse is a 2023 American computer-animated superhero film, directed by Joaquim Dos Santos, Kemp Powers and Justin K. Thompson, from a screenplay written by Phil Lord, Christopher Miller (who both also produce) and David Callaham, starring Shameik Moore, alongside Hailee Steinfeld, Brian Tyree Henry, Luna Lauren Vélez, Jake Johnson, Jason Schwartzman, Issa Rae, Karan Soni, Daniel Kaluuya, and Oscar Isaac.

[caseysbell]

Thought you'd like: The Photograph (DVD)- NEW https://www.listia.com/r2xyc5m/CQDYQX