Daniel kaluuya

In December, 1968, almost exactly a year before the murder of Black Panther chairman Fred Hampton by the FBI , Paramount Pictures released what remains one of the most curious artifacts in the history of Hollywood — hardly a hotbed for radical views of Black politics. It is a film titled Uptight . Its subject: a black former steel mill worker played by Julian Mayfield, now an unreliable alcoholic who, in his desperation, in the confused ideological haze that besets him upon the death of Martin Luther King Jr ., does an extraordinary thing. He sells out his own friends and neighbors, people who belong to a group called “The Committee,” whose politics, though altogether vague, have an obvious analogue in the real-life political circumstances of the film’s own moment: the Black Panthers. The film is set in Cleveland and, only a few months before it wrapped, King — the real King — was assassinated in Memphis, Tennessee. Hence the Uptight ’s opening: Documentary images of … [Read more...] about ‘Judas and the Black Messiah’: Shaka King’s Movie Wrestles With the History of Black Power

The 78th annual Golden Globes had a unique opportunity to right some wrongs and take Hollywood’s awards season into a new realm coming out of the coronavirus pandemic. Unless disaster was the intention, the show absolutely missed it with a bloated and glitchy ceremony that was pure Hindenburg almost from the beginning. Already mired in anger from some of the industry’s heaviest hitters over the Hollywood Foreign Press Association’s lack of Black members , Sunday night’s bicoastal ceremony hosted by Tina Fey and Amy Poehler certainly was a Globes to remember, in the worst way. And it’s not like last year’s Ricky Gervais-fronted event was any great shakes to begin with, but it looks positively artful in comparison now. Related Story Golden Globes: 'Nomadland' Wins Best Motion Picture Drama - The Complete Winners List Now, heading toward the Oscars, it was undeniably a good night for the likes of Borat Subsequent Moviefilm , Judas and the … [Read more...] about Golden Globes TV Review: Technical Glitches Weren’t The Only Disasters On Tone Deaf HFPA Ceremony

Jay-Z , fresh from his nomination to join the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, shares his powerful collaboration with the late Los Angeles rapper Nipsey Hussle . The track, “What It Feels Like,” is part of the soundtrack to Judas and the Black Messiah , which tells the story of Black Panther leader Fred Hampton’s assassination by the FBI. Nipsey kicks off the track with a verse about survival in the rap game, a sad foreshadowing given that he was killed in 2019 . Jay-Z comes in next with a verse that calls out Trump supporters’ recent assault on the U.S. Capitol and the way white insurrectionists were treated: “You let them crackers storm your Capitol, put they feet up on your desk/And yet you talkin’ tough to me, I lost all my little respect.” Judas and the Black Messiah: The Inspired Album is out now via the Six Course Music Group and RCA. It was executive-produced by Hit-Boy and also features G Herbo, Lil Durk, Black Thought, Polo G, Rakim, Chairman Fred Hampton Jr., … [Read more...] about Listen to Jay-Z’s Collaboration With the Late Nipsey Hussle: ‘What It Feels Like’

While the animated spin-off The LEGO Batman Movie has had no trouble winning in its first two box office weekends , it was largely expected to cede its box office crown to Get Out this weekend. While Get Out did take the top spot this weekend, it did so with a larger total than expected, earning an impressive $30.5 million in its opening weekend. What's even more impressive is that total represents more than six times its meager budget of $4.5 million. The winner for the last two weekends, The LEGO Batman Movie , dropped to second place with $19 million, which was just a 41.8% drop from last weekend, while the other two new releases, Collide and Rock Dog , failed to even crack the top 10. None of this weekend's new releases had anywhere near the type of wide release of The LEGO Batman Movie , which is currently playing in 4,088 theaters. Box Office Mojo reports that Get Out debuted in 2,781 theaters, while Rock Dog opened in 2,077 theaters and Collide opened … [Read more...] about Get Out Easily Wins the Weekend Box Office with $30.5M

Seven years ago, writer, director and producer Shaka King accepted the Film Independent Someone to Watch Award for his quirky comedic debut, Newlyweeds . After years directing shorts and episodes of TV shows Shrill , High Maintenance and People of Earth , the 40-year-old filmmaker returns to the big screen. Collaborating with producers Ryan Coogler and Charles D. King, he tackles the compelling story of how FBI informant William O’Neal (LaKeith Stanfield) infiltrated the Black Panther party and befriended Fred Hampton (Daniel Kaluuya), leading to the deputy chairman’s death in a police raid in 1969. DEADLINE: It’s been over 50 years since Fred Hampton was killed, and previous attempts to tell his story have stalled in the past. What did it mean for you personally to see this film all the way through? Related Story 'Judas And The Black Messiah': Read The Screenplay For Timely Story Of Black Panther Party's Fred Hampton Vs. The FBI SHAKA KING : My … [Read more...] about ‘Judas And The Black Messiah’ Director Shaka King Corrects Misinformation About Black Panther Party, Focuses On Their “Vision For Bettering The World”