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dxwallace
Reviews
Love by Accident (2020)
Cheesy and Made for TV feel, but great COVID Lockdown movie...
People are less forgiving when the feel good romances feature black people, but sometimes we want to see a simple, cheesy, slice of life movie with Black people. Not a complicated movie, totally predictable, but that's what cheesy romantic comedies are about. I give it a 9 not because its a great movie, but great for the "Cheesy Romantic Movie Featuring Black People" Sub -Genre....
The Photograph (2020)
Finally!!! A modern day "Love Jones"!!!!
I could say a lot about this movie, but just trying to say a little, it is a great "Slice of Life" romantic drama with Black People. "Love Jones" was the standard for this kind of movie back in the day, and The Photograph "should" become the new classic that will the the "Love Jones" of 20-30 years from now. Love to see movies with "Beautiful Black People" with no Ghetto Fabulous chaos. I won't get into the plot, just watch and enjoy. Movie was shot very modern and slick, though Issa's mother's sub blot takes us back to the late 80's (the "Love Jones" Era) with great old school music and feel. I know Hollywood doesn't like to invest money into projects with black faces like this, but when someone get the opportunity, like with this movie, they always create a masterpiece.....
The Perfect Match (2016)
Forget the negative reviews, nicely done!!!!
This movie surprised me, wasn't expecting much except but a low budget movie that wouldn't hold my attention.
I thought it was a VERY watchable Romantic Comedy, in the category of what I call "Beautiful Black People" movies. Impressively shot, very slick, modern and sleek, congrats to the director.
Loved they way the infused some repetitively modern music as the background to some of the scenes, kinda cool.
I think movies with people of color just don't get great reviews because they are people of color and some people don't wanna watch people of color, and I think unfairly so. Mainstream Hollywood can do the exact same movie and it would get high or at least decent reviews. But I get it, there is only so much of a market for watching movies about people of color and their "Slice of Life" outside of being drug addicts, hoodlums, gangsters, and all the other chaos that is presented on screen about people of color.
Thought I heard the "n-word" in this movie which I never like and is never necessary in a movie, but I let it go, I thought I heard it in the background or in one of the songs, but I let it go. No "n-word" is just my personal preference and taste.
Too bad, those people who can't enjoy it for what is is are missing out on a rare, nicely done movie.
This director also did "Baggage Claim" and that one was in the same category of a surprisingly "watchable" and very pleasant movie.
And I've basically given up on Hollywood presenting a watchable movie with primarily people of color. But Perfect Match and Baggage Claim, surprised me and compelled me to keep up that quest for lesser known, decent watchable movie.
Don't listen to those negative reviews, lighten up and enjoy the movie.
Baggage Claim (2013)
Why are people so critical of a GREAT Black Romantic Comedy?
Hate to play the "Race Card", but {sigh}. I've seen a gazillion romantic comedys with white people at the same level as this movie (and others very bad), an those movies get mega-accolades with movie goers.
This is not a complex movie, but just pleasant to watch. I really liked it, mainly for the reason that is the opposite of most people, that it's not complex, I don't need to see a movie starring Black People with a lot of Ghetto Fabulous dramas, cultural chaos, and airing dirty laundry of all these negative day to day issues we have to struggle through. Sometimes you wanna see brothers and sisters on screen, professional, educated, with just a "slice of life" vibe.
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Lead actress Paula Patton, although admittedly great eye-candy, had this other thing she brought to the role that I loved. I wouldn't call it and an "air head", because she came off as pretty intelligent, but it was more of a "fool for love", starry-eyed, helpless-hopeless romantic, foolish-dreamer thing that she brought to the table. She seemed to speak for all us us helpless romantics who still believe in love against the odds.
A couple of little scenes, although not "Oscar Worthy" I simply loved for their simplicity and lighthearted fun. For example, her and Derek Luke dancing off New Edition's "If it isn't Love". Or the scene after Boris Kodjoe dumped her and she was inside her apartment screaming out that "Unbreak my Heart" song by Toni Braxton, then Derek Luke pulled her into his apartment to cheer her up, simply funny and pleasant back to back scenes. And my favorite, I don't why, was when she got drunk at the bar and started singing "open mic", re-winded that scene 10 times and cracked up every time. Jill Scott brought the right amount of "street Vibe", but not too much to be irritating. I though she played the best friend part well.
I simply just found the movie to be enjoyable, positive energy, I purchased as soon as I ran across it on BET.
My prediction, for Black people, who just want a little slice of life Romantic Comedy, Black People who people who still believe in passion and love, will love it, perfect to hug up with your boo, order some pizza or Chinese food and just watch an easy going, light movie that is simply pleasant, where you don't have to think that hard, or leave the movie drained or overloaded with Black People's struggles and drama (I can get that from my job or turning on Fox News).
On the other hand if you're not black, you "might" struggle with it, because these other people don't wanna see black people on screen unless they are sidekicks to some larger story that caters to white people, or because the humor is not slapstick or Ghetto Fabulous and demeaning of people of color. Non-Blacks love to see movies hat present Black People in a negative light, I suppose because it make them feel better about themselves.
Not one "n-word" in this movie, a rarity,that "n-word" is why I don't support Hollywood that much anymore.
Don't pay attention to these reviews, check out the movie, really pleasant and warm. Another movie I ran into in this category is Shemar Moore in "The Bounce Back". Boomerang was the standard of this "Sub-Genre". Wish they would make more "Slice of Life" movies like this, but I understand how Hollywood, there is such a small market for this very common type of light hearted movie with people of color as leads.
Okay, I'll stop now....