I used to think the phrase Black Girl Magic was dangerous. As a grad student at an elite, predominantly white university, I’ve had firsthand experience with how words, even your own, become distorted and used against you. I feared that white folks would grab hold of Black Girl Magic and use it as another […]
For one night only, fans of the film The Five Heartbeats headed to theatres to watch director Robert Townsend’s documentary about the creation of the classic tale of brotherhood, race, and the music industry. My sister and I were among those who sat in the theatre late August marveling at the hard work and dedication Townsend […]
Kevin Hart’s Hartbeat Productions teamed up with Will Packer (Girls Trip) to produce the number one movie in the country, Night School. Written by the media mogul in conjunction with several other screenwriters, the film follows protagonist Teddy (Hart) as he enrolls in Carrie’s (Haddish) class in an effort to earn his GED. Teddy evolves […]
At this year’s Peachtree Village International Film Festival (PVIFF), I was afforded the opportunity to meet and talk with Mr. Lonnie Jackson, founder and frontman of Upyri. Upyri is a sci-fi series that blends 3D animation, live action, and 2D illustrations as a means of storytelling. Inspired by the presence and pervasiveness of vampires across […]
Through an artistic combination of image and sound, the creators of the poignant short film Heroin€ explore the intersection of some of the major crises of our time – the opioid epidemic and active shooters. JARO had the chance to speak with Mr. Lamar Mackson, executive producer and founder of Nonstop Show Group, to talk […]
In his latest film, Nobody’s Fool, writer and director Tyler Perry explores one of the most common cinematic themes – love and relationships. The movie’s protagonist Danica (Tika Sumpter) is a successful yet emotionally constipated woman whose “fresh-outta-prison” sister, Tanya (Tiffany Haddish), forces her to contend with the fact that her love life may not […]
I always understood Quincy Jones as an exceptionally important figure in the entertainment industry, but I couldn’t actually tell you why. All I knew was that he was a big deal in the music world, everyone loved him and wanted to work with him, and the younger generation lovingly called him Uncle Q. So […]
Anderson.Paak is a chameleon. He is like everything and nothing you’ve ever heard. His sound is the perfect blend of the past, present, and future. He is the eclectic personified. He is my soul in musical form, lol. His latest album Oxnard, named after his hometown, is a orgasmic blend of tight lyrics, shit talking, […]
Jada Pinkett Smith along with her mother and daughter have returned to their famed Red Table Talk. Starting the season off interviewing Will Smith, Jada and Will discussed the pain and joy in building and maintaining their 20 year marriage. While I appreciated their willingness to share the trials of the marriage and how their […]
Creed II is not a movie about boxing. It’s about perseverance and balance. It’s about manifesting dreams. It’s about finding the resolve to continue chasing the thing that your heart must have even as you take on new roles and responsibilities. In the film, Adonis Creed, played by Michael B. Jordan, navigates his roles to […]