Happy Friday! With so many entertainment options to choose from in the current media climate, figuring out what to stream or check out at the movie theater can be tough. Not to worry, because I’m here to give you some advice on what you should watch this weekend.
- The Perfect Find (starring Gabrielle Union and Keith powers; directed by Numa Perrier)
If you are a rom-com-a-holic, then this film is for you. Based on Tia Williams’ 2016 novel of the same name, if the phrase, “Grand opening, grand closing,” was a person, Jenna Jones would be that character. Gabrielle Union stars as Jenna, whose rise and fall in the fashion and dating world are just as precipitous. Jenna tries to reclaim her rightful place in the fashion world, all while being considered a dinosaur at 45. Keith Powers plays Eric Hill, Jenny’s younger and steamy love interest who has the power to destroy the career and heartstrings she is rebuilding, while toiling under a sinister fashion icon Darcy (Gina Torres), who happens to be not-so-little Eric’s mother. Union clearly knows her way around a romantic comedy and delivers an energetic performance that makes Jones’s character likable and dare say it, relatable. Powers holds his own against the rom-com heavyweight who is buoyed by a script written by Leigh Davenport (“Run the World”) and rom-com producer heavyweight Glendon Palmer (Jumping the Broom, Southside with You) who deliver delightful stories uplifting black excellence, beauty and resiliency. With talent like Gina Torres. Aisha Hinds, Janet Hubert, D.B. Woodside and LaLa Anthony in the mix, The Perfect Find is the perfect fix for this non-holiday weekend. (Netflix) - Keyshia Cole: This is My Story
Firstly, who doesn’t like a biopic? Secondly, if you watched Cole’s reality show, “The Way It Is,” (BET, 2006-2008) which followed the Grammy and BET award-winner at the peak of her fame while trying to adjust to life with a dysfunctional family with whom she was re-connecting, then you must see this film. This Lifetime biopic stars Cole and is written by Angelica Cherri (Godfather of Harlem, Highway to Heaven), and directed by media multi-hyphenate D’Angela Proctor (TV One, Codeblack Films), who is well-known as a television studio executive. Thirdly, Cole finally gets to tell her story through her lens with close friends and creatives and stars as herself. Before you get persnickety, lots of celebrities have played themselves in biopics or semi-autobiographical films including Howard Stern, Fantasia Barrino, Muhammad Ali, Jackie Robinson, Toni Braxton, Marshall “Eminem” Mathers, Richard Pryor, Curtis “Fifty Cent” Jackson and Natalie Cole and most did a great job, so why not Keyshia? Adopted at a young age, Keyshia Cole overcame a difficult childhood to pursue her dream of becoming a singer. As her star begins to rise, Cole reunites with her two sisters while struggling to keep her biological mother, who has sense passed, in rehab. Lastly, check it out and find out more about Cole who has a story worth telling and watching. (Lifetime) - Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse
Miles Morales is back y’all. What else do you need to know? This version of Spider-Man is transversing the multiverse and still redefining what a hero looks like onscreen and off. Voiced by Shameik Moore (Wu-Tang: An American Saga; The Get Down) whose career shows no sign of slowing down, Miles Morales is back in the multiverse and stumbles across a group of spider-peeps who must protect their very existence. Conflict arises when they cannot agree on the best way to handle a new threat. The story is powerful and the visuals, sound and direction (Joaquin Dos Santos, Kemp Powers, Justin K. Thompson) are outstanding. I won’t tell you anymore other than the cast is a whose who of Hollywood including Bryan Tyree Henry, Jason Schwartzman, Daniel Kaluuya, Mahershala Ali, J.K. Simmons, Donald Glover and Issa Rae, all of whom give great voice. Although Miles Morales would disagree, this is not the time to “do your own thing” unless that thing to do this weekend includes watching Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse. (Sony Pictures Animation – check local theater listings)
This post was written by Nsenga K. Burton, Ph.D., founder and editor-in-chief of The Burton Wire. Nsenga’s love of film, tv and media spans decade. A film and tv professor for more than two decades, Dr. Burton is an expert in intersectionality and media industries.
Follow Nsenga on IG or FB @TheBurtonWire.
