Come Sunday

a/k/a Heretic

Release Date:  1/21/18; Sundance Film Festival
Genre:  Drama
Rating:   NR
Director:  Joshua Marston
Studio(s):  Netflix
Running time:  106 mins.
Cast:  Chiwetel Ejiofor, Danny Glover, Condola Rashad, Jason Segel, Lakeith Stanfield,
Martin Sheen.

Story:   Every Sunday, Bishop Carlton Pearson—evangelical megastar, brilliant orator, and television host with millions of followers—preaches the fundamentalist gospel to six thousand supplicants at his Higher Dimensions Church.  He’s the pride and joy of his spiritual father, Oral Roberts, and the toast of Tulsa.  One day, rattled by an uncle’s suicide and distraught by reports of the Rwandan Genocide, Pearson receives an epiphany.  Suddenly it’s crystal clear—God loves all humankind; everyone is already saved, whether Christian or not; and there is no hell.  But these ideas are heretical, violating sacrosanct doctrines.

The next Sunday, when Pearson unveils this theology of inclusion to his flock, shock waves sweep the enormous hall.  Church leaders and members begin to defect in droves, and his empire topples. Based on the true story of a controversial and courageous man of God, Come Sunday elegantly and respectfully captures the authentic texture and tone of Pearson’s devout world, never resorting to hyperbole.  Source:  Sundance.org.

Trailer:

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Faith Under Fire

Release Date:   1/27/18; Lifetime
Genre:  Drama
Rating:  N/A
Director:  Vondie Curtis-Hall
Studio(s):  Topanga Productions Inc., Lifetime Television
Running time:  85 mins.
Cast:  Toni Braxton (Antoinette Tuff), Trevor Morgan (Michael Hill), Yaya DaCosta (Kendra), David Manzanares (Benito ‘Benny’ Medina), Jesse C. Boyd (Jim Sterling), Mell Bowser (Curtis Madison), Malik Yoba (Lt. Franklin), Kelvin Han Yee (Harlon Moline).

Story:   Seven time Grammy Award winner Toni Braxton stars as Antoinette Tuff, a struggling single mom from Georgia who heroically averted a tragedy, saving hundreds of lives when she convinced a deranged gunman who stormed an elementary school to surrender. On August 20, 2013, shortly after arriving to work at the Ronald E. McNair Discovery Learning Academy in Decatur, Georgia, Antoinette the school’s bookkeeper, was in the front office when Michael Hill (Trevor Morgan), a young man with a history of mental illness, snuck in, armed with an AK-47 and hundreds of rounds of ammunition.  As the school went into lockdown, Antoinette was left alone with Michael, who repeatedly threatened to kill everyone.  Showing enormous courage and empathy, along with nerves of steel, Antoinette convinced Michael to surrender by using her own life struggles to connect with him. Antoinette’s faith in God guided her through the toughest moments of her life, ultimately preparing her for that fateful day.  Source:  Lifetime.

Trailer:

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The Simone Biles Story: Courage to Soar

Release Date:  2/3/18; Lifetime
Genre:  Drama/Biography
Rating: NR
Cast:  Jeante Godlock (Simone Biles); Julius Tennon (Ron Biles); Tisha Campbell-Martin (Nellie Biles), Kathleen Rose Perkins (Aimee Boorman), Kelsey Scott (Shanon), Marilyn Norry (Martha Karolyi), Nakai Takawira (Young Simone).
Story:   Based on her book, Courage to Soar: A Body in Motion, A Life in Balance, The Simone Biles Story: Courage to Soar follows Simone Biles (Jeanté Godlock) through the sacrifices and hard work that led her to win 19 Olympic and World Championship medals and ultimately cemented her stake as one of the greatest gymnasts of all time. After a field trip to a gymnastics training center when Simone was six years old, she caught the eye of a local coach who recognized that Simone had a remarkable gift for the sport. But pursuing her dream of becoming an elite gymnast also meant giving up high school football games, prom or starting college at UCLA. With her parents Ron (Julius Tennon) and Nellie Biles (Tisha Campbell) and younger sister Adria (Raven Bowens) supporting her every step of the way, Simone’s journey from foster care to the Olympic podium – with all of its triumphs and heartbreaks – can serve as an inspiration for every little girl with a dream.  Source:  Lifetime.

Trailer:

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Step Sisters

Release Date:  1/19/18; Netflix
Genre:  Comedy
Rating:  PG-13
Director:  Charles Stone, III
Studio(s):  Los Angeles Media Fund (LAMF), Ascot Elite Entertainment Group, Netflix
Running time:  104 mins.
Cast:  Megalyn Echikunwoke (Jamilah), Naturi Naughton (Aisha), Eden Sher (Beth), Alessandra Torresani (Amber), Gage Golightly (Libby), Matt McGorry (Dane), Lyndon Smith (Danielle).
Story:   Step Sisters centers on Jamilah who is willing to do what it takes to achieve her goals. So far, she is the black sorority president, captain of the dance crew, student representative to the college dean, and she hopes to join Harvard Law School. Overall, she has achieved what a student at her age can consider as an on-going success in school. That’s until she is ordered by the school to help the white girls of the Sigma Beta Beta win the Steptacular dance competition. If she fails, her dreams to join the Ivy League university will come to naught, which is something she cannot take. As the show continues, romance blossoms, cultures clash, but sisterhood prevails as they all step out of their comfort zone to face their challenge.  Source:  TVovermind.com; IMDB.

Trailer:

 

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The Family Business

Release Date:  5/11/18; In Theaters
Genre:  Drama/Crime
Rating:  NR
Director:  Trey Haley
Studio(s):  Urban Books Media, Tri Destined Studios
Running time:  Unknown

Cast:  Ernie Hudson (L.C. Duncan), Valarie Pettiford (Charlotte Duncan), Darrin Dewitt Henson (Orlando Duncan), Armand Assante (Sal Dash), Nicholas Turturro (Councilman Ronald Sims), Emilio Rivera (Alejandro Zuniga), Miguel A. Núñez, Jr. (Harris Grant), Clifton Powell (Uncle Lou), Tami Roman (London Duncan), Javicia Leslie (Paris Duncan), Christian Keyes (Niles Monroe), Sean Ringgold (Junior Duncan), Sebastian Siegel (Tony Dash), Michael Jai White (Vegas Duncan), James Black (Rob).

Story:   Based on Carl Weber’s The Family Business, first in a series of eight novels, about the travails of the Duncan family.  Ernie Hudson portrays L. C. Duncan, patriarch of the family, who runs a thriving exotic car dealership. When he thinks about passing the leadership reigns to one of his sons, the Duncans quickly come under siege from some of the Top Politicians, Mafia and Drug cartels in the city. The Duncan’s will have to stick together–or die separately.  Source:  Deadline; IMDB.

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Driving While Black

Release Date:  2/1/2018; Limited (Original Release Date – 2016)
Genre:  Comedy
Rating:  Unknown
Director:  Paul Sapiano
Studio(s):  Artist Rights Distribution, Anthem Films
Running time:  94 mins.

Cast:  Dominique Purdy (Dimitri), Sheila Tejada (Officer Borty-Lio), John Mead (Officer Kinnon).

Story:   Dmitri is a pizza guy who would rather smoke weed and suffer for his art, but his mom and his girl won’t stop nagging him to get a real job. When he’s offered a gig mouthing off to tourists behind the wheel of a Hollywood “star tour” bus, it looks like everyone might get what they want. Trouble is, our man can’t seem to step out the door to get to the interview without endless complications: busted radiators, simple weed scores gone sideways and LAPD cruisers seemingly everywhere. Dmitri’s skill at going unnoticed by cops is honed by painful experiences growing up Black in L.A., but even his keen survival instincts won’t save him from the week from hell.  Source:  Movie Insider.

Trailer:  (Warning – Adult Content)

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