Posts made in February 2024

Mr. & Mrs. Smith

Donald Glover and Maya Erskine star in a reimagining of the 2005 film

Amazon Studios announced the new series Mr. & Mrs. Smith is now Streaming , exclusively on Prime Video in more than 240 countries and territories worldwide.

From co-creators and executive producers Donald Glover (Hip Hop Great, Swarm, Atlanta) and Francesca Sloane (Atlanta, Fargo), the series, a reimagining of the 2005 New Regency film, stars Glover as John Smith and Maya Erskine (PEN15) as Jane Smith.

About Mr. & Mrs. Smith
Meet the Smiths: Two strangers, John and Jane, who have given up their identities to be thrown together as partners—in espionage and in marriage. Matched by a mysterious agency, each episode follows them on a new mission and new milestone in their relationship.

When the cracks begin to show through, they must fight to stay together. Because in this marriage, divorce is not an option.

Mr. & Mrs. Smith will be a part of the savings, convenience, and entertainment that Prime members enjoy in a single membership.

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THIS IS ME…NOW – A LOVE STORY

Amazon MGM Studios will release the cinematic original
This Is Me…Now: A Love Story exclusively on Prime Video globally February 16, 2024

This Is Me…Now: A Love Story is a narrative-driven, cinematic original.

The album, which inspired the Amazon original, are both projects unlike anything Jennifer Lopez has done before. The musical experience explores her personal journey to love and the importance of self-love.

This Is Me…Now: A Love Story is directed by Grammy-winner Dave Meyers (“No Tears Left to Cry” by Ariana Grande, “ME!” by Taylor Swift, “Adore You” by Harry Styles, “Shirt” by SZA, “HUMBLE.” by Kendrick Lamar, “Gorilla” by Little Simz).

The all-star cast includes Fat Joe, Trevor Noah, Kim Petras, Post Malone, Keke Palmer, Sofia Vergara, Jenifer Lewis, Jay Shetty, Neil deGrasse Tyson, Sadhguru, Derek Hough, and more.

The first single off of Jennifer’s upcoming album “Can’t Get Enough” was released on January 10th and a new version featuring Latto released on Friday 26th, with two music videos available to view on YouTube.

This Is Me…Now: A Love Story will stream globally on Prime Video on February 16th. This is the same day the new album “This is Me…Now” will be released, which is currently available for pre-order at https://jenniferlopez.lnk.to/ThisIsMeNowPR

Directed by: Dave Meyers
Written by: Jennifer Lopez, Matt Walton
Story by: Jennifer Lopez, Dave Meyers, Chris Shafer
Starring: Jennifer Lopez, Fat Joe, Trevor Noah, Kim Petras, Post Malone, Keke Palmer, Sofia Vergara, Jenifer Lewis, Jay Shetty, Neil deGrasse Tyson, Sadhguru, Tony Bellissimo, Derek Hough, Trevor Jackson, Paul Raci, Bella Gagliano, Brandon Delsid, Ashley Versher, Malcolm Kelner, Alix Angelis, Danielle Larracuente, Matthew Law and Ben Affleck

Synopsis:
This Is Me…Now: A Love Story is like nothing you’ve ever seen from Jennifer Lopez. Alongside director Dave Meyers, Jennifer has created a narrative-driven cinematic odyssey, steeped in mythological storytelling and personal healing. Dropping in tandem with her first studio album in a decade, this genre-bending Amazon original showcases her journey to love through her own eyes. With fantastical costumes, breathtaking choreography, and star-studded cameos, this panorama is an introspective retrospective of Jennifer’s resilient heart.

THE SPACE RACE

(NATGEO) – February 2024

The Space Race weaves together the stories of Black astronauts seeking to break the bonds of social injustice to reach for the stars, including Guion Bluford, Ed Dwight and Charles Bolden, among many others.

In THE SPACE RACE, directors Diego Hurtado de Mendoza and Lisa Cortés profile the pioneering Black pilots, scientists and engineers who joined NASA to serve their country in space, even as their country failed to achieve equality for them back on Earth.

From 1963, when the assassination of JFK thwarted Captain Ed Dwight’s quest to reach the moon, to 2020, when the echoes of the civil unrest sparked by the killing of George Floyd reached the International Space Station, the story of African Americans at NASA is a tale of world events colliding with the aspirations of uncommon men.

The bright dreams of Afrofuturism become reality in THE SPACE RACE, turning science fiction into science fact and forever redefining what “the right stuff” looks like, giving us new heroes to celebrate and a fresh history to explore.

GENIUS: MLK/X (NATGEO) – February 1, 2024

Two leaders of the civil rights Movement, Martin Luther King and Malcolm X, are explored in “Genius: MLK/X.” From showrunners Damione Macedon and Raphael Jackson, Jr., the series tracks the lives of these very different and uniquely brilliant men who, despite their differences, fueled each other in their contrasting pursuits of the same goal – our humanity in America.

The fourth season of GENIUS will explore the lives, legacies and dueling philosophies of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and Malcolm X. Under King’s visionary leadership. A frequent critic of King’s civic-minded approach, Malcolm X argued forcefully for Black empowerment, identity and self-determination.

Though they came from markedly different backgrounds and met only once, King and Malcolm X are synonymous with the Civil Rights era they came to define, two sides of the same coin.

EPISODES

MLK/X: Graduation

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An intense focus on the formative years of Martin Luther King, Jr. and Malcolm X and their experiences and relationships as young children and teens that shape and influence the iconic figures they would become. Malcolm’s release from prison and King’s graduation from Boston University begin their respective journeys that will one day change the nation, but also begin a budding rivalry.

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MLK/X: Who We are

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Malcolm is introduced to the Honorable Elijah Muhammad, who takes him under his wing after recognizing his potential with the NOI, but temptations from an old flame and the bonds of family test his strength. Martin introduces and brings Coretta into the King family. Martin finds his voice within the church and is faced with a career decision that will alter his relationship with Daddy King.

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MLK/X: Protect Us

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Malcolm builds space for Muslims in the Harlem community, meeting new member Betty Saunders, As romance builds between the two, a confrontation with the police puts Malcolm in the spotlight. As the Montgomery Bus Boycott intensifies, Martin and his new family are faced with concerns about their safety. In the end, both find themselves ascending to heights they could have never imagined.

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MLK/X: Watch the Throne

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After an attack leaves Martin grappling with his mortality, he must confront whether his fear is affecting his ability to lead. Malcolm sees an opportunity to grow the profile of the Nation in the form of a documentary about the NOI. However the consequences of his actions begin to bubble to the surface. All the while, Malcolm juggles a growing family as Betty finds herself feeling isolated.

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MLK/X: Watch the Throne

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After an attack leaves Martin grappling with his mortality, he must confront whether his fear is affecting his ability to lead. Malcolm sees an opportunity to grow the profile of the Nation in the form of a documentary about the NOI. However the consequences of his actions begin to bubble to the surface. All the while, Malcolm juggles a growing family as Betty finds herself feeling isolated.

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MONDAY 12 FEBRUARY AT 20:40 CAT

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MLK/X: Matriarchs

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With Martin unjustly jailed, Coretta must call upon all her strength to keep pushing forward. When an opportunity to help Martin comes up, she takes it, despite pushback from Daddy King. With Malcolm refusing to listen to her needs, Betty takes drastic action to try to save her marriage. A reminder of her past, and a vision for her future, show her the way through.

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MLK/X: The American Promise

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In an effort to force the passage of the Civil Rights Act, Martin and his allies attempt their biggest undertaking yet – the March on Washington. As it draws near, Martin finds himself struggling to find the right words to unite the country. When Malcolm finds himself nearly suspended from the Nation, he evaluates his relationship with Elijah, especially in light of a dramatic revelation.

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MONDAY 19 FEBRUARY AT 20:40 CAT

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MLK/X: The Sword and the Shield

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After his break from the NOI, the pain of betrayal from Elijah takes a toll on Malcolm mentally, physically and emotionally. When further betrayals within the Nation come to both him and Betty, he decides to speak out. The FBI targets Martin and Coretta, causing stress and paranoia, but the passage of the Civil Rights Act gives both Martin and Malcolm hope – and the opportunity to meet each other.

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MONDAY 26 FEBRUARY AT 19:50 CAT

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TUESDAY 27 FEBRUARY AT 01:10 CAT

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MLK/X: Can You Imagine

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Malcolm, knowing his death is likely imminent, works hard to care for his family, reconcile with his siblings, and speak truth to power about the Nation and the best way forward, up until his final moments. In the aftermath of Malcom’s death, Martin, feeling his own mortality, decides that he can no longer remain silent on the Vietnam War. A horrifying day in Memphis shocks the world.

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MONDAY 26 FEBRUARY AT 20:40 CAT

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TUESDAY 27 FEBRUARY AT 02:00 CAT

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“I HEARD IT THROUGH THE GRAPEVINE” DOCUMENTARY SHOWS JAMES BALDWIN IN RARE FOOTAGE

One of the film’s directors unpack how this prolific piece of art came to be

WATCH THE TRAILER ABOVE

Pat Hartley and Dick Fontaine were the perfect creative pair. She was an African American actress of Black and Moroccan descent, who starred in several Andy Warhol films when she wasn’t modeling, and a photographer born in the high energy of NYC. He was a British documentarian and filmmaker who was the head of the Documentary Department at The National Film and Television School, nestled in the outskirts of London.

It was after the turmoil of the 1960’s. Ms. Hartley and Mr. Fontaine were an interracial couple creating magic without a care as the new decade opened. But life and legacy offered them an opportunity, a moment that they could not refuse or ignore. The couple founded Grapevine Productions and, as their debut project, were able to assemble some extraordinarily rare footage from the heart and heartache of the Civil Rights Movement, the central and chaotic time in America’s history. From their creative vision, they knew that there was a story there, one that needed and deserved to be told. 

With the perspective of stunning imagery captured by European television’s vantage point (England’s Central TV especially), the footage dug deep into the marrow of the movement. And then the directors knew that they needed a guide. Hartley and Fontaine were already friends with the iconic James Baldwin, the prolific pundit and critical commentator of a generation, who had appeared on television debates with Dick Cavett and who had profound landmark interviews with poet Nikki Giovanni and author/activist/educator Dr. Maya Angelou. When they all spoke and “Jimmy,” as they lovingly called him, came on board with the project to be its voice and shape its vision, they knew that they had something powerful indeed.

Baldwin is leading the conversation that surrounds the stunning visuals and letting the visuals be visceral and speak for themselves. Baldwin, Hartley and Fontaine (the latter passed in October 2023), take their time to build upon the story that’s already there, but what they do is allow the story to breathe, as Baldwin visits photographs and journeys back to places where history was carved into being. As a New Yorker, Hartley was, like many including Baldwin, determined to never revisit the South, but they knew that what they had in their hands was a story that had to be told, there in the 1980’s, just two decades away from an American atrocity and only Baldwin, with this visionary team, could bring it all to life.

Clockwise from left – Pat Hartley, Dick Fontaine, James Baldwin, Smokey Fontaine (son of Hartley and Fontaine)

Screening at NYC’s Film Forum until February 6th, 2025, as part of the venue’s series regarding Mr. Baldwin, the Hartley/Fontaine-produced documentary, I HEARD IT THROUGH THE GRAPEVINE, offers a direction towards history that feels real and raw and riveting in new ways. Hartley offers that she didn’t have “the temperament to be a pacifist,” and knew that the training that young people received in order to endure that brutality that they knew would visit them during their efforts as freedom riders, those who traveled South to intervene and support, was something she would not have been able to do. But what she was able to conceive in this documentary is a telling of stories that ache the soul. 

When Baldwin speaks the names Medgar, Malcolm, Martin, it is an alliteration that you don’t want to hear but that history cannot ignore. Hartley and late husband Fontaine tell the dizzying, dazzling, disturbing journey of the Civil Rights Movement with the voice of a pioneer, a storyteller and a truth bringer that can only be wrapped in the person of the poignant powerhouse of an American writer and civil rights activist. 

Baldwin (in conversation with his brother David), but not narrating the story per se, walks us through the pains of history that sounds so contemporary in 2024 that it can make your shoulder slump with chagrin. But Baldwin’s conviction and clarity, his audacity and insistence impart strength at the same time. His commentary in 1982 about how Atlanta–touted now as a Black Mecca, especially in entertainment–endured a great “makeup job to make things appear different” and the mask that hides its painful past and he wonders aloud what MLK would think of the city today, is searing in modern context. 

I HEARD IT THROUGH THE GRAPEVINE  speaks of the impact of this era, with Baldwin noting, as does Hartley, that it was “too painful to create or write in America.” What the filmmakers and their commentator have created for us to behold decades later is a work that is a reminder of the wonder of the spirit of a people who prevail through adversity. The journey of the film is well paced and is “not at all scripted, nothing laid out” and Hartley notes that she could tell that it clearly “took a tremendous toll on Jimmy to hold these stories” physically and emotionally, but he knew the impact they’d have on the American zeitgeist. He was indeed prolific and perhaps prophetic. 

For showtimes at NYC’s Film Forum until February 6th, 2024, go to 

filmforum.org/film/i-heard-it-through-the-grapevine-baldwin