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Monday, February 11, 2008

One Love For TV One....


Can we talk about TV One for a second?

I notice that lots of people talk about the failings and shortcomings of BET, but rarely is a word given over to TV One. Let's not take them for granted, starting with the Black woman owner Cathy Hughes (who genuinely cares about the community)....they are always doing very positive things over there. They are real and comforting, like going over to one of your favorite relatives' homes.

One of my favorite components are the films that they show. This weekend they showed a good variety; "Doing Hard Time", "New Jack City", "Malcolm X", and "The Ernest Green Story". This channel is fabulous for seeing films you might have missed the first time, or haven't seen in a while and want to view again.

Since I am a major film lover, I fall into the second catagory and am usually rewatching. I usually don't do that very much, but for some reason I enjoy it when I re-view on TV One. I notice things I might not have seen the first time or even the second time I watched a film.


Doing Hard Time


Doing Hard Time is the very first time I saw Michael K. Williams, who plays the infamous Omar on "The Wire". I wasn't expecting much from the movie, as I only picked it up since I'd pretty much seen everything else, and wasn't that thrilled about top billed Boris Kudjoe (not a fan). It is the story of 2 men (Kudjoe and Williams) who are at odds against one another in prison.

To my surprise I got completely absorbed into the film, every bit of the reason being Mr. Williams. On first glance I was dismissive, like "who is this crispy negro?" but I found myself getting wrapped up in his drama and emotions, just like his performances on The Wire. Check this movie out to check him out, but it is a bit violent, it's a prison setting after all.




New Jack City

What can I say that hasn't been said already? But a lot of time has passed since this movie first came out, so you look at some things in a different way. Some things I noticed:

-Flava Flav was all up in that piece, like they were proud to have him. Who knew what he would come to in the new millenium?

-The landscape architect haircuts look hilarious now. Mario Van Peebles flatop was a travesty.

-How did Allen Payne and Wesley Snipes lose so very much hotness?

-It didn't occur to me that when Lil' Wayne talks about "The Carter" he was referring to the drugged out apartment building in this movie. Prolly cause I don't pay attention to Lil' Wayne.

-I think Dave Chapelle got those white lips for his sketch crack character from Pookie.

-Remember when Teddy Riley was the sh*t and not broke? How did that negro lose all that money anyway?

-I think this was the last serious film for Judd Nelson, poor baby.

-I'm still wondering what happened to Tracy Camilla Johns.





Malcolm X

I wrote about this film when I first started this blog here. I must say, after watching it again, I really got caught up in the last third of the movie, which starts right about when Malcolm goes to Mecca and changes his views about other cultures.

Malcolm X is one of my most important icons, and the enlightenment he felt after his experience was so huge, and so eloquently related by him that you could feel it in the fiber of your bones. I think the film captured that essence very well, and you are devestated when he is shot, and all knowledge that this is really Denzel Washington becomes secondary.

This is the film that should have garnered him an Oscar.





Very appropriate for Black History month....we should always be reminded that at one point in time our very lives were in danger just for trying to go to a decent school. It is the story of The Little Rock Nine, whose cause was a bit more noble than the Jena Six.

It assembles an eclectic cast with Morris Chestnut playing the lead, co-starring with Ruby Dee, Avery Brooks, Tico Wells, CCH Ponder, Ossie Davis, and Monica Calhoun.


To learn more about Ernest Green and The Little Rock Nine click HERE.

18 comments:

Bohemian Chick said...

I love love love TV One..makes BET look like hot garbage. Which is what BET is.

Undercover Black Man said...

IW: I don't have TV One on my cable system. (Not that I'm aware, anyway.) But good to know they're rockin'.

Michael K. Williams is the real deal. I hope to see a lot more of him after "The Wire." (But then... I hoped to see a lot more of T.K. Carter after "The Corner." We see how that turned out.)

Whenever I stumble upon "Malcolm X" on cable, I settle in for a while... particularly if it's the last two-thirds.

Slaus of O Hell Nawl said...

Im a HUGE tv one fan.... it's all love for TVone.

I refuse to watch a minute of the chitlin network/bet

Nicole said...

Caught Malcolm X at a friend's house last night. I hadn't seen it in a while and was too young to appreciate the great acting and directing the last time I saw it. And can I just say that I love Al Freeman, Jr!

Marvalus said...

ANYTIME Malcolm X is on, I stop what I'm doing and watch...I just cannot help it...Denzel just pulls you in...

And I totally second your thought...he shoulda won the Oscar for this...a damn shame he didn't!

Skoolboi Krush said...

Yeah, TV One has some pretty good shows too. Last week, they showed Trouble Man. Great 70's movie.

All-Mi-T [Thought Crime] Rawdawgbuffalo said...

she is a genious, but this is my take on what black history should be about The father of Jim Crow

Anonymous said...

I couldn't get through Doing Hard Time the first time I attempted to watch, so I think I'll pass. LOL
I'll have to make a point to check out TV One!

Unknown said...

I will have to check out tv one. I don't watch too much tv (who has time for tv with all this blogging going on?!)

dc_speaks said...

yeah tv one brings it!

good recap, IW.

Anonymous said...

I'm not even sure I have TVOne available at home.

I've seen it a few years ago at a friends house while in the south. Perhaps I'll look into it.

Never heard of The Ernest Green Story. You've put me on to something new.

black | woman | unhinged said...

TV One is better than BET...heck any network would be better than BET! So what's the problem? TV1 is too darn focused on black males and their stories. You'd have to search really HARD for programming on the experiences of BWs.

And why are so many patting them on the back for ignoring BLACK WOMEN?

http://blackwomanunhinged.blogspot.com/

Shelia said...

I haven't paid TVOne that much attention. I have watched a couple of specials, but I don't have a real feel for them overall. I'll have to pay them a bit more attention.

I think BET has a lot of people gun shy.

"-How did Allen Payne and Wesley Snipes lose so very much hotness?"

*gasp* ?????? What tha' hell happened, LOL!!

Now I never really saw Snipes as hot, but I did see him as having a lot of acting potential. But Allen Payne, I thought that he was really going to evolve into something even hotter. He just fizzled clean on out.

Unknown said...

I appreciate your update on TV One. I enjoyed three of the movies on your list ... I don't recall seeing the Ernest Green story before.

peace, Villager

The Obenson Report said...

I don't get TV-One in my neck of the woods, so I've actually never seen any of their programming. I've read a few articles about their various attempts, mostly positive, accompanied by a few expected critical piece. All signs seem to indicate that it is indeed a better alternative to BET, and continues to evolve... I'm hopeful.

Invisible Woman said...

@BHC: Hot garbage indeed--I don't even know what comes on there anymore.

@UBM: I think that's why I never really got into the movie the first time--the first third just seemed too splashy and fictionalized...but you have to keep folks entertained, I guess. I'm a bit surprised you don't know more about that station, tho, Mr. Ear To The Street :-)

@Slaus: great minds think alike, haha

@nicole: that's what I mean--I catch movies too that when I first saw I was too young to appreciate (not Malcolm X tho, I guess my generation gap is showing)

I agree-I always felt Al Freeman should have gotten more work.

@Ms m.: as one who wasn't feeling "Training Day" (at all) I couldn't agree more.

Invisible Woman said...

@Skoolboi: Trouble Man?! DAMN! How dod I miss that? I've been wanting to see that for years!

@all-mi-t: thanks for the link-it was very informative

@chocl8t: I wasn't feeling the first part either, but stuck it out--the second half is much better--try it again :-)

@Regina: we all have to take a forced break from blogging sometimes, lol. I definitely think TV One is worth your time.

@DC: Thanks!

Invisible Woman said...

@UT: at the very least find out if you have it, and if you do try to watch their "Throwback Theatre". Great movies.

@welcome BWU: I never really noticed that--I'll look at it next time from your perspective

@Shiela: How does one lose that hot? I mean, it's not like they're old men. Interesting.

@Villager: I think the Ernest Green story would be right up your alley

@Obenson: yes, at least they try, and it's real effort--unlike some disingenuous stations I know.