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Reviews
Seventeen Again (2000)
True Family Affair
Wouldn't you like to be seventeen again! This delightful comedy starring the lovely and talented Mowry twins and little brother Tahj is a true family affair. It's a pleasure to see a film about a black family where all the main characters are portrayed in a positive light. Aspiring young director Jeff Byrd displays his talent in weaving a humorous tale of a scientific experiment gone awry and grandparents Gene and Cat (Robert Hooks and Hope Clarke) are miraculously transformed from senior citizens to seventeen year olds. What follows is a story of discovery, love, forgiveness, and understanding. An added treat is a cameo appearance by Boyz II Men playing swing music in a touching big band dance hall scene. Good clean fun for the entire family.
Bones (2001)
Hip Hop Horror Surprise
This hip hop horror flick was a pleasant surprise. Much better acting than I expected. Snoop was excellent as Bones and Pam Grier is always a joy to watch, but the main stars were the young lead actors who carried the film. The story line was intriguing and although some of the horror scenes were a bit over done towards the end, the film is suspenseful and will hold your interest from beginning to end.
Johnny B Good (1998)
Johnny B Good Better Than I Expected
I was pleasantly surprised by this obviously low-budget production. A college dropout, who never lived up to his potential is injured in a car accident and wakes up in the hospital with amnesia. Johnny B leaves the hospital as Jonathan Butler and proceeds to tap the unfulfilled promise of his youth by taking on the corrupt Chicago political establishment and leading a renaissance in his ghetto neighborhood. With strong support from his mother (played convincingly by Vonetta McGhee), a television investigative reporter (Richard Grant) and his lovely ex-girlfriend, Jonathan brings hope to a neighborhood ravished by crime, blight, drugs and political neglect. Jonathan overcomes every obstacle placed in his way by the mayor and his cronies, and eventually ousts the mayor from office. Though the production is spotty and the acting almost campy at times, a clear message emerges about proud people taking control of their own destiny through self-determination and unwillingness to accept a fate determined by others. The film offers hope, dignity, positive images and a spirit of community that is sorely needed in urban areas today.