Fiercely independent with a “do for self” motto, he studied as many books on the art form as possible then got started. He wrote over 10 screenplays before finally pitching a project entitled “Zombies in the Hood” to various studios, including ActorProducer Tim Reid’s New Millennium Studios. This eventually led to a number of industry … Read more
According to Zippia, white writers still dominate the industry, comprising 67.3% of the field in 2021. Black critics remain underrepresented, comprising only 6.2% of the profession, a lower number than even in 2010, while women of color face particular challenges in authoring reviews on platforms like Rotten Tomatoes. These disparities underscore the industry’s imbalance. Nevertheless, … Read more
During the 2010s, adult animation was the only place Black animated shows were welcomed, specifically under Adult Swim. Aaron McGruder’s hilarious satire “The Boondocks” was one of the block’s most popular marquee titles, the television adaptation of the Blackspoitation parody film “Black Dynamite” became a cartoon, “Mike Tyson Mysteries” was a funny riff on Scooby-Doo, … Read more
Writer with the Founders of Decoy Games on both sides Straight out of college, I was able to work for Xbox, helping game studios produce inclusive games and practices, and then I moved on to spend two dynamic years of my career building games at “Minecraft”! Yes—you heard it correctly, THE “Minecraft.” After several years … Read more
Charles is a longstanding member of the DC Film Society currently serving on the Publicity committee, a member in good standing of the Washington DC Area Film Critics Association (WAFCA), a voting member of the Black Reel Awards and a reviewing judge for the DC Shorts Festival. He serves as the Features Programmer for the … Read more
Paul Robeson in The Emperor Jones (1933). Here at Rogerebert.com we will have a week of great features all week. We discuss what it takes to be an independent filmmaker in today’s environment. Coincidentally two of the filmmakers we talk to are from Chicago. Robert Daniels interviewed independent Chicago filmmaker Dewayne Perkins. Perkins’ horror-satire film … Read more
Recent releases “Transformers: Rise of the Beasts” and “Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse” perfectly demonstrate Hip-Hop’s enormous artistic impact as a cultural influencer and cinematic game-changer. Both movies are heavily punctuated by the culture, but neither is a straightforward Hip-Hop movie. “Transformers: Rise of the Beasts” seems solely to exist in its 1994 setting to allow … Read more
INTERVIEWS Jumanji Meets Saw: DeWayne Perkins on The Blackening by Robert Daniels REVIEWS Surrounded by Peyton Robinson TV REVIEWS Marvel’s Secret Invasion Continues the Franchise’s Dull Slate by Kaiya Shunyata REPUBLISHED FEATURES Considering John Ford’s ‘Apology Western,’ Sergeant Rutledge by Sergio Mims Dignified Defiance: Sidney Poitier (1927-2022) by Robert Daniels Goodbye to a Legend: Tina … Read more
And it so happens that one of our other bright lights in Chicago, the entertainer and filmmaker Common, is serving as one of our most enthusiastic Ambassadors. He was recently on “The View” where in explaining why Chicago is an ideal city to hold the 2024 Democratic National Convention, he beautifully articulated the spirit of … Read more
The union strike from the Writer’s Guild of America continues, and studios are about to really hit a wall if a strike from the Screen Actor’s Guild goes into effect. However, there are many films and TV shows that are experiencing production delays as Hollywood hopes for an agreement to be met. Some projects barely … Read more