Tag Archives: Russell Hornsby

Important and Amazing “The Hate U Give”

Directed by George Tillman, Jr. from the New York Times bestseller by Angie Thomas comes a poignant and contemporary story about the social scales tipping over as police officers unjustly kill a childhood friend.

The poster is so much better than the first. The star on the poster tells us it is a young girl’s story.

The Hate U Give follows Starr Carter, played by Amandla Stenberg, who constantly switches between two cultures. Two very diverse cultures from the poor, mostly black, neighborhood where she lives and the rich, mostly white, prep school she attends.

The strained balance between these cultures is toppled over when Starr witnesses the fatal shooting of her childhood best friend Khalil, played by Algee Smith,  at the hands of a police officer.

Now, facing the community’s social pressures, Starr learns she must find her voice and stand up for what’s right.

Tillman helmed several movies and produced quite a few TV series and films. He is best known for Soul Food, his first movie as a director, which he made for $7 million. The movie grossed $43 million.

Audrey Wells adapted the screenplay. She has scripted and directed Under the Tuscan Sun and Guinevere while writing screenplays for diverse films such as George of the Jungle and Shall We Dance.

The Hate U Give also stars Regina Hall, Russell Hornsby, Issa Rae, KJ Apa, Sabrina Carpenter, Common and Anthony Mackie.

You can watch the movie on Blu-ray, DVD, or stream it.

The movie clip explains the theme of the movie: It is a trap; the only way out is to help each other and allow people to be who they are – humanity.

The movie trailer looks like something out of the headlines. The movie’s message is strong if the trailer’s pace is any indication.

“Fences” Trailer

fencesThe movie Fences arrives from multi-talented Denzel Washington based on the screenplay by August Wilson, adapted from Wilson’s Pulitzer Prize-winning play. The film stars Denzel Washington, Viola Davis, Jovan Adepo, Stephen McKinley Henderson, Russell Hornsby, Mykelti Williamson, and Saniyya Sidney.  The film is produced by Scott Rudin, Denzel Washington, and Todd Black.

Viola won the Best Actress Oscar for her portrayal of the wife.  When she accepted her award, she praised Washington as a director. She talks about how she chooses a role by thinking about those people in the graveyard. They all have lives. They all have stories. It was such an inspiring speech.