What to Watch This Weekend: May 1, 2020

Redbox: Sonic the Hedgehog

Sonic the Hedgehog is an entertaining re-imagining of the classic video game.  It's wonderful performances, great special effects, and abundance of humor and callbacks to the game will quickly entertain you!  For more information, check out our review!

Redbox: Like a Boss
Like a Boss has charismatic leading ladies, who form a strong foundation for both the funny and dramatic parts of this makeup friendship comedy.  For more information, check out our review!

Digital: The Incoherents
The Incoherents will get you to follow your dreams with its strong cast, fantastic music, and plenty of heart.  For more information, check out our review!

Digital: Dennis and Lois
Dennis and Lois highlights two mainstays of the rock scene doing what they love.  It has fantastic clips from a variety of bands, interesting stories from the legendary pair, and a wonderful soundtrack.  For more information, check out our review!

Digital: James Vs. His Future Self

James Vs. His Future Self has a wonderful conflict between future and present James, with plenty of funny and introspective moments in this timely, time-obsessed comedy.  For more information, check out our review!

Streaming (Netflix): All Day and a Night

All Day and a Night uses its emotional characters, story, and authentic setting to deliver a powerful film with important underlying messages of self discovery and empathy.  For more information, check out our review!

Streaming (Hulu, Amazon): Creed II

The follow-up to the surprisingly good Creed, this movie manages to make the tried-and-true Rocky formula feel fresh thanks to some fantastic performances and the introduction of characters from Rocky's past.

Streaming (Showtime): Hustlers

Hustlers provides an unreal story about some slick leading ladies.  It is a female wolf of wall street, with a decent amount of craziness, high risk scams, and strong personalities.  For more information, check out our review!

Streaming (Netflix): The Foreigner

The Foreigner adheres strictly to the action thriller formula, but benefits from strong performances by veteran stars Jackie Chan and Pierce Brosnan.  The film has plenty of twists and turns while allowing Chan to showcase his dramatic chops and Brosnan to flex his bad guy persona.

Streaming (Amazon): A Simple Favor

Blake Lively and Anna Kendrick make quite the pair in this mystery thriller with plot layered on plot.  Although there is a weird twist that just doesn't seem to add much to the film, the story will keep you guessing right up until the end.

Review: All Day and a Night

Release date: May 1, 2020
Running time: 121 minutes
Starring: Jeffrey Wright, Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, Ashton Sanders 

Brought to you by Joe Robert Cole, the co-writer of Black Panther, All Day and A Night is the story of Jahkor Abraham Lincoln (Sanders) who narrates a reflection of his life. Growing up in East Oakland, California exposed him to the life of gangs, drugs, and crime.  And although he believed that his dream of rapping was the solution to prevent falling into the influences around him, circumstances and responsibilities push him deeper into the wrong path with tragic consequences.  Despite his efforts and desire to never become like his dad J.D. (Wright), he ultimately ends up in a similar predicament.  However, Jah sets down a path of self discovery that might rectify his relationship with his father and ultimately break the seemingly unavoidable cycle for his newborn son.

All I can say is wow; what a film and what a powerful message. If you are not familiar with what life can be like for an African American youth in East Oakland, well this movie exposes you to it raw.  It lets you experience the sights and emotions of this type of upbringing.  The movie is filled with surreal scenes that authentically depict this area.  And on top of that, Jah's narration adds a layer of explanation on top of the fantastic visuals.  Another highlight was that the director Cole, a California native who grew up nearby and attended college in the same city, made sure that this movie was accurate and authentic.  From the music, wardrobe, dance, dialogue, parties depicted, and even the cars; everything was on point. 

Cole also did a great directing this phenomenal cast.  Ashton Sanders is truly a star and takes another step forward in his career with this film. His performance in All Day and a Night is equally comfortable and passionate.  He has high levels of intensity, but he can also draw it back emotionally when needed.  Sanders is complemented by the amazing Jeffery Wright who plays a character in a very dark emotional place.  As we know, Wright is a special actor who brings his intelligence, intensity, and experience to this film that elevates this to the next level.  The two really bring their best, and their emotional performances drive home the power of this film.  Whether you have experienced what they have or not, they bring a relatable, humanized performance that will touch you to the core.  The rest of the cast has plenty of up and coming and notable actors, such as Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, who all do a fantastic job telling this powerful story.  

All Day and a Night uses its emotional characters, story, and authentic setting to deliver a powerful film with important underlying messages of self discovery and empathy.

Watch it.