seansoulo73

I'm genuinely perplexed by any rating above a 5 for Tyler Perry's Straw. It appears Tyler Perry is regressing in his craft; his earlier works demonstrably surpassed the quality of his current output. While his undeniable financial success is often cited, it regrettably hasn't translated into an improvement in his filmmaking. Though he commands a loyal fanbase, as a viewer who values film as an art form and appreciates compelling storytelling, I found Straw to be profoundly lacking. My wife persuaded me to watch, and within 20 minutes, my suspicion was confirmed: this was another rushed, haphazard production. Even Taraji P. Henson, despite her talent, couldn't salvage this exasperating endeavor. It's clear Perry invests heavily in his lead actors, but with such resources, one would hope he could also invest in a collaborative writing team and allow other directors to bring fresh perspectives. Is he truly limited to his own vision? For those who champion nuanced storytelling over repetitive tropes, stereotypes, and glaring plot holes, this 'microwave, cookie-cutter mess' falls far short.

We deserve films of the caliber produced by visionaries like Ryan Coogler, Ava DuVernay, Spike Lee, Gina Prince-Bythewood, Antoine Fuqua, F. Gary Gray, Steve McQueen, and Michael B. Jordan, to name a few."

Kevin Hart's 'Fight Night...' is a promising addition to the black film landscape, showcasing a talented ensemble cast and a captivating storyline. I told ya'll the Philly boy has acting chops! I may have been critical of his last few stand-up specials, but I Kevin can act indeed.

With Hart Beat Productions teamed up with Will Packer Productions again, I hope to continue to see films with strong scripts, strong actors and quality production value that showcases the black experience in its many different facets. We deserve better than we get from Tyler P's revolving battered woman syndrome and low budget Tubi productions.

The stereotypical portrayal of Clifton Powell's 'Mush Mouth' and a few other mob boss characters like Boone, Tex, and Bunker feel overly caricatured. Look, I get that it is an ode to the blaxploitation era, and I'm a huge fan of period pieces, but the only believable figures of the interstate bosses are David Banner, Terrance Howard and of course, Sam Jackson. They can feel out of place in an otherwise well-crafted film.

Anyway, I'm wondering how Kevin got all these heavy hitters in one project, like Don Cheadle, Tarija P. Henson, Terrance and Sam? Not to mention he put together a talented cast of heist bandits who are all rising stars in their own right. Overall, I'm loving this mini-series, and I hope it's just the beginning of many more strong stories to come from Hart Beat Productions; especially in a time when Hollywood seems all too interested in remakes than original stories. You did that Kevin!