Brother to Brother 2004  N/R, 90 min.
Genre: Drama
Director: Rodney Evans
Cast: Anthony Mackie, Roger Robinson, Larry Gilliard Jr., Aunjanue Ellis, Duane Boutte, Daniel Sunjata, Alex Burns, Ray Ford, Bradley Cole, Oni Faida Lampley, Billoah Greene, Kevin Jackson
Black/gay Perry Williams (Anthony Mackie) is a young artist/student who has problems being accepted for who he is–even his father kicked him out of the house. But, when he meets elderly Black writer Bruce Nugent (Roger Robinson), who had lived through the 1930s' Harlem Renaissance, Perry learns from Bruce's past and gains a perspective about his present-day life.
|  | |
The Caveman's Valentine 2001 R, 105 min.
Genre: Mystery
Director: Kasi Lemmons
Cast: Samuel L. Jackson, Colm Feore, Ann Magnuson, Damir Andrei, Aunjanue Ellis, Tamara Tunie, Peter MacNeill, Jay Rodan, Rodney Eastman, Anthony Michael Hall
Romulus Ledbetter (Samuel L. Jackson) is a homeless cave dweller living in NYC's Inwood park who, despite his schizophrenia, is determined to find the killer of a young street kid.
| | |
Disappearing Acts 2000  R, 115 min.
Genre: Drama
Director: Gina Prince
Cast: Wesley Snipes, Sanaa Lathan, Regina Hall, Lisa Arrindell Anderson, CCH Pounder, John Amos, Clark Johnson, Q-Tip, Aunjanue Ellis, John Beasley
Schoolteacher Zora (Sanaa Latham), who dreams of becoming a singing sensation, moves into a new neighborhood. She meets soon-to-be-divorced Franklin (Wesley Snipes), an out-of-work construction worker who wants to open his own business. A stormy love affair begins in this good, made-for-HBO film from a novel by Terry McMillan.
| | |
Ed's Next Move 1996 R, 88 min.
Genre: Comedy / Mystery / Romance
Director: John Walsh
Cast: Matt Ross, Callie Thorne, Kevin Carroll, Ramsey Faragallah, Nina Sheveleva, Jim Cummings, Will Arnett, Michael Huston, Joseph Fuqua, Peter Jacobson, Aunjanue Ellis, Cathy Curtin, Jimmy Cummings
Ed (Matt Ross) is a rice geneticist from Wisconsin who moves to New York City and rooms with Ray (Kevin Carroll). Ray gives Ed advice about women and how to win the affection of Lee (Callie Thorne).
| | |
The Express 2008 PG, 129 min.
Genre: Drama
Director: Gary Fleder
Cast: Rob Brown, Dennis Quaid, Darrin Dewitt Henson, Omar Benson Miller, Nelsan Ellis, Charles S. Dutton, Justin Martin, Nicole Beharie, Aunjanue Ellis, Justin Jones, Clancy Brown, Elizabeth Shivers, Regina Hoyles, Chelcie Ross, Danny McCarthy
Young running back Ernie Davis (Rob Brown) is recruited by Syracuse University and its head football coach Ben Schwartzwalder (Dennis Quaid). Davis excels at his sport, and in 1962, as a member of the Syracuse Orangemen, he becomes the first Black football player in college history to win the Heisman Trophy. Davis had accomplished his feat despite racism of teammates, officials, and the college football scene. But, tragedy lies ahead; Davis has leukemia and dies at age 23.
| | |
 Freedomland 2006  R, 113 min.
Genre: Drama / Thriller
Director: Joe Roth
Cast: Samuel L. Jackson, Julianne Moore, Edie Falco, Ron Eldard, William Forsythe, Aunjanue Ellis, Anthony Mackie, LaTanya Richardson, Clarke Peters, Peter Friedman, Domenick Lombardozzi, Aasif Mandvi, Philip Bosco
White single mother Brenda Martin (Julianne Moore) from Gannon, New Jersey, reports a carjacking in the Armstrong project neighborhood during which a young Black male took off with her car while her four-year-old son was in the back seat. Black detective Lorenzo Council (Samuel L. Jackson) is assigned to the case, he barricades the Armstrong project, and racial tensions erupt between the Gannon and Armstrong residents in this psychological mystery pointing out that racial prejudice still prevails in parts of America today.
| | |
Lovely & Amazing 2001 R, 91 min.
Genre: Comedy
Director: Nicole Holofcener
Cast: Catherine Keener, Brenda Blethyn, Emily Mortimer, Raven Goodwin, Aunjanue Ellis, Clark Gregg, Jake Gyllenhaal, James LeGros, Michael Nouri, Dermot Mulroney, Lee Garlington
The Marks family is not exactly your typical next-door neighbors. Sisters Michelle (Catherine Keener) and Annie (Raven Goodwin) possess their own quirky sets of problems. But, the mother, Jane (Brenda Blethyn), is the icing on the cake whose flavor can be found in each of her daughters' personality traits.
| | |
A Map of the World 1999 R, 125 min.
Genre: Drama
Director: Scott Elliott
Cast: Sigourney Weaver, Julianne Moore, David Strathairn, Arliss Howard, Chloe Sevigny, Louise Fletcher, Ron Lea, Sara Rue, Aunjanue Ellis, Nicole Ari Parker
Alice Goodwin (Sigourney Weaver) is a stressed-out mother and school nurse. She has good reason for her problems: one day after agreeing to take care of her best friend's (Julianne Moore) daughter, the child drowned. Add to this the accusation of abuse brought by one of the students. And, as if that isn't enough, Alice ends up in a jail cell–hated by prison mates and ex-friends as well.
| | |
 Men of Honor 2000 R, 128 min.
Genre: Drama
Director: George Tillman Jr.
Cast: Robert De Niro, Cuba Gooding Jr., Charlize Theron, Aunjanue Ellis, Hal Holbrook, Michael Rapaport, Powers Boothe, David Keith, Holt McCallany, Joshua Leonard
Born to share croppers, Carl Brashear (Cuba Gooding Jr.) enlisted in the U.S. Navy and became the first African-American to reach the rank of Master Chief Diver. Brashear's story relates how he beat the odds of racial prejudice inherent in the Armed Forces in the 1950s and 1960s to live his life proudly with honor.
| | |
Notorious 2009  R, 120 min.
Genre: Drama / Musical
Director: George Tillman Jr.
Cast: Jamal Woolard, Angela Bassett, Derek Luke, Naturi Naughton, Dennis L.A. White, Anthony Makie, Antonique Smith, Julia Pace Mitchell, John Ventimiglia, Marc John Jeffries, Christopher Jordan Wallace, Jasper Briggs, Cyrus Farmer, Aunjanue Ellis, Charles Malik Whitfield
Growing up in Brooklyn, young Christopher Wallace (Christopher Jordan Wallace, Jr.) lives with his religious mother Violetta (Angela Bassett). When he reaches his teenage years, Christopher (now played by Jamal Woolard) enters the criminal world of drugs and even serves some time in jail. Along the way, he realizes that he is great at dropping lines, signs a deal with Sean "Diddy" Combs (Derek Luke) to record his rap music, and becomes the phenomenon, Notorious B.I.G., aka Biggie. He lives life out on the edge with women and partying, but fate steps in, and Wallace is murdered in Los Angeles at the young age of 24.
| | |
The Opponent 2000 R, 90 min.
Genre: Drama
Director: Eugene Jarecki
Cast: Erika Eleniak, James Colby, Aunjanue Ellis, John Doman, Harry O'Reilly, Kyle Thrash, Suzi Tasca, Diego Lopez, Bill Corsair
"Playboy" and "Baywatch" graduate Erika Eleniak takes on the role of Patty, a woman who decides to take boxing lessons to protect herself from an abusive boyfriend. In the process, she shows promise in the boxing world and is convinced to go pro, thus starting a boxing career. Aren't there easier ways to get rid of an abusive boyfriend?
| | |
Perception 2005  N/R, 101 min.
Genre: Drama
Director: Irving Schwartz
Cast: Piper Perabo, Mary Beth Hurt, David Rasche, Heather Burns, Aunjanue Ellis, Seth Meyers, Kate Mulgrew, Ajay Naidu, Nick Scotti, Mark Dobies
After living in Los Angeles, Jen (Piper Perabo) returns to her hometown of Brooklyn to take care of her parents. This, at first, appears to be a selfless act, and all should go well. But, in fact, Jen is self-centered and has mistreated her friends. Now, after an accident, she is confined to a wheelchair. Will Jen get it together and reexamine her life?
| | |
 Ray 2004 PG-13, 152 min.
Genre: Drama / Musical
Director: Taylor Hackford
Cast: Jamie Foxx, Kerry Washington, Regina King, Clifton Powell, Harry Lennix, Bokeem Woodbine, Aunjanue Ellis, Sharon Warren, C.J. Sanders, Curtis Armstrong, Richard Schiff, Larenz Tate, Terrence Howard, David Krumholtz, Wendell Pierce
Jamie Foxx won an Oscar for his portrayal of soul singer Ray Charles, which begins with Ray's (C.J. Sanders) early life in Georgia when he went blind at age seven, but his mother encouraged him to go on with his life and develop his talent. He becomes a successful musician and rises in the music world. But, his weakness for women and drugs intervenes–until Ray rises above his personal demons and finds his place as a beloved performer. The film received one other Academy Award and was nominated for four others, including Best Picture and Director.
| | |
Undercover Brother 2002 PG-13, 88 min.
Genre: Comedy
Director: Malcolm D. Lee
Cast: Eddie Griffin, Chris Kattan, Denise Richards, Dave Chappelle, Aunjanue Ellis, Neil Patrick Harris, Chi McBride, Billy Dee Williams, Jack Noseworthy, James Brown
When a black, four-star general (Billy Dee Williams) considers running for President of the USA, "The (white) Man" tries to stop him. But, "The Man" doesn't plan on Undercover Brother (Eddie Griffin) entering the fray and foiling the evil plans.
| | |
| 1. Brother to Brother (2004)
2. The Caveman's Valentine (2001)
3. Disappearing Acts (2000)
4. Ed's Next Move (1996)
5. The Express (2008)
6. Freedomland (2006)
7. Girls Town (1996)
8. Lovely & Amazing (2001)
9. A Map of the World (1999)
10. Men of Honor (2000)
11. Notorious (2009)
12. The Opponent (2000)
13. Perception (2005)
14. Ray (2004)
15. Undercover Brother (2002)
In The News
|
