Page 19 - Florida Sentinel 12-15-17

Tis The Season
Celebrate Christmas By Watching Some Of The Best Black Christmas Movies
The Hallmark and Lifetime channels are in overdrive with a lineup of both recycled and new holiday romance programming. And while the movies are good, if you like that sort of thing, brown or black-skinned actors are far and few in these original movies broadcasted by these channels.
TV One has 2 new original Christmas movies airing this month to add to the list of some of the best all-Black casts Christmas movies.
The Wiz (1978) Adapted from a Broadway
play and starring Diana Ross and Michael Jackson, it’s one of the most important Black films to ever exist. In this ver- sion of the story, school teacher Dorothy (Ross) gets trans- ported to the Land of Oz during an eerie snowstorm that sweeps down her Harlem block on the evening of Christmas.
Preacher’s Wife (1996)
Denzel Washington plays angel Dudley. Dudley comes to the aid of Henry (Courtney B. Vance), a reverend strug- gling to keep the doors of his church open. Dudley uses his powers to fight gentrifiers trying to shutter the church doors, but he also falls for Henry’s wife, Julia (Whitney Houston).
A Diva’s Christmas Carol
(2000)
This is the only remake of A Christmas Carol that you need to see, and it’s probably one of the few Hallmark movies that you’ll actually want to watch. Vanessa Williams plays Ebony Scrooge, a pop super- star with a nasty attitude and no Christmas spirit. Kathy Grif- fin plays the Ghost of Christ- mas Past and John Taylor from Duran Duran plays the Ghost of Christmas Present.
Friday After Next (2002) The third sequel to the cult classic film Friday, rapper Ice Cube returns once again as Craig. In a last minute attempt to make rent after being robbed by someone dressed as Santa Claus, him and cousin/room- mate DaeDae (Mike Epps) work a security job during the day and then throw a party at
night.
This Christmas (2007) This year Christmas with the Whitfields promises to be one
they will never forget. All the siblings have come home for the first time in years and they’ve brought plenty of baggage with them. As the Christmas tree is trimmed and the lights are hung, secrets are revealed and family bonds are tested. As their lives converge, they join to- gether and help each other dis- cover the true meaning of family.
Best Man Holiday (2013)
The Best Man Holiday, which was the follow up to 1999’s The Best Man, has an all- star cast that included Ter- rence Howard and Nia Long.
The story follows four cou- ples that reunite for the first time in more than 10 years at the request of one of their friends. The trip, which takes place over Christmas, opens old wounds and creates some news one for both the cast and view- ers.
Black Nativity (2013)
In a contemporary adapta- tion of Langston Hughes’ cel- ebrated play, the holiday musical drama follows Langston (Jacob Lati- more), a street-wise teen from Baltimore raised by a single mother, as he journeys to New York City to spend the Christ- mas holiday with his estranged relatives. It stars Angela Bas- sett, Jennifer Hudson and
Forrest Whittaker. Almost Christmas (2016)
A newer offering in the Black Christmas catalog, Almost Christmas saw the epic return of comedienne Mo’Nique last year. Almost Christmas tells the festive story of a beloved patri- arch who asks his family for one gift this holiday season: to get along. If they can honor that wish and spend five days under the same roof without killing one another, it will be a Christ- mas miracle. This is the first Christmas without their mother.
Christmas At
Water’s Edge
For spoiled, wealthy college girl Layla Turner (Keshia Knight Pulliam, Beauty
Shop, TV’s The Cosby Show), Christmas usually means de-
signer wrapping paper and hol- iday gift bags from Blooming-
dale’s....But this year, Layla will learn the true meaning.
FRIDAY, DECEMBER 15, 2017 FLORIDA SENTINEL BULLETIN PUBLISHED EVERY TUESDAY AND FRIDAY PAGE 7-B