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Blacktrospective 2013 by Kam Williams
Blacktrospective 2013 by Kam Williams Kam Williams http://aalbc.com/reviews/20-feet-from-stardom.jpg Film Review Blacktrospective 2013 - Annual Assessment of the Best in Black Cinema Each year we pub...
Relationships
Relationships Tiffany M. Davis Book Review Leonard Jenkins II’s first book, Relationships (Volume I): Lessons Before Dying, is a tale of love (finding it, losing it, keeping it) set against an ...
A Haunted House 2
A Haunted House 2 Kam Williams haunted-house2-movie-review.jpg Film Review A Haunted House 2 In Theaters: Apr 18, 2014 Wide Running time: 87 minutes Rated R for violence, graphic sexuality, front...
The Miseducation of Obi Ifeanyi by Chinedu Achebe
The Miseducation of Obi Ifeanyi by Chinedu Achebe Robert Fleming Book Review Some of the world’s finest fiction has been written by Nigerians. Let’s look at the writers from that area in...
Rock the Boat: How to Use Conflict to Heal and Deepen Your Relationship
Rock the Boat: How to Use Conflict to Heal and Deepen Your Relationship Kam Williams Book Review “This book is about the reality of relationships. It offers no comforting fantasies, false pro...
Jelani’s Key
Jelani’s Key Mel Hopkins Book Review Pain into Promise An immeasurable loss leads to a journey of cultural enlightenment, friendship, and self-discovery for 11-year-old protagonists Jelani and Bak...
Sankofa University: Studying African-Centered History and Culture
Sankofa University: Studying African-Centered History and Culture Robert Fleming Book Review Dr. Burnett Kwadwo Gallman’s Sankofa University: Studying African-Centered History And Culture, is a...
Black Coffee
Black Coffee Emanuel Carpenter Book Review In “Black Coffee,” the sequel to R.L. Byrd’s “Looking for Sweet Love,” men take center stage. In this testosterone-driven n...
Daddy’s Little Girls
Daddy’s Little Girls Kam Williams daddy’15.jpg Film Review Frigid Attorney Melts for Amorous Auto Mechanic in Charming, if Predictable, Romantic Comedy Daddy’s Little Girls Film Re...
Long Live the Spirit of the Million Man March
Long Live the Spirit of the Million Man March Kam Williams images/longlivemmm.jpg Film Review Long Live the Spirit of the Million Man March Click to Order via Amazon Unrated Running ti...
Jimmy’s Rhythm & Blues
Jimmy’s Rhythm & Blues Clarence V. Reynolds Book Review This year, we will celebrate the centennial of the birth of prominent writer, civil rights activist, and intellectual James Baldwin. Born in Ha...
Water Street
Water Street Thumper Book Review Recently, I had the pleasure of reading the short story collection, Water Street, written by Crystal E Wilkinson. I loved it. The short stories are slices of the l...
Red Tails
Red Tails Kam Williams redtails.jpg Film Review WWII Saga Recounts Heroic Exploits of Tuskegee Airmen Red Tails [2012] In Theaters: Jan 20, 2012 Wide Written By: Aaron McGrude...
Go Cook Something: A Cooking Survival Guide for Active Independent Children
Go Cook Something: A Cooking Survival Guide for Active Independent Children Kam Williams Book Review "My Mom and Dad separated when I was still in Underoos, so I’ve had to help Mom a lot&hell...
Fail Up: 20 Lessons on Building Success from Failure
Fail Up: 20 Lessons on Building Success from Failure Kam Williams Book Review "If they’re being honest, most people who have ever succeeded in any human endeavor will tell you they learn...
America I AM Pass It Down Cookbook: Over 130 Soul-Filled Recipes
America I AM Pass It Down Cookbook: Over 130 Soul-Filled Recipes Kam Williams Book Review "The Pass It Down Cookbook is filled with recipes that reflect the generations-long need to document and sh...
Jacob’s Ghetto
Jacob’s Ghetto Robert Fleming Book Review Usually commercial young adult novels steer clear of thorny issues, such as drug addiction, gang violence, racial profiling, or poverty. This one does not. T...
White Wedding (2010)
White Wedding (2010) Kam Williams images/69214_gal.jpg Film Review Groom and Best Man Get Waylaid En Route to Wedding in South African Romantic Comedy White Wedding Click to buy onli...
Butterfly Rising
Butterfly Rising Troy Johnson images/tanya_wright.jpg Film Review A Letter from Tanya Wright Tanya Wright author/writer/director, BUTTERFLY RISING My name is Tanya Wright. I am an actress...
Do I Have to Be a Starving Artist in the 21st Century?
Do I Have to Be a Starving Artist in the 21st Century? Kam Williams Book Review "The majority of my adult life I have been an artist… Through trial and error, a lot of tears, reading, and ve...
Cover
Cover Kam Williams vivica41.jpg Film Review DVD Mystery Explores Life on the Down-Low Cover Click to order via Amazon Studio: 20th Century Fox DVD...
Uncle Tom: A Oral History of the American Black Conservative
Uncle Tom: A Oral History of the American Black Conservative Troy Johnson https://aalbc.com/reviews/images/Uncle-tom-movie-poster.jpg Film Review Rating: NR Genre: Documentary Directed By: Just...
Everything In Its Place
Everything In Its Place Thumper Book Review Everything In It’s Place is the first novel that I read by Evelyn Palfrey. When I finished the novel, I remembered a conversation I had with the lat...
Act Like a Lady, Think Like a Man
Act Like a Lady, Think Like a Man Kam Williams Book Review “I want every woman who truly wants a solid relationship to forget everything she’s been taught about men erase the ...
Act Like a Lady, Think Like a Man
Act Like a Lady, Think Like a Man Kam Williams Book Review “I want every woman who truly wants a solid relationship to forget everything she’s been taught about men erase th...
Act Like a Lady, Think Like a Man
Act Like a Lady, Think Like a Man Kam Williams Book Review “I want every woman who truly wants a solid relationship to forget everything she’s been taught about men erase th...
Act Like a Lady, Think Like a Man
Act Like a Lady, Think Like a Man Kam Williams Book Review “I want every woman who truly wants a solid relationship to forget everything she’s been taught about men erase th...
Dead Presidents
Dead Presidents Ted Prigge images/dead.h42.jpg Film Review DEAD PRESIDENTS (1995) (out of a possible ) Directors: Allen and Albert Hughes Writer: Michael Henry Brown (based on a...
Kevin Hart: Let Me Explain
Kevin Hart: Let Me Explain Kam Williams kevin-hart-let-me-explain.jpg Film Review Hottest Stand-Up Comic Wows Sold-Out Garden in Concert Tour Finale Kevin Hart: Let Me Explain In Theaters: Jul 3, 20...
Sweet Sorrel Stand
Sweet Sorrel Stand Pamela Shivdyal Book Review Teaching kids about money from an early age can help them learn healthy financial habits that will last a lifetime. Yolanda T. Marshall, shares her Cari...
Sincerely Speaking Spiritually
Sincerely Speaking Spiritually Robert Fleming Book Review Like many successful self-help books, Sincerely Speaking Spiritually, celebrates verses of faith and inspiration in the Holy Word. Its author...
Think Like a Man
Think Like a Man Kam Williams movie%20still.jpg Film Review What happens to four couples whose love lives are shaken up after reading Steve Harvey’s relationship book? Thi...
Think Like a Man Too
Think Like a Man Too Kam Williams think-like-a-man-too.jpg Film Review Think Like a Man Too In Theaters: Jun 20, 2014 Wide Rated PG-13 for profanity, drug use, crude humor, sexual references and ...
In Spite of the Consequences: Prison Letters on Exoneration, Abolition, and Freedom
In Spite of the Consequences: Prison Letters on Exoneration, Abolition, and Freedom Robert Fleming Book Review If you were politically conscious decades ago, you would have read the prison chronicles...
The Brand Within: The Power of Branding from Birth to the Boardroom
The Brand Within: The Power of Branding from Birth to the Boardroom Kam Williams Book Review "What I hope to do with this book is reach out to anyone who wants to get a leg up on their own careers&...
The Perfect Holiday
The Perfect Holiday Kam Williams the_pe24.jpg Film Review Santa Woos Overburdened Mom in Syrupy Sweet Christmas Comedy The Perfect Holiday Rated PG for mild epithets and suggestive humor. Runni...
Cop Out
Cop Out Kam Williams images/img28.jpg Film Review Tracy Morgan and Bruce Willis Co-Star in Mismatched Cops Comedy Cop Out Rated R for pervasive profanity, sexual references, violence and br...
Gifted Hands: The Ben Carson Story
Gifted Hands: The Ben Carson Story Kam Williams gifted2.jpg Film Review Bio-Pic about Brilliant Black Brain Surgeon Set to Air on TNT Cuba Gooding Jr. (L) and Dr. Ben Carson ...
Butter: Novellas, Stories, and Fragments
Butter: Novellas, Stories, and Fragments Robert Fleming Book Review Recently, I received a letter from lit legend Gayl Jones, saying that she wasn’t writing anymore. Discovered by iconic editor...
Magic Mike
Magic Mike Kam Williams magic-mike.jpg Film Review Channing Tatum Stars as Reluctant Stripper in Riveting, Character-Driven Drama Magic Mike In Theaters: Jun 29, 2012 Wide Rated R for profanity, ...
Notorious
Notorious Kam Williams jamal_17.jpg Film Review Warts-and-All Bio-Pic Recounts Rise and Fall of Biggie Smalls Notorious Rated R for nudity, drug use, graphic sexuality, ethnic slurs and p...
Peeples
Peeples Kam Williams peeples-movie-poster.jpg Film Review Peeples (2013) In Theaters: May 10, 2013 Wide Rated PG-13 for profanity, sexuality and drug use) Running time: 95 minutes Comedy Dire...
Get On Up: The James Brown Story
Get On Up: The James Brown Story Kam Williams get-on-up-movie-poster-2.jpg Film Review Chadwick Channels James Brown in Nostalgic Jukebox Musical Get on Up: The James Brown Story In Theaters: Au...
Book of Letters
Book of Letters Robert Fleming Book Review Mary J. Taylor’s Book Of Letters is just that, a book of letters from the Old School of storytelling. The series of sepia cultural flashbacks moves th...
Melancholia
Melancholia Kam Williams melancholia.jpg Film Review Siblings React Differently to Impending Extinction-Level Event in Apocalyptic Adventure Melancholia [2011] Rated R for sexuality, profanity a...
Street Journeys
Street Journeys Kam Williams street-jouneys-movie-poster.jpg Film Review Street Journeys (2011) Director: Tracy Christian Kenya, 2011, Duration 58 min., English & Swahili In the he...
Trouble the Water
Trouble the Water Kam Williams troubl1.jpg Film Review Shocking Katrina Documentary Created from Real-Time, Home Movies Shot by Storm Victim Trouble the Water Unrated Running time: 96 minute...
The Best Man
The Best Man Michael Dequina thebestman.jpg Film Review Read the 2025 novel based adapted from the film. THE BEST MAN Buy or Rent from Amazon In Theaters: Oct 22, 1999 Wide On DVD: Feb...
Captain Phillips
Captain Phillips Kam Williams captain-phillips.jpg Film Review Somali Pirates Hold Captain Hostage in Navy SEAL Rescue Thriller Captain Phillips In Theaters: Oct 11, 2013 Wide PG-13 for intense ...
Don’t Trip, He Ain’t Through with Me Yet
Don’t Trip, He Ain’t Through with Me Yet Kam Williams dont_t1.jpg Film Review Comedian Steve Harvey Keeps It Clean in Family-Oriented Concert Flick Don’t Trip … He Ain’t Th...
1971 (★★★★) Film Review
1971 (★★★★) Film Review Kam Williams https://aalbc.com/reviews/1971.jpg Film Review Whistleblower Documentary Recounts Break-In Uncovering Illegal FBI Surveillance Program 1971 In Theaters: Fe...
You Made Me Love You
You Made Me Love You Robert Fleming Book Review Like Ishmael Reed, Clarence Major, and other legendary African-American male writers of their generation, John Edgar Wideman, at eighty, is nearing the...
Princes of the Road
Princes of the Road Emanuel Carpenter Book Review In David Covin’s Princes of the Road, the author transports readers to the 1930s of America, where Jim Crow and racism ruled. The central cha...
Best Selling DVD's for 2011
Best Selling DVD's for 2011 Kam Williams https://aalbc.com/reviews/aalbcdvd6.jpg Film Review 10 Best Selling DVDs on AALBC.com for 2011 This is the first DVD bestseller's list that I've compiled and ...
Blacktrospective 2005
Blacktrospective 2005 Kam Williams https://aalbc.com/reviews/movies69.jpg Film Review Blacktrospective 2005 A Look Back at the Best (and Worst) in Black Cinema by Kam Williams 2004 m...
The Henry Louis Gates
The Henry Louis Gates Robert Fleming Book Review Henry Louis Gates, Jr., one of the nation’s most acclaimed scholars, is a masterful jack of all trades, including educator, editor, critic and ...
We Cast a Shadow
We Cast a Shadow Tony Lindsay Book Review In Maurice Carlos Ruffin’s first novel, We Cast a Shadow, the reader meets a complex and unnamed protagonist. The main character of this futuristic nov...
Ain’t But a Few of Us: Black Music Writers Tell Their Story
Ain’t But a Few of Us: Black Music Writers Tell Their Story Robert Fleming Book Review Jazz is dead! If you believe that mess, you must not listen to radio or read any of the mainstream media. Howeve...
The Dagger
The Dagger Hedi Harrington Book Review Timothy George’s 2016 novel, The Dagger, should come with a warning to all readers: “Fasten your seatbelts.” The fast-paced thriller is a sequ...
Why Did I Get Married? (2007)
Why Did I Get Married? (2007) Kam Williams images/why_di4.jpg Film Review Tyler Perry Ensemble Drama Explores an Assortment of Marital Issues Why Did I Get Married? (2007) Click...
Moonlight
Moonlight Kam Williams https://aalbc.com/reviews/images/moonlight.jpg Film Review Excellent (4 of 4 stars) Rated R for sexuality, drug use, pervasive profanity, ethnic slurs and graphic violence ...
Traffic
Traffic Marvin X movietraffic.jpg Film Review There are many classic films on drugs and addiction, Traffic is now one of them. — Marvin X Traffic Click to order via Amazon Dir...
Life of a King
Life of a King Kam Williams Life-of-a-king-movie-poster.jpg Film Review Life of a King In Theaters: Jan 17, 2014 Limited Rated PG-13 for drug use, violent images and mature themes Running t...
Madea’s Big Happy Family
Madea’s Big Happy Family Kam Williams images/73551_gal.jpg Film Review Tyler Perry Back in Drag for More Tomfoolery as Madea Madea’s Big Happy Family [2011] Rated PG-13 for profanity, m...
Madea Goes to Jail
Madea Goes to Jail Kam Williams madea_1.jpg Film Review Tyler Perry’s Back in Drag for Another Modern Morality Play Madea Goes to...
Out of the Furnace
Out of the Furnace Kam Williams out-of-the-furnace.jpg Film Review Ex-Con Searches for Missing Sibling in Gruesome Revenge Thriller Out of the Furnace In Theaters: Dec 6, 2013 Wide Rated R ...
The Social Network
The Social Network Kam Williams images/69349_gal.jpg Film Review Damning Bio-Pic Recounts Rise of Ruthless Facebook Founder The Social Network Click to Buy via Amazon.com Rate...
The Soloist
The Soloist Kam Williams jamie_14.jpg Film Review Jamie Foxx Riveting as Homeless Savant in Best Role since Ray The Soloist Rated PG-13 for mature themes, drug us...
Top Five
Top Five Kam Williams Top-Five-Movie-Poster.jpg Film Review Top Five In Theaters: Dec 12, 2014 Wide R (for strong sexual content, nudity, crude humor, language throughout and some drug use) Run...
A Very Harold & Kumar 3D Christmas
A Very Harold & Kumar 3D Christmas Kam Williams images/haroldandkumxmas.jpg Film Review Holiday-Themed Sequel Features "Pot"-pourri of Stoner Hijinks A Very Harold & Kumar 3D Chri...
War Witch
War Witch Kam Williams war-witch-photo.jpg Film Review 12 year-old Endures Host of Horrors in Haunting Coming-of-Age Drama War Witch (2013) In Theaters: Mar 1, 2013 Limited Drama Directed By: ...
We the Party
We the Party Kam Williams wetheparty.jpg Film Review The African-American answer to American Pie! We the Party [2012] In Theaters: Apr 6, 2012 Limited Comedy Directed By: Mario V...
Zero Dark Thirty
Zero Dark Thirty Kam Williams zero-dark-thirty-movie-poster.jpg Film Review Riveting Docudrama Recounts International Manhunt for Bin Laden Zero Dark Thirty (2012) In Theaters: Dec 19, 20...
Blue Caprice
Blue Caprice Kam Williams blue-caprice.jpg Film Review Beltway Sniper Saga Revisits 2002 Reign of Terror in DC Area Blue Caprice In Theaters: Sep 13, 2013 Limited Rated R for profanity, drug use a...
Bobby
Bobby Kam Williams lauren24.jpg Film Review RFK Assassination Revisited as ’Crash’ Style Roundelay Bobby (2006) Directed and written by Emilio Estevez Rated R for profanity,...
Brooklyn’s Finest
Brooklyn’s Finest Kam Williams images/img23.jpg Film Review Flawed NYPD Officers Featured as "Brooklyn’s Finest" Brooklyn's Finest Rated R for nudity, graphic sexuality, pe...
Courageous
Courageous Kam Williams courageous_family.jpg Film Review Cops Struggle to Juggle Careers and Fatherhood in Faith-Based Family Flick Courageous Rated PG-13 for violence and drug use. Runni...
Fire in Babylon
Fire in Babylon Kam Williams images/westindianteam.jpg Film Review Cricket Documentary Recounts Rise and Dominance of West Indian Team Fire in Babylon Click to order DVD via Amazon ...
Four
Four Kam Williams four.jpg Film Review Lust Leads to Ill-Advised Liaisons in Day-in-the-Life Drama Four September 13, 2013 (Limited) Rated R for sexuality, profanity and brief drug use Running tim...
Freakonomics
Freakonomics Kam Williams images/kidfromfreakonomics.jpg Film Review Controversial Economics Best Seller Adapted to Screen Freakonomics [2010] Rated PG-13 for violence, sexuality, nudity, drug ...
The Inevitable Defeat of Mister & Pete
The Inevitable Defeat of Mister & Pete Kam Williams mister-and-pete-the-kids.jpg Film Review Abandoned Kids Fend for Themselves in Gritty, NYC Saga The Inevitable Defeat of Mister & Pete Av...
Somebody’s Knocking at My Door
Somebody’s Knocking at My Door Thumper Book Review I am the first in line when it comes to being bored by, frustrated with, and thoroughly sick of current popular African-American fiction that highl...
Youth Change Agent
Youth Change Agent Shaundale Rénā Book Review In a time when phrases like “inner child” and “mental wellness” have become common in discussions of personal growth, Keith Stric...
By Love Possessed: Stories
By Love Possessed: Stories Emanuel Carpenter Book Review What’s it like to be in love on the island of Jamaica? Is it all about long walks on the beach, listening to Reggae music, and kissi...
Seaside Stories
Seaside Stories Robert Fleming Book Review There should be more African-American fiction like this, recapturing a time when our communities were more-or-less intact and families were solid. S. R...
Memoir: Delaware County Prison
Memoir: Delaware County Prison Thumper Book Review Memoir: Delaware County Prison by Reginald L. Hall is a non-fiction account of the eight months Hall, an openly gay man, spent in prison for credit...
Miracle at St. Anna
Miracle at St. Anna Thumper Book Review I wish all of my review assignments were like this one. It came upon me unexpectedly. I don’t need advance warnings when good things come my way, thoug...
The Book of Night Women
The Book of Night Women Thumper Book Review I have been awaiting the arrival of The Book of Night Women by Marlon James, literally, for years. I read and loved his debut novel, John Crow&r...
Monster’s Ball
Monster’s Ball Yemi Toure images/monstersballdvd.jpg Film Review lMonsters (2001) Click to Order via Amazon MPAA: Rated R for strong sexual content, language and violence. Runtime: 111&n...
A Death In Texas
A Death In Texas Thumper Book Review Upon hearing of the dragging death of James Byrd, Jr. in his hometown of Jasper, Texas, it occurred to me that "A new way of performing the act of lynching h...
Don’t Drop the MIC
Don’t Drop the MIC Denolyn Carroll Book Review In Don’t Drop the Mic, renowned pastor, orator, and #1 New York Times bestselling author Bishop T. D. Jakes puts a new spin on the notion of the b...
The Juju Girl
The Juju Girl Robert Fleming Book Review Awarded by the 2022 Black Caucus of the American Library Association Self Published ebook in fiction by an African American author, Nikki Marsh’s The Ju...
Different and the Same
Different and the Same AALBC Staff Writer Book Review In an age where there is a proliferation of emotional and physical Black trauma, that is videotaped and viewed widely online, we should strive to...
I Am Not Your Negro
I Am Not Your Negro Kam Williams https://aalbc.com/authors/images/im-not-your-negro.jpg Film Review Oscar-Nominated Documentary Inspired by James Baldwin’s Unfinished Manuscript Excellent (...
Zone One: A Novel
Zone One: A Novel Robert Fleming Book Review As one of the finest word craftsmen of his generation, Colson Whitehead has shown a high degree of imaginative skill and creativity, turning each genre ...
Oreo
Oreo Thumper Book Review I’m thinking, pondering, you might say, that possibly the sign of a good book isn’t the fact that it is in print. Maybe, the sign of a good book should be wheth...
Freedom’s Daughters
Freedom’s Daughters Paige Turner Book Review “Women hold up half the sky” is one of Chinese revolutionary Mao Tse Dung’s most often quoted statements. However readers of Freedom&rsq...
Toni Morrison’s Spiritual Vision: Faith, Folktales, and Feminism in Her Life and Literature
Toni Morrison’s Spiritual Vision: Faith, Folktales, and Feminism in Her Life and Literature Robert Fleming Book Review When literary icon Toni Morrison died in August, 2019, world literature lost a r...
Elizabeth’s Song
Elizabeth’s Song Linda Watkins Book Review I am aware that surprises come in many forms, and in many ways. And I was glad when I discovered Elizabeth’s Song, by author, Michael Wenberg, and il...
The Art of Good Deeds
The Art of Good Deeds Denolyn Carroll Book Review The Oxford English Dictionary defines philanthropy as “the desire to promote the welfare of others, expressed especially by the generous donati...