Musicals On Streaming - Roxanne Roxanne

Netflix, 2017

Starring Chante Adams, Mahershala Ali, Nia Long, and Elvis Nolasco

Directed by Michael Larnell

Music and Lyrics by various

We transition from Black History Month to Women's History Month on this Leap Day with this biography of a pioneering female rap artist. Like the performers in Krush Groove and Beat Street, Lolita "Roxanne" Shante Gooden got her start singing on the streets of Queens. Her specialty was rap battles, answering a song written by another performer with her own song. She became known for her rapped put-downs and responses to the largely male-dominated rap business. How does the story of how she got started look today? Let's begin with a young Lolita (Adams) as she picks rap battles even as a child and find out...

The Story: Lolita was a member of a rap collective, "The Juice Crew," that produced records that were answers to their many "beefs" with local rivals like Sparky Dee (Cheryse Dyllan). She was living with her mother when she recorded an answer to the song "Roxanne Roxanne" called "Roxanne's Revenge." The song was a hit, making her one of the first major female rap recording artists at 14. 

She does well recording another rap battle with Sparky, but her love life is a mess. She moves in with her drug-dealing boyfriend Ray (Ali) after a falling-out with her mother, but it proves to be a volatile relationship, especially after she has a son. She has an even harder time keeping her career going, especially after the money from her rap battles she intended for her family to move to New Jersey is stolen. She finally gives up her career, but not before she's able to see what an impact she's made on the rap genre. 

The Song and Dance: Adams is phenomenal as Roxanne Shante, the confused teenager who knows she loves her rap battles, but has a harder time with her love life. Long does even better as her tough-as-nails mother who is fighting her own inner demons. I have to hand it to these ladies - they're portrayed as tough, independent, and all above, better than the useless men around them. Ali is the best of the awful men in her life as the guy who gets the closest to her. There's some nice location shooting around the real Queens and a few nice editing bits, notably going from the bedroom to screaming like she's in labor. It effectively shows the passage of time in a movie that sorely needs more moments like that.

Favorite Number: "Roxanne's Revenge" is heard many times throughout the film, including when she first records it before it becomes a hit. We hear snatches of other numbers from the Juice Crew, including "Keep It Funky" and "And My Beat Goes Boom." "What Have We Done" is the question asked during a dance number at a local club. "Sparky's Turn" is Sparky's response. "Round 1 (Roxanne Shante vs Sparky D)" gets so heated, the guys want to make a recording and turn it into an act. "Runaway" is her number later with Juice Crew. We also get her "Payback."

What I Don't Like: I wish this was a lot more of a musical. They spend so much time on Roxanne's relationships with these terrible men and how she survives them, we really don't get to see much of the career that made her such a hot commodity to begin with. No songs are performed in full until the credits, not even her rapped fight with Sparky. And be warned, this is rough going. The language and violence (including domestic violence) makes this not a rap tale for children.

The Big Finale: Some good performances, but I think they missed a real opportunity to show why rap was so important to Lolita and how she burned out so early. Only if you're a huge fan of early rap or want to know more about Roxanne. 

Home Media: This is a Netflix exclusive at the moment.

Netflix

Bob Marley: One Love (2024)

Paramount, 2024

Starring Kingsley Ben-Adir, Lashana Lynch, James Norton, and Tosin Cole

Directed by Renaldo Marcus Green

Music and Lyrics by Bob Marley and others

Our first biography this week covers a musician who was popular around the same time as Ray Charles, but in a very different place and genre. Bob Marley and his group the Wailers started out in the mid-60's, but they were at the height of their popularity from the mid-70's through the early 80's. His "I Shot the Sheriff" was recorded by Eric Clapton in 1975, leading fans in the US and around the world to discover his work. By the time this movie begins in 1976, he was hoping to use his clout to end civil war in his native Jamaica...but it didn't go anywhere near as he planned, as we'll see here...

The Story: Marley, his wife Rita (Lynch), and his band are attacked by unknown assailants at his home in Jamaica. Everyone survives, and he does go through with the concert. Still shaken by the attempt on his life by his own countrymen, he sends Rita and his children to his mother's home in Delaware, then heads to London with his band. 

Rita rejoins him as he struggles to come up with an idea for his next album. He finally gets it from hearing one of his bandmates playing the soundtrack from the 1960 film Exodus and comparing it to their own situation. This leads to the recording of their album Exodus, which would be a best-seller in the UK. 

Their European tour commences to sell-out crowds. Marley is so encouraged, he wants to take the band to Africa in order to encourage independence there. Rita's not crazy about the idea, or about his many affairs. He's not overly delighted with her affairs, either, or that their long-time manager Don Taylor (Anthony Welsh) has been pocketing money intended for the Africa concert. None of that matters when Marley discovers that a toe infection turns out to be something far worse, and he literally has nothing to lose in going back to Jamaica and trying to unite the people again.

The Song and Dance: I'll be honest. I didn't know much about Marley before this other than he was influential in reggae and died young. This was an eye-opener for me in more ways than one. I do appreciate that it took a slightly different approach to a musical biography. Focusing on one time in Marley's life allows us to get to know him and the people in his life in ways they often don't get away with in a standard through-the-years film. Ben-Adir and Lynch rise above all as the laid-back musician who only wants to bring worlds together, and his frustrated wife who loves him, but doesn't love his lifestyle. Terrific cinematography too that shows off Jamaica and London in all their 70's grit and glory. 

Favorite Number: Our first actual song is "Get Up, Stand Up," which they play at Marley's home during a party before the first concert. We see in a flashback how they get "Roots, Rock, Reggae" early on. The Wailers rehearse "I Shot the Sheriff" the night of the assassination attempt. A shattered Marley performs "No More Trouble" and "War" at the first concert, showing off his wounds from the gunshots. "So Jah S'eh" shows off Marley's conversion to Rastafarianism. 

We get a montage of the Wailers recording songs from his Exodus album and later performing them to enthusiastic crowds on tour, including the title song, "Jammin'," "Natural Mystic," and "Three Little Birds." "Turn the Lights Down Low" underscores a love seen between him and Rita in the past. "No Woman, No Cry" gives us the sound of the real Marley. We finish with footage of the real second Jamaican concert and "One Love/People Get Ready," "Redemption Song," and "Is This Love."

What I Don't Like: While this gets closer to the truth than Ray, it's still full of cliches. It barely mentions that Marley had many other affairs than the one that sets Rita off (and Rita had numerous affairs of her own), or that Marley produced children with other women besides her. To this day, they haven't found out who tried to kill Marley and the Wailers, and they certainly never apologized to him for it. There's also the characters' Jamaican accents and language. It's entirely accurate to the place, time, and characters, but they're so thick that the movie could have used subtitles in places. 

The Big Finale: There's enough good performances and music here for fans of Marley, reggae, or the music of the 70's to check out.

Home Media: Currently available for pre-order at Amazon Prime.

Amazon Prime

Animation Celebration Saturday - Tom & Jerry: Back to Oz

Warner Bros, 2016

Voices of Grey Griffin, Joe Alasky, Jason Alexander, and Michael J. Gough

Directed by Spike Brandt and Tony Cervone

Music and Lyrics by various

I was actually looking forward to this one. I've wondered why the many sequels to The Wizard of Oz aren't adapted more often. Disney's delightfully macabre Return to Oz is one of my favorite movies. Perhaps that movie's failure in the mid-80's scared filmmakers away from diving further into the Oz mythos than the first book, or they believe it's impossible to compete with the still-popular 1939 version. Warners decided to give it a shot with their own version of several follow-up Oz novels, once again featuring Tom & Jerry. How do they do with another Oz tale? Let's begin back in Kansas and find out...

The Story: Dorothy wishes someone would listen to her when she tells them about Oz. Her aunt, uncle, and the farmhands think she's just talking about her dream. There's a lot more trouble than her wanting more responsibility when Mr. Bibb (Alexander) comes with his barbecue truck and tries to take their animals. Dorothy wants to help, but her aunt and uncle say she's too young and leave her behind while they try to figure out what to do.

Turns out the Gale Farm isn't the only place under siege. Oz was attacked by the Nome King (Alexander), who wants to use the magic of the Ruby Slippers to take back the emeralds from the Emerald City. The Scarecrow (Gough), Tin Woodsman (Rob Paulsen), and Cowardly Lion (Todd Stashwick) make their way to Kansas via a mole tunnel, but it collapses before they can return. They get the Wizard (Alaskey) to take them back via balloon instead. When he and Glinda are taken prisoner, it's up to Dorothy, her friends, and their new companions the Mouse Queen (Amy Pemberton) and the Hungry Tiger (Andrea Martin) to save Oz before the Nome King sends the entire country down to his realm.

The Animation: Same deal as last time. It looks like an MGM/Hanna Barbara short of the 1940's and early 50's. The Nome King and his people are drawn a bit more modern and cartoonishly compared to them, though. The Winged Monkeys have wide, evil grins that bring the Tom & Jerry and Dr. Seuss cartoons directed by Chuck Jones to mind. 

The Song and Dance: This is more like it. Tom and Jerry do better when they have a story that fits them, not just one they're randomly inserted into. There's some creative gags and delightfully energetic music here, including "The Jitterbug," a song that was notoriously cut from the original Wizard of Oz film. Alexander has an absolute ball as the obnoxious barbecue owner and the Nome King, while James Monroe Iglehart is a riot as Calvin Carney at the Kansas State Fair and the Jitterbug. 

Favorite Number: We start off once again with "Over the Rainbow" as Dorothy wishes someone would believe her about Oz. "There's No Place Like Home" turns up twice, for Dorothy and the farm hands in the beginning as they admit the farm took a licking in the tornado, and near the end by Dorothy as she wishes to go back. We also hear "Off to See the Wizard" again, this time as Dorothy and her Oz friends head to the Kansas State Fair to find the Wizard. Calvin Carney happily claims the fair is "A Mighty Fine Affair" as he touts its many delights. 

The Nome King's men immediately go into "All Hail" whenever he's in their sights. His big villain song is "What's Mine Is Mine" as he explains why he wants the Ruby Slippers and the Emerald City. The Lion and the Hungry Tiger share "Oh My, Oh My, Oh My" as they argue over who is the better ruler of the jungle. "The Jitterbug" sends everyone into dancing frenzies whenever he flies over them. 

Trivia: Dedicated to Joe Alaskey, who died during production. 

The first (and to date, only) Tom and Jerry movie to be a sequel to a previous film.

What I Don't Like: First of all, I kind of wish it actually adapted the books, instead of choosing random characters and creating a plot around them. The books flesh out a lot more about the Mouse Queen and the Nome King and many others. Second, the animation suits the time period but isn't that great, and while Griffith does better this time around, she still isn't going to make anyone forget Judy Garland. Andrea Martin's Hungry Tiger doesn't really do much besides argue with the Cowardly Lion. 

The Big Finale: If you're a fan of the Oz books or Tom & Jerry, or you must see one of Tom and Jerry's crossovers, make it this one. It's worth seeing for the decent music and performances alone. 

Home Media: Also easily found, often for under $10. 

DVD

DVD - Tom & Jerry: The Wizard of Oz/Tom & Jerry: Back to Oz

Amazon Prime

Ray (2004)

Universal, 2004

Starring Jamie Foxx, Kerry Washington, Clifton Powell, and Regina King

Directed by Taylor Hackford

Music and Lyrics by Ray Charles and others

We move to a later jazz and R&B musician for our next review. Apparently, this film had been in the works for at least 15 years while the producer tried to secure financing, and then find a studio willing to release it. Kids who grew up in the 80's and 90's like I do probably know him best for his series of Pepsi commercials with his female backup singers and his duets with Willie Nelson, Billy Joel, and Van Morrison. I didn't know until recently that his career spanned the latter half of the 20th century, covering everything from R&B ballads to country. Is it worthy of this big-screen treatment, or should it be left on the road? Let's begin in 1946 as Charles (Foxx) grapples with a cop in Northern Florida as he tries to take a bus to St. Louis for a job and find out...

The Story: Charles learned how to play piano at a young age while growing up in rural Northern Florida with his mother Aretha (Sharon Warren). He's still haunted by the accidental drowning of his younger brother in his mother's washtub as a child and his going blind by age 7. Even after he gets a job with a night club band in Seattle, the club's owner exploits him. He finally signs a solo record deal and tours the "Chitlin' Circuit" - a string of nightclubs owned by and designated for African-Americans. While the tour is successful, it's also where he becomes addicted to heroin.

Ray's life starts to look up when he lands a deal with Ahmet Ertegun (Curtis Armstrong) of Atlantic Records, which releases his first hit, "Mess Around." He also falls in love with and marries pretty preachers' daughter Della Mae (Washington). Ray adds a female back-up group, which may not be a wise decision when he first has an affair with Mary Ann (Aunjanue Ellis), then a more serious one with Margie (King). He comes up with his first million-selling album after he comes up with "What'll I Say" when a show runs long.

Even as he hits the big time with "Hit the Road, Jack" and "Georgia On My Mind," he tells Margie to hit the road when she admits to being pregnant with his child. Margie leaves for a solo career, and Ray gets into trouble with the state of Georgia when he refuses to play a segregated venue. After encouraging black and white dancers to mingle during a concert, his room is raided, and he's arrested for drug possession. Della's not happy when he moves her to LA, then to a huge house in Beverly Hills, and his band isn't happy when he moves to ABC Records and hires smarmy Joe Adams (Harry Lennix) as his manager. A second drug arrest lands him in rehab, where he finally finds the strength to conquer his addictions and make amends with his past.

The Song and Dance: There's a reason Foxx earned one of the movie's two Oscars. He nails Charles, from his mannerisms to his voice and even his way of playing the piano. And yes, that is Foxx playing the piano. He apparently went to college on a classical piano scholarship and more than knew his way around the ivories. He's especially effective in the second half, as Charles battles his addictions and comes to terms with his brother's death and his dissolving relationships. The movie pulls no punches as it looks into what makes this man tick, showing us his deep addictions and how he was used and abused, and his multiple relationships with his singers, even as he remained married.

Favorite Number: Charles performs two hits usually associated with Nat King Cole, "Straighten Up and Fly Right" and "Route 66," early in his career before finding his own style. "We Will Walk Through the Streets of the City" is the ensemble hymn performed at the church during the funeral for Ray's brother, when his mother breaks down crying over her son's coffin. "The Midnight Hour" is another early Charles performance. He finally finds what he does best with Ertegun's jaunty "Mess Around." 

He's heard recording his next hits "I Got a Woman" and "Hallelujah, I Love Her So." When his concert runs short, he's stopped from leaving, which results in a quick performance of what becomes one of his biggest hits, "What Did I Say?" "Georgia On My Mind" becomes ironic considering his difficulties in that state later in the film. Margie reluctantly joins him for his other iconic song "Hit the Road, Jack," which she jumps into with a fierce relish at a performance. 

Later in the film, we get three of his best-known ballads, "Unchain My Heart," "You Don't Know Me," and the country number "I Can't Stop Loving You." The last-named is the performance in St. Louis that so impresses Joe Adams, he becomes his manager. "Born to Lose" and "Hard Times (No One Knows Better Than I)" are heard towards the end, when he's battling his addictions.

Trivia: Charles did get to see a work-in-progress print of the film before his death in June 2004. 

The movie also won Best Sound Recording.

Foxx and Regina King are dubbed by the actual recordings by Charles and Hendricks for most of the movie, with the exception of a few early numbers in the clubs. 

What I Don't Like: First of all, the movie plays fast and loose with a lot of facts about Charles' life. Yes, he was addicted to heroin from the 50's through the 70's, and while he did kick that, he continued to drink and use marijuana throughout his life. The entire incident that led him to be barred from playing in Georgia was fabricated. He did refuse to play in a segregated venue, but after a telegram from civil rights activists convinced him to do so, and he was never banned in Georgia. Margie was fired in 1964, not '61, and he would never have asked her to have an abortion. She died in 1973, but the cause was never stated. By the time "Georgia On My Mind" became Georgia's state song, Della and Charles had divorced, and she would not have been there for the announcement. 

Second, good as Foxx's performance is, the movie itself is cliches of the highest order. This is nothing you haven't seen in musical biographies going back to the 1930's, including the somewhat similar Walk the Line on Johnny Cash that came out a year later. Also, it's way too long at 2 1/2 hours. Some of the slower middle section that gets bogged down in Charles' relationship problems could have been trimmed a bit. 

The Big Finale: See this one for the terrific numbers and Foxx's amazing Oscar-winning performance if you're a fan of Foxx, Charles, or soul and R&B music.

Home Media: Easily found on all formats, often for under $10.

DVD

Blu-Ray

Amazon Prime

Hi-De-Ho (1947)

All-American Entertainment, 1947

Starring Cab Calloway, Ida James, Jeni Le Gon, and William Campbell

Directed by Josh Binney

Music and Lyrics by Cab Calloway and others

Cab Calloway's career went back to the late 20's, when he got started playing at night clubs and cafes in Chicago. His band eventually moved to New York in 1929, where they were a hit in Harlem show spots like the Savoy Ballroom and the Cotton Club. Calloway became the first African-American to have his own radio show, and one of the first to lend his voice to cartoons. He appeared in small roles in movies like The Singing Kid with Al Jolson and larger ones in short subjects with his name on the title. He even released a dictionary of "jive" in three versions. By 1947, however, his gambling and bad financial decisions had caught up with him, which is likely the reason for his starring in this smaller independent B musical. Is it worthy of "Minnie the Moocher," or should it be left standing at the club? Let's begin with Calloway (himself) and his girl Minnie (Le Gon) and find out...

The Story: Minnie is furious when Calloway hires Nellie (James), a female manager, to help him get his band going. Nellie's doing good things for him, including getting him and his eight-man band booked into a brand new club. Minnie would rather he focused on her and spent a lot less time with his very pretty manager. She goes to local gangster Boss Mason (George Wiltshire) and his hit man Mo the Mouse (James Dunmore) to eliminate Cab, while she tries to head off Nellie. As it turns out, Minnie is wrong about Cab and his feelings for Nellie, but she may be too late to fend off Mo before tragedy strikes.

The Song and Dance: Calloway's ongoing financial problems don't prevent him from really getting into his numbers here. He even had a hand in most of the songs. Wiltshire and Dunmore are the only ones who get near him as the menacing "fixer" and his ice-cold hired killer. I also give them credit for going a little darker than usual for these "race" musicals. I did not expect the hit man subplot or the tragic twist near the end of the film.  

Favorite Number: "Minnie was a Hepcat," supposedly  his song for Minnie, is played at least three times during the film, including in the night club after Calloway and his orchestra get the job there and for Minnie after tragedy strikes. Calloway really romps through the more dramatic "St. James Infirmary" and "At Dawn Time." "Hey Now" is his first number with his expanded orchestra. 

He opens the big finale with his hit "Hi-De-Ho Man," then joins singer Elton Hill to sing about how "I Got a Gal Named Nellie." Dusty Fletcher gets "Open the Door, Richard." The ample and ample-voiced Peeters Sisters sing "Little Old Lady From Baltimore." One then dances with one of the male dancers while singing about "A Rainy Sunday" before finally shoving him off the set! We also get some decent tap routines by The Miller Brothers and Lois done on top of blocks and stands in front of the orchestra.

What I Don't Like: Calloway's music may be terrific, but he's no great shakes as an actor. His reaction to that dark twist is too hammy for words. Most of the cast isn't even at that level. The ladies are especially stiff, with Le Gon wavering between waxy and shrill and James fading into the woodwork. The music is the only reason to see this. The costumes aren't bad, with some decent suits for the guys and James and gowns for Le Gon, but the sets are obviously B-movie level. While the copy currently at Tubi is slightly better than what they have for Boarding House Blues, it's still not great. Wish someone would take a crack at preserving these bits of black cinema history.

And I wish the movie had ended with Calloway holding Minnie. The montage of his success and big happy finale directly afterwards rings false after the violence and darkness earlier. 

The Big Finale: If you like Calloway or the "race" films of the 1930's and 40's, you'll want to give this a try for the musical numbers alone. 

Home Media: It's in the public domain, so it's easy to find anywhere. It's currently free with commercials on Amazon Prime and Tubi.

DVD

Tubi

Amazon Prime

Animation Celebration Saturday - Tom & Jerry and The Wizard of Oz

Warner Bros, 2011

Voices of Grey DeLisle, Joe Alasky, Spike Brandt, and Rob Paulsen

Directed by Spike Brandt and Tony Cervone

Music and Lyrics by various

Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory was far from the first franchise Warners dumped Tom and Jerry into. They appeared in six direct-to-home-media "movies" before this, including the previous crossover Meet Sherlock Holmes. That one went over well enough for them to try inserting the cat-and-mouse duo into one of the most famous musicals of all time. Does it work out better than their visit to Willy Wonka's domain did, or should it have a house dropped on it? Let's begin in Kansas, where a certain cat and mouse (Brandt) chase each other while Dorothy Gale (DeLisle) laments that no one listens to her, and find out...

The Story: Tom and Jerry are shocked as anyone to be caught up in a Kansas twister. Also along for the ride are Dorothy and her dog Toto, who land in Oz ahead of them. The cat and mouse duo first encounter Munchkin mouse Tuffy (Kathy Soucie) when they arrive. He leads them down the Yellow Brick Road to find Dorothy and her new friends the Scarecrow (Michael Gough), the Tin Woodsman (Paulsen), and the Cowardly Lion (Todd Stashwick). On the way, they steal the wand of the Wicked Witch of the West (Larraine Newman), incurring her wrath. No one is happy when the Wizard (Alasky) sends them to capture the witch, least of all Tom and Jerry! They'll have to work together to save Dorothy and figure out who the Wizard really is.

The Animation: At least someone did their homework. This is made to resemble the Hanna Barbara and Tex Avery shorts of the 1940's and 50's. Dorothy looks like a younger Red Hot Riding Hood, while Tom, Jerry, and Winkie Guard Droopy closely resemble their versions from the late 40's-early 50's. It's obviously cheap and it doesn't move very well, but at least it's colorful and relatively suits the characters.

The Song and Dance: I will say that Tom and Jerry work slightly better in Oz than they did in Willy Wonka's domain. Oz is already a fantasy world filled with flying monkeys and talking lions. They're also integrated slightly better, notably helping the others figure out how to get rid of the Wicked Witch of the West. (In fact, Tuffy comes up with a great idea to scare off the Winkie guards that I wish they used in the original film!) The colorful animation suits Oz, the characters, and the time period this was set in well. 

Favorite Number: Even Tom and Jerry (briefly) stop their antics long enough to watch Dorothy sing "Over the Rainbow," though Tom can't resist trying to eat some of the bluebirds who gather to listen. A frustrated Tuffy sings "If I Only Had the Height" in Munchkin Land, since he's too small to be considered a full munchkin. "We're Off to See the Wizard" is heard twice, when Tuffy, Tom, and Jerry head off to find the others, and after they've caught up with them near the Emerald City. We get the ensemble number "Merry Old Land of Oz" when they've all arrived in the Emerald City. The original "If I Only Had a Brain/Heart/Nerve" is heard over the end credits, along with "Off to See the Wizard." 

What I Don't Like: Tom and Jerry do fit in a little better...but that doesn't mean this should have happened in the first place. You don't really get to see much of Dorothy and her friends, or hear the original score. Often, what you do get is a rehash of the much-better live-action movie. DeLisle tries hard, but she's no Judy Garland, and Gough isn't Ray Bolger, either. Newman's Wicked Witch is an improvement, but she still lacks Margaret Hamilton's menace. 

The Big Finale: Tom and Jerry's trip to Oz isn't great, but it's still a lot sweeter than their venture into Road Dahl turf. Fun for kids who are Tom and Jerry and/or Oz fans. 

Home Media: Easily found in all formats. 

DVD

Blu-Ray

Amazon Prime

A Hard Day's Night

United Artists, 1964

Starring The Beatles (John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr), Wilfred Brambell, Norman Rossington, and John Junkin

Directed by Richard Lester

Music and Lyrics by John Lennon, Paul McCartney, and George Harrison

We stay in England, but jump back a few decades to honor the 60th anniversary of the Beatles making their first appearance on The Ed Sullivan Show. The Beatles' phenomenal success couldn't be contained within mere live performances. United Artists was thrilled to get them, but they weren't interested in the movie itself. They thought the soundtrack would make a lot more money. 

As it turned out, they were both gold mines. The film was shot in sixteen weeks for less than $500,000 and would make three times that. It proved to be a landmark in film musicals and continues to be influential to this day. Does it deserve that praise, or should it be mobbed by the crowd? Let's begin with the Beatles (themselves) barely evading a platoon of screaming fans at a train station and find out...

The Story: On the train to London, they're joined by Paul's grandfather John (Brambell), who, despite the guys insisting he's a "clean" old man, is constantly making trouble. He first sets their manager Norm (Rossington) and road manager Shake (Junkin) against each other, then gets into a gambling club using an invitation sent to Ringo while the Beatles sneak off to a party. A comment from Grandfather also rattles the director of the TV show they're supposed to be appearing in (Victor Spinetti). Ringo ends up being assigned to keep an eye on Grandfather, but the wily old man insists Ringo go and see life instead. This just lands Ringo and Grandfather in jail. The Beatles have to get them out quickly, just in time for their big TV performance to go on.

The Song and Dance: The quick-cut, cinema verite style still looks darn good to this day. All four of the Beatles shine in a very funny script that was deservedly nominated for Best Screenplay. John has my favorite scenes, goofing off in the bath and with comedienne fan Anna Quayle at the TV studios. George gets the single best line in the film when a reporter asks him about his haircut, along with the sequence where he's cornered by a group who thinks he's an actor and want him to be in a commercial. Ringo gets the most dramatic sequences during his afternoon on the town, including his attempt to help a lady over a hole.

The real-life filming gives us London in all it's swinging 60's glory. That's a real train station the Beatles arrive at, with real screaming fans. Ringo has drinks in a real pub, and the quartet romp in an actual playing field. It gives you a real "you are there" feeling and adds to the intimacy that makes it feel like you really are eavesdropping on these four successful and very funny rock stars. 

Favorite Number: We open with the title song and one of the most famous chords of all time as the Beatles' fans chase them across Marleybone Station. "I Should Have Known Better" is their number on the train as we see them interact with their fans. "All My Loving," "I Wanna Be Your Man," and George's "Don't Bother Me" are heard briefly at the party. 

"If I Fell" is John's number at the TV studio when they do their first rehearsal. The first version of "Can't Buy Me Love" has the quartet jumping and running around on that playing field as a crane follows their puppyish movements. "And I Love Her" and "I'm Happy Just to Dance With You" bring them back to the TV studio. "Ringo's Theme (This Boy)" is a montage of Ringo wandering around London, dodging a tire rolled by a child and trying to help a lady across puddles by putting down his coat. 

"Can't Buy Me Love" pops up again as the background for half the cops in London chasing the Beatles back to the TV studio after they manage to break Ringo out of prison. The boys finally get to their smashing TV performances of "Tell Me Why" and "She Loves You," along with reprises of "Should Have Known Better" and "If I Fell." The movie ends with a reprise of the title song as they head off in a helicopter and toss Grandpa's final attempt to profit off their fame - photos with forged signatures - to their fans below. 

Trivia: Three songs, "I'll Cry Instead," "You Can't Do That," and "I Call Your Name," were cut from the final film. "Cry Instead" was used in a 1982 prologue that was supposed to honor John Lennon. It was removed during the film's restoration in 2000. 

Brambell was best known at that point as the title character of the BBC sitcom Steptoe and Son, who was often referred to as a "dirty old man." That's why they constantly call him a "clean old man" in the film. (And yes, Steptoe and Son would later be remade in the US as the even-more-successful Sanford and Son.)

Oddly, the group's name is never referred to in the film.

The film's jump cuts and cross-cutting would later inspire everything from The Monkees TV show to MTV music videos to commercials. 

The title was apparently inspired by an off-the-cuff comment of Ringo's. 

What I Don't Like: Once again, story is not the film's main concern. If you want to learn more about the real Beatles. you'd be better off looking for one of the many documentaries released on them. This movie is strictly to capture how it was during the early days of Beatlemania. Paul seems to be slightly underused compared to the other three. He mainly seems to be there to scold his grandfather. And it probably does help to be a fan of theirs to understand their personalities and why they're so popular. 

The Big Finale: Honestly, if you want to know what the Beatles were about and why they were so huge in the mid-60's, this and the film's soundtrack album are probably the best places to start. Great way to learn more about the film styles of the swinging mid-60's, too. Highly recommended, especially for Beatles and British Invasion fans. 

Home Media: Easily found on streaming and on disc, the latter from The Criterion Collection.

DVD

Blu-Ray

4K

Amazon Prime

Happy Valentine's Day! - Been So Long

Netflix, 2018

Starring Michaela Coel, Arinze Kene, George MacKay, and Joe Dempsie

Directed by Tinge Krishnan

Music and Lyrics by Arthur Darvill

We celebrate the most romantic of all holidays with one of the sweetest recent musicals. This one was based on a 1998 play and apparently debuted in a West End fringe house in 2009. Netflix bought the US rights when it debuted in its single-biggest acquisition of an English movie at that point. Were they right to spend all that money on this, or should it be dumped in a bar? Let's start at a festival in Camden Town, London, as single mother Simone (Coel) navigates through the eager crowds with her wheelchair-bound daughter Mandy (Mya Lewis) and find out...

The Story: Simone is a hard worker who rarely has time for meals, let alone going out with her friend Yvonne (Ronke Adekoluejo). Yvonne finally talks her into a night out on the town, which she eventually spends playing checkers with handsome and mysterious Raymond (Kene). Raymond has his own problems. He's on parole from prison and is being stalked by the insane knife-wielding Gil (MacKay). Simone, meanwhile, is still smarting from her divorce with Kestrel (Dempsie), Mandy's father, and is afraid to open her heart again. It'll take Gil openly attacking Raymond and seeing their friends come together for the duo to finally understand the healing power of relationships.

The Song and Dance: This is such a sweet movie. Kene and Coel walk away with the movie as the lovers trying to navigate the dating waters again, and both have gorgeous voices to boot. Adekoluejo is a hoot as Simone's party-loving girlfriend Yvonne who gets the ball started by taking her out and encourages her romance, and MacKay is a genuinely scary Gil. Beautiful location shooting in the real London adds to the feeling of intimacy. It's almost more like looking in on people's lives than a typical musical. 

Favorite Number: We open with Kene performing "Love Is" as Simone wanders through a local fair with Mandy, pulling her away from sweets and ignoring all the dancers and merriment around her. "What U Sayin'" is Yvonne's big rap number as she talks Simone into going out with her. She sings "I Want a Fella" while at the bar. Raymond gets "Primus Humanus (Man of Steel)" after he meets Simone. Gil's "Smile" is a more terrifying look at why he's after Raymond. "Thunder and Gold" and "Fire" are duets for Raymond and Simone before and after their meeting on the bench in the park. "Closing Time" is the big finale as everyone, including the back up singers seen in numbers throughout the film, meet in the bar again...except Simone and Raymond, who are content to quietly walk off in each other's arms. 

What I Don't Like: If you're looking for a stronger plot or a darker take on romance, you won't get that here. This is just a sweet, simple series of love stories. It comes off more like a BBC soap opera than a movie at times. To be honest, not a whole lot happens besides the musical numbers until Gil attacks Raymond near the end. It's slow-moving and can be wordy, especially in the second half when the romances get more melodramatic.

The Big Finale: This charming romance is one of the better musical offerings currently on Netflix. Give it a whirl this Valentine's Day or when you feel the need for a little love in your life.

Home Media: It's a Netflix exclusive at the moment. 

Netflix

Honoring Chinese New Year - Over the Moon

Netflix, 2020

Voices of Cathy Ang, Phillipa Soo, Robert G. Chiu, and Ken Jeong

Directed by Glen Keane

Music and Lyrics by Christopher Curtis, Marjorie Duffield, and Helen Park

We celebrate Chinese New Year with this lovely animated film, the third released by Netflix. This retelling of the Chinese myth of the rabbit in the moon was released during the pandemic that year, meaning it went straight to streaming with a release in a few theaters. Does the sweet tale of a teen girl who hopes to prove that the goddess of the moon is real continue to work now? Let's begin with cook Ma Ma (Ruthie Ann Miles) telling her daughter Fei Fei (Ang) the story of the moon goddess Chang'e (Soo) and find out...

The Story: Unfortunately, Ma Ma takes ill and dies when Fei Fei is 11. By the time she's 15, her father Ba Ba (John Cho) is remarrying a woman named Mrs. Zhong (Sandra Oh). Although she's a nice lady, Fei Fei doesn't handle this well. She's especially not fond of Mrs. Zhong's annoying son Chin (Chiu) who insists he can run through walls and his pet frog. 

Fei Fei creates a rocket that'll take her to the moon so she can prove Chang'e is real. To her consternation, Chin sneaks along. Beautiful Chang 'e is obsessed with returning to her true love Hou Yi (Conrad Ricamora), who lacked her immortality. She thinks the children came to deliver a gift that would bring her love back. Fei Fei goes to search for the gift with three "Biker Chick" Lumarians, while Chin challenges Chang'e to a ping-pong game. Fei Fei thinks she's found the gift, but the bikers take off with it. With the help of exiled Lumarian Gobi (Jeong), she and Chang'e finally learn how to heal and let go of the past.

The Animation: While the character animation is well done, the big thing here is Chang'e and the Lumarians' world. It's all bright neons and huge shining spires and magenta glitter. There's some amazing designs, too, especially on animals like the giant frogs and dog who bites into the moon. Chang'e's elegant and colorful costumes were created by Chinese fashion designer Guo Pei, and they certainly look like haute couture, from the sparkly layer dress she wears at her concert to the dramatic red number with the enormous collar seen on the poster.

The Song and Dance: This charming and sweet film may have been especially important when it debuted, given how many people lost loved ones in 2020. You really feel Ang's heartbreak over her mother, especially early in the film when she's trying to deny that her father has moved on. Soo also does well as the fickle goddess who is heartbroken over her lost love one minute, charming to her people the next. Chui and Jeoung get a few good moments as the goofy little brother who basically thinks he has superpowers and the exiled Lumarian who believes in the good change can do.

Favorite Number: We open with "On the Moon Above" that gives us the story of Chang'e and how much Fei Fei adored her mother. They sing about making "Mooncakes" for the big Moon Festival, even as Ma Ma is dying. Fei Fei hopes her "Rocket to the Moon" will take her to Chang'e, so she can prove she's real. Chang'e appears in a huge concert, complete with back up Lumenettes dancers, insisting that she's "Ultraluminary." 

"Hey Boy" pits Chin against Chang'e in a ping pong game that leaves him wondering if he's in over his head. Gobi tells Fei Fei how he thinks their ride on giant frogs - and the ability to change and move on - are "Wonderful." Hou Yi briefly joins his wife for "Yours Forever" in the beautiful forest of her memories. Chang'e and Fei Fei break out of depression by admitting that it's not so bad to "Love Someone New."

What I Don't Like: Ok, so the story is a tad cliched. It starts off coming-of-age and veers more into sci-fi action territory on the moon. Critics complained that this had a little too much Disney in it, with its huge castle and princess-like goddess, likely the result of director Keane being a former Disney animator. Once they get on the moon, the mood goes from contemplative to annoyingly frantic, not helped by all the padding with the unnecessary ping pong game and Gobi's antics. The ending is sweet, but getting there is more tooth-itchingly sticky. Not to mention, a good chunk of the voice cast is actually Korean rather than Chinese, and a lot of the music apes the Korean pop that's so huge right now. 

The Big Finale: Despite the strange and sometimes conventional story, this is still recommended for older elementary-schoolers and pre-teens who have any interest in Chinese culture or have lost someone recently.

Home Media: This is a Netflix exclusive at the moment. 

Netflix

Krush Groove

Warner Bros, 1985

Starring Blair Underwood, Sheila E, Joseph Simmons (Run D.M.C), and the Fat Boys

Directed by Michael Schultz

Music and Lyrics by various

Our second look at early rap culture has a lot of things in common in Beat Street. It was also set in the Bronx, is very much a capsule of its era, and gives a rare look at several R&B and rap artists who don't often turn up in films. This one, however, is based on the true story of how rap label Def Jam Recordings got started. Def Jam began in 1983 as a haven for rap, hip hop, and R&B and really helped bring a new type of music into the public eye. How does the fictional story of its origins look today? Let's begin at Krush Groove's studio with Run D.M.C recording their latest hit and find out...

The Story: Russell Walker (Underwood) has signed all the hottest hip hop and R&B acts in the Bronx, including the Fat Boys and Run D.M.C, featuring his brother Run (Rev Run). Desperate to press more albums and get their latest hit to the public, he borrows money from street hustler Jay B. (Richard Gant). He also falls for feisty rapper and drummer Sheila B. (herself), but Run does, too. Russell has to figure out how to date her without hurting his brother's feelings, then where to get that money when Jay B. comes calling and wants it yesterday...

The Song and Dance: Obviously, story is not this movie's strong point. It's also not that heavily into the breakdancing that was a big part of Beat Street. This one is all about the music, performed by some of the most popular acts from Def Jam's roster. There's some genuinely good songs here, some of which became hits in their own right. 

Underwood made his debut as the charming and driven Walker. He's the backbone of the film, whether he's trying to get the albums out, hire more acts, or adorably falling for Sheila. At the very least, this makes a lot more sense than Schultz' previous attempt at an all-star rock musical, the ridiculously bizarre Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band. 

Favorite Number: We open in the studio with Run D.M.C recording "King of Rock." Their music and Krush Groove Records spread throughout the Bronx, encouraging groups to breakdance and leave their jobs to try their own songs at the studio, ending with Run D.M.C doing the number at a concert. After being sent to the principal for rapping in class, the Fat Boys gets their whole school moving with the infectious "Don't You Dog Me" on the stairs. 

We're introduced to Sheila B. in a club with her hit "A Love Bizarre" (which she sang with Prince in its original version). She's having such a great time strutting her stuff, it's no wonder both Walkers fall hard for her. Sheila proves to the guys that she can do whatever the boys can do in her "I'm Sheila E" at the Walker's home. Kurtis Blow picks things up at a rap concert with "If I Ruled the World" in top-hat, a very 80's tux, and with dancers in elaborate 20's-style costumes. Sheila blows the audience away with her driving "Holly Rock" before Run D.M.C finally get onstage to claim "their house" with "It's Like That." 

Nayobe performs part of her R&B hit "Please Don't Go" at Krush Groove Studios, and even what little we see is good enough for them to sign her. LL Cool J shows off part of his early song "I Can't Live Without My Radio." New Edition was huge at the time, as was their R&B number "My Secret," done at the talent show in flashy glittering suits. The Fat Boys finally get in long enough for their second number, "Pump It Up - Let's Get Funky." They also eat every bit of food in a Sbarro's when they see an "All You Can Eat" sign in the film's strangest and most music video-like number. 

We get Run D.M.C's "Can You Rock It Like This?" before teenager Chad launches into a rollicking cover of "I Want You to Be My Girl" at the second talent show. The "Fat Boys" end up winning it all with their self-titled number. "Tender Love" appropriately covers Sheila and Blair's big sex scene. The movie ends with all of the bands performing "Krush Groovin'" at a benefit dinner to earn the money Russell needs. 

Trivia: Film debuts of Blair Underwood and LL Cool J. 

What I Don't Like: Like I mentioned above, plot is not this movie's strong point. It has very little to do with the actual beginnings of Def Jam Records, which continues today as a rap and R&B imprint of Universal Music. Real owner Russell Simmons was related to Run DMC member Rev Run (Joseph Simmons), but neither had a relationship with Sheila B. Simmons was upset that the writers took so much of the focus off the romantic triangle and Walker's financial struggles and onto the antics of the Fat Boys, and...yeah, he does have a point. The movie lurches from hard-hitting drama with Simmons trying to earn the money to soft-focus romance to the Fat Boys' antics with very little rhyme or reason. The dialogue is negligible, the acting from everyone besides Underwood is worse. These rap artists were terrific singers, but they weren't really actors. 

The Big Finale: That said, this and Beat Street are still important movies for a lot of reasons, not the least being two looks at rap's beginnings. Despite the confusing tone and so-so acting, this is still highly recommended for fans of early rap or black cinema from the 1980's. 

Home Media: It's currently on DVD via the Warner Archive Collection. It's also easily found on streaming, often for free.

DVD

Tubi

The Roku Channel 

Beat Street

Orion Pictures, 1984

Starring Guy Davis, Jon Chardiet, Rae Dawn Chong, and Leon W. Grant

Directed by Stan Lathan

Music and Lyrics by various

This week, we dive into early rap culture with two musicals from the mid-80's. By 1983, rap, hip-hop, and breakdancing were just starting to come off the streets of major cities and into dance clubs like the ones in this movie. Record companies were starting to take notice, too, as were several major movie studios who saw the success of those clubs. How well does this do in representing that new culture, seen through the lives of four young men living in the South Bronx? Let's begin on the streets with the kids and their breakdancing and find out...

The Story: Kenny Kirkland (Davis) is a DJ and aspiring composer. His best friend Ramon Franco (Chardiet) is a graffiti artist who tags himself "Ramo," and wants nothing more than to decorate one unmarked subway car with his work. Ramon's girlfriend Carmen (Saundra Santiago) wants him to marry her and help her take care of their child. 

Kenny's brother Lee (Robert Taylor) is a member of one of the breakdancing gangs. He first turns up when he DJs for a party to rumble with another local breakdancing gang, then at the Bronx nightclub the Roxy. Fellow composer Tracy Carlson (Chong) is impressed with his moves and invites him to try out for TV dance show. He's rejected, and Kenny accuses Tracy of being a snob. She goes to his house to make up, and they end up falling for each other. 

Things begin to look up when Kenny gets a job at the Burning Spear Club, and Ramon finally gets an apartment for him and his family. Kenny's not as happy when he first catches Tracy with her professor (Duane Jones), then he accidentally erases his creation on their equipment. Ramon's having his own problems. There's an artist named Spit (Bill Anagros) who keeps defacing his work, and job interviews are keeping him from the art he loves. His attempt to make one last try at that unmarked train leads to a confrontation with Spit that ends in tragedy. Kenny, however, will never forget his friend or the lasting impression he left on his music, his family, and their community.

The Song and Dance: This one has a lot in common with Saturday Night Fever, from the New York Boroughs setting to its use of actual Bronx locations (including the real Roxy nightclub). Chardiet is by far the best thing here with his intense performance as the tough youth who sees beauty in his art where others see something damaging or criminal. Some of the dancing is genuinely amazing too, both in the breakdancing sequences and at the TV show audition Tracy wrote a song for. 

Favorite Number: We open with "Breaker's Revenge" over a montage of Lee and his friends breakdancing in the streets of the Bronx and Ramon. "Son of Beat Street" and "Baptise the Beat" are the dance numbers at the house party. Juicy performs "Give Me All" and over the end credits "Beat Street Strut." "Santa's Rap" is Lee and two of his buddies (The Treacherous Three) singing a comic Christmas rap number as Santa and two kids complain about his gifts. Jake Homes sings the R&B ballad "Strangers In a Strange World" as Kenny takes Tracy home. "Frantic Situation" is Afrika Bamaataa's goofy jungle routine at the Burning Spear Club. "Battle Cry" is the number that gets Lee and his buddies into trouble when they're practicing a dance routine, and the cops think they're actually trying to hurt each other. 

The huge finale involves Davies and almost every rap group in the film dressed in the most 80's collection of tulle, sequins, chains, and vinyl saluting the life and death of Ramon with "Beat Street Breakdown." A gospel choir finishes off with "Believe."

Trivia: Filming locations included the actual Roxy (which has since been demolished), the City College of New York, and the Bronx subway.

Most of the graffitti used in the movie wasn't real, but actual graffiti artists were used as consultants. 

What I Don't Like: It has a lot of the same problems as Saturday Night Fever - namely, it was made to represent a certain time and place, and hasn't aged well beyond that. New York and rap culture have changed a lot in 40 years. The crazy costumes at the clubs and in the finale alone scream "New York 1984." There is some bad language (though not to the degree of Fever) and violence, not to mention that tragic ending. Most of the artists here probably aren't remembered by anyone but huge fans of 80's rap, too, and neither the actors, nor the plot are really all that interesting. 

The Big Finale: If you want to learn more about early rap culture or rap in New York in the 80's or are a fan of the rap and R&B musicals of the mid-80's, this one is worth checking out for some of the numbers alone.

Home Media: Easily found anywhere; it's streaming for free on The Roku Channel and Pluto TV. 

DVD

Blu-Ray

The Roku Channel 

Pluto TV

Animation Celebration Saturday - Piglet's Big Movie

Disney, 2003

Voices of John Fielder, Jim Cummings, Andre Stojka, and Kathie Soucie

Directed by Francis Glebas

Music and Lyrics by Carly Simon

After the success of The Tigger Movie, Disney opted to spotlight another one of Pooh's friends from the Hundred Acre Woods. Sweet little Piglet is Pooh's best friend and is relatively popular in his own right, but is it enough to carry a feature film? Let's begin with Piglet (Fielder) working on his scrapbook as his oddly dressed friends make their way past his window and find out...

The Story: Piglet is upset when his friends don't invite him to help them get honey from a beehive. He tries to join them, but they say he's too small. Even when he's the one who traps the bees, they don't notice it. Disappointed and dejected, Piglet takes off. The others use his scrapbook of memories to find him, and in the process, remember three great adventures where Piglet helped them out...and realize how much their porcine pal means to them. 

The Animation: Not bad for a Pooh cartoon. There's a few CGI effects that look pretty decent even now, notably those bubbles that Piglet appears in during the segment with Kanga and in the finale. The colors are soft, with more detail in the backgrounds than usual for Pooh movies. 

The Song and Dance: I suspect this is less "Piglet's Big Movie" than Disney adapting any original Pooh stories they hadn't gotten to yet. As such, it's adorable. Of the three segments, the first with how the gang met Kanga and Roo is probably my favorite, but their trip to the "North Pole" and building a house for Eeyore are really cute, too. Fielder gets to have fun showing both the small, scared and the braver sides of Piglet, and Soucie makes a lovely, warm Kanga. Simon's music is warm and lovely; I'm especially fond of the catchy "With a Few Good Friends." 

Favorite Number: We open with Cary Simon performing the original "Winnie the Pooh" over the credits as Piglet draws in his scrapbook and the others head off to get that honey. She reprises it in the end in what appears to be a live-action music video just before the credits with her playing guitar in a country setting. Simon also sings about what Piglet wishes he could do "If I Wasn't So Small." Kanga sings about how a "Mother's Intuition" tells her that Piglets are not Roos. She's joined by the Hundred Acre Woods crew as they go on their search for the North Pole in "Sing Ho for the Life of a Bear." 

Piglet and Pooh happily sing about what they do "The More It Snows" and why they love their homes. Simon reveals how "With a Few Good Friends," Piglet and the others are able to build Eeyore his own home. The others realize that "The More I Look Inside," the more they miss their porcine buddy. It's "Comforting to Know" that, even though they lost his old scrapbook, they can still make new memories with him.  

What I Don't Like: Adorable and fun as this is, it lacks the heart - and dark edges - that Disney got into Tigger Movie. It feels more like three episodes of The New Adventures of Winnie the Pooh strung together by the thin framework of Piglet's scrapbook than a full-length movie. It's barely feature-length. There's also some continuity glitches with the earlier films. Kanga and Roo were already there when Tigger arrived in Winnie the Pooh and the Blustery Day, but here, he's a member of the crew when they move in. 

The Big Finale: Highly recommended for families with young children who are fans of Pooh and/or Piglet, or want to see a lower-key animated movie.

Home Media: The DVD is in print, but can be pricey. You may be better off streaming this one. It can be found on Disney Plus with a subscription. 

DVD

Disney Plus

House Party 3

New Line Cinema, 1994

Starring Christopher "Kid" Reid, Christopher "Play" Martin, Bernie Mac, and Angela Means

Directed by Eric Meza

Music and Lyrics by various

We return to the rapping world of our other pair of best buddies, Kid n' Play, to kick off Black History Month. The first two House Party movies were some of the biggest hits of the early 90's. A third go-around was likely inevitable, but by the time this one rolled out in early 1994, the music industry had changed considerably. Rap and rock gained a harder edge in the mid-90's than the upbeat comic routines Kid n' Play favored, with the wild candy-colored prints of earlier in the decade replaced by grungy plaids, flatter hair, and less riotous colors. How does this work with the story of Kid's impending wedding and his last big bachelor party? Let's begin with Kid (Reid) dreaming about marrying his fiancee Veda (Means) and find out...

The Story: Kid's nerves about his wedding aren't offset by having to babysit his three cousins (rap group Immature) for the weekend or deal with his senile Aunt Lucy (Ketty Lester). Meanwhile, Play is supposed to bring the female rappers Sex as a Weapon (TLC) to big-time promoter Showboat (Michael Colyar), but they bail out for another manager. He's also trying to set up Kid's bachelor party at a local ballroom, but Immature move it to Aunt Lucy's house in order to put the focus on them. Kid's old girlfriend Sydney (Tisha Campbell) is also in town, which makes Veda very jealous. When the party at the ballroom is a bust and his Uncle Vester (Mac) calls him about the wild party at his aunt's house, Kid decides that he and Play need to make one last stand, before Showboat and his hit women do any damage. 

The Song and Dance: Glad to see Kid and Play have somewhat more time together here after being apart for a lot of House Party 2. They work best when they're playing off each other. Mac shows off the motormouth and verbal dexterity that would eventually earn him his own sitcom later in the 90's. I was a fan of TLC as a teenager, and it's great to see them here, even if they don't have that much to do. I also wish we saw more of Lester. She has some very funny moments as Aunt Lucy, who is a lot less senile than her nephews think she is. 

Favorite Number: We open in Kid's dream with his talking about how his ladies "Bounce." Immature tries to give Play their "Wakes You Up," but he just thinks they're kids. Kid n' Play also get "Two Fingers" and "Make Noize." Hip-hop duo MOP asks "How About Some Hardcore?" while Sylk Smoov wants to "Drop Down." R.A.S Posse get to "Rock This House," while AMG delivers the closest thing this movie got to a hit, "Butt Booty Naked." To da Core perform "We Got It Goin' On" at the actual party, while Nerissa sings "The Cure" and Kid n' Play do "Void" and bring us into the "Here and Now." 

Trivia: Film debuts of Chris Tucker and Angela Means.

What I Don't Like: This one shares a lot of the same problems as the previous films. First of all, after trying so hard to sign them, would it have hurt to let TLC do a number? They were hugely popular in the mid-90's. Immature lives up to their names by being as annoying for viewers as they are for the characters. It's pretty obvious David Edwards as Kid's cousin Stinky was meant to be a replacement for their friend Bial, but he's no Martin Lawrence (who had graduated to his own sitcom by this point). The movie starts slow, with not much of anything besides talk and rapping happening until Immature switch the party venue in the second half. And yeah, there's still the dated portrayal of the film's female characters and marriage in general. 

The Big Finale: While it's generally regarded as the worst of the original three 90's House Party movies, it's still worth a look for fans of the series or 90's rap and R&B. 

Home Media: Easily found on DVD and streaming, often for under $10. 

DVD

DVD - 4 Film Favorites: House Party

Amazon Prime