::THE SLICE REPORT WITH MONA AUSTIN

Stellar actors play an engaging tempo in their collective performances about one of Black Entertainment's Blues trailblazers, Gertrude Ma Rainey NOTE: Have you ever heard of Ma Rainey?  How about Billy Holiday or Bessie Smith?  Without Ma Rainey, there would be no Holiday or Smith. For many viewers this movie will be an introduction to the the Blues pioneer.  As a biopic, scaled down to one day, coming from the perspective of a playwright,  it is impposible for "Ma Rainey's Black Bottom" to accomplish detailing who she was and what her career meant to music.  Some of the details of this review are offered for a a more indepth perspective to recognize a talent who has been overlooked.  However, the overall quality of the film is to be lauded. By Mona Austin Artists and management in the music industry have collided on business matters since the industry started. Historically, it has been tougher on Black entertainers, whose talent wss exploited by White-domi...

buzzz worthy. . . By Mona Austin Critics agree that "Fences" starring Oscar winners Denzel Washington and Viola Davis is one of the best films of 2016. However, because it was originally a Pulitzer Prize winning play some of the nuances and motifs that playwright August Wilson executed on stage were lost in the film adaptation some reviewers are saying. A film that explores the troubles of black manhood during 1950s Pittsburg in such an intricate manner and the impact it had on the family structure and black community at large deserves to be understood as it was intended. Denzel Washington ad Viola Davis in "Fences." The most obviously centered metaphor Wilson uses is a literal fence. For the woman of the house (Davis) who asked that it be built it is postive, protective. The son who is building it uses the fence as a barrier to keep her out emtoionally. One of the lessons in "Fences" is that not dealing with self-imposed or circumstantia...

buzzz worthy. . . THE ONE AND ONLY ACADEMY AWARD-WINNING DENZEL WASHINGTON OF THE UPCOMING FILM THE EQUALIZER WILL GRACE QUEEN'S "BIG SEXY" STAGE FOR THE FIRST TIME Take a look at Washington busting a move with Queen Latifah    Tune in on Friday, September 26 @ 2pm PT    Denzel reminisced with long-time friend and former co-star Queen Latifah about The Bone Collector, danced The Pip, talked about passing on inspiration to younger performers, music, old friends and so much more       Denzel, the national spokesperson for The Boys & Girls Club of America surprised this year's "Youth of The Year"winner, Maryah Sullivan.