Category Archives: TV and Movie Sips
EMPIRE…I Hate You!
Ugh. I am so upset. I really wanted to not like this show. From the very beginning, I thought this was a sequel to Hustle & Flow and that it would not hold my attention long. Well, they messed me up with the 1st 5 minutes of the pilot episode with that woman singing that soulful song and then with Cookie beating her youngest son with that broomstick. Pretty funny stuff because I’ve known women to do that very thing to their unruly sons. During the pilot they introduced a bunch of characters, killed one, and threw in some great music, so I decided to give it another shot the following week. Plus, I found out that Timbaland was working on the music so I knew there would be some great tunes ahead. Since then, I have tuned in each week to this musical drama. It just sucks you in and Taraji P. Henson is playing her best role yet. You believe her character completely.
The episodes following the pilot showed us how the patriarch Lucious Lyons has been afflicted by an incurable disease, hates his gay son, wants his youngest son to be just like him, is a murderer, doesn’t really care about the eldest son who has his back at all cost, is dating a debutante, and has a chemistry with his ex-wife that is undeniable. You learn to dislike Lucious for his harshness and insensitivity to his son’s sexual orientation. Then, he murders the man who practically raised his boys while his wife was serving a prison sentence for his drug activity. On a side note, during the first episode Lucious had several different hair pieces going on. One moment it was wavy, then he had a box, and then a TWA. Too funny to me to see that lack of consistency. LOL. Anyway, he does have one redeeming moment when he fires a rapper who consistently disrespects his ex-wife. Then, all of that goes out the window when the youngest and middle son collaborate on a music project and he gives all the credit to the youngest one. He has several moments like that.
There are 3 sons at the middle of this family. The eldest son Andre is a business savvy, conniving, scheming, bipolar, power-hungry young man who seeks his father’s approval. We see flashbacks where he hid a gun in his legos just to prevent his dad from being arrested and then in the present time he provides an alibi for his father during a murder. Andre wants to run Empire as he spearheads the IPO sale of the company and is willing to crush his brothers in the process to do so. Jamal is the bane of his father’s existence. He’s gay and has a latin lover. His father constantly reminds him that being gay is his choice and he owns him. Even though Cookie has been gone for 17 years, there are flashbacks that reveal even as a young child she knew he was different and would have his back. Because of this bond, she is able to convince Jamal to pursue his music further. He eventually denounces his father’s riches and seeks after his own fortune making dope music with his mom as his manager. He is now in a race to be bigger than his youngest brother because he is definitely the most musically talented. He will be the one to watch for the most transformation. Hakeem is the youngest of the boys and the most spoiled. His father dotes on him, tries to prime him to run the company and pushes him to be the best. He definitely has some mommy issues because he’s dating a woman old enough to be his mom and he calls her mama. Say what? He hates Cookie and doesn’t respect her. He has to somewhat get along with her because his younger girlfriend is being manage by his mom. Hakeem has talent, but has the big head. As it’s been said, pride cometh before the fall.
Cookie is the matriarch of this family. She is a bad mamma jamma. She walked out of prison with an agenda, The first place she goes is to see her middle son, Jamal. He welcomes her in. After getting her 21st century makeover she heads to see Lucious at Empire. She wants to make it known that she helped build the company with her $400k. There are several flashbacks that reveal how she was down for her dude and believed in his craft wholeheartedly. She feels betrayed and she wants to get even by showing Lucious that the son he rejected all these years is the artist he once was. She has hilarious run-ins with his new lady, who is so super annoying and arrogant. Anyway, Cookie has a lot of levels to her and we find out some of these levels as she meets with federal agents on a case, helps to increase the confidence of Jamal, orders a hit in error, and genuinely wants a relationship with all 3 of her sons.
I have to admit, it’s getting really good y’all. Jamal is now believing in himself and declared war on his brother with a punch to the gut. Hakeem is hotheaded and irrational especially when he finds out his girl is a lesbian. Andre is behind a lot of the confusion and I believe his bipolar disorder is manifesting into another condition which will cause him to eventually become completely unraveled. It’s messy, full of great supporting cast members, and the music will have you grooving in your seat. It looks like I’m in it for the long run. Who’s with me?
Pic Credit: NY Post
Tune in to Fox on Wednesdays at 9pm.Empire
What do you think about Empire? Who is your favorite character?
KT
Lifetime Movie: With this Ring
Almost two weeks ago, With This Ring premiered on Lifetime. You typically expect a lot of drama and poor acting with Lifetime movies, but they still seem to keep you watching. With This Ring, is not that movie. This movie stars Reginal Hall, Jill Scott, Eve, and Brooklyn Sudano and is about 3 single women who while attending their friend’s wedding vow to be married before the following New Year’s Eve. Surprisingly enough, this movie was funny, sweet, and endearing.
Each of the ladies were in different stages in their lives. Regina Hall was single, career-focused and looked for love in all the wrong places. Eve was dating a married man and decides to expose his cheating wife in hopes she could get her man to marry her. Jill Scott was a single-parent and in an amicable co-parenting situation searching to complete her family. Regina and Jill go on crazy dates. They kinda reminded me of Key and Peele skits. Eve becomes a detective to win her man.
It’s a Lifetime movie, so you know there were happy endings for all 3 of them and there were lots of surprises along the way. I really enjoyed this film, the colors, the music, and the storylines. One thing about Jilly from Philly, she knows how to emote sensuality on the screen and she lets it be known. Check it out when it comes back on. You will be pleased.
Pic Credit: atlpowerradio.com
Also, this movie deals with a lot of truths when it comes to single women aging. I’m curious… has anyone ever been judged because you were “still” single? Would you ever marry someone just for the sake of receiving your MRS certificate? Do you find yourself constantly in the “teammate” position?
KT
Love & Hip Hop 2.3.14
This episode was interesting. Amina says she may not come back from a trip home to Germany, Mendeecees’ custody issues are still present, Rich Dollaz met with recycled talent, Tara sounded more sane, and we found out that some women go nuts about their age. VH1.com compiled some of the funniest memes from tonight, including the ones below. Check out the full gallery here: http://m.vh1.com/blog/2015-02-03/funniest-memes-love-hip-hop-episode-507/
It’s a Mann’s World
Pic courtesy of hellobeautiful.com
Has anyone been watching, It’s a Mann’s World at 9pm, Wednesdays on BET? If you haven’t watched it, I encourage you to do so. This is a reality show about the lives of David and Tamela Mann. Both are of Kirk Franklin and the Family and Tyler Perry shows fame. I love this show because it doesn’t come with all that negative drama of shows like RHOA and Mob Wives. It’s rather refreshing to see a family just live, love, and laugh.
Yes, I know Criminal Minds and the new “It” show Empire comes on at the same time, so either DVR it or do like I do and watch it at 10:30pm when it airs again. The Mann’s have a large family that appears on the show as well, 4 kids, a niece that was raised as their child, a daughter-in-law and son-in-law, and 8 grandchildren.
So far, we’ve seen them travel for a singing engagement, heart to heart conversations, almost fire their daughter, Tamela have surgery, sibling discourse, and an annual family athletic competition. It’s fun and light. From the previews of future shows, it even appears that David Sr. will be arrested. I’m not 100% sure that it is not a prank, but I will tune in to find out.
If you’ve already tuned in, feel free to share your thoughts on this show?
KT
Love & Hip Hop 1.26.15 Episode
Well, well, well this show sure does know how to take you through so many emotions. Between Chrissy’s weird & forced looking cries and Amina being a wife and the other woman to the same man at the same damn time is pretty crazy. There were several things that happened in this latest episode.
Peter Gunz came clean to Amina about his business trip. Whaaat? The tin man has a heart?! I’ve never called a guy this before, but this dude is a douche bag. During his wife’s 40th week of pregnancy, he takes his most recent baby mama and their two kids on a vacation to Barbados. Amina is upset and says she is done, but we all know how that ends for them. Now I know baby mama, Tara wants to keep a facade about her “family unit” for the kids, but come on now. That is foul. Someone please shake her and remind her that he was never her husband and she needs to tell her kids that their daddy loves them, but he now has a wife and will not be with them everyday anymore. She’s getting on my nerves harboring all this resentment. She needs to release that stress and count her blessings that she has been delivered her from that 13 year curse. Oh no,Tara only sees one thing. Peter was stolen. Idiot. She wants his wife, Amina to continuously feel bad about breaking up her “family.” I appreciate Amina calling her out about being a side chick herself previously. But, of course for Tara her situation was different. I wouldn’t feel bad anymore either Amina. Plus, you didn’t really win anything. He was willing to leave you and place you as the baby mama of his 9th child if Tara would let him in just like that. Ugh. I do not like him.
Chrissy stopped crying. Now, she’s mad as hell and not going to take it anymore! Lol. So, Chrissy previously told her married boyfriend who recently moved in with her that she wanted a baby and she hasn’t taken her birth control for 3 weeks. He spazzed out rather calmly on her about that. I mean, really? What in the hell did she expect? Then she did this weird crying thing she does. It’s scary and a must-see. Lol. So, the aftermath ended with her man Chink talking to Rich Dollaz and coming to the conclusion that he wants to make things right with his lady. Chrissy comes to the studio with a chips on her shoulders (I know y’all thought those were shoulder pads. Nope!) and he doesn’t really get to speak on his feelings about her because she is over talking him. She is very stoned-faced and wants to know what he meant by saying “if” he divorces his wife instead of “when” during their previous argument. The answer really didn’t matter. Just know they broke up and she told him to have a nice life. Lol.
Yandy and Mendecees have a blended family issue. Mendecees and his baby mama, Samantha are at odds about the time each should spend with Jr. She wants him to become a weekend daddy and set some things up in the courts. He blames her for not being around during Jr.’s younger years and doesn’t feel she is entitled to have an opinion about his custody. Yandy does what she does best and tries to help resolve the issue by having a meeting to set up a meeting. Mendecees and Samantha meet up and go in on one another for a minute and she tells him about setting up things with the court and how they would be on her side. He tells her no they wouldn’t because if they ask Jr., he’ll tell them who has been there. Oooohhh. Then it seems to shift when he reminds her that because of the case he currently has and the time he’s facing, he wants to spend as much time with him as he can. This Samantha is looking a little sheisty at the moment to me, but I hope they work all that out.
Delusional and self-involved Erica makes an ass out of herself. Again. So, both of Erica’s exes are now working together in business. Cyn wants to sing a song about her brother’s suicide and give the proceeds to charity and in exchange Rich asked her to be the face of his new liquor. Somehow, Erica believes that their business deals are all about her. She absolutely refuses to believe otherwise. She shows up to Rich’s liquor debut party just to be an ass. Gets drunk, says some dumb stuff, proceeds to leave and tries to walk out through the mirror. Really? So, classy. Cyn reaches out to her afterwards to say let’s just move on, but Erica is stuck on the fact Cyn is talking to her friends and she needs to stop. This isn’t high school. Sheesh. Anyway, Erica is obviously that person who wants to pretend she isn’t hurt and has no feelings then goes home, looks in the mirror and cries. All of that can be resolved if you just be genuine.
Final thought: Viel Glück! Or Good Luck on ending things with Peter, Amina. I hope you get on the plane with your sister and go back to Germany with your baby.
KT
LUCY
Cocoa Drops, this movie is a visually stunning and creative film about an unsuspecting young lady who gets caught up with the wrong guy and ends up getting screwed. Whoa, that echoes my real life, I definitely know about that! LOL
Anywho, Lucy gets trapped into delivering a briefcase to a drug lord and literally becomes a drug mule. The only problem is that one of the goons hired to watch over her gets frisky and when she rebuffs his advances, he assaults her and the drug enters her system. Boy, oh boy what a mistake! This drug is unlike anything the world has ever seen and allows a human being to open up parts of the brain that were previously inaccessible.
Over the course of the film, she evolves and with the assistance of a well known professor, she reaches the point of no return. Visually, this film should have won all kinds of awards because it’s beautiful. I saw it at the movies first and then on my HD TV and I was in awe! At the same time, it’s nice to see a woman whoopin folks asses and taking names.
This movie should be on demand with your cable provider, blu-ray, dvd, and maybe even Netflix and Redbox.
Check it out and let me know what you think about it.
🙂 Phee
American Horror Story: Freakshow Finale
Oh my goodness! I understand at the end of each season everything must come to an end, but dammit why did Dandy have to kill every freak he could find in the first 20 minutes?! And with a single revolver? No reloads? Ugh. I feel some type of way about that. I’m glad to see the survivors are about to torture his sadistic ass!
One thing I can appreciate about this show on FX is that each story becomes complete within the season. It doesn’t drag on unless you’re Elsa. Jessica Lange is playing the hell out of her character each season. She’s an awesome actress!
I can wait to see the theme for next season! I encourage you to watch it on Netflix.
KT
The Wedding Ringer!
If you have not made plans to see this movie, get on Fandango and reserve some tickets ahora mismo (right now in Spanish)! This movie is all that and a bag of Doritos! Kevin Hart is climbing to new heights, no pun intended, lol, with this movie and the upcoming film with Will Ferrell. It’s the funny you wanna see from a comedy movie. It’s white comedy, hangover, funny with a great ending.
Kevin Hart plays a best man for hire in this film and helps one client in particular with a service he’s never performed…the almighty Golden Tux! Throughout the movie, the characters interact in crazy scenes to prepare for the wedding.
I can tell you that almost every scene is funny which is hard to pull off sometimes. As for taking kids, there is some adult language where they use d**k, p***y, and the f bomb. There’s also the bachelor party scene that’s inappropriate for young eyes. Now, if your child has seen any of the Kevin Hart or Katt Williams stand-ups, they can watch this whole movie. Lmbo. But if you say h-e double hockey sticks as a cuss word, your whole family should stay home, ’cause you’ll all be scarred. LOL
All in all, go see the flick. I’m sooooooooooooo excited for Kevin Hart’s career and his upcoming nuptials. Keep us laughing Kev! We support you!!!!
On the sip tip, I give this film a super hot! It’s hot like that coffee from McDonald’s that got them sued! Lmbo
😍Phee
hothoneyedcocoa 