Girls Trip – Review

Girls Trip – Budget of $28 million – 2 hours and 2 minutes

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Ryan, best-selling author, and therapist, who has built a brand with her husband Stewart is riding high and a woman how has it all. She was asked to be the keynote speaker at the Essence Festival in New Orleans. Her agent Liz tells her a big box store executive will be there; and if she does well, they will over her a product line and a TV deal. She decides to use this trip to get the Flossy Posse back together. Ryan, Sasha, Lisa, and Dina all make up the Flossy Posse, a group that met in A&M University and stuck together through thick and thin. But as the women grew up, they grew apart. Now after several years, these 4 ladies are going to let loose and do everything possible in New Orleans. The only problem is that their troubles are following them.

• Dina, ride or die, has a bad temper and it has affected her work and personal life
• Lisa, the mom, hasn’t dated since her divorce 2 years ago and doesn’t want to lose control like she did in the past
• Sasha, the hot topics blogger, is not getting website traffic she wants and is facing eviction
• Ryan, the star, is trying to hide a cheating husband that is on the verge of destroying their brand

In order to keep it all together, these women must be honest and stand with each other but as tempers flare, they fight.

See this movie twice. You will be laughing through some of the jokes. Tiffany Haddish is the breakout star. Don’t be surprised if you see “Which Flossy Posse member are you” quizzes show up on the internet. If you thought Bridesmaids was crazy, Girls Trip is that times 10 (FTC Affiliate Disclaimer).  As the Drink, Dance, Fight, and Grapefruit through New Orleans, you have no idea what will happen next.  Also, this movie takes full advantage of having New Orleans and the Essence Festival as its backdrop.  With performances from New Edition, P. Diddy, Faith, Mase, Mariah Carey, Maxwell, and more play on the screen (FTC Affiliate Disclaimer).  You will dance and wish you were there for every moment of the full concert.  Also, there is a slew of cameos to add to the laughter.  This is not for children, 16 and up only.  And no need to stay past the credits.  But let’s hope there will be a part 2 because part 1 was not long enough.

I give it 5 out of 5 stars

See that man knows how to exit a room – Liz

We’re all adults and our partying days are over. Well most of us – Ryan

Your girl needs a lease – Stewart

I don’t find this funny at all – Lisa

Don’t you know who I am – Iyanla Vanzant

I’m ready for bed – Malik

Girl, you are not going off to war – Dina

We have to go with plan B – Sasha

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Spider-Man: Homecoming – Review

Spider-Man: Homecoming – Budget of $175 million – 2 hours and 13 minutes

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In 2012, The Stark building was highly damaged after the battle with Loki and his drones (FTC Affiliate Disclaimer).  Toomes and his team started the cleanup but are told to pack up and go home by the US Department of Damage Control (DOCD).  Toomes asked them to let him and his crew stay.  He has his business, his family, and his crew’s family all on the line with this contract.  The DODC refuses to hear his pleases and asks him to leave.  Toomes becomes angry because the team is run by Stark Enterprises.  He believes that the big guy is shutting out the little guy.  So, he and his crew keep some of the alien technology to build weapons to sell to criminals.

Last year, Tony Stark saw a promising young hero on YouTube and tracks him down (FTC Affiliate Disclaimer).  He has Happy pick him up and brings him to Berlin as his wildcard in the Avengers’ Civil War.  Peter takes a handheld video of the action and can’t contain his excitement.  Once the battle is done, Tony allows Peter to take the suit but he will be monitored by Happy.  He won’t know when his next mission will be but when it comes, Tony will tell him.  A few months later, Peter hasn’t heard from anyone although he reports to Happy every day.  He wants to have more freedom and work with the Avengers on a mission.   While he is being a friendly, neighborhood Spider-Man, he is in high school.  Peter’s friend Ned leaks that Peter is working for the Tony Stark internship program and knows the Avengers, including Spider-Man.  Liz, captain of Peter’s debate team and his crush, has a crush on Spider-Man.  Hearing Ned’s leak, Liz invites them to her party and asks Peter to bring Spider-Man.  At the party, Peter doesn’t want to change into Spider-Man but when the bullying starts, he goes outside to put on his costume.  When he is outside, he sees something blow up and goes to inspect.  There he sees weapons being sold, which he has only seen once before during a bank robbery he stopped.  When he interrupts the deal, everyone runs off.  Just as he catches up, he comes face to face with the Vulture.  After going toe to toe with the vulture, Peter is ready to take off the “training wheels” and go into “kill mode”.

Out of all the Spider-Man movies, this will become a fan favorite (FTC Affiliate Disclaimer).  Don’t worry, you will not have to go through another Peter Park/spider bite/dead uncle backstory.  This movie only mentions the backstory for 5 seconds when Peter explains his powers to his best friend Ned.  The plot centers around Peter coming into his own as a man and his own superhero with the help of Iron Man, Happy, and Ned.  While the 3D visual effects for the Washington Memorial scene will make you dizzy, the computer-generated Spider-Man hasn’t gotten better.  It’s easy to see when the actor is replaced with CGI.  Although, a great aspect of this movie, is it having more than one comic relief.  Michelle, Tony, Happy, and Ned are great comic relief in a time of crisis for Spider-Man.  While most of the dialog was fun and strong, the conversation between Liz’s dad and Peter will make your heart beat faster.  For Marvel fans, be sure to look for easter eggs of Stan Lee, Venom, and a potential infinity stone.  If you can stand heights, see this in 3D.  And stay to the very end because your patience is its own reward.  Sit back and enjoy this next installment in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

I give it 4.5 out of 5 stars

Let’s keep it. The world is changing. It’s time we change too – Toomes

We have thin walls here – Happy

If she finds out people try to kill me every single night, she won’t let me do this anymore – Peter

Seriously, yes, you will not regret this – Mason

I just saved your life. What do you say – Toomes

I’m not obsessed with him. Just observant – Michelle

What the … – May

Man in the chair. Yes – Ned

You say sorry a lot – Liz

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Step – Review

Step – Budget Unknown – 1 hour and 23 minutes

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Blessin, Cori, and Tayla are seniors at The Baltimore Leadership School for Young Women. This private charter school is focused on helping young women become focused, get great grades, and move on to college. This senior class is special because it was the founding class of the school also these three ladies are a part of the school’s step team. The step team’s founding member is Blessing Giraldo. She has a passion for Step that has not resonated into her school work. She has been focusing hard her senior year but has her step-mates get college acceptance letters, she becomes disenchanted and starts losing focusing again. To make matters harder, she does not have 100% parental support because her mother suffers from depression and the refrigerator is usually empty. Cori Grainger is focused on becoming the school’s valedictorian. She was 1st in class one year and that taste of being on top is in her veins. She dreams of attending John Hopkins but understands that being one of seven means money is non-existent. And with her step-dad losing his job and the power going out, she is more determined to make the grades necessary to get a scholarship. Tayla Soloman is a good student with a helicopter mom. She is often embarrassed by her mother’s over-involvement in step practice and in school. However, her mother is a Baltimore Correctional Officer. She has seen the end result of the lost children. She is determined to ensure that Tayla will be more. However, when Tayla grades slip, she must regain her passion and succeed. To these girls, Step Is Life. They must put in the work to reap the reward. The prize will not be handed to them. They must take it. And what they want to take is the Bowie Step Competition. The past the Lethal Ladies of Baltimore (LLOB) Step team has not won or even placed in this competition. While their school director Paula Dofat keeps an eye on their grades and college admissions, their Step Coach Gari McIntyre keeps her eye on the team, their steps, and the championship. These Lethal Ladies must come together to make their team and personal dreams come true.

This film begins at the start of the school year for these ladies, which happen to be after the Baltimore Riots and the murder of Freddie Gray. These 3 ladies are constantly second-guessing themselves and their future. It’s heartbreaking to hear Blessin say “Maybe I dream too big”, you want them to gain the self-confidence to dream big, do better, and become stronger. And as they step, they do. However, the pain of home and school often seeps into step practice and cause conflicts among the team members. They continue to step while applying to college, studying, and facing the mounting pressure of their own minds. It’s their coach Gari and their director Paula that acts as a secondary parental figure. Since the senior class has 120 students, they get the personalized attention they would not get in public school. The teachers and staff know each girl by name and are focused on their success. Not just academically but personally. Seeing them grow beyond their own interpersonal battles is the most rewarding aspect of this film. It should be used to inspire everyone. “Remember, it could have been us”.

I give it 4.5 out of 5 stars

I need them to understand this is way bigger than stepping – Gari

If they can make it through step practice, they can make it through life – Gari

Hopkins is for certain type of people and I didn’t think I was one of them – Cori

No, I am smart like my momma – Tayla

Step is a complete getaway for me – Blessin

Sorry, this is completely unprofessional – Paula

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