The Reel Hustler Interviews Sevyn Streeter

The Reel Hustler Interviews Samantha Duong

The Reel Hustler stopped by the private listening party for Atlantic Records recording artist Sevyn Streeter that was hosted in the studio by label rep LaRonn Harris.

The Reel Hustler and Samantha Duong at her 2014 Calender release party at The Well in Dearborn, Mi.

Here's the link to get a preview of her calender: https://vimeo.com/75149578

It was Homelessness Awareness week in Detroit and The Reel Hustler got involved starting with the Homeless Awareness Network of Detroit (HAND) Kick off party Friday night and then their 17th annual walk Saturday morning. Sunday I went to the Backyard Bar B Que to help Chef Toney feed over 10,000 people in the effort to fight and eradicate homelessness. Truly a humbling experience and I encourage everyone to get involved and lend a hand!

THE BEST MAN HOLIDAY

Plot:

It has been 15 years since the a group of nine college friends have gotten together, with life's challenges taking them all in different directions from parenting, professional athleticism, politics, book writing and reality television for some of them, the timing to reunite had become complicated. But under the insistence of Mia (Calhoun) and her husband Lance (Chestnut) the group reunites for a holiday retreat at Mia and Lance's huge luxurious mansion (sorry but it was more like a hotel, housing all those people...LOL). Although they have been apart for awhile and missed each others fellowship, joy does not come without pain as old wounds are opened and new issues arise which will test the core of their friendship. Will this be a holiday to remember bringing them back together or the final straw to disengage their friendship forever?


Reel Talk:

WOW!!! It has been 15 years since The Best Man was presented on theater screens in 1999.  Now I say this all the time that sequels are normally tough to following up on a good movie, but producer, director and writer Malcolm D. Lee did his thang (yes I said thang) with this film even if it did take 15 years. This movie has it all, eye candy for the men and women, laughter and crying and everything is at the right balance and timing. And then to get the entire cast from the original film and they all still look good if not better some 15 years later is amazing.Great story, great cast and just an all around great movie but kind of confused as to why it was given an R rating. I am going to be brutally honest, this film is an Oscar nominee worthy movie that will unfortunately not get that recognition. The story alone is worth the nod and the cast, well the performances were superb from everyone but there can only be one winner. As I mentioned this film will probably not get nominated for any Oscars but we can make it a winner by going out to see and support this great movie! Be forewarned that when you are at the concession stand before the movie starts, grab a few extra napkins.

Starring: Morris Chestnut, Monica Calhoun, Taye Diggs, Sanaa Lathan, Terrence Howard, Nia Long, Harold Perrineau, Regina Hall, Melissa De Sousa and Eddie Cibrian
Directed by: Malcolm D. Lee
Rated: R

I give it 5 corn dogs and a soda on the side!

By: Corn Dog - The Reel Hustler

THOR: THE DARK WORLD

Plot:

Even thou now that his brother, the deceitful  Loki (Hiddleston) is imprisoned, Thor (Hemsworth) still fights along side his fellow band of warriors to successfully protect his realm of Asgard as well as his allied worlds. But soon his world and Earth along with the other planets are threatened by a group of menacing Dwarfts led by Malekith (Eccleston) who are trying to retrieve some pure concentrated evil, that if he gains access he could take over all the realms casting them into complete darkness. So Thor must now reunite with  Jane Foster (Portman) and her team who unknowingly have come in contact with the evil substance. With only a short amount of time they must find the substance before the Dwarfts to prevent the annihilation of their worlds, it is so drastic that Thor must even enlist the help of Loki who may turn on him at any given moment.


Reel Talk:

Hemsworth and fellow cast mates are back for another Marvel Comics  movie mania thriller.  Is it as good as the first Thor? No not as good but not that bad either, just good enough to keep you entertained. Lots of action and visually good, billed also in 3D but of course there is no real reason for that because there are no real 3D effects. The performances are good, but Tom Hiddleson as Loki is a scene stealer as in the previous one and the Avengers. A good movie that won't let down the Marvel Comic's nation of fans. As always stay past the credits to get the teaser for the next movie.

Starring: Chris Hemsworth, Natalie Portman, Tom Hiddleston, Anthony Hopkins, Idris Elba and Christopher Eccleston
Directed by: Alan Taylor
Rated: PG-13

I give 3 and a half eaten corn dogs.

By: Corn Dog - The Reel Hustler

LAST VEGAS

Plot:

Billy (Douglas), Paddy (De Niro), Archie (Freeman) and Sam (Kline) has been best friends since they were kids back on the streets of their old hood, now in their 70's each one living aboard and trying to cope with life as a senior citizen. Well when Billy the only one to never have gotten married decides to marry a very, very young lady (well under half his age), he along with his longtime friends decide to head to Vegas for his bachelor party/ While in Vegas the four pals, with Billy and Paddy having to work through some past differences set out to make this a weekend of a lifetime, which at their ages may be the last time for any one of them..


Reel Talk:

This movie is The Hangover on Geritol! Here you have four veteran Academy Award winning actors who unselfishly come together with the younger talent s of Romany Malco and Jerry Ferrara to make one hilariously funny film. There is no one upstaging the other but rather each contributing their performance to allow for a good movie. Good movie, good cast, good chemistry that is worth the admission.

Starring: Michael Douglas, Robert De Niro, Morgan Freeman, Kevin Kline, Mary Streenburgen, Romany Malco and Jerry Ferrara
Directed by: Jon Turteltaub
Rated: PG-13

I give it 4 corn dogs.

By: Corn Dog - The Reel Hustler

12 YEARS A SLAVE

Plot:

Solomon Northup (Ejiofor) is a free, well to do and respected black man in upstate New York who after parting ways with his wife and 2 children joins up with two white men who request he joins them to perform in their musical group. After the performance the men get Solomon drunk only for him to wake up realizing that he has been sold into slavery. Having been born a free man his eyes are quickly opened to the cruel and brutal treatment of a slave at the hands of the various plantation owners he encounters.  During his time as a slave his only goal is to survive and stay alive with hopes of seeing his family again but that may not happen if it is up to plantation master Ford (Fassbender) who is the most ruthless owner he has worked for.


Reel Talk:

Based on a true story, this is a hard picture and not recommended for those who are easily traumatized by the cruel treatment of black people at the hands of white people during that period. This is a great movie but it is depressingly great. Well acted by an all star cast, but the brutality inflicted upon the slaves is graphic and hard to cope with by some. Django was good for laughs but there is no laughing for this film, it depicts the true harsh realism of how bad things were for blacks acquired as slaves, families divided with no possibility of ever reconnecting and the brutal beatings at the end of a whip. While this is a excellent movie, I hope that this is the last one involving slavery of blacks because we do not need to be constantly reminded how bad our ancestors were treated. You don't see movies that continue reminding the Jews about their mistreatment during the Holocaust. Worth the admission for some great acting but be warned that this is a graphic movie.

Starring: Chiwetel Ejiofor, Benedict Cumberbatch, Michael Fassbender, Sarah Paulson and Brad Pitt
Directed by: Steve McQueen
Rated: R

I give it 5 corn dogs.

By: Corn Dog - The Reel Hustler