Thursday night, Prime Video transported Lagos to NYC for their first African Original movie, GANGS OF LAGOS. The exclusive event + screening was held at the swanky Bryant Park Hotel complete with an African trio of musicians that greeted each guest upon arrival. The fun-filled evening included tunes by DJ Buka, Nigerian cuisine such as ‘Suya,’ and ‘Jollof’ by Accra Restaurant in Harlem. and a moderated conversation with the film stars Tobi Bakre, Adesua Etomi-Wellington and Chioma Chukwuka, with comedian/actor Dulo.
Handcrafted cocktails and a 3-course menu served as the prelude to the jaw-dropping film. From beginning to end, guests were on the edge of their seats. The Nigerian action-crime thriller follows the lives of three young friends – Obalola (Tobi Bakre), Gift (Adesua Etomi-Wellington), and Ify (Chike) – as they navigate destiny, growing up on the bustling streets and neighbourhood of Isale Eko, Lagos. Following the screening, a Q&A revealed several moments from the film’s stars. The night ended with more tunes and the dessert course fit for a king or queen.
In addition to talent, additional notable attendees included: actress Zephani Idoko, Miss Ghana – Gifty Boake, VP of Entertainment Twitter – TJ Adeshola, Sony Music – Tunde Ogundipe and more!
The film is directed and produced by Jáde Osiberu— GANGS OF LAGOS is the thriller you don’t want to miss!
(Photo Credit: Troi Williams Watch the trailer below.
GANGS OF LAGOS is available now worldwide on Prime Video!
In a career spanning over 30 years, Brad Pitt starred in dozens of movies that turned him into one of Hollywood’s most sought-after actors. Of course, that list is only going to continue to grow with time as he picks up new roles alongside veterans and budding stars. For example, Damson Idris of Snowfall and Swarm fame was just added to the cast of an upcoming Pitt film about Formula One. It’s yet untitled and the details are incredibly scarce, but the pairing of Idris and Pitt alone built enough anticipation around the upcoming Apple Original Film.
Pitt made his acting debut in the late 1980s in Fox’s 21 Jump Street before landing his first major role in 1989’s Cutting Class. Since then, he starred in over 80 projects in both film and television. His latest performance was in the divisive Damian Chazelle film Babylon alongside Margot Robbie, who’s about to star in the Barbie movie. Pitt has starred in all kinds of films, but which ones are his best?
10. 12 Years a Slave (2013)
It’s hard to ignore Brad Pitt’s performance in 12 Years a Slave. The movie took home three Academy Awards in 2014, including Best Picture. Though Brad Pitt didn’t take on a main role, his character, Samuel Bass, played a critical part in the story. Bass was determined to actively help slaves. Pitt brought Bass’s moral dilemma to life as he tried to help Solomon gain freedom. A lesser actor might have struggled with a role like that.
9. Mr. & Mrs. Smith (2005)
Mr. & Mrs. Smith may not be the most iconic role of his career, though, it is one of the most enjoyable Brad Pitt movies out there. He and Angelina Jolie, naturally, had excellent on-screen chemistry as a married couple that doubled as assassins for rival agencies. Filled with hilarious dialogue and action-packed sequences, Pitt and Jolie’s performances in Mr & Mrs. Smith worked flawlessly with one another.
The on-screen chemistry between actors often determines how good a film is. In this case, it’s the driving factor. This movie doesn’t work if the relationship between the two main characters doesn’t initially come across as real. Without Pitt (and probably Jolie), it would have been a complete flop.
8. 12 Monkeys (1995)
12 Monkeys is one of Pitt’s best on-screen performances. Pitt plays a mental patient Jeffrey Goines in Terry Gilliam’s sci-fi drama. It’s a convincing performance that the movie doesn’t make enough use of. The film centers around time travel and briefly introduces Goines. Though Pitt only appears in the movie for a short amount of time, he left an incredible mark that earned him a nomination for Best Supporting Actor at the Academy Awards.
7. Bullet Train (2022)
Bullet Train shouldn’t have been as good as it was. It’s a paper-thin plot with ridiculously over-the-top action and brutal violence, not to mention a lot of profanities. It easily can be boxed in as a mindless action movie, but everyone loved it, thanks to Pitt’s stellar performance as American operative Ladybug. His comedic timing has never been better. Each one-liner he threw out in the middle of a blistering train ride or brutal fight landed perfectly. The running bit of his therapy sessions while also fighting others was comedic gold. Comedy is a hard genre for actors to master, but Pitt did it here with ease.
6. Ocean’s Eleven (2001)
Ocean’s Eleven is perhaps the quintessential Pitt role. Of all his movies, this is one of the most iconic performances. It features an All-Star cast that would be easy for anyone to get lost in, yet, he finds a way to stick out every time he’s on screen. Acting alongside Matt Damon, George Clooney, Julia Roberts and so many more titans of industry can be intimidating, but not for Pitt. He captured his role as Rusty Ryan to a tee and carries the movie along with him. It probably wasn’t a difficult role to embody, but his performance was pitch-perfect nonetheless.
5. Burn After Reading (2008)
Burn After Reading is easily one of the most outrageous movies of Brad Pitt’s career. The movie begins with a pretty eye-catching premise and only gets more brazen as the movie goes on. Pitt has played all kinds of roles, but the “dumb blonde” he puts on as Chad Feldheimer is impressive. Brad Pitt is clearly quite competent, but Feldheimer is so naive and half-witted. It’s a wondrous performance that showcases Brad Pitt’s acting chops shine in a comedic setting.
4. Inglorious Basterds (2009)
By 2009, Brad Pitt appeared in countless box office hits but some might consider Quentin Tarantino’s Inglorious Basterds to be a career turn for him. Pitt’s portrayal of the character Lieutenant Aldo Raine is incredible. Though it may have been difficult to tap into a character from an entirely different time period, playing a World War II American soldier comes surprisingly easy for Pitt.
3. Moneyball (2011)
Moneyball is an excellent movie for a lot of reasons. The script is tight, the direction is excellent and the source material admittedly makes for a magical film. Still, it’s Pitt’s performance that rises above and makes for one of his best movies. Billy Beane was brought to life with such respect and admiration by the actor. This movie had the tall task of telling one of baseball’s most interesting and important stories. Modern baseball is the way it is because of these Oakland Athletics and Pitt carries the weight of that on his shoulders effortlessly. Though the movie was released over a decade ago, Pitt came through with a timeless performance.
2. Fight Club (1999)
The more unhinged a character, the more demanding it is on the actor. There’s probably no character in any of Brad Pitt’s movies that are as unhinged as Tyler Durden in Fight Club. The deranged psyche of the main character manifesting as another person definitely required an exceptional actor with range. Thankfully, that’s exactly what Pitt gave. He was perfect as the figment of Edward Norton’s imagination and it’s his absurd antics and behavior that make it one of his most convincing performances. The premise of Fight Club is pretty wild but it required a central performance to drive it.
1. Se7en (1995)
Se7en isn’t exactly the best of all Brad Pitt movies, but it is his best performance yet. It’s telling that one quote from that movie has lived on longer and stronger than any from the other 80+ projects he has been in. “What’s in the box?” is a fixture in pop culture jargon almost three full decades later.
A murder mystery, particularly one as compelling as the one presented in Se7en, demands strong lead performances. Without them, the audience won’t really be invested in them. The development of each character makes it more than just a surface-level mystery. Credit to Morgan Freeman, but Brad Pitt is what makes this movie tick.
According to a recent interview with Vibe Magazine, Migos’ Quavo said that following his role in the new film Praise This, he’s be open to making a gospel album.
Starring the likes of Chloe Bailey, Anjelika Washington, Druski, Tristan Mack Wilds and many more seasoned actors, Quavo’s acting debut has been very pivotal in his career and seems to be opening up more creative possibilities after the loss of Takeoff.
Speaking on how he initially landed the role, Quavo said, “I was surprised. I’ve been going at Will [Packer] for a long time, for about four years now,” he recalled. “We’re good friends. I’ve been telling him to put me in something. He was just like, ‘Wait for the right time, wait for the right time.’ The right timing came, Praise This, and I’m proud to be a part of it.”
When speaking on the likelihood of a gospel album ,Quavo said, “I wouldn’t mind, but I like working with gospel artists. I think that they feel that’s how they got it. And I got it out the mud in another different lane. But whenever we cross [paths] and get together, I think, ‘Yes, we should do something.’ I think I should do a collab, yeah.”
R&B legend Stephanie Mills is back acting again. She starred in Lifetime’s newest film, Pride: A Seven Deadly Sins Story. The movie premiered this past weekend on the popular network.
The Grammy-winning artist takes the main role as Birdie Moore, a reality TV star, which her life starts to unravel after learning a host of family secrets. One highlight in the film is that Mills and another Grammy winner, Erica Campbell, get to put their singing abilities on display. Viewers will be in for a treat.
Lifetime has been producing movies regarding anthology in a seven-part series titled, Seven Deadly Sins. The movie series is inspired by the novels of Victoria Christopher Murray and executive produced by Bishop T.D. Jakes. Prior to Pride, greed, envy, wrath, and lust have been the main topics of the series.
Thank you so much for watching #PrideOnLifetime with me and so many amazing people worked very hard on this movie. I hope you enjoyed the movie. We must understand as a family how #Pride can destroy us from within. Thank you for supporting me through out my career. God Blesspic.twitter.com/WhXD2P4FYP
This is the first time the “Never Knew Love Like This Before” singer has had the lead role in a television movie. Her first time acting was as Dorothy in the original “The Wiz” on Broadway. Mills says she took the role of Birdie Moore because Birdie and she have gone through similar experiences in life.
“I couldn’t relate to the reality thing because I don’t like reality TV. But I could relate to what was going on personally. I could definitely relate to being a mother loving her son so much that she wanted to cover up whatever he was doing. I have a son who is 22 years old and he cons me every day.”
– Stephanie Mills
Pride: A Seven Deadly Sins Story is now streaming on Lifetime and HULU.
The Marvel machine is still going strong. With Guardians of the Galaxy 3 loaded, Marvel has released the first trailer for The Marvels, which will star Brie Larson.
The film is a sequel to Captain Marvel and will bring in Teyonah Parris as Monica Rambeau from WandaVision and Iman Vellani as Kamala Khan, a.k.a Ms. Marvel from the show of the same name. The trio will form a woman superhero trio.
The synopsis reads:
“Carol Danvers aka Captain Marvel has reclaimed her identity from the tyrannical Kree and taken revenge on the Supreme Intelligence. But unintended consequences see Carol shouldering the burden of a destabilized universe. When her duties send her to an anomalous wormhole linked to a Kree revolutionary, her powers become entangled with that of Jersey City super-fan Kamala Khan, aka Ms. Marvel, and Carol’s estranged niece, now S.A.B.E.R. astronaut Captain Monica Rambeau. Together, this unlikely trio must team up and learn to work in concert to save the universe.”
According to Variety, the film will be directed by Nia DaCosta, who is making her Marvel debut. You can see the official trailer below.
Last month, Creed supporting actor Jonathan Majors was accused of domestic assault, but the estranged girlfriend has since retracted her accusations. Those allegations ran parallel with the promotion of the third installment of the boxing flick, with many people criticizing both Majors and Michael B. Jordan’s appearances at public events. Now, Dipset general Cam’Ron said that his sole reason for not watching the new Creed movie was because of a photo shoot featuring Jordan and Majors.
Cam took to IG to post an image from the shoot between the two actors, with the caption reading, “This was the reason I didn’t see ‘Creed.’”
Even Fabolous chimed in on the post, saying, “This was a funny promo shoot for a boxing movie.”
The world is going crazy over The Super Mario Bros Movie. The movie is now the biggest global opening for an animated film. The movie made a total of $377.5 million, $172.8 million of that total comes from international tickets.
According to Deadline, the film is potentially a billion-dollar film if the performance continues on this trajectory. The film is now the biggest video game adaptation ever and the fourth-biggest Hollywood opening movie since the beginning of the pandemic.
Showing the power of the film, The Super Mario Bros movie opened to $27.4 million in Mexico, the third biggest opening weekend for the country in all time. The film is still to come to the Korean and Japan markets.
The Super Mario Bros. movie stars Chris Pratt, Anya Taylor-Joy, Charles Martinet, Jack Black, Charlie Day, Keegan-Michael Key, and more.
Words can’t even describe how I’m feeling right now. This man was a GIANT amongst giants. Pop Wayans was a true father to me thru out my life. Always teaching me, giving me jewels that I walk with to this day. I love you Pop! Thank you for taking me under your wing as if I was one of your own. We’re all devastated, but yet somehow, you prepared us for this moment. I LOVE YOU!! #RIPPOPWAYANS Prayers up for the entire Wayans family!! I love ya’ll immeasurably!
Marlon confirmed his dad’s passing while giving a tribute to another friend who passed.
My friend… the most loyal loving soul. One of the best souls I’ve met in this journey. You loved every more than you even loved yourself. I’m hurting. Shit don’t seem real. God got you. And i know you got me. Thank you for your love, your smiles, your energy, your positivity and your loyalty to all of us who were lucky enough to be loved by you. You was an angel in a human disguise. Love you Kitchie… miss you already… ps look for my Dad y’all will be arriving around the same time. He’ll get you in them heaven gates
Howell welcomed ten children with his wife. He raised them in New York City and instilled discipline in them. Despite having a large family, he ensured he provided a loving home for his family.
Several years later, his children and grandchildren have become some of Hollywood’s most famous comedians, actors, producers, film composers, directors, and screenwriters.
Marlon Wayans, Elvira Althia and Howell Wayans
Howell met his wife in the early 1950s. They enjoyed their marriage for almost seven decades. Unfortunately, his wife, Elvira Althia, died in July 2020 on what would have been her 82nd birthday. The couple lived in Chelsea, New York City, United States. Howell and Elvira had ten children. Their firstborn son is Dwayne. Then, on 8 June 1958, the couple welcomed their second child, Keenen Ivory. Howell’s third child, his eldest daughter, is Diedre. She was born on 17 August 1959. His fourth child is Damon Wayans, born on 4 September 1960. The couple welcomed their fifth child, Kim, on 16 October 1961. Their sixth child is Elvira, born on 4 January 1964. Howell’s seventh child is Nadia, born in 1965. Howell and Elvira Althia welcomed their eighth child, Devonne, in 1966. His ninth and tenth children are Shawn born on 19 January 1971 – and Marlon born on 23 July 1972. Howell welcomed all his children in New York City, New York, United States and raised them in the same city.
Howell and his sons Shawn and Damon Wayans
What a legacy! Prayers to the entire Wayans family.
Gangsta Grillz creator DJ Drama is using his all-time favorite movie to promote his new album I’m Really Like That and nails his impersonation of the late Tupac Shakur, which could possibly land the legendary DJ/producer some roles on the silver screen himself!
Today, Drama unveiled his new Jim Jones-directed visual to the I’m Really Like That LP promo, recreating a very important plot twist in the movie Juice, where a couple from the quartet narrowly escaped becoming victims of a robbery gone bad.
Drama plays the memorable role of “Bishop” alongside the original cast; Omar Epps, Khalil Kain and Jermaine Hopkins who reprise all of their original, iconic roles. He even credits Epps’ portrayal of DJ Q for inspiring his real-life career as a legendary DJ!
Questlove is doing it big this year. The Oscar-winning director and iconic drummer of The Roots will take on a remake of the Disney classic film Aristocats.
According to Variety, the film’s remake will have the characters created of a mixtape of live-action and CGI. Questlove will also serve as the film’s executive producer and music director. Peter Rabbit creator Wil Gluck and Onward writer Keith Bunin are joining him in the lead roles as those who will develop the screenplay—joining Questlove as Executive Producers are Tarik Trotter, Shawn Gee, and Zarah Zohlman.
Aristocats is the story of a family of cats living in Paris and about to inherit a large sum of money. Once that realization falls upon their owner’s butler, the cats are kidnapped, leading toa journey to reclaim their fortune.
