THREE FILM RECOMMENDATIONS FOR BLACK HISTORY MONTH!

Black History Month has arrived and here are my first week’s film recommendations!   Although most African American themed films usually preach some type of social value,  I've chosen this week's films because I found them entertaining.  None of them star a Black guy in drag!

1. Captive Heart: The James Mink Story

Lou Gossett Jr. stars as James Mink, a freed slave turned business owner living in 19th century Canada.  Mink’s stature of success includes an attractive Irish wife and their beautiful, educated, eighteen year old daughter.   Believing a Black man wouldn’t be good enough for his precious little girl, Mink sought of… kinda… pimps her out.  His bravado is tested when he and his White European wife have to travel within America to find their kidnapped daughter.  I remember the film premiered on CBS and it’s American produced so expect some action adventure; a precursor to Django. Available on YouTube.com

2. Skin  

Sophie Okonedo plays Sandra Laing, a young South African “colored” girl who is the offspring of two very white parents.  Sandra’s delusional father tries to make everyone see Sandy as White.  It doesn’t work.  Her mother is too racist to believe a lot of coffee seeped into the cream generations ago.  The dung really hits the fan when Sandra falls for a Black man.  Be prepared for many heart wrenching scenes.  The story takes place in the 1980's not 1880's.  The story's timeline irritated me as I remember how naive I was back in the 80's when I thought racism was in the past.  My buddy and follow tweeter La Mott Jackson turned me on to this one. Available on Netflix.

3.  Yesterday

Leleti Khumalo plays a wife and mother named Yesterday who lives, mostly alone, with her 8 year old daughter, Beauty, in a very rural part of South Africa.   Really, this woman has to walk miles to get her daughter to see the only doctor in town for the child’s school required inoculations.  Yesterday’s husband has traveled to the city to find work and returns very occasionally, most times, he’s out and about doing what he shouldn’t do.  Because of this Yesterday contracts HIV and her only agenda is to find a safe environment for Beauty to grow-up after her mother’s imminent death.   Next time you complain about life in America, watch this film.  The photography of the film is superb, the camera shot move the story along; subtitled in English.  I caught this film one early morning on HBO signature, available on Netflix.