April 13, 2016 The Skanner Page 7
FILM REVIEW: ‘Meet the Blacks’
‘Hood Meets High Society in Politically-Incorrect
Parody of ‘The Purge’
By Kam Williams
For The Skanner News
By Kam Williams
For The Skanner News
A
A
fter coming into a small fortune
under suspicious circumstanc-
es, Carl Smith (Mike Epps) de-
cides to move his family from
the ghetto in Chicago to Blanco Cielo,
an exclusive development in Bever-
ly Hills. Accompanying him on the
cross-country trip are his wife Lorena
(Zulay Henao), dating-age daughter
Allie (Bresha Webb), and adolescent
son Carl, Jr. (Alex Henderson).
Upon their arrival, Carl proceeds
to offend everyone he encounters,
starting with the gated communi-
ty’s security guard whom he calls too
dark-skinned to profile another black
person. Despite the fact that the Afri-
can immigrant is merely attempting to
do his job, he is also accused of having
the Ebola virus.
Next, when Lorena hires an Asian
manicurist (Kathrien Ahn), Carl asks
her to give him “some Chinese head.”
Charming. And during a get acquaint-
ed stroll around the neighborhood, he
manages to antagonize assorted neigh-
bors, too.
More importantly, however, he also
learns that “The Purge” is set to start at
7 p.m. If you are familiar with the hor-
ror flick of the same name, then you
know that means that all crimes will
be legal during the impending 12-hour
period, even murder.
What ensues is a politically-incor-
rect parody closely patterned on the
original.
After sundown, a number of adver-
saries descend on the estate, one-by-
one, each with evil intentions, includ-
Arts & Entertainment
Chillin’ with Cube & Cole: The
‘Barbershop: The Next Cut’ Interview
ing a Ku Klux Klansman (Michael
Caradoona), a repo man (DeRay Da-
vis), a revenge-minded parolee (Char-
lie Murphy), Carl’s ex-wife Shoranda
(Tameka “Tiny” Cottle) and his crazy
cousin Cronut (Lil Duval). Unfortu-
nately, co-writer/director Deon Taylor
decided to appeal to the lowest com-
mon denominator repeatedly during
this unfunny, demeaning throwback
reminiscent of Amos ‘n’ Andy.
Anything for a laugh, regardless
of how self-hating or hurtful the joke
might be. An expletive and N-word-
laced descent into modern minstrelsy.
ctor, writer, pro-
ducer, director,
rapper, father –
“reigning Renais-
sance king” could be a
good term to describe
the one and only Ice
Cube. Coming of age in
1980s Los Angeles, Cube
experienced the roiling
stew of street knowl-
edge, sports fanaticism,
Margot Bingham and Deon Cole in Barbershop: The Next Cut
and social injustice in
a city at the forefront
of hip-hop’s expansion
decades making memorable films. He
from local sound to global phenome- has been part of films that have cumu-
non.
latively grossed over $1 billion at the
Twenty-seven years after N.W.A – box office.
the group Cube co-founded with Dr.
The N.W.A biopic Straight Outta
Dre, Eazy-E, MC Ren, and DJ Yella – Compton took in box-office receipts of
released their archetypal gangsta rap over $200 million worldwide. Cube’s
masterpiece Straight Outta Compton, successful film franchises also include
the group’s 2016 induction into the the Friday, Are We There Yet?, Ride
Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, with an intro- Along, and Barbershop franchises.
ductory speech by their spiritual heir
Deon Cole plays the hilarious
Kendrick Lamar, is a mark of how far co-worker Charlie, a fan-favorite on
Cube has come.
ABC’s hit comedy Black-ish. Deon is
Cube made his feature film debut in also one of the lead roles in the TBS se-
director John Singleton’s 1991 hit Boyz ries Angie Tribeca. And he continues
n the Hood. From that auspicious be- to be a featured guest correspondent
ginning, he has become one of the most on Conan, for which he was also a two-
bankable, likeable names in Holly- time Emmy nominated writer.
wood as a writer, actor, and producer.
Here, Cube and Deon discuss co-star-
His production company, Cube Vision,
founded in 1995, has now passed two
See CUBE on page 11
Poor (0 stars)
Rated R for sexuality, violence, ethnic
slurs, drug use and profanity
Running time: 90 minutes
Studio: Hidden Empire Film Group
Distributor: Freestyle Releasing
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