Page 8 The Skanner September 14, 2016
Arts & Entertainment
Chestnut
cont’d from pg 7
KW: Did you model
your character, John Tay-
lor, speciically on any-
body?
MC: No. It wasn’t until
ater a few people who
go to the same gym saw
the trailer, that I learned
about someone who’d
been in a similar situa-
tion. In preparation, I ba-
sically drew on diferent
experiences that would
“
KW: Is there a dream
project you’d like to see
greenlit?
MC: Yeah, there’s one
I’m waiting on. I wan-
na kinda keep it under
wraps for now.
But when I’m ready to
announce it, I’ll deinite-
ly let you know.
KW: Larry Greenberg
asks: Do you have a fa-
vorite movie monster?
MC: Godzilla, since
childhood.
KW: The Pastor Alex
Kendrick
question:
was a crazy thing to do
when I was starting out.
KW: What was your
very irst acting job?
MC: My irst union job
was “Boyz n the Hood,
“but my very irst acting
gig was in a play at a com-
munity college.
KW: The Flex Alexan-
der question: How do you
get through the tough
times?
MC: Faith. You have to
believe in what you’re
doing, and just keep mov-
ing forward. I learned
But no one has everything in life, even though
it oten appears that some do. I tell that to young
kids when I speak to them. I tell them, ‘Do the
best you can in living your life, and don’t glori-
fy anyone else’s life’
justify the behavior of
this character.
KW: What message
do you think people will
take away from?
MC: First and fore-
most, I want them to be
entertained. But the one
thing I did like about Re-
gina’s and my character
was that we seemingly
have it all.
But no one has every-
thing in life, even though
it oten appears that
some do.
I tell that to young kids
when I speak to them.
I tell them, “Do the best
you can in living your
life, and don’t glorify
anyone else’s life.”
When do you feel the
most content?
MC: When I’m able to
put smiles on people’s
faces for various rea-
sons.
KW: The Toure ques-
tion: Who is the person
who led you to become
the person you are to-
day?
MC: Both of my par-
ents. They instilled mor-
als, values and certain
philosophies in me.
KW: What’s the cra-
ziest thing you’ve ever
done?
MC: Pursuing a career
as an actor.
It might seem like a
wise choice now, but it
that may years ago.
KW: The Laz Alonso
question: How can your
fans help you?
MC: They’ve already
done a lot.
They can help by con-
tinuing to support me the
way they have through-
out the years.
KW: Attorney Ber-
nadette Beekman asks:
What is your favorite
charity?
MC: I don’t have one
favorite. I work with the
Boys and Girls Clubs,
Children’s Miracle Net-
work and the American
Cancer Society.
KW: The Gabby Doug-
las question: If you had
to choose another profes-
sion, what would that be?
MC: Ooh, that’s a good
question.
Years ago, I wanted
to be an athlete. Today,
it would be in inance,
banking, or something of
that nature.
KW: Is there anything
you want that you don’t
have yet?
MC: Yes, that’s a long
list that I’m still working
on.
KW: Craig Robinson
asks: What was your last
dream?
MC: I had one last
night, but can’t remem-
ber the details.
KW: Can you come up
with a generic question
that I can ask other celeb-
rities I interview?
MC: Yeah, was there
any particular moment
in their childhood that
inspired them to be
where they are today?
KW: That’s a great one.
That’ll be my Mor-
ris Chestnut question.
Thanks again for the
time, brother, and best of
luck with the ilm. .
MC: My pleasure, Kam.
To see the trailer, visit
TheSkanner.com.
FILM REVIEW: ‘Kicks’ a Bleak-Yet-
Hopeful Inner-City Saga
By Kam Williams
For The Skanner
News
B
randon
(Jah-
king Guillory)
saved up for a
pricey pair of
Air Jordan, only to
sufer the utter hu-
miliation of having
them stolen right of
his feet at gunpoint
by a gang of ghetto
predators. Thus ar-
rives a moment of ‘Kicks’ stars 14-year-old actor and rapper Jahking Guillory (second
truth for the nerdy from the left)
15-year-old who inds
himself stuck at an
unpleasant station in life where he’s backdrop of Oakland’s exoskeleton, it
not only routinely picked on by his could just as easily be taking place in
peers but absolutely ignored by the such equally-godforsaken environs
as latter-day Chicago, Baltimore, New-
opposite sex to boot.
Should he simply shrug of this lat- ark, St. Louis, New Orleans or Detroit.
Before Brandon embarks on his hunt
est dis as merely another cold remind-
for
Flaco, he enlists the assistance of
er of what life is like in the ‘hood for
his
BFFs
Albert (Christopher Wallace,
any kid that isn’t macho, or is he inal-
Jr)
and
Rico (Christopher Meyer).
ly mature enough to exact a measure
They
prove
to be game and, for some
of revenge on Flaco (Koi Siriboe), the
reason
that
is never broached, theirs
pompous perpetrator who’d seized
is
a
lawless
world
devoid of the option
the sneakers as a git for a son (Mi-
of
approaching
police
or parents to
chael Smith, Jr.)? Believe it or not, that
is the sum and substance of the dilem- intervene on their behalf.
A tentative tale of woe every bit as
ma which fuels the ire of “Kicks,” a su-
bleak
as it is hopeful that there’s an
per-realistic inner-city saga marking
exit
at
the other end of a disturbingly
the memorable directorial debut of
dystopic
tunnel.
Justin Tipping
Excellent
HHHH
This earthy, slice-of-life lick con-
vincingly captures the anomie and Rated R for pervasive profanity,drug
sense of desperation which might help and alcohol abuse, sexuality and
explain why so many black youths violence, all involving teens.
opt to murder each other over seem-
To see a trailer for Kicks, visit
ingly trivial slights nowadays. While TheSkanner.com
this story unfolds against the barren