source: In the Hive

When I first saw this on Netflix as a new selection, I thought, "oh great another movie about gangsters getting saved by do-gooders". I am sitting in amazement at how well acted and well directed this movie was. I can honestly say I connected with the characters and genuinely felt my heart respond to Xtra's plight. I enjoyed the transformation of Q and the English teacher as well. The story has a good pace and awesome character development. In a mentoring situation, I would recommend black teens watch this movie and discuss each characters destiny. You have to look within to make the changes in yourself. Also... Michael Clark Dunkin was amazing! This movie is based on a true place... Wow. I highly recommend this to someone looking for inspiration.

This movie is entertaining, motivating, and inspiring. The director couldn't have chosen a better cast.I laughed and cried a whole lot. Michael Clarke Duncan went out with a bang! And it was my first time seeing Jonathan Lil J McDaniel in anything but I fell completely in love with his look and bad boy character. He is hhhHoootttttt. I watched the movie on BET. It was on for 3 hours because of the commercials in between and usually I don't like that. However, I did not mind this time because I did not want the movie to end and the commercials prolonged it. I was glued to the TV. I love movies that are based on real life events (just not a big fan of fiction). It's just an amazing thing to be able to relate to something/someone and/or to discover a better alternative. There are powerful messages all throughout this film. I truly enjoyed it.

One of Duncan's last movies. It was a good inspirational movie about behavioural and troubled teens where someone tries to be the change. I have seen this movie a few years ago and liked it a lot.. I really did like this movie, It's very underrated not many people know it exists which is disappointing. A movie with story, leadership and triumph. What's not to love. Once again, once of Duncan's final appearances. He was an actor that was gone by the numbers way too soon. Overall, great movie.

I had the amazing pleasure and opportunity to meet Robert Townsend and view this movie prior to final editing. As a (former) teacher and an avid movie goer he asked me to give him my honest opinion. I did without any hesitation-I critiqued a few things I believed needed attention and spoke of the ending-how I would have preferred it. He was silent and I could hear him smiling on the line when he told me that-the way I wanted it; was how he shot the original ending! Focus groups didn't care for it and so an alternate ending was encouraged to be used instead. You see….the majority of the population like to have a final ending, clear view of who the good/bad guy is and no cliffhangers…sometimes focus groups suck and don't see the value in a movie that doesn't end cleanly….b/c life is messy, you don't always get the answers or endings you think you deserve or desire…when people go to the movies most go for certainties- clear roles of the good, bad, and final resolve…this is the false sense of security! In life we do not have any certainties other than death…Therefore, those who cannot enjoy a movie for its "art imitating life" value can ruin it for an avid movie goer like myself b/c they push for the cookie cutter Hollywood ending…not allowing a good story become a great one. Case in point: The Butterfly Effect-This movie could have been thought provoking and the end would have been mind blowing had they used the alternative ending in theaters….I didn't go see in theaters I bought when I was in college at a Walmart on DVD it had 2 sides one with the Theatrical Release and the other with Alternate Ending…I watched the Alternate Ending side 1st thinking it was the Theatrical Release-I loved it! When I had my roommate watch it and talked it up I put it right side up this time showing the Theatrical Release side- when it ended I was like WHAT!? That isn't right, she was not impressed with the ending either (didn't understand why I talked the movie up so much) and I quickly showed her the other side for alternate ending, we both agreed the alternate ending was WAY BETTER and made the movies message more powerful- it left us with mixed emotions after the credits rolled…. Isn't that what audience should want???? Mixed emotions, thought provoking scripts and endings that are messy b/c that's what real life is?! More often than not the answer is, NO. Not for me….I will always always love the incredible messy journey a good movie can bring you on especially those with unanswered questions and messy endings.

source: In the Hive

When I first saw this on Netflix as a new selection, I thought, "oh great another movie about gangsters getting saved by do-gooders". I am sitting in amazement at how well acted and well directed this movie was. I can honestly say I connected with the characters and genuinely felt my heart respond to Xtra's plight. I enjoyed the transformation of Q and the English teacher as well. The story has a good pace and awesome character development. In a mentoring situation, I would recommend black teens watch this movie and discuss each characters destiny. You have to look within to make the changes in yourself. Also... Michael Clark Dunkin was amazing! This movie is based on a true place... Wow. I highly recommend this to someone looking for inspiration.

This movie is entertaining, motivating, and inspiring. The director couldn't have chosen a better cast.I laughed and cried a whole lot. Michael Clarke Duncan went out with a bang! And it was my first time seeing Jonathan Lil J McDaniel in anything but I fell completely in love with his look and bad boy character. He is hhhHoootttttt. I watched the movie on BET. It was on for 3 hours because of the commercials in between and usually I don't like that. However, I did not mind this time because I did not want the movie to end and the commercials prolonged it. I was glued to the TV. I love movies that are based on real life events (just not a big fan of fiction). It's just an amazing thing to be able to relate to something/someone and/or to discover a better alternative. There are powerful messages all throughout this film. I truly enjoyed it.

I had the amazing pleasure and opportunity to meet Robert Townsend and view this movie prior to final editing. As a (former) teacher and an avid movie goer he asked me to give him my honest opinion. I did without any hesitation-I critiqued a few things I believed needed attention and spoke of the ending-how I would have preferred it. He was silent and I could hear him smiling on the line when he told me that-the way I wanted it; was how he shot the original ending! Focus groups didn't care for it and so an alternate ending was encouraged to be used instead. You see….the majority of the population like to have a final ending, clear view of who the good/bad guy is and no cliffhangers…sometimes focus groups suck and don't see the value in a movie that doesn't end cleanly….b/c life is messy, you don't always get the answers or endings you think you deserve or desire…when people go to the movies most go for certainties- clear roles of the good, bad, and final resolve…this is the false sense of security! In life we do not have any certainties other than death…Therefore, those who cannot enjoy a movie for its "art imitating life" value can ruin it for an avid movie goer like myself b/c they push for the cookie cutter Hollywood ending…not allowing a good story become a great one. Case in point: The Butterfly Effect-This movie could have been thought provoking and the end would have been mind blowing had they used the alternative ending in theaters….I didn't go see in theaters I bought when I was in college at a Walmart on DVD it had 2 sides one with the Theatrical Release and the other with Alternate Ending…I watched the Alternate Ending side 1st thinking it was the Theatrical Release-I loved it! When I had my roommate watch it and talked it up I put it right side up this time showing the Theatrical Release side- when it ended I was like WHAT!? That isn't right, she was not impressed with the ending either (didn't understand why I talked the movie up so much) and I quickly showed her the other side for alternate ending, we both agreed the alternate ending was WAY BETTER and made the movies message more powerful- it left us with mixed emotions after the credits rolled…. Isn't that what audience should want???? Mixed emotions, thought provoking scripts and endings that are messy b/c that's what real life is?! More often than not the answer is, NO. Not for me….I will always always love the incredible messy journey a good movie can bring you on especially those with unanswered questions and messy endings.

One of Duncan's last movies. It was a good inspirational movie about behavioural and troubled teens where someone tries to be the change. I have seen this movie a few years ago and liked it a lot.. I really did like this movie, It's very underrated not many people know it exists which is disappointing. A movie with story, leadership and triumph. What's not to love. Once again, once of Duncan's final appearances. He was an actor that was gone by the numbers way too soon. Overall, great movie.