Movie » Breakthrough Cinema

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Director Daniel Petrie's highly acclaimed drama is a seminal portrait of African American life in the mid-1950s based on Lorraine Hansberry's groundbreaking play that achieved critical and commercial success at a time when the viability of a black audience or a white crossover audience was not considered a possibility. Lena Younger Claudia McNeil the stalwart matriarch of an impoverished black family dreams of owning a nice home in a tidy integrated suburb. In the meantime she shares a small apartment on Chicago's South Side with her underemployed adult son Walter Sidney Poitier; his emotionally resilient wife Ruth Ruby Dee; their child Travis Stephen Perry; and her daughter Beneatha Diana Sands. Though there's plenty of love in the family the close quarters breed desperation and discontent. But Lena's prayers are finally answered when she receives a 10000 insurance policy her husband left behind. The money becomes a symbol for freedom for each member of the Younger family: Lena sees it as a ticket out of the

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John Singleton emerged from USC film school with his passionate script already written and at age 23 he made the film that spawned a score of ghetto dramas. From the opening shot--a sign reading "Stop"--to the final message of "Increase the Peace" Singleton's desire to galvanize his audience is clear. The violence destroying South Central Los Angeles is seen through the eyes of Tre Styles Cuba Gooding Jr. whose intelligence and common sense would be wasted in the 'hood if not for his father Furious Laurence Fishburne who imparts discipline and responsibility to his son. Tre's friends aren't so lucky though especially Doughboy Ice Cube who has been in and out of institutions since childhood and now sits on his porch with a forty in his hand and a pistol in his waistband. Singleton is ambitious enough to tackle a host of problems from African American business practices to the bias of the SAT test but the real power of the film lies in the performances of its principals. Cuba Gooding in his first role doesn't l

In this brilliant drama an African-American military attorney delves into a hotbed of racial hatred and shame during as he investigates the death of a black sergeant. Academy Award Nominations: 3 including Best Picture and Best Adapted Screenplay.

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