ColemanDerrick

One of Singleton's best works, Baby Boy is surprising in that...it's a comedy! While the film is a coming-of-age story, the situations Jody finds himself in are easily(and unexpectedly) remedied. While some subject matter is indeed of a serious nature, the ultimate work is a comedy wrapped in dramatic fashion. The characters, while apparently ignorant, are actually multidimensional and make the movie worth watching. Singleton plays with urban stereotypes, and delivers a nice piece on maturity and responsibility. As its name implies, it is the antithesis of Boyz N The Hood, and as a stand-alone effort, is just another story about growing up in L.A. Please do not misread me. The movie is not a laugh-fest, and it was not designed to be. However, it crosses that subtle gray line in the manner of other movies, notably Wild At Heart and The Long Goodbye. On paper and print, they are dramatic. But when you take a second look, you appreciate the comedy of errors, played out for all its glory. Baby Boy is like an urban Wizard of Oz; the characters grow, and people get what they deserve in the end. I made the mistake of overlooking the film myself, and I am glad I finally saw it.

While it has been more than ten years since I have seen That's The Way of The World, I can say that anyone who sees the picture will appreciate it, and its view of the music industry. Harvey Keitel plays a record executive who appreciates the talent of a band played by Earth Wind and Fire. However, the record company is forcing him to promote a white popular act(based primarily on The Carpenters). While Keitel's character stays true to his heart, the overall message of the movie is that popular culture, expressed by music and images, maintains a discriminatory profile of American culture. If you see this movie, realize that it was made before disco became truly popular in the USA.

Another point to mention is that the movie deserves a look, but suffered because it was hard to market. Yes, unfortunately in 1975, American society was still segregated. Black music was marketed to blacks only, while popular music was either rock/heavy metal or melody music. Because white audiences were not as familiar with EWF, they did not care that they were in the picture. On the other hand, this was at the climax of the blaxploitation era, and the soundtrack and appearance of EWF were hyped to black audiences. However, when people saw the film and realized that the group only make brief appearances, they turned away.

My point is that because of the racial attitudes of American culture in 1975, the movie was not appreciated as it should have been. So when you watch it, please do so with an open mind. One of the more refreshing things about it is that it is a drama with more substance than style, and easy to get into without always being reminded that you're watching something from the 1970s.

Charles Stepney, who was involved in the making of the motion picture, was a close associate of Maurice White. He was involved in EWF's music leading into this project.

Don't sleep on this one. This is one of those thrillers that might not be a blip on the radar screen, but that doesn't mean it isn't worth a watch. A solid production, the story involves a journalist who has a shady past, and his encounter with a woman on the run, who is not who she claims to be. A key plot piece is that Ms. Ticotin's character, who appears to be Latin American, is actually Palestinian, and on the run from assassins. Fred Ward, Ms. Ticotin, and Penelope Ann Miller give great performances in their respective roles. I never thought Ms. Miller could play such an evil woman. Catch this film when you can on cable, it is worth the watch.