This week, James and Jon are joined by writer and director Shawtane Bowen ( Astronomy Club ) to cover Get Rich or Die Tryin' (2005), written by Terence Winter, directed by Jim Sheridan, and starring Curtis "50 Cent" Jackson, Terrence Howard, Joy Bryant, Bill Duke, Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje, Omar Benson Miller, and Viola Davis. Together, they cover the disconnect between the critical and popular consensus around the movie, the Drake/Kendrick beef, the status of the "hood classic," getting hit with...
May 09, 2024•13 min
This week, James and Jon are joined by writer and actor Caroline Martin ( Astronomy Club , The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon ) to cover Challengers , written by Justin Kurtizkes, directed by Luca Guadagnino, and starring Zendaya, Josh O'Connor, and Mike Faist. Together, they cover everybody's tennis experiences, what exactly the deal is with Pickleball, the film's complicated timeline, if the sexy tennis movie has enough sex, how windy it actually is in Atlanta, Zendaya's career as a leadin...
May 02, 2024•1 hr 28 min
This week, James, Jerah, and Jon are joined by writer and radio host Mariah Smith ( Grown-ish , Smith Sisters Live ) to cover Mea Culpa , written by Tyler Perry, directed by Tyler Perry, and starring Kelly Rowland, Trevante Rhodes, Nick Sagar, Sean Sagar, RonReaco Lee, and Shannon Thornton. Together, they cover Tyler Perry's constant output, the movie's cheekage, its tangled web of a plot, mixture of tones, and depiction of colorism, the power of Trevante Rhodes on the red carpet, "deviant behav...
Apr 25, 2024•9 min
This week, James, Jerah, and Jon are covering the 2024 remake of Don't Tell Mom the Babysitter's Dead , screenplay by Chuck Hayward, story by Chuck Hayward, Neil Landau, and Tara Ison, directed by Wade Allain-Marcus, and starring Simone Joy Jones, Patricia "Ms. Pat" Williams, Jermaine Fowler, June Squibb, and Nicole Richie. Together, they cover the film's oddly underwhelming promotion, why it landed an R rating, what audience it's exactly pitched to, if 25 is or is not old, what the Tyra Banks/N...
Apr 18, 2024•1 hr 3 min
This week, James, Jerah, and Jon are joined by writer and actor Rekha Shankhar ( Digman , Grand Crew ) to cover Monkey Man , screenplay by Dev Patel, Paul Angunawela, and John Collee, directed by Dev Patel, and starring Dev Patel, Sharlto Copley, Pitobash, Vipin Sharma, Sikandar Kher, and Adithi Kalkunte. Together, they cover the film's winding road to a theatrical release, just how exciting it is to see Dev Patel debuting as an action director, the incredible look of the film, the cache Jordan ...
Apr 11, 2024•3 min
This week, James, Jerah, and Jon are covering Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire . Screenplay by Terry Rossio, Simon Barrett, and Jeremy Slater, story by Terry Rossio, Adam Wingard, and Simon Barrett, directed by Adam Wingard, and starring Rebecca Hall, Brian Tyree Henry, Dan Stevens, Kaylee Hottle, Alex Ferns, and Fala Chen. Together, the guys debate whether or not the movies are back, who are/aren't, in fact, the "big two," the specifics of Hollow Earth, the kaijus' general relationship with huma...
Apr 04, 2024•1 hr 16 min
This week, James, Jerah, and Jon are covering Big Momma's House , the 2000 crime comedy written by Darryl Quarles and Don Rhymer, directed by Raja Gosnell, starring Martin Lawrence, Nia Long, Paul Giamatti, and Terrence Howard. Together, they cover the importance of Lawrence's career to the podcast, who did and didn't pop in comedy films in the 2000s and 2010s, what still works about the movie, what doesn't, just how much Madea owes to Big Momma, Kat Williams, and more. SUBSCRIBE TO EXCLUSIVE CO...
Mar 28, 2024•13 min
This week, James, Jerah, and Jon are covering Blue Beetle , one of the last movies made before DC's James Gunn era. Written by Gareth Dunnet-Alcocer, directed by Ángel Manuel Soto, and starring Xolo Maridueña, Adriana Barraza, Damián Alcázar, Raoul Max Trujillo, Susan Sarandon, and George Lopez, the film released in August of 2023. Together, the guys cover the strong performances, whether or not origin stories can land at this late stage of the comic book movie boom, the host of factors that ult...
Mar 21, 2024•52 min
This week, James, Jerah, and Jon are covering the 2024 Oscars. Together, they talk about Bray's experience attending in-person, the awards they were surprised by, the awards they weren't, the stage banter that worked, John Cena's naked presenting, what it was like to see certain films pick up momentum while others didn't, their viewing experiences, Wes Anderson the short filmmaker, and more. SUBSCRIBE TO EXCLUSIVE CONTENT AND OUR BACK CATALOG OF 400+ EPISODES: https://app.redcircle.com/shows/765...
Mar 14, 2024•10 min
This week, James, Jerah, and Jon are covering Dune: Part Two , the follow-up to 2021's Dune . Written by Denis Villeneuve and Jon Spaights, directed by Denis Villeneuve, and starring Timothée Chalamet, Zendaya, Rebecca Ferguson, Josh Brolin, and Austin Butler, the film came out in March of 2024. Together, the guys cover how this latest installment pairs with the first, Zendaya's role as a lead, upcoming Zendaya projects, the power of spice, the intricate politics of Arrakis, worms, the franchise...
Mar 07, 2024•1 hr 10 min
This week, James, Jerah, and Jon are covering Gran Turismo , a reworking of the true story of Jann Mardenborough, a British Gran Turismo video game player who went on to become a professional race car driver. Written by Jason Hall and Zach Baylin, directed by Neil Blomkamp, and starring David Harbor, Orlando Bloom, Archie Madekwe, and Darren Barnet, the film came out in July of 2023. Together, the guys cover how the script plays with the facts of Jann and his team's actual story, why anyone woul...
Feb 29, 2024•15 min
This week, James, Jerah and Jon dive deep on Bob Marley: One Love , written by Terence Winter, Frank E. Flowers, Zach Baylin, and Reinaldo Marcus Green, directed by Reinaldo Marcus Green, and starring Kingsley Ben-Adir, Lashana Lynch, and James Norton. Together, they cover the film's awards prospects despite its February release, its much better-than-projected opening at the box office, the strong performances, where it sits among the likes of other recent music biopics such as Rocketman and Boh...
Feb 22, 2024•1 hr 10 min
This week, James and Jon are joined by writer Lo Howard ( Grown-ish ) to tackle Passing , an adaptation of Nella Larsen's 1929 novel of the same name. Written and directed by Rebecca Hall and starring Tessa Thompson, Ruth Negga, André Holland, and Bill Camp, the film premiered on Netflix in 2021. Together, they talk Hall's adaptation choices, the surprising backstory to her taking on the book, both the practical and story logic to the film's use of black and white, whether or not the cast totall...
Feb 15, 2024•11 min
This week, Jerah and Jon dive deep on the 1993 rap world mockumentary CB4 , written by Chris Rock, Nelson George, and Robert LoCash, directed by Tamra Davis, starring Chris Rock, Allen Payne, Deezer D, Charlie Murphy, Khandi Alexander, and Phil Hartman. Together, they cover why CB4 doesn't have the lasting cultural reputation of Spinal Tap , its many great bits, the GRAMMYs, Charlie Murphy, and what has and hasn't aged well about the film. SUBSCRIBE TO EXCLUSIVE CONTENT AND OUR BACK CATALOG OF 4...
Feb 08, 2024•51 min
This week, James, Jerah, and Jon dive deep on the 2023 sci-fi comedy They Cloned Tyrone , written by Juel Taylor and Tony Rettenmaier, directed by Taylor, and starring John Boyega, Teyonah Parris, Jamie Foxx, and Keifer Sutherland. Together, they cover how the film connected with audiences despite premiering on Netflix, talk through its dense, fun story logic, and dive into the filmmaker's technical approach to the material. SUBSCRIBE TO EXCLUSIVE CONTENT AND OUR BACK CATALOG OF 400+ EPISODES: h...
Feb 01, 2024•7 min
James, Jerah, and Jon are once again joined by Sasheer Zamata ( The First Woman , Home Economics , SNL , @thesheertruth ) to discuss The Book of Clarence , written and directed by Jeymes Samuel, starring LaKeith Stanfield, Omar Sy, RJ Cyler, and Anna Diop. Together, everyone explores whether or not the film might land for Christian audiences, what's going on with its promotion, the notion of Jesus as a superhero, Jeymes Samuel's directorial signatures, and more. SUBSCRIBE TO EXCLUSIVE CONTENT AN...
Jan 25, 2024•1 hr 42 min
This week, James, Jerah, and Jon are diving into 2023 in TV and film—what they loved, what they hated, and everything in between. Together, they go long on Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse , Past Lives , The Flash , The Emmys, and a whole lot more. SUBSCRIBE TO EXCLUSIVE CONTENT AND OUR BACK CATALOG OF 400+ EPISODES: https://app.redcircle.com/shows/7655b7ec-dc57-47c9-ab96-1a8fa02f6573/exclusive-content SUPPORT BLACK MEN CAN'T JUMP [IN HOLLYWOOD] ON PATREON: https://www.patreon.com/BMCJ FOLLOW...
Jan 18, 2024•5 min
James, Jerah, and Jon are joined by NaTonia Monét ( Tina: The Tina Turner Musical , PonyBoi ) to discuss the 2023 musical adaptation of Alice Walker's The Color Purple , directed by Blitz Bazawule from a script by Marcus Gardley. Bazawule's version stars Taraji P. Henson, Danielle Brooks, Colman Domingo, Corey Hawkins, H.E.R., and Halle Bailey. Together, James, Jerah, Jon, and Natonia explore the numbers that resonated, the staging that worked, the controversy around the film's production, and i...
Jan 11, 2024•1 hr 16 min
This week, James, Jerah, and Jon are diving into the new film from writer/director Cord Jefferson, American Fiction . Adapted from Percival Everett's 2001 novel Erasure , the film tracks the novelist Thelonius 'Monk' Ellison (Jeffrey Wright)'s turn from a struggling writer and academic into an overnight sensation when his latest book, a send up of stereotypical "Black pain" narratives published under a pseudonym a la Sapphire's Push , lands him the biggest success of his career. The film also st...
Dec 21, 2023•4 min
We're back! James, Jerah, and Jonathan celebrate their first new episode in months by taking a trip to Candy Cane Lane , the new Amazon Prime Christmas feature directed by Reginald Hudland starring Eddie Murphy, Tracee Ellis Ross, Jillian Bell, and more. Together, everyone explores the film's complicated, packed plot, what was likely improvised and what wasn't, a new Golden Globes category, math, and the logistics of the "Twelve Days of Christmas" coming to life. SUBSCRIBE TO EXCLUSIVE CONTENT A...
Dec 14, 2023•1 hr 36 min
With the show still on hiatus in solidarity with the SAG-AFTRA strike, we're replaying one of our favorites: 2017's Girls Trip ! Original Description: Special guest Monique Moses (IFC Sports Court, Astronomy Club) joins the boys to review the new film Girls Trip starring Regina Hall, Queen Latifah, Jada Pinkett Smith, and Tiffany Haddish. In a year where Rough Night and Snatched "disappointed expectations", we discuss the significance of the box office success of Girls Trip, the breakout perform...
Aug 16, 2023•1 hr 48 min
It's a special, off-format episode in solidarity with the SAG-AFTRA strike! This week, Jon, Jerah, and James interview Ahmed Best and Dylan Marron about their new podcast, The Redemption of Jar Jar Binks . Together, everyone gets into the vitriolic backlash to Jar Jar in The Phantom Menace , what the response to Jar Jar led to for Black actors in performance capture film making, and what brought Ahmed and Dylan together to make the podcast. Find the show below! https://www.ted.com/podcasts/the-r...
Aug 02, 2023•1 hr 26 min
SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT: In solidarity with the SAG-AFTRA Strike, the show is hitting pause on new release coverage. Follow for updates and listen to the Hollywood Shuffle episode in the meantime, out from behind the paywall! Original description: Our 100th episode is here and we are looking back 30 years with a review of the 1987 Robert Townsend film, Hollywood Shuffle . How far has Hollywood come in thirty years? Do the sketches hold up today? Is our podcast the new Hollywood Shuffle? All this an...
Jul 19, 2023•1 hr 46 min
James and Jonathan are joined by Andrew Dismukes ( SNL ) to discuss the 2023 White Men Can't Jump remake, directed by Calmatic from a script by Kenya Barris, Doug Hall, and Ron Shelton. The film reworks Shelton's 1992 Wesley Snipes, Woody Harrelson, and Rosie Perez vehicle of the same name. Calmatic's version stars Sinqua Walls, Jack Harlow, and Lance Reddick. James, Jon, and Andrew explore the comedy beats that land, the comedy beats that don't, and what such a major remake skipping a theatrica...
Jul 12, 2023•12 min
James and Jonathan are joined again by Taryn Englehart to review the Disney Pixar film Elemental. The movie is set in a world where the four classical elements of fire, water, air, and earth are alive and coexisting. The story follows Ember, a fiery young woman, and Wade, a go-with-the-flow guy, as they discover that they have more in common than they thought. The film explores themes of friendship, family, and finding your place in the world. It was directed by Peter Sohn and produced by Denise...
Jun 28, 2023•10 min
James and Jonathan are joined again by Tessa to discuss The Blackening. The Blackening is a 2023 American horror comedy film directed by Tim Story and written by Tracy Oliver and Dewayne Perkins. The film follows a group of seven Black friends who reunite for a Juneteenth weekend getaway only to find themselves trapped in a remote cabin with a twisted killer. Forced to play by his rules, the friends soon realize this ain't no game. The film explores themes of race, identity, and the role of Blac...
Jun 21, 2023•1 hr 14 min
SUBSCRIBE TO EXCLUSIVE CONTENT AND OUR BACK CATALOG OF 400+ EPISODES: https://app.redcircle.com/shows/7655b7ec-dc57-47c9-ab96-1a8fa02f6573/exclusive-content JOIN OUR PATREON: https://www.patreon.com/BMCJ James, Jerah and Jonathan are joined by special guest Will Martinez to review the prequel “Transformers: Rise of the Beasts”. We land in 90s New York City to find Noah Diaz struggling to make ends meet. When he reluctantly agrees to steal a Porsche 911 with a friend, he releases the Optimus Prim...
Jun 14, 2023•11 min
James, Jerah, and Jonathan are joined by special guest Justin Jordan to review the 2023 computer animated superhero sequel, “Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse.” It follows Brooklyn’s friendly neighborhood spider, Miles Morales who reunites with fellow hero Gwen Stacy as they weave through the Metaverse and encounter even more Spider-People and disagree over how to control a new threat. Directed by Joaquim Dos Santos, Kemp Powers, and Justin K. Thompson and written by Phil Lord, Christopher Mil...
Jun 07, 2023•1 hr 44 min
To listen to the full episode: SUBSCRIBE TO EXCLUSIVE CONTENT AND OUR BACK CATALOG OF 300+ EPISODES: https://app.redcircle.com/shows/7655b7ec-dc57-47c9-ab96-1a8fa02f6573/exclusive-content JOIN OUR PATREON: https://www.patreon.com/BMCJ James, Jerah and Jonathan are joined by special guest Jordyn Rolling to review the 2023 live action remake of Disney’s “The Little Mermaid”. It follows the classic tale of mermaid princess Ariel, who gambles her voice to the evil sea witch, Ursula, in order to expe...
Jun 01, 2023•7 min
James, Jerah, and Jonathan are joined by Demi Adejuyigbe to review the next saga in the Fast & Furious Franchise, Fast X. The film is about Dom and The Family confronting their most dangerous enemy yet. The movie stars Vin Diesel, Michelle Rodriguez, Tyrese Gibson, Ludacris, Nathalie Emmanuel, Jordana Brewster, Sung Kang, and Jason Momoa. Produced by Melisa D. Monts and Diamond MPrint Productions Edited by Diane Kang Post Production Sound by Coco Llorens SUPPORT BLACK MEN CAN'T JUMP [IN HOLL...
May 24, 2023•1 hr 34 min•Ep. 298
![Black Men Can't Jump [In Hollywood] - podcast cover](https://assets.metacast.app/images/podcast/artwork/6QdUIckj)
