The BlackStar Film Festival took place August 2-5, 2012 in Philadelphia. Its mission was to celebrate the visual and storytelling traditions of the African diaspora and to showcase film and video works by and about black people from across the globe. Other obligations did prevent me from attending all but one event, but it was a good one - A Conversation with Ava DuVernay.    Ava DuVernay, is the first African American woman to take home the U.S. directing award at Sundance Film...

  Tinsel & Tine was invited to a ReelBlack Taste-Maker's preview screening of a new comedy, or rather Un-Romantic Comedy, called Exit Strategy , set to open Friday, February 10, 2012 in the Philadelphia area - AMC Cherry Hill and Franklin Mills.   Here's the run down: Exit Strategy features James (JAMEEL SALEEM), likeable but irresponsible, who moves in with his take-charge girlfriend of three months Kim (KIMELIA WEATHERS) and quickly discovers she’s...

Sunday, October 23, 2011 20th Philadelphia Film Festival - Shame Michael Fassbender has a Dirk Diggler size schlong!  And an Adonis rear-end. Beyond that, I don't remember anything about the film Shame.  Just kidding. Well, about the film resonance, not about Fassbender.  In actuality, the film stayed with me for quite awhile.  Seeing two people in so much pain with no clue how to get relief, yet basically from the outside, look as if they are managing the day in a...