Month: September 2021

Melvin Van Peebles, the filmmaker praised as the godfather of modern Black cinema and a trailblazer in American independent movies, died on Tuesday at his home in Manhattan. He was 89. His death was announced by his son Mario Van Peebles, the actor and director. A Renaissance man whose work spanned books, theater and music, Mr. Van Peebles is best known for his third feature film, “Sweet Sweetback’s Baadasssss Song,” which drew mixed reviews when it was released in 1971, ignited intense debate and became a national hit. The hero, Sweetback, starred in a sex show at a brothel, and the movie sizzled with explosive violence, explicit sex and righteous antagonism toward the white power structure. It was dedicated to “all the Black brothers and sisters who have had enough of The Man.” Mr. Va...

Melvin Van Peebles, the pioneering African American auteur behind the 1970s films Watermelon Man and Sweet Sweetback’s Baadasssss Song, has died. He was 89. Van Peebles, the father of actor-director Mario Van Peebles, died Tuesday night at his home in Manhattan. His family, The Criterion Collection and Janus Films announced his death in a statement. “In an unparalleled career distinguished by relentless innovation, boundless curiosity and spiritual empathy, Melvin Van Peebles made an indelible mark on the international cultural landscape through his films, novels, plays and music,” the statement read. “His work continues to be essential and is being celebrated at the New York Film Festival this weekend with a 50th anniversary screening of his landmark film Sweet Sw...

In an exclusive interview,, Jennifer Hough, the woman suing Nicki Minaj and her husband Kenneth Petty over allegations including witness intimidation and harassment, opens up about the lawsuit and speaks out for the first time on camera. (1/3) 05:34 PM - 22 Sep 2021

“Britney vs Spears” is coming to Netflix and is set to reveal “confidential” information about the singer’s 13-year conservatorship. The streaming service released a full-length trailer on Wednesday for the new documentary, which drops Sept. 28. “It’s been 13 years and it’s enough,” Spears’ voice can be heard saying in the teaser. The film is directed by Erin Lee Carr and has been in the works for 18 months, though being released after the FX documentary “Framing Britney Spears.” “This is a two-and-a-half years-long investigative process into the conservatorship,” Carr told the Los Angeles Times. “There has been an amazing amount of coverage, but that’s a really long time to be focused on this. We wanted to be the definitive place to understand the beginni...

Saturday Night Live returns on October 2 with four consecutive shows on NBC. While we don’t yet know who is returning to the cast or which fresh new faces are being given a chance, we now know who will be fronnting these shows. Owen Wilson, Kim Kardashian West, Rami Malek and Jason Sudeikis are set as the four opening hosts, with Kacey Musgraves, Halsey, Young Thug and Brandi Carlile set as the respective musical guests. Wilson kicks off the season on October 2, followed by Kardashian West on October 9, Malek on October 16 and Sudeikis hosts on October 23. It marks the first time hosting for all four. Creator and exec producer Lorne Michaels teased Sudeikis’ appearance during the Emmys at the weekend. The Ted Lasso star was a writer, featured player and repertory pla...