The Preacher's Wife (1996)

Starring:

• Denzel Washington
• Whitney Houston
• Courtney B. Vance

IMDB.com
Good natured Reverend Henry Biggs finds that his marriage to choir mistress Julia is flagging, due to his constant absence caring for the deprived neighborhood they live in. On top of all this, his church is coming under threat from property developer Joe Hamilton. In desperation, Rev. Biggs prays to God for help - and help arrives in the form of an angel named Dudley. However, Dudley's arrival seems to cause even more trouble...

This is a wonderful piece of work that should not be compared with any other in the genre of the Christmas/angel type or the so often mentioned Bishop's Wife. Its not the first film to use an old story and alter it and should be looked at as an original piece of work which is what it is. It simply works well mainly because it is perfectly cast, any romantic will be drawn in, willing the beautiful people in this case Whitney Houston and Dezel Washington together. Washington is pure magic on the screen, playing the inoffensive angel who ignores the ignorance and rudeness thrown at him by thoughtless people who should know better, he pulls off some great moments in the story. Unusually too the children are well cast, not too sugary or given scene stealing lines, they complement the adults rather than displace or ridicule them. This is a specialist type of film, a romantic, unrealistic dreamy story, and must be judged in that light.

Friday After Next (2002)

Starring:

• Ice Cube
• Mike Epps
• John Witherspoon

IMDB.com
In udder hilarity, the gang of two is back! And with a comedic vengeance. I saw this in California when I lived there at Christmas time, 2002, and it was one of the funniest down in the hood yule-tide, Christmas stories I have seen in years.

From one of the worst roommates, Dey Dey,(Epps Jr.) to Pinky their ex-boss, to Pops and uncle, doing restaurant bar-BBQ together(and arguing and fighting, all the way)right on down to the landlord and one of the biggest 'problems' these two have had (Damon) since, well...since 'FRIDAY' 1995 when Chris Tucker was riding with Cube, and Deebo was troubling' em'!!

The two police officers I won't soon forget, A.Hole and B. Dix when it came time to bring the PO' PO' into it, these two were all in all. Christmas time is here and unfortunately so is the ghetto thugs, out rippin' and stealin' everything in sight, including Dey Dey and Craig's stuff even out the refrigerator. They're broker den broke, and you can't 'beat' that with Michael Jackson!

I went back and saw this a few more times before it left the theater because frankly, it was worth it. Ms. K.D. Aubert, was a lovely and wondrous addition to this Miss-L-toe mantra in the ghetto. This was accompanied by a ghetto-fabulous soundtrack! Mary J Blige was my favorite of all, 'Family Affair' was R&B soul-delicious!! And in all, as Mary would say, Jesus is the reason for the season all the way!

I really love it when Ice Cube puts his writer's cap on and brings out yet another gem of a good-times movie.

I recommend this to Ice Cube and Mike Epps fans, because they take it and bake the cake and steal the show.

Good team playing' y'all! Here's to another fun-filled two hours down the hood comedy road. I'll be waiting. Until then, (****) four out of four.

Trading Places (1983)

Starring:

• Eddie Murphy
• Dan Aykroyd
• Ralph Bellamy

IMDB.com
Louis Winthorpe is a businessman who works for commodities brokerage firm of Duke and Duke owned by the brothers Mortimer and Randolph Duke. Now they bicker over the most trivial of matters and what they are bickering about is whether it's a person's environment or heredity that determines how well they will do in life. When Winthorpe bumps into Billy Ray Valentine, a street hustler and assumes he is trying to rob him, he has him arrested. Upon seeing how different the two men are, the brothers decide to make a wager as to what would happen if Winthorpe loses his job, his home and is shunned by everyone he knows and if Valentine was given Winthorpe's job. So they proceed to have Winthorpe arrested and to be placed in a compromising position in front of his girlfriend. So all he has to rely on is the hooker who was hired to ruin him.