If there was ever a venerable children’s franchise that refused to die, Power Rangers may just be the one. What started in 1993 has now spawned a two decade long authorization of fun television programming, movies, video games, and countless action figures – and I have been with them every single step of the way. It’s been several months since I’ve penned an editorial for CliqueClack, but having Power Rangers back on my flat screen has rather reinvigorated me.

That’s right, ladies and gentlemen … I’m back.

Power Rangers Dino Charge premiered on Nickelodeon on Saturday afternoon though if you’re a fan like me, chances are you probably watched the premiere episode one week early on Nick.com. At any rate, the first installment really set the tone for Dino Charge and based upon what was shown, fans and casual viewers are in for a ride. Instead of the typical totalitarian villain bent on conquering the planet, Power Rangers Dino Charge concerns Sledge, a vile intergalactic bounty hunter on the hunt for the Energems. Who could blame him? All powerful gems with endless energies aren’t exactly available on EBay or Amazon.com. However, there to oppose him are the Power Rangers, who in this series harness the dynamisms and strengths of the ancient dinosaurs.

As has become the norm of the Power Rangers series, the sole mission of our favorite spandex clad heroes is to keep the planet safe and they are armed with an incredible arsenal to help them do so. This season features the usual line up of five rangers – just like previous seasons – but instead of three young men and two young women, there is only one young lady this time. That’s actually pretty interesting considering that’s how it usually is in the Japanese program that the show is adapted from.

However, that’s not the only significant change. Anyone that reads my editorials knows that I’m a big supporter of diversity on television. And by big, I mean colossal. This is why it pleases me to see a team of ethnically diverse superheroes this season. We have Brennan Mejia, a talented and athletically fit Mexican actor portraying Tyler, the Red Ranger and leader of the team. We also have Yoshua Sudarso, a gifted Idonesian actor portraying Koda, the Blue Ranger – the one Ranger that I always used to be on the playground as a child. But perhaps most notable is the fact that fans of the series have now been treated to an African-American Pink Ranger, the first time this has ever happened in Power Rangers history.

Consider my mind blown.

As Shelby, the Pink Ranger, Camille Hyde brings a certain warmth to the role. Now, I know some enthusiasts probably don’t want to make such a big deal about diversity in a program that’s typically aimed towards children. However, the fact of the matter is that it is now 2015. The world is colorful. I commend the brains behind Dino Charge for choosing a cast of capable young actors that children will not only be able to look up to, but see themselves in. I personally feel that there is something to be said of the fact that the first episode predominately featured both the Red Ranger and Pink Ranger in leading roles. In fact, they were the only two Rangers given the chance to change – ahem, morph – into their superhero counterparts to take down a monster wreaking havoc. I have but one word for this – Awesome!

Perchance the same thing can be said about the writing of the show as well. I noticed a massive improvement in the script over the last season of the series, Megaforce. When watching Megaforce, I often found myself confused and unnerved by numerous plot holes and unanswered questions. However, Dino Charge seems to have a solid plot. The pilot episode did a hell of a job setting up the season and establishing the mythology for the show. It was a full ten minutes before the main cast members were even introduced – and the Green Ranger, one of the core members of the team, didn’t even make an appearance in the episode. That’s a bold move by Power Ranger standards. Heck, that’s a bold move by television standards period.

My only real complaint is that I feel Nickelodeon should have just aired the second episode after the first. I think a one hour premiere would have been more effective. However, if suspense is what they were looking to create then they have certainly done well. Make no doubt about it, I will definitely be tuning in next Saturday.

After all, if history is any indication, these Rangers are here to stay.

Hey, there! Keep up with writer Jaylen Christie by following him on Twitter @thesuperflynerd! Tweet him! He’ll tweet you back!

Every year or so there is a life-changing movie released in cinemas that completely alters the way an individual may perceive film. Generally these movies are epic, thought-provoking and ultimately very captivating. Pardon my slang, but Transcendence ain’t one of those movies. Released back in April to negative reviews, the film has now arrived on Blu-ray/DVD and isn’t much better despite the high definition treatment.

The movie tells the story of Dr. Will Caster, played convincingly by the talented Johnny Depp, an influential leader in the field of artificial intelligence. Caster is working to create a sentient machine that combines mankind’s collective intelligence with true human emotion. As with most films of this genre, this protagonist has his share of issues – the main one being that several radical extremists want him dead. Apparently they aren’t fans of technology. After a threat on his life, Caster records and uploads his mind and thoughts into a supercomputer to achieve, ahem, transcendence. Nice, right?

Before I move forward in my own review, I’d just like to point out that I am a kind person. I’d like to think of myself as a positive journalist. I try my darndest to stay upbeat. In keeping with my encouraging philosophies, I’ll try to remain as positive as I can in this review. With that being said, let’s focus on the good in the Transcendence Blu-ray, shall we?

For starters, you can’t go wrong with the cast. While some critics heavily criticized the characters in the film, I though the actors and actresses who portrayed them did a good job. I’ve always been a fan of Depp’s. The man can do no wrong. The same can be said of Academy Award winner Morgan Freeman and Cillian Murphy. Despite a dull script, these three actors successfully managed to keep things fresh and interesting.

That should count for something, right? I certainly think so.

One of the things that the Blu-ray release has going for it is the inclusion of several special features. I’m a sucker for behind-the-scenes material. To that end, Transcendence does not disappoint. There are a handful of special features including an interview with cast and crew to discuss the concept of the film’s plot, a chat with the director on how he went about keeping things visually appealing, and a cool tidbit with scientists and filmmakers discussing the potential of artificial intelligence in the world. There are also trailers and viral videos.

Transcendence runs approximately 119 minutes and is presented in 1080p high definition 16×9 2.4:1. The picture is clear and the sound is just as stellar thanks to Dolby Digital. This seems to be the standard when it comes to Warner Brothers’ releases. Not bad.

Given the fact that Transcendence barely recovered its $100 million dollar budget, I’m not quite sure how this Blu-ray is going to sell. I’m not quite sure I’d recommend dropping $20 plus bucks on this one. You want my opinion? I say wait until it arrives on Netflix.

Trust me on this one. You’ll be glad you did. However, if you’re a hardcore Johnny Depp or sci-fi fan, then you can order your copy from the links below.

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Scintillating is the word when it comes to Lifetime’s Devious Maids. Now in its sophomore season, the entertaining soapy sudser about resilient and resourceful Latina maids working for the rich and snobbish A-list of Beverly Hills is arguably one of the network’s most talked about shows – and for that matter, perhaps one of its most ethnically diverse. Don’t believe me? Just tune in for yourself. Go ahead. Try it!

Ask anyone who knows me and they’ll tell you that I am a firm advocate for more, um, color on the airwaves. What can I say? I’m an equal opportunity television junkie. With that being said, it shouldn’t come as a surprise that Devious Maids is one of my favorite programs. Not only is the writing spot on and the mystery intriguing, but the talented cast boasts some of the most ethnically diverse faces on television today. This season introduced a brand new family of characters to this mix – the Millers, a super wealthy yet super dysfunctional African-American household with a crap ton of issues.

Needless to say, I was definitely intrigued.

If you haven’t been watching this season of Devious Maids, then you need to jump on board. The Millers have proven their staying power and have enough interest to keep viewers glued to the screen. For those who watch religiously, you know what I’m talking about. For those who haven’t been tuning in, shame on you. Let me bring you up to speed…

The head of this new household is Kenneth Miller, a wealthy gentleman who has suffered a stroke and is now bound to a wheelchair. His wife is Didi. She’s half his age … and did I mention she’s a former stripper? Priceless! Didi clashes regularly with Lucinda, Kenneth’s daughter whose own daughter was taken away from her when Kenneth forced her to give her up for adoption. Then there’s Reggie, Kenneth’s nephew who also happens to be a lawyer and a certified gold digger. It was recently revealed that Reggie is playing all of them by manipulating poor Kenneth into unwillingly handing over to him the family fortune, kicking Lucinda out of the house and instigating a divorce between Kenneth and Didi. Fortunately, as the last episode revealed, their resident maid – the lovable and religious Rosie Falta, played wonderfully by the capable Dania Ramirez, is on to him.

Sounds interesting, right? While there may be some people of color out there who will claim that this is stereotypical, I would encourage those same individuals to examine the show’s other principle storylines with its Caucasian characters and their own dysfunctional families. For starters, there’s Evelyn Powell (my favorite character) who is cheating on her husband with his bodyguard. Genevieve Delatour (the hilarious Susan Lucci) recently tried to set her maid Zoila up with a male prostitute. Spence Westmore (Grant Show) has a borderline psychotic nephew who just tried to poison him with a cleaning solution. Oh, and Opal Sinclaire (Joanna P. Adler) is a murderer.

See? Drama for everyone!

The Millers are compelling in that the writers have been able to cook up something for each of them to do in every episode this season. That’s a real testament to the creative team behind this program … who also happened to be the minds behind another hit soap that ran on ABC for eight straight seasons. Anyone ever heard of Desperate Housewives?

Back in its heyday, that program was a powerhouse for ABC and introduced its own African-American family during its uneven second season. Despite being headed by four time Emmy Award winner Alfre Woodard, that storyline was universally panned by critics. I think it’s safe to say that the creative team behind Devious Maids, including Desperate Housewives creator Marc Cherry and former Desperate Housewife Eva Longoria, have learned from that disaster.

So, will the Millers be back next season? I certainly hope so. The cast is certainly talented enough. Tiffany Hines has been a real joy to watch as Didi, and Kimberly Hebert Gregory has successfully managed to make viewers laugh and shed a few tears as Lucinda. Both actresses have good chemistry with one another and with Ramirez who has shared scenes with them both. My only complaint is that the Millers have been somewhat isolated from the other households. I’d love to see them interact with Evelyn or Genevieve. Perchance that can be rectified next season. A fellow can dream, right?

According to Variety, the show drew three million viewers for the finale of its first season last year which was a 50 percent increase from its debut episode. It seems to be the perfect summer show. If Devious Maids get picked up for season three, maybe we’ll be seeing more of the Millers. Who knows? Maybe we’ll get Japanese characters or perhaps a family from India? I’m all for it!

After all, everyone can be a little devious, right?

Keep up with writer Jaylen Christie by following him on Twitter @thesuperflynerd!

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It’s fascinating to me how prominent cable networks have become as I’ve gotten older. Let’s take TNT for example. Over the past ten years, the network has developed some pretty impressive programming – gritty dramas and captivating procedurals that manage to keep audiences glued to the screen. Rizzoli & Isles is one such program.

Based on the popular novels by Tess Gerritsen, Rizzoli & Isles premiered back in 2010 and has been going strong ever since. In fact, I do believe it’s one of TNT’s sturdiest shows. I know that’s what my mother believes. She and my father watch it religiously. Me? I tended to gravitate towards The Closer – one of TNT’s other stand out procedurals. However, I think I may be hopping onto the Rizzoli & Isles bandwagon. A simple look at season four of the show, starring Angie Harmon (the one actress who honestly never seems to age) and Sasha Alexander (who’s easy on the eyes as well), was all it took to get me hooked like a fish. Consider me entertained.

Newly released on a four disc set, season four of Rizzoli & Isles is both sharp and engaging. All sixteen episodes are included in the set and feature non-stop action and a few laughs – a good mix in my opinion. The premise – two women: one a badass cop (Harmon), and the other a clever medical examiner (Alexander) saving Boston from a bunch of baddies is certainly fresh in a television arena that is overly populated by men. The characters Jane Rizzoli and Maura Isles are good friends and good at their jobs for that matter. Together, they use their proficient dexterities and instincts to examine cadavers, nail criminals and ultimately crack the case.

Storylines this season include Rizzoli pondering starting a possible romance with a gentleman who isn’t in her zip code … because everyone knows that long distance relationships can work, right? Meanwhile, Isles is struggling to cope with issues involving her biological family as she learns more about their shady past. Other plots include the duo investigating a number of typical cases such as a deadly shooting at a community parade and the brutal killing of an overzealous journalism student.

Yikes! That’s what I studied in college.

I digress. Here’s something worthy of note – Rizzoli & Isles has indeed remained a top ratings performer on TNT. During season four, the procedural was number one among total viewers, adults 18 – 49 & 25 – 54 and women 18 – 49 & 25 – 54 in its Tuesday time slot at 9:00 p.m. Impressive, right? Furthermore, it averaged nearly eight million viewers per episode resulting in a seven percent increase versus season three.

Now that’s worth bragging about!

I’m a sucker for bonus features on DVD releases, so I’m happy to report that Warner Brothers included a couple. There are two special features : a documentary detailing how one of the executive producers’ past as a journalist helps to make details of the plot seem more authentic, and a rather nice documentary on how the production crew set out to transform Los Angeles into Boston which is where the show is set. Each episode is presented in widescreen and is about an hour long. The total time is 673 minutes. It is also presented in Dolby Digital with 5.1 surround sound.

If you’re into fun procedurals and sharp writing then you certainly can’t go wrong with Rizzoli & Isles: The Complete Fourth Season.

Watching anything else would be a real crime.

Hey, you! I have an idea! Follow me on Twitter @thersuperflynerd

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Growing up, I distinctly remember the Lifetime network made-for-TV movies being appointment television for my mother. I can vividly recall her watching each film intently, glued to the screen — and God help anyone who’d dare interrupt her. It’s funny because I felt the exact same way as I viewed The Gabby Douglas Story, an inspirational biographical film brought to us by the Lifetime Network.

Originally debuting on Lifetime back in February, The Gabby Douglas Story is now on DVD, and I couldn’t be happier. As someone who writes about minorities in television and film and yearns for more, um, colorful fare on the airwaves, I believe this film is just what the doctor ordered. By now, we should all know just who Gabrielle Douglas is, but for those of you living under a rock, I’ll bring you up to speed free of charge. Douglas, a real girl wonder, turned heads in 2012 when at the age of 16 she became the first African-American gymnast in Olympic history to become the individual all-around champion. Additionally, Douglas also became the first American gymnast – period – to win gold medals in both the individual all-around and team competitions.

That’s right, folks. This chick is bad.

But bad in the good way! Good is the same word that can be used to describe the film which I honestly found very entertaining. Here at the offices of CliqueClack, I’m probably known as the writer who’s overly opinionated and possibly hard to please … and that’s fine. However, in all sincerity, this film was really fun to watch and is undoubtedly perfect for family viewing which is great in this day and age.

What I truly liked about the film, aside from the encouraging story itself, was the brilliant casting choices in Regina King, S. Epatha Merkerson and Imani Hakim as Douglas herself. I’ve been a fan of King’s since I saw Ray back in 2005, and I think we all know that Merkerson can do no wrong. However, I was particularly impressed with Hakim’s performance as the title character. It was in college that I discovered this young actress on Everybody Hates Chris which was being syndicated on BET. As Douglas, Hakim showcases strength, perseverance and makes the Olympic champion somewhat relatable. That’s pretty good in my opinion.

I’m not ashamed to admit that I found myself talking to the screen a few times. What can I say? I was captivated. The movie comes from Sony Pictures Home Entertainment and is presented in 1.78:1 anamorphic widescreen. Its audio is done by the lovely folks at Dolby Digital, and its subtitles come in English, English SDH, and French. That’s pretty typical. What I would have enjoyed is the inclusion of some behind-the-scenes features. The DVD is sorely lacking a commentary, bloopers or featurettes with cast interviews. That’s a bit of a letdown, but I suppose the quality of the film makes up for it. The director cleverly interjects real footage of Douglas herself performing several amazing gymnastic feats … and there’s a nice cameo from the Olympian at the beginning as well. That has to count for something.

Take my advice and pick this DVD up. It’s good for watching with your family, especially young girls with big dreams. A lack of bonus features may keep it from winning the gold – but silver’s never been bad in my book.

Follow me on Twitter @thesuperflynerd!

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While it may be safe to say that movies are indeed a dime a dozen, good films are in fact few and far between. Take it from me, folks. I’ve been watching films since I was a kid. From what I can ascertain, it seems that back in the early days of motion pictures, it was a non-negotiable prerequisite to produce quality films. These days, the bad outweighs the good. This is why it comes as such a welcome relief to see Warner Brothers releasing DVDs from their awesome Archive Collection. Look at it like the Disney vault – but instead of fun animated sing-alongs, it’s live action thrillers.

One of the films that have been recently released from the Warner Archive Collection is Heart of Darkness, the 1993 thriller starring John Malkovich from RED and RED 2 and Tim Roth whom I’d only known from his role in 2008’s The Incredible Hulk.

I’m pretty sure I just dated myself. Don’t judge me.

As someone who appreciates films, I really don’t mind the fact that Heart of Darkness is over 20 years old. In fact, I thought that made it all the more fun. The movie was made for television and was based on the novel by Joseph Conrad. It’s really quite entertaining.

Picture it – steamy Africa, the turn of the century. There is a group of determined colonial traders who are out scouring for treasure. Among the traders is Marlow, played convincingly by Roth despite what others may tell you. Along his expedition through the Congo, Marlow hears tell of the mysterious Mr. Kurtz, a disturbed chief of a remote trading station. This, of course, peaks his interest. As Marlow gets closer to finding Kurtz, he soon learns that Mr. Kurtz isn’t as mysterious as he is bonkers, and is now up to no good. Spooky, eh?

The film isn’t a bad way to kill 100 minutes especially when one has nothing to do. The locations were beautiful and breathtaking. One of the things that I particularly enjoyed, aside from a cameo appearance from supermodel Iman, was the scenery of the jungle and the different shots of Africa in addition to some of the actors and actresses recruited to portray the natives. Being a big Indiana Jones fan, I’m a sucker for things like this. I’m also a sucker for bonus features … which this DVD sorely lacks.

There are no gag reels, no behind-the-scenes interviews, no director commentary or deleted scenes. Instead there is just a bland menu screen with a shot of the famous Warner Brothers tower. I could complain about this but I suppose the film wasn’t released for those wanting more behind-the-scenes information. After all, as stated earlier, this is a made-for-television film. I won’t dock them for that. Besides, it’s probably not geared towards individuals in my age demographic. That’s fine.

Heart of Darkness is approximately 105 minutes and is presented in a full screen ratio of 1.37:1. Additionally, it is also showcased in Dolby Digital. Certainly can’t go wrong there. I enjoyed it for what it was – a fun and mysterious adaptation of a good read.

Here’s hoping that the folks at Warner Brothers keep releasing more.

Editor’s note: Conrad’s Heart of Darkness was used as the basis for Apocalypse Now with Marlon Brando in the Kurtz role. Heart of Darkness was provided for review on DVD by the Warner Archive Collection.

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When it comes to motion pictures, I typically tend to lean more towards comedies. What can I say? It’s just my comfort zone. It’s for this fact alone that it came as a bit of a surprise to my friends that I opted to watch a movie such as Prisoners, a film that’s not only gritty but damn near depressing — but depressing in a good way. Headlined by Hugh Jackman, whom we all know and love as Wolverine in the X-Men series, Prisoners is one humorless movie.

The film centers on Jackman who plays a determined father who must come to terms with the reality that his young daughter has been kidnapped and possibly murdered along with her best friend. As family members and friends deal with her tragic and mysterious disappearance, Jackman’s Keller Dover — what the hell kind of name is that? — launches an all-out war on the young man who he believes may be the culprit. Complicating things is the fact that this man, played wonderfully by Paul Dano, has the IQ of a 10-year-old and isn’t big on talking and sharing feelings. Things get a bit disturbing with some pretty frightening torture scenes and squirm-inducing images. It’s worth noting that the film was once rated NC-17 before being edited to earn an R rating. Still, it makes for some remarkably tough stuff.

With that being said, how does all of this do on BluRay?

Well, in my humble opinion, that’s rather hard to say. Never one to skimp on crystal clear visuals, Warner Brothers chose to release Prisoners in 1080p high definition — which on a movie with vibrant colors would work wonders. Pardon my slang but Prisoners ain’t that kind of movie. From the second the movie begins, the color scheme is dark, dreary and bleak. There’s hardly any sunshine. There’s an overcast in the first few outdoor scenes and everything is just grim. Perchance that’s what the film is going for. Nevertheless, when it comes to high definition, I like to see my films in color.

The DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 mix is a nice touch, but is pretty customary when it comes to releases from Warner Brothers as is the fact that it comes in English, French and Spanish. What I do like is that the studio chose to release this in a nice combo pack including BluRay, DVD and — drumroll, please — Ultraviolet which seems to be all the rage now. Additionally, the ultraviolet component can be instantly streamed allowing for viewing on different platforms including television, smart phones, tablets and computers.

Not too shabby, Warner Brothers.

It’s just a pity that I can’t say the same about the bonus features. I’m someone who likes to see what goes on behind the scenes of films. Call me nosy. I don’t care. I prefer the word inquisitive. I like audio commentaries. I love deleted scenes. I treasure outtakes. Sadly, Prisoners offers none of those. It only comes with two bonus features including:

• Prisoners – Every Moment Matters (3:05) — A short feature with some of the cast members talking about the subject matter of the movie.
• Prisoners – Powerful Performances (9:22) — A nice feature detailing how the cast worked together and played to their strengths.

That last feature was actually worth including on the disc. The cast for this film is indeed incredible. There honestly isn’t a single weak link, and even though Jackman is the lead, costars like Terrence Howard (who is currently making quite the splash in The Best Man Holiday), Viola Davis, Maria Bello and Melissa Leo manage to steal the show whenever they are on screen … especially Leo who’s practically unrecognizable. In fact, I was really impressed with her performance. Quite frankly, I think she may deserve an award.

So, what’s my take on the BluRay release? Eh. It’s whatever. Purchase the BluRay for the film itself and not for the special features.

Anything else would be a real crime.

Warner Home Video kindly provided CliqueClack with a BluRay/DVD Combo package for review.

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It has often been said that absence makes the heart grow fonder. Some people tend to debate this. However, if you ask me, I think it’s factual. This age old adage was proven true when just last weekend The Best Man Holiday, a sequel 13 years in the making, opened with a nice and dandy 30.1 million dollars. This may not come as a shocker to some people. After all, openings in the 30 million dollar range are pretty typical nowadays. However, how many films can you name with an all African-American cast that have opened with these numbers?

Ladies and gentlemen, let’s talk. I don’t know about you, but The Best Man Holiday was a must see event for me, and apparently, for other individuals as well – namely African-American movie goers. According to reports on Entertainment Weekly, on its first day in theaters, the film was successful in beating Thor: The Dark World which is rather impressive. Would you like to know something else impressive? Thor, being a justifiable blockbuster — which I enjoyed by the way — is playing in over 8,000 theaters. The Best Man Holiday came close to beating it … and is only playing in 2,024 theaters. What can I say? Black folks like a good movie!

It definitely didn’t hurt that the film makes use of the talents of Taye Diggs, Sanaa Lathan, Morris Chestnut and Nia Long — actors and actresses that may be household names in Black homes, but indifferent names in the homes of others. Sure, there’s Terrence Howard, but he may just be the only cast member to have achieved mainstream status. Now, before I go jumping to conclusions regarding the film’s audience, let me first say that I could very well be wrong. Perhaps it isn’t just African-Americans that are flocking to the cinemas. Perchance these kinds of movies appeal to a wider audience. There has definitely been an upsurge in the release of movies with casts of color. In addition to The Best Man Holiday, this year saw the release of Peeples, Baggage Claim, The Butler, 12 Years a Slave, 42, and Tyler Perry’s Temptation, and before the new year arrives, two additional movies with Black leads will be released – Black Nativity starring Academy Award winner Jennifer Hudson, and Tyler Perry’s A Madea Christmas.

Forget the color orange. Clearly 2013 is the new black!

But is this a rarity? Try as I might, I simply cannot remember the last time there was an abundance of films with leads that look just like me. I’m not saying that I’m offended. I’m merely making an observation. When it comes to the team of fantastic writers here at CliqueClack, I’m probably one of the ones known for starting a damn debate. And that’s fine. Nevertheless, I’ll be good and keep my mouth shut for this editorial. However, I do feel that there should be more films depicting more people of color — Blacks, Asians, Hispanics, you name it.

In my opinion there have been positive strides on television. Lifetime’s wonderfully wicked Devious Maids featuring five talented Latina actresses — including the gorgeous and very talented Roselyn Sanchez — was appointment television for me, and Mindy Kaling is doing fantastic on her Fox sitcom. The same can be said about Dani Pudi on NBC’s Community, Kerry Washington on ABC’s Scandal, Sofia Vergara on ABC’s Modern Family and Reshma Shetty on USA’s Royal Pains.  I just think we need more movies with colorful casts — but I’ll certainly settle for quality over quantity. I mean, let’s keep it real – A Madea Christmas isn’t going to be Oscar worthy … or worth the price of admission either for that matter. However, if there’s one thing you can count on it’s that Black folks will support it.

Could this be because we’re under-served in cinemas? Some theorists in Hollywood have argued that point. I’ll leave that up for debate. However, the fact of the matter is we like movies and typically tend to support the ones that we’re in since they tend to be few and far between. I own over 500 Blu Rays and DVD. I’m frequently at my local AMC. For the season of Lent, my pastor challenged me to give up going to the movies. Needless to say, I failed … horrendously. What I’m trying to say is that we will pay money to see a movie. This was undoubtedly proven with The Best Man Holiday which not only received an “A+” from CinemaScore, but featured an audience that was 87 percent African-American during its opening weekend. Universal Pictures has taken notice.

It was recently announced that Universal has ordered a third installment of The Best Man series and the cast is expected to return. When that movie is released, I would like to see it accompanied by a slew of other motion pictures featuring casts from a variety of different ethnic groups. Isn’t variety the spice of life? In my opinion, it is and I would like to see more of it on the silver screen. Besides, The Best Man Holiday has now given more colorful audiences a foot in the door.

Perchance we can kick it down with the other foot.

Hey, you! Enjoy what you read? Follow the author, Jaylen Christie, on Twitter @thesuperflynerd! 

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It has often been said that behind every great man is a great woman. No one seems to know this better than the folks at Marvel Entertainment. If you ask me, those writers know a thing or two about crafting strong female characters. Let’s momentarily take the focus off of Captain America, Iron Man and those other two super-powered guys in that little summer blockbuster that came out last year. Instead, let’s place a little emphasis on their love interests – the strong, outspoken, assertive women that aren’t only beautiful, but have purpose.

Leading the pack, in my humble opinion, is Peggy Carter, Captain America’s main squeeze and card-carrying bad ass. Ask any of my nerd friends, and they’ll tell you that Peggy’s always been my favorite of the Marvel ladies. Pepper’s spunky, Betty’s clever and Jane is inquisitive. Conversely, Peggy is the one to call to get the job done. To that end, you can imagine my delight when I discovered that she was the star of her very own short film – Agent Carter – found on the recent Blu-Ray release of Iron Man 3. Ah, how happy I was.

You see, the thing you need to know about Peggy Carter is that she doesn’t take any crap. Period. Fans, including myself, were left hanging at the end of Captain America: The First Avenger when the star-spangled superhero found himself in modern-day New York City after having been frozen and leaving Peggy behind in the 1940’s. I was always curious about what became of Peggy. Did she move on? Was she depressed? Was she exposed to gamma radiation?

Inquiring minds wanted to know.

Well, it turns out that Peggy is still an agent – and a damn good one at that. Agent Carter picks up a year after the events of Captain America and depicts the character as having been reduced to nothing more than a mere secretary in a male dominated work environment. Apparently, she’s been removed from field work and hasn’t been given a meaty assignment. Her sexist boss believes she’s nothing more than Captain America’s girlfriend — which she takes as an insult. Evidently the guy didn’t see Peggy in the first Captain America movie.

Needless to say, Peggy grows tired of her new vocation and decides to take care of business. I’d stop reading here if you don’t want spoilers. After her boss and the sexist dudes leave Peggy alone at work to file papers, she takes a call from a field operative and receives a dangerous assignment meant for three to five (male) agents. Peggy decides to handle it alone, and singlehandedly takes out several baddies in the process. There is a point where she’s nearly strangled to death, but I didn’t break a single sweat because I knew Peggy could get out of it. Like I said before, Peggy is the one to call in order to get the job done. What I liked about the short film is that it showcased what Peggy Carter is capable of. The film shows that she is proficient in detective work, data entry and writing a substantial report. Clearly she has a head on her shoulders. Despite this, Peggy’s not some helpless damsel in distress. She’s just as tough as her male counterparts and has a feminine side. She uses a compact to check her makeup one minute, and a second later spins around to fire several rounds at a metal door to create a hole large enough to toss a gas grenade inside to knock out a bad guy. Another scene depicts her subduing two burly men with several quick jabs and lightning fast kicks.

Where has this woman been all of my life?

The film also boasts a nice cameo by Dominic Cooper as Howard Stark who offers Peggy an interesting business related proposition at the end. Leave it to Marvel to cross promote their characters and superhero groups. Yet, I digress. I like Peggy Carter because she’s three-dimensional. She still carries the black and white photo of Steve Rogers — before his super solider enhancement — around with her. She misses the guy, but is able to put those emotions aside in order to accomplish a task.

It also doesn’t hurt that she’s portrayed by the talented Hayley Atwell, an actress accomplished in film, television and theatre. Atwell owns the character and is a natural in the role. Perchance this is why ABC Studios is tinkering with the idea of giving her an Agent Carter television series. I don’t see why not. Television seems to be lacking when it comes to programming with butt-kicking female leads. Besides, superheroes appear to be all the rage now. Arrow seems to be doing rather well on The CW. If Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. performs admirably on ABC — which it may do if my friend Ivey is correct – it could be good news for Atwell … and me. I wouldn’t mind seeing a tough chick on the small screen.

After all, if there’s one thing I’ve learned it’s that a superwoman can do anything that a superman can do — but in heels.

Hey, you! Enjoy what you read? Follow the author, Jaylen Christie, on Twitter @thesuperflynerd! 

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It seems to be an accepted fact among my colleagues and friends that I’m not particularly fond of scorching temperatures – which is rather interesting considering that summer is one of my all-time favorite seasons. You see, I am a big fan of summer television. In fact, I honestly believe it’s the best form of broadcast programming. While there may be some individuals who don’t particularly share my sentiment, I stand by my unadulterated belief. Simply put, summer TV is damn awesome.

Don’t believe me? Take a gander at your local listings.

I’ve always found diversity to be the spice of life. To that end, I’ve become hooked on several dissimilar, yet remarkably entertaining, shows this summer. The USA Network has become known for offering television programs that are light and fluffy. I’m a big fan of Royal Pains which is one of the shows that I’ve been watching on the network. In fact, it’s become a part of my Wednesday night staple along with the hilarious Baby Daddy on ABC Family, and the always funny The Soul Man on TV Land. On Saturday mornings, my television is locked on Cartoon Network for Beware the Batman, and my Sunday evenings are spent watching Devious Maids on Lifetime.

You see? There really is something for everyone.

Perchance the same can be said about the regular television season – you know, the one that commonly starts in late September and ends in May. Last season, I had trouble finding a new show to watch during the fall and spring. I gave Arrow a shot but that fizzled like a can of Mountain Dew. I even tried Scandal, but it just didn’t do anything for me. While there was honestly a broad selection for me to choose from, I couldn’t find a program that I could enjoy. This certainly isn’t the case for the summer though.

One of the things that I find so amazingly appealing about summer shows is that they have a shorter concentrated season generally consisting of about 13 to 14 episodes as opposed to the standard 24. Television shows that have more episodes usually have to stretch plots out which can become dull, tedious and rather protracted. Does Lost ring a bell? However, by having a shorter season, I find that the pace is sharper and the story flows a bit smoother without having to add in unnecessary filler storylines.

This certainly seems to be working for Devious Maids which has been having one hell of a season on Lifetime. One of the show’s main storylines involves a murder mystery that has been playing out over the course of its 13 episode season. The writers have found a way to cleverly craft the story without having it drag. I think that’s worthy of note. However, sometimes a shorter season can leave one yearning for more.

Such is the case for TV Land’s The Soul Man which is wrapping up its 10 episode second season on August 28. The sitcom, starring Cedric the Entertainer and Niecy Nash, hasn’t earned a third season pick up just yet which is one of the reasons I wanted a longer second season. I’m bummed that it’s ending so soon, and it’s causing me to wonder just what I will replace it with. The fact of the matter is that summer TV lasts only during the, well, summer. Fall TV is on the horizon, and while I am looking forward to the premiere of Almost Human on FOX, I just feel that the fall isn’t the same.

There’s a certain quality to summer programming, an amusing charm. It’s kind of like cotton candy – not much to it, but fun to eat. Summer TV is entertaining. It’s a good way to kick back after a hard day and unwind with a few laughs. Perhaps that’s what I enjoy about it the most – the fact that it’s simple, concise and downright amusing.

Now, that’s what I call hot.

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