Cover Girl. Jessica Reedy.

I'd like to introduce you to a friend of mine. Meet Jessica Reedy. Back in college, I trained her as a journalist, but she schooled me on singing. As professional as our Dean required us to be in the office, no one cared how much she sang.

Even as a freshman at Tougaloo College, Reedy had that golden voice and the stage presence to match. We thought they didn't make'em like this anymore.

She is...Sunday's Best. Interview later to come.




J. Harlem

J.HAR EXCLUSIVE Movie Review: Obsessed

It’s a sticky situation when a temp worker begins to lust after her uber successful authority. I’ve seen it happen a million times on Lifetime but this go-round, it’s a little different.

Sony Pictures brings us into the lives of three people entangled in a whirlwind of lust, flirtation, and rage.

Idris Elba, who plays “Derek Charles”, a successful asset manager for Gage Bendix Management Company, has just received a huge promotion. Elba’s plays a clean-cut, laid back businessman married to his loving wife Sharon, played by none other than Beyoncé Knowles.

The film builds on the intimate chemistry of Derek and Sharon’s marriage, highlighting certain features of their home life, trust, and their son, Kyle. This relationship is contrasted with the increasing friction between Derek and his office’s new temp Lisa, played by Ali Larter.

From the beginning, Lisa’s lusty interest in Derek spills into the obvious and gets the ball rolling onto dangerous ground. Drenching herself in faux innocence with bad-girl flair, she manages to turn the heads of all the men in the office and quickly positions herself closer to Derek.

From a few drinks with Derek at a co-worker’s party and a list of naughty emails to an attempted suicide scheme and a steamy bedroom set-up, Lisa believes she’s cooked up the perfect recipe for martial sabotage. Sadly, Derek allows himself to get tangled in Lisa’s web (and in the men’s room stall) and soon, Sharon begins to take matters into her own hands. Sharon’s willingness to fight tooth-and-nail for her marriage results in a nasty cat fight and when temper’s flare, accidents happen.

This film is pretty much in the character range of both Elba and Larter, but takes on a new horizon for Knowles, as this role is a new one for her. As in Cadillac Records, Knowles plays a strong, determined character, but with a different kind of strength.

I won’t give away the ending or the surprising details, but from the trailer, you can gather the suspense and turmoil these three endure throughout the movie. Trailers can’t thoroughly provide the intimate connections audiences develop with characters…which is why this film is a must-see.

The film hits theaters April 24.

Jackson Harlem

J.HAR Movie Review: Cadillac Records

What the Hell You Know About the Blues
By Jackson Harlem

Sony’s upcoming film, "Cadillac Records," in which Beyoncé Knowles-Carter plays Etta James, is superb. The blues and soul legend Etta James was born as Jamesette Hawkins in Los Angeles in 1938. Her signature hit, the soulful ballad "At Last", set a new tone for blues, soul, and R&B music in America.

The movie, due in theaters Dec. 5, stars Jeffery Wright, Gabrielle Union, Adrien Brody, Columbus Short, Cedric the Entertainer, Emmanuelle Chriqui, and Eamon Walker. The film chronicles the 1950s Chicago music scene and its backstage scandals, recalling both "Dreamgirls" and Taylor Hackford's Oscar-winning "Ray."

To most people’s surprise, the movie isn’t just about Etta James' career; The film chronicles the uprising career of the various artists on Cadillac Records, including Howling Wolf, Muddy Waters [my favorite], Lil’ Walter, and Chuck Berry. The film is layered with so many stories, element and textures, I was impressed. And I can't forget all of the wonderful music sewn into the fabric of the artists' lives.

As an avid thespian, I thought the film is awesome. In addition to being a huge Columbus Short fan, I’m a huge Mos Def fan, who plays Chuck Berry in the film. And I think his role in the movie is awesome. Mos Def always melts his own persona into the characters so that he’s transparent.

[DO check out Short in his new movie Quarantine.]

Now for Beyoncé…I admit, I was a tad bit skeptical because of what this movie demanded of her. But she delivered; I didn’t see Beyoncé, nor did I see Sasha Fierce. I saw a young and sultry James. If you’ve studied her, you’ll understand the dynamics of her bold and aggresive nature. She had to be that way. Her life demanded it of her.

Furthermore, Beyoncé’s weight gain isn’t what grabbed me the most; her acting did. True, Beyonce couldn’t match the velvety huskiness of James’ voice, [James’ voice is a lovely mix between a muted trumpet and a baritone] because technically, her voice is a drastically different classification (i.e. soprano, tenor, etc). But, in terms of character depth, I was highly impressed with the Beyonce's and the entire casts' performance! Especially Jeffery Wright.

Along with Sarah Vaughan, Etta James is near and dear to my musical heart. You may not personally relate to knowing a drug addict, but the scenes where Beyonce almost overdoses and when Brody and Wright pick Beyoncé up off of the bathroom floor, I got emotional.

Cadillac Records comes to theatres DEC 5.