#NNPA BlackPress

FILM REVIEW: The Rhythm Section

NNPA NEWSWIRE — Two-hundred thirty-nine passengers perish during a plane crash. An investigative journalist, Keith Proctor (Raza Jaffrey, Homeland), tracks down a member of one of the families who died on flight NE027. Stephanie Patrick (Blake Lively, The Town), a drug addict and a prostitute, is shocked to learn that the tragic incident was the result of a bomb. Proctor knows who’s responsible. He knows the players. Stephanie: “Why did you come for me?” Proctor: “You’re another victim. You’re just not dead yet.”

Published

6 years ago

February 2, 2020

Oakland Post

By Dwight Brown NNPA Newswire Film Critic

They tried to conjure the spirits of La Femme Nikita and Atomic Blonde. They didn’t try hard enough.

Tangier, Marseilles, New York, Madrid… Blood is spilled and bodies are found in apartments, houses and buses on several continents in this revenge mystery/thriller. What’s all the commotion?

Two-hundred thirty-nine passengers perish during a plane crash. An investigative journalist, Keith Proctor (Raza Jaffrey, Homeland), tracks down a member of one of the families who died on flight NE027. Stephanie Patrick (Blake Lively, The Town), a drug addict and a prostitute, is shocked to learn that the tragic incident was the result of a bomb. Proctor knows who’s responsible. He knows the players. Stephanie: “Why did you come for me?” Proctor: “You’re another victim. You’re just not dead yet.”

Blake Lively and Sterling K. Brown star in Paramount Pictures’ “The Rhythm Section.”

Before anyone can, say, “Where is my Glock 19?” the lady of the night is training with a mysterious ex-MI6 agent Boyd (Jude Law) to become familiar with the fine arts of espionage, weapons and assassination. Memories of her mom, dad and siblings haunt her. She’s seeks vengeance. Unfortunately, her skills and killer instincts don’t match up with her will. Is she even capable?

Novelist Mark Burnell turned his bestselling book into a screenplay. Not much is lost in the screen adaptation. Stephanie, as the unlikely protagonist, does just enough to pull you into her plight. You’ll want to see if she can step up and do the unconscionable to the deplorables.

Blake Lively stars in Paramount Pictures’ “The Rhythm Section.”

Pity her transformation from hooker to slayer in a 30-day window doesn’t add up. It’s an unlikely transformation, implausible, improbable at best. If she had started out as a former spy, soldier, markswoman, decathlete—something—you might believe she could turn herself into a fight machine. There is nothing on view that shows she can do the job. The film embraces her ineptness, making it part of her persona. But her bumbling executions wear thin fast. It’s a device that might have worked in the novel. On screen, she just looks feeble.

Raza Jaffrey stars in Paramount Pictures’ “The Rhythm Section.”

Guiding the actors and tech crew through the process is Reed Morano, the Emmy-winning director of the very evocative Prime Video series The Handsmaid’s Tale and Starz’s show Power. She made a name for herself as a cinematographer with TV projects (Beyoncé Lemonade). Evidence of her visual flare is in the film’s look and footage.

Shots of international cities and landscapes (cinematographer Sean Bobbitt, 12 Years A Slave) look spectacular. The camera loves close-ups of characters, chest and up. Jittery, arty camerawork follows Stephanie as she runs down streets. Overall color choices (art director Didac Bono), costumes (Eimer Ni Mhaoldomhnaigh, The Fall), production design (Tom Conroy) and set decoration (Crispian Sallis) are unquestionable and fit the locations and genre.

Jude Law and Blake Lively star in Paramount Pictures’ “The Rhythm Section.”

If this film wanted to be included in the same breath as top espionage movies (e.g. Bourne Identity, Carlos) or impress action/thriller fans, it needed intriguing action scenes with dazzling choreography. Fights, gun battles, car chases—those are the staples of these types of films, and unless you get them right, or climb to new heights, they become liabilities. Stephanie’s exploits are never amazing, uncanny. The exception may be the climax of the film, which upon afterthought is ironic and cathartic.

Blake Lively is a strong actress, which she evidenced in the movie The Town. However, she never rises to this occasion, or brings her menacing up to a level that would threaten anybody. Anne Parillaud did in Luc Besson’s La Femme Nikita. She blazed a trail. The other actress who bitch-slapped the genre is Charlize Theron in Atomic Blonde. Her interpretation of Lorraine Broughton, an undercover MI6 agent, is classic. That character is a badass killer who can take a bullet with the best of them, then gun you down. Since Lively never takes her role to that edge, the entire film suffers.

Raza Jaffrey fairs well as the brave journalist. Jude Law has been better in other films and does little to leave his mark on the rogue agent. There is a scary calmness to Tawfeek Barhom’s (Mary Magdalene) portrayal as the suspect Reza. Sterling K. Brown, as an information go-between tied to terrorists and spy agencies, doesn’t make his character stand out. This is the kind of role actors like Denzel Washington, with his acting bravura, would make unforgettable.

It should be noted that the film’s basic theme of terrorist bombings has an anti-Arab overtone that is hard to shake. Even if a lot of the most evil players are non-Muslim, still, something doesn’t feel right.

As the film careens towards its ending, 1h 49 min rolls by pretty quickly (editor Joan Sobel, Nocturnal Animals). Were it not for an incessant series of flashbacks of the Patrick family to remind audiences of Stephanie’s torment, when really Lively’s pained facial expressions are adequate, the film’s pacing would be just about right. You stay engaged for the most part. Waiting and waiting for those scenes that will separate this movie from the next. They never arrive.

It’s said that the difference between modern dance and ballet is that one is all about the movement and the other is about position and image. Reed Morano is accustomed to shooting series that are all about the lasting visual impression. Thrillers tend to be more about actions and mindboggling incidents. If Morano can make that adjustment, with her strong sense of design and affinity for drama, her future films in this genre would be more fun to watch.

Visit NNPA News Wire Film Critic Dwight Brown at DwightBrownInk.com and BlackPressUSA.com.

Oakland Post

Posts by Oakland Post

Up Next

Mahomes, Chiefs rally late to win Super Bowl LIV

Don't Miss

AUTO REVIEW: Hyundai Venue-back to the basics!!

Oakland Post

Click to comment

#NNPA BlackPress

2026 Lucid Air Grand Touring Review — Is This $136K EV Sedan Worth It?

AUTONETWORK ON BLACKPRESSUSA — Finished in Stellar White Metallic with the Tahoe Grand Touring interior, this Lucid makes a strong first impression. The shape is sleek and low, but it still feels elegant instead of trying too hard. Features like soft-close doors, powered illuminated door handles, 20-inch Aero Lite wheels, and the Glass Canopy Roof help the car feel expensive before you even start it.

Published

2 weeks ago

May 3, 2026

Oakland Post

The 2026 Lucid Air Grand Touring is the kind of luxury EV that makes people stop and ask a simple question: Is this really better than a Tesla Model S, Mercedes EQS, or BMW i7? At $136,150, it has to do more than look futuristic. It has to feel special every time you get in it.

Finished in Stellar White Metallic with the Tahoe Grand Touring interior, this Lucid makes a strong first impression. The shape is sleek and low, yet it still feels elegant rather than trying too hard. Features like soft-close doors, powered illuminated door handles, 20-inch Aero Lite wheels, and the Glass Canopy Roof help the car feel expensive before you even start it.

Inside is where the Air Grand Touring really makes its case. The 34-inch Glass Cockpit Display and retractable Pilot Panel screen give the cabin a clean, modern look that still feels different from other EVs. The Tahoe Extended Leather and Lucid Black Alcantara headliner lifts the sense of occasion, and the front seats are a highlight. They are 20-way power-adjustable, heated, ventilated, and include massage. That matters because luxury buyers at this price expect comfort first.

Rear passengers are not ignored either. You get 5-zone heated rear seating, a rear center console display, and power rear and rear side window sunshades. Add in the Surreal Sound Pro system with 21 speakers, and the Air feels like a true long-distance luxury sedan.

Lucid also gives this car serious EV hardware. The dual-motor all-wheel-drive system, 900V+ charging architecture, and Wunderbox onboard charger are big talking points. Buyers in this segment care about range, charging speed, and everyday ease, not just raw performance. That is where the Lucid continues to stand out.

On the technology side, the Air Grand Touring includes DreamDrive Premium, with 3D Surround View Monitoring, Blind Spot Warning, Automatic Park In and Out, Automatic Emergency Braking, and a Driver Monitoring System with distracted and drowsy driver alerts. This one also has DreamDrive Pro, which adds future-capable ADAS hardware.

There are still some real-world annoyances. Based on your notes, the windshield wiper control is hard to find and use, and that matters more than people think in a high-tech car. When controls become less intuitive, even a beautiful interior can feel frustrating.

Still, the 2026 Lucid Air Grand Touring succeeds where it matters most. It feels luxurious, advanced, comfortable, and thoughtfully engineered. For buyers who want an EV sedan that feels truly premium and less common than the usual choices, this Lucid makes a very strong case.

AutoNetwork helps serious car shoppers inspect any new vehicle online before walking into a dealership. I’m Roosevelt — I’ve been reviewing cars and shaping digital car buying and credit union auto leasing since before YouTube car reviews existed.
You’ll find detailed walkaround reviews, POV test drives, and buyer-focused breakdowns covering comfort, space, features, and real-world value.
How to use the channel:

Watch the walkaround of the car you’re considering
Visit AutoNetwork.com for the full review
Check CouponsOffersAndDeals.com for current dealer specials
Walk in already knowing what you want — and what it should cost

Live talk show “AutoNetwork Reports” — Thursdays 3:00 PM ET.
AutoNetwork.com
CouponsOffersAndDeals.com
Affiliate disclosure: some links earn a small commission at no cost to you and help support the channel. Insta360 is one of those partners.

Oakland Post

Posts by Oakland Post

#NNPA BlackPress

Snoop Dogg Celebrates 10 Til’ Midnight at the Compound

LOS ANGELES SENTINEL — The album is paired with a film that stars Snoop Dogg, Hitta J3, G Perico, and Ray Vaughn, and one of the strongest elements of the whole project is that the production stayed rooted right here in Los Angeles.

Published

2 weeks ago

May 3, 2026

admin

Snoop Dogg celebrated the premiere of 10 Til’ Midnight at his Inglewood recording studio & multipurpose facility, The Compound, but the night felt like much more than an album release. It felt like Los Angeles. It felt like legacy. And it felt like another major move from one of the city’s greatest cultural architects as he continues to prove that he is not just dropping music — he is building moments, shaping narratives, and pushing the culture forward in real time.

What made the event so powerful was the clarity behind the vision. During a panel conversation with DJ Hed, Snoop opened up about the heart behind 10 Til’ Midnight, explaining that the project was created to help bridge older and younger generations while also speaking to the long-standing divisions between Bloods and Crips in a unique way through film. That alone gave the project a different kind of weight. This was not just about songs. This was about using creativity as a tool for connection. This was about taking a story rooted in Los Angeles and telling it in a way that could bring people together.

Snoop Congratulated By Rapper & Fellow 10 Til Midnight Cast Member G Perico (CreativeLB/KreativeKapturez)

The album is paired with a film that stars Snoop Dogg, Hitta J3, G Perico, and Ray Vaughn, and one of the strongest elements of the whole project is that the production stayed rooted right here in Los Angeles. The film was shot in the city, including at WePlay Studios in Inglewood, which gave the entire project an even deeper hometown feel. It was not just a West Coast story in content — it was a Los Angeles-made production from the ground up.

That matters because, in a city like this, authenticity still carries weight. Snoop understands how to make sure that what he creates does not just represent Los Angeles on the surface, but actually comes from it.

What also makes 10 Til’ Midnight significant is that it represents another major step in Snoop’s evolution as both an artist and executive. Public reporting around the project identifies it as his 22nd studio album, but the bigger story is what it represents in this season of his life. This is one of several consecutive moves he has made in his 50s that show he is still building, still expanding, and still finding new ways to reinvent what the next chapter looks like.

Snoop Dogg at the Premiere of 10 Til Midnight (CreativeLB/KreativeKapturez)

Now, as the head of Death Row Records and the newly aligned leader of Death Row Pictures, he is taking the brand into a new dimension. That is what made this moment feel bigger than music. Snoop is not just protecting the legacy of Death Row — he is stretching it. He is expanding it beyond records and into film, visual storytelling, and larger creative worlds that can continue carrying the label’s impact forward. Public reporting has noted that this project arrives as part of that broader cinematic push.

That is a major Los Angeles move because the city has always been built on the intersection of music, film, neighborhood identity, and cultural storytelling. With 10 Til’ Midnight, Snoop is leaning all the way into that intersection.

The room at The Compound reflected that. It felt like a private premiere, but it also felt like a statement — a reminder that Snoop Dogg’s staying power has never been based only on nostalgia. It comes from his ability to remain connected, remain visionary, and remain in tune with how to move the culture without losing the essence of who he is.

That is why this premiere mattered. It was not just about celebrating another album. It was about witnessing a Los Angeles legend continue to evolve, continue to unify, and continue to use art to tell stories that hit deeper than entertainment alone.

In that sense, 10 Til’ Midnight became more than a project launch. It became another example of how Snoop Dogg is still taking Los Angeles to the next level — using music, film, and legacy together to build something bigger than a moment.

admin

Posts by admin

#NNPA BlackPress

OP-ED: Small Businesses Need Minnesota to Act on Pass-Through Tax Policy

MINNESOTA SPOKESMAN RECORDER — A Twin Cities immigrant entrepreneur who built several businesses including grocery stores in underserved neighborhoods is calling on Minnesota lawmakers to extend the Pass-Through Entity tax option before it expires, warning that its loss would hit small businesses already recovering from Operation Metro Surge with higher federal tax bills.

Published

2 weeks ago

May 3, 2026

admin

A Twin Cities Small Business Owner Is Urging Minnesota to Extend a Tax Policy That Could Save Thousands of Businesses

By Daniel Hernandez | Minnesota Spokesman Recorder

I came to the United States as a teenager with a clear goal: to build something meaningful through hard work. I put in long days in construction, restaurants, and landscaping; doing whatever it took to learn, save, and eventually start my own business.

Over time, I built and ran several successful ventures, including an event photography company, a magazine, a tax and accounting firm, and now grocery stores serving neighborhoods across the Twin Cities where other retailers chose not to invest. I’ve created jobs, supported families, and committed to communities that deserve stability and opportunity.

That’s why I’m speaking out now.

Small business owners in Minneapolis and the communities we serve are recovering from serious disruptions, including the impacts of Operation Metro Surge. That event hit immigrant communities especially hard. In my own case, I lost nearly half of my 60 employees and saw revenue drop by about 85%. While I worked to provide competitive wages, health benefits, and paid time off, the real hardship fell on the people who lost their jobs and income.

Even as we rebuild, small businesses are facing another challenge. The Minnesota Legislature is considering letting an important tax policy expire: the Pass-Through Entity tax option.

Here’s what that means in plain terms.

Many small businesses, including mine, are pass-through businesses. That means the business itself doesn’t pay income tax. Instead, the owners report the income on their personal tax returns. But under current federal rules, there’s a limit on how much state tax we can deduct. That often leads to higher federal tax bills.

The Pass-Through Entity option fixes that. It allows the business to pay the state tax directly, which means the business can fully deduct those taxes on its federal return and lower the total amount of income taxed federally. The result is straightforward: small business owners pay less in federal taxes, without reducing what the state collects.

This policy is not new or controversial. Thirty-six states already offer it. It doesn’t cost Minnesota anything, it’s revenue neutral. And it benefits more than 66,000 businesses across the state.

In a state where the cost of doing business is already high, it’s hard to understand why we wouldn’t offer the same basic tax treatment as states like California and Illinois.

Small businesses have carried a heavy load in recent years, through a pandemic, rising costs and public safety disruptions. We’ve adapted, reinvested and stayed committed to our communities. What we need now are practical policies that support that work, not make it harder.

If the Minnesota House does not act soon, many businesses will face significantly higher federal tax bills. That’s money that could otherwise be used to hire workers, raise wages or reinvest in local neighborhoods.

I urge Gov. Tim Walz and members of the House Tax Committee to pass House File 3127 and extend the Pass-Through Entity election.

Small businesses are the backbone of our communities. We’ve proven our resilience. Now we need our state leaders to show the same commitment to us.

Daniel Hernandez is the owner of Colonial Market located at 2100 E. Lake St.

Excerpt:

Photo Captions:

Website Tags and SEO Keywords:

Twitter (X) Tags and Handles: