Tyler Perry On Critics Who Say His Movies Negatively Portray Black Community

Tyler Perry might be one of the most successful men in the entertainment industry, having built a movie and TV empire, but the producer, director and actor still faces his fair share of critics.

Perry, 46, has come under fire from people who believe that his films are damaging to the black community by exploiting black stereotypes in the characters he creates.

But Perry admits that he's surprised by the backlash.

Read more: Tyler Perry Responds to Critics Who Say His Movies Negatively Portray Black Community

National Society of Film Critics : Best Actor Micheal B Jordan

The National Society of Film Critics voted Micheal B. Jordan best actor for his performance in Creed. Like all other winners his victory was announced via Twitter.

BEST ACTOR: Michael B. Jordan, "Creed"

— NSFC (@NatSocFilmCrix) January 3, 2016

Creed passes the 100 million dollar mark!

By George L. Cook III AfricanAmericanReports.com

Much like the underdog hero that the Ryan Coogler directed film's title refers to, the movie Creed has turned out to be the underdog film that reached blockbuster status.

No, it didn't do Star Wars The Force Awakens type numbers but it did gross 100 million in a very crowded and powerhouse field. The movie has made an estimated $103,456,653 as of 01/03/2016 per Boxoffice.com. The movie grossed 100 million plus while in direct competition with The Hunger Games: Mockinjay Part II, Peanuts, The Good Dinosaur, SPECTRE, and later crossed the 100 million mark in the massive movie presence that is Star Wars The Force Awakens.

The small film had about a 35 million dollar budget and early projections had it making something in the 80 to 85 million range. It obviously meet and exceeded those expectations.

This is quite an accomplishment for director Ryan Coogler and proved that a well made and good film can attract an audience regardless of the competition or color of the cast. The movie could also get an best supporting actor Oscar nomination for Sylvester Stallone thanks to Coogler's direction. Although it's a long shot Tessa Thompson deserves a best supporting actress nomination also.

Don't know if Ryan Coogler or Micheal B. Jordan will be nominated but all involved deserve congratulations.

Let's all give Ryan Coogler and Creed a hand for passing blockbuster status!

Fayetteville NC pastor convinces church gunman to give up rifle

A man with a semi-automatic assault rifle walked into a downtown Fayetteville NC church during a New Year’s Eve prayer service.

The church’s pastor is City Councilman Larry Wright.

The incident at Heal the Land Outreach Ministries, off Campbell Avenue, ended peacefully, although many of the 60 members in attendance were startled, and at least one person — a pregnant woman — slipped out of the service.

Wright said he was able to calm the armed stranger, take away his weapon and then pray for him before Fayetteville police officers arrived.

Wright said the man, who has not been identified by police yet, was carrying the rifle without a clip in one hand and a loaded ammunition clip in the other hand. But, Wright said, he didn’t know if the rifle had a round of ammunition in it.

Wright stepped down quickly from the pulpit when he saw the man, who appeared to be in his late 20s.

The man continued moving toward the front of the church, pointing the rifle into the air.

The two met, near the front of the sanctuary.

“Can I help you?’’ the pastor asked the man.

Wright, who is a 57-year-old retired soldier, said the man’s answer determined his next action.

“If he was belligerent, I was going to tackle him,” said Wright, who is 6-foot-2 and 230 pounds.

But the stranger was calm, and Wright took the weapon from him. He then patted him down, and the pastor summoned four strong deacons to embrace the disarmed man, in an effort to make him feel welcome.

Wright then prayed for the man, who fell to his knees and began crying.

The man was then invited to sit on the front pew, and Wright resumed the Watch Night service. During the altar call at the conclusion, the man came forward and asked for salvation.

“He gave his life to Christ,” Wright said in an interview Saturday with The Fayetteville Observer.

Someone had called 911, and before the service had ended, police had arrived. But Wright said he asked the police to remain outside.

“I didn’t want to interrupt the service,” said the two-term councilman, whose church members call him Bishop Wright.

One of the church deacons, 67-year-old Sylvester Loving, said the congregation had been talking that evening about violence in other churches around the United States, before the man entered with the rifle.

“I think that night the spirit of God was definitely in the place,” Loving said.

Police Department spokesman Lt. David McLaurin said the incident was noted as a “Call for Service.’’ Notes regarding the call, McLaurin said, indicated the man was taken to Cape Fear Valley Medical Center at his request as a voluntary commitment.

Wright said he never got the man’s last name before he was escorted away, but he hopes to contact him again.

“I want to follow up with him and see that he’s getting the help and resources he needs,” Wright said.

[SOURCE]

Court filing says Freddie Gray complained of 'bad back'

Freddie Gray, who died after sustaining a neck injury while riding in a police van in Baltimore, told officers he had a "bad back" weeks before his death, according to court documents filed by attorneys for one of six cops charged in the case.

Lawyers for Caesar Goodson, 46, the officer who drove the van carrying Gray, filed the motion seeking the dead man's medical records last month.

The filing suggest lawyers may try to convince a jury that Gray was already injured at the time of his fatal encounter with police.

Read more: Court filing says Freddie Gray complained of 'bad back'