Teyana Taylor – Cut To The Chase

Written & Directed By: A.V. Rockwell

Cinematography: Eric K. Yue

Editor: Sabine Hoffman And Kristan Sprague

Cast: Teyana Taylor, William Catlett, Aaron Kingsley Adetola, Aven Courtney, Josiah Cross, Alicia Pilgrim, Terri Abney, Delissa Reynolds, Amelia Workman, Adriane Lenox

After unapologetic and fiercely loyal Inez kidnaps her son Terry from the foster care system, mother and son set out to reclaim their sense of home, identity, and stability, in a rapidly changing New York City.

It’s truly a coming-of-age film for most of the characters, especially the mother and the son as we see various points of their life growing up and the hardships and sacrifices. They both must make, but the undeniable thing in everything is how much they love and care for each other.

Choreographer, rapper singer, and now actress Teyana Taylor gives a dynamite lead performance. This is one of the many strengths of the film it is mostly put up on her shoulders, and she knocks it out of the park with nuance and strength.

Even though what her character does is wrong legally she’s doing it for the right reasons and you can’t hate on her for that. No, you know sooner or later as even another character Towers, it’s going to catch up with her.

What is truly appreciated and remarkable about this film is that every detail matters because it has an effect on the rest of the film and the future of the characters.

The film for some might seem like another tale of poverty porn, but it also shows the strength of family and the resilience of spirit and character. When what you do is out of love, and the many hardships you might face, especially when mistakes might define you where you are never given a chance, or at least much of one.

It also doesn’t fall into certain clichés like it shows him the sun trying to have a relationship, but kind of is over before I can even truly start it shows the oncoming gentrification of Harlem in the microaggressions in which the owners try to seem like they’re decent or trying to help you out, but really just trying to drive you out in so that they can get tenants they prefer will overpay

It’s like watching a fight movie I wouldn’t say hard, because of all the horrors and challenges that other films with well in, and only be about this film faces, and sees its way through it, and dealing with it as just a factor of life. You can’t stay stuck on one thing.

I also admire that the film doesn’t present the characters as perfect, but they are good-hearted and decent for the most part. It doesn’t feed into the cliché of a black man not being a father. It shows him actually taking care of this child even though biologically, it’s not truly his, and while we can admire that aspect of him, even he admits he’s not perfect.

The film might be rough around the edges, but it never quite feels like it’s going off on a false note.

Grade: B

Directed By: Fletcher Moules
Story By: Kid Cudi and Kenya Barris
Written By: Ian Edelman, Maurice Williams, Esa Lewis, Sidney Schiff and Judnick Mayard
Editor: Carole Karvetz Aykanian

Featuring: Kid Cudi, Jessica Williams, Laura Harrier, Ty Dolla $ign, Vanessa Hudgens, Timothee Chalamet, Macaulay Culkin, 070 Shake, Jaden Smith, Christopher Abbott, Keith David, Arturo Castro, Teyana Taylor, Luis Guzman, Kenya Barris

Jabari, a charming, streetwear-clad artist on the cusp of real success. After a chance run-in with his cool new photographer neighbor, Meadow, Jabari has to figure out whether he can make space for love in his life.

This was initially supposed to be a series for Netflix before it was decided to just combine all the episodes and make it into a film. Which explains the episodic nature of the film. As well as why the film is broken up into chapters. It’s all for the better here.

This film might come across as a Kid Cudi vanity project. As he created it, produced it, and came up with the story. to go with his album of the same name or the movie was thought out first and he just made music for it. Either way, it is a triumph.

Like the animated Spider-verse movies with the same kind of animation. Only here it is used to tell an urban love story with a lot of surreal imagery and a kind of fantasy version of an urban life love story. That constantly feels like a dream, you want to live in and makes New York into the wonderland you always wanted or remembered. Adding to its legendary status.

This is a movie you wish was told in love action, but the animation makes it come off more magical without it. It might make an impact but not as strong.

Even if the story is familiar as a love story. Only with more modern and hip elements. That is to the overall experience. As we get side characters telling their tales as advice that are comedic elements all their own, and add to the climate, but also shows how what the main character have is special. Especially as this film features characters of color and also adds in certain sexual elements that the spider-verse couldn’t delve into.

The dialogue and script could be a bit sharper, but works leaving room for realism and the reality of the moments.

This truly is a rare type of film where an audience of color gets to see themselves represented in a love story that isn’t all about sex and fighting for your relationship to survive. Where the audience gets a colorful point of view with a diverse cast and cutting-edge animation. While focusing on the love story has something today about microaggressions and the prejudice minorities deal with, especially in professional settings and even the art world. Though that never overpowers the narrative

Grade: B+

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