Black & A Half

The Longest Running Comedy Podcast In Seattle. Probably.

Episode #145: Child Rearing And Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom

Samantha and Silas talk about Silas’ sudden encounter with his potty training child moments before the podcast, as well as about August Wilson and the new Netflix adaptation of his play Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom. 

Ways to support Black & A Half!!!

Please give us a 5 star rating and review & subscribe to us on iTunes!

Become a supporter on Patreon for a small monthly donation: www.Patreon.com/blackandahalf

Get free stock to trade by clicking these links and support us at the same time

ROBINHOOD – Get a free stock and we will too when you sign up for the stock trading app Robinhood at https://join.robinhood.com/silasl

WeBull – Sign up Webull and get anywhere between 2-4 stocks depending on the promotion when you deposit $100 or more. We get two free stocks when you make that deposit within the first 30 days. Sign up for WeBull here.

Sponsorship

This episode is brought to you by Silas Lindenstein at Boutique Brokerage, real estate agent and host of the top 25 apple podcast – You’re Buying A Home with Silas Lindenstein listen to that here. If you are in the Seattle area and looking to buy or sell a home. Email Silas at Silas@SilasGetsReal.com or text him at 206-351-9230.

If you are out of the Seattle area but looking to buy or sell a home, you can also support Black & A Half by getting a real estate referral partner from Silas. Email him for more info.

Beyond Technique Coaching by Samantha RundSamantha is an actor, comedian, and coach who has performed on stage and screen across the country. Recently, she can be seen on 3 Busy Debras on Adult Swim. She is passionate about enriching and empowering people’s lives through the arts. Her coaching business Beyond Technique Coaching uses performance principles to help people bring more of their whole selves ( voice, body, and mind) to their lives and work. www.samantharund.com

Episode #144: Getting Personal On Stage, Wonder Woman 1984, and a whole lot of Soul

This week, Samantha and Silas talk about getting personal on stage, and discuss the new films Wonder Woman 1984 and Soul. 

Ways to support Black & A Half!!!

Please give us a 5 star rating and review & subscribe to us on iTunes!

Become a supporter on Patreon for a small monthly donation: www.Patreon.com/blackandahalf

Get free stock to trade by clicking these links and support us at the same time

ROBINHOOD – Get a free stock and we will too when you sign up for the stock trading app Robinhood at https://join.robinhood.com/silasl

WeBull – Sign up Webull and get anywhere between 2-4 stocks depending on the promotion when you deposit $100 or more. We get two free stocks when you make that deposit within the first 30 days. Sign up for WeBull here.

Sponsorship

This episode is brought to you by Silas Lindenstein at Boutique Brokerage, real estate agent and host of the top 25 apple podcast – You’re Buying A Home with Silas Lindenstein listen to that here. If you are in the Seattle area and looking to buy or sell a home. Email Silas at Silas@SilasGetsReal.com or text him at 206-351-9230.

If you are out of the Seattle area but looking to buy or sell a home, you can also support Black & A Half by getting a real estate referral partner from Silas. Email him for more info.

Beyond Technique Coaching by Samantha RundSamantha is an actor, comedian, and coach who has performed on stage and screen across the country. Recently, she can be seen on 3 Busy Debras on Adult Swim. She is passionate about enriching and empowering people’s lives through the arts. Her coaching business Beyond Technique Coaching uses performance principles to help people bring more of their whole selves ( voice, body, and mind) to their lives and work. www.samantharund.com

Midnight Sky – Film Review

The Midnight Sky (2020)
PG-13 ‧ Science Fiction ‧ 1h 58m
Screenplay by Mark L Smith 
Based on a book by Lily Brooks-Dalton
Directed by ‎George Clooney

THE CAST

George Clooney, Felicity Jones
David Oyelowo
Tiffany Boone
Demián Bichir
Kyle Chandler
Caoilinn Springall

THE STORY

It stars Clooney as a scientist who must venture through the Arctic Circle to warn off a returning spaceship following a global catastrophe.


THE REVIEW

George Clooney stars in and directs this lovely science fiction film about Scientist Augustine Lofthouse, whose life mission to find habitable planets for humanity finds great irony when Earth faces a sudden catastrophe just as a spacecraft is returning from Jupiter’s moon to tell the world that it is habitable. 

The film follows Lofthouse who has stayed behind at his base while others fled for safety because he is dying from an unknown-to-us disease and so that he can contact the ship heading back to Earth which doesn’t know of the planet’s sudden fate. Lofthouse then faces off against the horrible arctic weather, which is now even worse because of the Earth’s changing condition, as he attempts to reach another base with a stronger antenna that may reach the space travellers.  

The film has some surprises, half of which are predictable, as it splits its time between the events in the ship returning home and the events on Earth with Dr. Lofthouse. Though the time on Earth is often filled with flashbacks. The jumping between locations and times, while interesting, becomes distracting. It almost feel like the film doesn’t know which story it wants to tell and doesn’t have an opportunity to dive into each story too much. 

The film is saved by some fine performances by George Cloony and Felicity Jones who plays a pregnant astronaut and communications specialist. 

It’s a fine film. It’s just that. It is enjoyable though it may not take your breath away, though it’s special effects might, but being a Netflix original, we never would have had the opportunity to see it on the big screen.

I did enjoy watching a science fiction film where the focus was on the people and not the special effects or the action. It’s been a long time since I’ve seen a character driven scifi film.

Listen to full review at blackandahalf.com/episode-147-tiny-toe-prints/

THE BEST

Three BEST things about the film

1. George Clooney’s mostly solo performance scenes.

2. Great job of keeping up the mystery while being vague.

3. Good job of staying within the realm of Science Fiction without getting into fantasy

THE WORST

The three WORST things about the Film

1. Setup was a little obvious.
2. No opportunity for growth of Cloony’s character. 
3. Movie couldn’t decide whether it should be in space or not. 

THE LESSON

You will do anything for family. 

THE FINAL WORD

This scifi film may not be out of the world but it is at least worth a viewing. 

THE VERDICT 
My 3L system gives me the choice to Love It, Like It, or Lose It. 

The Midnight Sky gets a Like It.

A New York Christmas Wedding – Film Review

A New York Christmas Wedding (2020)
TV-MA ‧ Drama/Romance ‧ 2h 12m
Written by Otoja Abit
Directed by ‎Otoja Abit

THE CAST

 Chris Noth, Nia Fairweather, Chris Trousdale

THE STORY

(In their own words) As her Christmas Eve wedding draws near, Jennifer is visited by an angel and shown what could have been if she hadn’t denied her true feelings for her childhood best friend.

THE REVIEW

The search for a new modern Christmas movie to add to my rotation was what brought me to watch A New York Christmas Wedding. The preview clip showed a lot of promise, a Black couple, a guardian angel, a past to re-examine…..ooh! Was this going to be a modern female version of It’s A Wonderful Life. Alas, it may have a spark of inspiration from the Jimmy Stewart Classic, but it certainly isn’t going to be a classic that the masses will enjoy.  


Jennifer is ready to marry a man that she loves. Kind of. In the back of her head is doubt about the life she could have had. Fate decides to let her take a life she would have been like if she had followed her heart and been brave enough to tell her female friend how she really felt about her. 

What follows is a lackluster holiday tale of regret and bad choices, and the film tries really hard, too hard to make an emotional impact with the audience. You know what it’s like when someone tries to hard to get you to like them? That’s this in film form.  


THE BEST

Three BEST things about the film

1. Multicultural cast. 

2. Kind of a modern twist on It’s A Wonderful Life

3. It’s a Christmas film that has more to do with 

THE WORST

The three WORST things about the Film

1. The whole thing feels low budget.
2. The lack of stakes at the end for her “choice.”
3. Lots of the story is forced. 

THE LESSON

If you don’t follow your heart, you’ll never be fully at peace. 

THE FINAL WORD

While it is kind of a nice story, it is kind of forgettable and doesn’t offer anything new to the Cinemark world.  

THE VERDICT 
My 3L system gives me the choice to Love It, Like It, or Lose It. 

A New York Christmas Wedding gets a LOSE IT.

Episode #138: B&H Reviews: Holidate & Yes, God, Yes

On this week’s episode Silas reviews the films “Holidate” and “Yes, God, Yes”. Both recent additions to the Netflix library. 

Episode #137: Jingle Jangle (Not The Drug)

Samantha & Silas talk about the therapeutics of comedy, the new Washington State Covid restrictions. Then, starting at approximately 36:35, they start talking about the new netflix Christmas film Jingle Jangle, A Christmas Journey.

The Boys In The Band – Film Review

The Boys In The Band (2020)
R ‧ Drama ‧ 2h 2m
Screenplay by Mart Crowley, Ned Martel
Based on a play by Matt Crowley
Directed by ‎Joe Mantello

THE CAST

Jim Parsons, Zachary Quinto, Matt Bomer, Andrew Rannells, Charlie Carver, Robin de Jesús, Brian Hutchison, Michael Benjamin Washington, and Tuc Watkins.

THE STORY
 
(In their own words) At a birthday party in 1968 New York, a surprise guest and a drunken game leave seven gay friends reckoning with unspoken feelings and buried truths.

THE REVIEW

I was about ten minutes into The Boys In The Band when I thought “this must have been a play. The writing is way too good.” And indeed it was. I knew the film was a remake of a film from the 70’s, but wasn’t sure it was a play, which it turns out…it was. The first movie was based on a 1968 play of the same name. This 2020 version uses the same cast as a 2018 Broadway revival. And it’s excellent. 

The writing is spectacular. The acting is excellent. The story is compelling. It’s just an all around great film. It’s uncomfortable in its use of gay slurs that were much more commonly used in 1968, and provides a lot of insight into the gay culture of the time. 

Jim Parsons plays the main character, Michael, in a fearless and effortless performance. He is a complex character that you both empathize with and deteste at the same time. Michael allows his straight former college friend, Alan, to visit his home during a planned birthday party with his gay friends. Alan’s reaction of homophobia sends a sober Michael back to drinking and prompts him to play a game with his friends that is exciting, scary, and cruel. 

The dialogue is witty, the monologues are elegant. There isn’t a poor performance in the whole production. This is a great adaptation of a play. 

In whole, it’s a love story. It’s a story of lost love. It’s a story of the love between friends in a world that isn’t accepting of them. It’s a story of love between partners, who are trying to figure out how to move forward. It’s a story of self-discovery and self-love. It’s uncomfortable at times, but you will love to feel uncomfortable. 

THE BEST

Three BEST things about the film

1. The acting 
2. The writing
3. The richness of characters. 

THE WORST

The three WORST things about the Film

1. The slurs. There’s a lot of gay slurs in it which are tough for a modern audience.But I believe accurate.
2. Some untied endings 
3. Knowing it was a play, we know they probably won’t be changing locations in any significant way. This loses some dramatic tension. 

THE LESSON

Love takes courage. 

THE FINAL WORD

This newest adaptation of The Boys In The Band is full of strong performances for a fantastic script. While the source is dated it is an interesting history lesson of gay relationships in the 1970s. 

THE FINAL VERDICT 
My 3L system gives me the choice to Love It, Like It, or Lose It. 

I give this film a ……Love It

Enola Holmes – Film Review

Enola Holmes (2020)
PG-13 ‧ Adventure, Crime, Drama ‧ 2h 3m
Directed by ‎Harry Bradbeer
Screenplay by Jack Thorne
 Based on the book “The Case of the Missing Marquess: An Enola Holmes Mystery” by Nancy Springer

THE CAST

Millie Bobby Brown, Henry Cavill, Helena Bonham Carter, Sam Clafliny Brown

THE STORY

(In their own words) When Enola Holmes-Sherlock’s teen sister-discovers her mother missing, she sets off to find her, becoming a super-sleuth in her own right as she outwits her famous brother and unravels a dangerous conspiracy around a mysterious young Lord.

THE REVIEW

An absolute delight. That really is the best way I can describe this film. It’s fast-paced, witty, interesting, beautifully shot, and filled with fine performances throughout. Starring Millie Bobby Brown from Stranger Things fame as the title role, Enola is a young woman coming to age in a world where men are in charge of her life, despite being raised by her mother who taught her life skills that she can use to survive on her own. When her Mother disappears one day, her famous brother Sherlock and her oldest brother Mycroft come to investigate and look out for her. Elona begins her journey to find her mother as well as a secondary journey of finding herself. 

The story is told through a series of flashbacks of past lessons from the Mother Holmes (played by Helena Bonham Carter) as Enola discovers more clues to her mother’s whereabouts, she brings the audience along on her journey by literally breaking the fourth wall and talking directly to the camera. This is a kind of thing that will usually bother me, but it was wonderful in this film. Brown does a fantastic job in the role and especially at talking to the audience and making us feel included. She plays this spirited character quiet well and seems to be the perfect fit to play Sherlock’s sister. Sherlock Holmes is played by Henry Cavill who really delivers a surprisingly interesting performance.  

The film is ultimately a mystery, so I don’t even want to say anything too specific because the script is pretty multilayered and I don’t want to ruin the surprises for you. I will say that this movie felt like it flew by and I couldn’t believe two hours had passed. It’s shot beautifully and I can’t remember another film in a long time that made me feel like I was part of the action. It’s a film you surely want to see whether you are looking to see a different take on a Sherlock Holmes world building or you just want to discover a new young female sleuth. 

THE BEST

Three BEST things about the film

1. It’s a really fun film. 
2. The presentation of the story is done in a really interesting way. 
3. Does a fantastic job breaking the 4th wall.

THE WORST

The three WORST things about the Film

1. Some of the mystery solving isn’t fair. There’s no way we would know some of the things that they figure out. 
2. There’s quite a few anachronisms with behavior, but honestly, I’m not someone who cares about minor things like that. But I know people who will be bothered by it. 
3. I didn’t find the objectives and goals of Mycroft Holms, Enola’s brother, to be very realistic. Just didn’t think that relationship made sense, but I think they needed a foil there and made him one. 

THE LESSON

I’m reminded of the old saying “Well behaved women rarely make history. 

THE FINAL WORD

This fast-paced romp through England with Sherlock Holmes’ unknown sister will make you look forward to her further adventures even before the film ends. 

THE FINAL VERDICT

My 3L system gives me the choice for each film of Love It, Like It, or Lose it. 

This film gets from me……Love It.

Episode #112: Jessi Milestone & Finding The Center

Streamer and comedian Jessi Milestone joins Samantha & Silas to talk hot topics including baseball players catching COVID, Biden getting ready to choose his running mate, an unexpected discussion of Israel,  and a brief look at the Emmy Nominees, and Silas reviews two films; My Spy and Banana Split. Jessi answers the 7 questions.

Ways to support Black & A Half!!!

Please give us a 5 star rating and review & subscribe to us on iTunes!

Become a supporter on Patreon for a small monthly donation: www.Patreon.com/blackandahalf

Sponsorship

This episode is brought to you by Silas Lindenstein at Skyline Properties. If you are in the Seattle area and looking to buy or sell a home. Email Silas at Silas@SilasGetsReal.com or text him at 206-351-9230.

If you are out of the Seattle area but looking to buy or sell a home, you can also support Black & A Half by getting a real estate referral partner from Silas. Email him for more info.

Beyond Technique Coaching by Samantha Rund.

Samantha is an actor, comedian, and coach who has performed on stage and screen across the country. Recently, she can be seen on 3 Busy Debras on Adult Swim. She is passionate about enriching and empowering people’s lives through the arts. Her coaching business Beyond Technique Coaching uses performance principles to help people bring more of their whole selves ( voice, body, and mind) to their lives and work. www.samantharund.com
Check out her latest coaching video here.

Episode #110: Dwayne Colbert & The Stacking Of Art

This week, Samantha and Silas welcome new Emmy Winner, Dwayne Colbert. They talk his journey from Math major to visual artist, to actor, to now award-winning writer. They also discuss in hot topics; Reopening of school, the Lady A battle, and the new Black Batwoman. Silas gives his streaming recommendation of the film LoveBirds. Plus, Dwayne answers the Seven Questions.

Ways to support Black & A Half!!!

Please give us a 5 star rating and review & subscribe to us on iTunes!

Become a supporter on Patreon for a small monthly donation: www.Patreon.com/blackandahalf

Sponsorship

This episode is brought to you by Silas Lindenstein at Skyline Properties. If you are in the Seattle area and looking to buy or sell a home. Email Silas at Silas@SilasGetsReal.com or text him at 206-351-9230.

If you are out of the Seattle area but looking to buy or sell a home, you can also support Black & A Half by getting a real estate referral partner from Silas. Email him for more info.

Beyond Technique Coaching by Samantha Rund.

Samantha is an actor, comedian, and coach who has performed on stage and screen across the country. Recently, she can be seen on 3 Busy Debras on Adult Swim. She is passionate about enriching and empowering people’s lives through the arts. Her coaching business Beyond Technique Coaching uses performance principles to help people bring more of their whole selves ( voice, body, and mind) to their lives and work. www.samantharund.com
Check out her latest coaching video here.

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