How Xscape Expanded My Netflix Queue to Include a Sports Drama with one Tell-It-All Synopsis #atozchallenge

“As I stand here contemplating on the right thing to decide, will I take the wrong direction, all my life, where will I go? What lies ahead of me? -- And my mind is so confusing. Who would be that special one? Everyday I’m trying to find you all around, I’ve got to know, is there a place for me?”

“Who Can I Run To” by Xscape is a smooth love song that gets frequent plays when I’m listening to Pandora radio or my Xscape playlists in other music services. Although it’s not my favorite song from this 90s group, I will usually jam to it whenever it comes on because I currently do not own a copy of their “Off the Hook” CD. “Who Can I Run To” is about searching for love or being open and ready for the possibility of it -- I think.

Singer Kandi Burruss, who also stars in Bravo’s “Real Housewives of Atlanta,” was among the members of Xscape before this quartet disbanded. Since we’ve already covered love during the A to Z Challenge, in an earlier post for Letter L, let’s instead take a look at one movie that Xscape got me interested in -- “Sunset Park.”

“Sunset Park” is a sports drama about a basketball team led by an inexperienced female coach. Rhea Perlman (the lady from “Cheers”) plays the coach in this movie and I also read somewhere that Terrance Howard is in it as well. It wasn’t until writing todays ‘X’ post that I remembered wanting to see this movie when it came out and never did.

Fast forward to today and I still haven’t watched it, despite the fact that there are more movie rental options available now compared to 1996. Netflix, iTunes, Blockbuster, Redbox, Amazon VOD, YouTube rentals -- hell, even Hulu has movies, so you’d think I would have seen it by now! Nope.

You know what the real kicker is though? When “Sunset Park” was released, I was only interested in seeing it after learning about it from a music video for MC Lyte’s song “Keep on, Keepin’ On” featuring none other than, Xscape! I loved that music video, which features clips from the movie. Of all the millions of dollars that studios spend on movie trailers and all of the energy they put into doing press interviews and such, it was the soundtrack that introduced me to this particular film, about a sport that I don’t play and starring actors that weren’t on my radar much -- go figure!

As I prepare to add “Sunset Park” to my movie rental queue while reading up on it, I noticed that some websites have a funny way of describing this film.

Synopsis from IMDB:
A white school teacher takes over a talented, but undisciplined black high school basketball team and turns them into a winning team.

Well hmmm....when you put it like that, it sounds like we’ve all heard this story before. Maybe in a different setting or sport or line of work (James Belushi in “The Principle,” anyone?), but still. 

Description from Amazon:
Just when things can't get any worse for the Sunset Park basketball team, they get a new coach who's short, white, totally inexperienced...and female.

Urrr Uhh...so, let’s hear it for the sexists! Go team! All jokes aside, I actually like Amazon’s description better because it actually makes me want to rent the film because it peaks the curiosity of the reader -- making you to ask questions like “Well, what went wrong with the Sunset Park basketball team in the first place” and “What is going to happen surrounding their new female leadership?” Amazon’s description tells you what the story is about without letting you know whether they’ll win or lose.

Which synopsis of “Sunset Park” would make YOU want to watch this movie?

Do YOU care whether the description of a movie sums up its entire storyline?

A Wale inspired Movie Dialogue Game #atozchallenge

“I need something to hold, fuck that passive aggression and when I’m back from off the road, don’t ask me no questions please...girl, let me get them ooh, ahhs, then I gotta catch my plane. Say you miss me and you wishing for some private time, girl how can we get that way”

“That Way” by Wale (also featuring Jeremih and Rick Ross) is one of the most entertaining rap songs that I’ve been listening to for a few months now. I don't know what this song is about or if it is even supposed to have a meaning or inspiration behind it at all. Based on the lyrics and music video, my take on the tune is that it chronicles traveling, sex and cheating.

There aren't many movies that come to mind at the moment that encompasses all three of these subjects, except for maybe "Why Do Fools Fall in Love" starring Larenz Tate and Halle Berry. I can, however, think of another movie that Larenz Tate also headlines -- "Love Jones" that has that whole "Whenever Wherever Whatever" by Maxwell feel to it and just so happens to sorta touch on traveling, sex and cheating within its storyline but still suggests a happy ending.

Nina: How do we do this?

Darius: I don't know.

Nina: I live in New York!

Darius: I don't care.

Nina: As usual, your timing couldn't be worse. You always want what you want when you want it. Why does everything have to be so damn urgent with you?

Darius: Let me tell you something, this right here, at this very moment, is all that matters to me. I love you. That's urgent like a motherfucker.

What does this "Love Jones" dialogue have to do with anything, you ask? Well at the time of this writing, I wrote most of it from memory and despite owning a VHS copy of "Love Jones" (currently collecting dust in my apartment), I haven't watched this movie in at least one year. So, while I may not be entirely accurate with what Nina and Darius said to each other in this particular movie scene, I'm pretty sure that I've come damn close to it. Could YOU do the same? Better yet, challenge guests at your next dinner party to try this quick and easy party game that can be setup with little to no fuss, for fun.

Are you familiar with that Fox TV show called “Don't Forget the Lyrics?” Well, let's play a game of Don't Forget the Movie Lines. Finish the dialogue from the following movies that contain some form of sex, traveling or cheating:

Sex: Bruce Willis in "Perfect Strangers" - Show me a beautiful woman and I'll show you....
Answer:  ______________________________

Traveling: Tom Cruise in “Top Gun” - I feel the need....
Answer: ______________________________

Cheating: Kate Winslet in “Titanic” - I’d rather be his....
Answer: ______________________________

Also, I favor Maxwell's "Whenever Wherever Whatever" song moreso than Wale's track but Maxwell didn't make the cut for today’s post because he was already highlighted in an earlier A to Z Challenge post of mine -- for Letter M: Matrimony & Wedding Movie Party Games.

Can YOU finish any of the Sex/Traveling/Cheating movie lines featured in today's post?

V is for Movie Villains - A Wordless Wednesday Rewind #atozchallenge

“All this talk of getting old, it’s getting me down my love...like a cat in a bag, waiting to drown, this time I’m coming down. And I hope you’re thinkin’ of me, as you lay down on your side. Now the drugs don’t work, they just make you worse, but I know I’ll see your face again. “

“The Drugs Don’t Work” by The Verve is one of my favorite songs from this group, despite the fact that it can be pretty depressing to play. Since this has been a cloudy day for me, I’m taking a step back from writing medium to long posts for the A to Z Challenge. Needless to say, today’s V topic has nothing to do with my chosen playlist song. So after taking a page from Jenn at Wine-n-Chat’s book of blog posting today, here is a photo featuring my favorite movie villain, in honor of Wordless Wednesdays. Can YOU guess who it is?

Now, answer me this...
Who is YOUR favorite movie Villain?