Archives for December 2014

This Scotsman Loves Black Women!

December 22, 2014 By Michelle Matthews-Calloway 12 Comments

Sneak Peek:

We’re launching a Men’s Podcast!

Woot Woot!

We have some VERY BIG plans in store for The Swirl World in 2015.

Behind the scenes we’ve been busier than Santa’s elves, setting things in motion and getting everything in place for the New Year.

And just like the kids who can’t keep the details of Daddy’s Christmas gift a secret, we decided we couldn’t wait until January 1 to share some of our big news – we’re letting you in on some of it NOW.

We have new Avatars, one for the website and regular podcast:

And one for the Men’s Podcast:

And did you notice our new tagline?

WOOT!

The Swirl World Men’s Podcast will feature exclusive interviews with men from every part of the globe – both foreign and domestic.

They’ll be sharing the Who, What, When, Where and How of their love for Black Women, and all from their male perspectives.

First up:

Scottish businessman and philanthropist Kenny Young.

Kenny is a member of The World of the Swirl, which is The Swirl World’s private Facebook group.

When describing himself Kenny says, “I have Irish blood and a Scottish heart.”

Born to Irish parents, Kenny was reared in Scotland and considers himself a Scotsman.

He sat down and chatted with The Swirl World Podcast Co-Host Adrienne London Leach.

Kenny described the origins of his attraction for African women, and very clearly articulated some of the many reasons for his attraction.

He discusses his country, his businesses, his love for Black women and his philanthropic efforts.

Kenyan children express their love for Kenny

Kenny tithes 10 percent of his business profits back to the Kenyan community and is the founder of the City of Hope Foundation. Here, Kenyan children express their love and appreciation for Kenny.

Kenny has a wonderful sense of humor – we know you’re going to love his Scottish brogue!

We especially love the fact that Kenny loves and admires Black women, and proudly proclaims his preference.

If you don’t see the podcast player, you can listen to the podcast by clicking here or here.

If you don’t see the Sound Cloud player, you can listen to the show on Sound Cloud by clicking here.

If you’d like to learn more about The City of Hope Foundation, click here.

Want to be a guest on the podcast, or know someone who should? Send an email to Podcast@TheSwirlWorld.com.

Be sure to “Like” The Swirl World on Facebook and subscribe to the podcast on iTunes.

You can also follow us on Sound Cloud and listen to the show on Stitcher Radio!

Joyll’s Movie Review: Fury

December 20, 2014 By Michelle Matthews-Calloway Leave a Comment

Let’s file this under: This film WILL indeed break your heart (and that’s ok, really it is).

I’ve had the true pleasure of seeing this film twice, and each time brought more tears – and in a way, more hope. Fury stars a phenomenal ensemble cast featuring Brad Pitt, Michael Penã, Shia LeBouf, Jon Bernthal and Logan Lerman.

Fury is the type of film that if you’re human, it will stay with you long after the curtain is drawn and I have to admit the cast is a big reason why.

http://youtu.be/-OGvZoIrXpg

Fury is the story of a tank unit in WWII who has been together a VERY long time because of the intelligence and skills of the group’s leader, Don “Wardaddy” Collier, played masterfully by Brad Pitt. The group has also lasted because of quite a bit of divine intervention helped along by Boyd “Bible” Swan, who is portrayed masterfully by Shia LeBouf.

The story focuses on WWII, specifically the period when the allies have surged into Germany and imminent surrender by the Germans is an “any day now” sort of event.

The film draws first blood immediately, and from the very beginning shows the harsh reality that is war. It reveals the decisions that those who fight are required to make in an instant because any sort of delay and a soldier or an entire platoon may not see the sun, their families, or the country they’re fighting to protect AGAIN.

A great portion of the first act centres on the introduction of Logan’s Lerman’s character Norman Ellison, an extremely young clerk typist who suddenly finds himself in the heart of the conflict that I’m almost certain he had thought to be a fairy tale or maybe even something that he role-played with his toy soldiers at home.

Wardaddy (as in top person in charge) realises that this charge he has been sent is far too young, far too green and far too saintly to be a member of Fury’s crew. Both Pitt and Lerman do a phenomenal job of the push-pull that is a huge part of this film.

Wardaddy has sadly seen it all, Norman not nearly enough, and there is the beautiful battle between the two of them that plays like a tug of war accompanied by a symphony. This plays through the film, and as a film goer you are grateful because it helps the film flow very strongly. It also allows it to stay true to its main premise, and it does so magnificently.

Jon Bernthal and Michael Penâ, two of my absolutely favourite, highly underrated actors, do an exceptional job of providing the film with comic relief. Now, I don’t mean that they make a mockery of their situation, what I’m implying is that their sense of humour and sense of connection is much-needed in such a time when people die daily, and thus hearts are broken daily. The ways that these two choose to cope, are not all that unusual in this type of scenario, and give us a much-needed realistic sense of how these soldiers deal with the everyday realities that they alone must face.

Now to my FAVOURITE character in this film. Bible, played brilliantly by Shia LeBouf. Bible is the Fury’s link to their Creator, but also their sense of duty and their sense of responsibility. Bible grounds them in a way only he can do. His faith is strong but even more so, his HUMANITY is unwavering. Humanity, in a WAR ZONE.

Bible doesn’t just throw bible verses at you, he speaks the words you need to hear to tether yourself to your humanism. He reminds you that above all else a little internal strength goes a LONG way towards preparing you for the horrors of war, and yet reminding you that you are indeed in hell on earth.

It’s ironic that Bible is the Fury’s primary large-caliber gunner, simply because of whom he is and what he believes. And you see the internal struggle which Shia nails so hard, it scares you at times. He delivers an absolutely brilliant performance that I hope we see from him again, because when he’s given the right material, he leaves you NO doubt who he is within the context of the story, and WHY he’s an integral part of it.

I don’t think I have enough adjectives to describe how much I really enjoyed him in this film, but I do know he’s a huge reason why I chose to screen the film twice. It’s just that powerful and moving of a performance.

Remember the name WARDADDY. Why? Because you would never want to meet a guy on the street with that sort of nickname. Is he lethal? Absolutely. Is he ruthless? Absolutely. Is he HUMAN? At times you find yourself wondering. I don’t think I’ve seen a performance like this from Pitt since his role in Se7en.

In a word, ETHEREAL. SUBLIME. MAGNIFICENT. Wardaddy is the only member of the Fury’s crew who speaks German fluently and this particular skill is used extremely well throughout the entire film. You find yourself wondering not only is he human, but is there anything Wardaddy is a failure at.

And no, I don’t mean he’s without flaws, but flaws and failures are two very different things and Mr. Pitt does a brilliant job of making those differences sing out loud. There is a humanity, a sense of calm that Wardaddy possesses and at first one might find it odd or out-of-place in such a setting, but Mr. Pitt not only makes it work, he does it in such a way that your very soul is warmed and yet burns from the ache you feel as he weaves in and out of the nuances of his character.

Fury is a masterpiece, an instant classic that despite all the sadness, the blood, the horrors, the soul-stirring heartbreak, leaves you with a sense of WILL, HOPE, and AWAKENING that very few films have the power to do.

I HIGHLY recommend that you head to a theatre near you and check this beauty of a film out, it will leave its mark on you, just as it did with me. #SheCritiques

Joyll Cambridge hails from Manchester, United Kingdom and currently lives in New York, New York. She loves all things movies, fitness and swirling. To read Joyll’s personal blog at The Humanist Exec, click here.

Joyll joined our team as our Resident Movie Reviewer. Look for more movie reviews from Joyll!

Be sure to “Like” The Swirl World on Facebook and subscribe to our podcast on iTunes.

You can also follow us on Sound Cloud and listen to the show on Stitcher Radio!

Copyright ©2014 Michelle Matthews Calloway, ASwirlGirl™, The Swirl World™, The Swirl World Podcast™, All rights reserved. Photo of Joyll Cambridge used with permission. Movie poster from the movie “Fury” obtained from Wikipedia.

Joyll’s Movie Review: Annie (2014)

December 20, 2014 By Michelle Matthews-Calloway Leave a Comment

Something I don’t say very often: this is going to be QUICK.

The new instant classic known as Annie in the hands of Will Glück, Emma Thompson, Will and Jada Pinkett-Smith, Caleb Pinkett, Shawn Jay-Z Carter, and original songs by Sia, is an absolute instant classic that you’re going to LOVE! (Well, most of you anyway!)

You know how my reviews go by now so….

What Works:

From the very beginning you find yourself toe tapping and dancing in your seat!!! The opening number and opening scene are great introductions to this fun film.

You meet this enigmatic little girl named Annie being the belle of the ball in her classroom, so to speak. She sucks you in from the beginning and does not let you go!!!

You also find yourself easily bonding with the four other girls in Ms. Hannigan’s (Cameron Diãz) care. You feel their pain and sorrow and yet this isn’t a sad or depressing moment at all. There’s hope; they certainly make you see that and you carry that with you throughout the film.

Selecting Oscar nominated star Quevanzhané Wallis as Annie and Oscar winner Jamie Foxx as Will Stacks? There really could NOT have been a better-selected pair for these two. They mesh, they have genuine chemistry, and more important, they have the ability to showcase that marvelous connection on screen! You even feel a Father/daughter relationship as soon as they meet, even though Will is still quite aloof and stuffy as the looming loner that he is.

And Cameron Diãz as Ms. Hannigan? Let me just say at first I was a bit apprehensive about the choice because similar roles I had seen her in did not work for me. Yet she pulls this off. You see this sad, dejected, loser of a creature before you, and you soon realize that watching the layers of her life as they peel away is going to be enjoyable – and indeed it is!!!

Rose Byrne’s version of Grace (Will Stacks’ executive assistant) and Adewale as Nash, his head of security and driver, enjoy such a chemistry with Annie that you find yourself longing for their scenes with her to be a little bit longer. You feel the family dynamic coming together so smoothly that they almost make it look too easy, when it couldn’t be further from the truth.

This film has two key players that not only add to its appeal, but are themselves their own roles, their own actors that you will find yourself keen on and grateful for. The beautiful city that is New York City, both remakes of the classics like It’s A Hard Knock Life and the great original songs like “You’re Never Fully Dressed Without A Smile” by Sia. Yes, this is a musical, and yes the players do a lot of singing and dancing but the dialogue is on par with the musical numbers and the transitions are relatively smooth and work as they should.

Now, it takes a tremendous amount of skill and vision to film a musical that’s NOT on a stage. There’s movement, there are wild camera angles, there are transitions, and queues. There’s framing and actual in motion scenery both those you can control, and those you cannot. The cinematography group that filmed Annie did such a wonderful job of allowing the city that is New York, to play the role is was selected to play. They made the backdrop just as relevant as the foreground.

On a live motion film not only do you have scenes occurring in frame that you have dominion over, but you also have LIFE going on out of frame that you have absolutely NO control over. And there’s an element in this film that reminds you just how magical those out of frame parts are.

When the production team was scouting locations for this film, you can almost imagine yourself there with them. You find yourself with a great understanding of just WHAT the gifts are that the individual location is capable of giving, and why the production team selected that very spot. You can honestly say you would not be able to imagine Annie being shot anywhere else. Too many things add to the formula here that just don’t appear in any other setting.

What Does Not Work:

Bobby Cannavale as Guy (Will Stacks’ campaign manager) is supposed to be a cutthroat, end all, be all, do whatever it takes to win sort of guy. But even he has far too much warmth and connection to Annie to sell that here.

Yes you do find yourself angry with him when you’re supposed to be but, while you see it coming, you still do not believe you’re eyes even when it’s right in front of you. Now make no mistake, Bobby does what he should with what he was given. Still, just a few minor screenplay changes could fix that and then we’d find ourselves in the moment of truth, relishing it and casting our stones in anger at the right moment. It just wasn’t there for me and I really wanted it to be.

Even with that I still absolutely enjoyed this wonderful instant classic. Children and adults alike will find themselves chanting and singing to the rooftops, Annie, Annie, ANNIE!!! An absolute #MUSTSEE and a film the whole family young and not will enjoy indeed!!!

Joyll joined our team as our Resident Movie Reviewer. Look for more movie reviews from Joyll!

Be sure to “Like” The Swirl World on Facebook and subscribe to our podcast on iTunes.

You can also follow us on Sound Cloud and listen to the show on Stitcher Radio!

Joyll’s Movie Review – Exodus: Gods and Kings

December 14, 2014 By Michelle Matthews-Calloway Leave a Comment

I decided to literally start this review just moments after leaving the theatre because I feel it’s important to present a point of view that’s fresh and something that’s not just noise similar to what you’re receiving from so many of the other reviews.

First you will hear many critics downgrade Christian Bale’s portrayal of Moses. I disagree with that wholeheartedly. The material he was given in the screenplay is EXACTLY what he worked with and exactly what he handed us. So the failure of Exodus: Gods and Kings does not lie at his feet.

Problem #1: The people of Egypt and the people known as the Hebrews WERE NOT CAUCASIANS. Undoubtedly they were brown-skinned and in many places dark-skinned.

There are many people in the supporting cast of this film who show you EXACTLY what the people of Egypt and the people of Israel would have looked like. As a person who is closer in design to the people we SHOULD have been seeing in this film, I can’t deny that is initially a bit upsetting. However, I made it a point to leave my bias about that as far away from my screening as possible and I believe I have done just that.

This film suffers from three major issues that I believe are attributable to poor editing, poor casting, and a half-wit screenplay.

First, we are supposed to believe that Ramses and Moses were raised as Brothers. And although John Turturro as Seti does a decent job of building a bridge that shows you what their connection and camaraderie SHOULD look like, because there is VERY – and I MEAN VERY – little interaction between Moses and Ramses, it just doesn’t sell like it should.

And that’s problematic because you as a viewer NEED that relationship cemented in order to understand why it was EXTREMELY difficult for both Ramses and Moses to endure what follows.

This includes the exile of Moses, his first meeting with God, Ramses hunting of Moses, (a man he does not want to kill but feels he must kill to save face, as well as risk losing the undying obedience of the slaves), and the plagues.

One thing I should reiterate, I believe Joel Edgerton and Christian Bale did exactly what they were asked to do with what they were given. Consequently, do I think there were better actors that could have portrayed the characters better? NO. Skin colour ASIDE? NO.

The second issue? The absolute miscasting of Sigourney Weaver and the misuse of Sir Ben Kinglsey, a talent that just doesn’t get its due and is so ill-used it’s a travesty. And there’s a lot of that in this film. There are far too many instances of miscasting in supporting members that play key roles in the story but just don’t have the material necessary to make it what it has the potential to be.

The third issue? The film does entirely too many jumps from place to place and person to person. There is VERY little continuity from scene to scene, and worse still director Ridley Scott does a poor job of showing the passage of time as Moses ages. He literally ages and the rest of the film seems to stand still! And that’s tragic to say the least. If you don’t know the story this is highly problematic because you will get lost and find yourself at odds with what you’re seeing on-screen and how that relates to the timeline of events as the story has been told.

Now for the things that DO work:

This is a Ridley Scott film. Therefore the special effects and cinematography are indeed amazing as is the use of the terrain where the film was shot. A film this grand of a scale without a doubt requires that type of impact, otherwise the message doesn’t get received.

I also like Ridley’s interesting take on GOD and can see why he chose to portray Him in such a manner: you wouldn’t initially feel fear in His presence but when you do feel fear, there can be no doubt as to why and Who indeed is in control.

Again, I enjoyed both Christian and Joel’s performances and I cannot emphasis enough that they did the absolute best with what they were given. There is simply not enough of a connection established in the early stages of the movie that enables you to see the tremendous difficulty they face in going at odds with each other by the time the film is all over.

With that said, do I recommend a screening of this film?

ABSOLUTELY I do!

I think that if you go into the theatre with an open mind (and remember Ridley’s interpretation is slightly different than the original story) and not so lofty expectations, you should feel like the majority of the people who screened it with us did: somewhat satisfied and even more so, intrigued.

Also, I remind you to remember, this film is NOT a testament of faith, it is a display of the strength of will and the power of HOPE.

Joyll is joining The Swirl World team as our resident movie reviewer. Look for more movie reviews from Joyll!

Be sure to “Like” The Swirl World on Facebook and subscribe to our podcast on iTunes.

You can also follow us on Sound Cloud and listen to the show on Stitcher Radio!

Copyright ©2014 Michelle Matthews Calloway, ASwirlGirl™, The Swirl World™, The Swirl World Podcast™, All rights reserved. Photo of Joyll Cambridge used with permission. Photo from the movie “Exodus: Gods and Kings” obtained from Entertainment Weekly.

Joyll’s Movie Review: John Wick

December 12, 2014 By Michelle Matthews-Calloway Leave a Comment

How many times do you screen a film and sit there afterwards thinking, “WOAH?!?!”

I see 100-150 films a year and honestly, it doesn’t happen as much as I would like it to. That isn’t the case with John Wick. You actually sit there as the credits are rolling and go, WOAH.

The thing that really sets this film apart from other hit man sagas is that you so identify with John (played extremely well by the PERFECT fit Mr. Keanu Reeves) that you not only empathize with his plight, you feel his hopelessness and his sadness in such a profound way that it takes you a few minutes after the film is over to find the energy to stand.

The film’s basic premise is a retired hit man who was the Russian mafia’s sharpest assassin and has found something so, so much more than he deserves in his beloved wife. He has walked away and found a life so much greater than the one he lived. The trouble is, he was so great at what he did that there are all these forces that seem to be conspiring to bring him back into that life no matter how hard he has tried to run from it.

The idiot savant son of his former boss does something so unspeakable at that absolute worst possible time, that while you’re screening it you find yourself in sync and saying the lines that are playing out even though you’ve not seen the film before. And no, this is NOT because the film is predictable, but because you see the chaos and fury that is coming and know that there isn’t a person alive powerful enough to stop it.

I have to say, I’m VERY proud of the performance Keanu put forth and pray there is a part two or that we see him in more films like this. When he is given brilliant material, we get to marvel at and enjoy his brilliance. It’s been there all this time and thankfully John Wick has a solid enough screenplay to showcase his performance in such an enjoyable way, that this film beckons for a second or even third screening.

John Wick is NOT your typical hit man/action fodder at all. In fact, it’s such a powerfully constructed enigmatic film, that you find yourself talking about it days later and reminding yourself that there’s nothing in the film, no scene, no characters that didn’t leave their mark on such a powder keg of a movie.

Even John Leguizamo, who’s in the film for all of ten minutes, gives such a strong performance in that short frame that you finding yourself wishing he were on the screen much longer. Not to mention a solid supporting stint from Willem Dafoe that leaves you wanting so much more and yet you’re oh so grateful for all he has put into his character Marcus already.

The film also has an excellent soundtrack that adds to the film’s mettle in such a way that it’s actually another actor and deserves SAG credits. It’s so critical and so well laid out and every song queues the next scene so extremely well, you find yourself floating along from scene to scene because of it!

An absolute MUST SEE.

Joyll Cambridge hails from Manchester, United Kingdom and currently lives in New York, New York. She loves all things movies, fitness and swirling.

Look for more movie reviews from Joyll!

Be sure to “Like” The Swirl World on Facebook and subscribe to our podcast on iTunes.

You can also follow us on Sound Cloud and listen to the show on Stitcher Radio!

Copyright © 2014 Michelle Matthews Calloway, ASwirlGirl™, The Swirl World™, The Swirl World Podcast™, All rights reserved. Photo of Joyll Cambridge used with permission. Photo of Keanu Reeves from the movie John Wick obtained from this source.

Unscripted: A Conversation About Eric Garner

December 8, 2014 By Michelle Matthews-Calloway 2 Comments

Unscripted:

A private and unscripted conversation between The Swirl World Podcast Co-Host Michelle Matthews Calloway and The Romance Arsonist Gynger Fyer concerning the death of Eric Garner – and the effect on potential conversations between men and women involved in interracial relationships.

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are solely those of Michelle Matthews Calloway and Gynger Fyer, and do not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of other members of The Swirl World Team.

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If you can’t see the podcast player, click here.

You can listen to the conversation on Sound Cloud.

If you can’t see the Sound Cloud Player, click here.

During the course of the conversation we mention guests who appeared in previous podcast episodes.

To listen to the podcast episode featuring JJ and Dani Tatum, click here.

To listen to the podcast episode featuring Tom and Alida Sharp, click here.

Join In The Fray: What conversations are you having (or not having) concerning the case of Eric Garner?.

Want to be a guest on the podcast, or know someone who should? Send an email to Podcast@TheSwirlWorld.com.

Be sure to “Like” The Swirl World on Facebook and subscribe to the podcast on iTunes.

You can also follow us on Sound Cloud and listen to the show on Stitcher Radio!

Joyll’s Movie Review: The Equalizer

December 6, 2014 By Michelle Matthews-Calloway Leave a Comment

You know I often joke about if you haven’t done a certain something, then I don’t trust you.

Well, here is one of those times when I’m not joking. If you haven’t seen Denzel Washington in The Equalizer, I.DON’T.TRUST.YOU.

Why?!?! Because it’s honestly one of the best films of the year and easily a Top 10 Performance for Denzel – and that’s saying A LOT!

The premise is simple: Washington is a retired CIA operative who’s trying all too hard not to be a fish out of water in the dredges of Boston. Over a series of nights when he can’t sleep, he encounters a young and enigmatic Chloe-Grace Moritz aka Alena.

You can see the immediate connection between the two and when a bad thing happens to a young and alone Alena, you can even see the smoke coming from Robert McCall’s (Washington) head as he sets forth on a harrowing journey of revenge and redemption.

McCall is highly adept at utilizing whatever he has around him to snuff the lives out of the Russian mobsters that have inflicted pain not only upon Alena, but the everyday citizens of the city of Boston. The crazy thing? Once he starts on his impetuous, adrenaline-fueled journey, there can be no doubt that he will NOT stop until all is right and I do mean ALL.

McCall is a reluctant hero and yet you couldn’t imagine someone more at home and at ease with the choices he is forced to make to have PEACE – “Brick by Brick, Dollar by Dollar, BODY BY BODY.”

This movie is an absolute masterpiece and one that if you’re breathing, you definitely will want to view more than once, because it’s that exhilarating and endearing. McCall is truly a hero we ALL can identify with – reluctant or not.

Joyll Cambridge hails from Manchester, United Kingdom and currently lives in New York, New York. She loves all things movies, fitness and swirling.

Look for more movie reviews from Joyll!

Be sure to “Like” The Swirl World on Facebook and subscribe to our podcast on iTunes.

You can also follow us on Sound Cloud and listen to the podcast on Stitcher Radio!

Copyright © 2014 Michelle Matthews Calloway, ASwirlGirl™, The Swirl World™, The Swirl World Podcast™, All rights reserved. Photo of Joyll Cambridge used with permission. Movie poster from the movie “The Equalizer” obtained from IMDB.com.

Isn’t She Lovely? Meet Shannon Blake of Facebook’s “Lovely Black Dolls!”

December 1, 2014 By Michelle Matthews-Calloway Leave a Comment

I could try to describe Shannon Blake’s “Lovely Black Dolls” Facebook page, yet I know that I cannot do it justice.

Lovely Black Dolls on Facebook is literally one of those things you have to see to believe.

Lovely – no, beautiful – no, GORGEOUS Black women and girls of every hue and skin tone, from all walks of life, from literally all over the globe.

The images are breathtaking, and they serve to further affirm what we know to be true:

Black women and girls are FIERCE.

Black women and girls are POWERFUL.

Black women and girls are WONDERFUL.

Black women and girls are A FORCE TO BE RECKONED WITH.

Black women and girls are LIKE. NO. OTHER!

In this podcast episode you will meet Shannon Blake, the creator of the immensely popular “Lovely Black Dolls” Facebook page.

Shannon is a woman with a vision, and she has more than enough love for Black women to share. In addition to sharing her vision for Lovely Black Dolls, Shannon discusses her three other highly successful Facebook pages:

Living Black Barbie Dolls

What A Beautiful World God Has Created

and

Beautiful Hotels

Her fans range in the thousands (Beautiful Hotels is well on its way to 200,000 fans).

In her conversation with The Swirl World’s Co-Host Adrienne London Leach, Shannon shares her strategies for growth and success.

You can listen to the podcast on Sound Cloud by clicking here.