Welcome to the latter half of 2020—we made it!
Who knows what the last six months of this bizarre year will bring, because one thing 2020 has been—other than painful, stressful and ridiculous—is unpredictable. In the spirit of unpredictable energy, I am doing this trailer roundup on a Thursday instead of a Friday. Why? Because today is a Friday at The Root, thanks to the Fourth of July holiday. For me and other Black citizens of America, that’s all it really is—a day off and another excuse for some ribs. Ain’t nobody studying that damn flag. (Editor’s note: Mmm, ribs.)
Anyway, let’s get to these trailers! We’ve already given some love to Black Is King and Respect this week, which were highlighted during the 2020 BET Awards, but we have more!
No Limit Chronicles (BET; Release Date: July 29, 2020, at 9 p.m. ET)
First Impressions: From the moment this debuted, a huge chunk of Black Twitter confirmed just how much the streets have been waiting for this kind of chronicling of No Limit’s legacy. This 5-part docuseries will offer a comprehensive look into the journey of Master P and No Limit Records. Because I’m always here for entertainment documentaries, this makes me say uhhhhh...I want to see this!
Greatness Code (Apple TV+; Release Date: July 10, 2020)
First Impressions: The popularity of ESPN’s The Last Dance naturally had basketball fans wondering about the possibility of a similar documentary about LeBron James (who is constantly compared to Michael Jordan); and while we haven’t quite gotten there yet, Greatness Code looks like it’ll be kind of a pre-game. This docuseries follows athletes at the top of their game such as James, Tom Brady, Alex Morgan, Usain Bolt, Shaun White, Katie Ledecky and Kelly Slater.
River City Drumbeat (Virtual Theaters; Release Date: August 7, 2020)
First Impressions: This film (from Emmy-winning filmmaker Marlon Johnson and award-winning filmmaker Anne Flatté) Edward “Nardie” White and co-founder Zambia Nkrumah as they lead the African-American drum corps located in Louisville, Kentucky. From the trailer, we’ll get an intimate look into how important furthering the culture is to this town’s drumline. To check out your local screenings, head to rivercitydrumbeatmovie.com.
Fatal Affair (Netflix; Release Date: July 16, 2020)
First Impressions: I know a Negro Noir addition when I see one! First, let’s get into the fact that literally every “thrilling” movie about an affair follows the same plot lines: Someone is unhappy with their sparkless and sexless marriage, comes across an intriguing new or old flame, they fuck or almost fuck, the intriguing flame then becomes obsessed or things go awry in a similar way. Anyway, yay ‘90s Black legends! Also, shout-out to the horror-fication of ‘90s jams (Thanks to Jordan Peele’s Us!); this movie gives the spotlight to a fave, Joe’s “All The Things (Your Man Won’t Do).” I cannot wait for this mess!
Born To Play (ESPN; Available Now on VOD)
First Impressions: This film, which recently debut on ESPN at the top of the month “is a love letter to the game, written by people who you never knew played. Until now.” It follows a woman’s football team, something that definitely doesn’t get enough shine, which is firmly pointed on in the fact that the team exists in sports-obsessed Boston (Boston Renegades). “Being on the field just makes me feel alive, like that’s where I’m supposed to be,” one of the Black young women utters in the trailer. Anyone who has a passion, no matter the field, knows exactly what that’s like. This looks good!
That’s all, folks! See y’all next week.