Interview: Janicza Bravo and Jeremy O. Harris on bringing ‘Zola’ to the big screen and its ‘Wizard of Oz’ influence
Where were you when Zola’s tweets dropped? I remember getting a text from a friend that was like you have to read this hoe journey!... Read More
Valerie Complex
Valerie Complex is a military veteran, movie nerd and freelance writer. As a lover of Japanese animation, comics, and all things film, she is passionate about inclusion across all entertainment mediums. She has reported from the Sundance Film Festival and SXSW Film Festival.
‘Zola’ review: Taylour Paige gives a star-making performance in Janicza Bravo’s cinematic treatment of the viral Twitter thread
I remember when Zola’s tweets dropped and spent two hours reading the whole story. Zolar Moon tells an extremely noir-ish tale that is filled with... Read More
‘Bloodthirsty’ review: The vegetarian lesbian werewolf movie you’ve been waiting for
Bloodthirsty, the new film directed by Amelia Moses (Bleed with Me), and written by Wendy Hill Tout, and Lowell follows Grey Kessler (Lauren Beatty) is... Read More
Interview: Dominique Fishback’s emotional journey through ‘Judas and the Black Messiah’ [VIDEO]
Graduating from Pace University with a degree in theater, Dominique Fishback officially entered the acting game in 2013 in a small role in Steven Soderbergh’s The... Read More
Interview: Shaka King on creating ‘Judas and the Black Messiah’
Directed by Shaka King, Judas and the Black Messiah tells the story of Fred Hampton’s betrayal in great detail. As an activist, Hampton aimed to... Read More
Interviews: ‘I’m Your Woman’ director Julia Hart, stars Rachel Brosnahan, Marsha Stephanie Blake and Arinzé Kene
It’s been two years since Director Julia Hart wowed audiences with her unique spin on the superhero film with Fast Color. Now, the talented director... Read More
Film Review: Jayro Bustamante’s ‘La Llorona’ (2020), an absorbing examination of an untold history and the politics of horror
The Guatemalan genocide, or the “silent holocaust,” is the setting for director and writer Jayro Bustamante’s new film La Llorona–not to be confused with the... Read More
Interview: Alexis Chikaeze, the breakthrough of ‘Miss Juneteenth’
Channing Godfrey Peoples new film Miss Juneteenth is a celebration of Blackness, of Womanhood, and community—however—these things do not come without struggle. Turquoise Jones (Nicole... Read More
Interview: ‘Selah and the Spades’ director Tayarisha Poe does not want Black actresses to be pigeonholed
Tayarisha Poe’s debut film Selah and the Spades is about how “absolute power will corrupt absolutely. At the Haldwell boarding school, different group factions competing... Read More
Sundance Review: ‘Miss Juneteenth’ avoids tropes to find truth in the Black experience
Nicole Beharie establishes herself as one of Hollywood’s most underrated talents with her strong and heartfelt performance as Turquoise Jones in Channing Godfrey Peoples first... Read More
2024 North Carolina Film Critics Association (NCFCA) Nominations 
2024 Philadelphia Film Critics Circle (PFCC) Winners: ‘Anora’ Named Best Film Among its Six Awards 
2024 Utah Film Critics Association (UFCA) Nominations 
2024 Black Reel Awards Nominations: ‘Nickel Boys,’ ‘The Piano Lesson’ Lead