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Miracle at St. Anna
Touchstone
Spike Lee’s dedication to his craft and unwavering desire to highlight the lesser-known tales of his people is boldly demonstrated in his World War II drama, Miracle at St. Anna. The feature tells the stories of four Buffalo Soldiers from the African American 92nd Infantry Division, who are trapped in a Tuscan village in Italy in 1944 after they lose contact with their platoon. Actors Derek Luke, Michael Ealy, Laz Alonso and Omar Benson Miller skillfully pay tribute to some of the most respected soldiers in American history. –yvette caslin
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Soul Men
Weinstein Company
In director Malcolm D. Lee’s slapstick comedy Soul Men, Samuel L. Jackson and the late Bernie Mac have undeniable chemistry — even if the proceedings degenerate into standard road trip-buddy comedy fare. The duo star as Louis (Jackson) and Floyd (Mac), a pair of ‘60s backup singers known as the Real Deal, whose frontman (played by John Legend) has passed away. The estranged pair reunites and drives cross-country for a tribute concert at the Apollo. Of course, hijinks ensue, but the film really gains ground when the lovely Sharon Leal shows up. The movie has moments of hilarity, but it’s hard not to feel a little somber watching what would become Mac’s final performance.
–dusty culpepper
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President Barack Obama:
The Man and His Journey Codeblack
This DVD outlines President Barack Obama’s meteoric rise to commander-in-chief of the nation. It features exclusive interviews with Martin Luther King III, comedian George Lopez, Obama’s Harvard classmate Hill Harper and fellow Chicagoans Roland Martin, Linda Johnson Rice and Congressman Jesse Jackson. David Mendell, the author of Obama: From Promise to Power, Dr. Bernice King and Tom Joyner are also interviewed. Most notably, the producers took a different twist and pulled together a collection of seven short films: Housing, Immigration, College, War, Economy, Vote and Family. –princess elektra
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60 Minutes Presents Obama: All Access
Paramount
Exclusive coverage of President Barack Obama during his rise to the presidency can now belong to everyone. Two years of interviews and access granted only to Steve Kroft of CBS’ “60 Minutes” is now available on DVD. The presentation contains material from six segments of the president’s interviews, including excerpts from his post-election interview. The DVD also includes Obama’s speeches — declaring his candidacy in Springfield, Ill., accepting the Democratic Party’s nomination in Denver, Colo., and his entire inaugural address. –malibu jones
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Chisholm ’72 Unbought & Unbossed
20th Century Fox
Shirley Chisholm, the first black woman to be elected to Congress in 1969, is also the first woman and black person to throw her hat in the ring for the Democratic Party’s presidential nomination. The Brooklyn, N.Y., resident dubbed her progressive 1972 campaign the “Chisholm Trail.” This vintage footage was produced one year before Chisholm’s death in 2005. The documentary includes interviews, campaign commercials, demonstrations and Chisholm’s campaign song. Compelling and honest, this film does a great job of awakening the activist within any viewer. –princess elektra
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King
MGM
In King, Emmy Award-winning actor Paul Winfield plays Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. alongside fellow Emmy Award winner Cicely Tyson, who plays his wife, Coretta. The six-hour, NBC miniseries turned collector’s item is an intimate look into the life of the devoted husband, father of five, Baptist minister, Nobel Peace Prize winner and nonviolent crusader. The key events in his life, phenomenal speeches, and activists that stood in the trenches with him like Rosa Parks, Ossie Davis (who plays Daddy King) and singer Tony Bennett are highlighted. Bonus features on the DVD include mini-documentaries of King’s struggle, the Civil Rights Movement, the making of the film and an extensive interview with Ossie Davis. –malibu jones
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The Jackie Robinson Story
MGM
Produced in 1950, The Jackie Robinson Story is a biography of the legendary Jackie Robinson, the first black baseball player to play for a major league team. This flick chronicles the sports career of Robinson (who plays himself) from his early days at UCLA to his illustrious tenure with the Brooklyn Dodgers. Ruby Dee plays Robinson’s, wife, Rae. This DVD is available with closed-captioning and though it was produced in black and white, there’s a color option. –yc
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A.K.A. Cassius Clay
MGM
Filled with the verbal repartee for which the G.O.A.T. (Greatest Of All Time), Muhammad Ali, born Cassius Clay, is known, A.K.A. Cassius Clay is a documentary that was made in 1970 while he was in exile for refusing to be drafted during the Vietnam War. Ali was prosecuted as a draft dodger and stripped of his title and boxing license by the U.S. Boxing Commission. The feature is a great addition to the burgeoning catalog of Ali flicks, presenting a rare and personal image of one of the most courageous and outspoken athletes of all time. A great surprise is a feature of the Ali Shuffle, a true treat for dance buffs. –malibu jones
