5 OUT OF 5 STARS 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

(ATLANTA – July 20, 2025) – Since Roots, we haven’t witnessed such flawless casting in an American film—until Straw. Tyler Perry’s 2025 drama delivers a masterclass in character-driven storytelling, led by the incomparable Taraji P. Henson.

Henson’s portrayal of Janiyah Watkinson is nothing short of perfection. She is the emotional anchor of the film—grounded, powerful, and unnervingly real. Her performance leaves viewers deep in discussion, grappling with questions the film leaves deliberately unresolved. Chief among them: Is Aria, Janiyah’s daughter, actually alive? Or is she a figment of Janiyah’s troubled mind? The ambiguity surrounding Aria’s presence elevates Straw beyond typical moviegoing fare—it becomes a conversation.

The film’s structure is poetic. The final scene mirrors the opening, both featuring Janiyah and Aria in bed. This cyclical storytelling, reminiscent of Tupac’s approach to narrative symmetry, keeps the focus razor-sharp and the audience engaged.

Every performance in Straw holds weight. Sherri Shepherd, playing Nicole Parker, the poised and complex bank manager, delivers a career-defining performance. Her scenes aren’t flashy, but they carry immense dramatic weight and intrigue. I often catch Shepherd on her talk show, “Sherri,” yet I didn’t even recognize her until the end of her arc. That’s how deeply she disappeared into this role.

Teyana Taylor as Detective Kay Raymond is another standout. In one of the film’s most surprising and entertaining scenes, she lands a clean left hook on a fellow officer who had harassed Janiyah earlier—both cathartic and unforgettable. Taylor’s commanding presence proves Straw is not playing around.

Critics may claim Tyler Perry’s films tend to follow a familiar formula, but Straw breaks the mold. This is no comedy. It’s a tightly woven psychological drama—free from sex scenes, overused gunplay, gratuitous violence, or flashy car chases. Perry strips it down to raw emotion, taut dialogue, and deeply human performances.

And the cast? Untouchable.

Henson. Shepherd. Taylor. Every actor was perfectly selected. It’s rare to see such cohesion and excellence in a single ensemble. I hadn’t seen “Detective Raymond” since Teyana’s 2018 collaboration with Ghostface Killah sampling The Delfonics’ 1968 classic “For the Love I Give to You,” but she’s come back swinging—literally.

Straw deserves every major award and accolade coming its way. It’s already the best film of 2025 in my eyes. A triumph in storytelling, casting, and restraint.

This one’s a masterpiece.
STR⭐️W = STARS.

(PASADENA, CA – July 20, 2025) — The Black August Film Festival returns to the Flintridge Center in Pasadena from August 15–17, 2025, bringing together filmmakers from around the world to spotlight social justice, resistance, and the enduring legacy of Black freedom fighters.

More than just a film event, the festival is rooted in the spirit of Black August—a month-long commemoration that began in 1979 at San Quentin State Prison, initiated by members of the Black Guerilla Family. The observance honors fallen revolutionaries such as Jonathan P. Jackson, who died on August 7, 1970, and his brother George Jackson, killed on August 21, 1971, during a prison uprising. Since then, Black August has become a global symbol of reflection, resistance, and remembrance.

The festival seeks to amplify stories that confront injustice, elevate the voices of the marginalized, and inspire continued advocacy for freedom. Featured films tackle issues such as mass incarceration, racial inequality, state violence, and community empowerment.

Hosted at the Flintridge Center, the event also includes panels, talkbacks, and networking opportunities for creatives and changemakers alike.

The festival is supported by the Pasadena Black Pages, a digital publication dedicated to serving the African American community in Pasadena, Altadena, and surrounding areas. Since 2015, the Pasadena Black Pages—published by the Pasadena African American Film Foundation (PAAFF)—has been a trusted voice for Black news, culture, and civic engagement in Southern California.

To learn more or to view the film lineup, visit PasadenaBlackPages.com or follow @PasadenaBlackPages on social media.