Beyond the Lights (2014)

Beyond the Lights: Directed by Gina Prince-Bythewood. With Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Nate Parker, Minnie Driver, Machine Gun Kelly. The pressures of fame have superstar singer Noni on the edge, until she meets Kaz, a young cop who works to help her find the courage to develop her own voice and break free to become the artist she was meant to be.

“This is a surprisingly good film.. with a reasonable storyline.. good casting/ acting.. above average production values… and a music score that fits the overall tone/ setting of the film. All in all, this is well done movie-making .. above most all others in the genre. There are not many surprises, but all else works, so that all time spent is fairly solid entertainment. And a couple of moments are truly special.. her rendition of Blackbird near the end is spellbinding.. few could do it as well.. casting her was genius. And kudos to the camera and editing crews.. seconds can make or break a good film. For romantic dramas from this year, this has to be considered one of the best.”