My holiday break was amazing and my time was used wisely. Part of that was due to family and friends but the other part was due to Mr. Spike Lee blessing us with the series version She’s Gotta Have It on Netflix. I would have finished it in a day but I actually left the house more than once. If you haven’t already watched it, I am going to tell you why you have been missing out.
The series was very similar to the film. I think that may be why I enjoyed it so much. In comparison, the series seemed to be a more wide spread version of the film. It seems as if the entire movie was transferred into the first two episodes. The eight remaining episodes were expansions of the story line as well as the characters. We were able to learn more about each character than just their primary involvement with Nola Darling like we did with the film. Spike Lee along with his music department staff put in a great deal of work to make sure that the music flowed well with the scenes. It was either discrete in the background or boisterous over dialogue. Regardless of its volume, the music tied the entire scene together helping make the vibe more intense. After each prominent song was played, the album art was shown on the screen, thus helping those who are not so musically inclined, aware of what was being played and reminding some of their old favorites. Of course the entire episode turned into a Prince tribute not only made my soul happy but it also got me in my feels. Spike knows how to pay homage. One thing I wanted to address about some remarks about She’s Gotta Have It and Nola Darling specifically is that this is not for the male ego. Men and women alike are calling her a “hoe” when the series is NOT solely based on her sex life. There are bigger and deeper messages in these episodes. A viewer may find things like how our surroundings affect our children and how they view themselves. Another may see how a struggle and or a trauma can either defeat you or turn you into a person stronger than you ever imagined. One more viewer could see that pride and lack of self-awareness can be someone’s biggest downfall. All of these messages and ideas were brought to the screen and yet most people only saw that Nola was sleeping with three men at once. Which that alone is problematic due to the fact that men do it all the time and no one blinks but a woman does it and is HONEST, but she’s scum. Nola Darling is a character that is either a piece or a complete mirror image of the modern day woman. It’s who we fight to be, who we are and for a lot of us who some try to prevent us to be. A black woman wanting complete freedom in every aspect of her life is who she represents. Even if you take Nola out of the equation, the viewer can learn from one or more of the characters involved. Do better people. It’s a nostalgic feeling to get a new project from Spike Lee. It offers the old Spike Lee vibes but with a “new world” feel to it. It’s a testament to say that he’s great at what he does and to never count him out. If you haven’t already done so, press play. As Always… #StayProminent
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This week Grey’s Anatomy aired its 300th episode. I for one thought it was a breath of a fresh air but at the same time, frustrating. The situation in this episode brought back all of the same intensity from the early seasons. But then frustration came when were reminded about how much we loved Christina Yang, George O’Malley and Izzie Stevens, but also reminded that they aren’t on the show anymore. This episode was a perfect way to tie in the evolution of the series.
I was late to watching the series and only started binge watching at the start of season 12. I had about three friends pressuring me constantly to watch it and I finally gave in. After the first episode I was hooked. I watched it literally any chance I could get. Thank God, for mobile devices. I wasn’t sure what it was about the show until this season started that got me hooked and wouldn’t let me go. I am currently simultaneously watching previous seasons as well as this current season. Why? I honestly cannot answer that question. Because why on earth would I want to go through all the rollercoaster of emotions again? Denny, George, Derek…oh Derek. But for some reason, I can’t stop watching. But then I realized the show as a whole production is perfect. It is full of good times, awkwardness, sadness, pain and evolution. On top of the overall compelling emotional pull, the production of the show is phenomenal. The more you watch the more you become invested. You actually learn things watching this show. I am almost positive I can perform open heart surgery at this point. Grey’s is a show you grow with. You watch Meredith, Christina and Alex go from being interns to being some of the greatest surgeons. You watch Richard go from losing two women he’s loved to being married to a remarkable woman. Babies have been born, marriages have come and gone and pain from losses have been healed. You become invested. You start to care about these characters. Most of this is due to the actors themselves but it’s also the stories they portray. The crazy situations that happen in the hospital, the dialogue and most importantly the ability to not give us what we want or expect as viewers is what makes it one of the best TV series. Shonda Rhimes has done a great job at writing and producing Grey’s Anatomy. A vision coming from her love of surgical shows has turned into the legendary series that has lasted 14 seasons. I can only imagine the feeling to see it evolve into this major force on TV. To have people like Debbie Allen and Denzel Washington come on board to direct. To create a home and a stable environment for actors. It’s a show where you can get a piece of everything. Nothing is off limits on this show and that’s what makes it so great. When looking to escape reality for a second, Grey’s is definitely a show for that. Some people may think it’s too dramatic but it’s basically a bit of everyone’s reality. If you’re someone like me who thinks it’s better late than never, you can catch up on Grey’s Anatomy on Netflix and catch it Thursday’s at 8pm on ABC. As always…. #StayProminent Hey guys and gals...I know it's been a while but I am still here...
So 3 weeks ago I had about 4 or 5 people send me pictures or videos of their TV screens to let me know that there was a Michael Jackson movie coming on Lifetime. In my immediate fan mode, I was extremely excited. Then I thought, "wait this isn't a documentary which means someone is going to try and play Michael Jackson". I also thought, "It's on Lifetime...I'm not too sure about this". Lifetime's record with biopics is pretty shaky. Fast forward...Michael Jackson: Searching For Neverland was not that bad. I don't think I will ever fully be on board with a Michael biopic for a number of reasons; 1. No one can do Michael like Michael 2. He was such a private person so I am always skeptical on what really happened 3. People have been trying to get paid off of Mike since the 90s, so I am always weary about how genuine someone's intentions with a movie about him are Anyway, I think the movie was balanced and done in the best way it could have been. It wasn't over the top, Navi (Michael Jackson) did not try too hard. It seemed like it was really just someone telling a story about their experience with him and not trying to tell a story about him and what they thought happened. The only two things that made me raise an eyebrow, was the little spat between Michael and Randy and then Michael being "booed" up in the back seat. Let me find out Michael was making girls fall in love for real. I believe that Dianne Houston did a great job directing. With Surviving Compton and Take The Lead under her belt already, I didn't expect it to be horrible. As many Michael Jackson fans had made clear before the movie even aired, "The best Jackson movie of all time will forever be The Jacksons: An American Dream." Now I don't know if they didn't read the credits or have mixed feelings but the same women who helped the Jacksons with their career early on and with that same movie, Suzanne De Passe also worked as executive producer. Both of these women do different work but for the film, the concept was decent and portrayed in a way that fan didn't have to be too upset. There will never be a Michael Jackson "movie" that will make true MJ fans happy. We can spot a fake a mile away. But I think this movie did the best it could. It screamed "put on by Lifetime" (I don't know what that sounds like but it did). The movie didn't portray Michael in a way that seemed offensive to what I thought he was about. If you hadn't checked it out yet...I suggest you press play. As Always... Stay Prominent. Every once in a while we will watch something or hear something that will make us think and feel something unusual. It will open doors for conversations that may be problematic, intense or uncomfortable. 13 Reasons Why on Netflix is one of those things.
I read the synopsis on the Netflix original series and it seemed to be interesting so I pressed play. I must say that this show is one of the most emotional, confusing, frustrating and cringe worthy shows I have ever watched. It took me through a series of emotions that were just too much for one show. However, I cry at dog commercials so that's not a big shocker. Hannah Baker is the main character that narrates about 70% of the show. The other 30% of the show is either a flashback or the present situations after her suicide. Her narration is not a extraterrestrial type thing, it's her voice coming from tapes that she left to explain the steps, situations and people that lead her to her suicide. Do you feel confused? Yeah, that's how I felt watching. So if you haven't figured it out by now the show is called 13 Reasons Why because she leaves 13 audio cassette tapes, yes cassettes, telling a story about an encounter with a certain individual. Each person is supposed to listen to all 13 and then pass them on to the next person based on the order of the tapes. This causes tension, drama and discomfort among a particular group of kids in the school. She goes through these series of events, big and small, that conjure up this emotional and mental distress. They eventually unveil everyone's "role" why she expresses her POV. In the end they show her ultimate decision to take her own life and how people in the present are effected. As a person that is not a psychologist, I have no clear indication of what should or should not happen when dealing with an issue such as this or leading up to make a decision such as this. I am also not in a position to say what the right or wrong way to interpret situations or react to them. I do think I have the right amount of common sense to say that not one person is the same. So how they react, what they react to and how something effects them is not up to someone else to decide. This has been happening since the show was available for streaming. Now what did make me so frustrated about this whole thing is the fact that production was so good, I somehow how became a silent character in this series. I found myself yelling at the screen immersing myself into the scene. All I could think about is what I would have done. Unfortunately, that isn't possible. It made me think of how many times I did stand up for someone or how many more times I should have. People have been tearing this show to shreds about how inappropriate or misguiding it was and it's frustrating. It's bad enough that we as people don't speak out on suicide until it happens (like they did in the show) but then we complain about when it happens. Like yeah this was not the perfect description of how or why this happens or should have happened but who can say it couldn't. I appreciate shows like this, no matter how frustrating. Because like it or not it caused people to think, feel or realize something about other or themselves. Regardless of how much you may hate it or it makes you uncomfortable, from a non-personal POV, it was a good show. I think it's worth the watch. As Always... #StayProminent Richard Pryor, Eddie Murphy, Bernie Mac and Kevin Hart. These are the names most of us grew up on when it came to black male comedians. Dave Chappelle is definitely a name to be added to the list. While most people would argue that Dave is not a normal standup comedian, I would have to personally say that his presence on stage is very important. After 10 long years, it was definitely shown how any why we all missed Dave Chappelle so much. Late last year we got word that Dave Chappelle would be coming back to give us all a few laughs. Of course with his success of the Dave Chappelle Show, his film Half Baked and my personal favorite, his character Reggie in the Nutty Professor, we were all excited. But of course with the excitement we were all sitting on the edge of our seats just curious to what Chappelle would talk about. During his two part series, Dave touched on racial issues, Bill Cosby, OJ Simpson, his family, his return to the spotlight and of course why he left in the first place. I for one found it absolutely hilarious. As usual his context was controversial in the sense that in some cases you almost did not want to laugh. I think what made me laugh the most was the simple fact that he laughed at his own jokes. I like to believe I am that funny too regardless of what people say. I know most of us are primarily used to his skits from the show being the funny thing about Chappelle or just his demeanor. Some people argue that he isn’t that funny with stand up. While he may not be Kevin Hart stand up funny, even though I don’t think Kevin Hart is Kevin Hart stand up funny anymore, I think that Dave gets the job done on stage. One of the main reasons I appreciate Dave on stage is because of his knowledge. How many comedians do we see get on stage that can tell a joke and give stats at the same time? Who knows names and dates and still can make you laugh? Now I have not watched every comedian in the world but I don’t know too many who do this. Another thing about these two stand ups that I like a lot would have to be how casual they are. Nothing seems forced while he’s on stage. In a lot of cases, the shift in topics by comedians, make me cringe. Maybe it’s the writer in me that is big on transitional phrases, who knows. Another thing that drew me in and kept me laughing was the simple fact that he laughed at himself. In one part of the second special he talks about how someone threw a banana at him. Yes a whole banana. That alone was funny, but his follow up to it had me cracking up. He was also so very casual with his audience. With it being an intimate crowd similar to the Dave Chappelle Show I think he was more comfortable. He was so comfortable to ask the audience for a cigarette. Amazing! Overall I am proud of Dave Chappelle and his return to stand up. I don’t think returning to this type of field is easy. For example, I cannot imagine Eddie Murphy coming back to do a Raw 2.0 (wishful thinking) and I already touched on Kevin Hart. It’s also refreshing to know that a man who walks away from so much money and returns with so many changes in this industry can still be his authentic self. Either way, I think if you are in for a good laugh go check out his two part series on Netflix. As Always… Stay Prominent. You ever see something on social media directing your attention you wish you had never seen? Well not to long ago that happened to me. I kept seeing memes, tweets and Facebook posts about this short film and I just felt obligated to watch for myself. People overact all the time and I assumed this was another one of those situations. I was wrong.
The Strange Thing About The Johnsons is a short film written by Ari Aster. He is a New York native and by the looks of his profile, he has about seven short films under his belt...for now. The movie was initially released in 2011 but for some reason, someone decided to press play again and it has spread like wildfire. Initially watching this film, I felt conflicted, disturbed and a little angered. I was conflicted because I watched all 30 mins of the film knowing in the first five mins what was going to take place. I was disturbed because the story line was unlike one I had ever really heard of and I just didn't understand why someone would think of this. Lastly I was angered because, and I am going to be honest, because the cast was black. But the more I started to read reviews, the more I laughed at people's reactions and after the second time I watched it, my way of thinking started to shift. I was still disturbed because in no situation, movie or not is this "normal". But my anger started to subside. I believe the roles of the molestation was reversed in this film (son to father) because it shows how mentally decapitating molestation and rape can be. That can eventually take a toll on you physically which answers the questions a lot of people asked, "how does the dad allow this?". I also had to check myself because molestation and rape happen in the black home more than most people would like to admit. It was taboo however that it was white man who shared this imagery with us. In the end the one idea I had after watching this film is, I do not believe the father initiated this relationship. That then led me to the question, how and why does one become attracted and emotionally attached to someone when it is not reciprocated? I would like to believe that this type of attraction only happens to people outside of the family, but we all have seen time and time again that this is not always true. As Always.... #StayProminent You can watch the movie HERE Most of my down time is spent watching TV, cleaning up or listening to music. But majority of the time, I’m finding a new movie to watch. Recently I ran across a movie entitled, Honey Trap. It didn’t seem like the best movie in the world, but it seemed interesting so of course I hit play. I have never been so frustrated with a movie character before in my life.
I am such a cliché when it comes to love stories. I always root for the underdog and I just empathize heavily with a woman who finds her one true love. THIS WAS NOT THAT MOVIE. The main character Layla (Jessica Sula) had just moved to Brixton with her mother and was having a hard time adjusting to the change of scenery and her new peers. In like most cases someone takes pity and lets her be their friend and it pretty much just goes downhill from there. Watching this film through my frustration and yelling at the TV, I noticed how much I see a girl like Layla in my everyday life. Girls tend to seek the popularity, the likes and the misconception of love that they fail to realize that they are doing more harm than good to their lives. It is so hard to say no to a cute face especially when it gives you the attention you desire. Unfortunately by the time you realize that it’s not for you, or you hear that voice in the back of your mind saying “run”, you’re stuck. You’ve spent so much time and energy trying to please this guy, love this guy and have this guy love you, that you don’t want anything else. You don’t know where else to go, even if it’s staring you in the face. The safe haven guy in this film was Shaun (Ntonga Mwanza). I guess you could say he was the underdog but to me he was far from that. I mean he bought this girl a new phone for crying out loud. Anyway, it was clear watching this film that he saw something in Layla that she couldn’t see in herself. He could tell that she was lost and just wanted to help her. He loved her. But as I already stated, she was caught up in a life that seemed like the one she wanted. But remember kids, "everything that glitters ain’t gold." This all ties back into knowing your own worth. Paying attention to your own insecurities and addressing them. Ignoring those types of things can blindly lead you somewhere that’s not intended for you. It will also keep you from the things that are meant to be a light in your life. Without telling you too much if you haven’t seen it while letting you in on most of the viewer’s frustration, Layla sets up the only person in her life who genuinely cares for her. She puts Shaun in a situation that would not only change his life forever but also hers. What makes it so frustrating is that no matter how much her boyfriend Troy made her cry, treated her like crap and let others do it, she couldn’t walk away. We as viewers had to watch that. In some way girls had to watch themselves on TV. Guys had to watch their own power and misguided treatment of women on TV as well. Even though our results may not have ended like Layla’s and Shaun’s, it was still a mirror reflection to some. Now what really got me after watching this film is that it was based on a true story. In most cases, I hope a movie oversold the story but in reality, it was pretty much identical. What made me more upset was that none of the actual people are as attractive either but that’s not the point. The point is, is that sometimes we find ourselves entertained, amused, angered or even intrigued by something on TV not understanding that it could be someone’s real life. If you’re looking for a movie that may not be on the A or B list but can offer the same reaction, this is the movie for you. It also gives you a glance into your own life or the life of someone you may know. It’s a great conversation piece and Rebecca Johnson should be proud of herself. You can find the film on Netflix and watch the trailer here. As Always… #StayProminent Before I start my review on this film, I want to say that I in no way shape or form support the incident involving the young woman who took her own life. I will never condone that type of behavior and I personally feel for her and loved ones.
The Birth of a Nation is an important film. I first heard the title and immediately got upset assuming that someone had the audacity to remake the 1915 silent film. Once I realized that it was about the rebellion led by Mr. Nat Turner, I was relieved. Not just because it wasn’t a film about the KKK, but because it was a film about a man I for one, had never really learned about. It was about the story that is so prominent in black history. It is also an important film because in this day where media is more important than books sometimes, it is definitely a gateway to teach those who do not know. Now I know that people are “sick and tired” of slave movies. They are sick of seeing black people get beaten, get hanged, get killed, get raped and so I am. But I also appreciate these movies. The country we live in just wants us to forget and to get over what our ancestors had to endure. These movies are a constant reminder that we will never forget. We can’t depend on our school systems because all they teach is how we were brought over here by ships, we were freed, MLK marched, Rosa Parks sat and Malcolm X was a rebel and all was good. There are too many stories to allow one chapter to capture it all. No matter how many movies are made, I honestly don’t think they will be able to truly capture the feelings, the thoughts or the ideas of that time period. Nat Turner was NOT a huge part of my history lesson growing up. I can probably recall hearing his name a few times in all of my High School and Undergraduate career. All I ever heard was that he was simply an angry black man murdering white people and that he led a brutal slave rebellion leaving many people dead. This movie showed me something else. It showed a man of great faith and great strength. It showed me how the word of God, which was supposed to be used as a way to demean and disadvantage black people, was the same thing that gave them courage. After watching this film, I was pleased with how it was not identical to other slave movies. There wasn’t a “we are free” type of ending. There wasn’t complete justice in this film. There were some brutal actions that occurred that I see were necessary in the idea of portraying the true essence of the time. always find it very unique that no matter how many movies about slavery we have, they always offer something different or something more. This movie was not all good however. There were a lot of points, too many actually that were inaccurate based on my own research prior to watching this film. The lack of women involved (I’ll let the extreme feminist capture this topic), the location, and train of events leading to the rebellion and even the rebellion itself were not all fact based. There were things added and somethings left out that I feel were important. Now my problem with that (in discussing it with a friend) is, for me an adult, to just now have the right mind to research Nat Turner and his story is good because I can see what is inaccurate. But as I previously stated, Turner was rarely mentioned in my history books so I am sure, that may still be the case today. So for that of a younger person who may now be aware of his story, does not have the real one. There are gaps and misleading. But again, as previously stated, this is a way to teach our people, not only about Nat Turner but how media can be skewed and that educating ourselves is important. From just a movie viewer I was disappointed in the misleading of the previews. Gabrielle Union was in the film all of two scenes. The rebellion itself seemed to only be 10 minutes of the film. The story line leading up the rebellion seemed to get lost and someone how did not match the idea of where I thought it should go. The cinematography however I thought was put together really well and the imagery used even though at times it was complex, it was necessary. I by no means want people to take my opinion or my thoughts on this movie and take them as what is fact. I also do not accept any comments that try to belittle my perspective. The concept of this movie, the news surrounding the film and even the film itself is controversial and it opens the door to plenty of opinions and thoughts which are all appreciated. Again as in recent posts there are plenty of other things that I would have and could have stated but however, I attempt to get my main points across as well as stick to a word limit as much as possible. I would love to read your thoughts. As Always.... #StayProminent Billboard called the 2016 VMAs the blackest one yet and to be quite honest with you, I would have to agree. In most of the reviews of the award show they primarily focused on the black entertainers. Also only five out of the 17 awardees were non-black artists. Not that any of this really matters; I am simply giving foresight to the main points that will be mentioned in the post. Read on…
So the show opened with Rihanna looking like she just stepped out of a pack of bubblicious. But I loved it. She came with typical Rih Rih fashion, which is always on point, and started with some old classics we all love. I got excited when she started “Don’t Stop the Music” thinking, “Hey what a great song to sing considering it samples Michael Jackson and his name is on the award she is receiving”, but I was wrong. She sang the title and moved on. Rihanna has never really been a dancer to me and she proved it that night. Though the choreography was great, you could tell that at some points she got a little winded. I’m not sure if her exhaustion played a part, but some of those notes were uncomfortable (the end of Needed Me). I really enjoyed the BET Prince Tribute vibe of performing multiple times a night. Seeing her in different clothes and performing different eras was exciting and I was all in. Like most people I watched the VMAs because Beyoncé was performing and wanted to see what she was going to do. Unlike most people I wasn’t knocked out of my seat impressed. I feel like her performance was in typical “Queen Bey” fashion. She always has her fan, either fire or water and she works every corner of the stage. I am not saying the performance was bad, I am just saying it didn’t look too different from her BET performance or what she has been doing on tour. I love/hate how she brought her visual album to the stage. I love how people can make a video come to life. I hated that she was up there for 15 minutes. I think for someone to just be a performer, 15 mins is too long especially if they aren’t being honored. She performed just as long, if not longer, than Rihanna and she was receiving an honor. The joke “The VMAs attended Beyoncé’s concert last night” was definitely appropriate. But for a woman who is definitely the biggest celebrity of this generation and maybe the most talented as well, we can’t expect anything else. Now I have loved Alicia Keys since 2001 like most people so I am always excited to see her. Now I could and should talk about her song/poem, which was great, but I am not. The whole time I was scrolling through Twitter and Facebook, all I saw was people complaining about Keys not wearing makeup. Everyone seems to be over it or think it has no purpose. The purpose was not for you to like her or approve. The purpose was to not follow social norms and do what she wanted to do. She has not once made it seem like she bashes the women who wear makeup, she just has a preference on what she does or does not put on her face. Most people missed out on the message she was giving and her beautiful voice only because they were focused on how she looked. There were two things that annoyed the hell out of me. One being Kanye West and two, Key & Peele. Every time Kanye opens his mouth, I never know what he is talking about. He goes on these rants that makes no sense and makes him look like a douche. He just needs to keep making music and leave it at that. The only great thing that came from him that night was that video. Teyana Taylor has me ready to change my life. To look like that five months after having a baby is insane. And I don’t know whose idea is was to bring Key & Peele on board, but they should be shame. They tried way too hard and brought the mood down each time. Get it together MTV, get it together. Overall, the show was pretty nice. I enjoyed watching almost as much as I enjoyed the public’s comments. Until next year MTV VMAs. As Always… #StayProminent I love coming face to face with a movie challenge. I am such a 90’s baby that for the most part, those are all of my go to movies. So one of my favorite things about Netflix is that they have these original movies or add a few that I’ve never seen before. It’s one of those “why not?” feelings. The most recent “why not?” moment I had was with the new movie, Tallulah. This movie is about a girl who basically lies about having a kid for two reasons;
1. She is afraid because the mother thinks she kidnapped her 2. She uses it as a way to get help from her boyfriend’s mother. Sounds crazy, right? This movie is one that is not so much relatable to most but it definitely evokes empathy. I know we all see other movies or hear on the news about runaways and even think about how running away from our problems/responsibilities is easier than facing them, but we all also find out that’s wrong. From my point of view that is what Tallulah was all about. It was just a series of events that led her to a place to face her fears and realize that she can no longer run. So her runaway boyfriend leaves her while she is asleep (douche) and so she decides to turn to his mother Margo (Allison Janney) for financial support. Of course when she shows up to her doorstep, she doesn’t even hesitate to tell her no considering the fact that she hasn’t seen her son in two years and she showed up alone. Instead of going out to find a way to really get her life together, she just goes to mooch off of people. She ends up running into this drunken woman who mistakes her for the maid at a hotel. Perfect way for her to get what she needs and to get out. Instead, the mom leaves her with her baby and in the end Tallulah takes the baby because she doesn’t trust the mother to look after her. The irony. This movie most definitely turned out to be one that made me realize how crazy life can get. It made me see that with every choice you make there is a series of outcomes that are to follow. Tallulah isn’t so much heart wrenching but more so gut punching in my opinion. The imagery and language seems to be a little raw and doesn’t beat around the bush. I thought the movie was really only hitting the surface of the story line but I also don’t think it needed to go much deeper. It was a good watch overall. Tallulah started off being annoying but in the end I felt bad for her. I could tell you that there are all of these life lessons in Tallulah, but that’s only true based on perception. I try to showcase as much diversity as possible on The Prominent, but what I won’t do is encourage you to watch or listen to something I don’t think is worth it. To me this wasn’t the best movie I have ever seen but I wouldn’t tell you not to watch it in full. Netflix is doing a great job with the originals. If you take a look, come back and tell me what you thought. As Always… #StayProminent |
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"A good actor with an opportunity has a shot; without the opportunity it doesn't matter how good you are." |