DVD Review: Good Hair
Posted on Feb 11, 2010 @ 02:58PM - Add a comment
In Good Hair, Chris Rock sets out to examine the relationship that African-American women have with their hair. His inquiry began, he explains, when one of his young daughters asked him: “Daddy, why don’t I have good hair?”
Rock’s resulting documentary, which arrived on DVD this week, seeks answers to the culture of hair from a father’s perspective. He refers back to his little girls throughout the film, which effectively anchors the narrative while buoying Good Hair with both paternal and intellectual motivation. As Rock discovers some of the less savory aspects of African-American hair culture -- from the dangers of relaxer creams to the dearth of Black-owned hair businesses -- there’s no judgment, just observation.
DVD Releases for February 9th
The comedian’s mission takes him to places from Atlanta to Harlem and India to Los Angeles, but it’s the diversity of interviews and personalities that make Good Hair so rich and engaging. Throughout the film, Rock talks to hair dressers, barbers, actresses, high school students, academics, and luminaries like Al Sharpton, Maya Angelou, KRS-One and T-Pain. His interviews and encounters are woven together so that we see a real array of perspectives, relationships and stories that all take the same arc of discovery. As a four-year-old gets her first perm treatment at the salon, Angelou reveals that she also just got her hair relaxed for the first time. As Raven-Symoné considers where her weave comes from, we meet a man in Beverly Hills who buys the pieces for his high-profile clients.
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Among Good Hair’s jokes and generally light-hearted nature is also an undeniable thread of sadness, which executive producer Nelson George points out in the DVD commentary. One of the film’s essential messages is that African-American hair culture eschews its own natural attributes in favor of European-style hair that’s straight and shiny and swishes in the wind. Rock pursues a variety of avenues and lines of questioning to underscore this point, including trying to sell African-American hair pieces to weave stores -- only to be told that no one wants kinky hair.
But Rock’s stunt isn’t just a knee-jerk ploy to make an easy statement. To get to the root of the weave industry (no pun intended), he travels across America and eventually to India, where homegrown hair is one of the country’s biggest exports. At a temple there, he takes us to a ceremony in which worshippers shave their heads as an offering to God. The act not only provides the multi-million dollar weave biz with its core product, but also illustrates a stark contrast in cultural attitudes.
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Good Hair, though, is essentially a warm-hearted, funny film steeped in a lot of information. Rock is a sharp inquisitor who’s not afraid to poke a little fun, but he approaches the subject of African-American women’s relationships with their hair with innocence and respect, as he strives to reveal how hair fits in to a woman’s respect for herself.
DVD Releases for February 9, 2010
Posted on Feb 09, 2010 @ 01:53PM - Add a comment
A Serious Man (R)
The Coen brothers take their dark humor to fresh turf with the story of one man’s quest to become a serious man. When a physics professor sees his life unraveling (his wife is ditching him, his deadbeat brother won’t get off his couch -- and that’s just for starters), he consults three rabbis for help. Their answers are far from straightforward, and propel him to explore faith, bad behavior, death and life. (Michael Stuhlbarg [Larry Gopnik], Sari Lennick [Judith Gopnik])
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Couples Retreat (PG-13)
Four couples head for a tropical couples’ retreat for a little R’n’R to support one pair’s plans to repair their marriage. When they arrive in paradise, however, they learn that couples’ therapy isn’t optional in this so-called Eden -- and all of their relationships could use a little help. (Vince Vaughn [Dave], Jason Bateman [Jason], Malin Akerman [Ronnie], Kristen Bell [Cynthia])
Good Hair (PG-13)
Chris Rock sets out to explore the culture and and connotations of African-American hairstyles. The comedian -- who also co-wrote and co-produced the film -- consults a range of celebs, intellectuals and everyday folk alike, from Maya Angelou to Sandra “Pepa” Denton, and KRS-One to Al Sharpton. (Chris Rock [Himself])
I Hate Valentine’s Day (PG-13)
A happy-go-lucky florist never faces rejection from men thanks to her strict, five-date limit, which ensures maximum romance with minimum fallout. Her built-in heart-shield, however, starts to crack when she meets a sexy new restauranteur who might just be worth risking dating number six. (Nia Vardalos [Genevieve Gernier], John Corbett [Greg Gatlin])
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The Time Traveler’s Wife (PG-13)
Can the greatest love survive any strain? Clare Abshire has known she was destined to be with Henry DeTamble since she was a little girl. But when he magically reappears in their romance begins, she must face the constant pain of separation due to his inconvenient, involuntary time travel. (Rachel McAdams [Clare Abshire], Eric Bana [Henry DeTamble]
Chris Rick Wins Legal Battle Over Good Hair Movie
Posted on Oct 19, 2009 @ 05:11PM - 1 comment
Chris Rock is getting the last laugh in his legal battle with Regina Kimbell who tried to block the release of the comedian's movie Good Hair and alleged he stole the premise for it from her 2006 documentary.
EXCLUSIVE: Chris Rock Slapped With $5 Million Lawsuit Over Good Hair
"After reviewing these films, I am even more convinced not to grant the preliminary (injunction),'' U.S. District Judge Dale S. Fischer said in court. She added that the two films "don't seem to be made for the same Audience" and ``are not similar at all.''
EXCLUSIVE DOCUMENT: Chris Rock's Response To Movie Lawsuit
Kimbell had asked for $5 million in damages and an injunction preventing Rock and HBO Films from showing Good Hair. Her 2006 documentary My Nappy Roots had celebrities and others discuss African American hair styles and techniques while Rock's uses celebrities to examine the lengths black women go through to make their hair more European. Rock has said the inspiration for the film came to him after his six-year old daughter asked him why she didn't have good hair.
EXCLUSIVE: Chris Rock Granted Right To Release Movie
Posted on Oct 08, 2009 @ 07:04PM - 1 comment
Chris Rock has won the right to release his movie, Good Hair, on it's scheduled release date of October 9th despite an eleventh hour request by Regina Kimbell to stop it.
Chris Rock Slapped With $5 million Lawsuit
Kimbell, the producer of award-winning documentary My Nappy Roots, slapped Rock with a temporary restraining order in an attempt to block the release of Good Hair, claiming Chris ripped off the idea for the movie from hers.
Judge Dale S. Fischer found that there was insufficient evidence to support Kimbell's claim and stated that the request, made just four days before the set release date of Good Hair, was untimely.
EXCLUSIVE DOCUMENT: Chris Rock's Response To Movie Lawsuit
Kimbell claimed her movie, My Nappy Roots, a documentary that she made in 2005, was the inspiration behind Rock's Good Hair, and is suing him for a cool $5million.
Kimbell claimed she showed Rock My Nappy Roots on the set of his TV series Every One Hates Chris in 2007.
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Rock admits to meeting with Kimbell, for a private screening for research purposes, but denies that she showed him the documentary because somebody from his team told her "I think we can help you".
Rock states that Nappy Roots, unlike Good Hair, is more a historical take on the topic of black hair care rather than an entertainment one.
And the judge agreed with him on Wednesday, denying the TRO.
Round one to Chris Rock.
EXCLUSIVE DOCUMENT: Chris Rock's Response To Movie Lawsuit
Posted on Oct 08, 2009 @ 11:16AM - Add a comment
Superstar comic Chris Rock has defended himself against a lawsuit that claimed he stole the idea for his new movie Good Hair.
Read Chris Rock’s Full Declaration
RadarOnline.com has obtained exclusive court papers from the Central District Of California (Western Division) where Rock defends himself against Regina Kimbell whose own documentary Nappy Roots covers the history of black hair.
EXCLUSIVE: Chris Rock Slapped With $5 Million Lawsuit Over Good Hair
Posted on Oct 06, 2009 @ 09:06AM - 1 comment
Funnyman Chris Rock is at the center of a $5 million lawsuit from a woman alleging he stole her idea for his forthcoming documentary about African-American hairstyles.
Regina Kimbell filed a suit at Los Angeles' District Court this week claiming the inspiration behind Rock's Good Hair film came from a documentary she made in 2005, which she showed the comic on the set of his TV series Everyone Hates Chris in 2007.
