~Elle Shanice~ APPROVED ✔: Red Tails

~Elle Shanice~ Grade: A

I have been waiting a while to see this movie. Every time I saw the preview for "Red Tails", I got EXCITED...not just because this is a story that should have been told long ago, but also because of all the FINE BLACK MEN in it!!!!! Sounds superficial I know but either way, I was going to support this movie. 

Terrence Howard, Nate Parker, Tristan Wilds, & Elijah Kelly are among the strong group of black actors that were brought together to tell the story of the Tuskegee Airmen on the Hollywood level. It was reported that there was some difficulties getting the film made, mainly because it's a black story with a black cast that didn't involve Tyler Perry. 

Although the movie is a dramatization & the events of the Tuskegee Airmen did not happen exactly like in the movie, I still enjoyed the stories of love, friendship, and dedication to country & each other.

The movie was set in Italy as the pilots wait for missions from the Army. The banter between the tight-knit group made you realized how much they leaned on each other during that trying time & it eventually made them stronger. You saw the camaraderie & saw how much they really were there for each other. You see the friendship between Easy (Parker) & Lightning (played by David Oyelowo), Lighning fall in love with an Italian woman, Ray Gun prove himself after getting hurt & later captured, and other individual personalities that make up the group.

To be honest, I do think that some of the characters could have been a little more detailed & we could have learned more about them individually, but I liked how the movie mainly focused on the whole group & what they went through. The whole time I was on the edge of my seat, hoping that one of the planes would not get shot down or that the pilots would get through their ideal.

The action is suitable for a George Lucus-directed movie and I walked out of the theater happy that the story had be told on such a great scale. Yes, it was some fictional elements but that goes along with a major motion picture. Overall, I enjoyed the movie & encourage EVERYONE...black, white, young, old...to see it. 

~Elle Shanice~ APPROVED ✔: Celebrity Engagements

The new year has brought new engagements to the public eye...and ALL of them are well-deserved in my opinion. I look forward to some BIG weddings in 2012.

First, NBA superstar Lebron James proposed to his longtime girlfriend, Savannah Brinson and the first thing that I thought was IT'S ABOUT TIME!!!!!

I'm a BIG fan of Lebron's since he got to the NBA and I even had a crush on him for years. When I saw his beautiful girlfriend Savannah for the first time on Oprah a few years ago, I thought that they made a cute couple. I like Savannah & even follow her on Twitter.

I'm glad that he FINALLY proposed to her because I know he has been getting a lot of criticism outside of basketball. With his friends Chris Paul and Carmelo Anthony getting married, I'm sure he was feeling a little pressure.

They have two children together and it was just time to take that next step. I'm happy that Savannah got her ring and I hope that Lebron can get a ring of his own. I wish them the best.

Queen of Soul Aretha Franklin announced that she was engaged to her longtime partner William Wilkerson.  I'm happy for Aretha, who has always been shy about talking about her love life, which is REFRESHING in entertainment.

In the BIGGEST plot twist aka engagement of all, "Love and Hip Hop" star Jim Jones FINALLY proposed to girlfriend of seven years, Chrissy Lampkin. Even though the engagement was on-camera, I'm still happy for these two.

Chrissy is by far my favorite on the show, and I feel that she deserves it the most. She has been with Jim for seven years and they do not have any children, which is RARE because a baby = a paycheck (sad but true), and she puts up with his mess like nothing I have ever seen.

It was obvious on the show that she loves him (she proposed to HIM) but it was clearly taking it's toll on her emotionally. She had to go to Miami to try and take her mind off of it, and that's when Jim surprised her with the proposal. It seems like the trip was just what was needed to get Jim to act right and make the move. He obviously looked up and didn't see Chrissy there and it made him realize that it was time to propose.

Congratulations to all three couples from ~Elle Shanice~...I wish them nothing but the BEST!!!!! 

Here is the video from Jim's proposal to Chrissy on "Love and Hip Hop":

Get More: Love And Hip Hop

Chris Brown & Rihanna Should Get Back Together...If They Want To

First of all, I want to say Happy New Year to all of my new & returning readers!!!!! This will be my 3rd year of blogging & I look forward to sharing my thoughts with you in 2012. 

That being said, I'm gonna start off the new year of posts with a (still) touchy subject, with everybody from Oprah to Jay-Z putting their two cents into this Chris Brown/Rihanna conversation. 


However, I think that enough time has passed for these two grown people (Rihanna is 23 & Chris is 22) to decide if they want to get back together. Yes, Chris has a "girlfriend" now (I use the term loosely) and Rihanna has been linked to Matt Kemp & Drake among others. However, it is obvious to me that these two do not have each other out of their system. 


I have always said that I do not care much about the personal lives of celebrities and I usually only comment on what they do in the public eye. Which is why I say that if they want to get back together, they should be able to no matter what other people think. Although I know that people would not leave it alone if they did (and they may lose fans because of it), I do think that you can't help who you fall in love with. If Chris Brown convinces Rihanna that he has changed and she's willing to move on with him, then they should be able to. 

Rumors of a reunion started when they started following each other again on Twitter (which even I know that you should watch what you say on there). They also gave us subtweets that led most people to believe that they were for each other (see right). 


They both released albums in 2011 that had songs which point to possible feelings still being there. I actually have both cd's, have listened to them all the way through several times, and my conclusion is that they OBVIOUSLY still have feelings for each other despite the situation. 


I wish Chris Brown & Rihanna the best in whatever they decide to do with their relationship. It's their personal business but I hope that they both continue to be at the top of their games musically, because F.A.M.E. and Talk That Talk were two of the best albums of 2011. 


Here are just two examples of some lyrics from both Chris Brown & Rihanna's latest albums:

• Chris Brown "She Ain't You"

I never wanted us to break upNo not this wayBut you don't understand it girlWhen she touches me, I'm wishing that they were your handsAnd when I'm with her its only 'bout the sexWith you I had a bad romance

• Rihanna "Fool In Love"

You’ll see a monster, I see a smile

You say it’s danger and I’m in denial

But somehow I feel so safe right now 

So I guess I’m a fool, I’m a fool in love

But I’m willing to stay here and bask in the glory of his heart

I guess I’m a fool in love but I’m willing to look so stupid

Till I’ve had enough

Here is Rihanna's video for her Talk That Talk first single, "We Found Love", which includes a Chris Brown look-a-like and displays a couple's volatile relationship (sound familiar?). It also features a chilling monologue:

It's like you're screaming, and no one can hear. You almost feel ashamed, that someone could be that important - that without them, you feel like nothing. No one will ever understand how much it hurts. You feel hopeless; like nothing can save you. And when it's over, and it's gone, you almost wish that you could have all that bad stuff back - so that you could have the good.