Odie Henderson
@odienator.bsky.social
Author of BLACK CAESARS AND FOXY CLEOPATRAS: A HISTORY OF BLAXPLOITATION CINEMA. Still the Boston Globe's chief film critic for now :) Former RogerEbert.com critic. Also former IT Diva (reformed). Black, bi, badass. View are my own! NSFC and GALECA member.
Pinned
Odie Henderson
@odienator.bsky.social
· Feb 19
I wrote a book on Blaxploitation Cinema! Ya damn right! It's called BLACK CAESARS AND FOXY CLEOPATRAS: A HISTORY OF BLAXPLOITATION CINEMA. Available at bookstores, libraries and even an audiobook (read by moi). If you want to get a copy, ask yo' mama!
Until today, I have never been the only critic at a critic screening before. Felt weird!
January 20, 2026 at 11:16 PM
Until today, I have never been the only critic at a critic screening before. Felt weird!
Nina Simone: Mississippi Goddam
YouTube video by Aaron Overfield
youtu.be
January 20, 2026 at 5:07 PM
Proud of my state.
January 20, 2026 at 4:50 PM
Proud of my state.
Reposted by Odie Henderson
I made my Oscar nominations predictions in the Globe. Let's see how right I am come Thursday morning. If nothing else, I got to give shout-outs to Aunt Gladys (🎶they tell me, Gladys... 🎶) and brutally mock Marty Supreme and the people who like that garbage movie.
www.bostonglobe.com/2026/01/15/a...
www.bostonglobe.com/2026/01/15/a...
‘Sinners’ for best picture? Grande for supporting actress? Reading between the lines to predict Oscar noms. - The Boston Globe
The Globe’s movie critic makes his annual Academy Award nomination predictions.
www.bostonglobe.com
January 18, 2026 at 7:06 PM
I made my Oscar nominations predictions in the Globe. Let's see how right I am come Thursday morning. If nothing else, I got to give shout-outs to Aunt Gladys (🎶they tell me, Gladys... 🎶) and brutally mock Marty Supreme and the people who like that garbage movie.
www.bostonglobe.com/2026/01/15/a...
www.bostonglobe.com/2026/01/15/a...
Reposted by Odie Henderson
For the people who are whining that Kamala and Barack aren’t speaking out now….
They literally gave speeches in 2024 accurately predicting everything that’s happening now and you clearly didn’t give a shit. What are they supposed to say now? Shut the fuck up.
They literally gave speeches in 2024 accurately predicting everything that’s happening now and you clearly didn’t give a shit. What are they supposed to say now? Shut the fuck up.
January 20, 2026 at 4:26 PM
For the people who are whining that Kamala and Barack aren’t speaking out now….
They literally gave speeches in 2024 accurately predicting everything that’s happening now and you clearly didn’t give a shit. What are they supposed to say now? Shut the fuck up.
They literally gave speeches in 2024 accurately predicting everything that’s happening now and you clearly didn’t give a shit. What are they supposed to say now? Shut the fuck up.
Reposted by Odie Henderson
who the fuck WANTS their posts to go viral, have you ever had that actually happen? it's like getting a winning pull on a slot machine if wasps started pouring out the bottom instead of quarters
January 19, 2026 at 11:48 PM
who the fuck WANTS their posts to go viral, have you ever had that actually happen? it's like getting a winning pull on a slot machine if wasps started pouring out the bottom instead of quarters
Courtesy of TCM and Odie's DVR, I'm revisiting the movie that traumatized 8-year old me when I saw it at the drive-in. I read the book later, too. These posters with the people hanging from wires were everywhere. I think my introduction to Richard Widmark was this movie. Scary!
January 20, 2026 at 1:11 AM
Courtesy of TCM and Odie's DVR, I'm revisiting the movie that traumatized 8-year old me when I saw it at the drive-in. I read the book later, too. These posters with the people hanging from wires were everywhere. I think my introduction to Richard Widmark was this movie. Scary!
What a great article!!
For MLK Day on @letterboxd.social I decided to do a list of essential Civil Rights and Black Liberation movies.
Freedom Now!: a starter pack of 24 films about the Civil Rights Movement and Black liberation • Journal • A Letterboxd Magazine
In honor of Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Robert Daniels recommends 24 films that shed light on the Civil Rights Movement and the ongoing fight for Black liberation in America.
boxd.it
January 20, 2026 at 1:05 AM
What a great article!!
My timing sucks. Instead of being here in NYC, I'll be in the Bay Area on that day. I couldn't get my event a week earlier, otherwise I'd have gone to Noir City! Grrr! At least I can say I've done a Q&A with Rosie Perez, though! Hope this is a great event!
January 19, 2026 at 9:27 PM
My timing sucks. Instead of being here in NYC, I'll be in the Bay Area on that day. I couldn't get my event a week earlier, otherwise I'd have gone to Noir City! Grrr! At least I can say I've done a Q&A with Rosie Perez, though! Hope this is a great event!
Reposted by Odie Henderson
GREAT TIME at #NoirCity23 hosting a class from Berkeley High School at the Grand Lake Theatre in Oakland. For many, it was their first time seeing a black and white film on the big screen. Their initiation? Bogart and Bacall in TO HAVE AND HAVE NOT. #TCM #NoirAlley
January 18, 2026 at 7:13 PM
GREAT TIME at #NoirCity23 hosting a class from Berkeley High School at the Grand Lake Theatre in Oakland. For many, it was their first time seeing a black and white film on the big screen. Their initiation? Bogart and Bacall in TO HAVE AND HAVE NOT. #TCM #NoirAlley
I've always considered Spike's MALCOLM X a masterpiece, but I had a newfound appreciation for it when had the honor to record its DVD commentary. This movie is 3 hours and 21 minutes long and moves at a fast clip. I prepared for three weeks. The task scared the hell out of me. DVR it on TCM tonight!
January 19, 2026 at 7:26 PM
I've always considered Spike's MALCOLM X a masterpiece, but I had a newfound appreciation for it when had the honor to record its DVD commentary. This movie is 3 hours and 21 minutes long and moves at a fast clip. I prepared for three weeks. The task scared the hell out of me. DVR it on TCM tonight!
Reposted by Odie Henderson
Amanda Seyfried comes in to provide us the antidote to Timothée Chalamet's embarrassingly thirsty Oscar campaign.
Amanda Seyfried Says Winning an Oscar Is Not Important: ‘Do You Remember Who Won in the Past 10 Years?’
Amanda Seyfried says winning an Oscar is not important to her at this stage in her career.
variety.com
January 19, 2026 at 7:05 PM
Amanda Seyfried comes in to provide us the antidote to Timothée Chalamet's embarrassingly thirsty Oscar campaign.
I wish I could be at NOIR CITY right now. But here I am with the Czar of Noir, Mr. Eddie Muller back in 2024. Hope everyone's having a good time!
January 19, 2026 at 7:08 PM
I wish I could be at NOIR CITY right now. But here I am with the Czar of Noir, Mr. Eddie Muller back in 2024. Hope everyone's having a good time!
Reposted by Odie Henderson
UPTIGHT is a must-see. Booker T. and the MG's song TIME IS TIGHT comes from this film. Has a fantastic performance by Raymond St. Jacques. Max Julien is great in it as well. Hell, the entire cast is awesome. Co-written by Ruby Dee. I wrote about it in my book, BLACK CAESARS AND FOXY CLEOPATRAS.
There are a lot of essential films about civil rights leaders on TCM today that everyone should check out.
They include
KING: A FILMED RECORD...MONTGOMERY TO MEMPHIS
I HEARD IT THROUGH THE GRAPEVINE
MALCOLM X
UPTIGHT
THE MURDER OF FRED HAMPTOM
BLACK PANTHERS
They include
KING: A FILMED RECORD...MONTGOMERY TO MEMPHIS
I HEARD IT THROUGH THE GRAPEVINE
MALCOLM X
UPTIGHT
THE MURDER OF FRED HAMPTOM
BLACK PANTHERS
January 19, 2026 at 4:52 PM
UPTIGHT is a must-see. Booker T. and the MG's song TIME IS TIGHT comes from this film. Has a fantastic performance by Raymond St. Jacques. Max Julien is great in it as well. Hell, the entire cast is awesome. Co-written by Ruby Dee. I wrote about it in my book, BLACK CAESARS AND FOXY CLEOPATRAS.
Coming to America - Marthin Luther King
YouTube video by Michael Hardin
youtu.be
January 19, 2026 at 4:46 PM
And of course, Stevie wrote about MLK better than I ever could. Plus, he got double duty out of the song, as his chorus is how we sing Happy Birthday to our brethren.
youtu.be/RcVZfJO01NI
youtu.be/RcVZfJO01NI
Happy Birthday
YouTube video by Stevie Wonder - Topic
youtu.be
January 19, 2026 at 4:36 PM
And of course, Stevie wrote about MLK better than I ever could. Plus, he got double duty out of the song, as his chorus is how we sing Happy Birthday to our brethren.
youtu.be/RcVZfJO01NI
youtu.be/RcVZfJO01NI
Next, my @ebertvoices.bsky.social take on MLK/FBI, one of the reviews that got me christened "The Ebert Site's Militant Negro Critic." That reader meant to slight me; I took it as a badge of honor. I miss writing with this much rage, anger and Blackity-Blackness.
www.rogerebert.com/reviews/mlkf...
www.rogerebert.com/reviews/mlkf...
MLK/FBI movie review & film summary (2021) | Roger Ebert
Myth and legend are pushed aside, creating a human portrait of a great leader, warts and all.
www.rogerebert.com
January 19, 2026 at 4:34 PM
Next, my @ebertvoices.bsky.social take on MLK/FBI, one of the reviews that got me christened "The Ebert Site's Militant Negro Critic." That reader meant to slight me; I took it as a badge of honor. I miss writing with this much rage, anger and Blackity-Blackness.
www.rogerebert.com/reviews/mlkf...
www.rogerebert.com/reviews/mlkf...
Next, my @ebertvoices.bsky.social review of Ava DuVernay's excellent SELMA. I'm surprised more people didn't complain that I wasn't deferential enough to LBJ. (Bad Odie!)
www.rogerebert.com/reviews/selm...
www.rogerebert.com/reviews/selm...
Selma movie review & film summary (2014) | Roger Ebert
Selma is a powerful, emotional film that works in moments both big and small. It announces the major talents of director Ava DuVernay and has an unforgettable lead performance by David Oyelowo.
www.rogerebert.com
January 19, 2026 at 4:29 PM
Next, my @ebertvoices.bsky.social review of Ava DuVernay's excellent SELMA. I'm surprised more people didn't complain that I wasn't deferential enough to LBJ. (Bad Odie!)
www.rogerebert.com/reviews/selm...
www.rogerebert.com/reviews/selm...
For MLK Day, a few of my reviews that relate to the day and the man.
Questlove's appearance in THE BLACK POWER MIXTAPE took an underseen look at MLK's activism. My @ebertvoices.bsky.social review:
www.rogerebert.com/streaming/bl...
Questlove's appearance in THE BLACK POWER MIXTAPE took an underseen look at MLK's activism. My @ebertvoices.bsky.social review:
www.rogerebert.com/streaming/bl...
January 19, 2026 at 4:27 PM
For MLK Day, a few of my reviews that relate to the day and the man.
Questlove's appearance in THE BLACK POWER MIXTAPE took an underseen look at MLK's activism. My @ebertvoices.bsky.social review:
www.rogerebert.com/streaming/bl...
Questlove's appearance in THE BLACK POWER MIXTAPE took an underseen look at MLK's activism. My @ebertvoices.bsky.social review:
www.rogerebert.com/streaming/bl...
Reposted by Odie Henderson
Dr. King did amazing things, but often we only talk about his successes. Dr. King also had some "failures", and they are important to discuss because we often learn a great deal from failure. And failure can inform or grow a movement, like Albany, Georgia's failure did for Dr. King. /1
January 19, 2026 at 3:24 PM
Dr. King did amazing things, but often we only talk about his successes. Dr. King also had some "failures", and they are important to discuss because we often learn a great deal from failure. And failure can inform or grow a movement, like Albany, Georgia's failure did for Dr. King. /1
OLD ACQUAINTANCE was a lot of fun. My 45 year old memory of sneaking in to see it was correct: RICH AND FAMOUS was really really bad. But Meg Ryan was in it!
My Sunday afternoon double feature was DVR'ed off TCM last night. OLD ACQUAINTANCE, starring Bette Davis and her nemesis, Miriam Hopkins. Then, George Cukor's last movie, RICH AND FAMOUS, the R-rated remake I snuck into when I was 11-years old. If I recall, the Cukor movie was astonishingly bad.
January 19, 2026 at 6:29 AM
OLD ACQUAINTANCE was a lot of fun. My 45 year old memory of sneaking in to see it was correct: RICH AND FAMOUS was really really bad. But Meg Ryan was in it!
Well now I know from where Groucho got the LSD he dropped on the set of SKIDOO...
I never knew that Grouch Marx and Dennis Hopper made a generation gap drama (!!) back in 1962. Marx is a concerned father trying to talk Dennis out of marrying his 17 year old daughter played by Hopper’s wife Brooke Hayward. I’m trying to picture Groucho playing Nicholson’s part in “Easy Rider!”
January 18, 2026 at 9:45 PM
Well now I know from where Groucho got the LSD he dropped on the set of SKIDOO...
My Sunday afternoon double feature was DVR'ed off TCM last night. OLD ACQUAINTANCE, starring Bette Davis and her nemesis, Miriam Hopkins. Then, George Cukor's last movie, RICH AND FAMOUS, the R-rated remake I snuck into when I was 11-years old. If I recall, the Cukor movie was astonishingly bad.
January 18, 2026 at 7:58 PM
My Sunday afternoon double feature was DVR'ed off TCM last night. OLD ACQUAINTANCE, starring Bette Davis and her nemesis, Miriam Hopkins. Then, George Cukor's last movie, RICH AND FAMOUS, the R-rated remake I snuck into when I was 11-years old. If I recall, the Cukor movie was astonishingly bad.