In honor of highlighting Gina Prince-Bythewood on Instagram, it’s time to throw it back to the turn of the millennium. Love & Basketball is timeless, and not just because Sanaa Lathan looks the same age now as she did back then. Love & Basketball shows how paths that seem parallel can intersect. Monica and Quincy find romance through their mutual love for basketball.

Synopsis:

In 1981 in L.A., Monica moves in next door to Quincy. They’re 11, and both want to play in the NBA, just like Quincy’s dad. Their love-hate relationship lasts into high school, with Monica’s edge and Quincy’s top-dog attitude separating them, except when Quincy’s parents argue and he climbs through Monica’s window to sleep on the floor. As high school ends, they come together as a couple, but within a year, with both of them playing ball at USC, Quincy’s relationship with his father takes an ugly turn, and it leads to a break up with Monica. Some years later, their pro careers at a crossroads, they meet again. It’s time for a final game of one-on-one with high stakes.

Cast:

Sanaa Lathan – Monica Wright

Omar Epps – Quincy McCall

Alfre Woodard – Camille Wright

Dennis Haysbert – Zeke McCall, Quincy’s father

Debbi Morgan – Mona McCall, Quincy’s mother

Harry Lennix – Nathan Wright

Love & Basketball is available here.

The post Throwback Thursday: Love & Basketball appeared first on Films of Color.

The Best Man

Harper is the verge of success, has a doting girlfriend ready to commit, and is the best man at his friend’s (Lance) wedding. The Best Man tells the tale of what happens when a former fling tries to start something up with Harper, and Lance finds out Harper slept with his fiancé.

Brown Sugar

In Brown Sugar, two childhood friends in the hip-hop industry find themselves moving toward romance, even though both are involved with other people.

How Stella Got Her Groove Back

In How Stella Got Her Groove Back, Stella is a successful stockbroker in her forties who desperately needs a vacation. She goes to Jamaica where she meets Winston. They start a passionate, hot romance which has Stella reevaluating her whole life.

Jason’s Lyric

Jason’s Lyric, a word play on the two main characters, follows Jason as he falls in love with Lyric. Their relationship is going great, but Jason’s past poses a threat to their future.

Jumping the Broom

Jumping the Broom shows how a relationship can be perfect until you throw in the in-laws. Two mothers who don’t see eye to eye threaten to destroy the wedding of Sabrina and Jason.

Love & Basketball

Love & Basketball is a romance classic. Monica and Quincy become neighbors when they’re eleven, developing a love-hate relationship based of their mutual love of basketball. That relationship evolves into romance but later falls apart. They meet up later in life for a final game of one-on-one.

Love Jones

What happens when you put a Love Jones on someone? Darius tries to find out when he starts dating Nina. Do they have a real love connection or is it just casual?

Poetic Justice

In Poetic Justice, Justice leaves her life behind after the fatal shooting of her boyfriend. The only thing fighting off the claws of depression is her poetry. Enter Lucky who invites on her an overnight delivery run. Can he help pull her out of her depression and open her up to love again?

Waiting to Exhale

Waiting to Exhale follows the lives and relationships of four diverse Black women. They may be going in different paths, but their friendship keeps them rooted.

The Wood

The Wood is the story of a writer (Mike) whose friend Roland is who is about to get married that day. There’s only one problem. Roland is nowhere to be found. So what is there to do? Reminisce about there childhood as he looks for Roland and helps him get over his cold feet.

Bust out the popcorn, sit back, and enjoy.

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