Civil Brand (2003)

It's one of the most original films you'll likely see all year, which, depending on your threshold for certifiably crazy storylines, could be a rewarding experience or one that frustrates you.

This is a must-see and one of the best documentaries - and films - of this year.

The tone of this movie is interesting -- the stakes are both dramatic and high, but it's balanced with a lot of fun, tongue and cheek dialogue.

Great movie. Not sure what people expected but I found it highly entertaining.

I liked the point of view of this movie more than the actual story itself. It isn't a typical women in prison movie, probably because the director is a woman herself. It focuses on a mainly African American female cast and the struggles of the women's prison they are in. I think my main criticism of the movie is that it feels a little too glossy. Even when terrible things are happening and we are supposed to be horrified at the conditions in this place, the tone is more like a Disney movie than a movie about cold hard reality. I would like to see more movies made by black women, but I would prefer one that has something authentic to say.

PowerfulActors: LisaRaye, Lark Voorhies, N'Bushe Wright, Mos Def, Monica Calhoun, Clifton Powell, Mc Lyte 1st off Much Love & Props 2 Neema Barnette 1 the Guru(s) of the underground Directors! I've found a much deeper connection with her work after I viewed the DVD with her commentary... I love both Mc Lyte's & N'Bushe Wright's Dispositions period, so they're my rationale for supporting Civil Brand! Mc Lyte gets slept on as an Actress & Rappers as well! She ominscient at what she does and she speaks & raps eloquently! Mc Lyte, Queen Latifah are 2 of the best that has strucked Rap & Acting (hands down). Thanks to Neema B. for not being raunchy & making Civil Brand out to be a cliché' prison chick flick! Tichina Arnold (Pam) from Martin showed that she's versatile with her skills. I loved when Tichina punched Lisa in the face & snatched her chain, like ''Bitch Ante-Up''. I'll express my Hatred for Clifton Powell's character... He had the balls to think that he & his boss would get away with turning these inmates into Tricks!!!! When Monica Calhoun & the rest of them were beating his ass I got an Adrenalin rush! They took over the prison on some Attica sh*t (You Know). Mos Def was feeble at 1st but he found the courage to help with cause, so he was cool. Cervantes/Mc Lyte was on the wrong team, but I'm glad in a way because if she was a convict then she might have been killed also! My biggest complaint is that Neema should've kept most characters alive so that they could've wreap the benefit of being Emancipated along with the narrator Da Brat! As I said before all of these prison movies are an example of how prisoners are slaved (it must be Seen & Heard). It should be Rectified why aren't these Tyrants being brought to Justice as the criminals that they are? It's F***ing sad that a prisoners has to make clothing & be paid little to nothing after completing it!... After that they'll Rape the Consumers by charging 2 arms & 1 leg for those items (A Total conspiracy)! I feel that Neema could've found someone else to play Lisa Raye's role, I wasn't getting anything from her! Jada Pinkett would've been suitable to play L. Raye's role! I enjoyed the sound track plenty because it had a touch of Poetry!

This is a typical time of movie. Prisoners pay their debt to society only to find out they're being used as a pawn to the corporation games? When the usual thing happens to offenders, they get arrested send to prison by the courts and do time. However, everything in prison isn't all what it's cracked up to be. When the prisoners lose their friend who was also pregnant, that's when actions take place. It goes to show in the movie that the real bad guys weren't the prisoners, it was the captain and the guards. When law, order and discipline is abused in prison, they will join the prisoners as well. For their part the prison was shut down, thanks to the efforts of a lawyer and a couple of inmates. It goes to show that to system isn't always what it used to be, you got to fight for your rights guilt or innocence isn't the key, right and wrong is. This movie is for guys, and I think is a keeper along with other blaxportation films as well.

The movie tells the truth about the corruption in prisons against women. There are plenty of corrupt wardens who abuse female prisoners.I believe that those women would have suffered abuse and with no one to back them up. And I think its true alot of them are in there for minor offenses or self defense I am dissatisfied with the way the prisoners are stereotypically portrayed. I think those actresses deserve much better roles then to have to play prisoners. Those women are real actresses and deserve better roles. You wouldn't see the ugly ducklings of sex and the city playing in prison.