Life & Rhymes

A British Guianese engineer starts a job as a high school teacher in London’s East End, where his uninterested and delinquent pupils are in desperate need of attention and care.

Gus Van Sant tells the story of a young African American man named Jamal who confronts his talents while living on the streets of the Bronx. He accidentally runs into an old writer named Forrester who discovers his passion for writing. With help from his new mentor Jamal receives a scholarship to a private school.

Michael Chapman, a former child TV star, runs a struggling talent agency specilizing in child acts. When a young girl off the street puts on a real performance after he catches her picking his pocket, he may have just found the next big thing.

From neighborhood ciphers to the most notorious MC battles, "Freestyle: the Art of Rhyme" captures the electrifying energy of improvisational hip-hop--the rarely recorded art form of rhyming spontaneously. Like preachers and jazz solos, freestyles exist only in the moment, a modern-day incarnation of the African-American storytelling tradition. Shot over a period of more than seven years, it is already an underground cult film in the hip-hop world. The film systematically debunks the false image put out by record companies that hip-hop culture is violent or money-obsessed. Instead, it lets real hip-hop artists, known and unknown, weave their story out of a passionate mix of language, politics, and spirituality.

A young woman dreams of making it big in the world of hip hop, but her parents demand that she finish her university degree. She dutifully agrees to complete her education, but her spoken word proves to have a powerful impact in the classroom.

25 years ago, four LAPD officers were acquitted in a state court for beating King, sparking three days of rioting that left 53 people dead. Now, around the anniversary, this Spike Lee-produced one-man show (Roger Guenver Smith) will be streaming on Netflix. A complex, semi-tragic figure, King drowned in 2012. His life was rarely smooth, or simple – its telling makes for a sober, moving watch.

Devon prepares for a rap battle that will make or break him as a rapper

A poetic road trip through Pulitzer prize-winning CK Williams' life over the course of 40 years.

Mike, a freelance journalist, falls head over heels for Claire, a pretty blonde who lives in his apartment building. His bubble is instantly burst when he discovers she's a sister of Sappho who already has a beautiful girlfriend named Inez. Being a macho kind of Seventies guy, he honestly believes that he can change Claire's sexual preference. Mike offers her a position as his personal secretary after she's fired from her job. Their day-to-day contact brings them closer together much to the dismay of a jealous Inez. Mr. Stud eventually woos Claire into the sack, and though the sex was mighty good for him, his performance leaves her longing for the soft touches and tender kisses beautiful Inez has to offer.

This film offers unprecedented access to the life, work and mesmerizing performances of renowned poet and activist Sonia Sanchez who describes herself as "a woman with razor blades between my teeth." A leading figure in the Black Arts Movement and inspiration to today's hip hop spoken word artists, Sanchez for over 60 years has helped to redefine American culture and politics as an activist in the Black, women's and peace movements.

A pop singer and a professor must put aside their differences when their best friends decide to get married. However, working together as best man and maid of honor soon leads to the duet of a lifetime.

A satire about two struggling actresses who escape into a fantasy world to cope with rejection and hone their craft. Convinced their mysterious new neighbor is a talent agent, they take him hostage and demand acting careers as ransom.

In 2000, a California State Prison inmate serving Life Without Parole (LWOP) approached the warden to request a dedicated yard for men serving life sentences that would break the code of violence dominating prison life. The California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) subsequently transformed Yard A at California State Prison into The Progressive Programming Facility, which inmates call The Honor Yard. The only one of its kind in the United States, this experimental prison yard is free of violence, racial tensions, gang activity and illegal drug and alcohol use.

To save her family hotel's Christmas show, talent booker Claire must ask for help from her ex-boyfriend Ryan, the lead guitarist of a now-famous band that fired her as their manager years ago.

This next chapter in the flagship Generation Iron film series explores the controversial world of professional natural bodybuilding by following top pros competing for the Natural Olympia title in a league dedicated to ensuring all competitors are free of performance enhancing drugs. With drug use evolving at a rapid pace across sports and entertainment, natural bodybuilding as a whole has been criticized and questioned. Can the league guarantee that these competitors are truly natural?

Britain's best (and worst) variety acts compete to win a spot at the Royal Variety Show.

Dancers selected in open auditions across America take part in a rigorous competition designed to best display their talents, training and personalities to a panel of judges and viewers as they strive to win votes and avoid elimination.

How Do You Solve a Problem Like Maria? is an English reality television talent show that documented the search for an undiscovered musical theatre performer to play the role of Maria von Trapp in the 2006 Andrew Lloyd Webber and David Ian stage production of The Sound of Music. The series was devised by executive producer Gigi Eligoloff, and was announced by the BBC in April 2006. BBC One broadcast the programme, which was hosted by Graham Norton, on Saturday evenings from 29 July through 16 September 2006. The title derives from the refrain of "Maria", a song from the first act of The Sound of Music.

Def Poetry, also known as Russell Simmons Presents Def Poetry or Def Poetry Jam, which was co-founded by Bruce George, Danny Simmons and Deborah Pointer, is an HBO television series produced by hip-hop music entrepreneur Russell Simmons. The series presents performances by established spoken word poets, as well as up-and-coming ones. Well-known actors and musicians will often surprise the audience by showing up to recite their own original poems. The show is hosted by Mos Def. Def Poetry is a spin-off of Def Comedy Jam. As he did on Def Comedy, Simmons appears at the end of every episode to thank the audience.

Monkey Life was created in 2006 and has continuously documented the work of Dr. Alison Cronin, MBE and her team at Monkey World; Ape Rescue Centre. Filmed at Monkey World in Dorset, Monkey Life follows the rescue and rehabilitation of abused and neglected primates. Many have mental as well as physical problems so the Primate Care Staff treat their individual needs until they can be reintegrated with primates of their own kind. The primates at the park range from apes, who were taken from the wild as babies and used as photographers props on Spanish beaches to monkeys, many of which were rescued from the UK pet trade. With unparalleled access Monkey World's dedicated team are filmed dealing with medical emergencies, primate moves, births and sometimes heart-breaking decisions. We follow Dr. Alison Cronin, MBE around the globe as she continues the park's mission to rescue abused primates. Monkey Life documents the daily life and drama of the world’s largest primate rescue centre.

A vocal contest reality series featuring people with real talent and great voices. Only the very best singers make it through the the blind auditions, the decisions from the four celebrity coaches are based solely on the voices they hear - and nothing else.

The show looks at whether a partner can be found based solely on the naked body and animal magnetism. Two singletons join host Anna Richardson as they seek to choose a date from a selection of six naked people, who will be revealed to them one body part at a time. They then get dressed and head off on a date, to see if there is any chemistry when the clothes come on.

Unique performers demonstrate their artistry in front of Hollywood judges in this update of the kitschy '70s talent show, which features the worst performances being cut short by bangs on the titular gong.

RuPaul has made the trip across the pond in search of a queen with the most charisma, uniqueness, nerve and talent in all the land.

Variety show featuring talented acts from around the world displaying their mastery of performance, with disciplines ranging from singing and stand-up routines to acrobatics and aerial dance, along with everything in between.

Tired of being the comedic sidekick, Kevin Hart gets his wish when a famous director offers him his dream – to be a leading man action star – but there’s a catch: Kevin must first train at the world’s greatest action star school, run by a lunatic.

Each episode of this docuseries presents a compelling portrait of a comedian on the verge of breaking out to become the next big name in comedy. The diverse lineup of breakout talent offers insights into the motivations behind baring one’s soul for a living.

Superstar Lizzo is on the hunt for confident, badass women to join her world tour, and only the most talented dancers will have what it takes to twerk it out on world stages with her and join in the ranks of the elite BIG GRRRLS.

Reese Witherspoon and Kacey Musgraves join Jimmie Allen, Mickey Guyton, and Orville Peck on a global search for country music’s next big star in a new kind of competition series.

It takes a certain kind of person to convince another to commit murder. In many cases, it’s a seducer — someone who can manipulate the person who loves them into killing for them. They’ll offer love, sex, money, or just plain lie to get what they want.