Um, yeah.
“…while there have been quite a few entertaining Black movies produced in the last decade or so, the only ones that would be categorized as “very good†or “great†in the same way a “Boyz n the Hood†or a even a “Devil in a Blue Dress†would be are films like “Precious†that deal with subjects so unrelentingly heavy and depressing that moviegoers should watch them with buckets of hot buttered Zoloft instead of popcorn.â€
This quote is from “Three Ways That Black Movies Can Do Better,” an article published at Ebony.com yesterday that discusses how the best term to describe the Black movies made in the last decade or so is “instantly forgettable,” and lists some things that can be done to reverse this trend.
And, while I think the three things I listed (1. Bring The Sexy Back, 2. Chill With All The Church Scenes, and 3. Hire Angela Nissel) represent a good, safe start, my word count limit and the fact that, for obvious reasons, I can’t be as, um, “colorful” as I want to be when writing there limited what I was able to say…and how I was able to say it.
Today, here’s the rest of what I would have said yesterday if I wasn’t strong-armed by the Team Ebony Drop Squad.¹
4. Chill With The Got Damn Positive F*cking Messages All The Damn Time
Two of the three best Black movies I’ve seen in the last decade² both had cameos from numerous porn stars and strippers, both revolved around pimps who did some truly effed up things during the course of the movie, both dealt with a seedy urban underworld, and both featured dozens of hilariously misogynistic, racist, and homophobic jokes. And while “Black Dynamite” and “Hustle & Flow” were entirely different types of movies, part of what made them as entertaining as they were was the fact that they reveled in and had fun with some very “unpositive” subject matter. Yet, despite the fact that they were both good movies that featured numerous working Black people, neither got anywhere near the guilt-trip marketing push that “positive” or “important” movies like “Red Tails” usually receive.
I understand why Black filmmakers may feel burdened to always have some type of positive message in their movies. Generally speaking, we (Black film goers) are some thin-skinned motherf*ckers who will think nothing of creating a petition to protest anything less than an onscreen depiction of a “Black life” that never actually existed.
Still, despite the inevitable push back from the Black Blog Tea Party, I think there’s enough of us who don’t necessarily need to have positive and/or message-laden shit pushed down our throats to have a good time at the movies, and I think we’re ready for some Black filmmakers to start having some more quality and ratchet fun.
5. More Nicole Beharie
I don’t believe in the Illuminati, but I do believe that there’s a secret Black society led by Steadman Graham (Why Steadman? Because he doesn’t have shit else do to.) that forces each burgeoning Black producer or director to cast either Paula Patton, Taraji P. Henson, or Meagan Good in their movies. I know it seems far-fetched, but it has to be the only reason why one of those three chicks has been in every single Black movie made in the past eight years.
I know secret societies love them some fresh blood to hold their ceremonies with, so why not cast Beharie in one of those roles? She’s hot, she’s talented, she’s wicked smart, and, wait…did I mention how hot she is?
Anyway people of VSB.com, what do you think needs to happen to make Black movies less damn forgettable? What additions or subtractions would you make if you were Black Movie Czar for a day?
¹Just to be clear, I realize there are a ton of indie Black films that would definitely qualify as quality and entertaining. Today though, I’m more focused on major motion pictures. ²The third movie? “Akeelah and the Bee”
—Damon Young (aka “The Champ”)
***For all the folks in the DC area, this Saturday, April 7, from 930pm-3am at Liv Nightclub (11th and U Street, NW) is another edition of #REMINISCE, the party dedicated to all 90s everything brought to you by VSB, Shine On Me, and Just Cause Events. It’s FREE BEFORE 11 w/RSVP (reminiscedc.eventbrite.com), a Courvoisier sponosred open bar from 930-1030pm, and no dress code! It’s cheaper to come out and party. Last month’s party was OFF THE HINGES! Somebody shook my hand when they left and just said, “Thanks P, for throwing this party…” <—- not lying. So come and make it do what it do this Saturday at Reminisce!***
4. Chill With The Got Damn Positive F*cking Messages All The Damn Time
THIS. This is why I haven’t seen a “black” movie for a while. Real life is depressing. I don’t need to be emotionally crushed and/or preached down to by a movie.
I LOVED Black Dynamite, btw. That’s what I want to see more of in the theater. Not Precious for Colored Girls.
There needs to be a seven year moratorium on Tyler Perry Movies.
*Dollar Bill Voice* “emeejhedly!”
A permanent ban of all Tyler Perry films would make me happy!
I saw Jumping the Broom this weekend on cable and I thought it would be a good black movie. But I was wrong it was just bad comedy and writing. I just did not like it.
yeah, Jumping The Broom was craptastic. I wrote a post ways back about how Tyler Perry would have saved that movie.
There are a few good black movies that are lighted hearted comedies with no church stuff and devoid of tyler perry.
1. Two Can Play the Game with Vivica Fox (the dialogue was very true to life)
2. Just Wright with Queen Latifah
3. Breaking All The Rules with Jamie Fox
These movies are great and could have been interchanged with an all white cast.
Just Wright sucked. I did enjoy Breaking All the Rules though.
“I saw Jumping the Broom this weekend on cable and I thought it would be a good black movie.”
aside from the fact that, in the trailers, each of the actors had the brightest white teeth ive ever seen before, what made you think it would be a good movie?
I loved Black Dynamite!! Talking about bad black movies Blaxploitation was the worst. But I loved watching Coffy and Foxy Brown.
Use more foul language and talk/do more sex. It doesnt make sense to do a romantic comedy or drama and not delve into sex. Or how we really talk about relationships. Because theen we end up with watered down versions of hes not that into you(think like a man) where a movie like that should be rated R. I agree with you. Its why there will never be a black hangover or bridesmaids because we will either depend on played out stereotypes or we are just too hypersensitive. I say, Bring On the Ratchetry!!!
I think they have to get that PG 13 rating to make any kind of money back. And they can’t go too far cause you know we will boycott some sht.
The MPAA’s skullduggery appears to be behind the shenanigans surrounding the lucrative nature of pg-13 ratings.
+2
For both “skulduggery” and “shenanigans” as they are two of my favorite words. Yes, I have a list. Yes, I am a nerd.
+1! Words are simply too scrumptious at times- just sitting there, waiting to be devoured 0_o I was gleeful when I got to use “copacetic” in a conversation and nerded out on the spot, much to the puzzlement of my listener.
“when I got to use “copacetic†in a conversation and nerded out on the spot”
Much to their consternation.
It wasn’t consternation; if not chagrin would be the word of the day; it was just genuine bafflement
*nerdgasm*
Good night.
Probably not the same thing, but I d*mn near ejaculated in my jeans the first time I got to use “F*ck You” in a sentence as well as the subsequent anger filled sentences that followed.
O_o definitely not the same thing, but I’m glad that ummh…your exuberance did not reach fruition, or else that would have been a most…difficult situation to explain.
I try to do more sex every chance I get. I think doing more sex would solve ALL of our problems. I like saying it like that… “do sex”. It amuses me.
hahahahaha. do sex.
#6: Stop trying to cater to black men and women with one movie. Make an action flick for black males and a chick flick for black women (although I think alot of black movies would be considered chick flicks, especially anything by tyler perry)
Fight club= action film
Sex and the City = chick flick
Now do the same with an all black cast
“Bring On the Ratchetry!!!”
i’d definitely watch a movie with this title
1. More dry humor & less slapstick. I hate that writers of films aimed at black audiences assume that we will miss a joke unless it’s in bold red print with blinking LED lights surrounding it. I appreciate the comedy in “The Office”, “Modern Family”, “The Community”, etc.
2. Less “I-was-born-in-the-backseat-of-a-Honda-and-made-it-out-the-hood-by-the-grace-of-God-and-my-talents-as-a-stripper/athlete/rapper” films. We get it, some black people are just far too destitute and unintelligent to become anything more than shucking and jiving puppets for the masses. Next.
3. I’d love to see more black horror/thriller films. The last one I recall is the one with Marquis Houston and B2K…..and that’s a stretch to call it “horror” -________-
#1 Yes! We actually “get” shows like these and we can have shows like these.
#3 This is a real thing? I’m afraid to Google it. I guess the “horror” comes in actually paying money to sit through it.
It’s called “Somebody Help Me”. A fitting title for such a s***** film.
Lmao. It’s too late (or too early depending on where you are) for this.
I hated that movie more than I hate peas. And I set a bag of peas on fire once…
With a microwave or a stove top? ’cause any other way…
I just took it out back and set it on fire with a match. Had to get rid of them before someone tried to make them part of a meal.
Wow, I don’t like peas either but you took it to a whole ‘nother level *lmao*.
*pours out some Hollandaise sauce for the peas* may their charred ruin upon the earth bring forth life to other veggies that will not earn your ire.
Slayed. Who hates peas that much though? They are so cute and sweet. Unlike artichokes. Now those one can hate with impunity.
I do. I hate peas and I hate beans. And whichever d*ckface thought it was a swell idea to cook beets needs to be held at gunpoint and have his/her face vigorously slammed into a cactus. Non-stop.
@TUK,
Oh stop the dramatics! Peas are BOMB! If I bake you some pea bread…you’ll DIE from heavenly goodness……
I will have NOTHING to do with peas, you hear me? So I’m going to pretend that pea bread is code for “sopping wet v*gina”. In which case, yes I’ll gladly eat some. Maybe even a second or third helping. If said “pea bread” is indeed the bomb and I do expire from its heavenly goodness, as least I will have died eating my favorite fruit. The forbidden fruit….
@ TUK,
CONTINUE!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I’M WATCHING
Ah…The hate is strong with this one…I can work with this.
@TUK – which type of beans: string, lima, black eyed peas?
Everything except string beans. But even those have to be prepared a certain way or I’ll flip a table.
*giggles* you’re funny and cute and you made this post better
LOL, You’re the first person I’ve heard share my disgust for peas and beans. I also agree on string beans. you just might be alright…
When I finally get my PhD in psychology, I’m gonna look you up so we can have a nice, long chat, mmkay? *lol*
We can, but it won’t stop the genocide of the peas. Can’t stop. Won’t stop. *Shimmies*
That shimmy alone
beets?!!!!!! EWWWWWWWWWWWW!
Peas are awful. The skin comes off and the inside is pasty mush. The smell of peas is enough to turn a stomach.
The worst part of Somebody Help Me is that there was a sequel. Like…really?
-____-
A slow and painful death to all those involved
Lmao, I thought you meant You got served. It was scary to me that someone actually wrote that script.
If you want to see a great Black horror/ Thriller check out Attack The Block.
And I Love Modern Family too. I often wish that the family was Black.
I rented Attack the Block from Netflix back in January. It wasn’t too bad, but I didn’t like the monsters. They were too ugly for me.
Have you seen Kidulthood? It’s another film set in London.
Yes! Kidulthood is a great film.
Love Attack the Block!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I wish they were black too!!! I thought it was just me.
Oh and one more thriller, it’s called The Mortician. It stars Method Man. Great film. Really creepy.
What was The Mortician about? How would you rate it out of 5 stars?
The film is set in a what looks like a post-apocalyptic city. Method Man plays the city’s coroner. He’s completely introverted and spends most of his time alone and with dead bodies. Then one day there’s a kid who is hanging around the mortuary. Then Method sees the kid get kidnapped or at least that’s what he thinks he sees.
The story really takes a lot of twists and turns after that and ends up in places you wouldn’t expect. It also stars Judy Marte who was in “Raising Victor Vargas”.
I’d rate the film 4 stars.
Thanks for the suggestions Val. I’m a huge horror/thriller fan and will be checking these out soon!
YW. Enjoy!
I need to check these out as I’m a huge horror/scary movie watcher as well. Does anyone remember Tales from the Hood?
tales from the hood wasn’t scary, but i still loved it..
now candyman was that deal…i still won’t say candy man 5 times in a mirror…..in fact i dare you to!
Thanks for the suggestions! I’ll have to look into these.
They are definitely worth checking out.
Girl I thought that I was the only one that watch that hot of mess movie with Marquis Houston and Omarion. LOL Now that was a bad movie!
“I hate that writers of films aimed at black audiences assume that we will miss a joke unless it’s in bold red print with blinking LED lights surrounding it.”
OMG, yes. This.
#1. YES!!! There is no laugh track in movies so they gotta make it all “insert laugh here” in order for us to get it.. Part of what makes The Office so great are those moments where Jim just looks at the camera.. THAT is real life! We can relate to that. Not everyone walks around with chainsaws cutting up people’s sofas and other Madea-like stupidity.
Agreed. Although I won’t hold anyone to the standard of The Office (gotta start somewhere) I’d be open to seeing something along those lines, even if it’s not as great. Can I get black people acting normally?
“1. More dry humor & less slapstick. I hate that writers of films aimed at black audiences assume that we will miss a joke unless it’s in bold red print with blinking LED lights surrounding it. I appreciate the comedy in “The Officeâ€, “Modern Familyâ€, “The Communityâ€, etc.”
Yes!! Thank You…I think that’s one of the reasons why I love Awkward Black Girl so much, she uses that kind of humor.
“1. More dry humor & less slapstick. I hate that writers of films aimed at black audiences assume that we will miss a joke unless it’s in bold red print with blinking LED lights surrounding it. I appreciate the comedy in “The Officeâ€, “Modern Familyâ€, “The Communityâ€, etc.”
YES! While I appreciate slapstick, I’m curious as to how a black film would handle dry humor as well. I admire dry humor so much because it’s so difficult to nail.
And the horror movie… I actually have a horror film in mind (after I write this young romantic comedy I’m writing now) and while my scripts always lend to “blind casting” (I seriously try to make a point of that… now the hard part is getting a production company to truly see it as blind casting, or ya know… starting my own gottdayum company) it WOULD be dope if it was an all or primarily Black cast. Hmmm, you got me thinkin’, now…
@Cheekie..what you said is why Curb Your Enthusiasm is the bomb.
I think Donald Glover could handle it. Or dude from 30YOV.
It’s so easy for horror movies to be bad, no matter who the cast of characters are. That’s a hard genre. The only recent movie that really scared the crap out of me was The Exorcism of Emily Rose. I was waking up at night, looking at the clock. Demon movies are where it’s at.
“3. I’d love to see more black horror/thriller films. The last one I recall is the one with Marquis Houston and B2K…..and that’s a stretch to call it “horror†-________-”
I remember seeing this. I always remember eating a bowl of cream of wheat while watching it. i have no idea if these things are related, but it wouldnt surprise me if they were
For some reason, this correlation makes all of the sense. I can’t even articulate how or why, but it does.
I wish the rumor about Martin Lawrence and Will Smith doing an Uptown Saturday Night Redux would become a reality.
YES!!! But I thought that it was Duane Martin and Will Smith?? And last I heard it was more than a rumor… Will Smith successfully bought the rights.
are you guys talking about a real movie or the supposed bromance between Will and his friend, ya’ll wanna see it made into a film….confused,
*dreads are hella segzy* ———->*ahem*
Thats a RUMOR!! There are waaaay too many rumors surrounding Will and Jada btw. But no, we’re talking about Will and whoever remaking the CLASSICS Uptown Saturday Night and the sequel Let’s Do It Again starring Bill Cosby and Sidney Potier. If you haven’t seen them go and get them ASAP
and if not then, as soon as possible!!“I wish the rumor about Martin Lawrence and Will Smith doing an Uptown Saturday Night Redux would become a reality”
lol, i couldn’t disagree more. I think we need to chill with the remakes and sequels and sh*t too.
The remake is a Hollywood Staple. I would like to see what type of spin they put on the movie.
I dunno Champ about your #4 – I think the tv landscape is so saturated with non-positive messages (mostly “reality” shows) that it just bleeds all over the viewership landscape; movies may be the last bastion of positivity out there that people seem to support. But anyhoo, if we’re looking at movies, I’d love to see a black James Bond/Jason Bourne style franchise.
There was talk of making Idris Elba the next Bond. I don’t like him in that role or period really but I like the idea of having our own super cool super spy.
Yeah, I’ve heard his name being tossed around. I wouldn’t pick him though ’cause I don’t get his appeal >_> Maybe some like Anthony Mackie, or Derek Luke?
I like Derek Luke but Anthony Mackie wasn’t in Biker Boyz (one of the worst movies I have ever seen) so he gets the advantage here.
Black women will watch anything with Idris in it.
Black women will watch anything with Idris in it.
I already bought tickets to “Idris Elba Reads the Dictionary.”
Idris Elba Reads The Dictionary? *dead*
Bwhahahaha
And the sequel “Edris reads the phone book”…its said to be bigger than “Edris Big Fat Greek Wedding”.
“I already bought tickets to “Idris Elba Reads the Dictionary.â€
*faints*
Yes, please.
“I already bought tickets to “Idris Elba Reads the Dictionary.—
LOL I love!
Even this? LMAO!!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sH5QDM7TH6I
Watch Luther on Netflix. If you still don’t like him then he really just isn’t your type of actor. There are 10 1hr episodes.
It’s not about his acting, it’s about his err, (looks around nervously), his attractiveness.
The comment was geared towards TAC who said she didn’t care for him at all.
As for his attractiveness, everyone has a right to their opinion. People think that Avery on Grey’s Anatomy is hot but he is too pretty for my liking.
@Mena – I gotcha.
Well, what Kaname said. I’ve seen him act and he seems perfectly charming in interviews but I don’t get the infatuation beyond that lovely accent of his. I’d consider marrying that accent and giving it many strong sons.
LOL…strong sons…LOL…you people kill me.
You mean his UNattractiveness? Like his oddly shaped cranium?
I stand by my Idris-ain’t-all-that-ness. I will not be afraid. Much. *ahem*
@TAC – Oh, I *know* you are unafraid. I’m an infrequent commenter but an accomplished lurker, so I know the deal on Elba around these parts.
Rae you two trying to shut down the internets? Stop this at once!
You got a partner in me.. His head comes to a peak, and it reminds me of peanut M&M’s.. I don’t understand the appeal..
Oh my. I’m in literal tears of laughter.
(plays “You Are Not Alone” and stands with you against the coming tide of Idris lovers)
Me too. He looks like one of my uncles. And he looks like an alcoholic a**hole. Probably is, cause I’m good at judging people.
Do you people watch and make up stories about what their lives might be like? I do. It’s one of my favorite things to do lol!
lmao
I do!
Idris Elba looks like one of those people that clean up very nicely but have messy apartments. You know… dishes in the sink, unwashed laundry, stacks of unopened mail, random and faintly unpleasant smells… Things that make you go
My apologies to all the Elba lovers out there. I can’t help the way my brain works with these things!
@NicknotNikki – I feel like you just threw my sweet, delicious peanut M&Ms under the bus. I offer you a Humpty Dumpty shaped head instead.
I will be bold. I will stand in front and you can cosign. IDRIS is NOT alttractive!!!!!!
BUT he would make a great James Bond because of his British swag.
Maybe a proper remake of Spook Who Sat By the door? Nah, I’m terrified of how easily this would be ruined….
white people would lose they cotton picking minds if there was a black bond. folks was mad enough that sam jackson played nick fury, a little black girl was the one of the main characters in the hunger games and that some black comedian seriously campaigned to play peter parker in the latest spiderman movie.
“I dunno Champ about your #4 – I think the tv landscape is so saturated with non-positive messages (mostly “reality†shows) that it just bleeds all over the viewership landscape; movies may be the last bastion of positivity out there that people seem to support.”
thing is, movies (and tv and radio and whatever else) are about entertainment first. yes, movies containing positive messages can be entertaining, but not if the entire movie itself is just one big ass f*cking message
Co-sign. People get caught up too much in message and such. They forget that the primary function of things like movies, tv shows, and music is to entertain, not educate. You want a message, go read “The Little Engine That Could”. I read that book a lot when I was a kid. That’s the book that taught me that if I kept trying, I could successfully sneak into the Girls’ bathroom.
You have me dying in my school’s library right now *lol*.
“You want a message, go read “The Little Engine That Couldâ€. I read that book a lot when I was a kid. That’s the book that taught me that if I kept trying, I could successfully sneak into the Girls’ bathroom.”
That book IS one of the greats…
There have actually been quite a few good “Black films” made in the last decade. One of my favorites was “Medicine For Melancholy”. It starred Tracey Heggins and Wyatt Cenac. The film didn’t get much press and it was very hard to find in theaters, which was a shame. There was also “Attack The Block”, “I Will Follow”, “Pariah”, “Money Matters”, “Bullet Boy”, “Shottas” and “Our Song”, just to name a few.
If you are waiting for Hollywood to make good Black films then you’re going to keep getting Black dysfunction films like “Precious”. Or you can go off the beaten path and check out Black indie films. And if you do you will find a lot of great films that go under the mainstream media radar.
Btw, I HATED Precious.
Attack The Block!!! Loved it. Raved about it to all of my peoples. You sound like a fool explaining it though…. “Um its a black/British/hood/conspiracy/alien/sci-fi/horror flick with a message.
“Um its a black/British/hood/conspiracy/alien/sci-fi/horror flick with a message.”
Lol, I know, right. It is hard to explain but you did a good job of it..
Shottas is saved on my DVR! It keeps me alive! “you tryin to escort me?” “It’s extort!”
Desert Flower, the biography of Waris Diri was really good. But I literally had to get up and leave during the genital mutilation scene. I just can’t watch a baby scream in pain, even in an acted out scene.
“Desert Flower” was a great film. Liya Kebede was really good in that. There’s another film like that called “I Am Slave”. It’s about a Sudanese women who is enslaved and brought to modern day London, where she tries again and again to escape.
Is that “Desert Flower” more like Eve’s Bayou? Now Eve’s Bayou was a classic black film good movie.
Desert Flower is about a Somali woman who escapes an arranged marriage with someone who is old enough to be her grandfather…not only that, but he would have to “cut her open” to deflower her, since after female circumcision they sew you almost shut. She ends up in London and becomes a super model. It’s based on the life of Waris Dirie.
No, Desert Flower is nothing like Eve’s Bayou. Desert Flower is a biopic about former model Waris Dirie and how she was circumcised as a child in Somalia then sold into marriage as a teen but managed to escape and become a super model in Europe.
I remember reading a story about an actual East African supermodel that was pretty similar to this story.
Yeah, that’s who this film is about. Her name is Waris Dirie.
Medicine for Melancholy is an awesome little film. They play the hell out of it on IFC (or one of those channels).
It’s on Netflix. Great great movie.
I’m sorry…but you seem to have accidentally included “Shottas” on your list of good Black films. Would you like me to go back and edit that one out? Because I can.
“Medicine for Melancholy” was such a good indie flick. I could probably write an entire thesis on that movie. Hell I fully intend(ed) to here on VSB b/c I think that SO many folks here could relate to it.
I’d actually love you long time if you wrote that thesis. Too bad I haychoo, tho.
“I’m sorry…but you seem to have accidentally included “Shottas†on your list of good Black films….”
Lmao! I liked it.
Thanks for your suggestions, Val. My roommate and I love movies and we love Black people, so it works.
Lol. YW.
As a former black film student the biggest thing that needs to happen is for TP to stop spoon feeding his audience a story. Regardless of race a good movie allows the audience to make inferences. The story guides, not explicitly tells. We’re smart… Let us make some judgement calls.
And stop with all the damn church scenes.
“As a former black film student the biggest thing that needs to happen is for TP to stop spoon feeding his audience a story. Regardless of race a good movie allows the audience to make inferences. The story guides, not explicitly tells. We’re smart… Let us make some judgement calls.”
HalleluYURR. Thing is, I think he masks his story weaknesses with the over-the-top entertainment so well that he still gets audiences going to his movies over and over. It’s fascinating really. LOL
But, yeah I agree with you that he doesn’t give his audiences enough credit.
Exactly. This writing style is fine for gospel stage plays, but not for motion pictures which need to appeal to a wider audience.
who…Who… WHO is the woman in the picture!?!? I want answers! Now, on to read the post
which probably would have answered my question had I actually read first.I saw her in the movie Shame – she was nekkid.
I saw her in the movie Shame – she was nekkid.
I just dropped my laptop.
Shame really sucked. And I was all hype about seeing it too. What a disappointment.
I don’t think Shame sucked at all! That movie was *made* to make you depressed without you even realizing it. When the horror of Brandon’s so called life starts to set in…
We need someone to break the tie.
Not gonna lie. I only googled this movie because you mentioned this Nicole chick being nude. She was. And I was filled with glee.
“I saw her in the movie Shame – she was nekkid.”
why did i not know about this until now????
I can’t co-sign on #4 enough. It’s super annoying how everytime a predominantly “black” movie comes out, SOMEONE has to get offended. I personally, thoroughly enjoyed For Colored Girls. However there were an abundance of black men who got offended because they felt that black men were being portrayed in a negative light.
It happens everytime. Black people could care less what the movie is actually about, as long as they are represented in a exaggeratedly positive manner, no matter how unrealistic it is within the movie’s setting and plot. All black women want to be portrayed as einstein-intelligent, strong, independant, witty, calm demeanored, and flawlessly beautiful beings despite the fact that such a woman, to my knowledge, doesn’t exist. Not to mention such perfection would be more blatantly out of place than LL Cool J at the Academy Country Awards in a movie setting similiar to say, The Wire. Black men also suffer from this annoying habit as well, though we aren’t as vocal as our female counterparts.
I also think the reason why black people are thin skinned when it comes to these kind of movies is because as far as the way we are portrayed in the media, the news and things of those nature, the last thing we want to something on the big screen that plays into whatever stereotypes we have about us. Which is why I think people hate Tyler Perry movies so much. They play into the negative stereotypes about us. Honestly, I don’t care about the stereotypes. That’s not what bugs me about his movies. It’s the fact that it’s the same d*mn story each and every film.
Main character is lonely and down-trodden. Main character either meets the love of their life who makes everything all better, has a life changing convo with Madea, or goes to church and suddenly everything’s A o-f*cking-kay. Or any combination of the three. This is why the ONLY TP film I liked was The Family That Preys. Though I really liked For Colored Girls, I can’t give him full credit on that. That was someone else’s sh*t.
I think Black people dislike Tyler Perry films because we are pissed at ourselves for not creating better films in 2012. If we had better films out, we wouldn’t give a phuck what Tyler Perry was doing with his movies. I really don’t think Black people are that hypersensitive about what White people think of their movie tastes…because Tyler Perry isn’t the first and last shitty Black films made — what about the ghetto straight to DVD films that are horrible knock offs of Baby Boy?
Free my comments please, again.
It’s not our movie tastes so much as how we are portrayed in the movies. Especially ones that make it to the big screen. Why? Because they are in theatres. Everyone knows they exist and has the option of going to see them. However, there is no other black film maker making “positive” films, which is what irks people. We have no alternative. These negative stereotypes are the only thing making it to the big screen, which is why black people constantly complain about positive imagery in film. Which is why every black person known to man tried to guilt you into seeing Red Tails. “Support Red Tails so that Hollywood will start giving a sh*t about black people and allow more positive black films to be greenlighted.” If you can count on your hands the amount of times you heard that when that movie came out, you in the wrong hood.
#youaintboutthatlife
The “straight to DVD” part of your response answered your own question as to why no one gives a f*ck about those movies. They aren’t on display for all to see.
We have had tons of negative stereotypes in Black movies before Tyler Perry came on the scene.
I think we are pissed because we did that shyt to ourselves and Tyler Perry started making movies in response to our past movie fuckery.
You’d think horrible Black movies began with Tyler Perry with the argument that Black people don’t like being portrayed according to negative stereotypes.
Ever heard of Soul Plane? Jason’s Lyric? Menace to Society? Friday?
free my comment please
I think Black people dislike Tyler Perry films because we are pissed at ourselves for not creating better films in 2012. If we had better films out, we wouldn’t give a phuck what Tyler Perry was doing with his movies.
i agree with this. tyler perry isn’t the problem. the problem is that there arent any superfriends around to provide a contrast to his lex luther.
Yeah. I have issue with the boring characters in TP movies.
Can we get another cast like the cast of Boomerang? Still my favorite romance comedy to this day.
The Eddie Murphy/Grace Jones ‘Pussy’ scene at the resturant still cracks me up.
Boomer rang is my all time favorite movie…hands down followed by ghost dog, deep cover and the 1st matrix.
People hold Perry to a higher standard than they do the rest of Hollywood. How many romantic comedies aren’t based on lazy stereotypes and have the same formulas. Waiting…… Can’t name too many, can ya?
There isn’t anything wrong with his movies that you can’t say about all movies of that genre. That you watch and don’t go on blogs to express seething hatred about.
Get over it.
you’re right to a degree. while i do think that TP gets unfairly criticized at this point (i mean hell he aint going anywhere the criticism gets lazy at some point) the truth is that’s where good writing comes in. Think of Friends With Benefits. The writing was excellent. If Tyler Perry movies had better writing, they’d be hard to criticize..but they don’t.
For instance…I saw Good Deeds. And the premise is fairly simple obviously. Rich guy stuck in his own perfect world meets woman who turns it upside down and blah blah blah. With good writing, it could have been a good movie. But the writing sucked donkey nuts. And becasue people keep going to see his movies the first weekend (though this was his second worst opening…apparently ninjas want more Madea, which says a lot more about us than him) he has no incentive to change his formula. Or hire people he’d have to pay to write good sh*t.
How was “Friends with benefits” an example of excellent writing when the same movie came out earlier in the same year? I believe it was called “No Strings Attached”, starring Natalie Portman and Ashton Kutcher. They’re essentially the same movie with Ashton and Natalie actually possessing some legitimate chemistry. JT needs to go back to singing. Both of these movies are effectively paint by numbers romantic comedies.
I’m surprised you guys referenced either of these movies because they both looked dry and boring as hell from the trailers…white people hooking up…wow. LOL
“White people hooking up… wow” is the best part of my evening reading. Thank you from the bottom of my wine glass.
“Think of Friends With Benefits. The writing was excellent.”
Peej, no disrespect, but I emphatically disagree! The writing was terrible, the acting was terrible, the ending was terrible. OMG Peej! The only good thing about that movie was that it ended.
I am not in love with Tyler Perry’s stage plays… like not at all, but his movies really aren’t terrible (I say that having only seen 2 of them). Why did I get married series did have stereotypical characters but it didn’t follow the tried and trusted everything works out in the end formula (which I actually appreciated because it more approximated real life than most other movies)
“All black women want to be portrayed as einstein-intelligent, strong, independent, witty, calm demeanored, and flawlessly beautiful beings”
Cause we are. Well, I am. Therefore, I demand an accurate representation on the big and small screen. Is that really too much to ask?
You know the menz of de world won’t let that stand *lol*.
Which is funny because we womenz go the movies more than they do, on average. Dolla dolla bill, ya’ll.
You don’t quote something that mentions that “all” black women are intelligent AND calm demeanored, and then loosely throw the word “accurate” around to describe it. April Fool’s was 2 days ago. Unless you are located overseas in which case it would have been 3 days ago.
You missed where I clarified that I, NOT all women, am all those things. I know that I am the one special snowflake that is unlike every other woman on the planet. Doesn’t that deserve it’s own movie?
Oh of course sugerdrawers! This is why I’m currently developing a movie titled TAC: Goddess Personified. Just for you….
You’re a beautiful liar.
A liar? I would NEVER lie to you my beautiful Cinnamon-Scented Queef! You are my everything.
Sidenote: Make sure to pick up my copy of Petnames For Dummies. It works wonders…
Queef? Ummh do you what that means, ’cause if not then…I’ll just leave this here; or maybe my mind is so far gone (no Jill Scott):
http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=Queef
I know exactly what it means. Which is why I saw it a perfect oppotunity to advertise my Petnames For Dummies book. Because…forget it…
Oh I bet he knows exactly what it means.
@TUK – that is a terrible pet name! Unless of course @TAC that’s what you’re into.
HMPH!
Oh, I burned that book in the back yard next to the pea pyre. It’s in a better place now, chick o stick.
B-But…I’m making a movie. About you! The perfect woman! Why am I not praised?!
i think it exists already…its called Jurassic Park.
Well even though I like For Color Girls it did depict black man as animals with no soul.
See, my thing was, while the depiction of us wasn’t exactly flattering, the movie wasn’t ABOUT us. It was about the lives of these women, some of whom, were involved with unsavory black males. The wasn’t so much as saying, “All black men are like this” what it was showing was the hardships these women were facing and their attempts to overcome them. The fact that some of these hardships were brought upon by black men was unfortunate, but the movie wasn’t about that.
The movie wasn’t about black men mistreating black women, it was just about black women. Period. That’s why I wasn’t offended.
Excellent point. I tend to hear “the movie bashed black men” as “I’m sick if hearing about black women’s f***in problems” which pretty much boils down to competitive victimhood.
I was offended because it was a sh*tty movie.
I was offended because those are hours of my life I can’t get back…
I was offended that Perry Tyler made the movie…and I didn’t even watch the movie, because well, you know, there’s always gotta be that person and I felt I may as well be her.
“All black women want to be portrayed as einstein-intelligent, strong, independant, witty, calm demeanored, and flawlessly beautiful beings despite the fact that such a woman, to my knowledge, doesn’t exist.”
In the movies or in real life? LULZ!!!
When Bill Cosby was trying to get the green light for The Cosby Show, the main critim was that it would not appeal to a white audience because it was untealistic.
I said that to say, there is nothing unrealistic about portraying black men or women as super intellectual. Besides this is not done anyway. So I dont understand your statement. It is rare to find any movie besides Eddie Murphy’s version of The Nutty Professor, that portrays black men or women as super intelligent.
My point is that black people want to be portrayed as the epitome of perfection no matter what the movie is about. Which annoys me. Take The Wire for example. Notably, Season 4, which dealt with the inner city schools and the lives of poverty stricken children. The Wire is supposed to be a REALISTIC take on street life, so having a cast full of super intelligent, infallible, black characters in that specific setting drastically takes away from the realism of The Wire.
It’s not the unrealistic aspect itself that bugs me, but the fact that black people often want these unrealistically perfect black characters in movies they have no place of being in. Basically, it’s hard for good “black” movies to be made because we care more about how certain individuals are portrayed, rather than the movie itself. Which is unfair.
Vincent: And you know what they call a… a… a Quarter Pounder with Cheese in Paris?
Jules: They don’t call it a Quarter Pounder with cheese?
Vincent: No man, they got the metric system. They wouldn’t know what the f*ck a Quarter Pounder is.
Jules: Then what do they call it?
Vincent: They call it a Royale with cheese.
~ Some deep film that you depraved people probably have not seen
Greetings VSB community, Champ.
“I don’t believe in the Illuminati, but I do believe that there’s a secret Black society led by Steadman Graham (Why Steadman? Because he doesn’t have shit else do to.) that forces each burgeoning Black producer or director to cast Paula Patton, Taraji P. Henson, or Meagan Good in their movies. I know it seems far-fetched, but it has to be the only reason why one of those three chicks has been in every single Black movie made in the past eight years.”
This part made me think of that scene in Mulholland Drive where the Cowboy tells the hapless director “when you see her picture, you will say, ‘this is the girl’.”
Oh yes, on to the question posed originally, how to make black movies better.
Stop trying to make black movies and just make good movies, inspired movies, movies that speak from the heart. If they happen to be black, because they spring from a black person’s life long experiences, then so be it. But when one sets out to intentionally make a black movie, one creates a charicature just as bad as the stereotypes generated in some white-directed movies.
No need to thank me, but in case you have already, you’re welcome.
~R
Give my comment free! Please
Hey now…I love Pulp Fiction.
why would you think that most of us haven’t seen Pulp Fiction?
LOL, right? I actually think Tarentino has a large Black audience in general, from my experience. lol
I think she’s mocking a certain someone…
LOL, I just reread it and I now do think that’s what she was doing too. I ain’t had my breffis when I read it before so I was um… slow.
I immediately caught on to this as well. I noticed because I usually read Royale’s comments because I’m honestly entranced by how beautiful her freakin hair is her avi.
But I see what she did there….
“I immediately caught on to this as well. I noticed because I usually read Royale’s comments because I’m honestly entranced by how beautiful her freakin hair is her avi.”
Right?! Her hair is AMAZING! MashAllah.
I know you guys have seen it. It’s a classic. I just was spoofin’ a certain someone
Thanks for the fro love, everyone
I’ve seen Pulp Fiction a million times.
*Rummages through purse to find my Bad Mutha Fcuka wallet*
Tarentino is horrible. I don’t understand how anyone likes his movies. I heard I should see Inglourious Basterds though before i give him a complete 2 thumbs down.
blasphemy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Blasphemy deez!
You need better taste.
+1
VSB heresey!
I agree with you, Mena. I hate his films. I especially hate them because he seems to get off on using the ‘N’ word a million times in each of his films.
His films are so DANG DRY!!! Like come on. I walked out of the room when Kill Bill was playing. Pulp Fiction, only saw 15 minutes. Those are the only 2 that i have “seen” and it was enough for me to know that I do not like him as a director, writer, producer or anything else.
QT films are dry? Wow. Some of them are dialogue/set up heavy- longer periods of time where nothing is necessarily “happening” but dry?? “The Protector” isn’t dry. That being said, I never made it through “Inglorious B@stards”- it’s probably the only film I found a little dry.
My favorite movie, Sense and Sensibility, had dialogue. My second favorite film A Bronx Tale had great dialogue along with a wonderful soundtrack.
Tarantino’s movies are just babbling crap. DRY. DRY. DRY. and BORING as all get out. My God I don’t see what everyone sees in him.
A Bronx Tale is a classic.
You walked out on Kill Bill? A pox on your house!
I totally don’t mind white screenwriters or actors using the N word. It doesn’t get under my skin. In the movie Kids, the main characters use the word left and right. It is a movie and they should be allowed to express themselves however they choose. I can decide if i want to see it or not.
GAAAASP!!! Blasphemy indeed!
Vincent: And you know what they call a… a… a Quarter Pounder with Cheese in Paris?
Jules: They don’t call it a Quarter Pounder with cheese?
Vincent: No man, they got the metric system. They wouldn’t know what the f*ck a Quarter Pounder is.
Jules: Then what do they call it?
Vincent: They call it a Royale with cheese.
~ Some deep film that you depraved people probably have not seen
Greetings VSB community, Champ.
Gives head nod.
lol.
* A sexually liberated Black woman as the main character
and she isn’t trying to find a good Black man to marry. She just wants to enjoy life, have great sex, and live (and love) polyamorously.
* A dark skinned Black woman who is gorgeous who has unique features like super long legs, luminous skin, and her own natural hair, who doesn’t have a weave on her head.
* She gets to be a spy, a double agent, a warrior, or any career that requires her to exist between worlds –whether its between the city and the uncharted oceans of the world.
* She has human flaws we can relate to but she doesn’t take those flaws and become the sex-less mammy figure, the angry Black woman or the virginal devout Christian.
* Tyler Perry should be kept the fuck away from the storyline.
* She is an unknown actress who can act her azz off.
Free my comment please.
Oh, and one particular man she’s seeing is dark skinned himself too. Can’t let the White women, Hispanic women and light skinned Black women only date the dark men in movies.
You should read “Wild Seed” by Octavia Butler. The main protagonist is pretty bad-@$$ and very multi dimensional.
Girl! Shut your mouth! I would love to see Anyanwu–Wild Seed would be a super film; and Kindred while we’re at it.
I wish I had Oprah money, I’d toss some change to bring those novels to the big screen.
i am of the belief that EVERY Octavia Butler novel AND short story should be on the big screen!!!!!! talk about fully fleshed out characters and the true human condition (even when they are not human)… yes if i had money…
PREACH!!!! If any other Octavia Butler’s novels made it to the big screen, I think many heads would explode & ‘eurka!!’ moments would happen & the world might be a better place. Yes, I’m reaching but her body of work makes a person rethink the box.
Octavia Butlers novels would make great sci-fi films. Love her.
+1k. Octavia Butler did not play (RIP). Would love to see any of her stuff on screen, even a bad attempt.
“* A sexually liberated Black woman as the main character
and she isn’t trying to find a good Black man to marry. She just wants to enjoy life, have great sex, and live (and love) polyamorously.”
She’s Gotta Have It???
…and?
We need more films with such a character but different storyline. I don’t like the storyline being about the polyamory though. That’s like a movie made with a Black woman and the movie is about monogamy. Dull.
But here’s the question: Who would be the best film director- at least in your opinion- to execute a motion picture of that magnitude?
#onpoint with every single *
I want to see a film version of any of Octavia Butler’s novels. America needs more sci-fi with the black experience woven into the story line.
I’d like to see Toni Morrison’s Song of Solomon on screen as well, but without any Harpo Studios involvement. Beloved was not so good.
Yes to Octavia Butler. To see Lilith’s Brood on the big screen…I would be way pissed if they ruined the books for me though.
Walter Mosley writes good sci-fi too.
I need to check out his books.
+1 on Walter Mosley….one of my favorite movies is Devil in a Blue Dress (I know it’s not sci-fi…I just think he’s a great writer). Great story, great actors (Denzel, Don Cheadle)….one of those sleeper hits. Would love to see more of his stories adapted for the big screen (esp. the Easy Rawlins storylines)
I’m still waiting for more Easy Rollins films. “Devil In A Blue Dress” is a classic. Don Cheadle stole the show in that film.There’s also another Walter Mosley book that was made into a film called “Always Outnumbered”. It starred Laurence Fishburne. He played Socrates Fortlow.
I swear if Walter Mosley was White there would be a dozen films based on his books.
+12 and 4 1 -ups.
America needs more sci-fi with the black experience woven into the story line.
I swear we’re soulmates…
For the very reasons mentioned above I actually liked “Aliens vs. Predator” with Sanaa Lathan as the main protagonist.
Me too! Thought I was the only one.
Does the Color Purple patty cake with Jay.
Octavia Butler’s work is excellent….but sadly she has always taken a back seat to the Toni Morrison’s or the Maya Angelou’s of the world. Why is what Ms. Butler did not worthy of more praise by Black females? Did Essence ever interview her? ; )
* Make Black movies with actual CASTS. I’m sick of these ensemble dramas like “Kingdom Come,” “Think Like A Man,” “Madea Makes a Mixtape,” etc. that star virtually every Black person on planet earth
* Make Black movies with actual casts part II: Hire ACTORS. No, I don’t want to see miscellaneous R&B singers, ex-video h0s, Teyana Taylor, gospel singers, rappers’ kids and reality stars in a movie
“Madea Makes a Mixtape” sounds like the perfect opportunity for Lisa Raye to make a comeback.
Now if Tyler Perry reads these blogs, you just gave him another idea. Congratulations, you’ve just helped bring forth the extinction of black cinema. I hope you’re happy with yourself…
Eh, I’ve done worse *lol*.
Oh no, Champ is the *chief* offender of giving Tyler Perry ideas – you should read his “found” screenplay post that set the internet ablaze a while back.
No. I ain’t reading a d*mn thing. I refuse to read something that’s just going to make me want to slit wrists.
LOL! I’ve heard he’s already cast J. Cole and Buffie the Body
I don’t give a d*mn who is cast in the…wait…did you say Buffie the Body? On second thought, I must see this movie. For…uh…artistic purposes. Yea.
Can’t forget the cameo by all of YMCMB.
i actually would like to see that movie. lol.
Madea Makes a Mixtape just gave me a great idea for the meme generator site…
http://memegenerator.net/instance/17732678
Those are the primary reasons why I felt most Black films were terrible.
“* Make Black movies with actual CASTS. I’m sick of these ensemble dramas like “Kingdom Come,†“Think Like A Man,†“Madea Makes a Mixtape,†etc. that star virtually every Black person on planet earth”
LMFAO, okay??? I hate when 2520s do it too. That dayum Valentine’s Day and NYE movie to name a couple. Just throw together this celebrity potpourri all willy-nilly.
Talmbout, “Kneegrow Ensemble Jamboree” starring Morris Chestnut, Gabrielle Union, Meagan Goode, Loretta Devine, Whoopi Goldberg, Clifton Powell, Cole from Martin (the actual credits should say this), Jimmy Walker, Oprah Winfrey, Cecily Tyson, Kevin Hart, the security from Maury, Blair Underwood, Bow Wow, Deebo, Mike Epps, and an actual piece of black licorice.
LMAO!!! That made me think of The Overacting Negro Ensemble sketch from Saturday Night Live. Gitchusome.
http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x7ms95_saturday-night-live-the-overacting_fun
Why oh why are you trying to get me fired today! I literally busted out laughing and cried in my cube over this clip.
omg hilarious!
Love it
Ma’am, see yourself this way ——–> and be sure to have all of your belongings as you may not return *lol*.
But I –
1,) I want to see diversity in subject exploration and casting.
2.) I want to see Idris Elba nekkid, I mean erm yeah…..lost train of thought
3.) I want to see Idris Elba
4.) I love Idris Elba
5.) Refer to my #1 if you are all about sensible dialogue….I’m all about foolishness.
Goodnight!
THIS.
Can we please get some Black erotica that isn’t Zane or Trois? Cuz…um… I mean….er…
In that case I suggest you check out Double Bubble Black B00ty #3 (No zeroes). Pretty much the pinnacle of Black erotica….
If you love dialouge, watch Luther and the early seasons of Hustle
* Rescue Lamman Rucker from Black movie h3ll. He’s a better actor than his movies
* Stop putting Columbus Short in movies. I just can’t.
* Hire the guys from Noah’s Arc…but don’t put them in “gay” roles
* Put Cicely Tyson in all movies. That should be a law.
Gllllllllllllllllllllllllllory, @ Columbus Short!!!!!!!!!!
That boy is talentless……….him and Rhiannashould couple up and strategize!
Not Cicely!
“Hire the guys from Noah’s Arc…but don’t put them in “gay†roles”
I just saw the star from Noah’s Arc on Reed Between the Lines, LOL. Although, he really can’t act, the other guys on the show were pretty good. I saw another guy from that show in a car commercial.
“* Rescue Lamman Rucker from Black movie h3ll. He’s a better actor than his movies”
LOL, ya know what’s funny is that I remember him as Jimmy Ruffin in The Temptations and was thoroughly annoyed by him and actually made fun of him, but um er ruhhh… when he was in “Why Did I Get Married???” Ninja, I was in lust.
Must’ve been the glistening sweat dripping down his muscular arms in slow motion (fuh meh!). Prolly.
I think we’re almost there. A lot of the recent black indie movies that I’ve watched start off good… or have interesting plotlines or scenes and then… sh*t just goes waaay left. I think no one has put it all together yet. There is no Spike Lee of this generation… Is it safe to say that Spike Lee is the best black director EVER?? Because I can’t think of another Spike Lee (in his prime) PERIOD.
I hope not.
I would have liked to see Robert Towsend produce a few more films. The two he made (Hollywood Shuffle and The Five Heartbeats) are classics.
I LOVE how Spike experiments with his directing.
The character floating instead of walking is classic Spike.
“I think we’re almost there. A lot of the recent black indie movies that I’ve watched start off good… or have interesting plotlines or scenes and then… sh*t just goes waaay left.”
This reminds me of a movie I saw titled, “Something is Killing Tate.” I thought the plotline was very interesting. I loved the concept of the movie. The acting…not that good. Made the movie lose some points with me, but I figured it was their first time acting.
If we agree that there are quality Black films in the indie world, then is the problem not that these Black indie writers and directors aren’t being picked up by the studios and given money to make major films?
Writer/directors like Wes Anderson, Kevin Smith, and the Duplass Brothers all made excellent indie films, and so the studios allowed them to step up to the major leagues. Tanya Hamilton made Night Catches Us, one of the best damn films I’ve seen this decade. Why aren’t Warner Brothers or Fox giving her a huge contract to make her next three films?
Also, when I am this nation’s Film Czar, I say that the writers of Undercover Brother get to make another major film, as well.
Night Catches Us is a great film.
“Also, when I am this nation’s Film Czar, I say that the writers of Undercover Brother get to make another major film, as well.”
You’re talking about Michael McCullers? The same cat behind the last two “Austin Powers” films as well as Tina Fey’s film “Baby Mama”? Yeah, dude needs to do more work.
How do I know about him? He’s from a very small town outside of Pelham in Alabama. As you can tell, we have a tendency to shout out those who are from our neck of the woods, LOL!!
And a graduate of my son’s high school!
Black films need plots or better, realistic plots. Most black films feel like extended gag reels or suicide pacts. lol I’m not picky, I just want a beginning, a middle, and an end. A method to the madness. Sometimes they just throw scenes into the movie that do nothing to develop the plot or character. It’s just random. At the end of the movies, I always feel cheated or confused because nothing get resolved. If the issue,which the ENTIRE movie was centered around, does get solved,it was an issue that could have been solved in 5 minutes instead of 120 minutes.
Jumping the Broom….jump the effing broom. That’s the least your happy @$$ can do for the mother of the man you are about to marry but are just now meeting 24 HOURS BEFORE THE WEDDING. (I hate that movie)
1. Please, PLEASE gimme some good dialogue.. I know movies require me to suspend some reality, but if you want me to believe the woman goes to bed in makeup and the guy brushes his teeth with no toothpaste, that’s all the reality suspension I got! You cannot make me believe that some of this dialogue is being spoken.
I keep feeling like someone is trying to insult my intelligence. I keep looking for Ashton to pop out and tell me I’ve been Punk’d. (And give me a refund).
I wonder tho, if the same way that s*x sells, thus they keep putting it out is the same way that ratchetness sells, thus that’s what gets Warner Bros funding. While stories like Pariah gets funding/marketing from the “Cash N Pawn” on the corner.
I’m with you on this. I love clever and witty dialogue, which is why Friends With Benefits is my favorite Romantic Comedy of all time. I’d love to see a black oriented romantic comedy pull off that same level of dialogue. Honestly, the best representation of clever dialogue of something predominantly black was Kyle and Maxine’s numerous exchanges on Living Single. That stuff was gold. If we can somehow get that on the big screen I’d love it.
Ditto on Kyle and Maxine’s dialague.
+Me
#also #aswell
Maxine Shaw attorney at law guilty innocent and Kyle Barker were great in their dialogue yep!
Honestly, the best representation of clever dialogue of something predominantly black was Kyle and Maxine’s numerous exchanges on Living Single. That stuff was gold. If we can somehow get that on the big screen I’d love it.
Another example of an EXCELLENT black show that was great because the WRITING was great.
Living Single was and still is awesome!
I would personally like to see more action movies w/ ethnic themes, perhaps based on stories, myths, and figures of African descent. Don’t get me wrong…I love movies like 300, Braveheart, & Gladiator, but how many eurocentric action movies have been made over the years?? How many movies have been made about Robin Hood, the Three Musketeers, or King Arthur?? Are there not stories of equal significance from Ghana, Nigeria, or the Congo?? Are the triumphs of Hannibal or Toussaint L’Overture not worthy of a big screen budget?? Can we get a big-screen version of Shaka Zulu??? I’m just saying….I think these kinds of movies would appeal to the masses, not just black folks. Green is the color that matters most in Hollywood.
*For what it’s worth, I’ve got to give a guy like Mel Gibson credit….he may be crazy as hell, but the man’s not afraid to do a movie like Passion of the Christ, or Apocalypto….movies that weren’t necessarily highly backed by major studios but did big dollars at the box office.
I’ve often wished to see a film adaptation of Sundiata.
To see many of these stories in the manner we’d most enjoy, I think it would have to be from a cleaver director, who wins big at Cannes to get the ‘validation’ to be shown on the big screen here for the masses.
I mentioned Apocalypto too- why can’t we get this with an all black cast? Especially since Africans have myriad mythologies, origin of life stories, it seems like there’s movie gold ready to be mined.
+1 That’d be sci-fi brilliant, WIP!
Black Dynamite is one of the funniest, most quotable movies of the past ten years. Black, white or otherwise. Somebody needs to throw a whole Goodyear blimp full o’ money at Michael Jai White and the team he had behind him in the movie and let them create some other stuff.
“Where is Bucky and what has he had?!”
From what I understand, Michael Jai White and the guys behind “Black Dynamite” are writing the sequel and they have a cartoon series of the show coming soon on Adult Swim.
“But Black Dynamite…I sell drugs to the community!!”
I’d like to see more Walter Moseley books made into movies, or August Wilson plays, so long as they are done WELL. (Love me some Denzel, but the movie version of “Devil in a Blue Dress” was a mess.) I’d like to see more Black sci-fi (on that note, Viola Davis will be in Ender’s Game! *dougies*)
IAYP,
WHAT!!! Mouse stole the show in that movie.
Did Don get a supporting actor nomination for that? He did what Val Kilmer did in Tombstone.
I’d like to see more films like The Wiz. A well done soul’ed up version of a classic fairy tale/ fantasy. No corny pop-rap or gospel though. Like a funk and jazz adaptation of Alice in Wonderland.
Mad Hatter – Andre 3000
Queen of Hearts – Niki Minaj (just because she’s bat sh** crazy anyway)
Alice – Janelle Monae
Cheshire Cat – Ceelo Green
I want to see a modern Oliver Twist. It feels like it should be Colored.
Or Death of a Salesman
OOh! I’d definitely go see this!
Didn’t Outkast have some movie where they were singing and they were in the old west or something? I fell asleep on it. Andre 3000 and Ceelo are getting cut. Who’s going to be Dorothy though?
Idlewild. I liked the soundtrack. That’s about it though.
Idlewild is the 2nd best music video of all time right behind Belly.
Oh and Thriller. So it’s #3.
Yooooooooooo, I’d totally watch the entire HAYLE outta this.
That movie concept and cast sounds amazing though.
For a moment there, I thought I’d gone to Shadow and Act a blog on black films. The same conversation goes on over there: http://blogs.indiewire.com/shadowandact/
I would love to see films based on our great literature. I’d make kids movies, e,g., Bud, Not Buddy and The Watsons Go to Birmingham 1963. Why write or rewrite new nonsense when there is so much good literature begging to be brought to the big screen or at least a television movie.
“Burn hollywood burn, i smell a riot goin on, first im guilty then im gone, yea ill checkout a movie-but it’ll take a black one to move me…”
-Public Enemy
Good morning mr champ, everyone,
Good topic.
I think the fact that this post is already headed for 200 comments before sunrise (edt) really says something about where our priorities lay. Its always been my view that black folks spend far and away too much time watching the boob tube (which is documented btw) and engaging in other forms of mindless “entertainment” for our own good; we should be reading a heck of a lot more, and discussing actual ideas that matter more.
Having said that, three black films since the latter 90s instantly comes to mind. Since im a big antoine fuqua fan, his films “training day” and “brooklyn’s finest” tops my list. Both are two gritty, in your face tales of urban street life from the perspective of two highly skilled, but deeply flawed black cops portrayed by the oscar winnng denzel washington and should-be oscar winner don cheadle.
My other pick would be the first “blade” starring wesley snipes (who also appeared alongside cheadle in brooklyns finest). Snipes turned a very minor comic book into a major film franchise, and to date, the only real or legitimate black anti superhero. The film had its flaws but overall it was a masterpiece and one of snipes’ best works hands down. The sequels werent anywhere near as good, and although sticky fingaz gave it to ole college try, the tv series died a merciful death after only one season. Still, the original film is one of the best “black” movies ever made.
By the way, not only has there been talk of elba being the next bond-something i think is excelllent in a 21st century world-but he is also being considered to be the next blade. Dont know what will come of that, and personally i can see derek luke pulling it off too. But bond, yea, thats got elba written all over it.
O.
“Its always been my view that black folks spend far and away too much time watching the boob tube (which is documented btw) and engaging in other forms of mindless “entertainment†for our own good; we should be reading a heck of a lot more, and discussing actual ideas that matter more.”
Let us know when this magical day where we can talk about 595759793 different topics simultaneously occurs.
In other words, just because we’re talking about one topic (a mindless one) doesn’t mean we’re NOT talking about a more serious one at another time. I’m not sure what world that is, but it ain’t this one.
And I have to honestly ask… even when there WERE topics that were serious discussed here, you STILL said we “should” be talking about something else. I’mma call you bluff… list the actual topics we should be discussing. I’m curious. (And then someone please note this list in infamy because if we ever do broach any of these O-approved topic and O still comes on his
ponywhite knight horse to dispense laws of conversation on what should be discussed… refer to it. Because I have a feeling that’s what’s gonna happen. Can’t win for losing, basically.)Jeebus.
LMBO @ Jeebus….stolen!
… from Homer Simpson.
What would an Obsidian post be without the narration of his opinion of what is wrong with Black folks. We ain’t shit.
free my comment please VSB mod.
@ Obsidian
You wax too much philosophical mambo jambo, that is lost in translation.
“we should be reading a heck of a lot more, and discussing actual ideas that matter more.”
Very true. So what do you propose as solutions for the state of black america. Please straight shoot, I don’t want Dalai Lama quotes, and colorful language…..
Mami…you gone get shoot.
*runs for cover*
@ Breezy,
But I’m not wearing a hoodie?! no?
Yo! What’s with all the ladies talking reckless to the Big O. I could’ve sworn women LOVED the Big O. No. Wait. I’m thinking about a different Big O.
Nevermind then…
LMFAO, to the corner with you —->
Which reminds me, why is it called the big O? Are there actually teeny weeny Os?
Yes.
LMA*O*
I would like to see a movie featuring a predominantly black cast that featured interesting crime fiction.
Not the run of the mill he is a dope boy with heart blah blah blah.
Or a real no holds barred view of dating from a black guy’s perspective.
Agreed. d0pe boy with a heart of gold has run its course.
“Or a real no holds barred view of dating from a black guy’s perspective.”
Does “Diary Of A Tired Black Man” of “I’m Through With White Girls” count? LOL!!
DEAD!
PA…I think we already had a version of “Diary of a Mad Black Man” its called ‘Breaking all the Rules” with Jamie Foxx and Morris Chestnutz
*you see what I did there*
“Diary Of A Tired lack Man” was- more or less- a documentary that was marketed as a movie…at least that’s how I saw it after watching it.
I always felt that “Breaking All The Rules” was the male counterpart to “Two Can Play That Game” (Both films were released by the same studio!!!!).
Thanks for the information and that explains alot.
Me and my ex actually watched Diary of a Tired Black Man…the dude in it was African if memory serves me correctly kinda ok looking. I just wished they kept it all in one genre either a poorly executed romantic drama OR a documentary.
This is why there will be so few blockbuster black movies. We’ve got too many firery hoops to jump through to get projects green lighted combined with a loss of the freedom and or execs. telling the production crew what they think we want to see. The best mainstream movies I’ve seen have the ability to replace one white cast member for a black one and vice versa and the story would still flow. Love Jones = St. Elmo’s Fire for example.
This is why I’m a big fan of indie films as a result because the yolk of bondage is removed from the writers and directors.
I would also add the following Phillies to your lady list:
Megalyn Echikunwoke
Gugu Mbatha-Raw
that’s not the only issue keeping black films from being made. its largely just financial. i hate to say that but its true.
our own bootleg culture has bit us in the ass.
Black films which criminally undersell outside of the Black demo, even for “blockbusters” rely on DVD sales to turn a profit. Well since nobody buys DVDs anymore, especially not us, Black movies outside of Tyler Perry really can’t turn much of a profit for any studio. If we don’t ALL show up on opening weekend then constantly then they’re not going ot have reasons to think they can offer budgets for these movies that can compete.
Netflix and bootlegging might have killed Black major motion cinema. Unlike music…lol…you can’t tour a movie.
even for “blockbusters†rely on DVD sales to turn a profit.
The game needs to be flipped to wrtite the deals (Major Studio or Indie) with Netflix and Hulu for a piece of the streaming video market similar to when Prince was only putting out music via download.
I think they actually do that already. Accoding to Wikipedia on Netflix:
“In August 2010, Netflix announced it had reached a five-year deal worth nearly $1 billion to stream movies from Paramount, Lionsgate and MGM. The deal increases the amount Netflix spends on streaming movies annually. It spent $117 million in the first six months of 2010 on streaming, up from $31 million in 2009. This deal adds roughly $200 million per year.”
As a person who’s interested in filming and plan on pursuing a degree in it . I would say black filmakers need to STOP writing or come up with their own stories/ ideas cause they usually sucks eggs as my niece would say.
1. Typicall. You can predict the sh*t . E.g Tyler perry movies with the exception of “For colored girls”, Hustle in flow,ect
2. AND STOP bringing one or maybe two white actor into the film to make box office worthy. I feel like they do ish just for that. I see plenty movies in my almost 19 years of age that has NOT a single black actor….um
4.Stop putting the following people in the movies, Idris alba ( Some VSB might kill me) Paula Patton, Gabrielle Union,Meagan good, London lauren(she’s not but i see her too much) Taraji not so mcuh cause she good,
START DOING THE FOLLOWING
1. Go indie for. I mean seriously indie film for some odd reason are always good if not they provide something to talk about.They bound to win you something.
2.Start recuiting film students in college around junior or senior cause during that time they start searching for topic on their thesis project and their has been a decent one i can speak of Mr&Mrs smith it was written by simon kinberg as a thesis for film school and it wasn’t all that bad, it brought us hollywood fav couple BRANDGELINA.
3.Want to creat a good decent black movie that will us talking READ SOME GOT DAMM BOOKS walter dean myers have a book called MONSTER i still don’t get why its not a movie YET. I read so much i can translate the whole thing in french or creole.
4. work with the following people, shonda rhimes, Mk Asante ,Sofia coppola Kathryn bigelow( i love her) You really can’t go wrong with these people..
Two black movies came to mind for me. She Hate Me and Sins of the Mother. Maybe modern black movies need a Spike Lee who doesn’t have ADHD and actresses like Jill Scott and Kerry Washington. I think the fact that there is a movement towards remaking the classics speaks volumes about the direction of Black cinema. I miss the rawness and the candid was they address issues, progression and humor.
wait…you think She Hate Me was a good movie?
Good idea but the AIDS story took away from the movie.
“don’t believe in the Illuminati, but I do believe that there’s a secret Black society led by Steadman Graham (Why Steadman? Because he doesn’t have shit else do to.) that forces each burgeoning Black producer or director to cast either Paula Patton, Taraji P. Henson, or Meagan Good in their movies.”
Don’t forget about Gabrielle Union
How can we forget her. OMGOOOOSH her acting skills…well she has none. It hurt my inner child to watch her in Mr. Deeds…it was like watching Bad Boys allover again where her acting stinked!
Much better at her job of being a home-wrecker.
I would wreck D-Wades home…
Check Gabby out in a film called, “Neo Ned”. She was really good in that. I think some Black actors just never get offered truly challenging roles so it seems as if their acting skills are limited.
Neo Ned was good!
The Alex Cross series would fit what everyone on here is looking for. James Patterson has a book series with 18 books and counting that feature an all black cast. Along Came A Spider and Kiss the Girls have already been done. I would LOVE to see more on screen.
I believe there is going to be another Alex Cross film. Seems like I heard Tyler Perry is going to star in it… No seriously, Tyler Perry.
I don’t mind TP being in a movie. I mind him writing and producing because he has not developed that part of himself at all. I want him to work with some brilliant folks so that he can see what else he should be doing. Fact is, TP ain’t going no where. He is going to be around for a long time. I want him to succeed because he employs a LOT of black folks and uses his money to do great things for the community. I just want him to grow and evolve so that I can feel good about supporting his work for the sake of the work and not to be benevolent.
I agree. We’re on him so hard because…who else we got to be hard on right now? I think his style will evolve, but he has to keep the dollars rolling in to fund the more risky stuff.
I agree w/ you. For what it’s worth, I think TP is a very capable actor. I’d much rather see him in front of a camera than behind it. When I heard that he’d be taking over the Alex Cross role, I actually thought it was a good casting choice.
They already made it. Filmed some parts in Detroit. Go to IMDB. It tells all!
You know what…the casting doesn’t look bad at all. This may work.
I would personally love to see Will Smith play the lead. The books describe Alex Cross looking like Ali so that is why I lean towards Smith. I wouldn’t mind a no name actor at all. We need some diversity in our black actors and actresses.
“…burgeoning Black producer or director to cast either Paula Patton, Taraji P. Henson, or Meagan Good in their movies.”
I swear Paula Patton’s pale arse just slipped by me because I never heard of her before “Deuces.” Meagan Good is hustling- not mad at her.
“…what do you think needs to happen to make Black movies less damn forgettable? What additions or subtractions would you make if you were Black Movie Czar for a day?”
Thinking back over some of my favorite movies:
1. Humor- the predictable, surprisingly unfunny lines, skits, and screaming have to stop. All these “Smokey” act-alikes are not getting it.
2. Ancient Civilizations- We have 50’11 Greek dramas, Greece is like this big
( ). African is like this big ( ——- ——). We can’t get a great action adventure movie set in the one of these African countries (or at least where the story takes place in Africa) with a bunch of black actors instead of hispanics and indians with brown paint brushed over their bodies? Can I get an Apocalypto in the Congo? I believe we’d support this. (Give us a movie that must be seen in the movie theater and maybe we won’t bootleg it….)
3. Acting lessons- stop casting people who can’t act because they’re popular. Chris Brown, T.I., I’m looking at you.
3. Acting lessons- stop casting people who can’t act because they’re popular. Chris Brown, T.I., I’m looking at you.
Throw in Beyonce and Ne-Yo as well.
I wonder whose idea it was to put Ne-Yo in “Red Tails”? They need to be smacked with a hand full of powder!!
He was really bad. Like, the type of bad that you see in a high school play but b/c that’s your cousin you can’t say anything bad. I mean he was all types of horrible.
That had to be really painful to watch, LMAO!
“Like, the type of bad that you see in a high school play but b/c that’s your cousin you can’t say anything bad. I mean he was all types of horrible.”
As bad as his herpes breakouts, or less so?
Herpes breakout while at the high school play…during his monologue.
I can’t convey to you how horrible… I just can’t…
This makes me wonder if the Mayans were right…
U mean uncle rukus
FCUK ACTING LESSONS!!! Get back to hiring professional actors and actresses. They are all available because nuckas ain’t hiring them… But then again, maybe the real actors and actresses are looking at these toilet paper worthy scripts and saying, “No thanks. I’ll eat ramen noodles a little while longer.”
“No thanks. I’ll eat ramen noodles a little while longer.â€
LOL, that’s very possible.
Actually, I don’t think that’s happening. An actor will probably act in whatever they can get.
Yes, I saw Takers over the weekend…well I tuned in for a hot nano second to see TI boney arese, Chris Brown and Elba all of which sounded like they were reading off queue cards…urgggghhhhhh….and folks said this movie was good….EPICFAIL!
my dream would be to get financing for wide release of anything and everything by ~*~ Melvin Van Peebles ~*~
i dont even like movies. i cant stand passive viewing. but this man is an artist on every level.
I have to add one more- stop making movies about people having to have money by a certain time of day. Stop this. A movie with this plot should never be made made again.
I actually think that the real problem with Black films today is that the message delivered is so simplistic and trite(Tyler Perry)
Black movies have had messages in them for years (Spike Lee in the late 80s). I mean School Daze, Mo’ Better Blues, and Do The Right Thing had so many lessons in them it took months to process all that he covered.
Lets go back to Sparkle and Cooley High Harmony in the 70s. The message was usually an integral part of the script.
Now it seems like there is someone running across the screen shouting “Message” so that you know that they just covered some reall issues!! Its not fluid like it once was, it is just obvious in a bad way
School Daze, Mo’ Better Blues, and Do The Right Thing had so many lessons in them it took months to process all that he covered.
EXACTLY!!! If you write a rich story from an informed perspective you get a movie full of messages without purposely making a message movie. Thing is, you have to have been somewhere and seen something to do so. You have to have spent time with brilliant people and have an understanding of multiple perspectives to do so.
I’d like to see these things change as far as Black cinema is concerned:
One: Can every Black actor not be in a romantic comedy? I can count on one hand how many films that Morris Chestnut did that didn’t involve romance (See: Under Siege 2: Dark Territory, Confidence, Ladder 49, The Cave, Anacondas: The Hunt For The Blood Orchid…and that’s about it!).
Two: How about getting some Black actresses who can actually act? I stated on Clutch once that most of the Black actresses were terrible. Several of the posters took me to task over it, but not nann one of them yatches could name at least ten Black actresses worth watching from 1996-present.
Three: Stop Will Packer from producing films- please!!! This is the same dude responsible for such tripe as:
Trois, Motives, Stomp The Yard, Obsessed, This Christmas, and The Gospel. Although he didn’t produce it, his film studio was responsible for Think Like A Man. Please stop this man- he’s like a ratchet ass Tyler Perry, LMAO!!
I agree all Black films don’t need a positive message. This is similar to what Chris Rock said on Black Listed “the true equality is the ability to suck like the white man” It would be great if we were able to make great films about regular or “not so-good” things and have them be praised and promoted just as much as the positively themed films.
4. Chill With The Got Damn Positive F*cking Messages All The Damn Time
Filmakers and tv writers seem to believe that it is impossible to send a positive message without trying to send a positive message. TV writers are particularly guilty of this. Back in the late 80s/early 90s, my favorite show was A Different World. This show was brilliant in that it got an entire cohort of black kids (self included) who had never been exposed to college life, EXCITED about going to college. This show was the reason why wearing HBCU hoodies became a hip hop culture fad. A Different World conveyed the message, “Hey! Black kid! Get your grades up so you can go away to college and live like this and meet guys/girls who look like this,” without being preachy and it managed to do so for a number of years. When the writers decided to go in another direction and started having a bunch of those “Very Special Episodes” of A Different World, the show jumped the shark.
There are so few positive black images on TV. All we need is a couple of good shows or movies showing black folks just being. It ain’t always about the message. Sometimes its just the image. Folks need to see regular black folks simply BEING. Write movies that show a slice of life and show the entirety of that slice. All the best black TV shows and movies have done it and were successful doing so.
Great points! But haven’t you heard? They might let one of our black a33es be The Bachelor next season so we really shouldn’t be complaining about anything.
We had a black “The Bachelor”- he said he didn’t want any black girls on the cast…ya, that’s another post LOL
and thats why he was cast.
They don’t want our Black asses making up most of the casting for Bachelor. No way.
Jesus be a rose petal…
I like to look at movies, and in this case black movies, through the lens of trends. In the 70′s and early 80′s the trend that black filmmakers were most interested in was the concept of the black hero. In the 90′s and early 2000′s black filmmakers were most interested in the hip-hop trend, where every movie kind of has either a hip-hop/ street feel to it. Nowadays most black filmmakers are interested in the portrayal of the twilight of black love. That’s why most movies today always have a romantic drama twist, even when it doesn’t fit with the film’s plot i.e Waist Deep (But hey, thanks for putting Meagan Good on the map though!)
As much as I know I’ll get some heat for this, but I think not only was “Friday” a better movie than “Red Tails”, but it also did more for black people, which was magnified by it’s success and the fact that people still watch and quote that movie till this day. The reason why Friday is better is because it wasn’t trying to prove anything, if anything, it was purely black, but it wasn’t trying to raise people’s self-esteem or incite pride. When Chinese movies came to prominence in America, they were purely Chinese (in fact the more Americanized they’ve become the less successful they’ve become), the subtitles were awful, the movie plots were awfully simple – but it was Chinese. We need to return to a point where we make movies about black life, instead of making movies about black propaganda, or at least reduce the prevalence of them (We have enough “empowering” movies, we just want to have a good time and eat our overpriced popcorn.)
Granted, the other thing that would be nice to see, is black filmmakers learn how to “subtly” put their philosophies into film, while still making a profitable and entertaining movie. Jon Favreau, who was basically a nobody in Hollywood, was able to turn Iron Man into one of the coolest and most dynamic superheroes film franchises, while at the same time inserting a lot of pro-capitalism, pro-technology and pro-individualism concepts into his films, without them being overbearing to the viewer. The problem with Tyler Perry’s movies is that his pro-christian concepts are far from subtle, and if anything attempt to guilt (at the same time offering solutions) people who are living lives that aren’t in accordance with the church doctrine they received from their parents when they were children.
I doubt you’ll get anybody to disagree that Friday was a better movie than Red Tails. Red Tails was actually a bad movie. Friday was great for being exactly what we all claim we want in movies…it was authentically itself. Like you said…it wasn’t trying ot hard to do anything more than exist.
It was a Black Seinfeld episode since ninjas like comparisons.
“It was a Black Seinfeld episode since ninjas like comparisons.”
And that’s a great comparison.
Wow. Never looked at it like that, but you’re right.
“We need to return to a point where we make movies about black life, instead of making movies about black propaganda, or at least reduce the prevalence of them (We have enough “empowering†movies, we just want to have a good time and eat our overpriced popcorn.)” Nicely said.
That picture of Nicole Beharie makes me want biscuits and gravy… not sure why though.
If I were the Black Movie Tsar I would:
-Handle movies like Red Tails much differently. I would go full on balls to the wall Private Ryan with the violence. Positive messages aside the reality of what the characters face need to be addressed. This ain’t no tennis match…
-No singing. I kind of hate that sh*t.
-Like the esteemed NicknotNikki said “Please, PLEASE gimme some good dialogue.. ” Don’t afraid to be snappy or smart. Throw in a few characters that are terse but speak with action. It works. “The A between the L and the R. Aim low.” was f’ing brilliant.
-Satire is our friend. Add some layers to your Epidermis and laugh. That cow of that you hold so sacred will be okay for a few hours.
My final act as Black Movie Tsar would be to do what ever I have to do to make sure Michael Bay and Tyler Perry never work together on a film.
My final act as Black Movie Tsar would be to do what ever I have to do to make sure Michael Bay and Tyler Perry never work together on a film.
So wait a minute…you’re telling me you don’t wanna see Madea in the next installment of Bad Boys???
As exciting as the thought of an exploding gospel maybe… NO!
Argh, I meant exploding gospel choirs.
That picture of Nicole Beharie makes me want biscuits and gravy… not sure why though.
B/c she is a fellow resident of the state of SC. Went to our Governor School of Arts and Humanities.
Word. Her and Aziz Ansari huh.
He went to our Math and Sciences school. Bottom line, as messed up as SC is, we produce some top notch talent.
what do you think needs to happen to make Black movies less damn forgettable? What additions or subtractions would you make if you were Black Movie Czar for a day?
ANSWER:
I would make a movie based on the lives of 4 Black male babies that follows them into adulthood. The movie would uncover what’s going on in Black communities today and how culpable the government is in the cradle to prison pipeline that’s considered the new Jim Crow. john Singletary as director.
*Singletary???
my bad …John Singleton!
“The movie would uncover what’s going on in Black communities today and how culpable the government is in the cradle to prison pipeline that’s considered the new Jim Crow.”
Can’t get behind you on this. Sounds like propaganda. Not every black male ends this way. In fact, I don’t know of any black males that are in prison. The government is not to blame for our problems.
Let me enlighten you.
More black men are behind bars or under the watch of the criminal justice system than there were enslaved in 1850, according to the author of a book about racial discrimination and criminal justice.
Ohio State University law professor and civil rights activist Michelle Alexander highlighted the troubling statistic while speaking in front of an audience at the Pasadena Branch of the American Civil Liberties Union, Elev8 reports.
Alexander, the author of “The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness,” reportedly claimed there are more African American men in prison and jail, or on probation and parole, than were slaves before the start of the Civil War.
More than 846,000 black men were incarcerated in 2008, according to U.S. Bureau of Justice estimates reported by NewsOne. African Americans make up 13.6 percent of the U.S. population according to census data, but black men reportedly make up 40.2 percent of all prison inmates.
I’d like to see a movie called “Uncle Toms” that follows four black boys/ men on their journey towards a life that does not fit the swagger ideal. A couple of them might even fall in love with and marry non-black women. Their stories would be so inspiring and real that the (black) audience would end up falling in love with them and question the idolization of gangsta life.
Interesting idea. The name bugs me though. I don’t know if it’s just the negative connotation though. I’d probably just call it “Toms”. That’s an artistic choice though.
I like the title “Toms” even better.
Do people just miss sarcasm in movies? I want more of this in black movies. And let it be some intelligent sarcasm with some satire and don’t spoon feed me humor. Like are you seriously insulting my intelligence? I got a school system in Arizona for that, I don’t need it in my movies. I want to go to a movie and forget about the bull$hit that is my life. I don’t need a message. I NEED TO LAUGH. I NEED TO BE SOME WHAT INSPIRED. I NEED SOMETHING DIFFERENT THAN WHAT’S BEEN OUT THE PAST COUPLES YEARS! Alright I’m done.
My only faith in Black cinema are indie directors & producers that have been making some good movies. I don’t watch the big screen, so called Black movies Hollywood makes anymore. I just can’t waste my money on not being entertained by the crap that comes out. I think the if someone were to make Wildseed or Dead B*tch Army into a movie, I might see it.
You have to start somewhere: is it too late for Tyler Perry to edit Kim Kardashian’s cameo out of “The Marriage Counselor?”
Aside: the movie, of course, is filming in ATL, and Kimmy and NeNe are totally best friends now. And stuff.
Aside II: Shoot, I’d even take NeNe replacing Kim in that cameo. Again, it’s a start
Is Big Sexy (Texas 10 Inch) out of the way of those tornados? If you are reading, pls pop in and let us know.
I saw “Attack the block”. I don’t know why people like it so much. I do tend to tune out when I hear British accents so maybe the issue is with me. Plus I know it’s called attack the block, but there wasn’t much of a block or city for that matter. It was damn near a vacant lot until police arrived at some point. There might have been a reason for this, but those damn British accents. I probably missed it.
Anyway, the best thing that can happen for black movies is a return to good story-telling. Have a good story first. Cast black actors that can actually act and make sense in the roles they’re supposed to play. In other words I don’t want Tyler Perry handing out Star fleet commissions or anything else just because he’s famous. It cheapens us both
I’d make more black science-fiction. The black nerd/geek population is coming into it’s own. This is the next logical step.
I’d bring Walter Mosley’s book “Futureland” to the big screen. You think Morpheus from the Matrix was the man? He’s got nothing on Folio Johnson, the “last private detective in New York”. I’d like to see a black space hero. People point to Lando Calrissian or Mace Windu from Star Wars or Uhura from Star Trek. They’re great, but they’re secondary characters. I want to see one of us save the universe. It seems like Hollywood will let someone with blue skin win before they let someone with black skin do it.
I’d also try to bring the Martha Washington stories to the silver screen. Although, she has so many stories, it might be good to put her on Showtime or HBO. Not familiar with Martha Washington? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martha_Washington_(comics)
From there, I would try and branch into fantasy. I’d make a Lord of the Rings type epic, set in African mythology. I’m not talking Egyptian mythology. It’s African, technically, but it’s been so co-opted that it’s almost unbearable. I’d use mythological figures like Shango or Anansi. I’d bring in orishas and other spirits.
More thrillers would be great too. Denzel started the Devil in a Blue Dress franchise, but it’s time for a reboot. There’s around a dozen books in that series. Get a young brother like Nate Parker or Leslie Odom Jr., and have him run with the franchise. Bring on good directors like Antoine Fuqua, Ernest Dickerson, or Carl Franklin, and have them, and this is important, STAY TRUE TO THE NOVELS.
That’s just for starters…
I agree with you on more science fiction. Sad thing is Black media totally ignores the genre work of Black actors. Avery Brooks got no love in spite of being the only Black male to STAR in a dramatic series (Star Trek Deep Space Nine) for SEVEN years!! And most science fiction on film nowadays tends to ignore Black males altogether. The current zombie movie craze has its “roots” in George Romero’s 1968 classic “Night Of The Living Dead”, which also starred a Black man, the late Duane Jones. He NEVER gets mentioned anywhere in our press either. Not to mention zombie lore originally comes from Haiti (a Black country if I’m not mistaken). The greater media seems to think all we care about are ghetto flicks starring some rapper and about six Black females waiting to exhale. And sadly they would be right as we don’t spend our money much on genre films. The proof is in the pudding. And you know I only know of just ONE Black person who saw Joe Morton in “Brother From Another Planet” back in 1984. Not sure what the answer is really.
I Think I Love My Wife was the last great black movie I saw.
“The Great Debaters”, “Akeelah And The Bee”. “Antwone Fisher”, “The Pursuit of Happyness”, “Drumline”, “Precious”, “Hotel Rwanda” and even “Ray” were some of the so-called “Black oriented” movies I enjoyed throughout the first decade of the 21st century. And let’s not forget the countless number of stories which end up going direct to video which don’t involve a rapper starring in yet another prison flick. One way Black movies can do better is diversify the types stories being told. Not all of us are broke, busted and slinging rocks in the street. “Love Jones” for me set the template by which other movies should have followed….but no one answered the call. Sadly it was director Theodore Witcher’s first and only film. Now all we seem to get are Tyler Perry mangina productions. I don’t begrudge the man any success he’s earned or the people he has helped by employing them on his movies, but can’t he mix it up just a bit? And no I haven’t seen “Good Deeds” yet. How about a few more serious dramas about modern professional Black men? Black women (in spite of what some may think) seem to be better represented on film these days than males.
I totally agree with your entire post.
Thank you.