A Spike Lee joint.
Man I saw a trailer for that today during my normal YouTube browsing, and watched the whole damn thing. I dunno if it will be good, but it certainly does not seem it would be boring.
That looks awesome.
I don’t really do Podcasts. I am done with listening to stuff after 5 minutes. Did anyone see this and like it?
Other than 96% of all movie critics?
-Tom
Mystic River has high ratings too. I did not like that movie and have no intention of seeing it again. I could give you a whole list of movies critics love that I would rather not have seen. I don’t really watch Spike Lee movies either. so… just wondering anyone here liked the movie.
General reviews of any film that has political/religious/racial overtones can be ignored imho. Too much bias potential either way. Word of mouth is a better gauge.
What I see this film has going for it is the casting, which is common in Spike Lee films. What I see this film does not have going for is it is a Spike Lee film - as I am with @Nesrie on Spike Lee films, I feel after his early period they are mostly less than interesting.
I thought we had gotten past the 70’s and now the 80’s were retro, and those afros do not look believable, they look like cheap wigs in those shots.
He’s definitely using a style in that movie, and it kind of mimics the others. The only previous movie I liked that Spike Lee has done is Crooklyn, but the actors, ,and the story for this one seems promising. I don’t mind political statements or these kind of subject matters but I do want to enjoy the movie.
We usually have chatter about these kinds of movies, so that’s why I was trying to get some word of mouth, as you say. This ones looks like I might like it, and it is kind of described as comedic which might make it even more tolerable considering the subject matter.
I liked it. It has some funny moments. I will agree with folks who say that the tone is uneven. I thought that at times it was a little heavy handed and I think that the 2 hour and 15 minute running time could have been cut without losing anything important in the film.
I very much enjoyed the performances of the two main protagonists. I liked how language was used in various scenes.
It should be noted that this was my first Spike Lee movie.
Totally agree. Your point about the bedroom scene between Felix and Connie is particularly well taken, since I barely even remember it. And that’s sometimes a pretty good sign that a scene can be cut without losing anything.
I’ll ask you a question about your email in the podcast thread.
Have you seen any of the “Ballers” show? Because I really do like John David Washington in that.
I don’t recall you saying this before, and I find it fascinating. I’d be keen on your opinions about the others, but they’re not all worth your time. I am interested to hear what you thing about Do The Right Thing, Inside Man, and 25th Hour…but no hurry.
-xtien
“Pay strict attention to what I say because I choose my words carefully and I never repeat myself.”
And therin, as the bard would tell us, lies the rub
I did and yes, I would recommend it.
The movie has some laugh out loud moments, and the cast does a solid job. Topher Grace personifies the banality of evil with his portrayal of David Duke though it is hard to believe that Duke is that dopey. And I could have sworn initially that Steve Buscemi was in it but it is his brother Michael. Close your eyes and they sound the same, at least to me.
But there are some very tough parts to watch and I go back and forth as to whether the final moments add to or detract from the movie. I grew up in a white, working class neighborhood full of hostility and fear for black people who lived a quarter mile away with Eight Mile the dividing line. So the performances of the Klansmen/women while a bit over the top rang true with what I remembered of how my neighbors spoke. Especially in the months and years that followed the Detroit riot.
So I watched it through that lens. I’ve seen all of Spike Lee’s movies and my opinion is that this is one of his better movies.
Thank you for your review!
Thanks to you both, Nesrie for asking and Orald for answering. I will check this out on home release. I really dig Lee’s work, but feel safer when he is in his wheelhouse doing NYC, but you won me over, Orald. Hopefully the ending won’t be too cartoonish.
I’ll definitely want to check this out when it comes out on video.
Spike Lee Movies I’ve watched in the past:
Do the Right Thing
Malcolm X
He Got Game
25th Hour
Inside Man
Four Little Girls (Documentary)
When the Levees Broke (Documentary)
The only one of these I didn’t love on first viewing was Malcolm X. Watching that in the theater on opening day was the problem. When you’re watching a big sprawling biopic, one can get very impatient. Movies like Ghandi and Malcolm X are best watched at home, when you can take a break and watch them at your pace, just like his documentaries (4 little girls and When the Levees Broke).
I haven’t watched his other movies though. Some of them have less than stellar reviews and others I’d never even heard of, looking back at it now. Maybe there’s other gems in there that I missed.
All great. Agree on Malcolm X. I bought that on Videocassette back in the day and almost wore it out.
You need to see:, (IMO) in order
Clockers
Crooklyn
Summer of Sam
She’s Gotta Have it
Mo’ Better Blues
And the almost unknown, but excellent Inside Man
Clockers is freaking mesmerizing. Best cinematography and editing I have seen from him, ever.
So unknown thatbyou missed he mentioned it in his list ;)
But it’s my personal favorite Lee, though admittedly I’ve seen very few of his movies.
Yeah I got lost there for a second. F*** it, it stays in the post. It deserves multiple mentions.
Inside Man isn’t unknown - hell it earned close to 200 million at the boxoffice - but it’s not given props because it’s his most accessible, populist work.
BlacKkKlansman is working in that accessible Inside Man mode for a lot of its running time until it really isn’t and whoops a hand grenade just got launched into the theatre.
I liked it.
You are welcome. I did not think that it was.
There is a lot of interesting goings on in the movie, maybe there can be a thread with spoilers for those that want to unpack some of it.