[Urban Renaissance Man]

Ok, I know absolutely no one is going to agree with me, especially when considering his most recent tirade at the Sundance Festival, but god I wish Spike Lee had directed this film! Yes, I know he's controversial to say the least, but he does know how to make a movie with depth! (Malcom X) He also knows how to bring out a character. (Mo Better Blues) This movie sadly was short on both! There simply wasn't enough depth, almost cartoonish in its lack of, and the character development was just as bad. There were scenes in the movie that were potentially comical, but really didn't capitalize on the laughter possibilities. I guess the bottom line is the movie simply didn't seem serious or well acted enough. It didn't tell the story thoroughly, and some of the acting was just plain cheesy! It almost seemed either rushed, (Which is impossible, since it took 10 years to be placed on the market) or underbudgeted. I can't really blame George Lucas for this, since he's the executive producer, I have to blame Anthony Hemingway. I'm assuming this is his first time out for a major film and sadly, George should've went with somone with a bit more experience in character and storyline development. This movie had great potential, since it's a riviting topic, but they just missed the mark. It truly seemed cartoonish in terms of lines and acting. Spike, the Hughes brothers, or Tyler Perry would've done a lot more for this film.

[Duke Castile]

Because George Lucas was following the black film formula and didn't want to share the profit is my guess.

The Tuskegee Airmen was much better. And all I saw was the 30 min long trailer for Red Tails...

[Urban Renaissance Man]

Agreed. I so wanted Red Tails to be a good movie. Don't get me wrong, it wasn't terrible, and the fight scenes and explosions looked positively real (George Lucas=special effects) however, the acting and just overall lack of character depth was noteworthy!

[Timoteo]

You always have to consider that it's hard for black directors, no matter what their resume, to get big budget money from studios for films with black subject matter, and a predominantly black cast. Lucas himself had trouble getting the money. Spike comes off as angry sometimes because he's been fighting these battles in Hollywood for years. Warner Bros. didn't want to give him money to finish Malcolm X. He had one of the better segments on "Inside the Actor's Studio," and actually came to tears telling the story of how he eventually got the money. Studios don't want to sink money into this kind of movie, because it's hard to make it back. The bulk of the movie going audience simply won't got to a film with a predominantly black cast.

[speakeasy]

(01-26-2012 12:08 AM)Timoteo Wrote:  

You always have to consider that it's hard for black directors, no matter what their resume, to get big budget money from studios for films with black subject matter, and a predominantly black cast. Lucas himself had trouble getting the money. Spike comes off as angry sometimes because he's been fighting these battles in Hollywood for years. Warner Bros. didn't want to give him money to finish Malcolm X. He had one of the better segments on "Inside the Actor's Studio," and actually came to tears telling the story of how he eventually got the money. Studios don't want to sink money into this kind of movie, because it's hard to make it back. The bulk of the movie going audience simply won't got to a film with a predominantly black cast.

Yet stupid movies with all black casts like "Soul Plane" get made by Hollywood. People will watch all black movies, so long as the blacks are acting like sambos and buffoons. If it's a serious drama, forget it. Crazy that you can count on one hand the amount of black actors that can get a lead role in a blockbuster movie.

[Timoteo]

(01-26-2012 12:58 AM)speakeasy Wrote:  

(01-26-2012 12:08 AM)Timoteo Wrote:  

You always have to consider that it's hard for black directors, no matter what their resume, to get big budget money from studios for films with black subject matter, and a predominantly black cast. Lucas himself had trouble getting the money. Spike comes off as angry sometimes because he's been fighting these battles in Hollywood for years. Warner Bros. didn't want to give him money to finish Malcolm X. He had one of the better segments on "Inside the Actor's Studio," and actually came to tears telling the story of how he eventually got the money. Studios don't want to sink money into this kind of movie, because it's hard to make it back. The bulk of the movie going audience simply won't got to a film with a predominantly black cast.

Yet stupid movies with all black casts like "Soul Plane" get made by Hollywood. People will watch all black movies, so long as the blacks are acting like sambos and buffoons. If it's a serious drama, forget it. Crazy that you can count on one hand the amount of black actors that can get a lead role in a blockbuster movie.

Absolutely. Denzel Washington. Will Smith. Those are the only two black men that can open a mainstream film from the top of the marquee, mainly because they're non-threatening (though Denzel has taken on some darker roles in recent years...and I love it). Every other top black actor must be paired with a white actor of equal or greater stature, or it will be an ensemble cast type deal. Even in comedies where brothers are "bojanglin'" the audience is still limited to largely black folks. The other thing they do is make films about black issues, but from the perspective of a white male hero, that way it broadens the audience.

[speakeasy]

I'd throw in Morgan Freeman and maybe Lawrence Fishburn. As for females, Halle Berry may be the only one.

But back to the topic at hand, Inside Man showed Spike Lee at his best as a director. I wish he were the director of Red Tails.

[Giovonny]

Its "a George Lucas joint"

[46.]

^^ Yes. I don't know if Spike can direct a CGI action movie. Plus I'd rather have him making New Orleans documentaries anyway!

[Timoteo]

(01-26-2012 09:50 PM)speakeasy Wrote:  

I'd throw in Morgan Freeman and maybe Lawrence Fishburn. As for females, Halle Berry may be the only one.

But back to the topic at hand, Inside Man showed Spike Lee at his best as a director. I wish he were the director of Red Tails.

Freeman and Fishburne are great actors, but they can't open a mainstream flick. They still have to co-star. Occasionally Spike will direct a film as a hired hand (a film he didn't write/produce himself), like "Inside Man" and "The 25th Hour." He spends most of his time directing commercials and doing documentaries now. Part of his rant at Sundance was because he couldn't get money for a sequel to "Inside Man." I think he could have done "Red Tails" justice, and it would have been interesting to see him tackle a project that was also effects-driven.

[ElJefe]

(01-26-2012 12:58 AM)speakeasy Wrote:  

(01-26-2012 12:08 AM)Timoteo Wrote:  

You always have to consider that it's hard for black directors, no matter what their resume, to get big budget money from studios for films with black subject matter, and a predominantly black cast. Lucas himself had trouble getting the money. Spike comes off as angry sometimes because he's been fighting these battles in Hollywood for years. Warner Bros. didn't want to give him money to finish Malcolm X. He had one of the better segments on "Inside the Actor's Studio," and actually came to tears telling the story of how he eventually got the money. Studios don't want to sink money into this kind of movie, because it's hard to make it back. The bulk of the movie going audience simply won't got to a film with a predominantly black cast.

Yet stupid movies with all black casts like "Soul Plane" get made by Hollywood. People will watch all black movies, so long as the blacks are acting like sambos and buffoons. If it's a serious drama, forget it. Crazy that you can count on one hand the amount of black actors that can get a lead role in a blockbuster movie.

I think this is garbage.

Glory (1989) had a pretty sizeable black cast with only 1-2 white protagonists. One of my favorite movies - aboslutely stellar performances by Freeman and Washington.

I haven't seen Red Tails but Lucas did make Starwars. NEWS FLASH: If you want a serious movie, don't get Lucas.

Hollywood in general just produces crap, but every once in a while a gem comes out. Whether it's white, hispanic or black crap - it's still all crap. I saw a movie spike lee made about the black panters when I was writing a project on them - total crap. Really good movies worth my time are few and far between. I think the reason is because exceptional stories are hard to find, and pairing an exceptional story with good directors and actors requires a perfect storm of probability 0.000001

Don't blame it on prejudice. Blame it on the general meaninglessness of the entertainment industry

[iknowexactly]

Spike Lee can get the money to make a LOW-BUDGET movie, I'm sure; but I imagine after being in the bigtime that's pretty depressing.
I'm a fan, really liked Malcolm X and Do The Right Thing.

Hollywood? Mass media; facewhore?

I forget who said it , "There's two major elements in the universe, hydrogen and stupidity, the difference is the quantity of hydrogen is limited."

Also Goethe's great quote " Against stupidity the gods themselves struggle in vain."

[Timoteo]

(01-28-2012 04:14 AM)ElJefe Wrote:  

(01-26-2012 12:58 AM)speakeasy Wrote:  

(01-26-2012 12:08 AM)Timoteo Wrote:  

You always have to consider that it's hard for black directors, no matter what their resume, to get big budget money from studios for films with black subject matter, and a predominantly black cast. Lucas himself had trouble getting the money. Spike comes off as angry sometimes because he's been fighting these battles in Hollywood for years. Warner Bros. didn't want to give him money to finish Malcolm X. He had one of the better segments on "Inside the Actor's Studio," and actually came to tears telling the story of how he eventually got the money. Studios don't want to sink money into this kind of movie, because it's hard to make it back. The bulk of the movie going audience simply won't got to a film with a predominantly black cast.

Yet stupid movies with all black casts like "Soul Plane" get made by Hollywood. People will watch all black movies, so long as the blacks are acting like sambos and buffoons. If it's a serious drama, forget it. Crazy that you can count on one hand the amount of black actors that can get a lead role in a blockbuster movie.

I think this is garbage.

Glory (1989) had a pretty sizeable black cast with only 1-2 white protagonists. One of my favorite movies - aboslutely stellar performances by Freeman and Washington.

I haven't seen Red Tails but Lucas did make Starwars. NEWS FLASH: If you want a serious movie, don't get Lucas.

Hollywood in general just produces crap, but every once in a while a gem comes out. Whether it's white, hispanic or black crap - it's still all crap. I saw a movie spike lee made about the black panters when I was writing a project on them - total crap. Really good movies worth my time are few and far between. I think the reason is because exceptional stories are hard to find, and pairing an exceptional story with good directors and actors requires a perfect storm of probability 0.000001

Don't blame it on prejudice. Blame it on the general meaninglessness of the entertainment industry

You cited one example. And who was the star of "Glory?" Who directed and produced it? It's obvious that Hollywood puts out a lot of mediocre crap, but it's naive to think it's all equal with regards to who gets money to make films, and the type of subject matter doesn't dictate who gets money and how much. You seem to miss the point.

[Timoteo]

I'm not a fan of EVERY movie Spike has made. I thought "School Daze" (his first bigger budget film that came on the heels of "She's Gotta Have It") was overly ambitious. He wanted to give a slice of black college life, and some of the conflict between light skinned and dark skinned blacks. If he had focused on that, he'd have been fine. But he also wanted to intertwine a musical within a drama, and thought he overshot the mark. I thought "Malcolm X," "Do The Right Thing," "Mo Better Blues," "Jungle Fever"and "Clockers" were outstanding (I'm focusing on motion pictures he wrote/produced/directed. I also think his documentaries are outstanding). I liked "Miracle at St. Anna" also. Spike can definitely be preachy and he doesn't sugar coat, either in his films or some of his comments and interviews, but filmmakers like him are important because he tells the stories that other filmmakers either can't or won't.

[thegmanifesto]

(01-26-2012 06:43 PM)Timoteo Wrote:  

(01-26-2012 12:58 AM)speakeasy Wrote:  

(01-26-2012 12:08 AM)Timoteo Wrote:  

You always have to consider that it's hard for black directors, no matter what their resume, to get big budget money from studios for films with black subject matter, and a predominantly black cast. Lucas himself had trouble getting the money. Spike comes off as angry sometimes because he's been fighting these battles in Hollywood for years. Warner Bros. didn't want to give him money to finish Malcolm X. He had one of the better segments on "Inside the Actor's Studio," and actually came to tears telling the story of how he eventually got the money. Studios don't want to sink money into this kind of movie, because it's hard to make it back. The bulk of the movie going audience simply won't got to a film with a predominantly black cast.

Yet stupid movies with all black casts like "Soul Plane" get made by Hollywood. People will watch all black movies, so long as the blacks are acting like sambos and buffoons. If it's a serious drama, forget it. Crazy that you can count on one hand the amount of black actors that can get a lead role in a blockbuster movie.

Absolutely. Denzel Washington. Will Smith. Those are the only two black men that can open a mainstream film from the top of the marquee, mainly because they're non-threatening (though Denzel has taken on some darker roles in recent years...and I love it). Every other top black actor must be paired with a white actor of equal or greater stature, or it will be an ensemble cast type deal. Even in comedies where brothers are "bojanglin'" the audience is still limited to largely black folks. The other thing they do is make films about black issues, but from the perspective of a white male hero, that way it broadens the audience.

Why Halle have to let a white man pop her to get a Oscar
Why Denzel have to be crooked before he took it

(I actually have to say this was one of the sickest mainstream hip-hop tracks of last decade).

[misterstir]

What did Jadakiss mean when he said Denzel was crooked? Never fully understood it.

anyways, I see nothing wrong with a white guy trying to make a movie about african americans. It may not be the best but I'll watch it.

[thegmanifesto]

(01-29-2012 12:16 AM)misterstir Wrote:  

What did Jadakiss mean when he said Denzel was crooked? Never fully understood it.

anyways, I see nothing wrong with a white guy trying to make a movie about african americans. It may not be the best but I'll watch it.

He played a crooked cop in Training Day.