tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post6812782601718910373..comments2023-11-03T06:02:02.128-07:00Comments on By Ken Levine: BlacKkKlansman: My reviewBy Ken Levinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17305293821975250420noreply@blogger.comBlogger33125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-53472348175126449152019-06-19T07:33:46.988-07:002019-06-19T07:33:46.988-07:00I felt the same way. It was really in your face, a...I felt the same way. It was really in your face, and I never enjoy that. It is a prime example of what happens when storytellers elevate message over story, and to me, that always results in bad storytelling because it fails to entertain, due to audiences being unable to get past the message. And entertaining is the number one goal of stories and the number one reason people seek out stories, so it never works.Bryan Thomashttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03942472363470824138noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-47518279235933683902018-12-24T03:23:35.776-08:002018-12-24T03:23:35.776-08:00What an utterly bizarre and unprovoked attack on t...What an utterly bizarre and unprovoked attack on the brilliant filmmaker Ken Loach. I guess some people will use any excuse to spout right wing propaganda... even a Spike Lee movie review. Johnny Walkerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13086939028445362188noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-74587651151265398682018-12-23T09:07:38.159-08:002018-12-23T09:07:38.159-08:00The film almost lost me in the first five minutes ...The film almost lost me in the first five minutes with the gratuitous Alec Baldwin "blooper" cameo that added nothing to the otherwise compelling true story.Donald from Chicagonoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-86566627391209472852018-12-22T01:50:44.880-08:002018-12-22T01:50:44.880-08:00I haven't seen the film, but I felt the same w...I haven't seen the film, but I felt the same way about his TV series of "She's Gotta Have It". I really liked the film when I saw it years ago but the first episode of the TV series was a lecture. I did think that it might be better if the episodes were only half an hour instead of an hour - only to realise that the episodes *were* only half an hour, it just felt like an hour.Dublinernoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-44447871663738067862018-12-21T07:42:35.011-08:002018-12-21T07:42:35.011-08:00A Friday Question(s) based on some of the response...A Friday Question(s) based on some of the responses in this thread.<br /><br />“Have you ever purposefully gone easy on a critique because of the race, sex, or orientation of the actor, or because of its political viewpoint?”<br /><br />From a different perspective: Have you ever written something heavy handed that didn't get stronger criticism because it aligned with the majoritarian viewpoint? Or, are there are any notable instances where a writer/producer/actor resisted your heavy hand?<br /><br />More broadly speaking, what's the process of laying the heavy hand?<br /><br />I imagine Spike Lee has enough clout to do what he wants and that the people who work for and with him expect and want his heavy hand. But what if your writing a sitcom and insert a bit of dialogue (or even much more) about, say, the virtue of chastity, or gun control, or the good, nay, necessity of aborting fetuses of poor mothers, or euthanizing “useless eaters” or how children don’t need fathers just wuv?<br /><br />Is the process as simple as “Everyone here agrees, so let's do it”? “I’m in charge, so let's do it”? “Sounds great but let's get Mary from marketing's opinion before we do it”? <br /><br />Coram_Locinoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-43718979593247097882018-12-21T07:38:12.797-08:002018-12-21T07:38:12.797-08:00Saw this in the theater with some anticipation rig...Saw this in the theater with some anticipation right when it came out, and was disappointed. Based on the amount of praise it had received, and knowing it was going to align with and reinforce my sensibilities, I was hoping for a lot. There were no compelling characters—Washington and Driver acted their parts well, and the "can you believe this" aspects of the story were enticing, but their characters were undeveloped and served merely to advance plot points. Washington's character's relationship with Laura Harrier's Patrice was underdeveloped to the point that it seemed an afterthought, as if someone realized that there had to be a female character, but the realization never went beyond that.<br />And the characters on the KKK side were so cartoonish that after the initial reaction of "I can laugh at their hatefulness because they are so stupid," there was nowhere to go with them, and whenever they were back on the screen, it was boring. <br />And I like and admire Harry Belafonte as much as anybody (still listen to his double-LP live at Carnegie album).I was happy to see him in the film and appreciated the tribute that Lee was giving to Belafonte and others of that generation, but those scenes stuck out as disconnected and distractions from the rest of the moviemickeyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06107980466754462721noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-42907866480903326942018-12-20T07:06:33.763-08:002018-12-20T07:06:33.763-08:00Ken - don't often disagree with you, but I and...Ken - don't often disagree with you, but I and the 3 other baby boomers I watched the movie with liked it. Despite the heavy handedness, we were pulled in emotionally.<br /><br />What struck me was a quite moment in the film where the "Jewish" cop is speaking. He says that he's hardly Jewish, didn't go to religious school, never observed the holidays, didn't have a bar mitzvah, never attended bar mitzvahs. Pretty much only Jewish by name - if that much, then says (due to the investigation and I'm paraphrasing) 'I never thought about it [being Jewish], now I think about it every day.' To me, that speaks volumes about the entire story.Pete Grossmannoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-91160500975544320172018-12-19T20:29:10.863-08:002018-12-19T20:29:10.863-08:00For my own watching I give much greater weight to ...For my own watching I give much greater weight to the audience scores on Rotten Tomatoes than critics. It doesn't always work, but I find it more relevant to my tastes. I'd guess most critics these days would be terrified to write a review like yours fearing they'd be harassed on social media, or worse, lose their job.<br /><br />By the way, the most original film I saw this year was "Sorry To Bother You". It's impossible to describe and if you think you're going to watch a standard comedy you'll be disappointed, but you have never seen a movie like it.mdv59https://www.blogger.com/profile/16110963117009209383noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-90652600824570473612018-12-19T17:51:49.751-08:002018-12-19T17:51:49.751-08:00It is based on a true story. Other than making a c...It is based on a true story. Other than making a character Jewish who in reality was not, it is supposedly accurate. Yes, the members of the KKK are ignorant rednecks but have you ever seen interviews with Klan members? It's like watching a cartoon. A scary cartoon, especially when the Klansmen have their young children with them. Years ago Phil Donahue had a group of Klansmen on who were very Christian, but when someone pointed out to them that Jesus was a Jew, they went ballistic, screaming that this wasn't true. David Duke in the film was clearly the face of what he wanted the Klan to become so that they would be more accepted by the mainstream. The end of the film was quite interesting in that even though they stopped a terrorist attack (although a bombing did take place), those higher up in the police department clearly got orders from somewhere and the police were told to stop investigating the Klan, which was especially scary. I saw plenty of things on the news in the 1970s and 1980s and what I saw in the film was neither heavy handed nor unrealistic. Just disturbing.James Van Hisehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06658381884799398658noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-74622287554040137472018-12-19T16:59:04.879-08:002018-12-19T16:59:04.879-08:00I hope you'll be reviewing Assassination Natio...I hope you'll be reviewing Assassination Nation or Three Identical Strangers. Two of my favourite films of the year.Peternoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-14817135438577036942018-12-19T13:30:05.582-08:002018-12-19T13:30:05.582-08:00Not sure if this qualifies as a Friday question, b...Not sure if this qualifies as a Friday question, but what's your take on the Marvelous Mrs. Maisel?Jithttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12277374853833650307noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-56986227643199389662018-12-19T12:20:16.945-08:002018-12-19T12:20:16.945-08:00As things stand I won't be surprised if Harvey...As things stand I won't be surprised if Harvey returns to Hollywood next year and sends you screeners for his movie for consideration.<br /><br />https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/harvey-weinstein-criminal-case-may-be-crumbling-experts-say-1170260 <br /><br />Lindanoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-26770435612478044572018-12-19T12:08:34.860-08:002018-12-19T12:08:34.860-08:00Ken liked "Silver Linings Playbook"!!!??...Ken liked "Silver Linings Playbook"!!!???<br /><br />Then I am definitely seeing this "Masterpiece".<br /><br />Mikenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-79741949442233690672018-12-19T12:03:35.903-08:002018-12-19T12:03:35.903-08:00It's no "Sorry to Bother You"It's no "Sorry to Bother You"Zachhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01115366572915518720noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-3888270171838741122018-12-19T11:32:15.268-08:002018-12-19T11:32:15.268-08:00I respectfully disagree with this review. It's...I respectfully disagree with this review. It's true that Spike Lee isn't the most subtle of filmmakers, and the movie's message can be a bit heavy-handed at times, but I found it funny and entertaining enough that it didn't really bother me. If you didn't like it, though, that's fine. After all, you liked "Silver Linings Playbook", a movie that I despise with the intensity of a thousand suns, so to each his own.Erichttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01096584022410891447noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-24482876367317095252018-12-19T10:41:37.882-08:002018-12-19T10:41:37.882-08:00"we’d surely get screeners"
Like Glen ..."we’d surely get screeners" <br /><br />Like Glen I wonder:<br /><br />Who's "We"??Jahn Ghaltnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-78209354318644806592018-12-19T09:50:57.773-08:002018-12-19T09:50:57.773-08:00Getting screeners?
So you are an Academy member....Getting screeners? <br /><br />So you are an Academy member.<br /><br />Here's a question I wanted to ask any Academy member, if I had a chance.....<br /><br />Did you vote for Crash or Brokeback Mountain in 2006?<br /><br />Glennoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-71920592194248857232018-12-19T09:38:25.006-08:002018-12-19T09:38:25.006-08:00Thanks for the review Ken.
I have started relying...Thanks for the review Ken.<br /><br />I have started relying on YT videos where they compile the list of movies that went unnoticed. Those videos and the comments by people from around the world is now my guidance to seeing good movies. I had commented previously too that, that is how I came across "Sicario" and "Wind River".<br /><br />This year some videos are listing "BlacKkKlansman" and "Widows" as the movies to watch. Here these smaller movies don't get wide release, so I was thinking about how to see them until your review solved my quandary :)<br /><br /><br />Jeff,<br /><br />I don't know much about Adam Driver. But he seems to have a lot of fans, who keep praising him. The only movie of his that I have seen is "Logan Lucky" and I didn't find him special.<br /><br />Dhruvnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-85682284755752450222018-12-19T09:28:06.929-08:002018-12-19T09:28:06.929-08:00"I figured that Spike Lee was an awards whore..."I figured that Spike Lee was an awards whore and we’d surely get screeners. Yep. One of the first received."<br /><br />Man!!! that was brutal 😂😂😂<br /><br />But I wish he wins rather than the smug over-rated Bradley Cooper.<br /><br />Briannoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-8489441850795453102018-12-19T08:57:59.334-08:002018-12-19T08:57:59.334-08:00I hate to keep carping on this, but the title alon...I hate to keep carping on this, but the title alone --BLACKKKLANSMAN, and the corny, cliche, caricature still image at the top of this post, is a signal to just stay far away from this piece of claptrap.<br /><br />But then we're a country that lives with abominable stupidity and shallowness every day. I feel like I'm the crazy one.<br /><br />Frank Beansnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-71433720023337906322018-12-19T08:38:18.556-08:002018-12-19T08:38:18.556-08:00I happen to think that Heavy Handed is something t...I happen to think that Heavy Handed is something that movies can do well. It either makes your nose light up or it doesn't.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00112493521799806948noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-21685368805713904082018-12-19T08:22:39.241-08:002018-12-19T08:22:39.241-08:00I agree, it was very heavy handed and painted with...I agree, it was very heavy handed and painted with very broad strokes. The characters were generally cardboard cutouts of stereotypes. (spoiler alert) For me, the payoff really came at the end (which was equally heavy handed) when the cartoonish storytelling was juxtaposed with footage from Charlottesville. I stayed with it and the film, with all its generalizing, won me over.<br />Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01285118723016308248noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-51617769198782594642018-12-19T08:19:01.569-08:002018-12-19T08:19:01.569-08:00Spike Lee, heavy-handed? That's the understat...Spike Lee, heavy-handed? That's the understatement of the century. And hit-or-miss? Yep, that too. He has always been both of these things, going back to over 30 years.<br /><br />With that said, he is capable of talking about race, sex, and family (to give his three most commonly addressed subjects) with nuance and even-handedness. MALCOLM X remains a classic biographical movie. DO THE RIGHT THING, while you can't exactly call it subtle, is also a classic and a must-see for anyone who wants to understand urban racial dynamics circa the 80s-90s in America. A lot of it holds up today, though some is dated. But that's expected in any work. Even GET ON THE BUS and SCHOOL DAZE (now we're talking REALLY dated) have their moments. But I digress.<br /><br />Yes, I'm with Ken--if a movie or TV series makes me want to shout "got it already" h under half an hour, I stop watching it too. There's enough great works of all media to absorb that could take up an entire lifetime. I also really have a low tolerance for obvious didacticism and Hollywood cliches.<br /><br />There's enough dismal reality in America, I hardly need to have explained to me. Not that I want escapism, but really, anyone with open eyes can see things today for what they are. We're soaking in it.<br /><br />Frank Beansnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-48409639369234706142018-12-19T08:15:03.935-08:002018-12-19T08:15:03.935-08:00Given the industry in which you have worked/work, ...Given the industry in which you have worked/work, you're a brave man. Your review is spot on.Neil Millernoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-75219257768850989092018-12-19T08:09:25.504-08:002018-12-19T08:09:25.504-08:00On the topic of being baffled about praise, have y...On the topic of being baffled about praise, have you seen Roma yet? We just caught it on Netflix (the big advantage of seeing it on Netflix is that we didn't have to pay for it). It's indulgent, slow and simply boring - I don't understand why the critics are so in love with it.slgchttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05947656936483533667noreply@blogger.com