No, don’t support “Red Tails” just because it’s a black movie.
GO SEE “RED TAILS” THIS WEEKEND!!!!! SUPPORT BLACK MOVIES; ESPECIALLY QUALITY BLACK MOVIES!!!! Even if you’re not black.
- A ridiculous quote seen on twitter
Huh? Why would I support terrible black movies that perpetuate ridiculous stereotypes? It’s this continued support that gets us movies closer to full length movies based on reality shows like “Love and Hip Hop” and further away from dynamic films like “Pariah.” As you know, in hollywood, it’s all about what sells. We rush to see Soul Plane, we get more Soul Plane. We abandon movies like “Red Tails” and we get no “Red Tails.”
Of course we know there’s not just ONE type of black film. There’s got to be a place for Madea, and a place for “Do the Right Thing.” Simultaneously. Though, with limited exposure, black movies suffer from the same ‘token’ struggle some of us did while being the only black kid in our AP English class. The movie, like us, is given the pressure to represent the entire black story. That’s impossible. We’re far from monolithic and there’s not a movie long enough to tell our individualized stories.
So what do we do?
Support the movies that display great acting, production, and tell an interesting story. Especially if they represent your story. With that said, I’ll be seeing Red Tails this weekend.
I don’t have much else to say so read varied opinions on the topic here, here and here.
The dogfights are fun but everything else is filled with corniness, lame acting, predictable story arc, and moments where the film feels like a video-game rather than based on a true story. A great story to be told, but told in a very poor way. Good review. Check out mine when you get the chance.
I’m hearing varied things, thanks for sharing! Will be seeing it this weekend.
Um, I don’t want to see it because I don’t think it looks like an entertaining movie. I understand the power of first weekend sales and how they impact a film’s ability to stay in the theaters. But, I honestly was unimpressed with the preview and the subsequent television advertisements. Admittedly, stubbornly, I didn’t want to support it just because everyone said I should. I want to go see “The Artist” with my limited free time. I’d love to go see the films awarded at the Golden Globes in preparation for the Academy Awards. I am weary (and wary) of our ability to galvanize support for pictures that are Black just because they are Black. I agree with your article to that end. But, you spoke of our need to “Support [for] the movies that display great acting”, I don’t think by the preview alone you can conclude that this film is full of great acting. [see Ne-Yo]
Oh and my Dad just came from seeing it and said he’d give it a “B” at best–and he was amongst those telling me to go see it in support of Black cinema. If we want to support the story of the Red Tails then we should show out to the events that honor those airmen and allow them the forum to be lauded.
Hopefully, I am wrong. But I fear that we have all made a big deal of a bad movie.
Yeah, you’ll note that I didn’t say all should see Red Tails, just that I was going to see it. The preview looks good…well good enough for me to want to see it, and honestly its filled with attractive black men. Another group of people I don’t mind seeing on screen. Specifically Nate Parker. He’s done a good job in the roles I’ve seen thus far. Though I realllllly hear you on the ‘I fear we’ve made a big deal outta an average movie’ kind of thing. I appreciate the TA story and like (with) you went to see the documentary and hear from the veterans in Harlem.
I agree with you though George – art/talent is important and should be the thing we value. So what space does that leave for race, if any?
There is no such thing as a post racial world. I wish there was. I wish we could say that all GOOD art is supported BECAUSE it’s good. But such is not the case. Music: Souljah Boy Tell ‘Em still goes platinum in his first week and Esperanza Spalding, a grammy award winning best new artist, struggles to go gold over the course of 3 quarters.
See, it’s EASY for us to say “Go support a Black movie” and believe that it will make a difference. Because we WANT to believe that it will make a difference, so we concern ourselves with “giving Hollywood a piece of our mind”. Well, what about the places we spend our money. What about the other 22.5 hours of the day? What about the ratings for “Love & Hip Hop”? What about the tickets sales for “Jumping the Broom”. When do we give Hollywood a piece of our mind about “Pariah” or “Medicine for Melancholy”?
Instead we blindly support a film just because it is Black. That is the space that is left for race. We confirm that, in this instance, we are color blind.
As a Black actor, I want Black cinema to maintain a space in the marketplace that makes Hollywood pay attention to Black audiences, but to value us as critics that are just as discriminating as our white counterparts. I don’t want us to trend towards mediocrity, pulling the wool over our eyes, and lowering our standards and then slapping each other five for keeping “our story” from going straight to DVD.
I am not mad at those supporting Red Tails, part of me wants to throw my debit card in a ticket attendant’s hand as well. But as you know, I get really upset when I spend my money on food and movies that disappoint me.
remove [for] in the quote “Support the movies that display great acting”
http://dreamhampton1.tumblr.com/post/16187976993/walk-dont-run-to-red-tails
I was about to paste the article above, and you beat me to it, Mr. Twopointoh. Admittedly, I was one of those folks who said support it because it’s black, but this discussion and others have made me rethink those sentiments.
I do think people should go see it because there is a character named Joe Little, like my Tuskegee Airman uncle. I don’t think that’s asking too much.
I also think all black people should watch my YouTube videos because they almost always feature an all Black cast (i.e., me).
Peace in the Middle East.
Yeah, I read Dream’s article about this last week and thought it said a lot of good stuff. Glad yall posted it. We’ve been talking about Red Tails in Wondaland and there are lots of interesting opinions floating around. Mainly, this pressure for all black movies to be amazing for the sake of carrying the burden of all black film is crazy.
I’m going to see it eventually, but probably not this weekend. Probably when it comes to Redbox. And probably after they text me a discount code about a free DVD.
If I were to pay $10 for a movie ticket (not including snacks) to see it in a theater, it would mainly be with the hope that Hollywood would see support for positive black films and fund more projects reflecting the diversity of culture. But I gave up on Hollywood a long time ago and concluded that they – and many black people themselves – aren’t that interested in reflecting the diversity of the race.
And after thinking about it, I realized that that was not their job. It’s mine.
My little brother wants to support these stories for the sake of his five year old daughter. But thankfully, he’s not waiting on Hollywood and he got his butt up early on MLK Day and took her to the memorial in DC so that she could see truth with her own eyes.
@110 – if it’s our job to reflecting the diversity of race, how can we (if we’re not acting/in entertainment) contribute to showing this diversity?
For me personally, it’s been integrating mainstream cultures and allowing people to see me face to face. Many of those who have one-sided views of black people aren’t going to see this movie anyway. And some people will assume that it’s been Hollywooded up. I’ve found that doing life with people is one of the best ways to open eyes.
I’ve said this in twitter but the conversation about blacks and Hollywood has got to go beyond just asking why blacks don’t get good acting roles. If we had more black agents, producers, screenwriters and people putting together financing we’d probably see films that are more reflective of “us”
But more to the point of the blog post I probably won’t see Red Tails. If I go to the movies this weekend it will be “A Separation”.
I went to see “Red Tails” over the weekend and while I went into it expecting a terrible film, I ended up not hating it and giving it a C because it held my interest right up until I realized I had been sitting there for 2 hours.
I’m not an action film type of person and the acting was questionable at times, but I did think it make for a great children’s action/adventure film based on real life events. I’ve been comparing it to the children’s bible; kids will love it, most adults will want more depth.