With films like this, there's a part of me that wishes a requirement of writing a review was to add credentials, so to speak. And I'll just start by saying I'm from a mixed family - which traditionally identifies people who have both black and white family of equal importance. I've never seen so many pretentious, verbose, and maudlin reviews for another film in my 19 years as a member of this database. Review after review goes on and on about how this film is about (insert long winded cut and paste similar to previous review, complete with actors and directors first and last names) and how the media likes to impose its narrative. People call it blatantly funny but meandering. More than one person even said the 'side story' detracted from the interesting story they were promised.
I have not read Erasure, nor is that a requirement, although NPR d o t org recommends you do before seeing this film. I can't comment on the book but the period it was written in defines the explosion of rap music and rap culture into a world where the most notable news anchors predicted such music would never become mainstream. It became a living breathing organism. I know my own nephew, whose name I won't reveal, went into the genre singing about things he really had no first hand experience with.
Since things are difficult to research online for authentic results today - let me explain that the term Rap is from the idea of having a conversation; speaking to your friends. It's short for rapport, which means to connect in mind with words; to express yourself freely among others who understand or respect you. When young people started speaking inside of music, they referred to it as a rap session - someone telling a story about themselves or something important. The term is meaningful and positive, at least in theory.
I like this film but I felt it could have been better. I felt it held back in some ways. But it was well-acted and all aspects of the film were important. But this isn't a film about the media forcing black opprezion onto us; it's a film about the higher aspects of the race taking issue with the focus on the lower aspects of poverty and desperation, as if that defines them. It's mainly satire, as shown in the sarcastic and dramatic ways the non blacks spoke and thought juxtaposed with the normal family life of a man who is just a man like any other.
The idea is more profound today than 23 years ago with the installed administration imposing division and strife in order to gaslight an audience against his opponent. I've live many years and I've never experienced the kind of blatant ism I have in the last 4 years. It absolutely is life mimicking art (more specifically, people reacting to a narrative they're being fed via media and film). Yes, we have many more hills to climb but we are all equal.
In fairness, whitez do like a good sob story and it isn't only the blague struggle they are so fond of. But like Denzel likes to say, if you see color YOU are the race ist.
Should we think like others expect us to just so we can understand their perspective? I think this film is about not doing so. In the end, we find that the most important thing for Monk is his family and throughout the film he tries to stay true to his art regardless of the financial situation it affords him. I think that is the take away, along with the message to not just consume things without knowing more about the big picture. Perhaps not only to remove the stereotype from the non blaque perspective but to prevent it from infiltrating the tender minds of young people who deserve to see themselves as neither better than nor lesser than. We don't have to understand each other we just have to respect each other.
People say the ending was disappointing, they wanted more of the stereotypical vio lance and drama. But when Monk talks about the ending of his film (once his book is going to be a movie) he wants to go up and admit he is the author. We were divided in that moment when some of us thought he would say his piece, the audience would laugh or gasp and his publisher would confirm his story; juxtaposed to the other scenario that many saw in their mind before it played out -- the eF Be eye rushes the room and ends up taking him out right there on the stage. Which ending did you see in your mind? Cuz that defines you. Food for thought!
I can't seem to get thru the trig g e r checkers without altering certain words. Apologies.
Thanks for reading.
I have not read Erasure, nor is that a requirement, although NPR d o t org recommends you do before seeing this film. I can't comment on the book but the period it was written in defines the explosion of rap music and rap culture into a world where the most notable news anchors predicted such music would never become mainstream. It became a living breathing organism. I know my own nephew, whose name I won't reveal, went into the genre singing about things he really had no first hand experience with.
Since things are difficult to research online for authentic results today - let me explain that the term Rap is from the idea of having a conversation; speaking to your friends. It's short for rapport, which means to connect in mind with words; to express yourself freely among others who understand or respect you. When young people started speaking inside of music, they referred to it as a rap session - someone telling a story about themselves or something important. The term is meaningful and positive, at least in theory.
I like this film but I felt it could have been better. I felt it held back in some ways. But it was well-acted and all aspects of the film were important. But this isn't a film about the media forcing black opprezion onto us; it's a film about the higher aspects of the race taking issue with the focus on the lower aspects of poverty and desperation, as if that defines them. It's mainly satire, as shown in the sarcastic and dramatic ways the non blacks spoke and thought juxtaposed with the normal family life of a man who is just a man like any other.
The idea is more profound today than 23 years ago with the installed administration imposing division and strife in order to gaslight an audience against his opponent. I've live many years and I've never experienced the kind of blatant ism I have in the last 4 years. It absolutely is life mimicking art (more specifically, people reacting to a narrative they're being fed via media and film). Yes, we have many more hills to climb but we are all equal.
In fairness, whitez do like a good sob story and it isn't only the blague struggle they are so fond of. But like Denzel likes to say, if you see color YOU are the race ist.
Should we think like others expect us to just so we can understand their perspective? I think this film is about not doing so. In the end, we find that the most important thing for Monk is his family and throughout the film he tries to stay true to his art regardless of the financial situation it affords him. I think that is the take away, along with the message to not just consume things without knowing more about the big picture. Perhaps not only to remove the stereotype from the non blaque perspective but to prevent it from infiltrating the tender minds of young people who deserve to see themselves as neither better than nor lesser than. We don't have to understand each other we just have to respect each other.
People say the ending was disappointing, they wanted more of the stereotypical vio lance and drama. But when Monk talks about the ending of his film (once his book is going to be a movie) he wants to go up and admit he is the author. We were divided in that moment when some of us thought he would say his piece, the audience would laugh or gasp and his publisher would confirm his story; juxtaposed to the other scenario that many saw in their mind before it played out -- the eF Be eye rushes the room and ends up taking him out right there on the stage. Which ending did you see in your mind? Cuz that defines you. Food for thought!
I can't seem to get thru the trig g e r checkers without altering certain words. Apologies.
Thanks for reading.
Tell Your Friends