Reviews

First off, anyone claiming that this film is a rip-off of "Beverly Hills Cop" is WRONG. That's an unfair assessment. Just because Eddie Murphy is portraying a police officer, it doesn't automatically become a variation of another character with the same occupation. Besides, how many times has Robert De Niro played a criminal? If one were to compare his roles as a criminal in "Cape Fear", "Heat", and "Casino" all of them would be different characters even though they fall under the umbrella of criminal types. Not to mention there are different types of criminals in the same way there are different types of law enforcement jobs. With that being said, the lead actor plays a much more serious cop who specializes in hostage negotiating. There are no improvisational riffs and voices like Axel Foley, but rather a more straight forward, no nonsense, artful negotiator with rough edges. This allows the audience to take the role more seriously, and therefore the story as well. Without having a comedic lead constantly relieve the tension of real violence and danger, Murphy gets a chance to approach Roper dramatically with only a touch of comedic charm on occasion, and it works! It proves he's able to be a leading man even without the tools of comedy at his disposal, which proves he's an ACTOR. The supporting cast is phenomenal as well. When each member of the ensemble perfectly fits what they're meant to be for a story, now the screen can cook with fish grease! To top it all off, the action sequences are exciting in a standard Hollywood way, and who doesn't love that? "Metro" is what the industry would consider a popcorn movie, and if another actor lead it, I don't think it'd be as easily dismissed by certain people in this thread. Imagine never having seen "Beverly Hills Cop", and then watch this movie again. I guarantee you'll be able to see why it's underrated. It's well done.

Anyone complaining about the very presence of black people in roles they don't care to see them in by labeling unconventional casting as "woke" is pure racism. The usage of that word alone is a resentment of black agency beyond film because it implies that casting black actors, or women of color, is a liberal agenda that should be discouraged in our culture. White actors, especially males, have been made priority since the beginning of film history, and when hollywood finally begins to cast more non-white artists instead of a token here and there...you get angry? It's ridiculous. Get over it! Change is here. Movies and television will reflect the new tolerance for the previously othered and excluded in America.

First of all, this film is not "pointless", nor is it a waste of time. It's a film that not only pays homage to real life Black Soldiers who were used and abused during the unjust Vietnam War, but for film historians, there's a tinge of homage to the Treasure of Sierra Madre when it comes to how the plot unfolds. Furthermore, for everyone complaining that the music is misused.....you know NOTHING about the relevancy of black music in each era of American history because if you did, you'd know that not a single track used throughout the film was irrelevant to black reality in the Vietnam era. As far as the age discrepancies, fine, that's fair, but how many films have you seen in your life where age accuracy hasn't been on the money? As far as the acting is concerned, everyone did a fine job, especially Delroy Lindo. This is a quality product that deserves at least one viewing, and it's time to stop letting mainstream voices, who are not aware or sensitive to other cultures, dictate what deserves to be seen, and what doesn't. THINK FOR YOURSELF. PS, Spike Lee makes movies as love letters to his cultural base. So YES, he will incorporate historical facts, that are normally ignored by everyone else, into his love letters because that's what commemoration and celebration is all about. If you resent that style, stop watching Spike Lee movies. Are all of his films masterpieces? Maybe not. But whose are? Bottom Line....Da 5 Bloods was a respectable effort by all involved.

I continue to read comments about how this film is about Jack Johnson. That's not true. It's a story inspired by Jack Johnson, who was much more articulate and sophisticated than Jack JEFFERSON, who is the character James Earl Jones plays. Granted, every obstacle put in his path because of the severe level of blatant racism was true to Johnson's life. However, I just want to point out that the real man, in spite of his era, was a more intelligent and cultured individual than the Jefferson character. In spite of this complaint, the performances in this film are absolutely sublime! It deserves to be seen for the dramatic efforts of each performer, especially James Earl Jones. EXCELLENT acting, but not an accurate representation of the man himself.

I'm seeing negative comments about this show, and it's disheartening because I can sense that it's probably from people who either don't know the culture that inspires the characters and their interaction with each other, or simply resent diverse representation on television with content that doesn't try hard to appeal to viewers who don't understand black expression. The illustration of black love in this show, and the class attached to it, is refreshing. To top it all off, the writing of Ava Duvernay adds to its quality. I say to everyone who hasn't seen it to give it a chance and THINK FOR YOURSELF. Close minded people shouldn't have so much power that their opinions keep others away from a show they might actually like. Give it a chance!

For all the people claiming that they "wasted two hours of their life" that "they'll never get back"....get over yourself. You chose to watch the whole thing. Secondly, there have been films throughout history that I'm sure were substantially less watchable than this that haven't gotten the sort of bashing this film has gotten. Is there room for improvement? Sure, as with just about every movie, especially when you consider how subjective verdicts are on cinema. However, the story wasn't awful. The acting was certainly not the worst I've ever seen. AND it does one thing certain movies fail to do...keep you intrigued! With that in mind, it's ludicrous to consider this film a complete waste. People are just ready to bash this product for biased reasons. If you don't like it, fine, but to say it's "the worst film you've seen in years" or how it's such a "waste" is nonsense. On this very website, I've seen utter crap be praised! So give that same energy to movies that aren't by Tyler Perry when they don't live up to your expectations.

Martin Lawrence STRUCK GOLD with this classic! His physical comedy was Chaplin level, his wise cracks against Pam reminiscent of George vs Florence or Fred vs Esther, his chemistry with Gina stronger than most couples in television history, and his multiple characters brought the house down! What more could you want? If you want to LAUGH.... and I mean truly LAUGH, check out Martin! Mainstream doesn't give this show credit for being one of the funniest sitcoms of all time! Not to mention, the rest of the supporting cast is wonderful too. From Martin's best friends to the featured characters who come in and out of the show at random times like "Hustle Man" and "Bruh Man from the 5th Floor". For 5 seasons, the laughs never stopped coming! Martin Lawrence cemented his status as a true craftsman of high quality comedy with his efforts on this sitcom. What a giant achievement! History will treat this show kindly because one day people will realize that there's been nothing quite like it before or since.

For me, this is the ultimate conscious parody film that hilariously speaks to an issue that's more disturbing than funny. Through ingeniously written sketch scenes about misrepresentation in tinsel town regarding black images, or the black experience all together, "Hollywood Shuffle" proves why our stories deserve to be told. Each scene forces the viewer to ask themselves questions about the frequency, or infrequency, of certain depictions on the big screen. WHY do we not often see enough black characters that don't have to be cartoon versions of themselves, or compromise with white authority? WHY do we have to be variations of another black star to be considered or recognized as artist deserving of mainstream attention? WHY aren't there enough serious black action heroes that don't have to be funny, and don't have to emasculate themselves to some degree? WHY do we feed in to false narratives about the value of our natural hair (jerri curl activator scene!) WHY are cinema reviews by non-white guys under the age of 60 not valued? These reflective questions are ENDLESS if you watch the film enough times to understand that each hilarious scene is deeper than just an hour and a half of laughs. I believe "Hollywood Shuffle" has a message that is powerful enough for it to be shown in colleges across the country to inspire, motivate, and enlighten aspiring filmmakers who wish to create content for the misrepresented. Even the way in which the film came into existence is a remarkable lesson in groundbreaking film making. This classic is funny, and thought provoking at the same time. Robert Townsend made his mark with this one, and the ensemble cast is brilliant! Add it to the watch-list NOW.

For a martial arts film to touch an audience the way "Unleashed" does is rare. When it comes to entertainment, this sub-genre of action films is perhaps the utmost exciting to watch, but I'd go so far as to say that this movie TRANSCENDS the martial arts category, and simply belongs in the category of great cinema. Jet Li successfully attaches a convincing dramatic performance to an always impressive display of martial arts choreography. It's impossible not to feel for Danny in his moments of fear, and equally impossible not to sympathize with him when made to inflict pain on others without a choice. Just the same, when the time comes for Danny to fight for HIS LIFE, for the sake of sustaining his new one.... we root for him with genuine emotion! The juxtaposition of Danny's life as an attacker on demand with the loving care he is blessed to receive from a new family, create a deeper motivation for the intense combat scenes throughout the finale. This all adds up to a terrific cinematic experience! The actors surrounding the main character are all outstanding in their own right as well. Bravo!

At the close of the decade, it was just about irrefutable that the most successful music personality around the world was Michael Jackson, who was essentially enjoying his second career. A living legend still in his prime as an artist and performer, this piece is an amalgamation of historical commemoration, album promotion, music video innovation, AND a legit short film, which will go down in history for having one of the finest film captures of dance the industry has ever seen. Also, before actually breaking down why this classic project is worthy of its status, it's important for people to understand that one can't review this in the way one reviews a film with a plot that needs to be followed. "Moonwalker" is a series of imaginative musical expressions by a song-and-dance man, who is ultimately promoting HIS MUSIC, and legacy. With that being said, MJ had just completed a worldwide concert tour that literally shook the world between 1987-1989, which was a selling tool for his latest album "Bad"; a massive hit in both sales and singles. A number of videos for certain singles on the album were already out, and this film served as a continuation of newly made videos for specific songs on that same album. One of those videos was an actual short film called SMOOTH CRIMINAL.... and boy is it smooth! This legendary segment alone is arguably the sole reason for "Moonwalker" to be seen. It's a breathtaking achievement both in entertainment and musical creativity. Seriously, anyone who has a passion for the craft of dance should take a notepad and learn from a true beacon of dance expression. The fluidity of Michael Jackson's movements as a dancer, along with its aggression, can be equated to the athletic prowess of Bruce Lee while demonstrating martial art techniques. Astounding. With the evident raw soul and physical freedom of James Brown, the grace of Fred Astaire, the athleticism of Gene Kelly, and even the variety of the Nicholas Brothers, Michael Jackson proves why he deserves to be an international icon of dance. BUT THAT'S NOT ALL. Vocally, MJ is among the names of the best in singing history, and the timeline of his career, in addition to the current videos the movie includes, prove it! The songs themselves are the foundation for such consummate showmanship in the first place, which prove his musicianship abilities as well. And to think, there were MORE incredible achievements underway for the man after this. In closing, anyone who considers themselves a fan of Michael Jackson the artist, or someone who aspires to establish a starting point in Learning who he was, and why he is loved.... don't miss "Moonwalker"!

First off, this film has not only lacked the credit it deserves for too many years, but it has practically been buried into obscurity, which is a crime. So many historical film enthusiasts deserve to experience this incredible depiction of human discovery through performances that light up the screen in the droves. EVERYONE emotionally delivered throughout the telling of the story with a theatrical potency that is usually only seen in the theatre. In a nutshell, tragic cases of close-mindedness plague a number of characters for a variety of reasons, which in turn affect this teenage girl's ability to fully dream, and be at peace with her identity. By the end of this emotional roller-coaster, we are left deeply caring for the young lady to succeed in a way that is so personal...it speaks to the brilliant performances of each actor involved. This film is an EDUCATION on social and psychological dynamics within Black America that ultimately stem from problematic societal narratives. For those who yearn for a cinematic experience that touches you internally while making you think...SEE THIS CLASSIC. Lastly, if you simply enjoy great acting...SEE IT.

I know that he eventually won for "Lilies of the Field", but I feel it's conceivable that the Academy may have rewarded him the Oscar as compensation for past works he did that genuinely deserved recognition. Films like "The Defiant Ones" and THIS MASTERPIECE were both Oscar worthy, but in those days, needless to say, giving a black man the Oscar wasn't something people JUST DID. To this day, we have problems with diversity at the Oscars, BUT LET ME GET TO MY REAL POINT. This movie is well-acted all across the board! Everyone in this film did a phenomenal job in regards to acting. You could actually feel the pain and frustration of every character; especially Sidney's character, Walter Lee. If not already, this film needs to be preserved in the Library of Congress. Not only is it that good, but it's so relevant to American history. If you love classic dramas, this is one for the ages. See it!!!!!