Spike Lee's Black Klansman

[scarlet-witch]

This looks great, I'll definitely be watching.

 

[tzarinna]

I'm down.

 

[LoganGambit87]

 

[Kane52630]

Nice

 

[Pink Ranger]

When it comes to communicating political messages through his film, Spike Lee is about as artful and subtle as a bright pink sledgehammer, but maybe that's what's needed in the times we are in.

 

[Lencho01]

Sounds Like David Duke Is Afraid BlacKkKlansman Will Make Him Look Like a Dumb Fool Instead of Just a Racist One

 

[Flint Marko]

Couldn’t be more excited for this

 

[terry78]

Well now I have to see it on principle.

 

[Lencho01]

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There's a third clip, but can't be posted due to language.

 

[terry78]

Chicago Sun Times refers to Topher Grace as "brilliant" which should pretty much tell you how impressive the movie must be.

 

[Doctor Jones]

 

[RockSP]

Good film. Not great, IMO...but probably Spike's best in years. I say "probably" because I haven't bothered to watch his last few theatrical releases because they didn't look good. Maybe they were incredible for all I know, but I haven't heard much praise for them. I even participated in the kickstarter campaign for one of his films a few years ago and still have yet to watch it, lol.

 

[Doctor Jones]

I heard Chiraq was great.

 

[DACrowe]

Damn good movie. Haven't enjoyed a Spike Lee movie this much since 25th Hour. John David Washington is a star in the making, and even though the end is very heavy handed, the movie is so good I went with it.

 

[RockSP]

I heard Chiraq was great.

To date I've only seen the first 20 minutes or so but if you believe whoever told you that:

YOU'VE BEEN HOODWINKED, BAMBOOZLED, LED ASTRAY!

 

[rashad]

Damn good movie. Haven't enjoyed a Spike Lee movie this much since 25th Hour. John David Washington is a star in the making, and even though the end is very heavy handed, the movie is so good I went with it.

You didn't like Inside Man?

 

[Kane52630]

My review...

Spoiler

It's definitely a Spike Lee joint. He was able to use the true life story of Ron Stallworth and coat it with 70s blaxploitation movies. The trailers made it seemed that it would lean on the blaxploitation side more, but in the movie it's hardly in there even though they go out their way to reference a lot of movies from that era. For the most part the movie plays it straight with comedy showing up every now and then. The biggest star in the movie is obviously John David Washington, who shines the entire time. Adam Driver was also pretty damn good in it. They both really elevate the movie. Another thing that sticks out was the incredible cinematography and the direction. That being said, I do have a few problems with it. Subtlety isn't Spike Lee's strong suit and this movie makes no exception. There are a lot of heavy handed scenes and messages (especially the ending) that kinda deters the movie. It's not as bonkers as Chi-Raq, but it still hits you over the head. And I wouldn't be so hard on it, but after seeing something like Blindspotting which was phenomenal, it's kinda hard to give it a pass. That being said, it's still a really good Spike Lee flick despite it being a bit too long and overindulgent.

8.5/10

tl:dr version:
I thought it was great, but it's overindulgent. It's still way better than Chi-Raq, but it's no Blindspotting (which was phenomenal).

 

[moviedoors]

This is a ****ing terrific movie. Excuse me, Movie, with a capital "M". It is so effortlessly entertaining. This is a hit of the good ****, that Spike that speaks in pure cinema, that knows exactly what he wants to say but never, ever forgets about the audience. You feel his passion for storytelling as loudly as the political message that screams through every frame. It is a perfect confluence of ideas, politics, and goddamn filmmaking chops. When he brings it all together at the end, and he makes it didactic, when he just plainly and un-apologetically slaps you in the face with his politics, I'm so in. I cried, and wanted to immediately start volunteering for local political movements.

This was a great movie to double feature with Blindspotting.

 

[Harry Dresden]

Topher Grace is just amazing at playing smarmy white guys you want to punch in the face.

 

[samsnee]

Wanted to enjoy this. While it had food performances and an interesting story, it was tonally all over the place. I didn’t expect a full blown comedy but I got whiplash from how it shifted from one tone to the next.

 

[RockSP]

http://www.latimes.com/entertainmen...-criticism-blackkklansman-20180818-story.html

Saw a few people on facebook upset that Riley would dare critique Spike, lol. I have zero issue with it. Spike has done it plenty with other films/filmmakers, and is not above it himself.

To me it goes without saying that movies based on "true" stories and/or events are still highly fictionalized. I enjoyed the movie but I also appreciate getting a different perspective on the real life Stallworth.

 

[DACrowe]

I like both filmmakers' work this summer, although I think Riley is kind of going out of his way in his disdain for BlacKkKlansman which is based more on a distaste for the subject matter (police) than the actual quality of the movie. I also think it's a bit dishonest to call Stallworth a villain without evidence while criticizing Stallworth for not providing evidence of his investigation.

 

[samsnee]

Yeah I don’t necessarily agree with Riley’s criticism. He seems to critiquing a movie based on what he wanted vs what was presented.

 

[Stringer]

I didn't mind the heavy handedness of the ending. It was pretty poignant and probably something that needs to be made as noticeable as possible. Anyway, solid and enjoyable movie overall.

 

[AverageMan]

This isn't even being shown at my local cinema. Will have to travel an hour to see it.