This is a touchy subject...

[Chris Wallace]

This is regarding my growing dissatisfaction with movies that have either predominantly black casts, and/or are made by black filmmakers.
What is wrong with these people? Do they really think this mindless tripe is entertaining? If so, it says a lot about my community-none of which is good.
Yesterday a co-worker asked me if I'd seen "Little Man", & when I said I had no interest in seeing it, she went into a rant about how I had a "responsibilty" to support all black films.
That is the most ridiculous thing I'd ever heard. As I see it, by not supporting mediocrity, I am demanding better. I am saying that my standards are higher than what I am being offered, so I pass.
Here's what really irks me about it. 40-50 years ago, a black character in any given film was either a slave or a maid. That's because that's all that was available to them. Fast-forward about 20 years, and all you see us playing is pimps, junkies & ****es. Again, that's what was being offered. But now we have an opportunity to change all of that. We have black filmmakers. Black writers, producers & directors. And what do they choose to make? THE SAME THING! The same roles that were being offered to black actors in the 70's by white directors are now being offered by black directors. it's ridiculous. And if we're not getting another rapper starring in another "Hood" movie, we're getting lame comedies filled with ignorant stereotype humor.
How can we ever be taken seriously in Hollywood if this is what we do to ourselves?

 

[y2jversion1]

Unless it's a Denzel Washington or Wesley Snipes film...

 

[FaT_tONle]

Dude... Denzel and a few others are the only respectable guys out there... the big three with Denzel included... and a few others... but hell no I won't see these cheezy ass comedies with no substance to them...

 

[y2jversion1]

Oh and Will Smith, Lucious..I mean Morgan Freeman, Jamie Fox

 

[Kaboom]

denzel and ed norton jr. are tied for my favorite actors ever.
Omar Epps has a prominent role on House.
Terrence HOward in Crash.
Morgan Freeman.
Samuel L. Jackson.
They do some pretty good work. I am white, and i really enjoy movies with those guys in them. However, just like you choose not to support "midless tripe" if i were to make that assertion i get accused of being a racist even though there are stupid midless comedies with predominately white casts which i also dont see. I, for one, am hoping for the day where the distinction is no longer made among white/black/yellow/red actors and their films.

 

[y2jversion1]

Oh yea..Don Cheadle too (Ocean's 11 & 12, Hotel Rwanda...)

 

[Kaboom]

with regard to the comedies, it may be that certain actors like the wayans have found a niche to exploit, much like the vince vaughn, will ferrel, owen wilson troop. they kee p making thos emovies becuase people go see them.

 

[Warhammer]

Denzel, Omar Epps, Don Cheadle, Morgan Freeman, Jamie Foxx, and Wesley are the best black actors. I also hate Black comedies. 15-20% of them, I like, but some are repeated and stupid. No substance, either. Coming from someone who is half black, it sucks to watch the films.

I agree of your post, Chris Wallace.

 

[Warhammer]

with regard to the comedies, it may be that certain actors like the wayans have found a niche to exploit, much like the vince vaughn, will ferrel, owen wilson troop. they kee p making thos emovies becuase people go see them.

Vince Vaughn, Owen Wilson, and sometimes Will Ferrell have comedies with substance, though, and are most of their films are not bashed by critics.

...but thats just my opinion.

 

[JackBauer]

denzel and ed norton jr. are tied for my favorite actors ever.
Omar Epps has a prominent role on House.
Terrence HOward in Crash.
Morgan Freeman.
Samuel L. Jackson.
They do some pretty good work. I am white, and i really enjoy movies with those guys in them. However, just like you choose not to support "midless tripe" if i were to make that assertion i get accused of being a racist even though there are stupid midless comedies with predominately white casts which i also dont see. I, for one, am hoping for the day where the distinction is no longer made among white/black/yellow/red actors and their films.

know what's funny? he's character's a good doctor and all... and used to be a gangster.

 

[Warhammer]

know what's funny? he's character's a good doctor and all... and used to be a gangster.

Judge Mathis used to be a gangster before he set himself straight and became a lawyer.

 

[Spidey Rules 2]

... What was wrong with "Little Man"? I liked it, it was funny, kind of redundant in some scenes, but still funny. A wealthy educated black couple contiplates the decision about having kids while taking care of their elderly father. What's wrong with that? Sure there are a couple of black theives in the movie, but the real bad guys are some white (Italian?) guys. I grant you this movie WON'T win any Oscars, but it was still entertaining. Isn't that why movies are made?

As for the rest of your thread about lots of black actors getting stereotyping roles, yeah, that happens, unfortuantely. Maybe if those actors chose not to star in a role like that maybe things would change. You have the same issues with Hispanics, maybe one day this will change.

 

[JackBauer]

... What was wrong with "Little Man"? I liked it, it was funny, kind of redundant in some scenes, but still funny. A wealthy educated black couple contiplates the decision about having kids while taking care of their elderly father. What's wrong with that? Sure there are a couple of black theives in the movie, but the real bad guys are some white (Italian?) guys. I grant you this movie WON'T win any Oscars, but it was still entertaining. Isn't that why movies are made?

As for the rest of your thread about lots of black actors getting stereotyping roles, yeah, that happens, unfortuantely. Maybe if those actors chose not to star in a role like that maybe things would change. You have the same issues with Hispanics, maybe one day this will change.

VERY true. even moreso than with black people, I'd say.

 

[Wilhelm-Scream]

she went into a rant about how I had a "responsibilty" to support all black films.

Jesus Christ. What a miserable life that woman must lead.

 

[batman44]

This is regarding my growing dissatisfaction with movies that have either predominantly black casts, and/or are made by black filmmakers.
What is wrong with these people? Do they really think this mindless tripe is entertaining? If so, it says a lot about my community-none of which is good.
Yesterday a co-worker asked me if I'd seen "Little Man", & when I said I had no interest in seeing it, she went into a rant about how I had a "responsibilty" to support all black films.
That is the most ridiculous thing I'd ever heard. As I see it, by not supporting mediocrity, I am demanding better. I am saying that my standards are higher than what I am being offered, so I pass.
Here's what really irks me about it. 40-50 years ago, a black character in any given film was either a slave or a maid. That's because that's all that was available to them. Fast-forward about 20 years, and all you see us playing is pimps, junkies & ****es. Again, that's what was being offered. But now we have an opportunity to change all of that. We have black filmmakers. Black writers, producers & directors. And what do they choose to make? THE SAME THING! The same roles that were being offered to black actors in the 70's by white directors are now being offered by black directors. it's ridiculous. And if we're not getting another rapper starring in another "Hood" movie, we're getting lame comedies filled with ignorant stereotype humor.
How can we ever be taken seriously in Hollywood if this is what we do to ourselves?

I know exactly how you feel. Being a black guy myself, I'm tired of seeing many (not all) black films being the samething over and over again. But what gets to me most is that many in the black community supports all this crap like it's good. When a black character in a movie doesn't act "black", then they're like "a black person wouldn't do, say, or listen to that".. yeah right.

It's pass time for more of our black films to better and more diverse. Not to say a black actor/ actress can't play a gangsta or big mouth woman, but don't let it be your only role. Do you know how much I would love to see a Lord of Ring like movie full black people and/or minorities.

Oh and one last thing can our films please stop treating most white people like they're all super high class nerds who are scared of black people.

 

[Chris Wallace]

I'm not saying there aren't exceptions, but why can't they be the rule?

 

[Chris Wallace]

... What was wrong with "Little Man"? I liked it, it was funny, kind of redundant in some scenes, but still funny. A wealthy educated black couple contiplates the decision about having kids while taking care of their elderly father. What's wrong with that? Sure there are a couple of black theives in the movie, but the real bad guys are some white (Italian?) guys. I grant you this movie WON'T win any Oscars, but it was still entertaining. Isn't that why movies are made?

As for the rest of your thread about lots of black actors getting stereotyping roles, yeah, that happens, unfortuantely. Maybe if those actors chose not to star in a role like that maybe things would change. You have the same issues with Hispanics, maybe one day this will change.

I fail to see how a film centering on an "educated" couple that can't distinguish a tattoed midget from a baby could possibly be entertaining.

 

[Warhammer]

I know exactly how you feel. Being a black guy myself, I'm tired of seeing many (not all) black films being the samething over and over again. But what gets to me most is that many in the black community supports all this trash like it's good. When a black character in a movie doesn't act "black", then they're like "a black person wouldn't do, say, or listen to that".. yeah right.

It's pass time for more of our black films to better and more diverse. Not to say a black actor/ actress can't play a gangsta or big mouth woman, but don't let it be your only role. Do you know how much I would love to see a Lord of Ring like movie full black people.

Oh and one last thing can our films please stop treating most white people like they're all super high class nerds who are scared of black people.

I hate it when people say that, like the view of acting ghetto and uneducated is a good thing.

Great post, Batman44.

 

[batman44]

^ That burns me up.

 

[Chris Wallace]

I hate it when people say that, like the view of acting ghetto and uneducated is a good thing.

Great post, Batman44.

Well, we are a community that, as Chris Rock pointed out, shows more respect to a recently freed convict than to a recent college graduate. But I can't tell you how many times I've been accused of "trying to sound white". And like I said in my opening post, why am I expected to support films that depict us this way? Why can't they give me something worth supporting?

 

[KenK]

Vince Vaughn, Owen Wilson, and sometimes Will Ferrell have comedies with substance, though, and are most of their films are not bashed by critics.

...but thats just my opinion.

SUBSTANCE??? Yeah, I'm going to see Talladega Nights for the substance! Gimme a break! Where was the substance in Wedding Crashers?!?!

And all the white comedic actors listed have had, and will have the option to do other types of films.

The issue is, one, more often than not, films with predominantly black casts are either juvenile comedies(Little Man) or shallow urban films (Waist Deep). If a comedy is smartly written, I don't care who's in it. The Wayans had a niche in their parody movies, and I still think Don't Be A Menace. . . . .is one of the best they've ever done. I dare even say it trumps I'm Gonna Git You Sucka! But the intelligence of those films was its acknowledgement of a lot of stereotypes we've seen in the genres they parodied. There was some form of subtle commentary with those films. Then you had your fringe movies like Mo' Money and A Low Down Dirty Shame (Something of a New Jack Blaxploitation film if you will), things were still all good.

The issue with Little Man, as was the case White Chicks was that it relied on effects that you'd have to be blind to be fooled by!! I can buy a film like She's The Man, but the idea of a black man dressing in disguise as a white woman is pushing it far beyond the realm of plausibility. And the make up used is ridiculously fake and ultimately creepy. I know some of these films require characters to be a little daft, but the last two Wayans films have really pushed the concept a little too far.

 

[Chris Wallace]

That is a HUGE part of my point. It's right up there w/Big Momma's House. He didn't look like a woman, he certainly didn't look like the woman he was impersonating, there were photos of her all over the place, and nobody saw through it? He makes comments about her body right in front of her face, & she somehow doesn't catch them?

 

[vampireslayer97]

That is a HUGE part of my point. It's right up there w/Big Momma's House. He didn't look like a woman, he certainly didn't look like the woman he was impersonating, there were photos of her all over the place, and nobody saw through it? He makes comments about her body right in front of her face, & she somehow doesn't catch them?

Reminds me of White Chicks. I mean, NO ONE could tell they were men? They didn't even look anything like those two girls.

 

[I SEE SPIDEY]

This is a great topic! Anywho I agree, most of these black movies are dumb and don't deserve my dollars and cents. I really wish a black director writer and cast would make a cool Sci Fi movie thats not hung up black people acting like sterotypes. I don't act like that.

I have been told that I act white though.

 

[C.F. Kane]

I have a dream where we will judge cinematic output not by the color of the cast and crew's skin but by the content of their film.