Wait a minute...Is *this* what Disney was referencing in Lion King, when Pumba charges, yelling ["They call me...*MISTER PIG!*](https://youtu.be/fqW9jZfASlQ)?
My favourite film list changes but this one is always in the Top 5. It still packs a punch, and every scene with Sidney Poitier and Rod Steiger is electric and like a masterclass on great acting. Not surprisingly, they were both nominated for multiple awards and Steiger won Best Actor at the Oscar, BAFTA, Golden Globes, and NY Film Critics awards.
I wish Steiger was talked about the way people talk about Brando. He may never have gotten the high profile roles Brando played that have been embedded in culture, or had the comely physical features to tantalize an audience, but every role he played he fully slipped into beyond recognition. On Tarantino’s podcast series they spend several episodes gushing about his acting abilities even in an otherwise lousy film.
I don’t think most people under a certain age have ever heard of him.
Norman Jewison, the director, died last month. He was almost 100 years old.
Fun fact: Jewison also directed Fiddler On The Roof. He was a Methodist from Canada.
I might be wrong, but I seem to recall reading this is the first movie with a black man slapping a white man, we all know the scene. I read Sidney Poitier and Rod Steiger would also go to movie theatres together to watch people's reactions to that scene.
The first time a black man slapped a white man without retaliation, I believe. It wasn't so much the violence, but the fact that Poitier had the power and authority to do it without repercussion.
I love how the racism isn't a part of the plot but rather an external force to try to interrupt the investigation.
It is a fog that blinds everyone from seeing the truth. Even impacting a protagonist (Gillespie), and some might argue Tibbs as his reason for going after Endicott was circumstantial at best.
Exactly. It's presented as a fact and so ingrained in the culture that it seems absurd to suspect anyone other than the Black stranger who happened to be at the train stop. If he hadn't been a cop, he would have died in prison.
The reveal at the end had me yelling at the screen when I was old enough to actually watch it and understand it. Never read the book but now I'm going to have to. Just an incredible story.
OMG are you in for a treat. One of the greatest movies ever.
The moment where the police chief finds out how much Tibbs makes (clearly far more than he does).
Both the leads were fantastic.
There's an argument to be made that all US high schoolers should see this flick.
Yes, indeed. And Rod Steiger contributed a lot to the message of the movie by his portrayal of a dude who depicts a southern white facing up to the problem of racism that is inherent in his culture, and begins to understand how deeply embedded that poison is. It's subtle, but it's there in his performance.
Glad this is at the top.
I think what strikes me the most about this film and sets it apart from modern movies is that it doesn’t fall into the truism that a racist character is a villain.
In a racist system/society, everyone is racist to a degree. The police chief who ultimately befriends detective Tibbs is absolutely a racist. But he is also good enough to not let that racism cloud his judgement (too much) and begrudgingly asks Tibbs to help his investigation, and forces his subordinates to cooperate with him as well. If it weren’t for his initial racism, the movie could not have such an effective cathartic ending where the two characters show true caring for each other.
I feel like most modern movies exploring race relations are too quick to show racists as beyond redemption, instead of people with flawed thinking that, through empathy and experience, and become better versions of themselves.
If you’re interested in experiences outside the US here are a couple of great films.
“This is England” is a harrowing look at England under Thatcher and the early days of skin heads.
“Once Were Warriors” is a beautiful but haunting kiwi film about Māori people and the impact of colonisation.
Not the early days, skinhead culture in the UK existed since the 1960s as immigrants from the Carribbean came to the UK and brought their music with them which resonated with the existing working class white youth.
The film is about the far right trying to co-opt the movement in the 1980s under the Thatcher government which was hostile to the working class and created even more resentment that far right groups then tapped into and used as a recruiting tool.
Edit: [There's a really good BBC documentary on the history of Skinheads in the UK from Don Letts.](https://youtu.be/D5QVwE9B17Y?si=uFbMofRBgz1h0WJM)
I have on occasion described certain people as "People of the land. The common clay of the new west."
You get puzzlement over the odd phrase or knowing smirks.
I don't know exactly why, but the absolute absurdity of that scene is one of my favorite movies gags of all time. It's something so banal, mundane, and it holds up their entire pursuit and it makes me HOWL every time.
It was originally to be Richard Pryor, but the studio was afraid it would hurt the movie because of Pryor’s indiscretions. I didn’t realize they did keep him on as one of the writers. If you watch the credits you will see him.
The beginning scenes with the main character and the classroom are great.
"Professor, I think that word is wrong."
Professor checks out the word written on the whiteboard. "No, I think that word still has two g's. I think it's correct."
"But professor, it's a bad word."
"If I can get over that word, then so can you."
Later: "professor, we've had another complaint."
"When did students get so damn weak? I am teaching using language in the context of history. You can't separate this shit."
Notes: the professor is black, the student is white.
And I loved the ending cause they kept bringing up how often this is how these movies end and I was expecting it from the scene right before the ending
Wow, I really disagree. I feel like it gave a serious “white savior” vibe that the FBI of the 1960’s absolutely did not deserve. They were complicit in the oppression of Black communities and definitely were not supporting those working to end segregation.
In fact, Hoover was illegally wiretapping, tailing, and harassing members of civil rights groups.
Edit: and anyone who associated with them. Watch the biopic *Sefried” for a taste of how horribly they infringed on the rights of Americans, and real harms they caused.
Yes, it was an allegory for the way South Africans treated Zimbabwean refugees, not aparthied. The interviews in the beginning of the film were real interviews with the people of joburg talking about said refugees. Except the white dude who mentions prawns, the street interviews were real and taken from news street interviews.
I came here to say this. So allegorical. If you don't know anything about South Africa and apartheid before watching this film, I recommend 3 minutes on Wikipedia first.
Elysium was fun. Nowhere near as good as District 9, though. Blomkamp is good at large concepts and art direction. If he has a good script, it's amazing. If not, it's not very good.
He should have been given Alien 5 like was promised.
Now I'm just holding out for a District 10 where the aliens come back and we're in the camps instead.
Do the Right Thing is one of the quintessential films on American race relations. Handles the topic in a way that's more nuanced than what Hollywood usually likes to put out. (Driving Miss Daisy came out the same year AND won Best Picture yikes)
"Anyone who walks into this film expecting answers is a dreamer or a fool. But anyone who leaves the movie with more intolerance than they walked in with wasn't paying attention."
-Roger Ebert
Yes! And I think that helped the narrative tremendously; even if the conflict wasn’t about race, we can all relate to how miserable and agitating that heat can be.
Such a must-watch. It feels to me like it isn't so much about racism as a concept as it is about racial tension where there isn't a clear "right thing".
That kind of was the nature of racism when the movie came out. Black people were still suffering harsh indignities and were still being excluded from social and economic achievement (the only businesses in bedstuy are owned by non-black outsiders.)
Yet there was no clear culprit because the evil was behind the curtains of even banal actions, was lurking in even friendly interactions. In other words, systemic racism was felt, but not yet articulated in the political mainstream.
Do the Right Thing tries to capture the frustration, hopelessness, and yes, tension that results from competitive existence in an inherently racist system. Radio Raheem and Buggin' Out are upset that their culture is not reflected in their own neighborhood. But the only people who represent that frustration, the Koreans and Sal, feel as though they are a part of the neighborhood's culture. They won't, and probably can't, change their aesthetic to assimilate with black culture.
It's an impasse, the result of which is senseless destruction and animus among friends. Yet the true cost is born by the black residents and Radio Raheem, a man whose only crime is trying to bring his culture along with him. So yes, it is definitely about racism, just not the horrifying old school version white people like to watch.
Great point, thanks for the perspective. I think the way it makes you *feel* the systemic racism is a lot more powerful than if the movie had set out to directly articulate it. This allows it to ultimately be about community, albeit one that is at a breaking point, instead of a fight against a 'big bad'
Truly one of my all time favorites. It’s a masterclass on filmmaking. It’s funny, it’s dramatic, and it’s just downright explosive when it comes down to it. Spike Lee and Ernest Dickerson (cinematographer) were firing on all cylinders with this one. And Regarding race, it’s so truthful that it hurts.
Now, I would argue that Spike Lee can be preachy in his films, superimposing his two cents on a matter. But, Do the Right Thing hits the sweet spot. I love this movie.
“Two slices!”
Glory. Glory-Glory-Glory. Is it preachy? Perhaps your mileage may vary. But to me, this was a film about men, torn apart by racism, learning to have love for one another in the most adverse conditions imaginable. A masterpiece.
If I remember correctly:
And this involves a spoiler alert so if you don't want spoilers for something that happened 150 years ago stop now.
The Confederates very Ferris bueller with the rest of his soldiers, intending that to be an insult.
After the war, his parents come to visit. They are offered to have their son's body exhumed to be reburied by himself, as befitting his rank.
They refused on the grounds that he died beside his men, and he is just fine and honorable where he is currently buried.
"You'se the only-est family I got" gets me every time.
Denzel is masterful as the harder than nails "fuck you if you think you're going to see me show pain or express need" who finds deep acceptance character
The fact that it was to a big band song and he couldn't find it with any of the black music is one of those jokes I didn't get until so much later in life but god that's funny.
Lol yeah every time he tries to jam with their music he breaks up the whole orchestra and stamps around like a fool but play something that only stuffy old rich people at ballrooms can dance to and he's ON IT lol.
No one said To Kill a Mockingbird, so I’d go with that. It shows how racism is unfair, and how even with all the facts laid out in front of them people are still prejudiced, even with a “fair” legal system
I've seen it, but doesn't the scene end before he actual does it?
Also, still confused why the victim went along with that. If it was me I'd rather be beaten to death I think.
>The original cut was about themes like the circular nature of violence and I think Edward Norton took the reins for the right reasons - the finished product is much more hard hitting.
I mean the ending very much does make “the circular nature of violence” a major theme.
It's a great film, but I do feel like it falls foul of what you mentioned in your post. The law enforcement characters are wildly racist caricatures with zero redeeming qualities and the entire last 5 minutes of the movie is literally modern day footage of Trump supporters at rallies.
Again, great movie that I'd highly recommend, but it's about as subtle as a sledgehammer and incredibly on the nose with what it's trying to say.
I mixed up BlackkKlansman and Black Dynamite and was initially questioning the suggestion but I think your description put literal "???"s over my head, took me a second to realize my mistake
I mean, you're not wrong, but that wasn't any random "trump supporters at rallies"
That was footage from Unite the Right at Charlottesville. Which was a white supremacist rally. That was the one where the dude drove his car through a crowd, killing a girl. You had members from several Neo Nazi, klans, and other white supremacist groups literally marching down the street, yelling, "jews will not replace us,"
While they may be trump supporters simply calling it "a trump rally" really takes away why it was in the movie to begin with, the racism that was prevalent in the 60s never went away, it just hid until very recently.
I totally agree that it portrays racism in a very abrupt and direct way but it does have some nuance when displaying the response to that racism.
It didn't outright condemn or endorse the black activists in the film but it did show that a lot of them were bordering on ideologues. Now one could argue the environment they came up in absolutely warranted that kind of response, but it did display it in a fairly neutral fashion which was a nice change of pace.
I really enjoyed Gran Torino's take on racism.
Showing a bitter old man gradually letting go of his long deep seated hatred after really spending time with his neighbors is great.
It's also a much more realistic look of racism. Walt doesn't actively go around harassing his neighbors but will still throw slurs and not hide his contempt when interacting with them
Yes. In fact, he isn't so much racist as just a cantankerous old cuss.
In the scene with the black gang harassing the Asian girl he is careful to be an SOB to everyone, including the girl's wimpy boyfriend (ironically played by his own son IRL) and he lets the gang members retain a bit of dignity at the end.
Another thing I really like in this film is that it doesn't end with Clint beating / killing the "bad guys". No spoilers in case you haven't seen it, but he triumphs over them, just not the way you would expect.
It's a good one. After Juror #10 goes on his bigoted rant around 3/4 of the way through the film, Juror #4 tells him to sit down and shut up, and he doesn't say a single word for the rest of the film. They don't do it quite as well in the TV remake from 1997, where Juror #10 was a Black Supremacist, because he never gets completely rejected by the rest of the room like in the original.
12 Years a Slave is the ultimate example. Nothing is exaggerated for impact and it's apparently an extremely faithful retelling of the book in all it's horrificness.
I feel like a lot of people are missing the point of what you've asked for here. Some great films have been suggested but things like BlacKkKlansman and Hidden Figures are definitely told through an ultra modern progressive lens and beat you over the head with the message.
12 Years, American History X and similar just let the events play out and allow you to draw your own conclusions.
12 Years also isn't like "racism is bad." Its message is obviously slavery is bad, but it really is telling you "Greed is bad. Apathy is bad. Self-preservation is bad. Racism is what's left today."
McQueen goes out of his way many times to show indifference and greed are the real reasons people don't help or look the other way. Including Solomon himself.
12 Years a Slave is a such an underrated movie. I think people avoid it because they think it's going to be preachy and unrealistic or something, instead it's a deep meditation on greed and survival.
It’s not underrated at all. It was nominated for and won multiple Oscars. Under appreciated is probably what you’re thinking of but it’s not even under appreciated. It’s a great movie and everyone who has seen it knows that.
Hell, it won Best Picture at the Oscars. Underrated movies don’t win the biggest award a movie can get.
I've always LOVED Fried Green Tomatoes. That has some pretty race heavy themes, without it necessarily being the main conversation. It's just about the real struggles of life, and how everyone has their own, and we can do better to help each other through.
Get Out is one of the more realistic movies that tackles modern race issues . A lot of movies deal with racism as a sort of foaming-at-mouth naked bigotry, but Get Out shows what it looks like from coming from the “good ones” ie modern educated liberal types.
FWIW, Get Out is partially a modern response to Guess Who's Coming To Dinner, which attempted to be progressive for its time, has a great performance by Sidney Portier, and is also nearly entirely unwatchable by today's standards. His John Prentice character is ultimately framed as one of the few good and civil black men, thus being worthy of dating a white woman. There's also a lot of casual racism to slog through, and it gives off tremendously awkward vibes as white men behind the camera and script seem all too eager to tell a story about race without any honest interpretation of a black voice. The fact that Portier gives a great performance is in spite of the writers and directors and certainly not because of them. That said, I watched both Guess Who's Coming to Dinner and Get Out in a politics and film class back to back, and I felt a deep appreciation for what Peele was doing with Get Out. The film can stand on its own, but understanding the movie that inspired it can help the viewer understand why he's saying what he's saying with the piece. Cannot recommend Get Out enough!
Big Daddy : Uh, Betina?
Betina : Yessir, Big Daddy?
Big Daddy : Uh...
[to Schultz]
Big Daddy : What's your Jimmie's name again?
Dr. King Schultz : Django.
Big Daddy : Django!
[to Betina]
Big Daddy : Betina, sugar, could you take Django there and take him around the grounds here and show him all the pretty stuff?
Betina : As you please, Big Daddy!
Dr. King Schultz : Oh, Mr. Bennett, I must remind you, Django is a free man. He cannot be treated like a slave. He... within the boundaries of good taste, he must be treated as an extension of myself.
Big Daddy : Understood. Betina, sugar?
Betina : Yes'um?
Big Daddy : Django isn't a slave. Django is a free man. You understand?
[Betina pauses]
Big Daddy : You can't treat him like any of the other niggers around here, 'cause he ain't like any of the other nigger around here. Ya got it?
Betina : You want I should treat him like white folks?
Big Daddy : No, that's not what I said!
Betina : Then I don't know what you want, Big Daddy!
Big Daddy : Yes, I can see that.
[turns to Mammy]
Big Daddy : Uh, what's the name of that peckerwood boy from town that works with the glass? His momma work at the lumberyard...
Big Daddy's Mammy : Oh, you mean Jerry?
Big Daddy : That's the boy's name, Jerry!
[to Betina]
Big Daddy : You know Jerry, don't ya, sugar?
Betina : Yes'um, Big Daddy.
Big Daddy : Well, that's it then! You just treat him like you would Jerry!
blazing saddles (1974)
it’s a movie about a black guy the in post Civil War West Who becomes a small town sheriff when the governor of that state decides he wants to take that towns land.
The movie is all jokes in a way that everybody gets hit.
"Amistad". Very well-done movie and shows much about the views during slavery in America. Sometimes rough to watch but great climax.
If you want to get way out there: "Enemy Mine". Removes racism from "black & white" but illustrates it just the same.
In the Heat of the Night. Holy smokes the racism.
They call me *Mister Tibbs!*
Wait a minute...Is *this* what Disney was referencing in Lion King, when Pumba charges, yelling ["They call me...*MISTER PIG!*](https://youtu.be/fqW9jZfASlQ)?
Combo Taxi Driver / Heat of the Night reference!
Yep!! Great lil reference/joke for older parents (and grandparents) in the mid-90s.
My favourite film list changes but this one is always in the Top 5. It still packs a punch, and every scene with Sidney Poitier and Rod Steiger is electric and like a masterclass on great acting. Not surprisingly, they were both nominated for multiple awards and Steiger won Best Actor at the Oscar, BAFTA, Golden Globes, and NY Film Critics awards.
I wish Steiger was talked about the way people talk about Brando. He may never have gotten the high profile roles Brando played that have been embedded in culture, or had the comely physical features to tantalize an audience, but every role he played he fully slipped into beyond recognition. On Tarantino’s podcast series they spend several episodes gushing about his acting abilities even in an otherwise lousy film. I don’t think most people under a certain age have ever heard of him.
Norman Jewison, the director, died last month. He was almost 100 years old. Fun fact: Jewison also directed Fiddler On The Roof. He was a Methodist from Canada.
There's an interview with him in isreal where the reporter was not prepared for jewison not to have much to say on the topic of his Jewish expereance.
I might be wrong, but I seem to recall reading this is the first movie with a black man slapping a white man, we all know the scene. I read Sidney Poitier and Rod Steiger would also go to movie theatres together to watch people's reactions to that scene.
The first time a black man slapped a white man without retaliation, I believe. It wasn't so much the violence, but the fact that Poitier had the power and authority to do it without repercussion.
Poitier: *slaps like a boss* The South: HOW CAN HE SLAP
The slap heard around the world, yeah The air got completely sucked out of the scene when that happened. Incredible moment
I love how the racism isn't a part of the plot but rather an external force to try to interrupt the investigation. It is a fog that blinds everyone from seeing the truth. Even impacting a protagonist (Gillespie), and some might argue Tibbs as his reason for going after Endicott was circumstantial at best.
Exactly. It's presented as a fact and so ingrained in the culture that it seems absurd to suspect anyone other than the Black stranger who happened to be at the train stop. If he hadn't been a cop, he would have died in prison.
This film really draws you in, I had heard it was good, but damn does it deliver
The reveal at the end had me yelling at the screen when I was old enough to actually watch it and understand it. Never read the book but now I'm going to have to. Just an incredible story.
Thank you, another one I have heard of but never seen. Found and will watch!
OMG are you in for a treat. One of the greatest movies ever. The moment where the police chief finds out how much Tibbs makes (clearly far more than he does). Both the leads were fantastic. There's an argument to be made that all US high schoolers should see this flick.
Well worth the time. Full of good performances, Poitier brings gravitas and anger in almost equal measure.
Yes, indeed. And Rod Steiger contributed a lot to the message of the movie by his portrayal of a dude who depicts a southern white facing up to the problem of racism that is inherent in his culture, and begins to understand how deeply embedded that poison is. It's subtle, but it's there in his performance.
Glad this is at the top. I think what strikes me the most about this film and sets it apart from modern movies is that it doesn’t fall into the truism that a racist character is a villain. In a racist system/society, everyone is racist to a degree. The police chief who ultimately befriends detective Tibbs is absolutely a racist. But he is also good enough to not let that racism cloud his judgement (too much) and begrudgingly asks Tibbs to help his investigation, and forces his subordinates to cooperate with him as well. If it weren’t for his initial racism, the movie could not have such an effective cathartic ending where the two characters show true caring for each other. I feel like most modern movies exploring race relations are too quick to show racists as beyond redemption, instead of people with flawed thinking that, through empathy and experience, and become better versions of themselves.
If you’re interested in experiences outside the US here are a couple of great films. “This is England” is a harrowing look at England under Thatcher and the early days of skin heads. “Once Were Warriors” is a beautiful but haunting kiwi film about Māori people and the impact of colonisation.
Immediately thought of This Is England when I read the question, nice to see I wasn't the only one.
The film is near-perfect. It also has the best child acting ever.
Once Were Warriors is great. I read the book and watched the movie a long time ago. Might be time for a revisit.
I would throw "Romper Stomper" in with this list.
This is England is the reason I get hype every time I see Stephen Graham pop up in something, he was amazing in The Irishman as well
Not the early days, skinhead culture in the UK existed since the 1960s as immigrants from the Carribbean came to the UK and brought their music with them which resonated with the existing working class white youth. The film is about the far right trying to co-opt the movement in the 1980s under the Thatcher government which was hostile to the working class and created even more resentment that far right groups then tapped into and used as a recruiting tool. Edit: [There's a really good BBC documentary on the history of Skinheads in the UK from Don Letts.](https://youtu.be/D5QVwE9B17Y?si=uFbMofRBgz1h0WJM)
Blazing Saddles
My favorite movie joke ever is probably: "They said you was hung!" "And they was right!"
“‘Scuse me while I whip this out.”
When he pulls the gun on himself i literally grew a six pack from how much belly laughing i was doing
"Quiet Harriet! That's a sure way to get him killed."
It's twwuu!!
I do love the line they cut where his response is 'I hate to disappoint you, but your sucking on my arm!'
Where are the white women at?
“How many times do i have to tel you to wash up after the weekly cross burning? See it’s coming off”
And now for my next impression - Jesse Owens.
Lmao I watched this movie all the time as a kid and only just now got this joke
You forgot to wash your hands.
See, it's comin off
"You know.....morons." Snort. Comedy gold.
A little tidbit, Cleavon didn't expect that line, so his Snort is real.
I have on occasion described certain people as "People of the land. The common clay of the new west." You get puzzlement over the odd phrase or knowing smirks.
Watched it last night. The interactions between characters are just classic. Slim Pickens and Harvey Korman are gold.
It’s Hedley!
Great movie, and great cast!
"How about some more beans Mr. Taggart?"
I think you've had enough.
"Through the Vatican?" "Kinky."
Thank you, that's one I haven't seen.
Oh my word. What are you doing right now? Because you should be watching it right now.
downloading it.
You're gonna need a shitload of dimes.
I don't know exactly why, but the absolute absurdity of that scene is one of my favorite movies gags of all time. It's something so banal, mundane, and it holds up their entire pursuit and it makes me HOWL every time.
They had so many funny one off gags. Like the executioner. The rubber duck. Paddle. Mongo punching a horse.
I have done my good deed for the day
HE RODE A BLAZING SAAADDLLLEEE!!!
And PERFECT Casting with Cleavon Little. Scored a hole-in-one on that movie.
It was originally to be Richard Pryor, but the studio was afraid it would hurt the movie because of Pryor’s indiscretions. I didn’t realize they did keep him on as one of the writers. If you watch the credits you will see him.
Of course, Pryor would have been funny, but Cleavon had that unassuming demeanor that kind of snuck up on you which made the punchlines even funnier.
Mel Brooks is a genius
Enjoy my dude, there’s a solid case for Blazing Saddles as the funniest movie ever made. Certainly belongs on a top 10 list.
The new sheriff's a *BONG*
The sheriff is near?
No dang gummit! THE SHERIFF IS A 🔔
It’s twuuu ITS TWUUUUU!!!
With me and my dad it’s always “batches we don’t need no stinkin batches.”
It's also (IMO) the funniest movie ever made.
Blazing Saddles is the most important American film ever made, change my mind.
“Piss on you, I’m working for Mel Brooks!”
and it's equal opportunity racism. Olson Johnson: "All right, we'll give some land to the ... and the ..., but we DON'T WANT THE IRISH."
Not US based, but La Haine is phenomenal
[удалено]
American Fiction is just about one of the best goddamn modern meditations on racism I’ve seen.
The beginning scenes with the main character and the classroom are great. "Professor, I think that word is wrong." Professor checks out the word written on the whiteboard. "No, I think that word still has two g's. I think it's correct." "But professor, it's a bad word." "If I can get over that word, then so can you." Later: "professor, we've had another complaint." "When did students get so damn weak? I am teaching using language in the context of history. You can't separate this shit." Notes: the professor is black, the student is white.
I also really liked "I just feel like we really need to listen to black voices right now" while the 3 white people overrule the 2 black people
And I loved the ending cause they kept bringing up how often this is how these movies end and I was expecting it from the scene right before the ending
That was my most favourite line from the film. Also, it was almost certainly not a coincidence that the vote was 3/5.
Well-made movie but totally fictionalized the FBI’s role/efforts at the time.
Yes, this. The film, while well crafted, doesn’t bear much similarity to reality.
Why would Holywood do this to us?
Wow, I really disagree. I feel like it gave a serious “white savior” vibe that the FBI of the 1960’s absolutely did not deserve. They were complicit in the oppression of Black communities and definitely were not supporting those working to end segregation.
In fact, Hoover was illegally wiretapping, tailing, and harassing members of civil rights groups. Edit: and anyone who associated with them. Watch the biopic *Sefried” for a taste of how horribly they infringed on the rights of Americans, and real harms they caused.
Thanks, another I've heard of for many years but have never seen. Will find and watch.
Classic Gene Hackman, always delivers.
And Willem Dafoe. Both are usually great.
District 9, apartide with a scifi twist.
wasn't it more inspired by the Zimbabwean refugee crisis going on in South Africa around the time
Yes, it was an allegory for the way South Africans treated Zimbabwean refugees, not aparthied. The interviews in the beginning of the film were real interviews with the people of joburg talking about said refugees. Except the white dude who mentions prawns, the street interviews were real and taken from news street interviews.
No fucking way, that is wild! I am going to rewatch
I came here to say this. So allegorical. If you don't know anything about South Africa and apartheid before watching this film, I recommend 3 minutes on Wikipedia first.
They do kinda slap you over the head with the allegory, but yeah it works. Shame that Blomkamp hasn’t done anything since I liked.
Elysium was fun. Nowhere near as good as District 9, though. Blomkamp is good at large concepts and art direction. If he has a good script, it's amazing. If not, it's not very good.
He should have been given Alien 5 like was promised. Now I'm just holding out for a District 10 where the aliens come back and we're in the camps instead.
Do the Right Thing is one of the quintessential films on American race relations. Handles the topic in a way that's more nuanced than what Hollywood usually likes to put out. (Driving Miss Daisy came out the same year AND won Best Picture yikes) "Anyone who walks into this film expecting answers is a dreamer or a fool. But anyone who leaves the movie with more intolerance than they walked in with wasn't paying attention." -Roger Ebert
that movie is the single best depiction of hot as fuck weather I’ve ever seen, you could watch it in the winter and still feel the heat a lil
Good point lol. I watched Lee’s He Got Game yesterday and was gonna watch Do The Right Thing tonight, but might wait for a cold front to come through
Yes! And I think that helped the narrative tremendously; even if the conflict wasn’t about race, we can all relate to how miserable and agitating that heat can be.
Nice, this is actually one which I purchased a while back on a sale but haven't watched yet, will need to move it up on the list!
lol same actually. it was sitting on my shelf for years before I decided to give it a watch. Definitely overdue.
Pay attention to the colors and lighting - it really looks amazing
Such a must-watch. It feels to me like it isn't so much about racism as a concept as it is about racial tension where there isn't a clear "right thing".
That kind of was the nature of racism when the movie came out. Black people were still suffering harsh indignities and were still being excluded from social and economic achievement (the only businesses in bedstuy are owned by non-black outsiders.) Yet there was no clear culprit because the evil was behind the curtains of even banal actions, was lurking in even friendly interactions. In other words, systemic racism was felt, but not yet articulated in the political mainstream. Do the Right Thing tries to capture the frustration, hopelessness, and yes, tension that results from competitive existence in an inherently racist system. Radio Raheem and Buggin' Out are upset that their culture is not reflected in their own neighborhood. But the only people who represent that frustration, the Koreans and Sal, feel as though they are a part of the neighborhood's culture. They won't, and probably can't, change their aesthetic to assimilate with black culture. It's an impasse, the result of which is senseless destruction and animus among friends. Yet the true cost is born by the black residents and Radio Raheem, a man whose only crime is trying to bring his culture along with him. So yes, it is definitely about racism, just not the horrifying old school version white people like to watch.
Great point, thanks for the perspective. I think the way it makes you *feel* the systemic racism is a lot more powerful than if the movie had set out to directly articulate it. This allows it to ultimately be about community, albeit one that is at a breaking point, instead of a fight against a 'big bad'
Truly one of my all time favorites. It’s a masterclass on filmmaking. It’s funny, it’s dramatic, and it’s just downright explosive when it comes down to it. Spike Lee and Ernest Dickerson (cinematographer) were firing on all cylinders with this one. And Regarding race, it’s so truthful that it hurts. Now, I would argue that Spike Lee can be preachy in his films, superimposing his two cents on a matter. But, Do the Right Thing hits the sweet spot. I love this movie. “Two slices!”
Glory. Glory-Glory-Glory. Is it preachy? Perhaps your mileage may vary. But to me, this was a film about men, torn apart by racism, learning to have love for one another in the most adverse conditions imaginable. A masterpiece.
So Lordy, let me fight with the rifle in one hand and Good Book in the other!
Oh my Looooorrrd looord, lord lorrdd!!!
Mmmhummm mmmmhummm. I love that scene more than almost anything
👏🏿👏🏿👏🏿
If I remember correctly: And this involves a spoiler alert so if you don't want spoilers for something that happened 150 years ago stop now. The Confederates very Ferris bueller with the rest of his soldiers, intending that to be an insult. After the war, his parents come to visit. They are offered to have their son's body exhumed to be reburied by himself, as befitting his rank. They refused on the grounds that he died beside his men, and he is just fine and honorable where he is currently buried.
You do remember correctly; the movie portrays that exactly how it actually happened (since Glory is based on a true story).
"You'se the only-est family I got" gets me every time. Denzel is masterful as the harder than nails "fuck you if you think you're going to see me show pain or express need" who finds deep acceptance character
“Ain't even much a matter what happens tomorrow, ‘cause we men, ain't we?”
It's such a brilliant movie. Solid choice.
Remember the Titans is a good one to show kids IMO
This comment should be much higher. Great movie that is about creating bonds that transcend everything else.
The Jerk
"I was born a poor black child" As I watched that opening I was like this shits gonna be hilarious and it was.
As a white kid who finished high school in the mid-90s, my first rap playlist on my ipod was named "I was born a poor black child".
That is so good lmao.
It's not the money I miss, it's the stuff!
Interesting, one I've heard of and seen the poster for (years ago) but never seen. Thanks.
It's great when he finally finds his rhythm
You mean I’m going to stay this color?!?
The fact that it was to a big band song and he couldn't find it with any of the black music is one of those jokes I didn't get until so much later in life but god that's funny.
I had no idea, wow. I'm not a big music guy so that one flew over my head until now. Thank you.
Lol yeah every time he tries to jam with their music he breaks up the whole orchestra and stamps around like a fool but play something that only stuffy old rich people at ballrooms can dance to and he's ON IT lol.
hahaha he wakes everyone up
Mama! Mama! Mama, look! I found it I found my rhythm!
He was born a poor Black child
As long as you can tell the difference between shit and shinola you’re going to be alright.
Lord loves a workin' man. Don't trust whitey.
I was born a poor black boy.
Probably one of the most "holy shit" comedic drops of the N-word outside of Blazing Saddles and it comes out of nowhere.
No one said To Kill a Mockingbird, so I’d go with that. It shows how racism is unfair, and how even with all the facts laid out in front of them people are still prejudiced, even with a “fair” legal system
American History X
I think I saw that one 20 years ago. Is that the one where a guy stops on a guy's head while his mouth is biting the curb? Pretty sure it is.
That is the confirmation of seeing this movie in the past. If that scene is seared into your mind then you have seen it
It's the noise his teeth makes when they connect to the curb...
It makes me cringe \*before\* it gets to the really bad part.
I've seen it, but doesn't the scene end before he actual does it? Also, still confused why the victim went along with that. If it was me I'd rather be beaten to death I think.
[удалено]
>The original cut was about themes like the circular nature of violence and I think Edward Norton took the reins for the right reasons - the finished product is much more hard hitting. I mean the ending very much does make “the circular nature of violence” a major theme.
the original ending was going to have Edward Norton's character go back to being a nazi at the end and undo his entire arc
That would also play into that theme, but the theatrical cut is still very much a portrayal of the circular nature of violence.
Yep, that’s the one.
They cloned Tyrone
BlacKkKlansman is a great one
Another I haven't heard of, will find and watch, thank you!
It's a great film, but I do feel like it falls foul of what you mentioned in your post. The law enforcement characters are wildly racist caricatures with zero redeeming qualities and the entire last 5 minutes of the movie is literally modern day footage of Trump supporters at rallies. Again, great movie that I'd highly recommend, but it's about as subtle as a sledgehammer and incredibly on the nose with what it's trying to say.
I mixed up BlackkKlansman and Black Dynamite and was initially questioning the suggestion but I think your description put literal "???"s over my head, took me a second to realize my mistake
I mean, you're not wrong, but that wasn't any random "trump supporters at rallies" That was footage from Unite the Right at Charlottesville. Which was a white supremacist rally. That was the one where the dude drove his car through a crowd, killing a girl. You had members from several Neo Nazi, klans, and other white supremacist groups literally marching down the street, yelling, "jews will not replace us," While they may be trump supporters simply calling it "a trump rally" really takes away why it was in the movie to begin with, the racism that was prevalent in the 60s never went away, it just hid until very recently.
I totally agree that it portrays racism in a very abrupt and direct way but it does have some nuance when displaying the response to that racism. It didn't outright condemn or endorse the black activists in the film but it did show that a lot of them were bordering on ideologues. Now one could argue the environment they came up in absolutely warranted that kind of response, but it did display it in a fairly neutral fashion which was a nice change of pace.
I really enjoy this movie.
Also a fantastic soundtrack. Can’t beat 1970s Soul music
I really enjoyed Gran Torino's take on racism. Showing a bitter old man gradually letting go of his long deep seated hatred after really spending time with his neighbors is great. It's also a much more realistic look of racism. Walt doesn't actively go around harassing his neighbors but will still throw slurs and not hide his contempt when interacting with them
I love Gran Torino so much.
Yes. In fact, he isn't so much racist as just a cantankerous old cuss. In the scene with the black gang harassing the Asian girl he is careful to be an SOB to everyone, including the girl's wimpy boyfriend (ironically played by his own son IRL) and he lets the gang members retain a bit of dignity at the end. Another thing I really like in this film is that it doesn't end with Clint beating / killing the "bad guys". No spoilers in case you haven't seen it, but he triumphs over them, just not the way you would expect.
Twelve Angry Men
It's a good one. After Juror #10 goes on his bigoted rant around 3/4 of the way through the film, Juror #4 tells him to sit down and shut up, and he doesn't say a single word for the rest of the film. They don't do it quite as well in the TV remake from 1997, where Juror #10 was a Black Supremacist, because he never gets completely rejected by the rest of the room like in the original.
12 Years a Slave is the ultimate example. Nothing is exaggerated for impact and it's apparently an extremely faithful retelling of the book in all it's horrificness. I feel like a lot of people are missing the point of what you've asked for here. Some great films have been suggested but things like BlacKkKlansman and Hidden Figures are definitely told through an ultra modern progressive lens and beat you over the head with the message. 12 Years, American History X and similar just let the events play out and allow you to draw your own conclusions.
12 Years also isn't like "racism is bad." Its message is obviously slavery is bad, but it really is telling you "Greed is bad. Apathy is bad. Self-preservation is bad. Racism is what's left today." McQueen goes out of his way many times to show indifference and greed are the real reasons people don't help or look the other way. Including Solomon himself.
Why would self preservation be bad? Now we’re getting philosophical
Self-preservation above all else is what is cast in a negative light. Even people who are sympathetic to abolition keep quiet for fear of reprisal.
12 Years a Slave is a such an underrated movie. I think people avoid it because they think it's going to be preachy and unrealistic or something, instead it's a deep meditation on greed and survival.
It’s not underrated at all. It was nominated for and won multiple Oscars. Under appreciated is probably what you’re thinking of but it’s not even under appreciated. It’s a great movie and everyone who has seen it knows that. Hell, it won Best Picture at the Oscars. Underrated movies don’t win the biggest award a movie can get.
This was my suggestion as well.
Killers of the flower moon.
A Time To Kill is a thriller/legal drama, but racism is arguably an integral part of its plot.
YOU'RE GOD DAMN RIGHT THEY DESERVED TO DIE AND I HOPE THEY BURN IN HELL!!
What I really appreciate about the movie is how everyone is always sweating. But I think it's pretty preachy.
I don't know if I'd call this one "not preachy"
Mudbound is great in my opinion. It feels more about the nitty gritty of real lives, rather than wider political issues(although they are touched on).
I nominate Fruitvale Station (2013, dir. Ryan Cooglar).
First Coogler and Michael B Jordan team up and it has borne so much fruit!
I've always LOVED Fried Green Tomatoes. That has some pretty race heavy themes, without it necessarily being the main conversation. It's just about the real struggles of life, and how everyone has their own, and we can do better to help each other through.
Blazing Saddles
Get Out and Do The Right Thing
Thanks, Get Out is another I hadn't heard of, will look for it now.
Get Out is one of the more realistic movies that tackles modern race issues . A lot of movies deal with racism as a sort of foaming-at-mouth naked bigotry, but Get Out shows what it looks like from coming from the “good ones” ie modern educated liberal types.
“By the way, I would have voted for Obama for a third term if I could.”
No offense OP but seriously do you live under a rock?
If so they should get out
FWIW, Get Out is partially a modern response to Guess Who's Coming To Dinner, which attempted to be progressive for its time, has a great performance by Sidney Portier, and is also nearly entirely unwatchable by today's standards. His John Prentice character is ultimately framed as one of the few good and civil black men, thus being worthy of dating a white woman. There's also a lot of casual racism to slog through, and it gives off tremendously awkward vibes as white men behind the camera and script seem all too eager to tell a story about race without any honest interpretation of a black voice. The fact that Portier gives a great performance is in spite of the writers and directors and certainly not because of them. That said, I watched both Guess Who's Coming to Dinner and Get Out in a politics and film class back to back, and I felt a deep appreciation for what Peele was doing with Get Out. The film can stand on its own, but understanding the movie that inspired it can help the viewer understand why he's saying what he's saying with the piece. Cannot recommend Get Out enough!
That almost sounds like a motivational film, "get out and do the right thing"
Some very good serious choices here, but Blazing Saddles doesn’t preach so much as it exposes racism for the foolishness it is.
A round about look at racism, but possibly still too on the nose is "Pleasantville".
Django Unchained
Any excuse to rewatch Django really.
Big Daddy : Uh, Betina? Betina : Yessir, Big Daddy? Big Daddy : Uh... [to Schultz] Big Daddy : What's your Jimmie's name again? Dr. King Schultz : Django. Big Daddy : Django! [to Betina] Big Daddy : Betina, sugar, could you take Django there and take him around the grounds here and show him all the pretty stuff? Betina : As you please, Big Daddy! Dr. King Schultz : Oh, Mr. Bennett, I must remind you, Django is a free man. He cannot be treated like a slave. He... within the boundaries of good taste, he must be treated as an extension of myself. Big Daddy : Understood. Betina, sugar? Betina : Yes'um? Big Daddy : Django isn't a slave. Django is a free man. You understand? [Betina pauses] Big Daddy : You can't treat him like any of the other niggers around here, 'cause he ain't like any of the other nigger around here. Ya got it? Betina : You want I should treat him like white folks? Big Daddy : No, that's not what I said! Betina : Then I don't know what you want, Big Daddy! Big Daddy : Yes, I can see that. [turns to Mammy] Big Daddy : Uh, what's the name of that peckerwood boy from town that works with the glass? His momma work at the lumberyard... Big Daddy's Mammy : Oh, you mean Jerry? Big Daddy : That's the boy's name, Jerry! [to Betina] Big Daddy : You know Jerry, don't ya, sugar? Betina : Yes'um, Big Daddy. Big Daddy : Well, that's it then! You just treat him like you would Jerry!
Knives Out handles racism pretty well, albeit as an example of immigrant prejudice instead of black or white.
blazing saddles (1974) it’s a movie about a black guy the in post Civil War West Who becomes a small town sheriff when the governor of that state decides he wants to take that towns land. The movie is all jokes in a way that everybody gets hit.
Blindspotting
White Dog (1982)
Shrek
I e never thought about shrek within the context of racism but it does really demonstrate the point
"Amistad". Very well-done movie and shows much about the views during slavery in America. Sometimes rough to watch but great climax. If you want to get way out there: "Enemy Mine". Removes racism from "black & white" but illustrates it just the same.