I was glad to see the beginning of the weekend, and raced from school to treat myself to a movie. The one I was anxiously awaiting was "Django Unchained" which opened today.
For those of you who might not be movie buffs, it's the new Quentin Tarantino one starring Jamie Foxx and Christopher Waltz, with Jamie playing a freed slave turned bounty hunter.
Of course, there has been controversy.
Anytime Tarantino makes a movie, you can be sure there will be those who object to something in it. This one is no different.
The biggest issue is the language used. It didn't bother me a bit. Maybe I'm anesthetized to the use of certain language, or maybe it's because it didn't seem out of place in the context here.
Anyway, I left the movie cheering.
Yes, cheering.
OK. Maybe not out loud, but inside I was hoopin' and hollerin'.
Why, you ask?
Because this is the first movie I've seen, or have heard about, that tackles the brutality of slavery. It's the first movie that didn't try to justify it or minimize it. The terrorism that it was, was on full display. And with it, a true, bonafide hero.
We have a black ex-slave bounty hunter to cheer on.
And it felt good rooting for this guy.
Was the brutality awful? No doubt. My eye were covered through most of it.
Was some of it over the top? Absolutely.
Believable? Maybe.
There has been much written about this movie, but one article caught my attention because it asked the question, "Could it have been made by a black director?" I don't think so, for a couple of reasons.
First, it's really hard for the masses to hear someone black going on and on about slavery. The thinking too often is, we should get over it. This was a long time ago, and it's time to move on.
Secondly, it would have been difficult for a black director to find the funding to pull this off. Why? See reason number one.
So, the next best thing, was Tarantino, the honorary Negro, to do the bidding. But it's interesting to note, that it wasn't a script conjured up by black folks, it was Tarantino himself who made that leap. I hear he did the same kind of thing in re-imagining Hitler and his regime during World War II, in the writing and making of "Inglourious Bastards." I didn't see that one.
I'm guessing this makeshift review and endorsement, humble though it is, might be a surprise to some. Honestly, it even surprised me how much I liked this movie.
So, take it for what it's worth.
See the movie.
Or not.
I enjoyed it enough for both of us.
For those of you who might not be movie buffs, it's the new Quentin Tarantino one starring Jamie Foxx and Christopher Waltz, with Jamie playing a freed slave turned bounty hunter.
Of course, there has been controversy.
Anytime Tarantino makes a movie, you can be sure there will be those who object to something in it. This one is no different.
The biggest issue is the language used. It didn't bother me a bit. Maybe I'm anesthetized to the use of certain language, or maybe it's because it didn't seem out of place in the context here.
Anyway, I left the movie cheering.
Yes, cheering.
OK. Maybe not out loud, but inside I was hoopin' and hollerin'.
Why, you ask?
Because this is the first movie I've seen, or have heard about, that tackles the brutality of slavery. It's the first movie that didn't try to justify it or minimize it. The terrorism that it was, was on full display. And with it, a true, bonafide hero.
We have a black ex-slave bounty hunter to cheer on.
And it felt good rooting for this guy.
Was the brutality awful? No doubt. My eye were covered through most of it.
Was some of it over the top? Absolutely.
Believable? Maybe.
There has been much written about this movie, but one article caught my attention because it asked the question, "Could it have been made by a black director?" I don't think so, for a couple of reasons.
First, it's really hard for the masses to hear someone black going on and on about slavery. The thinking too often is, we should get over it. This was a long time ago, and it's time to move on.
Secondly, it would have been difficult for a black director to find the funding to pull this off. Why? See reason number one.
So, the next best thing, was Tarantino, the honorary Negro, to do the bidding. But it's interesting to note, that it wasn't a script conjured up by black folks, it was Tarantino himself who made that leap. I hear he did the same kind of thing in re-imagining Hitler and his regime during World War II, in the writing and making of "Inglourious Bastards." I didn't see that one.
I'm guessing this makeshift review and endorsement, humble though it is, might be a surprise to some. Honestly, it even surprised me how much I liked this movie.
So, take it for what it's worth.
See the movie.
Or not.
I enjoyed it enough for both of us.
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