'Tis true, my man. And if we lived in a world where we got more positive big screen releases showing black men and women helping each other, it'd not irritate me as much. Even in 2010 with all the crossing of ethnic lines for marriage, with more people than ever marrying people of other colors, the average black person in America still marries another black person--even with NBA players' predilections :) We have a real problem in America with image and perception when it comes to the black family. That's why so many people were so insanely happy to see the Obama's ascend to the White House. I'm not accusing the movie of being unrealistic, just of focusing on something that, while real, isn't as important as black men and women helping each other--IMHO.
I couldn't recall any discussion on this film in this group back when it came out. Then I realized, I never saw it in theatres because I didn't want to support it. More importantly, it came out less than two month's after my father died, and I was barely checking e-mail for a long time, let alone contributing any. Sorry to beat that deceased equine again! ----- Original Message ----- From: "Kelwyn" <ravena...@yahoo.com> To: scifinoir2@yahoogroups.com Sent: Sunday, January 24, 2010 7:39:19 PM GMT -05:00 US/Canada Eastern Subject: [scifinoir2] Re: Swordfish The merits of "Monster's Ball" have been argued ad nauseum in this space. It is a movie that pushes buttons. I am of the minority that believes it is high brow exploration of race and class (Berry, Thornton, Heath Ledger and Mos Def do good work in this film). The majority dismisses it as trash. The debate, like the beat, goes on. ~rave! --- In scifinoir2@yahoogroups.com , Keith Johnson <keithbjohn...@...> wrote: > > I hear you, I just had issues with Monster's Ball as stated below. Seen > enough of that stuff from movies my whole life without needing to revisit it > again. And unlike "Precious"--which while rough, at least reflects a bitter > reality of black American life--the unique story of Monster's Ball isn't one > that's as universal to me. At least, I can't remember the last time I saw > black women hooking up with racists white guys since all those slave-era > movies where that very thing happened. > > I'd have told a movie like that with a black man helping Berry navigate the > tragedy of her life. We need to see more of the stories--and they are out > there--of black men and women working *together*.But that's just me. Like i > said: that was a movie written by a white man with a white man's > sensibilities. > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Kelwyn" <ravena...@...> > To: scifinoir2@yahoogroups.com > Sent: Sunday, January 24, 2010 7:10:42 PM GMT -05:00 US/Canada Eastern > Subject: [scifinoir2] Re: Swordfish > > > > > > > I think "Monster's Ball" should be seen as part of Lee Daniels' oeuvre, this > would include the heavily lauded "Precious" and the little appreciated > "Shadowboxer." In fact, "Precious" actually deepens my appreciation of > Halle's Academy Award performance. Daniels is an emerging master of both > ensemble casting and performance > > Likewise, I think "Titantic" should be seen as part of James Cameron's > oeuvre. I recently re-saw "The Abyss" and it confirmed my opinion that even > when Cameron is "bad," he is good. I don't believe there is anybody better at > well-crafted populist cinema that Cameron. > > ~rave! > > --- In scifinoir2@yahoogroups.com , "Grayson" <grayson.reyescole@> wrote: > > > > The thing is... I like everybody in this movie. Berry, Cheadle, Jackman, > > and Travolta who I am loving more and more lately (absolutely loved him in > > The Taking of Pelham 123 even though the the plot of that movie--remake or > > not--was as thin as Nick Cage's hairline) plus the very tiny roll for > > Vinnie Jones who I always like in a fight. But the movie is just... bad. > > > > Also is it bad that I haven't seen Monster's Ball and have absolutely no > > desire to do so. It's on my list of movies to never see. Titanic is also on > > this list as well as a few other Best Picture nominees/winners. > > > > Grayson > > > > --- In scifinoir2@yahoogroups.com , "Kelwyn" <ravenadal@> wrote: > > > > > > I've seen Swordfish many times. It is not good but it has charms. For me, > > > Halle's short red dress scene in Hugh Jackman's trailer is better than > > > either her lingerie scene or her topless scene (if you wanna see Halle's > > > assets, "Monster's Ball" is a better bet). I like Don Cheadle's dogged > > > detective, I like the business at the bank, the business with the bus > > > and, IMHO, John Travolta is always fun to watch. > > > > > > ~rave! > > > > > > --- In scifinoir2@yahoogroups.com , Grayson Reyes-Cole > > > <grayson.reyescole@> wrote: > > > > > > > > I don't know if this movie has ever been discussed here, but I just > > > > watched Swordfish all over again for two reasons 1) I was bored and 2) > > > > I keep thinking if I watch it again I will like it more. Neither reason > > > > was worth the effort. > > > > > > > > I'm just curious, lots of people I know like the movie and not just > > > > because they got to see Halle Berry's boobies, I'm in the minority > > > > because I don't (the only scene I like is when Hugh Jackman is > > > > explaining how he cracked the DoD, Halle Berry negates all of his > > > > explanations, then he fesses up to just being au naturel and seeing the > > > > code in his head). > > > > > > > > What do you think? > > > > > > > > Grayson Reyes-Cole > > > > http://www.graysonreyescole.com > > > > Facebook > > > > Bright Star > > > > The Builder > > > > The Prescription Playboy > > > > > > > > > >
