Rating: Summary: Uncle Toms and House Negroes Review: today i started reading "Malcolm X Speaks." I read 17 pages and i was got more knowlegde in those 17 pages than in that 3 hour peice of garage. What the hell is Denzel Washington doing playing Malcolm X. That house Negro. Spike Lee is to. The movie was O.K. But it was garbage after i read Malcolms 17 page speech, in the book. He's states how we bleed for the white man in his wars, but when it's our war we run away from our problems. He states that he read the time magazine and saw a picture where a 8 year old Chinese girl was shootin her father cause she knew he was a Uncle Tom, in ten years she'd be on of the leaders of China and that's why the white man feared them. That was part him stateing true meaning of the word "revolution". To put on one line he said it's a war where your gonna bleed. Denzel washington and Spike Lee should be ashamed of themselves. The knowlegde Malcolm gave to me in those 17 pages is more than those two UNCLE TOMS will EVER have. As Malcolm said they should won a oscar cause they did a good job acting I mean faking.Malcolm even if they're gone I overstand your message, so you live through me. You don't have a holiday cause you still live everyday.
Rating: Summary: A Powerful American Tale Review: And I firmly believe Malcolm X was a true American. He was passionately, almost obsessively, commited to his ideas. He valued justice. He understood discipline. Yet, he showed undeniable strength and compassion when he realized that some of his beliefs no longer served his spiritual needs. To me, that is the ultimate struggle for ANYONE who tries to call America home. Spike Lee's treatment of Malcolm X never degenerates into hagiography, race baiting, or worse, Hollywood stereotype. Instead he -- and of course, Denzel Washington's tour de force performance -- presents Malcolm the myth, the martyr and the man. What better dichotomy is there for someone forever enshrined in the pantheon of American fame? I hope we never forget his legacy... This movie left me energized, angry, confused and hopeful all at the same time. Soon after, I mustered up the courage to read Malcolm's autobiography and was equally moved by it. Thank you, Spike for the inspiration.
Rating: Summary: what do you mean, no? Review: The reviewer who writes below "no,no,no!" is being simplistic and stupid. This film paints the most balanced picture of malcolm ever produced. Please stop the muslim sensitivity here. Do you think Spike would defame the legacy of malcom purposely! Lighten up! This is America! Malcolm was human! He did right, he did wrong, but to shout "no! no! no!" is ludicrous! This movie is one of the best films ever made, and it is a tribute that is balanced, fair, and truthful! STOP BEING SO SENSITIVE!
Rating: Summary: No no no! Review: I think Malcolm X was the strongest and the most beautiful character stepped foot on US soil. So this movie by no means represent him or whatsoever (although it has his name on the Title). I think what makes this movie especially -poor- is the "concerns" of the director to give a message against Islam... If you are a muslim, and a black... this movie will make your stomach sick. However the film music is good I hope one day Black Americans really appreciate this wonderful man. Peace.
Rating: Summary: Malcolm x makes good viewing Review: For what Spike Lee is doing in this film i think he captured alot of it reasonably well, but it's got to be hard to make a film on one of the defining people in history. Malcolm x is a long film which is a good film but if you watch this excpecting it to be around 2 hours you should be warned in advance (it clocks in at around about 3. The film portrays many important issues that we live with today mainly that you should not judge a person by his past and that people really can change even against all odds. Though Malcolm x is not the most lucid of films it still makes good viewing and Denzel Washington himself makes a very admiral and well acted performace. This is one of the better historical films around.
Rating: Summary: An interesting look at one of America's overlooked figures Review: Before seeing this film, I had little respect for Malcolm X. His views had always seemed to be little more than anti-white rhetoric, empowering a disenfranchised people only by slandering another people. This film, however, offered a different viewpoint. Spike Lee portrays Malcolm X as a constantly evolving character, from a delinquent youth to a militant Muslim to a post-Hajj Muslim. He tracks Malcolm X's career from America's prison system through his death. Denzel Washington is, as always, excellent in his role. Certain scenes truly stand out. The one that countered my initial expectation that it would just glorify who I thought of as a black separatist was where a white woman approach Malcolm X offering what help she could offer. He ignores her completely, but the way the scene is presented gives the viewer an understanding of Malcolm X's mentality. In summary, the film is pretty educational. My only complaint is the final scene, which seemed a little pretentious (a five-minute clip of various kids telling the camera "I am Malcolm X"). All considered, though, it is an enlightening film.
Rating: Summary: Read the book!! Review: Lee should have stuck to the book, which is superior to the film as an inspirational story, as pure entertainment,and as a message piece about race relations. As it is, he insults the intelligence of his audience.... PS: Denzel is OK. Spike's ego gets in the way of the vulnerable, sort of inept Shorty vibe (as Malcolm and Alex Haley wrote him).
Rating: Summary: Incredible!! Review: Denzel Washington is amazing in this movie about the life of Malcom X. This is also a movie that showcases Spike Lee's movie making talents. It's obvious that he researched down to the last detail, from the clothes to the cars of the period and the slag and words that were used at the time, to make a movie that is totally realistic and grabs you right from the beginning. The first time I saw this movie I was mesmerized, particularly because I had read Malcom's autobiography, and was shocked at how true to the book this movie actually is. I commend Spike for making this movie, even though at the time there was controversey simply because of who Malcom was and what he represented. People even to this day are afraid to even speak of him. This movie encouraged me to learn more about Malcom X's life and beliefs. I highly recommend it!
Rating: Summary: An actor who loves the craft Review: That is what Denzel shows you in the amazing life of this man. After such a long time of fighting to get this story to the big screen I wondered if Denzel would be able to pull it off. I thought Laurence Fishburne would have been a better choice at the time. Denzel made me a beleiver. The life of this man was truly something else. What he had to go through in heavily racist America during his time as a child, teen and adult was enough to make most just give up an not think of changing. But then to continue on and turn his life around to be something so positive, dynamic, to stand up face the evil and fight, only to have so many forces (inside and out) against him in the end shows the tremendous strength he had. Denzel conveys just about every aspect of this in this role. It had to be hard for him to walk in this mans shoes and try not to be consumed by his emotions. Imagine, the assaination scene. Even as an actor portraying a role his mind had to be at the bursting point completing a scene where the life of such a man was just snuffed out like a candle. It had to be hard to let go afterward. The story and his performance make this movie worth getting. This is American History 101.
Rating: Summary: My Thoughts Review: In my opinion, "X" is not only Spike Lee's greatest film to date, but also one of the greatest, and most sophisticated films Hollywood has ever seen. This movie was released in the fall of '92 to critical acclaim not only for Lee, but for every other actor (Denzel Washington, Al Freeman, & Delroy Lindo) and actress (Angela Bassett, & Kate Vernon) who stared in it. The film grossed nearly $50 million in its theatrical release, and was nominated for two Academy Awards. Having said that, I must point out that the film is based "loosely" on "The Autobiography Of Malcolm X." I say loosely because Lee took it upon himself to tell the story of Malcolm X from his viewpoint, instead of sticking to the actual events that transpired in the book. However, "X" is still a masterpiece, and although fictional at times, it's still one of the most heartfelt stories I've ever seen captured on film. It's definitely a MUST HAVE!!
|