Rating: 
Summary: Spike Lee makes it Mo'Betta
Review: "Spike you've done it again".I absolutely love this movie.Not just because of the excellent job that Denzel Washington did, but the entire cast was magnificent. I love the vast array of colors and who doesn't like the "special" way Spike uses the camera.I found this to be a very accurate look into the life of a self-centered Jazz musician.This has got to be the best love story that I have ever seen. Not only was it a love story of a man to a woman, but it was also a love story from one"brother" to another.(Bleek and Giant) He had to have had some kind of love in his heart for Giant or he would not have been bothered with him after they were beaten up together for his gambling debt. I now own every movie Spike Lee has ever made. I can truly say that I am a fan for life.Keep keepin'it real.Ya dig Sho' nuff Myskal
Rating: 
Summary: Very AVerage Film but the Soundtrack is nice
Review: a couple of things jump off the Bat first Spike Lee is a frustrated Musician inside&2nd he has watched music films and taking the parts he felt were essential to making this picture.this film doesn't work mainly because And I agree with Spike Clint Eastwood messed up Bird so bad.I understand his take on making the music the central figure.also he takes on his buddy Prince Thru Denzel Washington's ROle between the Musician&Person.never dividing the two.much like what Prince did in Purple Rain.the power of control of everything.and the shade of the Sisters is Brought to Light so many times in this film.Spike tried to many things to make this film work.Denzel&Wesley are cool but stick to the soundtrack to hear the tight Playing Of Braford Marsalis,Terrence Blanchard The Brother does all of Spikes Scores and his POPs Bill Lee a very talented Musician.Right Idea but way to basic Story&FEEL.STILL SPIKE LEE IS A VISUAL GENIUS.
Rating:
Summary: Great movie with an awesome soundtrack
Review: Classic Spike Lee filmmaking with a good sountrack. The movie is great if you are either a jazz lover or a Densel Washington fan.
Rating: 
Summary: Mo' betta makes it mo' betta!
Review: Denzel is great as a sultry sax player named Bleek Gilliam. His portrayal of man whose first love is his saxaphone and his second love is divided by Cynda Williams and Joie Lee. Wesley Snipes is great in this movie as Bleek's musical rival. I love the tension is played out between them. There is no question that there is an intense rivalry but when the going gets rough, rivalry gets put down for brotherhood. XLNT. If you like jazz, Denzel and Spike Lee movies, dig in. You are in for a real treat!
Rating:
Summary: Great movie about love and music
Review: Denzel plays a jazz musician who is torn between two women, but he is really more devoted to his music. But as it turns out, he doesn't want to commit to either of the women until he is forced to in the end. Has its humorous moments, and also its sad points, too. Highly recommended.
Rating:
Summary: Great jazz music and story line
Review: For the film lover who always enjoy great jazz music then this is the film for you. It's wonderful how Spike Lee connects the beginning story plot with the ending. Great supporting cast of Joie Lee, Samuel L. Jackson, and Ruben Blades.
Rating:
Summary: Cause mo better makes it mo better.
Review: I am normally a Spike Lee fan. It takes some time to really get into his "mojo", but once you see the clear message and the ability to tell the story that is close to his heart, Lee is a genius. Unlike The 25th Hour or Bamboozled (two of my favorite films of his), there was no clear story in this film. I was able to understand the struggle between Washington and the choice to play well or be influenced by others, but for some odd reason Lee was never able to get the true feeling out. Washington did a decent job with what was handed to him, but you could tell that this was not Lee's favorite film. Not only did Lee direct this film, but he also wrote it. You could tell. The camera work was horrid and the writing only contributed to the decay of the film. This film was coming full circle and it wasn't going to be pretty. Lee was not 100% behind this film as he was with Do the Right Thing. Of all the films I have seen Lee direct, this was the brightest and more modest of his films. It was almost as if he created a Hollywood movie instead of one that was all his own. I don't know if he saw the money from Do the Right Thing and ran with it, or what ... but this film did not demonstrate his true talent.
For anyone out there that has seen this film, and perhaps stopped watching anything directed by Spike Lee afterwards due to this film, I suggest you give him a second chance. Don't get me wrong, I see exactly where you are coming from with this film and why you would want to put this behind you, but Lee does grow up. His work becomes more of his own, and you can see the transformation from a desire to make money to just wanting to make good films. It took me awhile to watch The 25th Hour, but when I did, it was sheer brilliance. Perhaps it was the actors, perhaps the story, but Lee crafted an amazing film out of one man's journey into the unknown. I guess that is what I was hoping Mo' Better Blues would turn out to be. This really dark journey into the life of a man that really never grew up, but instead all I got was Denzel being Denzel. He really is one of the most versatile actors of this generation, and I do consider him the Sydney Poitier of cinema, but this was not the film to showcase his talent.
Another issue that I had with this film was the use of Spike's sister playing one of the love interests. I don't know about you, and your family, but I do not think that I could have filmed a sex scene with my sister. I don't care who the actor is or how much money I am getting paid, I would never do it. It is just something that I never wish to see, but apparently that is different for Spike. He went ahead and showed the full nude image of his sister without any remorse. It was sad and it even made me blush. Also, I need somebody to answer me this. What was Flavor Flav doing introducing this film? So, I am sitting there on my couch, ready to start the film, when suddenly there is a voice from the past spelling out the studio that made this film, then he acknowledges himself. That did not build for a strong remaining of the story. Again, I felt that Lee was going for money on this film instead of actual talent. Perhaps that is how he could afford both Denzel and Wesley in the same movie without any explosions.
There were two great scenes in this film that made it worth watching through to the end. Don't get me wrong, this was a very bad movie, but there is always a diamond in every alleyway. The scene when Bleek accidentally forgets which woman he is with was mesmerizing. He continually went back and forth, weaving truth to confusion in a way that proved that Lee was actually behind the camera. It was a visionary scene that was probably lost in the shuffle due to the remaining poor scenes. The other scene that was worth watching was the way that Lee introduced and ended the film. By keeping the same pacing and direction, he was able to bring this tragic character around full circle and give him the chance to change his life. Other than these two moments, the rest of the film was pure rubbish, not worth viewing unless you are about to go blind.
Grade: ** out of *****
Rating:
Summary: The First Spike Lee Movie I Ever Saw
Review: I first saw this in theatres with a male companion and was impressed with the direction of the movie. It was about a musician who was devoted to his music but took love for granted. He had relationships with Clark and Indigo at the same time until he was busted by both women. After being assaulted, he had to reevaluate himself not only as a musician, but as a person. I liked the movie. Spike Lee is a good director and a driving force in the African-American cinema. He doesn't pull any punches when it comes to racism and intraracial discrimination. Despite how some critics pan him as being offensive and controversial, he continues to make movies that are political and social in the African-American community and outside.
Rating:
Summary: The First Spike Lee Movie I Ever Saw
Review: I first saw this in theatres with a male companion and was impressed with the direction of the movie. It was about a musician who was devoted to his music but took love for granted. He had relationships with Clark and Indigo at the same time until he was busted by both women. After being assaulted, he had to reevaluate himself not only as a musician, but as a person. I liked the movie. Spike Lee is a good director and a driving force in the African-American cinema. He doesn't pull any punches when it comes to racism and intraracial discrimination. Despite how some critics pan him as being offensive and controversial, he continues to make movies that are political and social in the African-American community and outside.
Rating:
Summary: Nice...
Review: I saw this film when it was released (summer of 1990). I didn't appreciate it because I was 21 (a kid who wouldn't get the major theme). I recently purchased the DVD, and I watched it for the first time in 13 years. I really enjoyed this film. Everyone has (or has had) a Bleek in his life: someone who is so self-centered on his/her desires that he/she doesn't show respect or regard for anything else. However, we always lose the love of our life for various reasons. Then, what do you do when the love of your life is suddenly taken from you? That is this film's theme. Bleek's true love was music - jazz music. Bleek's love of music was the most important thing to him. Music overrode everything: an incompetent manager (who just happened to be his best friend), his lovers, and the contentment of his bandmates (the money issue which is related to having an incompetent manager). I enjoyed the score and the jazz pieces included in this film (after all, Bleek played the trumpet). I really liked the cinematography in this film because the film showed the beauty of New York City - the brownstones, the Manhattan skyline (a brief glimpse), the Brooklyn Bridge, etc. All in all, a good film. Rated 4 stars (not 5 stars because I thought the ending of the film was too rushed).
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