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Capone reviews the dark and devastating PRECIOUS!!!
Hey, everyone. Capone in Chicago here.
I actually put off writing this review for several weeks after seeing it at the Chicago International Film Festival in mid-October because I simply could not bring myself to revisit some of the pain that resides in PRECIOUS: BASED ON THE NOVEL 'PUSH' BY SAPPHIRE. I didn't want to contemplate a world in which Claireece Precious Jones (newcomer Gabourey Sidibe) goes through a lifetime of every imaginable abuse and comes out the other side hopeful and fortified, but far from fully mended and with a lifetime of struggle still ahead of her. The burden of knowing Precious is to care deeply but fear for the worst, because the worst is all she's known growing up in Harlem with her demon of a mother (Mo'Nique), who never misses an opportunity to abuse and put down her only child.
Precious is 16 years old, with one baby living with her grandmother and another on the way--both come courtesy of Precious' father. When the school faculty gets wind of her second pregnancy, they threaten to kick her out. She opts to transfer to an alternative school, and the seeds are sown for her transformation. Encouraged and fueled by her literacy workshop teacher Ms. Rain (the remarkable Paula Patton), Precious learns to write about her life in journals and short stories in a setting that encourages expression, coping and a bond between students. As much as Precious might sound like a self-help book propped up on the big screen, that couldn't be further from the truth.
Part horror show, part fantasy escape, part gritty urban drama, PRECIOUS manages to blend these seemingly un-blendable elements into the kind of film I simply haven't seen attempted since maybe the late 1970s. Daniels pulls few punches when it comes to making it very clear the types of abuse Precious is enduring--emotional, physical, and sexual (by both parents, although we never see her father). Every sequence set at home caused me to cringe in anticipation at what new awful experience this girl was going to have inflicted upon her. At some of her lowest points, Precious escapes into a fantasy world where she's a glamorous star and object of desire for the most handsome men she can imagine. These sequences reminded me, strangely enough, of WHERE THE WILD THINGS ARE, during which a boy escapes into a fantasy world to help cope with an unpleasant home life (that kid has nothing on Precious, in terms of messed-up households, let's be clear about that). In perhaps the most heartbreaking scene in the film, Precious looks at herself in a mirror and sees a thin, pretty white girl looking back. That's her ideal, and seeing that person in the mirror makes her smile one of her rare smiles.
This film marks Lee Daniels' second turn as a director, but he made a name for himself as a producer of such masterful works as MONSTER'S BALL and the understandably, but still criminally, overlooked THE WOODSMAN, starring Kevin Bacon as a reformed pedophile. Daniels excels at telling stories about people who simply don't ever get their stories told, and PRECIOUS is no different. But Daniels is also a former casting agent, so he often makes choices in actors that most would never consider, including using musicians in key roles (Sean Combs in MONSTER'S BALL or Mos Def in THE WOODSMAN, for example).
Aside from the astonishing and terrifying use of comedian Mo'Nique in this film, an almost unrecognizable Mariah Carey plays a social worker in charge of Precious' case after she leaves home, while a nicely understated Lenny Kravitz shows up in a couple of scenes as a male nurse Precious meets in the hospital when she delivers her second child. Carey, in particular, surprised the hell out of me, especially in a scene near the end of the film in which she, Precious and the mother sit together to confront some of the terrible abuses committed against Precious. The scene is Mo'Nique's Oscar clip (you think I'm kidding), but I don't think it could ever be played on network television. And it took me completely off guard because at that point in the film, Precious seems safe and more confident; I thought the worst was over. And then Carey asks Precious' mother to talk about when the abuses against Precious began. MoNique's monologue literally sucked the breath from my lungs. It's the worst description of terrible things one person can do to another person that I have ever heard, delivered in a mildly regretful voice, although it's clear that she has no idea the extent of the damage done. If you make it through that scene with losing it, you're a stronger human being than I.
Even with all of these other things to distract us, the focal point of PRECIOUS remains Sidibe, who wears a permanent scowl and looks like she could kill just about anyone with a look, let alone a fist. But the remarkable thing about Sidibe's work is that she cautiously reveals a sweet young woman hiding inside this person practically built out of pain and disappointment. She gives us flashes of the person who could be, who we hope will rise up out of this place. Even by the end of the film, there are so many factors stacked up against Precious. The film is set in 1987, and a certain disease was just coming to light in the world. Fear of anyone with this disease ran rampant, and when Precious finds out that someone in her life has it, her world cracks just a little bit more.
PRECIOUS is an achievement that will take a long time for me to shake. Even if I didn't like what I saw or heard at times, I'm glad someone like Daniels is out there making movies that move me to such a degree and remind me that there are people and things in the world that can still shock me into feeling something about a character and a film as deeply as this film did. This is a story of a survivor that doesn't fall back on big speeches, swelling music, angels and kittens; there's very little about this movie that would qualify as "feel good." But I did feel something after seeing it, and that's a rarity these days.
-- Capone
capone@aintitcoolmail.com
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because of the movie "Push" that came out earlier this year?
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Yaaaaaaaay
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Now THAT will be a depressing and emotional film.
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I read this in high school, fucking rips your heart out and does things to it that you have never seen before. A child called it is a great book, but PUSH is its own animal. And that other Push movie, Tyler Perry should pull out the Madea costume and steal that name back!
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I went to see a movie the night Precious was playing and checked about seeing the 2nd screening (the non $100/ticket red carpet one) and they were completely sold out and weren't going to add any more showingsAlthough I do find it annoying that the title of the movie is not "Precious" but instead "Precious: Based on the Novel Push by Sapphire"
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Looks pretty good! P.S.mariah carey doesn't have any facial hair in this film, she played a guy with facial hair in her music video(Obsessed)You got them mixed up Boo-Yah!
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It would seem typical that this movie becomes the big Oscar winner come Oscar time. Oscar has been weird lately.
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Can't you just say AIDS? Its not like 'a certain disease' really masks it, especially with that 1987 tag.
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And show that she is also sexually abused by her mother? That one part of the book where her mother makes her perform oral sex on her is just the stuff of evil. The book overall is just not a good experience. It is like "Requiem for a Dream". But I think Hollywood will be in for a shock because that book was a huge hit in Urban areas. And I know many African American women and people who have read the book who are going out in groups today to see this movie. I don't know if I will right away. Because how she ends up is sad as fuck. I don't know if I want to leave the theater pissed off.
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Damnit, this was the role Michael Jackson was born to play!
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The movie is a bit clunky to start with, probably because of the fantasy episodes that are badly done. The actors are all over the place. Bad: Kravitz, the actress playing the teacher, the girls playing the school friends. Carrey is not as bad as you'd think (Glitter). Sidibe is good in the main role, but she's playing someone you doesn't show her emotion, let's see her in something else. Finally, Mo'nique is a revelation. She makes the whole movie. With her performance and the final scene where she starts to understand her own evil in front of us, she litterally transforms the "Precious" from a tv movie of the week to a heart wrenching drama. Give Mo'nique an oscar right now, she's a brick house, she's mighty-mighty.
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You call this entertainment?!
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has made me nauseous and dizzy. Think I'll take a sick day. Thanks a lot Capone.
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thankyou
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Have you seen Beerfest? If there's a Mon'nique oral sex scene in Precious, then Beerfest is your lead-in movie.
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It started off cheery with her fantasy mode, and I was thinking to myself, great, another cheeseball movie. A few seconds later the reality part kicks in and the entire time I am thinking this looks like one disturbing movie. It definitely looks intriguing but I am not big into the movies that depress the hell out of you as I figure this one just isn't going to end on a happy note.
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I haven't seen the movie yet, but you seem to disagree with just about everything I've read about it with the exception of Mo'nique. About the other actors Roger Ebert says this "Three other actresses perform so powerfully in the film that academy voters will be hard-pressed to choose among them." and I don't think he is the only one of that opinion.
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I haven't read the book, but the sexual abuse by the mother is definitely implied, if not shown. I don't think my stomach could have handled that.
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I haven't seen Beerfest but if it's got Mo'nique sitting on anybody's face count me out!
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My stomach can't even handle the implication.
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I can't think of a single movie I'd rather not see.
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....the female version of gaymee fuxxx. Just looking at her she looks like she's one of those conceited types. Talent or not if I knew she was like that and was in the academy, I'd rather vote for someone like Carey Mulligan (spl?). She looks timid and grateful. I wanna see her in Wall Street II, but unfortunately indy jones jr. Is in that fliq too :(
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I didn't even notice until SHE MENTIONED IT HERSELF ON LENO. They then showed a clip and MARIAH DEFINITELY HAD A LITTLE MUSTACHE.
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I'd take tickle from Mariah's 'stach.
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The Blind Side
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You see how phat her ass looked in that nurse uniform in shadowboxer?
DAAAAAAAAMMMMMNNNN!!
Maybe it was a special effect or something, but that ass was straight banging and hood certified!! -
Did a good acting job in shadowboxer too, so I'm not surprised she has knocked this role out of the park.
Probably won't see this until dvd either way though. -
I heard an excellent interview with Lee Daniels on NPR last night. It surprised me with the honesty and depth of his comments... not sure if I'm ready for this movie but it sounds like it doesn't pull any punches.
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Mo'Nique is not like that at all. In fact, there was drama before the promotional tour of this film began due to the fact that she didn't want to do the rounds and campaign for an Oscar. She wanted her work to speak for itself. And I believe it was stated that she made the film, and if her role was later deemed worthy of an Oscar, then she wanted it to be judged on the performance alone and not on how many shows she can do promo on. She only started doing promo, because her not wanting to do it could have made audiences think she wasn't because it was a bad film.
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...and as someone who grew up in the seventies, I'd like to see more character driven, difficult movies. And I'd rather see something like this than crap like the transformers.
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Damn, Precious looks like she could kill her mother without thinking twice about it. Just poison her food or something.
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Like Capone, I guess I'm "glad" that movies "like this" are still getting made somehow, but his closing para of the review summed up what bothered me about this: "shock me into feeling" being the key phrase. This is a manipulative machine of a movie, a genuinely horrific ride through the nadirs of human behaviour. For me, some of the performances are miraculous - they somehow transcend the relentless crudeness and cruelty of the construction. It makes Dickens look subtle. There's an uneasy complicity in our watching, thinking, how much can this poor sod take, allied to a queasy anticipation of the next violent revelation. That's a kind of momentum-generator more common to the horror film, and while this was horrific in parts, the lack of directorial restraint (and presence of, dare I say it, voyeuristic relish in the money scenes), actually cheapened it, made it less powerful. My $0.02.
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Definitely seeing this movie and I have no difficulty believing there are women out there like Mo'nique's character. I remember people kind of scoffed at "Million Dollar Baby" because of how cartoonishly despicable the girl's family was....but the actors played them so well I had no problem believing what I was seeing. I went to high school with a guy who was one of the most hateful people I have ever met. At one point his own sister asked him while he was watching TV to keep an eye on her baby while she went to the store. After she left he promptly got up, locked every door in the house, and then left the baby alone inside the house where she couldn't get to it. He thought it was funny. And this is in a small town where you can't easily hide viciousness like that. I can't imagine the evils some peole might be getting away with in the ghettos, where its really dog eat dog.
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Nov 06, 2009 8:01:09 PM CST
"tyler perrys madea goes down on her daughter" LOL
by supercowbell5thecowbellhasspoken
now that was a good one
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pretty face, but too fucking fat even for a pity fuck.Voluptous women can be sexy, but Obese? That's not a good look. too much shade for the summer yanno.
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im sure that it had a showing on hbo or showtime
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Like I said she may have talent, but I wouldn't want to create a monster by awarding her an oscar if I were part of the academy. But from what you posted it sounds she's humble and I hope she stays that way.
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I looked @ it on my phone right now and first I saw a shattered fat sillhouette (spl?) and when I scrolled down there's a hand created by the space around her and the fingers go deep inside her and help to create the shattered look of the picture. Idk if I described it accurately and I don't know how to do that tinyurl crap so just go on wiki and see for yourself.
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I saw this a few weeks back in Seattle. A deeply emotional and shocking movie. I didn't recognize the famous folks in the movie at the time which is a testament on how engrossing the whole movie is.
I hope it gets broad consideration, but I don't know if the general film going public is ready for such a dark movie without any levity. -
if you knew the details, it would shatter the image you all have of the uk. but shameless possibly did that already. and then there is the shannon matthews story which is beyond belief.
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I think judy dench was robbed! she gave the best cinematic performance of her career. no one was going to stop the Helen Mirren juggernaut. Mirren won 21 awards on the road to picking up her oscar.
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theatres
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modern story from ireland is the story of the mullholland sister. all you need to know is that they cut up a violent man Swarah fali noor and dumped his cut up body into the grand canal. his head has never been found. they were called the scissor sisters.
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if they dont do the promo work or look uneasy trying to sell a film. a great example of this is ralph fiennes. there were lots of rumours that he was a shoo-in for best actor for that john leCarre movie by Fiernando meiralles. Fiennes hates that sort of promo and looked really awkward on the tonight show with jay leno. Fiennes blew his campaign out of the water. he looked nervous and ill at ease.
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story. poor black kid. abused. triumphs in the end. oprah was on the late late show in ireland and is one of coldest people i haver seen interviewed by the legendary gay byrne. she was promoting the beloved which bombed. every word out of her mouth was the beloved this, beloved that. but she is such an ice queen in the flesh. bit like maddonna.
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As a Black woman I have mixed feelings about this film. I love serious dramatic movies with disturbing themes and situations. However, I have serious issues with Black filmakers and their often stereotypical portrayals of Black life. The way Black women are portrayed in Black films and televison shows is a particular concern of mine. Black women are not all divas, mammies, loud, ignorant, or sluts. Black people are very diverse. Not all Black people are from the ghetto or live in poverty. I am hard-pressed not to classify "Precious" as another instance of "poverty porn". I dislike Mo'nique and cannot wath anything she is in. She is the poster child for loud and ignorant Black people. Before anyone flames me, I know this film is supposed to be one young woman's difficult life journey but I can't help feeling that there are stories about other facets of Black life that are overlooked. As a Black female geek, we are often ridiculed and mrginalized by the larger Black community. It is like we aren't supposed to exist. We do exist but if you ignore us long enough, we will go away. Black women like Mo'nique, Madea, or even Precious are supposed to be the norm in Black-oriented films. I don't care how much critical acclaim this film garners, I will have to pass it by. Maybe one day Black filmakers will follow the example of White filmakers and create films, televison shows,and characters that explore the lives of the various subcultures of Black people out there. Black people are NOT all alike. Unfortunately, Precious is just more of the same.
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It's a film based on the "The Great Gatsby" with an all black cast, also alot of black wealth and affluence on display in the film with highly talented actors. However the film and a story tend only becomes interesting when the characters are in danger of losing that wealth. Films like Precious can indeed be seen as stereotypical and I agree with all of what you said above , its just a human condition that we see drama and entertainment in the poor becoming enriched (Slumdog Millionaire or The COlor Purple) or the the rich suffering a loss (Mad Men is an all white show that became VERY interesting when it showed the main character was not always as wealthy as he pretends)...I myself would love to see more intelligent and middle class black characters in film (eg.Waiting To Exhale) but it seems that whether it be Italian-Americans in the Mafia, Oriental Kung Fu Masters or Black poverty and the gangsta lifestyle - its EASIER ti find more entertainment value in the violent/criminal elements of any particular culture...The Wire (an excellent tv show by the way that took stereotypes and really researched WHY they exist and WHO those stereotypes are)showed me that sometimes its worth taking a chance and seeing if something set in the ghetto (eg.Precious) may suprise you.
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It seems Hollywood is only interested in films in which African-Americans are "saved" by saintly white folks (ie, the new Sandra Bullock vehicle) or in which they are depicted as ignorant monsters and/or victims, as in this film. Neither are palatable to me. There have to be better stories out there. Agree totally with you, Shadowcat_664.
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As a hood certified movie geek I feel you both on the lack of profitable black movies that show middle class black life.
What It takes is to educate members of the black community to enjoy art for art's sake witch is damn near impossible.
I show young hood types kids and others movies like battle royale and visitor q to get them to respect subtitles.
Then I hit'em with movies like happiness and mysterous skin to get them to see white disfunction in films, so they can realize that white folks got issues too.
Then I get them to seek out movies with broader scope. It's the best way to get blacks off the tyler perry bullshit and the hood stigma we're stuck in. -
Where'd I get witch from?
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Saw Precious over the weekend. really really engrossing movie. Monique blew my mind. That a broad comedian could pull back and have that performance in her is an amazing thing. I thought she was just fantastic. That being said I am still not sold on Daniels as a director... i know how crazy that sounds. Shadowboxer is an awful awful movie with the oddest cast i have ever seen assembled together in one flick (I only mention this because Lee use to be a casting director) and while Precious is very very good there were times where his directorial choices took me out of the movie. I kept getting involved in Precious's story, it felt almost like I was watching a documentary and then we would kick into these fantasy sequences and you remember you're watching a movie. Just took me out of it completely. And then when he hard cuts to baby pictures of Precious and her mom while they're having a big physical confrontation... that took me out of it as well. I just kept wanting him to step back and get out of the stories way... with that being said a lot of the performances are great and he deserves credit for that. as for Mariah, she was good, but I hated the casting because again it took me out of the story... i kept thinking wow, they really made mariah carey look like a real person here.... just my thoughts, again really good movie
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An Oscar for that performance. Saw the movie last nite. OK movie, but Mo Nique was the shtt. She was crazy as hell. It will be a crime if she does not get it.
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All of you have made some very good points. It is so hard to change the tastes of Black filmgoers for less stereotypical fare. I am sick of all the "hood" comedies, rap bios, and "Madea" films that seem to dominate Black-oriented offerings. Don't get me started on televison shows. I am a film geek and watch all kinds of films and televison shows from many different countries. I have seen dysfunction on a worldwide scale. Dysfunction isn't just for Black folks. One of my favorite television shows is from the UK called "Shameless". It will put any Black "hood" movie to shame. Welfare fraud, abandomnent, drug use, sexual promiscuity, alcholism, adultery, criminal behavior, etc... are shown. The family lives on a "housing estate" that is like the "projects" in the US. I have seen "Happiness" and it is harrowing. I haven't seen "G" but I will see if I can find it. I didn't care for "Waiting To Exhale" but I watched it anyway because it was about 3 middle-class Black females. Educated and professional Blacks are underrepresented in US films and televison shows. The problem is Blacks can be narrow-minded about what "Blackness" is and shun anything that is out of their comfort zone. I am also a voracious reader so my horizons were broadened because of my exposure to literature. Black people need to change their attitudes and expand their horizons. There are all kind of positive and interesting stories out there. Black filmakers need to explore those stories instead of the same old same old like "Madea".
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Blame other Black Filmmakers for not capitalizing on their fame when they had the chance. Tyler makes similar movies built to please his audience. And so? What's the problem? When a white film maker like The Cohen Brothers does something similar, no one complains. You can't blame the man for making films on meager budgets that make millions for him. You can't be mad at the man who makes at least 2 movies a year, that end up hits, and that showcase a Black actress who would otherwise be unemployed. You can't be mad at a man who went from being homeless and building himself up to the point where he took his money and made his OWN studio in ATL where he can make his movies even cheaper while employing TONS of African American people in the process. Don't hate Tyler for being a savvy businessman. He needs to be commended by the black community for being a positive example of making a change in your life for the better. It's not his fault that Spike Lee is too busy going to Knicks games and picking fights with Eastwood to open his own studio. It's not his fault Singleton took a left turn to stupidity. And finally he isn't the one reinforcing stereotypes. I think we do it to ourselves very well when you see an honor student in Chicago getting beat to death by his own people. Or go on YouTube to find videos like a 2 year old baby doing "The Stanky Leg", or the crazy ATL girl on the MARTA attacking an elderly woman. Or young black girls booty dancing on people's graves. I would like to see people taking accountability and trying to make real change instead of blaming entertainment for not setting some good example.
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I don't care if Tyler Perry owns his own studio, his films are still shit. I find his movies to be mysogynistic and idiotic. Spike Lee is a joke and Singleton isn't much better.
I was bullied for being an honor student over 30 years ago. I was called an "Uncle Tom", "oreo", a "wannabe" "four-eyes", and other rude names. Black males refused to date me. I have always been a geek and thus a threat to Afrocentric Blacks. Things obviously haven't changed in the Black community have they? Actually,they seem to be getting much, much worse. The Black community is becoming more and more ignorant. I blame parents for not setting a more positive example for their children. Black people are their own worst enemies. Too many Black parents don't make their children go to school, do their homework, and behave. That is for Uncle Tom's and White folks to do. Many Black parents refuse to teach their children to respect other people. No responsible parent should be allowing their pre-teen daughter to "booty pop". The marriage rate in the Black community is an all time low. Too many young Black people are having babies they can't care for and don't know anything to teach them. The Black community refuses to hold the rap artists and others in the entertainment community accountable for the negative and harmful crap they put out there. Bill Cosby tried to speak out about it and look what happened to him.
White filmakers aren't criticized because they show the good, and the bad, and the inbetween. Black filmakers show the dumbest and the worst and ignore other segments of the Black community.
I am not jealous of Tyler Perry. I actually feel sorry for someone who profits off the misery and dysfunction that is so common in the Black community. We are regarded as ignorant buffoons and these crap movies just reinforce that stereotype. I won't dignify this garbage by spending any of my hard-earned money on it. Just because a Black person produces a film doesn't make it good or a must-see. -
I'm glad he had NOTHING to do with this. His films are fucking stupid and over rated!!! Please Tyler, stop making movies. PLEASE!!!! They suck
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I love her. I hope she wins that Oscar
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tylers name is on the credit as oprah winfrey and tyler perry present. in fact he is very cosy with winfrey. he is on her show alot. must be a billionaires thing. you should have seen flatley's casino. pass the sick bag.
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I agree with you 200%. I thought Obama becoming President would inspire people - of all colors, but especially black people - to act better. But no sooner did he take office that you have Chris Brown and Kanye acting out in the worst ways to bolster the stereotypes.
Ironically, Oprah is one of the worst offenders. She has made her wealth out of pandering to white women using works like Precious. She's a disgrace. I have never understood her appeal.
Have you seen Real Housewives of Atlanta? Are you telling me Bravo could not find a group of successful black women who DON'T act like these divas?! I personally blame Andy Cohen, the head of programming at Bravo. When he was interviewing them on their reunion show he himself (a gay guy no less) demonstrated his own prejudices by mimicking ebonics to talk to him. What an ass. But take comfort that he didn't limit his prejudice only to them - during the NJ housewives reunion he had the audacity to insinuate those wives were connected with the Mafia.
Anyways. I agree with what you said. Things must surely change for black people in the next 3 years (or 7, if we're lucky enough to have Obama for 8) or they never will. When a black man reaches the White House, on the strength of his intellect, persona and appeal, that is a wake-up call for ALL people to improve their lots the way he did.
I found it particularly distressing that that black honor student was killed in Chicago during a gang fight some months ago. That is beyond sad. He could very well have been another great black achiever, yet his life was extinguished in his own neighborhood before he could rise up from it.
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is that flately is supposedly a great ambassador for ireland. his musical history of ireland was hilarious.
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Nov 09, 2009 5:30:43 PM CST
MICHAEL FLATLEY'S BOOTY REJECTED BY HOOD CERTIFICATION BOARD
by bringingsexyback
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I agree with you. I thought things would get better with Barack Obama in the White House. It is a pleasure to see an intelligent, capable, and personable Black man in a position like the President of the United States. However, Black people have not been paying attention and their behavior is disgusting. I live in a city where Black-on-Black crime is endemic. Chris Brown and Kanye West are symptoms of a bigger sickness that is destroying the Black community. The killing of the honor student in Chicago made me ill. I was bullied all throughout middle and high school by other Blacks because I was a high-achieving student. The reality show "The Real Housewives of Atlanta" just reinforces negative stereotypes about Black women. I cannot watch shows like that or BET for that matter because of the ghetto behavior that is celebrated and encouraged. Oprah is the worst of the lot using her show to promote "poverty porn". I stopped wathing her show a long time ago because I felt she exploits poor Black women to make a buck. I am sick of seeing Black people portrayed as buffoons and the real problems of poverty and illiteracy glossed over and packaged as entertainment.
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I heard they put their names on the movie ("Present") and nothing more. I'm sure they threw some pennies at it but they had nothing to do with any artistic aspect...which of course makes me happy (AS PER THE NEW YORK POST REVIEW-Lou Loumenick)
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Recidivism for these types of criminals is 100%...
Why not make a film about a "kind" mass-murderer or a unicorn or a Santa Claus?
Precious looks like an exercise in misery to me. And guilt.
Just remember that it's all our fault. Society did it. -
You summed my feelings on this completely: poverty porn.
How many lives are lost, how many Einsteins never find their potential because they are told they "can't" make it; that they are simply "selling" out by studying and achieving--by showing common decency and courtesy to others? Sad. -
I'm all for responsibility in the black community, but we can not forget the forces that plague the black community from bad food to police brutality to covert government attacks. (cointelpro, cia crack cocaine trade and a whole lot of other shit that me, you and obama know nothing of)
To think that obama being president would somehow magically change centuries of past and present oppression is asinine.
Look at bill cosby. He ran off at the mouth and was trashed for it as he should have been.
Now he's connected with the hood and brought together some positive hip-hop artists to make a bill cosby rap album.
Bill realized that talk is cheap and is now dealing with our community from the grass roots level and I applaud that.
Peace. -
If you study history and the governments own stats you will see that the dominant society did do it.
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I'm in London, UK and appalled to hear of the Chicago honor student killing - due to restricted access to guns, theres alot of knife crime here in London and yes you've guessed it - the media tends to relate it with young black men 90% of the time - as with poverty in films, it easier to sell newspapers that way, the general public will BUY a particular story faster if the criminal in question is of an ethnic minority - the saddest aspect of it is that we ourselves are also often more accepting of that story (in many cases due to lack of alternatives) I havent seen many positive stories about the black community highlighted in any news outlet because of the "if it bleeds, it leads" mentality. Intelligence is not capitalised on or respected enough in the black community, in some cases its seen as "weak" or "white" due to individuals buying into the youth herd mentality - I'm glad there are people on this message board who have grown out of that and DO look for more mature black entertainment.
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In the US, educated Black people being are considered "selling out" or tying to be White. It is a matter of pride to be representing your "hood" . Being a "bourgie" is considered betraying your race. As an educated Black woman and a geek in the US, I have been bullied and rejected by other American Blacks as an "Uncle Tom" or a "wannabee". Black men have rejected me as less than sexy or attractive because I am educated. In the area I live in, the ghetto mentality is considered normal and I have had trouble making black friends here. I don't listen to same music, watch the same movies, or television shows. I do not attend church which makes me an outcast here. I spend my free time on the Internet on geek websites and Twitter talking with other geeks around the world.
BTW, I watch a lot of movies and television shows from the UK and the way Blacks are portrayed is very different than what is shown in the US entertainment media. My favorite televison shows are "Spaced" and "Dr. Who". My favorite movies are "Shaun of the Dead" and "Hot Fuzz". If I told Blacks where I live that, I would be laughed at. -
Black people LOVE educated black people (see: Obama)
What a lot of black people cant stand are people who seem to have forgotten where they came from. (i.e. their culture) to wholeheartedly embrace "white" culture.
There is a huge difference between the two. -
You are so wrong. I embrace American culture NOT Black culture. Culture doesn't have a color. Culture is a mix of influences. We are Americans first. People come to the US from around the world embrace American culture. Why should Black people be any different? You don't have to come from the ghetto or a poor background to be proud of where you came from. What I can't stand are Black people who dictate that there is only one standard of "Blackness" and that anyone who refuses to adhere to that standard is somehow less Black. Putting people into little boxes is wrong. There is so little tolerance for diversity in the Black community. There are all sorts of subcultures in the White community. It should be the same in the Black community.
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Before he entered the race for president was Barack Obama well known amongst the black community in the USA? Even when I visited the US it seemed like SUCCESS was always more respected than intelligence/education and that may be the problem. All over the world black people have had more PUBLICLY VISIBLE success through sports and entertainment, than through politics and science, which may lead to the idea in young black people that you do NOT need education to be successful - this idea has definitely taken route amongst many young black men in the UK. ( The Get Rich or Die Trying generation) I think Barack Omaba is a step in the right direction as he shows that there are greater levels of success that are unselfish and inspiring to others that need an education above and beyond whatever is required to have a platinum selling album or win a sports game. I think Barack came at the right time too because for lack of a better term - he's set a new and better standard. With recession and jobs hard to come by - the ignorant (whether they be black or white) and the George W. Bush's of the world will realise they need to adapt, improve or perish.
PS. Shadowcat664 - you should visit the UK, even though we have our fair share of ignoramuses - even THEY realise that smart people are the cream of the crop and are even being treated as such by the job market. Alot of my old school friends on facebook wish they took their education more seriously - but who knows, maybe they lived a richer fuller life going to parties .... only time will tell. -
I disagree that we are americans 1st. An american has self evident rights given by the creator says the U.S. Constitution.
That's not the case with black people in america. We are amended americans at best.
America is supposed to be a melting pot where cultures share while remaining distinct.
You're not supposed to give up your distinct cultural flavor to embrace some nebulous "American" culture.
That's ethnic cleansing. I don't think we signed for that on the slave ships.
It's funny when the media wants to show us depictions of "America's Heartland" They show us some all white town in nebraska.
Our people are bombarded with propaganda, bad food, lack of healthcare (mental and physical), bad policing, redlining ect...
It's a wonder black movie nerds like us even exist.
I have been teased and hit with certain comments about my blackness from ignorant brothers and sisters, but I have a way of breaking things down to them while letting them know I got love for'em.
Not everybody has the time, patience or strength to confront ignorance and I can dig that, but like criticalbliss said about a potential einstein in the black community, it could be your kind words that becomes the spark to change their life.
Peace.
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Shadow, again, I totally agree with what you say. Blacks MUST look forward and not backward. It is ridiculous to dwell on the past and insulate yourself from the rest of society. Look at immigrants. For the most part, they find a way to assimilate, yet keep true to their background. Except for that recent case of the Iraqi father who ran his daughter down because she was too Westernized. My question is, if you don't want her Westernized, don't move to America. FFS!
Anyways. Duke, I know you're a businessman from another TB, so what I can I say about your POV but that you are in the best position to capitalize on a real need in the ghetto. Open a farmer's market and offer the community good, wholesome food. Educate people that eating a salad is better than eating a burger. Bad food is not a plague on black people, but on ALL Americans but particularly poor ones.
The class schism in America is far greater than the racial. Blacks are plagued by both. But like Obama has demonstrated, one can rise above it through hard work, and most importantly, education and character. -
I would say the masses of black people became hip to obama during the gore election, but he was well known in chicago.
The problems of materialism in the black community and lack of respect for educated people is very much an white american problem as well.
Just look at paris hilton, miley cyrus, k-fed, ect...
There's a reason why mike judge made idiocracy. -
I have been invited to visit the UK by my Internet friends. Two live in Glasgow and the rest live in London. I am saving up to visit sometime next year. With the global recession hitting everyone very hard, I think people are reconsidering their educational choices. I majored in the sciences and I had very few Blacks in any of my classes. I am now working in the IT field where the disparities are even more apparent. Sadly, math and Sscience are considered a "White" thing by too many young Black people. The "hustling" lifestyle is not viable for anyone. Especially for poor people. Education is the ticket out of poverty. Sports or rapping isn't realistic for most young people. I am so sick of Blacks being pigeonholed in sports or entertainment rather than math, science, or engineering. For Black women, having a baby and nailing the father for child support is not a viable career choice either. Keep your legs closed and finish school. It is better to go to school and learn a trade or have a career. You made some very good points. it is so sad to see young people buy into the idea that education is not important. The unemployment rate in my area is above 12% now. Partying may make you popular, but it won't get you a job in the long run. The lot of Black people won't improve until attitudes start to change.
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I'm a vegetarian, so I'm with you on doing something like that and if you have seen food inc then you may have heard of a little company called "Monsanto" They RUN shit here!!
I'm a small businessman and it would take a united front of people who have some expertise in agriculture to pull something like that off with those evil guys lurking around.
But there are plenty of studys on how bad food is sent into the inner cities of america (even in the public schools)and how the poor acually pay more for the crap that's killing them.
But, yeah maybe one day I can help make a change.
Peace.
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In fact we should call them Man-santo because if any corporation can be said to represent The Man, it is them. What they have done, and are doing, to farmers and consumers is unconscionable. But what to expect from people who have no conscience. Yet keep in mind they are color blind. They have fucked people of every race and creed, the world over. Anyways, look forward. If you ever decide to open a farmers market in the hood, I wish you well as that will be the start of good things for not only yourself but many others too.
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I'm not a Leninist. However, it is nice to see an intelligent man (albeit misguided, in my view) who can serve as a role model; though even the Annointed One is suffering from some of the same issues Shadowcat speaks of. That said, Alan Keyes is far more intelligent and educated (and qualified) than Obama and no one seemed to give him the same credit. I hated the socialist/globalist Bush from the very first primary and was hoping to see Keyes as the candidate. Needless to say, I voted for third party candidates as a result. I tend to think these things are a bit intellectually dishonest and one-sided in terms of what "party" someone is in, though. Someone like Obama (with a D) is "brilliant" and "inspiring" yet nothing is said about a legitimately brilliant man in Alan Keyes. And where was the respect for Clarence Thomas; a man who rose to the highest standing his profession far before either? It seems to be a double-standard, in my view. In truth, both parties pretty much take the same direction; just one admits they want the government to control everything and the other pretends they still advocate personal responsibility and individual freedom. Nothing will change until people really look at what they believe and how those beliefs translate into policies. Too many people only ask: what will the government do? When that's a large part of the problem, not the solution. And that includes many communities; black or otherwise. I'd rather have strong families than bigger Federal dependency.
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Clarence thomas??
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...Will cease to exist." That alan keyes?
You're kidding right?? -
Have you read the Health Care bill? Have you seen the Cap and Trade legislation? Do you know the historical (and dangerous) precedents for GIVE? Study history... particularly history covering Southern American communist dictators (as well as Castro) and, to a lesser extent, the german socialist party. Keyes is correct; though I'd argue that Pelosi and the rest are just as much of a threat (and most of the republicans as well). These people are open in their hate this country and their opposition to the constitutional concept of liberty. They "know" better than the rest of us. Obama is not the first with these views trying to subvert the democratic process and civil liberties; he's just the latest.
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I hate politics in talkback. I apologize. The Oprah vortex pulled me in...
We should get back to the film. I still agree with Shadowcat. It's poverty porn. -
@criticalbliss.
I'm not an Obama fan either and for SOME of the reasons you state, but alan keyes is batshit crazy!!
Ralph nader is a great obama critic. I agree with much of what he says.
Peace. (And hopefully sleep) -
No sleep for me. Good luck and I hope you get some rest.
Later. -
Doesn't this movie reinforce every single afroamerican negative stereotype there is? I heard the girl steals a bucket of fried chicken...is it true? I mean, it sounds to me as if the movie was written by a redneck.
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