Black Cinema

So I went to see This Christmas on Thanksgiving. First let me say that I think the movie is average at best. The movie has a lot of actors that I like: Delroy Lindo, Idris Elba, Mekhi Phifer, and Regina King. The movie also had Chris Brown and David Banner.

In This Christmas, Loretta Devine had way too many children. With 6 children, thats six story lines to tell (not including her own with Delroy Lindo). There just wasn't enough time in the movie to get into each story in depth. I didn't feel attached to any of the characters except maybe for Regina King. They could have told a better story if Loretta Devine had 4 children.

I think that this movie has a cookie-cutter script and after talking to my friend it got me thinking. Why all are black movies either comedies or love films? This Christmas is a mixture of both. Is it that black people are only interested in seeing these type of movies? My friend asked me to name a blockbuster action movie that stars a black person (excluding Will Smith, Denzel Washington or Samuel L. Jackson). I was hard pressed to name one.

I did see a preview for a black film that I think is going to be very interesting and has a lot of substance. The movie is called the Great Debate. Its stars Denzel Washington and its based on the true story of the first all black debate team to take on a white debate team (Harvard I believe).

I am all for support of black films, businesses, etc. But all I ask for is a little bit of diversity. Please.

November 25, 2007