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Director Spotlight: Spike Lee

Discussion in 'Entertainment Forum' started by Henry, Feb 22, 2021.

  1. Henry

    Moderator Moderator

    Ditching the idea of polls completely.

    Let's talk about everyone's favorite Knicks fan.

    Pick your fave! Tell us why!

    Feel free to list ideas for other threads here

    upload_2021-2-22_15-9-14.png
     
    aoftbsten likes this.
  2. Morrissey

    Trusted

    Do the Right Thing is an important film in so many ways, but 25th Hour is such a remarkable and emotional film. Many of the great films are at least partially accidental, and the 9/11 connections to a small story about the last day of a drug dealer were a welcome antidote when the world was so confusing.
     
    DrAlanGrant and OhTheWater like this.
  3. Nathan

    Always do the right thing. Supporter

    Do the Right Thing is a masterpiece, and his essential film. It’s honest and the rare truly radical film that can be read as positing violence as a valid response to racism. But it’s not just the ideas, the vibrant colors of the cinematography, largely reds and yellows, make the heat of the summer day feel real in the cinema itself. A masterwork.
     
  4. Nathan

    Always do the right thing. Supporter

    He’s also unique in that he tries a lot of different things, like a David Byrne performance or an Oldboy remake, even a Do the Right Thing sequel (which I haven’t seen). He doesn’t always stick the landing and they can be messy, but something like Chi-Raq is an absurdist mess that still works very well. It’s hard to find a similar voice.

    Bamboozled is currently on Criterion Channel and one of his that I wish I saw more talk about.
     
  5. SpyKi

    You must fix your heart Supporter

    Do the Right Thing, Malcolm X and 25th Hour are my favourites of his.
     
  6. OhTheWater

    Let it run Supporter

    I haven’t seen a lot, but I do love 25th Hour
     
  7. aoftbsten

    Trusted Supporter

    Perfect timing, I've been going through all his films recently. Do The Right Thing is probably his best, but I'd nominate Jungle Fever for one of his best too. Despite its head-scratching last shot, it provides a nuanced view of how prejudice and racial insecurities develop, particularly how they are inherited from parents. It's a top-tier Sam Jackson performance.
     
  8. jkauf

    Prestigious Supporter

    Do the right thing for sure
     
  9. aoftbsten

    Trusted Supporter

    This is the thing I love about his films. Even when they aren't good, they're still interesting.
     
  10. imthegrimace

    the poster formally known as thesheriff Supporter

    Probably 25th hour. Inside man is a lot of fun.
     
  11. Morrissey

    Trusted

    The scene in 2th Hour where Monty and his dad are imagining a potential future, with the bus pulling away to reveal Naturelle as the music swells, is always breathtaking.
     
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  12. aoftbsten

    Trusted Supporter

    Inside Man belongs in the heist movie canon.
     
    CarpetElf likes this.
  13. Anthony_

    A (Cancelled) Dork Prestigious

    Waiting for the Oldboy stan to show up
     
  14. aoftbsten

    Trusted Supporter

    I watched School Daze for the first time a few weeks ago and had no idea it was a semi-musical. The Good and Bad Hair number came out of nowhere.
     
  15. aoftbsten

    Trusted Supporter

    I'm sure this is an unpopular opinion, but I didn't like the original so I had no desire to watch it remade.
     
  16. Anthony_

    A (Cancelled) Dork Prestigious

    SpyKi likes this.
  17. youll be fine

    Trusted Supporter

    Do The Right Thing is his best.

    BlacKkKlansman is my personal favorite.
     
  18. aoftbsten

    Trusted Supporter

    It was hyped up to me so much prior to watching and I was let down. I might give it another shot one day, but it just didn't do anything for me.
     
  19. Serh

    Prestigious Prestigious

    kills me that i've seen da sweet blood of jesus and st. anna but haven't seen 25th hour or bamboozled
     
    SpyKi likes this.
  20. Serh

    Prestigious Prestigious

    i did however get to see do the right thing remastered on the big screen, that was excellent
     
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  21. username

    hey you lil piss baby

    The answer is Bamboozled
     
  22. phaynes12

    https://expertfrowner.bandcamp.com/ Prestigious

    do the right thing is an all timer. i have a lot of nostalgia for crooklyn bc it was one of three or four vhs tapes we had in the car for long drives
     
  23. I'm surprised people are so high on inside man. I'm a big denzel fan so I've always loved it.

    25th hour or blackkklansman would be my favorite
     
  24. Jason Tolpin

    Trusted

    I havent seen them all, but if Do the Right Thing is on TV, Im stopping to watch it, every day and twice on Sunday.
     
    Jake Gyllenhaal likes this.
  25. Jake Gyllenhaal

    Wookie of the Year Supporter

    I love Do The Right Thing and a bunch of others. My girlfriend introduced me to Crooklyn, one of her favorites. I showed her BlacKKKlansman to her and she really liked it. I saw Spike speak at a college around 2005 and he talked about his career and encouraged young people to follow their passions since that’s what he did. But my one takeaway was that he held a grudge against The Oscars since Do The Right Thing was not nominated for Best Picture but remains socially relevant today meanwhile most people have forgotten about Driving Miss Daisy.
     
    imthesheriff likes this.