I watched a sweet, mature, romantic film about a 30-something, professional black couple last night. "Not Easily Broken" was directed by the industry veteran, Bill Duke, and produced by the powerful preacher Bishop TD Jakes. It dealt with a young couple that loses its way in careers, money, negative influences, changing gender roles and just everyday life. They faced each other and themselves, and then got to working on their marriage. Now this wasn't a perfect movie, but it was a grown-up movie about a successful, normal, married black couple. Something we don't see everyday, on the small screen or on the big screen. No gimmicks and silliness. No men in drag. Just relatable people trying to pick up the pieces of a failing marriage and turn the relationship around. I thought it was topical and honest. The characters had interracial friendships and attractions. Let's face it, America has changed and is changing and this needs to be reflected in our cinema. You saw middle class blacks wanting to leave behind their brothers and sisters in the hood so they could buy into the American dream. We know them too. We saw black on black violence between black men, the cycle of fatherless homes, and generaltional hurt get broken with honest discussion and self-relection. That was plain beautiful to see. I regret that I didn't make it to the theatre to see it when it was in theatres but greateful that I picked it up on the video rack at Duane Reade. Now my question is, why didn't more of us go see this when it was in the movies? My only hope now is that we'll have viewing parties with friends and discuss the issues presented in the film.
Another great, but small recent film was "Akeelah And The Bee". I was happy and elated in the theatre when the credits rolled at the end of this sweet movie. A young black girl dealing with the death of her dad and an overworked and frustrated mother lets her bright light shine for the first time, and goes all the way to win the Scripps National Spelling Bee. I loved that movie and was happy to pay the $11 to see it and felt strongly that every black parent should take their child to see it.
And I would be remiss if I failed to list Spike Lee's, "The Miracle At St. Anna". Not only one of the best films of 2008, and sorely overlooked for any Oscar nods, but most importantly we didn't go see it when it was released. I personally had to see it because the trailers had me open and my father actually served in WWII. But I remember not feeling good about how so few people were in the theatre with me on that Saturday about 2 years ago. The emotionally powerful and historically significant story about black men fighting in Europe when they couldn't vote in the US, led me to research and ask more questions about the stories of black servicemen during WWII. ( My dad passed in 1980) I'd read about Spike's struggle for financing and how Italian businessmen came to support the creation of this story that needed to be told. And my question again, why didn't we feel the need to support and see a powerful story about strong black men?
We can't complain and kick our feet when we see all this crap and lies about who we are on the screen when we don't take our children to see valuable, uplifting stories that make us think. I've often thought about how the movies and shows we overwhelmingly support tend to be comedies. Always gotta laugh, but can we handle anything serious sometimes if its not wrapped in old stereotypes and buffoonery. The imagery matters. I can't always make it to see every movie, good or otherwise, about black people. But I value my mind not to see something that tears down the mental strength and valiant work of black people, and to support movies and artists that offer complexity, honesty and cultural pride.
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