Tag: drug dealers

L to r – Son (Jessie Usher), father (Samuel L. Jackson) and grandfather (Richard Roundtree) join forces in “Shaft” 2019.

SHAFT

Film Review by Marlene Ardoin

I usually try to avoid the violent films, but “Shaft” 2019, is different.

But, why? In 1971, it was one of the first Black power and Black cool films to appear.

In 2019, it is still all of those things, but more.

It embraces the pride in Black linage in a multi-generational way with an unapologetic, masculine perspective.

In Shaft 2019, the grandfather (Richard Roundtree), the father (Samuel L. Jackson) and the son (Jessie Usher) join forces to do what they do, better, together.

The grandfather has the guns, the father has the brute street smarts and the son has the college educated smarts.

All together, they are a force to be reckoned with.

Shaft 2019 has a lot of humor, warmth, intrigue and romance.

The reason that the masculine perspective does not offend me is, because the men are presented as woman lovers, not women haters.

Another reason that I liked this film is because, even though it is violent, it provides a catharsis for me to see the drug dealers and pimps getting the same treatment that they dish out.

At one point, the son prevents his father from hurting a female drug dealer, so the father tells her, he can’t hurt her, and so he will have to hurt her stuff.

Another reason I liked Shaft 2019 is because, if you are a product of a split home, you will come out healed.

This film is about a family that has been split up, but the father tries to show his love by sending his son yearly birthday presents that are too humorous to describe.

The split up of the mother and father is sad, because they still care for each other, but it becomes the only way to keep their son safe.

This film also tackles veteran suicide, which is not a pleasant topic, but it takes a young veteran of Muslim decent to make a point.

The final reason that I connected with this film, is because it speaks to the topic of working for “the man.”

“The man” is any company that you have ever worked for that did not appreciate you, your abilities, or just plain tried to use you, without caring one iota about you.

If you can connect with any of these reasons, then see this film.

Unless, of course, you are too sensitive, too prudish, or too intolerant.

This film is not so much about being Black and masculine in America, as it is about being American.

Richard Roundtree stars in the 1971 version of “Shaft.”

Actor Samuel L. Jackson:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Samuel_L._Jackson

Actor Jessie Usher:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jessie_Usher

Actor Richard Roundtree:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_Roundtree

Actress Regina Hall:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Regina_Hall

Actress Alexandra Shipp:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alexandra_Shipp

Director Tim Story:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tim_Story

Writer Kenya Barris:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kenya_Barris

Writer Alex Barnow:

https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1113415/

Wiki Shaft 2019:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shaft_(2019_film)

Wiki Shaft 1971:

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shaft_(1971_film)

7/7/2019 # SHAFT 2019

Growing up in the “Moonlight” by the ocean.

Alex Hibbert as Child Chiron , Ashton Sanders as Teen Chiron and Trevante Rhodes as adult Chiron.

MOONLIGHT

Film Review By Marlene Ardoin

Based on the play “In Moonlight Black Boys Look Blue” by Tarell Alvin McCraney, the film, “Moonlight,” is told in three parts about growing up Black, gay and masculine in America.

I don’t think that the masculinity of Black men has ever been examined in quite this way.

The film poses the question that if half the black young men are in prison, who is left to be the male role models for their young, male children? This film answers the question in a very poetic way.

Growing up in a racist society, as young children, we pick up on subtle clues that Black is somehow less than, inferior, not capable, and easily bullied. Being female is viewed in much the same way.

On top of all that, what if you are Black, gay and fatherless. How does a young male, who is discovering his sexual identity, survive, let alone, thrive in such an environment?

Until Barack Obama came onto the scene, the Black success stories were the drug dealers. They had the smarts, the money and the tough, masculine example of success.

Since Chiron did not know Obama, Martin Luther King, Jr., Tiger Woods, or any Black Power members, but he did know a few drug dealers, he ends up modeling himself after the drug dealers.

This film is getting a lot of critical notice, and I think that it deserves to receive it.

Another aspect of this film which stood out for me was the ocean as an environment, which becomes a poetic character in the film. The fresh, ocean air becomes a symbol for freedom, love, vulnerability, romance and caring.

Chiron learns to associate the ocean with pleasure and the freedom to express his sexuality. We discover that Chiron is a romantic, with his own ideas about love. He associates the ocean with love.

This film’s gay youth, Chiron (Alex Hibbert), grows up with his mother, Paula (Naomie Harris), who is sometimes caring, but most of the time, she is escaping or surviving.

Paula is a tragic figure, but she has somehow managed to provide a home for her child, in spite of her meager resources.

She and her son, Chiron, are not homeless, which, under the circumstances, has very little meaning, but it did provide some stability for her fatherless son.

Paula does love her son, which is what saves him. Had Chiron been abused or exploited, this story might have had a very different outcome.

As a child, Chiron is bullied by his peers. And, thanks to the drug dealer example, he learns how to stand up for himself. His tormentors discover that they have a tiger by the tale. Chiron develops a sense of pride, grit and self-worth.

I really loved the ending to this film.

“Moonlight” has Golden Globe nominations for Best Picture, Best Director, Best Supporting Actor for Mahershala Ali, the crack dealer, Best Supporting Actress for mother Paula (Naomie Harris), Best Screenplay and Best Original Score.

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1/3/17 # Moonlight