Baby Boy

nikki25 · #1 06-27-2001, 10:32 AM

John Singleton's new movie, Baby Boy, will be in theatres around the country today.

What are your thoughts about the movie thusfar? Is this form of movie making out for Black America? Or, do you think that having a movie like this and one like Love and Basketball reflects the breadth of the Black experience?

Are you going to see the movie? If you've already seen it, what are your thoughts?

[This message has been edited by nikki25 (edited June 27, 2001).]

CelestialBlu1 · #2 06-27-2001, 10:46 AM

nope...not going to see it...it looks ghetto...now diversified roles are all good...but it is past time we took a hiatus from the ghetto flicks to pump some effort into intelligent comedy, dramas that rival "non-black" productions, a bit of sci-fi and some action-adventure as well...if this is the image that we keep putting out and supporting...we cannot complain when the world wrongly perceives us as thugs and rump shakers...

Sexy Mocha · #3 06-27-2001, 10:50 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by CelestialBlu1:
nope...not going to see it...it looks ghetto...now diversified roles are all good...but it is past time we took a hiatus from the ghetto flicks to pump some effort into intelligent comedy, dramas that rival "non-black" productions, a bit of sci-fi and some action-adventure as well...if this is the image that we keep putting out and supporting...we cannot complain when the world wrongly perceives us as thugs and rump shakers...

Ditto.

Chi_ZETABBW · #4 06-27-2001, 11:27 AM

I can't wait to see it, the previews did not look ghetto to me.

nikki25 · #5 06-27-2001, 01:25 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by KnowledgeEternal:
I won't watch this until its on regular TV. John Singleton was talking about how he feels like slapping all these black film makers who keep making happy "black" films(ala Best Man, Soul Food, Love and Basketball) because those are not "real" movies. When he said that I was like WTF? There are Middle and upper class african americans you know. He's talking like through all his success he's been "keeping it real" in an apartment in Compton. Give me a break.

That's rather interesting. I think that Mr. Singleton may have made that statement as a marketing ploy. Whites may have believed that with the downtrodden images of Blacks that they had an understanding of our experience. The new wave of films such as that of movies Love and Basketball, Love Jones, The Best Man, negate their previous "understandings". Singleton's calling these pictures a fascade puts an overcast on those films and makes himself appear as the authentic Black storyteller and filmmaker, thereby validating the downtrodden and outdated image of Blacks in America.

I just plain out think that its a marketing scheme for him. He really needs to know that he has not cornered the market on the Black experience. If he think that he has he needs to experience that mighty wake-up call! Black America is too diverse to be canned and sold. There's just too much diversity.

He's really being rather unfair to Black filmmakers overall when he makes statements that generalize the Black experience.

AKA2D '91 · #6 06-27-2001, 01:47 PM

I don't know what Singleton said or didn't say.

I think I will eventually see the movie. When I saw the making of... on MTV, it really caught my attention. It didn't look ALL THAT ghetto. If you haven't checked out The Making of...you need to.

I still want to see it!

songstress21 · #7 06-27-2001, 02:52 PM

I did want to go check out the movie but not after those comments! John Singleton will say anything since he hasn't had a hit since Boyz in Hood. He has to go back to the negativity and violence to sell his films. Personally:

1. I have ever lived in the ghetto.

2. Grew up with BOTH of my parents who both have college degrees.

3. I can speak standard English.

Does this make me less black or not apart of the "black experience?" Someone please enlighten me.

CocoaCaramel · #8 06-27-2001, 03:32 PM

The only thing about the movie I don't think I'll like is Tyrese. I don't think he can act.

On the GHETTO note, I'm from the CPT. I see people like this as well as professional business-minded folks evryday. The ghetto/negative (depending on how you want to look at it) aspect is just as much a part of the "black experience" as overcoming it. To pretend that everything is honkie dorie is not real. Don't get me wrong Love & BBAll is my favorite movie. And happy family movies like that do depict reality for a WHOLE LOT of black folks. (I'm one....well kinda. We all got our own family dramas

) It's just that movies like that are not a reality for EVERY black person.

AKA2D '91 · #9 06-27-2001, 03:38 PM

Did you all know that the role that Tyrese is playing was created for 2Pac?

When John had decided to do the film, he had seen Pac a few days before and told him he had his role. In the convo, Pac told him he was going to Vegas...and the rest is history!

Sexy Mocha · #10 06-27-2001, 03:59 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by CocoaCaramel:
The only thing about the movie I don't think I'll like is Tyrese. I don't think he can act.

...and I thought it was just me.
He was just fine singing the praises of Coca-Cola on the bus.

Classy_Diva5 · #11 06-27-2001, 04:40 PM

I'm not going to see it, because it just doesn't interest me. To me, this seems to be a repeat of Boyz N The Hood, the only exception is that Singleton chose to focus more on the relationship part.

Putting celebrities (Snoop, Tyrese) in a movie does not guarantee that it'll be a blockbuster. Personally, I do not care for the acting of either one of these music artists-just look at Murder Was The Case that Snoop did a few years back.

Singleton saying that other directors aren't "keeping it real" needed to be kept to himself. Just because a black director decides to branch out with a different genre of movie doesn't mean a thing, except that they want to bring some diversity on the big screen.

For those that see the film, please post your opinions on the board!

Have a good Wednesday
*Classy_Diva5*

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"Mind ya own, stay true to ya own, be ya own."

Peace and God Bless
*Classy_Diva5*

DST Love · #12 06-27-2001, 04:59 PM

I will not pay money to see it. I will only go if my boyfriend wants to see it, which he hasn't said he does. And if he does want to, he'll have to pay. I'm just getting sick of seeing these types of movies. Not that they shouldn't be made but come on. I can relate to some things in these films but I can also relate to films like Soul Food, Love Jones, etc. More important it's not about relating. Why can't we see us doing other things? Why do we always have to have movies that we relate to? Can't we just see US in a good action flick from time to time? I mean I couldn't relate to everything they were going through in the movie Life (it was set in a time way back and I've never been to jail) but yet I enjoyed it immensely. Baby Boy, been there done that. I think it was Boyz in the Hood.

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#10 Sigma (Clark Atlanta University) Spring 1999
Currently: MAL, Southern Region

[This message has been edited by DST Love (edited June 27, 2001).]

ivy#3 · #13 06-27-2001, 05:51 PM

I won't be seeing it...BUT if anybody can get me a bootleg cut of the scene of Tyrese's fine choclate ass dancing naked I would be forever grateful.

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Pretty is as Pretty does...and I do it all the time.

Chi_ZETABBW · #14 06-27-2001, 06:04 PM

OK, I just saw it!!! Curiosity got the best of me, so I caught a matinee. The acting was bad....don't want to spoil it for anyone, so I'll leave it at that. But I will say I have a new respect for Ving Rhames, D*** he's fine.

gold99gyrl · #15 06-27-2001, 06:37 PM

I will go see it just to see Tyrese and that is reason enough for me!

"Would have been nice to see Tupac in that role."