Diary entries forMalcolm X
Malcolm X
an amazingly done biopic. loved the camerawork that makes this a recognizable spike lee movie. the nelson mandela cameo at the end surprised me i was totally unaware he was in this.
Malcolm X
brothers and sisters, i am here to tell you that i charge the white man. i charge the white man with being the greatest murderer on earth denzel washington has to be one of the most talented actors of all time. bless spike lee for making films about black history that history books in school purposefully fail to inform us about. malcolm x will never be forgotten
Malcolm X
Read through The Autobiography of Malcolm X and then booked it here immediately after clearing the tears. (James Baldwin behind much of the original rejected screen treatment-- how that could've turned out, I wonder! All these machinations in how things are adapted.) So maybe this is the most straightforward of Lee's films I've seen so far, but it really puts the biopic through its paces and is just so fuckin' steady. The three plus hours are only just barely enough to get the range of a life-- if anything it's the cascade of speeches, words and ideas roaming throughout propelling it to another plane altogether. Impossible to imagine anyone other than Washington for it. The tempest of this figure, of these times, but thoroughly braced in a steady context of true seeking. And Ossie Davis eulogizing across the decades, wow!
Malcolm X
“They traded in their white sheets for police uniforms, and their bloodhounds for police dogs.” Such a powerful and moving film, about as perfect of a biopic as you can get. Denzel really embodies the true spirit of Malcolm X, with a career-defining performance. There is also a haunting relevance to the themes and social issues displayed here. Racism still runs rampant in our country, even if some don’t want to admit it or pretend not to see it. It’s there, a sinister entity, hiding amongst the shadows of our society. We will never overcome this plague if we do not actively fight against it. To be complacent is to be an accomplice to this evil, we must be consciously, and deliberately anti-racist. We need to hold each other accountable, and work together to eradicate the disease we call racism - by any means necessary.
Malcolm X
The epitome of biopics, hands down. 3 hours and 20 minutes felt like an hour. Staggering and big in its scope. In technical aspect, the moonlight shot in the first act is astounding; the blocking here had some sprinkle of Kubrick. Washington seamlessly transforms into Malcolm himself, from street hustler to an influential activist, I was captivated by his raw and emotional performance. Dumbfounded by Spike Lee's direction, he masterfully captures the 1940s to 60's New York was amazing, and it immerses you into the struggle of racial equality. Also, every chapter or act of Malcolm feels distinct and different, and I love it. The last 20 minutes was some of the most emotion I have felt and seen in a film. A film about the way to beat systemic racism, a tale of a man finding his place. A true quintessential American film
Malcolm X
76/100 Nah Spike Lee is foul for including that song leading up to the end. This movie unfortunately shows its age a bit. Spike Lee’s direction is questionable for me especially because I watched this after watching Michael Mann’s Ali, now I’m not saying Ali was better but Malcolm X’s representation in that film paired with the cinematography and the better writing really stood out for me. This film however really takes its time building anything substantial. They tried to make it heavily comical and sexual for Malcolm in the first hour but I feel that was more of a cultural direction from Spike Lee rather than an objectively accurate one. The crowd work was poor and they tried to overdo Malcolm’s aura with the reactions from the supporting actors, should’ve kept it subtle, man I wish Mann directed a Malcolm X biopic with Denzel because Denzel was excellent, when is he never really! His transformation on screen was a marvel to witness. He made you understand and empathise with Malcolm X and by the end, you sat there supporting Malcolm X, not identifying him as a violent version of Martin Luther but as a more progressive and self-respecting version of him. He was a leader that the black people needed but the black community has always suffered with two things that the Indian community has suffered with - submission and betrayal. It’s these two things that kill any chance of a movement and keep them down. It’s a true shame because there is so much potential but until the people do not accept Malcolm X’s ideology completely, it won’t change. They got the idea right, they got Denzel right but I feel the representation was exaggerated and thrown into your face because of Spike Lee.
Malcolm X
We declare our right on this earth to be a man, to be a human being to be given the rights of the human being to he respected us a human being in this society on this earth in this day which we intend to bring into existence by any necessary! ~Malcolm X. yeah just crosscheck this denzel perfomance dont get a oscar, they suck.
Malcolm X
Pretty incredible. Love Lee doing the epic biopic. You feel the runtime, but never in a negative way. The sequence with Malcolm on Hajj is truly breathtaking. Denzel losing to Pacino is just such a horrendous beat.
Malcolm X
Una clĂnica en estudio de personaje disfrazada de biopic. Los primeros cuarenta y pico minutos me parecieron infumables pero afortunadamente se pone mucho mejor. Es una reflexiĂłn sobre el trabajo ingrato del profeta y el riesgo que uno corre aferrándose a creencias en tiempos de revoluciĂłn social. El final es importantĂsimo.
Malcolm X
"We don't see any American dream, we've experienced only the American nightmare." Hearing this particular V.O. over the brutal beating of Rodney King, cooled my blood with anger. It's always unsettling watching films about people advocating for their human rights knowing that years after their deaths, much of the progress they'd hoped for has yet to be achieved, and indeed it is nowhere in sight, as many people have forgotten how to get angry. All power to the people.
