Movies: Da 5 bloods from Spike Lee

[Mr Jiggyfly]

We seem to agree politically so in this case you are saying you're rising above human nature here and I am merely succumbing to it?

I will absolutely concede that we're more likely to gloss over shortcomings for things we agree with, be that movies, music, books, people, etc. The disagreement I have here is the assertion that the ONLY reason someone would like this movie is purely political. I think that's b.s.

I laid out several positives I saw in the movie that had nothing to do with politics. You don't like those same things and that's cool. But don't reduce my opinion to being solely politics because it isn't. I'm an informed movie watcher and I'm quite capable of drawing lines between what I like in entertainment, art and politics.

There are countless Oscar bait movies made every year that get undeserved recognition because people believe in the message behind these films.... everything from the Holocaust to racism and people with mental disabilities are used and often exploited.

How else would you explain the love for films like Forrest Gump, Crash, The Help, Wall-e, Captain Marvel, etc?

So I find it odd to pretend that a film can’t be viewed through a political prism only when judging it.

 

[Beau Knows]

There are countless Oscar bait movies made every year that get undeserved recognition because people believe in the message behind these films.... everything from the Holocaust to racism and people with mental disabilities are used and often exploited.

How else would you explain the love for films like Forrest Gump, Crash, The Help, Wall-e, Captain Marvel, etc?

So I find it odd to pretend that a film can’t be viewed through a political prism only when judging it.

 

[KallioWeHardlyKnewYe]

There are countless Oscar bait movies made every year that get undeserved recognition because people believe in the message behind these films.... everything from the Holocaust to racism and people with mental disabilities are used and often exploited.

How else would you explain the love for films like Forrest Gump, Crash, The Help, Wall-e, Captain Marvel, etc?

So I find it odd to pretend that a film can’t be viewed through a political prism only when judging it.

Bear with me here. Kinda radical thought but maybe just MAYBE people actually LIKE those movies?

My problem remains your assumption that if someone likes a movie you do not like you assume it's for political reasons. That's a dismissive and, frankly, ignorant assumption. Politics are one of many reasons people like or do not like things. Absolutely agree it is A factor. Remain opposed to the belief it's the ONLY factor.

Wall-E is a particularly HILARIOUS example here. I'd argue the politics in Wall-E is the sole reason to NOT like it. It's heavy handed to say the least. Wall-E's ample positives have everything to do with great filmmaking and almost nothing to do with ragging on Walmart and Big Gulps. If you truly think Wall-E is beloved because of its liberal environmental message then we should just shake hands and go our separate ways on this because we're definitely not going to come to any sort of mutual understanding here.

 

[Mr Jiggyfly]

Bear with me here. Kinda radical thought but maybe just MAYBE people actually LIKE those movies?

My problem remains your assumption that if someone likes a movie you do not like you assume it's for political reasons. That's a dismissive and, frankly, ignorant assumption. Politics are one of many reasons people like or do not like things. Absolutely agree it is A factor. Remain opposed to the belief it's the ONLY factor.

Wall-E is a particularly HILARIOUS example here. I'd argue the politics in Wall-E is the sole reason to NOT like it. It's heavy handed to say the least. Wall-E's ample positives have everything to do with great filmmaking and almost nothing to do with ragging on Walmart and Big Gulps. If you truly think Wall-E is beloved because of its liberal environmental message than we should just shake hands and go our separate ways on this because we're definitely not going to come to any sort of mutual understanding here.

We won’t see eye to eye on Wall-e if you think it was a well made film so, to each their own.

I don’t have any issues conceding politics isn’t the sole reason people liked this film, but it is most certainly the main factor IMHO.

I just can’t agree that our politically charged society can so easily separate their feelings as you are trying to make it seem.

I spent most of the movie trying to tell myself it was a good film because I believed in the message, until it got so ridiculous at the end, I had to level with myself.

If you believe this mess of a film would have been as well received if it was just about a few vets trying to recover lost gold without the heavy message involved, then ya, it’s best we shake hands and agree to disagree.

 

[Legend Leinonen]

A little side note. I stumbled on some Vietnamese reactions to Da 5 Bloods, and it seems the Vietnamese don't like how Vietnam and Vietnamese people are portrayed in this movie.

From RT:

"As a Vietnamese, the movie lost me since Tien showed up. I mean, the
part that one disable kid can come into apocalyse now begging for
money was already Bs, but I still could handle. Tien and her
daughter's appearances was so wrong compare to the actual history
timeline. As the movie goes on, Spike Lee proves that all he cared
about Vietnam was a movie's background and he was too lazy to learn
about our society and our people A lot of scenes werent shooted in
Vietnam, and due to that reason a lot of scenes were unrelated to
Vietnamese's culture. Men shouting to American that you killed my
mother and my father? NO! Random Vietnamese carries AK47 arround? NO.
Hiding in the jungle with ruins and 4 faces budda's statue? Hell No.
Not Vietnam. I wouldnt mind if Spike Lee labelled his movie as
entertaining movie, but if he thinks he did a good job making a
history movie, then he is terribly wrong. If a $45M budget movie only
contains this little truth about Vietnam, no wonder why people think
the media is fake."

"This is a disrespectful movie for Vietnamese history and their
citizens, another unpleasant american movie!"


I kinda see her point. The beggar boy and the Vietnamese prostitute are very cliche, almost could say, racist cliches. Then there's that guy who tries forcibly sell a chicken. The whole scene is kinda pointless and paints Vietnam in bad light.

 

[KallioWeHardlyKnewYe]

We won’t see eye to eye on Wall-e if you think it was a well made film so, to each their own.

I don’t have any issues conceding politics isn’t the sole reason people liked this film, but it is most certainly the main factor IMHO.

I just can’t agree that our politically charged society can so easily separate their feelings as you are trying to make it seem.

I spent most of the movie trying to tell myself it was a good film because I believed in the message, until it got so ridiculous at the end, I had to level with myself.

If you believe this mess of a film would have been as well received if it was just about a few vets trying to recover lost gold without the heavy message involved, then ya, it’s best we shake hands and agree to disagree.

To each their own.

Cheers, sir. Be well.

 

[Mr Jiggyfly]

To each their own.

Cheers, sir. Be well.

Ditto, appreciate your perspective.

 

[Sentinel]

Spike Lee is a wuss. Retracted his Woody Allen comments. Pathetic.

 

[x Tame Impala]

Just finished it. There was a great movie in there somewhere, but I don’t know if it was the editing or cinematography or what...the movie lacked cohesion.

-Delroy Lindo was fan-freaking-tastic. I’ve always loved that guy and it was really nice to see him crush it in this role. The panic attack/PTSD scene on the boat was the first scene in the movie that really stood out and most of that was Lindo’s acting.

-I loved that Spike Lee just had the old guys “play” their younger selves. It was way more theatrical and I didn’t have a single issue buying into it or being distracted by it.

But other than those two great things there wasn’t much else I liked. The war scenes looked amateur, and not in an ironic/stylistic way. Especially when they were spliced in with historical-footage, it made the movie feel like a weird documentary sometimes.

A story about 4 black Nam vets going back to get their fallen squad leader but secretly also going back to get millions of dollars worth of gold would’ve been a f***ing awesome movie if Spike Lee didn’t get in the way of it. He tried to say too much with his style so the story as well as the deeper relative message gets lost.

 

[x Tame Impala]

kinda tempted to argue that Lee has made his version of a Tarantino movie here

I can see that a little bit.

 

[Legionnaire]

So is this pretty much a Dead Presidents remake? Asking for a friend.

 

[Mr Jiggyfly]

So is this pretty much a Dead Presidents remake? Asking for a friend.

Not really. DP never felt like an amateur war buddy comedy.

Imagine a film student on a budget trying to do his first movie.

He has some good ideas, but he doesn’t have the experience to connect the dots or get his message across without being heavy handed....

Then he just says f*** it the last half hour and makes Death Wish 6.

 

[Puck]

I enjoyed it.

Whether you like Da 5 Bloods or not, it should be in the top 10 films of 2020 (you can count on that, especially given the dearth of films this year). When people draw up a list of 2020 films that summarize 'the year that time stood still', it should make the cut. Not a perfect film, seems like it was edited, or rather, welded together introspectively by an acetylene blowtorch instead of a fine surgical intrument. But that was probabLee intentional. Spike Lee is metal-welding art in his workshop, not finely molding plasticine figures for comfort. I don't know if Spike Lee gets nominated for an Oscar but Delroy Lindo definitely should.

 

[K Fleur]

I liked this movie.

Thought it had some fantastic performances from it's actors plus it had an mmazing soundtrack and score.

 

[Dolemite]

The trailer looks decent, but seldom has Spike Lee directed anything worth a shit. IMO.

You would be wrong

When the Levees Broke - Wikipedia
Malcolm X (1992 film) - Wikipedia

 

[Pizza!Pizza!]

Then he just says f*** it the last half hour and makes Death Wish 6.

I know you did not like the film, but your take on it makes me want to see it now.

 

[ProstheticConscience]

I liked it. Certainly one of Lee's best efforts imho.

 

[sr edler]

I'd argue the politics in Wall-E is the sole reason to NOT like it.

You didn't like the fat shaming?

 

[Mr Jiggyfly]

I know you did not like the film, but your take on it makes me want to see it now.

I wouldn’t tell someone to avoid it... any movie that has Marvin Gaye on it’s sound track isn’t all bad.

It has some decent scenes as well that you might enjoy.

I didn’t hate it, just found it to be comical when it wasn’t supposed to be. The dialogue is forced and doesn’t flow naturally, but the action scenes are so bad it’s like Lee tried to do a spoof of Tropic Thunder.

The land mine scene and a 300 lb Jean Reno suddenly turning into an unseen ninja were so comical that there is no way to take it seriously.

Those scenes alone are so cringe worthy, but it’s just the tip of the iceberg sadly.

You just have to see it to understand what I mean.

 

[Mickey Marner]

Like much of his work, it was an entertaining mess that ran 30 minutes too long. Excellent performances held it together.

 

[kook10]

on the Spike Lee tip, Do The Right Thing is streaming for free at the moment

‘Do the Right Thing’ to Stream for Free Online – Variety