New In USA Theaters This Week: 'Beast Of The Southern Wild' & 'Madea's Witness Protection'

23 Comments

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• Charlie | August 7, 2012 12:24 PMReply

  Can I just say that I don't think eating cat food is an example of "living off the land".

• Cyberwednesday | July 25, 2012 3:18 AMReply

  just check out the movie CYBORNETICS if you want to see something different, www.cybornetics.net

• AJ | June 29, 2012 2:20 AMReply

  I hate the title "BEASTS of the Southern Wild" - what kind of racist crap is that? Yes, yes, I know that Beasts is in reference to a part of the movie where the main characters are told to "beast" their food, or eat it all, quickly. But it's highly doubtful that a movie featuring a little white girl, hair unkempt and flying or not, would ever be released with such an offensive title.
  
  Black people are not beasts and i won't be seeing it for that reason alone. The same reason I refused to see "Pariah". Why must these movies that focus in black women or black girls have such horrible, degrading titles? We have enough Black women being portrayed as beastly in their actions on "Reality" TV - I will not accept that insult being leveled at a Black child.
  
  You Hollywood Blacks may accept that, but I do not. Won't be seeing it. When black girls and Blacks in general can get a mainstream movie called with a title like "Brave", then I'll see it. Until then, I don't think so.

• Tamara | June 26, 2012 4:58 PMReply

  If I had the choice, I'd definitely see BOTSW, but I don't live anywheres close to a theater with this film opening. So I'll wait to view it. I love magical realism. I love seeing tales like this; tales told through a child's point of view. No matter how realistic or even how surreal the narrative might be, there's a certain something that comes from a child's perspective that is unique and unlike other protagonists' tellings.

• Orville | June 26, 2012 12:35 AMReply

  I am not sure Beasts of the Southern Wild is going to be popular with black audiences. So what if Sundance likes it? So because a mainstream white film organization likes the movie says I'm supposed to as well? I think one the things people need to realize black people we are NOT a monolithic group. I would rather see Magic Mike for a variety of reasons LOL! Such a shame though there won't be any male nudity in Magic Mike just some male butt shots. Oh well.

• AJ | June 29, 2012 2:21 AM

  @BluTopaz: The movie was made by a white man.

• BluTopaz | June 26, 2012 12:58 AM

  I believe if this movie 1) was made by a Black filmmaker 2) cast the lead actress with cornrowed hair and a hundred multicolored beads on the ends 3) a gospel soundtrack it would be a more popular film. But as you stated, we are not monolithic, and there are people who would like to see something out of the ordinary.

• Ali | June 26, 2012 12:48 AM

  It won't be wildly popular with the majority of black audiences because what films with black protagonists are overwhelmingly popular with black audiences(white director or not) that open in art house theaters? No one anywhere said you would or have to like it.

• BluTopaz | June 26, 2012 12:17 AMReply

  Some of you need to learn the difference between magic negroes and magical realism. Read a few books, watch a few foreign films (try Pan's Labryinthe for one), and you might actually stop seeing yourself as constant victims.

• Ali | June 26, 2012 1:09 AM

  @Blutopaz I know you haven't seen the film so I won't give away anything but my interpretation after seeing it is that it doesn't really deal with "black poverty" or poverty at all because they don't live in the world where money exists. They live off the land. Everyone of every race that lives in the Bathtub lives just like them. Race sort of goes out of the window in the film because of that. It's a child's interpretation of the world and maybe even the director's interpretation of what the ideal world would be. At least, from the colorblind perspective. If they made Wink and Hushpuppy white, not one thing that I saw had to change. There were no specific "black" characteristics they had. Even the ebonics that were periodically spoken were something the whites in the film did too. Now everyone can make up their own interpretation of specific things the characters do...but I feel like that's putting your own ideas and worries too heavily onto the film. You know, it's that guard we black people sometimes put up when we see white people making movies about black people. But I truly feel that if this was by a black director, it would not be so offensive to SOME black people. Now, would it have been made or seen by so many? That's a different topic...LOL But some of this negativity does not seem to be coming from the film itself. Some of it reeks "How can THEY get to make movies like THIS about US and WE can't?" And maybe some of that is justified but that doesn't take away from this movie though.

• BluTopaz | June 26, 2012 12:47 AM

  Totally agree with you Ali. Even though there is not a ton of narrative in the trailer, your synopsis is the vibe I get and I'm psyched to see it. Especially with a cute little Black girl as the hero, or the man-lol. When i first started reading magic realism years ago, I've often imagined that type of treatment applied to a Black American story.

• Ali | June 26, 2012 12:38 AM

  Seriously. It's magical realism. If you actually watch the film, you'd see that it's child's eye view of the world blends the reality and the "magic" seamlessly. It's more like her imagination and how she sees and copes with things she doesn't quite understand. There's nothing "magical negro" about this film unless having a black protagonist and some magical elements automatically makes it that.

• Wow | June 25, 2012 11:09 PMReply

  African Diaspora = Nobrainer! White director + Billie "Buckwheat" Thomas's sister, "Farina" the Pickaninny vs. Black director + a comedy? Easy greasy... go home with a frown turned upside down... Madea's Witness Protection in a landslide.

• Curtis | June 26, 2012 12:14 AM

  C'mon Carey you're not fooling anybody. "WOW" huh? More like Sybil. SMH.

• turner | June 25, 2012 11:36 PM

  You're too twisted... and racist not to see the beauty of Beasts of the Southern Wild. If you see the little girl as a Pickaninny, what does that say about you?

• Amilcar | June 25, 2012 5:57 PMReply

  What does a brother have to do to see some of these movies in South Florida? I am tired of missing out since I left NY

• Critical Acclaim | June 25, 2012 4:04 PMReply

  I don't see much difference between the two - having seen Beasts and knowing what Tyler does. Under the surface, they are the same. Count me in for Magic Mike. At least, no shucking and join in wigs and no magic fantasies from ivy leaguers about black poverty turned into magic. Over it. Magic Mike is the ticket. Just white men doing what they do best - getting money out of our pockets by distraction on shiny objects - in this case - shiny with baby oil on abs, lmao!

• Bilfer | July 3, 2012 5:38 PM

  Spot on take critical acclaim. I felt so uncomfortable the entire movie. There's the potentialy thorny racial problems (white dude trading in on stereotypes of black poverty/otherness to appeal to white, art house audiences...) But even if every person in the movie was white...
  
  You're still left with extreme poverty and alcoholism as fodder for "magic realism." which is messed up. In seriously doubt people who have struggled with that stuff found it very magical...

• ROLO | June 25, 2012 7:45 PM

  preach! same feelings on "southern wild" but everybody is talking about it like its a sacred object. i did not appreciate it not just watching it and then when the little director came out talking nonsense about dream worlds and magic, i was really done. that is how they see us. anywayz, beyond the oily chested white men, i am feeling this post, critical acclaim.

• Ava | June 25, 2012 6:27 PM

  LOL.

• the devil | June 25, 2012 1:35 PMReply

  mr. tambay, i kinda like tyler perry though. i think his work against the image of the blacks is pretty inspiring. don't you think?

• BluTopaz | June 25, 2012 7:27 PM

  --throwing holy water---

• lauren | June 25, 2012 12:11 PMReply

  I hear you! Times are tough and money's too tight to mention! LMAO!