tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14169925.post4237258872557450918..comments2024-02-27T10:53:43.331-05:00Comments on Big Media Vandalism: Big Media Vandalism's Sight and Sound Ballot (30-21)Steven Boonehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10533736956366847765noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14169925.post-23984171977341512272012-08-26T14:34:37.610-04:002012-08-26T14:34:37.610-04:00Kevin, I'm ready to be yelled at, but One Fals...Kevin, I'm ready to be yelled at, but <i>One False Move</i> isn't on the list. That was one of the more agonizing choices I made (probably the most agonizing, as I truly love the movie). But I went with <i>Devil</i> because it's lesser known and I think the directorial job by Franklin is equally as good as on <i>One False Move</i>. <br /><br />Part of this list's goal is to bring up lesser known movies I think deserve a viewing. If I have time, I might do a runners-up list so I can give One False Move the love it deserves. (Actually, I plan on doing a piece on it later.)odienatorhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10926978706604468636noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14169925.post-61069811775871874392012-08-26T14:18:56.719-04:002012-08-26T14:18:56.719-04:00"I can beat these muthafuckas at their own ga...<i>"I can beat these muthafuckas at their own game because I'm hungrier...and this is just another con."</i><br /><br />To me, that's the most interesting part of <i>Trading Places</i>. Well, that and the fact that I cannot help but laugh every time I hear Eddie yelling, "Is there a lawyer in the house!?" I too love that line where Billy Ray calls them bookies. I'm glad you pointed that out. <br /><br />I'm sure I can guess where the other major Eddie/Landis collaboration sits based on your past Mumf reviews (I'm guessing top 10 for the Jheri curl scene alone...hehe) <br /><br /><i>Skin Game</i> sounds interesting. I may need to try and seek that one out. It's been a long time since I've seen <i>House Party</i>, and I only ever remember from an old USA Up All Night viewing when I was in middle school. Sounds like I should probably see that one again. <br /><br />Finally, I love that you include <i>Devil in a Blue</i> dress. For introducing us to Don Cheadle alone, that film deserves high praise. I'm not the BIGGEST Denzel fan, but he was great in Franklin's brilliant, underrated neo-noir. I can only hope that Franklin's masterpiece, <i>One False Move</i>, makes an appearance on here (and I'm kicking myself for not including that one on my own top 50 list). <br /><br />That's all I got for now...I can't wait for the rest of the list. <br /><br />(Oh, and I need to go back and comment on your inclusion of <i>Bustin' Loose</i>!)Kevin J. Olsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17275402809912728035noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14169925.post-62131773402099071902012-08-26T12:31:20.935-04:002012-08-26T12:31:20.935-04:00As Shakespeare once wrote "Tis madness, but t...As Shakespeare once wrote "Tis madness, but there's method to't." My numerical placement is part bullshit, part instigation. We all know the great Black movies, but I want people to take another look at the ones I think have more to say than what's on the surface. I wrote all those words on Trading Places here at the Mumf because I didn't recall anyone seeing what I saw when I watched it. The film's thesis statement is boiled down in that line I love from Murphy: "Oh, so y'all a couple of bookies." Once Billy Ray figures out it's just a hustle, just a con, he reacts the same way downtrodden Richard Pryor does in Bustin' Loose when he sees the pyramid scheme. "I can beat these muthafuckas at their own game because I'm hungrier...and this is just another con."<br /><br />As for Landis, you know he's showing up twice more on this list. He's at #20, which will be posted later today.odienatorhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10926978706604468636noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14169925.post-40993677155791430912012-08-26T11:30:57.989-04:002012-08-26T11:30:57.989-04:00This list is definitely causin' trouble.
I wa...This list is definitely causin' trouble.<br /><br />I was about to shriek in outrage that you'd placed silly <i>Trading Places</i> above so many excellent films, but then I measured your analysis against many vivid memories of the film. (Thanks to 80's cable, I've probably seen it as many times as I've seen Star Wars.) I thought about all the underclass, working stiff, convict, butler, pawn broker, chauffeur characters who mill quietly through this film, and, shit, man, you are dead-on: "Trading Places is a sharper satire than it’s given credit for; it has something powerful to say about how unbalanced the scales are in relation to your birthplace and your birthright. It almost says that the American dream of getting rich is bullshit unless you have help from the people who refuse to give it to you." ZINGG!<br /><br />I remember an anecdote (from the anti-Landis book "Outrageous Conduct") about young Landis in the '70's, forcing a filmmaker buddy to stand on line with him at <i>Blacula</i> or somesuch. When the friend whined about them being out of place there, Landis told him they had to see the film because of how much it had grossed so far.<br /><br />That's the rap on Landis, according to some: cynical, exploitative megalomaniac mostly interested in box office. But I see what you see in his "black" films, a really subversive kinship with America's downtrodden.Steven Boonehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10533736956366847765noreply@blogger.com