|
Post by pupdurcs on Jun 11, 2020 0:04:11 GMT
Also feels like some of our finest character actors essentially got their careers by playing very memorable supporting roles in Lee's reportary company (ie Giancarlo Esposito, John Turturro etc).
|
|
|
Post by therealcomicman117 on Jun 11, 2020 0:17:15 GMT
Good article. I always felt that Lee was underrated as an actors director. He's made so many provocative sometimes controversial films, that it's easy to forget just how many great performances have come from his movies. Not just Denzel in Malcolm X, but also Samuel L. Jackson in Jungle Fever (basically the movie that made his career), as a homeless drunk loser, who was considered so good, that Cannes basically had to made an award just for him, and even Edward Norton gave some of his career best work in 25th Hour. I think it helps that he's such a master at controlling the scene, that it often leads to some powerful natural screen presence. Yeah, I remember hearing that the jury of the Cannes Film Festival were so taken by Jackson's performance in Jungle Fever, that they invented a supporting actor award just so they could give him something. Halle Berry also started getting taken seriously as an actress with her performance as a junkie in the same film. I think Denzel does some of his best and most interesting acting with Lee. Malcolm X is a given, but I always equated his performance/character in He Got Game to almost his version of Brando's On The Waterfront. He's operating at that kind of level for me. Rosario Dawson is one of the most effortless film actresses around, and has probably never gotten the film roles her ability merited, but I feel like she's beeb near her best on film with Lee, in He Got Game and 25th Hour (which as you say ranks among Edward Norton's best ever performances, if not his very best). He got lovely work out of the cast of Inside Man as well ( except from ironicaly, from this board's mancrush monday Willem Dafoe, but you can't win them all). Also, the fact that Lee was able to coax a performance as solid as he did from Ray Allen (a non-acting professional athlete) in He Got Game is true testament to his gifts as an actors director. It's one thing to get career best work from the likes of Washington and Norton, but making a basketball player give a highly credible dramatic performance requires some skill. Ray Allen's another great example of Spike Lee's direction of actors working marvelously. He's not a professional actor, and he probably made the right decision to not act further after He Got Game, but he works within the context of that film, and him and Washington have such a great back and forth father and son relationship that serves so well as the emotional centerpiece of the film. It's honestly a miracle that Lee was able to make him work at all in the film.
|
|
|
Post by futuretrunks on Jun 11, 2020 0:34:17 GMT
Yeah, I have to commend that. Allen was so flawlessly merged into the ensemble that I've wondered why more directors don't do more casting of famous/famous-ish non-actors in big roles. I'd have loved to see what Demme could have done with PTA in Rachel Getting Married, for example.
|
|
sirchuck23
Based
Bad news dawg...you don't mind if I have some of your 300 dollar a glass shit there would ya?
Posts: 2,707
Likes: 4,815
|
Post by sirchuck23 on Jun 11, 2020 1:08:16 GMT
Also feels like some of our finest character actors essentially got their careers by playing very memorable supporting roles in Lee's reportary company (ie Giancarlo Esposito, John Turturro etc).In addition to those that you and therealcomicman mentioned, let's not forget actors like Danny Aiello who had his finest hour with Lee, Alfre Woodard gave one of her best performances in Crooklyn along with Delroy Lindo. John Leguizamo and Mira Sorvino did some of their best work with Lee in Summer of Sam, Barry Pepper in 25th Hour, Damon Wayans in Bamboozled, directed John David Washington in his first serious leading role to great notices for him. A great actors' director, and now it sounds like Lindo and Jonathan Majors could potentially have a nice awards season run as contenders as the year plays out.
|
|
sirchuck23
Based
Bad news dawg...you don't mind if I have some of your 300 dollar a glass shit there would ya?
Posts: 2,707
Likes: 4,815
|
Post by sirchuck23 on Jun 11, 2020 22:55:54 GMT
|
|
|
Post by therealcomicman117 on Jun 12, 2020 0:07:45 GMT
Also feels like some of our finest character actors essentially got their careers by playing very memorable supporting roles in Lee's reportary company (ie Giancarlo Esposito, John Turturro etc).In addition to those that you and therealcomicman mentioned, let's not forget actors like Danny Aiello who had his finest hour with Lee, Alfre Woodard gave one of her best performances in Crooklyn along with Delroy Lindo. John Leguizamo and Mira Sorvino did some of their best work with Lee in Summer of Sam, Barry Pepper in 25th Hour, Damon Wayans in Bamboozled, directed John David Washington in his first serious leading role to great notices for him. A great actors' director, and now it sounds like Lindo and Jonathan Majors could potentially have a nice awards season run as contenders as the year plays out. Another great seldom talked about Spike Lee directed performance is Laurence Fishburne in School Daze. Not one of my favorites of Lee's (although it's interesting like most of his films), bu Fishburne really sells the idea of an enthusiastic radical dreamer, and really deliveries some compelling speeches throughout. It's some of the most slept upon work he's ever given.
|
|
sirchuck23
Based
Bad news dawg...you don't mind if I have some of your 300 dollar a glass shit there would ya?
Posts: 2,707
Likes: 4,815
|
Post by sirchuck23 on Jun 12, 2020 0:29:47 GMT
In addition to those that you and therealcomicman mentioned, let's not forget actors like Danny Aiello who had his finest hour with Lee, Alfre Woodard gave one of her best performances in Crooklyn along with Delroy Lindo. John Leguizamo and Mira Sorvino did some of their best work with Lee in Summer of Sam, Barry Pepper in 25th Hour, Damon Wayans in Bamboozled, directed John David Washington in his first serious leading role to great notices for him. A great actors' director, and now it sounds like Lindo and Jonathan Majors could potentially have a nice awards season run as contenders as the year plays out. Another great seldom talked about Spike Lee directed performance is Laurence Fishburne in School Daze. Not one of my favorites of Lee's (although it's interesting like most of his films), bu Fishburne really sells the idea of an enthusiastic radical dreamer, and really deliveries some compelling speeches throughout. It's some of the most slept upon work he's ever given. Damn..your right, I always forget about Fishburne being in School Daze for some reason, but yeah he was great in that. Hillarious that Samuel L. Jackson had a cameo in that film as well and now there's the famous running joke of people confusing the two for each other..lol
|
|
|
Post by therealcomicman117 on Jun 12, 2020 0:41:53 GMT
Another great seldom talked about Spike Lee directed performance is Laurence Fishburne in School Daze. Not one of my favorites of Lee's (although it's interesting like most of his films), bu Fishburne really sells the idea of an enthusiastic radical dreamer, and really deliveries some compelling speeches throughout. It's some of the most slept upon work he's ever given. Damn..your right, I always forget about Fishburne being in School Daze for some reason, but yeah he was great in that. Hillarious that Samuel L. Jackson had a cameo in that film as well and now there's the famous running joke of people confusing the two for each other..lol That was Jackson's first film with Spike Lee, and already there you could see that Lee thought that Jackson worked great as a funny scene-stealer. I wish that Lee and Jackson would worked together again. Lee knew how to use him really well.
|
|
sirchuck23
Based
Bad news dawg...you don't mind if I have some of your 300 dollar a glass shit there would ya?
Posts: 2,707
Likes: 4,815
|
Post by sirchuck23 on Jun 12, 2020 0:52:31 GMT
Damn..your right, I always forget about Fishburne being in School Daze for some reason, but yeah he was great in that. Hillarious that Samuel L. Jackson had a cameo in that film as well and now there's the famous running joke of people confusing the two for each other..lol That was Jackson's first film with Spike Lee, and already there you could see that Lee thought that Jackson worked great as a funny scene-stealer. I wish that Lee and Jackson would worked together again. Lee knew how to use him really well. Agreed. I liked the energy Jackson brought as Dolemides in Chi-Raq, but Lee needs to put him in a lead role. Him and Tarantino seem to bring something out of Jackson. I'm like..Spike it's cool to have Jackson as a supporting part in your film, but have him as a lead one of these times..it's freaking Samuel L. Jackson...what are you doing.
|
|
|
Post by therealcomicman117 on Jun 12, 2020 1:06:58 GMT
That was Jackson's first film with Spike Lee, and already there you could see that Lee thought that Jackson worked great as a funny scene-stealer. I wish that Lee and Jackson would worked together again. Lee knew how to use him really well. Agreed. I liked the energy Jackson brought as Dolemides in Chi-Raq, but Lee needs to put him in a lead role. Him and Tarantino seem to bring something out of Jackson. I'm like..Spike it's cool to have Jackson as a supporting part in your film, but have him as a lead one of these times..it's freaking Samuel L. Jackson...what are you doing. SLJ would make for a great Lee protagonist. I'm honestly surprised it hasn't happened, especially since they've worked together two times since Jungle Fever.
|
|
|
Post by futuretrunks on Jun 12, 2020 1:10:01 GMT
For many years, I think the Spike/Tarantino feud prevented that from happening. Jackson felt more allegiance to QT (in part because QT wrote great roles for him). And the Spike/QT beef is very complicated. They were really friendly at some point between Pulp Fiction and Jackie Brown, like QT happily going to Spike's film classes as a guest speaker, etc.
|
|
sirchuck23
Based
Bad news dawg...you don't mind if I have some of your 300 dollar a glass shit there would ya?
Posts: 2,707
Likes: 4,815
|
Post by sirchuck23 on Jun 12, 2020 4:37:24 GMT
For many years, I think the Spike/Tarantino feud prevented that from happening. Jackson felt more allegiance to QT (in part because QT wrote great roles for him). And the Spike/QT beef is very complicated. They were really friendly at some point between Pulp Fiction and Jackie Brown, like QT happily going to Spike's film classes as a guest speaker, etc. Yeah..that feud did play a role in Jackson and Spike not working together again during the 90s and 00s. Thankfully they buried the hatchet and Lee worked with him again in Oldboy and Chi-Raq. They’re good friends again and it was cool that Jackson got to present Spike his long overdue Oscar. Jackson being the lead in a Spike film would be good to see! I still want Denzel and Spike to reconnect again. It’s been 14 years since Inside Man. They always do great work together.
|
|
|
Post by quetee on Jun 12, 2020 5:16:23 GMT
Which one of you bitches is watching this when it drops at 12:01?
|
|
|
Post by Mattsby on Jun 12, 2020 17:32:16 GMT
|
|
|
Post by pacinoyes on Jun 12, 2020 17:38:09 GMT
Some of those are really great questions and thought out answers and I like his respect for FFC...........about him saying Idris Elba is a "great actor ''' um.......well Spike always has problems sticking the landings which goes for movies and articles I guess.
|
|
morton
Based
Posts: 2,811
Likes: 2,954
|
Post by morton on Jan 13, 2021 1:20:03 GMT
I saw that there was a segment on The Little Things tonight, and was trying to see if they put it up yet. I didn’t see if so far, but they did have the news about Spike Lee’s children Satchel and Jackson being this year’s Globes’ ambassadors.
|
|
|
Post by pupdurcs on Jan 13, 2021 1:24:48 GMT
LOL!
Spike really going through a Hollywood Royalty phase. Never would have seen that coming.
|
|
sirchuck23
Based
Bad news dawg...you don't mind if I have some of your 300 dollar a glass shit there would ya?
Posts: 2,707
Likes: 4,815
|
Post by sirchuck23 on Jan 13, 2021 1:43:23 GMT
LOL! Spike really going through a Hollywood Royalty phase. Never would have seen that coming. Is there an argument to be made that 2015 to now is probably Spike’s best run?
|
|
|
Post by pupdurcs on Jan 13, 2021 1:58:52 GMT
LOL! Spike really going through a Hollywood Royalty phase. Never would have seen that coming. Is there an argument to be made that 2015 to now is probably Spike’s best run? I think it's probably his second best run. I think his run from 1989 to 1995 still takes it. From Do The Right Thing, Mo Better Blues, Jungle Fever, Malcolm X, Crooklyn, Clockers.An unbroken run of two masterpieces ( X and Do The Right Thing), and a couple of really excellent films and no big misses. He threw in a stinker in 1996 with Girl 6 which ended that run, but that run helped cement his legend. In terms of mainstream award acknowledgment, 2015 to now is almost certainly his best run for sure. Oscar wins, Best Picture and Best Director nods and so on. But his body of films from 1989 to 1995 still takes it for me in terms of artistic achievement. His current run is exceptional though.
|
|
sirchuck23
Based
Bad news dawg...you don't mind if I have some of your 300 dollar a glass shit there would ya?
Posts: 2,707
Likes: 4,815
|
Post by sirchuck23 on Jan 13, 2021 2:16:56 GMT
Is there an argument to be made that 2015 to now is probably Spike’s best run? I think it's probably his second best run. I think his run from 1989 to 1995 still takes it. From Do The Right Thing, Mo Better Blues, Jungle Fever, Malcolm X, Crooklyn, Clockers.An unbroken run of two masterpieces ( X and Do The Right Thing), and a couple of really excellent film and no big misses. He threw in a stinker in 1996 with Girl 6 which ended that run, but that run helped cement his legend. In terms of mainstream award acknowledgment, 2015 to now is almost certainly his best run for sure. Oscar wins, Best Picture and Best Director nods and so on. But his body of films from 1989 to 1995 still takes it for me in terms of artistic achievement. His current run is exceptional though. Yeah I agree..hell I would even do 1986-1995 because She’s Gotta Have It and School Daze are good films as well. The late 80s-mid 90s was his great peak. Low key his 98-02 run is great as well as time has passed with He Got Game, Summer of Sam, Bamboozled, and 25th Hour. But yeah this run he’s been on since Chi-Raq has been great..The Leeaissance. Also looks like Netflix is gearing up the promotion for Da 5 Bloods. Love this feature they did on Lindo.
|
|
|
Post by pupdurcs on Jan 13, 2021 2:27:20 GMT
I think it's probably his second best run. I think his run from 1989 to 1995 still takes it. From Do The Right Thing, Mo Better Blues, Jungle Fever, Malcolm X, Crooklyn, Clockers.An unbroken run of two masterpieces ( X and Do The Right Thing), and a couple of really excellent film and no big misses. He threw in a stinker in 1996 with Girl 6 which ended that run, but that run helped cement his legend. In terms of mainstream award acknowledgment, 2015 to now is almost certainly his best run for sure. Oscar wins, Best Picture and Best Director nods and so on. But his body of films from 1989 to 1995 still takes it for me in terms of artistic achievement. His current run is exceptional though. Yeah I agree..hell I would even do 1986-1995 because She’s Gotta Have It and School Daze are good films as well. The late 80s-mid 90s was his great peak. Low key his 98-02 run is great as well as time has passed with He Got Game, Summer of Sam, Bamboozled, and 25th Hour. But yeah this run he’s been on since Chi-Raq has been great..The Leeaissance. Also looks like Netflix is gearing up the promotion for Da 5 Bloods. Love this feature they did on Lindo. Good call on his 98-02 run. I dunno, from an artistic perspective it challenges 2015 to now for his second best run. But obviously, the current run is more succesful in terms of awards/box office. But He Got Game and 25th Hour are two of his greatest films (and among my personal favorites of his).
|
|
sirchuck23
Based
Bad news dawg...you don't mind if I have some of your 300 dollar a glass shit there would ya?
Posts: 2,707
Likes: 4,815
|
Post by sirchuck23 on Jan 13, 2021 3:21:35 GMT
Yeah I agree..hell I would even do 1986-1995 because She’s Gotta Have It and School Daze are good films as well. The late 80s-mid 90s was his great peak. Low key his 98-02 run is great as well as time has passed with He Got Game, Summer of Sam, Bamboozled, and 25th Hour. But yeah this run he’s been on since Chi-Raq has been great..The Leeaissance. Also looks like Netflix is gearing up the promotion for Da 5 Bloods. Love this feature they did on Lindo. Good call on his 98-02 run. I dunno, from an artistic perspective it challenges 2015 to now for his second best run. But obviously, the current run is more succesful in terms of awards/box office. But He Got Game and 25th Hour are two of his greatest films (and among my personal favorites of his). For now He Got Game and 25th Hour make his 98-02 run better, because those two films have grown in stature over time. It’ll be interesting to see how Blackkklansman and Da 5 Bloods age in the Spike Lee canon but if he succeeds with his Viagra musical I may have to reconsider. But definitely this current run he’s on has brought his most success with mainstream/awards/box office.
|
|
|
Post by therealcomicman117 on Jan 13, 2021 17:02:24 GMT
Good call on his 98-02 run. I dunno, from an artistic perspective it challenges 2015 to now for his second best run. But obviously, the current run is more succesful in terms of awards/box office. But He Got Game and 25th Hour are two of his greatest films (and among my personal favorites of his). For now He Got Game and 25th Hour make his 98-02 run better, because those two films have grown in stature over time. It’ll be interesting to see how Blackkklansman and Da 5 Bloods age in the Spike Lee canon but if he succeeds with his Viagra musical I may have to reconsider. But definitely this current run he’s on has brought his most success with mainstream/awards/box office. I see his run of He Got Game / Summer of Sam / Bamboozled (flawed movie in many ways, but very ambitious) and 25th Hour, as possibly his most interesting, grappling with a huge amount of themes, and trying to be relevant as possible. I'm mostly happy to see Lee back, because I'm remember those wilderness years between Inside Man and BlacKKKlansman quite well. He made some fine movies, but nothing he was involved with stuck in any major ways.
|
|
sirchuck23
Based
Bad news dawg...you don't mind if I have some of your 300 dollar a glass shit there would ya?
Posts: 2,707
Likes: 4,815
|
Post by sirchuck23 on Jan 13, 2021 17:13:32 GMT
For now He Got Game and 25th Hour make his 98-02 run better, because those two films have grown in stature over time. It’ll be interesting to see how Blackkklansman and Da 5 Bloods age in the Spike Lee canon but if he succeeds with his Viagra musical I may have to reconsider. But definitely this current run he’s on has brought his most success with mainstream/awards/box office. I see his run of He Got Game / Summer of Sam / Bamboozled (flawed movie in many ways, but very ambitious) and 25th Hour, as possibly his most interesting, grappling with a huge amount of themes, and trying to be relevant as possible. I'm mostly happy to see Lee back, because I'm remember those wilderness years between Inside Man and BlacKKKlansman quite well. He made some fine movies, but nothing he was involved with stuck in any major ways. Exactly, I stuck with him through his rough patch from 2008-2014. I contributed to his kickstarter movie which became Da Sweet Blood of Jesus and gave a review for Red Hook Summer. I remember talking to Scrud about it back on IMDB if he would ever get his mojo back and then he started his comeback with Chi-Raq in 2015 and the rest is history. He's answered that and then some..he's one of the hot directors in Hollywood again..so much so that his children were picked to be Golden Globe ambassadors..who would've seen that coming? The Leeaissance.
|
|
|
Post by therealcomicman117 on Jan 13, 2021 17:18:01 GMT
I see his run of He Got Game / Summer of Sam / Bamboozled (flawed movie in many ways, but very ambitious) and 25th Hour, as possibly his most interesting, grappling with a huge amount of themes, and trying to be relevant as possible. I'm mostly happy to see Lee back, because I'm remember those wilderness years between Inside Man and BlacKKKlansman quite well. He made some fine movies, but nothing he was involved with stuck in any major ways. Exactly, I stuck with him through his rough patch from 2008-2014. I contributed to his kickstarter movie which became Da Sweet Blood of Jesus and gave a review for Red Hook Summer. I remember talking to Scrud about it back on IMDB if he would ever get his mojo back and then he started his comeback with Chi-Raq in 2015 and the rest is history. He's answered that and then some..he's one of the hot directors in Hollywood again..so much so that his children were picked to be Golden Globe ambassadors..who would've seen that coming? The Leeaissance. And he's in his sixties now, and possibly more respected by critics and working colleagues more than ever. Very few directors who can make that claim.
|
|