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Malcolm X 1992
This one has been sitting in my DVD collection for so long that I cannot even remember how it got there in the first place.
As a biopic, it has the merit that it does not sugarcoat things off the way other biopics do. It shows X's ugly side as well, like with his coke problem. It also does not shy away from the notion that, in spite of their talk of elevating, some people within the Nation of Islam were not above all too human treats like petty jealousy – brother Malcolm gets too much attention – or Malcolm's disappointment in Elijah Muhammad.
Now if you are not fully immersed, these epics tend to drag a bit here and there. As a viewer with a bit more distance from the subject matter, I sometimes if a few more cuts could have helped the tempo. That said, I understand that a lot of these details were necessary to paint the picture needed to understand the complex person that is Malcolm X. Where he came from, what he (and his family) had to endure on the way to become the person he ended up being.
With a lot of beautiful shots in the process. Because let's not forget that this is a technically very accomplished film. People talk about Denzel being snubbed, but an award in on of the technical categories ( likeediting or cinematography) would have been welcome, not to mention directing. Spike Lee turned this into a passion project. He really goes out of his way to turn this an epic historic immersing the viewer in the historical significance of X.
And if you thought young Will Smith was charming... Good lord. He had nothing on Denzel.
Lowlifes 2024 ★★★★
Talk about a pleasant surprise.
The plot synopsis and the opening had me set up for some Texas Chainsaw/Hills Have Eyes-ish mayhem with city slickers being tortured by hicks from the sticks. But then... sweerve!
People say the twist was predictable and judging from similar titles like Little Bone Lodge, one could see why. For me, however, it came out of nowhere and for the rest of the movie's runtime, it had me hook, line and sinker.
Rather than a genuine feast of scares, it turns into a dark comedy. And a good one at that, mind you. Fairly early, it gave me an idea about the final survivors, but the screenwriter still does a good job in keeping you guessing with some twists and turns.
The characters are often a bit stereotypical, but I liked them. Wether it was the Roy Scheider looking dad or the daughter (who kind of gave away a Maya Hawke-vibe). And to be honest, it was in the writer's interest to make the guys in the opening scene as cliché redneck as possible. Raising the question: is it harder to write a likable character or make an unlikable character interesting enough to keep you invested in the story?
In closing: a) don't sleep on this one and b) the less you know going in, the better
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