Chi-Raq

Brilliant re-telling of Lysistrata using today's urban issues. Saw it when it came out, and half the audience was in tears by the end. Definitely underrated by the public.

Essentially the problem is that the film clumsily moves between very broad (and mostly unfunny) comedy and really earnest emotional pleas for change without any consistency. It's hard to fault Lee too much for trying something so bold, but this movie simply doesn't work.

I normally love Spike Lee's writing. This one just didn't land for me.

While Spike Lee's anger, passion, and overall message are admirable, coming across authentic and justified, it is rare that these updated retellings of historical works actually work for me. There was some dialogue I felt quite deeply and other spells that totally lost me, but the concept of portraying the violence in Chicago by retelling the classic Lysistrata made for quite a creative exercise. I had no previous experience with the Lysistrata but even if the film wasn't always hitting the right notes for me it is hard not to feel emotions when forced to consider all the innocent people still dying from this senseless violence. Samuel L. Jackson Binge: This wasn't a large role for Jackson in screen time, but it was important and memorable as he acted as a quasi narrator, setting up many of the scenes or explaining the relative intermittent action taking place off screen. His delivery was epic, as he often spoke in classical verse, dialing up the carefree confidence that makes him so well loved. SLJ January #60

Spike Lee had high aspirations in this film. It's supposed to give us world peace and jobs for everybody by the time the final accord is signed. It's a great dream and one we must have thought at some point was shared by all. But it's fairly evident now that it isn't and it wasn't.

wished I'd seen it sooner. agree that it's uneven. The original was pure comedy and so this one's comedy, when injected, causes the unevenness. i was impressed with the very very end's plot twist, which I found clever and hadn't seen coming, but then realized there had been fore shardowing, and actually made a lot of sense.

naacp ain't shit. Doing nothing about police killings

This movie is incredibly bad. The more I think about it over time, this may be the worst movie ever

Very different film, but I really liked it and the movie talk about an important theme in our society.

I wanted to love this movie -- and I loved the spirit of it -- a rally against the forces that seek to stereotype, marginalize, and oppress Black communities. That said, I didn't love it.