The only reason why I put up with Spike Lee for 4 hours was because I wanted to watch an educational film about New Orleans. I currently live in the area and wanted to get a perspective for what the natives went through when Katrina descended.
Spike Lee had the potential to make his best docu-film ever. There is plenty of material to draw from here. Instead he turns this film into a mostly black film. Blacks and the occasional whites aren't the only people who live here though I realize that they make a sizable majority. The segment on the Vietnamese was too short and there was no mention of the Hispanics who helped rebuild the city. Lee failed to mention how some blacks would target Hispanics because they carry cash on them and were scared to call the cops on them due to their immigration status. NOLA also has a Muslim and Middle Eastern community. This isn't counting other ethnic and religious communities. Poor blacks weren't the only people affected by the storm, but it makes for great ratings. His myopia and ethnocentrism is mind boggling. I can't believe he made it this far.
I am not a conservative, but the liberal bias in the film is over the top. The poor and pitiful portrayal that many segments of the black community received is highly inaccurate and makes them look impotent waiting for the government to rescue them. It inadvertently perpetuates stereotypes of them and the liberal whites who pity them and carry a guilt complex that they need to cleanse every time they help them. I know that the Feds provided a poor response and that is reprehensible. I also take issue with MS receiving a greater share of funds. I think that NOLA's reputation precedes it. NOLA has always been a city of strong contrasts in class, society and race. The recovery since the storm has only made this more apparent. The recovery post-Katrina has brought out many inadequacies that need to be fixed. After the worst of the storm passed the people could have been more proactive and helped each other more. Instead the corruption that NOLA is known for came back.
I believe that an effective documentary gives both sides air time. This is what documentaries are about. If you want to make a film all about your ideas you should make a movie.
I'm glad I wasn't the only wondering what the hell was a foot fetish guy talking about finding a woman with a house (aka freeloading freak) doing in a documentary.
I wish he would have put a segment on the animals left behind who died in the storm and the ones who starved after-wards.
I think the Haiti segment was perhaps a metaphor for how blacks always get the shaft, even from Mother Nature. Tragedies happen to all of us, but how we handle them is what defines us. We don't allow tragedy to make us.
The oil spill segment was better. That is truly tragic for all living being, especially the animals who cannot speak for themselves. I found the BP poetry segment pretty cool, Bitch Please! I liked the poetic, musical and football segments as they gave levity to the film. Maybe Spike Lee should have used his artistic insights to make a fun Katrina film.
Spike Lee had the potential to make his best docu-film ever. There is plenty of material to draw from here. Instead he turns this film into a mostly black film. Blacks and the occasional whites aren't the only people who live here though I realize that they make a sizable majority. The segment on the Vietnamese was too short and there was no mention of the Hispanics who helped rebuild the city. Lee failed to mention how some blacks would target Hispanics because they carry cash on them and were scared to call the cops on them due to their immigration status. NOLA also has a Muslim and Middle Eastern community. This isn't counting other ethnic and religious communities. Poor blacks weren't the only people affected by the storm, but it makes for great ratings. His myopia and ethnocentrism is mind boggling. I can't believe he made it this far.
I am not a conservative, but the liberal bias in the film is over the top. The poor and pitiful portrayal that many segments of the black community received is highly inaccurate and makes them look impotent waiting for the government to rescue them. It inadvertently perpetuates stereotypes of them and the liberal whites who pity them and carry a guilt complex that they need to cleanse every time they help them. I know that the Feds provided a poor response and that is reprehensible. I also take issue with MS receiving a greater share of funds. I think that NOLA's reputation precedes it. NOLA has always been a city of strong contrasts in class, society and race. The recovery since the storm has only made this more apparent. The recovery post-Katrina has brought out many inadequacies that need to be fixed. After the worst of the storm passed the people could have been more proactive and helped each other more. Instead the corruption that NOLA is known for came back.
I believe that an effective documentary gives both sides air time. This is what documentaries are about. If you want to make a film all about your ideas you should make a movie.
I'm glad I wasn't the only wondering what the hell was a foot fetish guy talking about finding a woman with a house (aka freeloading freak) doing in a documentary.
I wish he would have put a segment on the animals left behind who died in the storm and the ones who starved after-wards.
I think the Haiti segment was perhaps a metaphor for how blacks always get the shaft, even from Mother Nature. Tragedies happen to all of us, but how we handle them is what defines us. We don't allow tragedy to make us.
The oil spill segment was better. That is truly tragic for all living being, especially the animals who cannot speak for themselves. I found the BP poetry segment pretty cool, Bitch Please! I liked the poetic, musical and football segments as they gave levity to the film. Maybe Spike Lee should have used his artistic insights to make a fun Katrina film.