I came to a realization, Spike Lee's movies didn't fall off, they were just never that good

[CBSwagga]

His only problem is that he doesn't seem to trust the audience enough to understand his message. hurts his movies, even the good ones

His flow chart to making a story goes like this

okay i'm going to make a film about a the struggles of single parenthood for example

"frames the film around a character who is a single parent." Me: Ok lets see where this goes.

"Shows the character dealing with struggles." Me: ok i think i see where this is going, i'm with you.

"Character has revelation during a major turning point in the movie states the premise of the film out loud that being a single parent is hard." Me: Ok, a little on the nose but i'm still with you.

"has every character in the movie do monologue talking about the struggles of being a single parent while looking directly into the camera. while the camera rotates around them 360 degrees." Me: holy shyt, i get it, being a single parent is hard. back to the movie please.

"the end, dedicated to all the single parents"

Couldn’t of said it better myself. nikka be preaching through film.

 

[b. woods]

I'll just break down the films of his I've seen in full

She's Gotta Have It - Groundbreaking movie but hasn't aged well. Still decent.
Do the Right Thing - Classic
Mo' Better Blues - Good movie, probably his most slept on flick
Jungle Fever - Good movie. Dated and ridiculous in parts but more satirical than it's given credit for and still one of the best depictions of the crack era in film
Malcolm X- Classic
Crooklyn - Good movie
Clockers - Good movie, almost a great one but a little unfocused
Get on the Bus - A little too preachy/didactic but still solid
He Got Game - Good movie, almost a great one but a little unfocused
Summer of Sam - ehhh, ambitious but didn't quite come together and was all over the place
Bamboozled - Great movie that didn't get the appreciation it deserved when it dropped.
25th Hour - Still haven't seen this but it's held in high regard
She Hate Me - Trash. Worst film of his that I've seen
Inside Man - Good movie, his most entertaining and accessible
Miracle at St. Anna - Ehhhh, ambitious but he tried to do way too much with this flick and it was unfocused
Blackkklansmen - Decent movie but a little overrated
Da 5 Bloods - Decent but a little overrated

And that's not counting his documentaries. 4 Little Girls is an amazing film. Still haven't seen When the Levees Break but I've heard great things.

All in all, he has more hits than misses imo but with every film you're gonna get something unique and interesting, even his bad ones. Spike reminds me a lot of Oliver Stone. Passionate and emotional with a lot to say which can either result in a masterpiece or an unfocused mess

EDIT: You never seen School Daze?

 

[Drew Wonder]

You forgot School Daze.

Haven't seen it in full. That and 25th Hour are next on my list

 

[semicko82]

Haven't seen it in full. That and 25th Hour are next on my list

You’re in for a treat

 

[Sankofa Alwayz]

Nvm

 

[Sankofa Alwayz]

Crooklyn was really good—watched it many times as a kid.

Malcolm X
Crooklyn
School Daze

Those are my Spike Lee Top 3.

Edit: It’s really good seeing you again btw CB, hope all has been well on your end

 

[N711oir]

at the end of the day / unfortunately like we must do w/ host of rappers you gotta take NY out of the equation and I'm from Brooklyn so....

But if Spike had season tickets floor seats for the Utah Jazz would he have the same cachet

Kubrick
Denis Vellenueve
Woody Allen

 

[Fresh]

Spike's best movie was Malcom X anyway, he'll never surpass that

 

[BuckFilly]

negged

 

[Apollo Creed]

You’re in for a treat

Depending on his age and background School Daze may come off as corny lol

 

[Devil Plisken…CMS]

Inside Man

DA 5 Bloods

blackk********

all released in the last 10 years

all fire

take this neg and go

Black Klansmen was TRASHHHHHHHH

 

[Carlton Banks]

Jungle Fever was trash

 

[TEH]

Negged



such a dumb take he never missed …. ehh maybe once or twice … but I truly believe that you have strong c00n genes if you don’t get Spike Lee

 

[HandyWithTheSteel]

His filmography ranges from great to good to trash to fukking abominations like Chi-Raq.

He also has some underrated films like School Daze which isn’t considered one of his best but I loved that movie growing up.

 

[King Poetic]

Spike Lee problem for me

he make a lot of the trash movies too long like 2 and half hours and the good movies like Clockers short