Chi-Raq (2015)

The Chi-Raq movie intends to deal with a very serious subject matter, but the story line is a joke. It's embarrassing and degrading to women and black Americans. The females' actual repetitive chant from the film is "No peace, no pussy!" The fact that it could not be stated on the film's promotional materials should have been a clue that it should not have been repeated in the film itself. To suggest that sex is the only or primary influence that women have is ridiculous. And to suggest that men can only be influenced by sex is likewise demeaning. If sex, rather than intelligence, controls the state of mind and actions of black residents in Chicago, their situation is indeed sad and hopeless. Quite frankly, I'm embarrassed by the trashy nature of this film.

Spike Lee has always been one of my favorite director/producers. Most of his films are thought provoking, well crafted, and controversial. I put him up there with Steven Spielberg, George Lucas, and Martin Scorsese. Every once in a while a brilliant director can fall short of his own talents. In Spike Lee's case that would be "Chi-Raq". "Chi- Raq" wasn't one of Spike Lee's best. This Spike Lee Joint didn't have that craftiness and theatrical savvy his other films had. To me it seems as if this film was just put together for the sake of spreading or sending a message, which there is absolutely nothing wrong with that, even if that were the case this film could have been way much better. I think this film is supposed to be a modern adaptation of the Aristophanes play "Lysistrata", if so the way the lines were delivered made the film a little corny and unbelievable. It was too far-fetched and the parts that were supposed to be funny weren't funny. One thing I did like about this film was the fact that Spike Lee kept up with his tradition of using the same actors he always use like Roger Guenveur Smith, Samuel L. Jackson, and Wesley Snipes. Wesley Snipes playing as a leader of a gang is a great idea but how he played the role of Cyclops, that didn't really fit him. Nick Cannon kind of surprised me with his role of Chi-Raq. He did a pretty convincing job playing that hard G roll and Teyonah Parris played the role of Lysistrata with just the right amount of attitude and finesse. Hopefully this film is just something Spike Lee put out there just for the sake of the message, I know he'll put some top quality material out there in again.

Chi-Raq (2015) *** 2hr.07min.Spike lee is one of the most talented and provocative directors in the past 30 years who has continuously makes films that are not only important but also the most joyous of filmmakers with a distinct vision and has made film are challenging, visually and intellectually stimulating filmmaker. Spike Lee has been given a bad rap by the media that is too outspoken for his own good, for Lee has had a difficult time recently getting his films made. He was able to get" Chi-Raq" made but Lee had to deal with a lot of controversy surrounding the film. The mayor of Chicago Emmanuel has said the naming of the film "Chi-Raq" makes Chicago look bad and makes light of the tragedy of street violence in Chicago. I will go on record, to say that the film does not make light of the black on black violence. It is a satire, but Lee is such a good filmmaker that he can be topical, irrelevant without being offensive. The film stars Teyonah Paris as Lysistrata who at the beginning of the movie is making love to her boyfriend Chi-Raq Dupree (Nick Cannon) that is until they hear gun shots. Fearing for her life she moves in with Chiraq mother Helen (Angela Bassett) they talk about her son and how can they make the city of Chicago be a worth wile city again. Helen also hates her son's choice of profession and wonders if he will ever make better choices in his life. Later, a 7 year old girl is shot down and no one wants to come forward and to tell what happened to her. The girls' Mother (Jennifer Hudson) demands justice for her child and pleads to anyone if they can find it in their hearts to come forward and have sympathy for her and for her dead child. Lysistrata has a solution, she and along with a bunch of her girlfriends decide to abstain sex for their men and encourages many black women to do the same publicly. These black women truly feel that they can stop the violence of black on black crime. To stop the persistent shooting within their city. Soon the word get out and is spreads like wildfire not only in the city of Chicago but to other foreign countries such as India, Brazil, Japan and France—yes even France of all places. The men in their lives have a meeting to denounce their significant others to resist their lustful charms and believe that the women will come to their scenes and come back to them no questions asks.Several powerful scenes come to mind. One being Father Mike Corridan (John Cusack) who chastises those people who will not come forward in finding justice for that 7 year old girl and her mother and how can we sit by and not stand up for what's happen to their great city. How the city has become a city of cowards. The community is only looking out for themselves. Another scene that is quite topical is when Lysistrata entices and older white guy, who is a lover of the south and the confederate flag to have sex with him and to tie him up and blind fold him. Only to discover that all of his friends are tried up and that they are the ones that are enslaved and not the women they enslaved hundreds of years ago. Bassett has an effective scene with an insurance agent who wants her to buy insurance for her son. Bassett is disgusted by the request. They are many good performances in the movie, especially Hudson and Bassett as the e women who are pained to see what has happened to their great city of Chicago. Samuel L. Jackson is the narrator of the story and he gives a charismatic and dramatic energy to his scenes. The main problem of the movie is that it spends a little too much time with topical humor and not enough with the character of Chiraq. We don't really get to know him on personal level. There's not real story given to him as why he chose a life of crime. However, I do recommend the movie because this film deals with issues that are important to society and asks the audience to find a solution to a problem that still goes on in not only Chicago but in America as an whole as well.

Positives:1. Nick Cannon delivered a very good performance (I was surprised because I thought he was going suck)2. The tone can be funny3. The tone can be depressing4. The different tones blended together pretty well5. Teyonah Parris did a good job6. Dave Chappelle steals a scene that he's in7. When the moral messages are on screen, I instantly feel the emotional pain8. The ending is good if not greatNegatives:1. Wesley Snipes, what the fu*k is with that accent (I understand you were trying to be funny, but something just didn't sit well with me)2. The movie could have moved at a faster pace (I felt that some scenes were a bit unnecessary)3. Some of the comedy and the seriousness didn't blend particularly well together during certain scenes4. Jennifer Hudson can not act (they should have gotten a no name)Overall, I really enjoyed this movie. I had fun, I laughed, and I was depressed at times all throughout this movie. This movie has some minor flaws, but I don't care.Finale Grade: B+