Trilogy Week #16 - Denzel Washington

Continuing Black History Month. Denzel Washington is one of my favorite black actors. You really feel that he sinks into his rolls, and that he becomes the character that he's betraying. And that's what a good actor should do. With great subtly, and very powerful explosive moments. I'm always put a little more faith in a movie if Denzel is in it. now these three movies isn't the end of Denzel Washington movies in this month. So you'll see him again before the month is over. 

Title: Man On Fire

Year:  2004

Director: Tony Scott

Cast: Denzel Washington, Dakota Fanning, Marc Anthony, Radha Mitchell, Christopher Walken, Mickey Rourke

Rated: R

My Review: For me Tony Scott is hit or miss for me. And this one is a hit, but almost a miss. The only thing that saves this movie is the performances by Denzel Washington, and Dakota Fanning. And of course Christopher Walken is awesome in everything. The story is a simple revenge story, but Denzel puts a nice bad ass spin on it, which is very exciting to watch. What ruins this movie for me is the editing.  It's like a two hour long trailer. It's as if the editor ran out of coffee creamer, and put coke in it instead. You can tell Tony Scott is trying something new and exciting in the genre of film, but the fast quick cuts, flashes, and zooms get old fast. If you suffer from epilepsy and seizures, stay away form this film, or you will die! Tony Scott is nowhere close to the genius his brother Ridley is, and I think he knows that. Which makes him try way to hard to be original, and ends up not working. 6 out of 10

Title: The Hurricane

Year:  1999

Director: Norman Jewison

Cast: Denzel Washington, Vicellous Reon Shannon, Leiv Schreiber, Deborah Kara Unger, John Hannah

Rated: R

My Review: This is such a interesting story that grips you from the beginning. I never heard about this story when I was growing up. But when I was told about it, I had to see this movie. Movies about prison intrigues me, it's like a completely different world, that I will never see. And hope to never see. But to see someone you is wrongly thrown in prison for most of his life is one of the most terrifying things I can think of. To see that your own community doesn't trust you, by the way you look has got to be heartbreaking. Denzel of course does a great job, and holds this movie up perfectly. Some of the cast I didn't really get behind, but Denzel is the perfect choice for this role. 9 out of 10 

Title: Malcom X

Year: 1992

Director: Spike Lee

Cast: Denzel Washington, Angela Basset, Albert Hall, Spike Lee

Rated: PG-13

My Review: I have been hesitant to see this movie for a long time. Mainly because I'm not a big fan of Spike Lee, or the speeches of Malcom X. Even though I haven't seen all Spike Lee's movies, this has got to be my favorite one. This movie gives you a lot of information about Malcom X's life, but it also shows you the inside of organized religion. That you may have complete faith of the teachings of your chosen religion, but that you forget that the leaders of that church, and any church are just men. And men are not infallible.  Men make mistakes, and church leaders have,and have always have had their own agenda for where they want things to go. Then that shakes your faith and you re-think everything that you have learned. I don't think Malcom X was a bad man, just a misguided man. And when he found his correct path, it was tragically to late. you might think I'm going to give this movie a 10, but I'm not. The reason why, is because this movie was directed by Spike Lee. For me I think his directing style is too comical. You can tell he's trying to show interesting views of symbolism, but it seems to break the feeling of sincerity for me, and pulls me out of the movie. But it is well made, and once again the perfect roll for Denzel. When you see him in this film, he "is" Malcom X. And you feel like you are looking into a window of history. 8 out of 10