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Where Have All the Good Urban Films Gone?

By Dustin Rowles | Posted Under Trailers | Comments (42)

The Lottery Ticket movie image 1.jpg

What the hell? Would it kill studios, when developing films that are targeted toward the so-called urban audience (that’s marketing speak for black) to, you know, make a good fucking film. Just once? You know why Tyler Perry movies do so well? Because, as bad as they are, they honestly are better than almost every other “urban film” I’ve ever seen.

Do it. Go ahead. Name one film that was aimed primarily at black audiences (with a predominantly black cast) that was honestly good (not just watchable). Fine: I’ll name two: Barbershop and Love & Basketball. Try to name another. And early Spike Lee films don’t count — those were indies (so was Boyz in the Hood, I believe). I’m talking about studio-backed films aimed at the urban market. Give me the list. Give me your top five? Can you?

I doubt it. And it’s because those studio films geared toward urban audiences look like this one. Here’s the trailer for Lottery Ticket, which stars Bow Wow, Brandon T. Jackson, Gbenga Akinnagbe, Loretta Devine, Mike Epps, Ice Cube, and Charlie Murphy. And it looks awful. Dreadful.









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Comments

Am I the only guy on the planet who just loved 'Pootie Tang'?

Well, it's more of a studio film than 'Putney Swope', anyway.

Posted by: greg at April 9, 2010 9:48 AM

I miss dave chappelle.

Posted by: adam at April 9, 2010 9:49 AM

Friday.

Posted by: Skewicide Blonde at April 9, 2010 9:52 AM

I'll give you two, Dustin.

1. The Wood. It starred Omar Epps, Taye Diggs, Sean Nelson, & Malinda Williams. I wrote it off as another wannabe hood flick, but it's actually a great coming of age story. It's marketed as an "African-American Graffiti", but whatever.

Speaking of Bow Wow, what about Roll Bounce? Bow Wow (stupid ass name) was pretty good in that and surprisingly, it's a lot of fun. Yes, it's corny in places, and could be classified as another dance flick, but the performances are strong enough to make it a good film.

Posted by: Brie at April 9, 2010 9:55 AM

I agree with you! Somebody need to stop Tyler Perry. I know I'm not the target audience for his movies. But, still, I do like to see a great movie about characters who happen to be African American.

Posted by: Mad Claw at April 9, 2010 10:03 AM

The Inkwell. Not recent, (1994) but still good. Starring Larenz Tate, Jada Pinkett-Smith, Morris Chestnut, Joe Morton, Glynn Turman. Another coming of age movie, this one takes place in the 70's.

Larenz Tate proved to be quite versatile in The Inkwell, considering that he had just played a murdering bastard in Menace II Society only the year before.

Posted by: Brie at April 9, 2010 10:10 AM

New Line released Love Jones in 1997 and Trimark released Eve's Bayou the same year. TriStar released Devil in a Blue Dress two years earlier.

Posted by: Tracer Bullet at April 9, 2010 10:12 AM

I actually giggled at the trailer. Maybe your set-up lowered my expectations. Mike Epps as the Minister seems pretty funny. Ice Cube reminds me a little of Rip Torn's Patches O'Houlihan.

Posted by: Trey_Shacksit at April 9, 2010 10:12 AM

Actually, now that I've watched the trailer, it just looks bad and not terrible. There's maybe three real actors in it, Loretta Devine no longer counts, and that preacher character was downright shameful (though "This is the wife Jesus want me to have" was worth a chuckle). It's no shittier or more offensive than it would been with white actors. This is damning with faint praise, but unlike most "urban films" I won't hate my mother for going to see this.

Posted by: Tracer Bullet at April 9, 2010 10:19 AM

CB4 Motherfucker! Straight Outta Locash!

Posted by: admin at April 9, 2010 10:23 AM

First what is your definition of "good"?

How about Uptown Saturday Night and Let's Do it Again?

Or what about Menace To Society?

I'd have to say that Stir Crazy was aimed primarily at black audiences.

And of course there is the classic one-two punch of Breakin' and Beat Street.

Posted by: John W at April 9, 2010 10:32 AM

Dead Presidents was pretty good..

Posted by: mex at April 9, 2010 10:33 AM

Harlem Nights?

Posted by: admin at April 9, 2010 10:39 AM

Harlem Nights anyone? I mean come on classic Eddie murphy and Richard Pryor? pure gold.


How about Death at a funeral...You know the black version. Oh wait that movie was stolen word for word from a better movie made 3 years ago...

Posted by: Blank at April 9, 2010 10:40 AM

Harlem Nights is considered Eddie's vanity project, but it's hysterical. Besides Richard Pryor, you have Redd Foxx, Della Reese, and Arsenio Hall's five minute scene was brilliant. I youtube it whenever I get the chance.

"Oh, he proposed to her four times already, said he would leave his wife and kids, and convert from Catholic to Baptist. Now you know that's some mean pu$$y to make a man change Gods.

Classic Redd Foxx.

Posted by: Brie at April 9, 2010 10:48 AM

I can't believe nobody has said this one: BLACK DYNAMITE.

That one movie immediately renders this post null and void.

Posted by: admin at April 9, 2010 10:52 AM

I find Undercover Brother far more enjoyable than I probably should.

Posted by: TK at April 9, 2010 11:00 AM

"What's Love Got to Do with It?," "The Color Purple," "The Best Man," "Soul Food," "Love Jones," "Good Hair," "Precious," "Coming to America," "Eve's Bayou," "Who's the Man?," "Rosewood," and "Talk to Me," "Devil in a Blue Dress," and "Afropunk" . . . they are not alot, but they are there.

Posted by: amenfro at April 9, 2010 11:09 AM

What a very condescending statement DR, you must think the movie industry exist in a vacuum devoid of any outside influence. I like the way you want us to just disregard anything Spike Lee has done as though he never existed. I had rather you didn’t even bother about bringing up the issue of “Urban” films than to give short shrift to the subject.

Posted by: The Hoth System at April 9, 2010 11:11 AM

It's OK, TK. So do I.

Am I the only who hated Eve's Bayou? It's just too bizarre for my tastes. Incest, voodoo, thievery...a mixed bag of weird shit.

Posted by: Brie at April 9, 2010 11:20 AM

What about House Party? I liked that movie.

White people will never understand Tyler Perry, unfortunately. I know his movies are bad...but they're bad in the way Dude, Where's My Car and Harold and Kumar Go To White Castle are bad. Well maybe not exactly like that, but I'm in the right ball park.

However, the black Death At a Funeral makes me sad. Especially since that movie came out, what, 3 years ago? And they're made a black remake already? Come on...

Oh, and does American Gangster, Ray, and Dreamgirls count? They were predominantly black casts with well known black actors. And American Gangster had T.I. and Common in it.

Posted by: Littlejon2001 at April 9, 2010 11:29 AM

Friday is great. I love that movie. The sequel...we shall not speak of it.

Posted by: Sally at April 9, 2010 11:45 AM

Also, I just watched that trailer and am 95% positive they showed us the climatic scene of that movie.

Posted by: Littlejon2001 at April 9, 2010 11:52 AM

Does "Hustle and Flow" count? Somebody above mentioned "Eve's Bayou". Not urban and utter nonsense, but I loved it!

Posted by: samantha t at April 9, 2010 11:54 AM

Brown Sugar, though that's less recent than I remembered.

Posted by: Joseph J. Finn at April 9, 2010 11:54 AM

Black Dynamite was independent, so it doesn't count for the sake of a studio "urban" film.

At least this seems to come from an original script. With the remakes of 80s movies as black movies, I was expecting some type of Sixteen Candles/Lost Boys/Twilight mix so that it the Blackulas only become sparkly at night or some shit while stepping for a girl or some shit (lord knows that studios wouldn't have the lead be all emo and mopey).

Posted by: Superweed at April 9, 2010 12:10 PM

Loved Friday, loved Undercover Brother. No shame here.

Posted by: katy at April 9, 2010 12:27 PM

Yeah to be honest this whole post is kind of unfair. I mean your comparing bottom of the barrel "urban comedies" to film. Thats like looking for Directorial presence in American Pie.


I mean hears a list of Urban films for you

Purple Rain
The Warriors (screw you it counts)
Dead Presidents
Belly
Friday
City of God (One of the most amazing films I can think of)
Coming to America
Higher education
187
Juice

Posted by: Blank at April 9, 2010 12:29 PM

Holy Shit!

Bill Bellamy?! We have a Bill Bellamy sighting!!!! Someone call the LAPD quick!! That dude is the worst.

He's like the black version of Jimmy Fallon when Fallon was still on SNL. He can't keep a straight face and all he does is laugh at his own jokes because he can't beLIEVE how funny he is. Sitting through a Bill Bellamy show is like watching a retard shit his pants and giggle about it cuz it's the best thing ever.

Posted by: PissBoy at April 9, 2010 12:33 PM

It's nice to hear Friday get some love, finally. Chris Tucker gets ragged on for everything, but that man is hilarious and Friday proves it. But that movie is hysterical from the opening scene to the final shot.

Bill Bellamy...I honestly have no idea what he's doing now.

I'm not even sure what Dustin means by "good urban films." Assuming he's not kidding, that is a gross generalization. I take it to mean anything in the last twenty years.

City of God is my favorite film, Blank. Next to A Clockwork Orange, I can watch it anytime and have most of it memorized.

Posted by: Brie at April 9, 2010 12:39 PM

Pookie, where are you when Pajiba needs you!!!!!!

Posted by: icecreammang at April 9, 2010 1:26 PM

I have quite the soft spot for Something New. It might have something to do with my girlcrush on Sanaa Lathan, but still. When I can't figure out what to watch, I always toss it in the DVD player.

I second the Roll Bounce comment. Perhaps my expectations were low, but I got some good laughs out of it.

Posted by: sillytwoshoes at April 9, 2010 2:31 PM

Dustin,

this is the second time I've had to remind you of the existence of Baby Boy (2001, Columbia Pictures) Written and Directed by John Singleton starring Tyrese Gibson, Taraji P. Henson, Ving Rhames, and Snoop Dogg. I'm not claiming it's God's gift to black film but it is very good and you clearly haven't seen it yet. Log in to Netflix, add it to the queue, and spend the 130 minutes to experience it.

Posted by: Yossarian at April 9, 2010 3:00 PM

Jeez. Is it just me or is Loretta Divine in EVERYTHING?

I don't think City of God really qualifies as "urban" at all. In the marketing sense, I mean. I think Urban = American.

Posted by: figgy at April 9, 2010 4:18 PM

You mean Soul Plane wasn't a good movie??? :(

Posted by: Sagerian at April 9, 2010 4:56 PM

Wow, Dustin, condescend much? How about
'Hollywood Shuffle'?
'I'm Gonna Get You Sucka'
'Low Down Dirty Shame'
'Set It Off'
'Don't Be A Menace...'
'Poetic Justice'
'Woman, Thou Art Loosed'


And Brie, Bill Bellamy is hosting a Last Comics Standing type show on TVOne (the black channel that's NOT BET) called 'Who Got Jokes'.

Posted by: Shazza at April 9, 2010 8:44 PM

What was that movie with Sanaa Lathan and Simon Baker? Can't remember the title. All I remember was the incredible blatant unapologetic racism towards the white guy. I was honestly shocked. If the roles were reversed, that movie would not have been released. Wtf?

Posted by: Joker at April 9, 2010 9:25 PM


Dead Presidents = lame and derivative
Rosewood = also lame and derivative
Clockers = good but gritty
Boyz n the Hood = pretty damn good
Precious = also pretty damn good
Baby Boy = perfect

Posted by: Johnnyboy at April 10, 2010 12:38 AM

Okay so I went back and read. So let's redo the list shall we?

Clockers = Universal Pictures
Baby Boy = Columbia Pictures
Boyz n the Hood = Columbia Pictures
Precious = Lionsgate


And that's it, cuz I can't find more than four exceptional films in any category, racist bee-yotch.

Posted by: Johnnyboy at April 10, 2010 12:50 AM

Hope you will enjoy this club. Keep posting and make good on-line friends.
http://www.uniformedmeet.com/news/181

Posted by: Grace at April 10, 2010 9:05 AM

"Pookie, where are you when Pajiba needs you!!!!!!"

Don't even joke about that.

Posted by: Craig at April 10, 2010 10:06 AM

Tyler Perry movies are actually pretty intelligent. They're based on his plays and are full of literary elements and style. My English teacher loved them. And they actually display black culture in a stereotypically exaggerated yet culturally significant manner.

Posted by: DrTran at August 12, 2010 6:59 PM