Well Done Indeed Mr. Lee

Rating: 8/10 (8 December 2014)

Spike Lee does a good job with this film. He uses different techniques to show different moods in the film such as the use of different colors. In the opening scene when Spike Lee is walking down the street and into the barber show the viewer can see a variety of bright, vibrant colors by making the sky bright, his clothing vivid and gives a soft focus to the lens. He does this to show the good times and the happy feelings that are going on in Boston without actually saying it. Also during the movie he uses different camera filters to film the same action by using black and white, like a TV would show. He does this to give whats going on a more real feel to the event in the movie to make it seem like it is more an actual event rather than just a film. However, my only concerns are that he hardly gives an exposition of his earlier life. Yes, he does touch on Malcolm's childhood but he doesn't really explain how his dad died or what he did during his teen years as a hustler. I understand that this movie is very long as it is however that period in his life had a large impact on his life going forward and what he believed in when he was an adult. This film mostly focuses on his life as an adult and an active member of the Nation of Islam. Other than skipping the first part of the book for the most part, he does a fine job at getting most of the details in the latter half of his life.