A lot of us complain that we’re whitewashed out of movies (looking at you, Ridley Scott).
We are tired of being depicted regularly as clowns, thugs and harlots.
We also express disappointment that Madea, or Madea-like, movies are the only films that mainstream Hollywood sees fit to offer us, due to Tyler Perry’s undeniable marketing skills and past success.
But on rare occasions, we are offered the chance to use our ticket stubs to demonstrate the types of films we’d like to see. Films with range, nuance, beauty and oh yes, Black love. The Best Man Holiday was a perfect example, and its excellence opened a lot of doors.
So let’s channel that Best Man fandom and rally behind another project now. Please support Gina Prince-Bythewood’s Beyond the Lights. The romantic comedy, starring Nate Parker and Gugu Mbatha-Raw, has been out for about a month. Indeed, it won’t last much longer if we don’t give it a look. I know some of y’all are around here waiting for Prince-Bythewood to bring out Love & Basketball II, but trust, she needs our support for what is in the marketplace right now as this open letter attests.
If you need an extra nudge, here’s a dang link to Fandango, so you can buy your tickets now before the movie exits theaters. Make it a double feature and see Top Five if it’s available in your city.
The numbers are all that matter, so let’s show up and show out.
