Usher is 'In The Mix'

It's great to see more movies like 'In the Mix' making it to the box office. When I went to go see 'Get Rich or Die Tryin' I saw a couple trailers to some interracial movies that were going to be released soon on silver screen. One of the movies--I forget the name of the title--involved Sanaya Lathan(or however you spell her name) being in an interracial relationship with a blonde-haired white man. This movie seemed to be less like the Ashton Kutcher IR movie being that it wasn't centered around the stereotypical comments white people have against blacks and vice versa. Usher's new movie seemed to also be a movie more about a true IR romance and not just a bunch of jokes ppl have to say when they think of IR relationships involving BM/WW. I'm really looking forward to see this new wave of IR movies transcend into mainstream Hollywood throughout the next couple of years.

 

I definitely agree with all the valid points you've made...

and, following up on them, I have been thinking a lot lately about the kind of black-oriented films that Hollywood has been producing for the last 2 decades or so, and I have noticed a disappointing trend with these films in comparison to older black movies back in the day, which I grew up watching. Of course, I am talking about the ones you would see on UPN Sunday Afternoon's Triple Feature, versus the ones that 'represent us' today (you know, the ever so dignified films as Soul Plane, Barber Shop, Barber Shop 2, Beauty Shop, How Stella 'Got Her Groove back', Hustle and Flow, and oh yeah, Get Rich or Die Tryin') and this sort of thing that continues today in Hollywood practically screams volumes about this country, let alone Hollywood altogether, and what's even more sad about all of this is the fact that there are people out there worldwide, who are comfortable viewing these films and perceiving all black people to be the way we are portrayed no matter what, even if they know it's all just a giant production set up, only meant to take cash out of the pockets of half-witted pisants who not only try to imitate it, but enforce these stereotypes by their own personal way of thinking, along with trying to shove this type of ideology down all of our throats.

I'm still waiting for 'Welfare Office' to hit the theaters soon...

At least DL Hughley apologized for Soul Plane. So far, he's one of the very few real brothas I know of in Hollywood.

 

I think that this new movie Usher is featured in is probably marketed towards IR couples looking to see a movie with a love story that they can relate to a little more than the convenient same-race love stories we usually see. <<((Not that there's anything wrong with that)) More than likely it will bring interest to the many black men, non-black women couples we've been seeing increase in the past few years.

On a side note, this movie is rather interesting personally because my brother is in a relationship with an Italian girl--whom looks quite similar to the girl in the movie actually--and he is a black male that is notorious for getting quite a bit of attention from the ladies like Usher does in the movie. Let's just hope this movie actually has a good story line and ending. It would be quite a disappointment to see a potentially influential IR movie turn out to be a complete flop in the box office. Well, if I do get a chance to see it, I'll be back to discuss it with the rest of you.

 

Thanks tonytony for the pics, they add some character to the thread. But I really want to hear people's thoughts on this movie 'In the Mix'. I've been seeing the movie trailer on television NON-STOP lately and I'm guessing the other members and readers of this site have been seeing them as well.

Therefore, I NEED to see your opinions on Hollywood taking notice to BM/WW couples and releasing a movie based just on that. I mean this site is about BM/WW, right??! I'd really appreciate the feedback from EVERYone; thanks.

 

I've not seen or heard anything about the film yet, other than on here. When it is here I'll watch it though. But I do wish an IR couple in a TV show or film could just be, rather than have to cover the IR angle. Why can't they be a couple like any other, rather than making a thing out of them being an IR couple, do you know what I mean? Although I am glad of positive IR coverage.

 

i agree with you :wink:

 

Have you seen a film called Pieces of April? My friend lent it to me telling me it was a fun, quirky story - although quite sad - and at the heart is an interracial couple (starring Katie Holmes and the utterly delectable Derek Luke). I thought that film was interesting and handled it quite well, because the interracial issue was in second place to the deep love between the couple, and how the man only felt that strongly for a woman for the first time, so it was really about first love not interracial love. But then at the last minute it was flipped around, so you saw the response of the girl's parents to her partner as pure bigotry - before it all got resolved. I thought that was quite a good take on things.

 

Hey ppl, I really appreciate the honest comments. I like the some would prefer a TV show that involved an IR couple but wasn't centered around the fact that the couple is an IR couple. Maybe once in a blue moon the major networks will come across a television show that allows them to broadcast a show of that sort. But then again, if we do get a chance to witness something like that, the show is probably going to be canceled due to low television ratings. It's already hard enough for some non-IR couple based shows to even last two full seasons.

 

That is exactly what I think. I think if people want it accepted then to get on with it and stop making it so highlighted.

 

the film Melinda and Melinda has an IR in it, (chiwetel ejiofor and rhada mitchell) that is not pointed out, highlighted and blared out of the screen.
i saw beauty shop the other day, and was so disappointed. not only cos of the racism in it.....in my opinion racism is wrong no matter what your skin colour.....but also the IR in it was bought up in the end (by alicia silverstone's character)

i dunno bout anyone else but i don't sit around with my friends and talk bout my black boyfriend as opposed to their white boyfriends. it isn't' an issue. i just wish Hollywood would get it.

cos the sad thing is is that people who don't experience or witness IR themselves think that it is as portrayed in the movies. Hollywood needs to take some responsibility and reflect real life more.

so if this movie is more realistic bout IR i will definitely be seeing it.

 

I also wish that we lived in a society where IR dating wasn't such an issue, but the only place you're gonna find something like that is in a Utopian society. Too bad, but there are no Utopian societies on this planet as far as I know. To act like race isn't an issue is like an ostrich putting his head in the sand at noon in order to pretend that it's still nighttime. Of course, when you are around your friends race isn't much of an issue because those people are your buddies.

I can't speak for the rest of the world, but here in America race is one of this country's most inflammatory topics. Politics has racial overtones and after the Katrina disaster, we've learned that even the weather is race-based. When basketball player Kobe Bryant was accused of sexual assault, the media, which is not supposed to reveal the identity of victim before the court case, made sure that they printed and repeated the fact that the woman was blonde. Why did they do that? Because they wanted everyone to know that this black athlete allegedly forced himself upon a white girl. If she had been black, I doubt the media would have said that she had braided hair or a perm. It's a shame, but that's just the world that we are living in. No matter how rich or famous you are, race is still an issue. Why try to make like it doesn't exist when it does?

I have one more question: What is the name of this website again? Answer me that and still try and tell me that race isn't much of an issue today. I am not consumed with race, but I don't deny that racial conflict is the order of the day.

Peace. (By the way, that's not me on the picture. I'm much better looking than he is).
______________
"Your wife moaned like a whore when they ravished her...."

 

i think hitch would have been a great example of ir not being the main topic. its a shame they didnt let the original choice of cameron diaz play will smith love interest (cameron diaz was considered too white to play his love interest so they went for the safe choice of eva mendes).

 

A lot of shows aimed at teens & kids are like that. When a black boy or girl has a crush, it's often a white boy or girl that's the object of their affection -- and "race" isn't part of the plot at all.

In commercials it's often like that as well -- commercials aren't shy about having a black man or woman go ga ga over a white girl or guy (though you don't see the opposite as much at all). Commercials also hint at ir relations by showing bm & ww having a good time together in social settings, though they don't usually go "all the way" and show them as couples. A recent commercial for Outback Steakhouse is a good example -- a bm & a pretty blonde chick, obstensibly coworkers, are leaving an office building, when the bm suggests they go to outback together. A moment later, another coworker, a wm, steps out & asks if he can join them...

--

Sometimes I wonder, however, if casting blacks & whites in romantic involvement is less about positive attitudes toward IR than about audiences finding IR more palatable than bm/bw love -- onscreen anyway...

 

Cam Diaz was never attached to Hitch. Jennifer Lopez was originally supposed to co-star with Will Smith, but she pulled out. Also, Halle Berry flirted with the role for a short period.

BTW, Will Smith wanted to do a remake of A Star Is Born, and wanted Alicia Keys to co-star with him as his love interest. I don't think this project is in active development currently.

The Kid Rasta 8)

 

This is what I mean by 'the latest fad' in Hollywood. Thank you.

 

[quote='Sup.]

That is exactly what I think. I think if people want it accepted then to get on with it and stop making it so highlighted.[/quote]

Remember what I told you about those books and movies in my other thread? If Hollywood would only use the proposed tactic by Iffy, then the message of tolerance would get through to people much better.

 

Yes, the kids and their kid shows seem to have it figured out better.

Yeah, I'm offended. That is condescending.

I wonder the same.

 

LOVED IT!!!!!

Girlie UK,in your country there are some shows of IR like Eastenders,and others,even a mystery episode. There are more there than here in the UK.
Oh Yes,I loved In the Mix and hope to buy the DVD.

 

huh?
yes eastenders and other tv programmes do have iR that are not highlighted for that reason, but the viewing figures aren't the same as a movie, are they