I definitely identify with the feeling of isolation from my own blackness. In addition to being biracial, I was a D&D nerd and punk kid who grew up in predominantly black spaces in the '80s and '90s. I used to joke about carrying a picture of my family around with me as my actual "black card"
There’s another point about Clifton I noticed: his lack of social skills, issues with eye contact, and facial expressions could have been tells he might have been on the spectrum of autism. I have dealt with social awkwardness since childhood and was literally tested on my blackness in middle school. Though I’m not on the spectrum (according to my therapists), I did grow up struggling to fit in with my peers, mostly cause I didn’t do what they did and loved what they did not and was severally bullied for those facts, which led to me isolating myself for almost a decade and missing out on key areas of social development. Having worked with adults on the spectrum and being socially awkward myself, I did see some similarities in Clifton’s character.
I'm sorry you were robbed of the experience of seeing it in the theatre on Juneteenth and being called out not once, but twice by someone's favorite auntie. First, for no one in the theatre singing along with the second verse of Lift Every Voice and Sing, and second, for us all joining in when they were singing the O'Reilly Auto Parts theme... Another great video on a great movie.
With you bringing up Hobie brown and his afro punk aesthetic, I was hoping that you'd also bring up Kat Elliot from Wendell and Wild who had come just before him.
I saw the Blackening opening weekend and loved it. Funny as hell and so interesting seeing the "trope characters" examined through the lens of Black creators. And it was kinda interesting when I noticed half way through that we had not seen any "kills" of the main cast and I sort of recognized that they were all going to make it as a direct subversion of the "Black guy dies first" trope. I had a moment of doubt when the girl high on addies decided to go full Matrix on the stalker. I was half waiting for the smash cut to "reality" where she's just being a total gremlin. But it was also quite funny seeing it payoff as just "no. He dead." I also just saw the new TMNT movie and that one the ENTIRE story is about alienation and community, and especially how kids react to it. With April being Black on screen, and two of the Turtles having Black VA's I thought it had some definite leaning on racism angles without just doing the Bright move of find/replacing the whole thing.
That's not April that's Anita lol. I'll still watch it but I'm not sure if I'll pay. The last two movies I paid to see were Across The Spider verse and The Batman. Oppenheimer looks intriguing as well.
I went into it thinking the cast would all survive or at least die fighting, but nope the movie still opens with one Black guy dying first. Also no way Clifton got Sean's blood outa that nasty green poly carpet in time for the other to arrive smh
I felt like The Blackening should be considered a proper new entry in the category of Black Cinema Classics since it gave me the same feeling I got when I first saw movies like the first 2 Friday movies, Belly, etc. Also, this video really put to words why I felt this weird connection with the mastermind of The Blackening. When I saw the reveal, it was like "Damn, I could've been him if I didn't get super into alternative music and/or paid attention to the aesops of shounen anime back in middle school"
King's callout of Nnamdi was so tactical, so well timed, so potent. It's in the running for my favorite moment of the film. I have never seen someone get called predictable that violently. Love the film.
The Denise Richards joke punched me in the gut and stole my lunch money in an Applebee's parking lot. And yes, I went back to listen to it again. Just perfect! 😂
Loved the movie and related from a huge fight that started with one of my relatives finding out I don't eat pork as a Mexican Native mixed. "That's how you EAT CARNITAS?!?" Years have passed and I frankly don't care what they think. I eat pork again but my queer and non binary identity scares them more. Honestly? The Natives I run into are so accepting I tend to lean to them more lol. But it's different for everyone
23:49 ironically, i think you can read Gosling Ken's in Barbie(2023) motivation to install institutional partriarchy in barbieland as, from his pov, a response to feeling alienated from a society in which he wanted and felt he needed barbie's approval so badly as a ken. might be way off with that one though tbf
Nah that's pretty spot on, I think. Ken was a reactionary. Even look at the scene immediately before he discovered and fell in love with patriarchy- it was Barbie demeaning him while he's *still* just trying to be seen.
I mean, I don't think you're far off. I think this point is reinforced by the fact that even after establishing the patriarchal Kenocracy, Gosling Ken still feels unhappy. The point being that even bringing about a patriarchy wouldn't actually fill the void in Godling Ken's life. It's only when he sheds gender expectations and learn to love and respect himself for his own sake rather than seeking validation from a Barbie that he learns that Ken is Kenough.
Ken was literally created to be Barbie's companion/boyfriend (we're talking IRL) so of course his characterization is 'desperate for Barbie to look at him'. I love that his lesson is to learn to be himself and to not center his universe on one woman. I've had several exes who acted like Ken, so watching it on screen felt so familiar, and I myself was the same way in my youth, but I eventually grew out of that. Ken learned to be Kenough and I learned to be my own self too. More people need to learn this lesson overall. Long story short, good analysis.
See, it almost feels like the reason it wasn't more of a satire than a thriller kind of make me think of the stereotype or joke that black folks can't ever take anything seriously like we can't take anything seriously
I watched The Blackening in theaters and as a brown guy, I thought it was hilarious in the insightful type of way. The firehose mid credits scene always gets me, especially when you know the historical context. As for whether Clifton actually voted for Trump twice or he made it up, it honestly doesn't matter either way. Clifton may not have been able to vote because of having been a felon. He may have voted for Trump _once_ because he, like a lot of other Americans, _really_ didn't like Hillary Clinton and because when Clifton was in jail, he saw the rise and reign of Barack Obama as President of the United States and could've felt jaded and slighted as he watched a black American be universally beloved by the African-American community at the time despite Obama "acting white" a lot throughout his reign as POTUS, and yet black people never really revoked Obama's black card. That hypocrisy couldve motivated Clifton into voting for Trump, especially if he as an ex-convict, he felt he was personally failed by Obama's neoliberal policies. Perhaps Clifton voted for Trump twice to spite those same black Americans who hypocritically doubted his Blackness. Or perhaps Clifton didn't vote at all. Either way, it doesn't really matter because we know that he used the idea of him voting for Trump twice to separate himself from the others. I would also recommend checking out They Cloned Tyrone on Netflix. It's a very strong debut from director Juel Taylor and the concept was great enoygh to get John Boyega and Jamie Foxx to star in it, with killer performances. It's funny and insightful similar to the The Blackening but leaning a bit more to the side of Sorry To Bother You. Check it out if you haven't.
Not blackness, but I am often shamed as being a white Latino because I don't eat all the different types of Mexican food nor speak Spanish. It didn't help that my mom was very . . . adamant and self-hating of her own people and wanted to be white so she didn't teach me and I'll have friends now who love to bring up that I am not Latino or Hispanic or anything besides just white.
As someone who isn't really say like their father, or brothers, I've struggled to fit into blackness for so long. Mind you I've never watched the movie, but I REALLY loved the video! I love your content!
got so excited I had to to “like” this video before the commercials even stopped I love the soothing yet attention-grabbing cadence of your voice whenever you teach me about pop culture SO MUCH
Loved The Blackening. Can't wait to see it again. And One Night In Miami has a lot of earnest discussions about infighting within the community over prosperity and skin tone.
As an African, I never would have learned how to play Spades if my Black American BFF hadn't invited me to his family's home for the holiday season and his mother took me on as her partner just to teach me. The little things go a long way. And it saddens me to know how so many people were denied even the opportunity to just learn something as simple as a game. A game that can successfully be taught to most people within 30 minutes. How can they know how to play if nobody taught them?
The best part, was Clifton even said he was considering not going thru his plan because he started to like them and felt accepted, until they turned on him on 'the blackness' stuff.
I am mixed and also struggle with my blackness due to the death of my father and growing up with my white mother and her family. I didn't even know how to deal with my hair until college. I have always been a studious, PC gaming nerd, and I have been told constantly by both white and black friends that I am the 'whitest black person' they know (in terms of how I talk, dress, and socialize). I am still struggling to connect, but even as an adult, I see myself being isolated during BIPoC meetings and Youth Mentoring assignments.
I wanted to see this movie in theaters so bad, but it was only in cinemas for like three weeks. I'm so glad it came to streaming so fast because it was hilarious.
I don't know if I have seen a film that talks about Ecuadorian Americans facing isolation but I do know that I really didn't get Real Women Have Curves and had to wait for Encanto until adulthood.
As a biracial man, when movies use satire to comment on racial integration, it resonates deeply with me. It mirrors the complexities and challenges I see in today’s wannabe post-racial world. I never thought I would say this, but Undercover Brother's struggle with identity is something I can strongly relate to. The internal battle and others' perceptions of him align with many experiences that people, including myself, face. Blackness is multifaceted, and I identify with the idea that we should celebrate and recognize its diversity rather than pigeonhole it into stereotypes. The struggle to fit in and the feeling of being “othered” is all too familiar. As for your question about media tackling the topic of alienation within one’s community, one example comes to mind: the HBO series “Watchmen.” It explores themes of racial identity, alienation, and cultural history through its characters and plot. The character of Angela Abar/Sister Night provide a complex look at how individuals can feel both a part of and apart from their community.
Love this take. and I agree, I too wish these topics were more fleshed out. I still deal with it today, mostly in my head... it's just certain interactions take me back like a reverse That's So Raven vision lol.
I laughed out loud during so much of the blackening! But when everyone asked how i liked it I actually said “I feel like it could have gone further”. Loved to hear your analysis here, gave me a better understanding of what I think felt like was missing. Also gonna watch it again AND Undercover Brother
Love this video!!! I was extremely excited from the moment I saw the poster for the movie as well and thoroughly enjoyed it. I’d love to see you discuss “They Cloned Tyrone” and Killmonger! I thought They Cloned Tyrone was a lot like “Undercover Brother,” but also stood on its own. It was far more enjoyable than I expected it would be. Thanks for this video!
I saw the trailers for this movie, but I hadn’t gotten the chance to watch it. I’m not black so I’m probably not gonna understand all the references/ideas, but it seems like an interesting movie. Glad I got to see your takes on the movie before checking it out myself 💖💖💖
I cannot say I have watched anything recently that is relatable regarding white acceptance, but the concept is something I battle with internally regularly. While I have more or less made peace with my personal sense of blackness, my sense of self-love and confidence is essentially non-existent and my blackness is something I'm somewhat self-conscious about. Do I wish to be anything other than black? No. Do I wish to separate myself for black folks? No. Do I want to change the things that make me tick in an attempt to appease others black or otherwise? No. But am I a part of a black community at home, or am around black people on a consistent basis? Also no. It doesn't help that as a black sheep, I've been estranged from biological family, and have friends I've leaned on as family in their place, some of whom I've done so long before the estrangement. However, since most of them are non-black folks, and most among them are white folks, every so often I have internal imposter-syndrome-like doubts as to whether or not I'm falling into my own sunken place. Whether regarding white acceptance or any other challenges in life, having the courage and strength to acknowledge red flags is hard. But speaking personally, recognizing them and dealing with the personal punishments, consequences, trauma, and paranoia (many of which are self-inflicted) of misidentifying them is just as hard, especially if you're forced to do so alone. Shout-out to anybody else fighting this internal paranoia as well.
Bro I feel you, but add being white passing to the mix. I don't identify with the white part of my identity basically at all (also a different kind of Black, Aboriginal Australian) but I live half a continent away from my people, and was raised in a family that was headed by a racist who didn't want us to be part of the community (good job mum, what a fucked choice in man). At this point I just don't have a culture anymore. Which is even more upsetting because that's exactly what the colony wants of the mixed kids, so we're easy to assimilate. I'm just Black enough that people are sometimes racist to me, and white enough that I don't really feel like I can just walk into Aboriginal spaces and be accepted (which is stupid, because we took the one drop rule the colony imposed and made it our strength and unity, for the most part, all our babies are Blak, even if they're white, y'know?) It's a weird and distressing position to be in.
I'm really like the movie when I'm first saw it in theaters and I'll do like not because it's a satire but because of the subject matter on black people and also plus the only episode that probably tackled the issue about blackness was The Fresh Prince Of Bel-air that Carlton & Will was looking at some fraternities and they found one which is a all African-American fraternity and also later on when I'm did some research (since today now) come to found out that for instance bathing a full-grown St. Bernard, while Will and the other pledges groom Poodle Puppies) due to Top Dog's personal prejudice against Carlton and his wealthy family, since he equates being black with being working class and from the 'hood. So that why he feel some type of way that just being black you have to come from the hood or talking vernacular so that the episode that I'm remember.
I think the phrase "white people shit" has to have been the most annoying thing I heard growing up, because it wasn't just related to my interests (metal, anime/manga, writing/reading, alt fashion), my "friends" and family would brush off my depression with that same phrase. It's so fucking damaging.
I'm so white that I'm practically translucent, but watching this still gave me an interesting look into issues that I've seen black friends online go through with their families. As an example, one very good friend of mine in the Aladdin fandom back in the days of LiveJournal (yes, I am indeed an internet dinosaur) in the mid-'00s used to tell me a lot about how her family regularly ridiculed her for being "the whitest black person they knew". While she was usually cracking jokes about it, I could always tell that it also hurt a little bit, too. She always felt like an outsider when it came to that aspect of her identity and that just... sucked, basically, because she was such an awesome person. I'm not even sure what I'm saying here but either way, thanks for making videos like this (and many others in your video history) so white people like me can at least try to gain a better understanding of these issues from a black perspective.
I think I’m Virgo series by Boots Riley hits on much of similar themes The Blackening. Have you seen it yet? I went into blackening thinking it was gonna be more board comedy then horror. The fact that it satirical critique on Blackness & either the embrace of community or rejection due to made up rules. The movie focus on there is no one way to be Black & we all have some form of contradictions that can make others feel isolated. I liked how La’ron ended the video cuz as Black nerd who liked hockey whom grew up in 90s & teen years in early 00s. I held to come into my own with my Blackness seek out other Black folk within places. I fear so many stay in isolation of community & seek out white acceptance. Dope video
I’m so looking forward to watching this, a movie from a long time ago Hollywood Shuffle satires black identity within the US film industry. There’s also a brilliant film on being black, an alien and feeling alienated called Brother from another planet
I loved the movie! I definitely related to Clifton about the isolation, as i was the weird fat black girl that liked anime before it was popular to do so, even in my family. but i also was always surrounded by black people, and my family (at least on my mom's side) were pretty receptive about my likes and hobbies. They didnt understand, and sometimes they could be hurtful (like when i was suicidal) but they supported me for the most part
Would you ever consider doing a review of the magicians? The concept of a niffin is one of my absolute favorite magic tropes, and the subversion of the narnia concept is really fun imo. Also any oportunity to get someone else to read lev grossmans books and experience the same onui i did.
Obv I know you tend to cover shows and movies rather than books, but even if the video was only about the show, you should Def check out the books. Excellent work out here, and Def gunna be staying a while
I haven't seen this movie because 1) I hadn't heard anything about it and B) I'm a massive wuss who avoids anything remotely horror-adjacent, even straight up comedies with a scary component.
I hadn’t gotten to hear about the movie yet, and I’m not afraid of spoilers (anymore) but I find myself running into black culture that I never knew existed because of being caucasian… and then I worry about being accidentally disrespectful or appropriating things because I was never exposed. Like Spades. I thought everyone liked to play card games! But what if I just want to play like I always have and I have misread social context clues and I am somehow awful and everyone else is to nice to tell me that I’m being terrible because that would kill the game?!
My profile picture gives away the fact I am a whole entire sentient mayonnaise jar, that said I'm also queer as a three dollar bill and a lot of the statements you said about people not identifying with their blackness due to not checking off all the boxes and the gatekeeping that goes on within the black community also echoed a lot of what I experienced with the queer community as a baby gay [redacted] years ago. As a queer black person who lives at the intersection of both communities, did you notice parallels between the gatekeeping in the black community and the gatekeeping in the queer community?
Hey how come you didn't mention that you also like alt-righters like Sargon of Akkad? And why am I not surprised that Vaush's audience had an overlap with that guy? Maybe just take your racist ass elsewhere.
I saw a couple of reaction videos to it. It was a lot funnier than scary which made me happy because I'm a wuss and because the main characters deserved it. They were all likeable and I didn't want them taken out one by one. Happy they made it 🤗 An alienated movie 🤔 Dances with Wolves Doctor Sleep The Last of Us X-Men Spiderman - any of them but I love Spiderverse Lilo and Stitch Home Dumbo, Pinochio, The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast (damn Disney!) Shrek, Dispicable Me, Luca, Aliens vs. Monsters, LEGO Batman, etc. Wreck it Ralph Megamind Elf Lightyear Heathers Carrie Joker Horns School Ties Everything Everywhere All at Once District 9 Falling Down I might be defining alienated as outcast regarding some of these suggestions but I stand by that.
Make sure to go to betterhelp.com/readus101 to get 10% off your first month of BetterHelp!
Hey, Readus, have you given Nimona a look-see? 'Cuz I think that movie could REALLY be worth an episode of your time.
Really sorry to have to unsub but I cant justify supporting a channel that promotes such a harmful company as BH :[
I definitely identify with the feeling of isolation from my own blackness. In addition to being biracial, I was a D&D nerd and punk kid who grew up in predominantly black spaces in the '80s and '90s. I used to joke about carrying a picture of my family around with me as my actual "black card"
There’s another point about Clifton I noticed: his lack of social skills, issues with eye contact, and facial expressions could have been tells he might have been on the spectrum of autism. I have dealt with social awkwardness since childhood and was literally tested on my blackness in middle school. Though I’m not on the spectrum (according to my therapists), I did grow up struggling to fit in with my peers, mostly cause I didn’t do what they did and loved what they did not and was severally bullied for those facts, which led to me isolating myself for almost a decade and missing out on key areas of social development.
Having worked with adults on the spectrum and being socially awkward myself, I did see some similarities in Clifton’s character.
I'm sorry you were robbed of the experience of seeing it in the theatre on Juneteenth and being called out not once, but twice by someone's favorite auntie. First, for no one in the theatre singing along with the second verse of Lift Every Voice and Sing, and second, for us all joining in when they were singing the O'Reilly Auto Parts theme...
Another great video on a great movie.
With you bringing up Hobie brown and his afro punk aesthetic, I was hoping that you'd also bring up Kat Elliot from Wendell and Wild who had come just before him.
Omg this!!!!
I saw the Blackening opening weekend and loved it. Funny as hell and so interesting seeing the "trope characters" examined through the lens of Black creators. And it was kinda interesting when I noticed half way through that we had not seen any "kills" of the main cast and I sort of recognized that they were all going to make it as a direct subversion of the "Black guy dies first" trope.
I had a moment of doubt when the girl high on addies decided to go full Matrix on the stalker. I was half waiting for the smash cut to "reality" where she's just being a total gremlin. But it was also quite funny seeing it payoff as just "no. He dead."
I also just saw the new TMNT movie and that one the ENTIRE story is about alienation and community, and especially how kids react to it. With April being Black on screen, and two of the Turtles having Black VA's I thought it had some definite leaning on racism angles without just doing the Bright move of find/replacing the whole thing.
The new TMNT is definitely next on my list!
@@Readus101I was just thinking when you we're going to make a video on that! Definitely can't wait!!!
That's not April that's Anita lol. I'll still watch it but I'm not sure if I'll pay. The last two movies I paid to see were Across The Spider verse and The Batman. Oppenheimer looks intriguing as well.
I went into it thinking the cast would all survive or at least die fighting, but nope the movie still opens with one Black guy dying first. Also no way Clifton got Sean's blood outa that nasty green poly carpet in time for the other to arrive smh
I felt like The Blackening should be considered a proper new entry in the category of Black Cinema Classics since it gave me the same feeling I got when I first saw movies like the first 2 Friday movies, Belly, etc. Also, this video really put to words why I felt this weird connection with the mastermind of The Blackening. When I saw the reveal, it was like "Damn, I could've been him if I didn't get super into alternative music and/or paid attention to the aesops of shounen anime back in middle school"
King's callout of Nnamdi was so tactical, so well timed, so potent. It's in the running for my favorite moment of the film. I have never seen someone get called predictable that violently. Love the film.
The Denise Richards joke punched me in the gut and stole my lunch money in an Applebee's parking lot. And yes, I went back to listen to it again. Just perfect! 😂
Hilarious. Love Uhnnn 😂
Loved the movie and related from a huge fight that started with one of my relatives finding out I don't eat pork as a Mexican Native mixed. "That's how you EAT CARNITAS?!?"
Years have passed and I frankly don't care what they think. I eat pork again but my queer and non binary identity scares them more. Honestly? The Natives I run into are so accepting I tend to lean to them more lol. But it's different for everyone
23:49 ironically, i think you can read Gosling Ken's in Barbie(2023) motivation to install institutional partriarchy in barbieland as, from his pov, a response to feeling alienated from a society in which he wanted and felt he needed barbie's approval so badly as a ken. might be way off with that one though tbf
Nah that's pretty spot on, I think. Ken was a reactionary.
Even look at the scene immediately before he discovered and fell in love with patriarchy- it was Barbie demeaning him while he's *still* just trying to be seen.
I mean, I don't think you're far off. I think this point is reinforced by the fact that even after establishing the patriarchal Kenocracy, Gosling Ken still feels unhappy. The point being that even bringing about a patriarchy wouldn't actually fill the void in Godling Ken's life. It's only when he sheds gender expectations and learn to love and respect himself for his own sake rather than seeking validation from a Barbie that he learns that Ken is Kenough.
Ken was literally created to be Barbie's companion/boyfriend (we're talking IRL) so of course his characterization is 'desperate for Barbie to look at him'. I love that his lesson is to learn to be himself and to not center his universe on one woman. I've had several exes who acted like Ken, so watching it on screen felt so familiar, and I myself was the same way in my youth, but I eventually grew out of that. Ken learned to be Kenough and I learned to be my own self too. More people need to learn this lesson overall.
Long story short, good analysis.
See, it almost feels like the reason it wasn't more of a satire than a thriller kind of make me think of the stereotype or joke that black folks can't ever take anything seriously like we can't take anything seriously
I watched The Blackening in theaters and as a brown guy, I thought it was hilarious in the insightful type of way. The firehose mid credits scene always gets me, especially when you know the historical context.
As for whether Clifton actually voted for Trump twice or he made it up, it honestly doesn't matter either way. Clifton may not have been able to vote because of having been a felon. He may have voted for Trump _once_ because he, like a lot of other Americans, _really_ didn't like Hillary Clinton and because when Clifton was in jail, he saw the rise and reign of Barack Obama as President of the United States and could've felt jaded and slighted as he watched a black American be universally beloved by the African-American community at the time despite Obama "acting white" a lot throughout his reign as POTUS, and yet black people never really revoked Obama's black card. That hypocrisy couldve motivated Clifton into voting for Trump, especially if he as an ex-convict, he felt he was personally failed by Obama's neoliberal policies. Perhaps Clifton voted for Trump twice to spite those same black Americans who hypocritically doubted his Blackness. Or perhaps Clifton didn't vote at all. Either way, it doesn't really matter because we know that he used the idea of him voting for Trump twice to separate himself from the others.
I would also recommend checking out They Cloned Tyrone on Netflix. It's a very strong debut from director Juel Taylor and the concept was great enoygh to get John Boyega and Jamie Foxx to star in it, with killer performances. It's funny and insightful similar to the The Blackening but leaning a bit more to the side of Sorry To Bother You. Check it out if you haven't.
F in chat for those of us too scared to ever ask their uncles how to play spades
Not blackness, but I am often shamed as being a white Latino because I don't eat all the different types of Mexican food nor speak Spanish. It didn't help that my mom was very . . . adamant and self-hating of her own people and wanted to be white so she didn't teach me and I'll have friends now who love to bring up that I am not Latino or Hispanic or anything besides just white.
They probably tell you you’re white because you are. Latino is not a race
Glad I'm not the only one who was reminded of Anton Jackson from Undercover Brother when I saw Clifton ☠️
It was one of the first things that I thought of. lol
As someone who isn't really say like their father, or brothers, I've struggled to fit into blackness for so long.
Mind you I've never watched the movie, but I REALLY loved the video! I love your content!
got so excited I had to to “like” this video before the commercials even stopped
I love the soothing yet attention-grabbing cadence of your voice whenever you teach me about pop culture SO MUCH
The man is a brilliant orator. One of the few that I don't have to try to listen to, he just holds my attention the whole time.
Loved The Blackening. Can't wait to see it again.
And One Night In Miami has a lot of earnest discussions about infighting within the community over prosperity and skin tone.
As an African, I never would have learned how to play Spades if my Black American BFF hadn't invited me to his family's home for the holiday season and his mother took me on as her partner just to teach me. The little things go a long way. And it saddens me to know how so many people were denied even the opportunity to just learn something as simple as a game. A game that can successfully be taught to most people within 30 minutes. How can they know how to play if nobody taught them?
Just going to shoutout the French film Ridicule (1996) which I feel is somewhere The Blackening’s comedic lineage.
The best part, was Clifton even said he was considering not going thru his plan because he started to like them and felt accepted, until they turned on him on 'the blackness' stuff.
I am mixed and also struggle with my blackness due to the death of my father and growing up with my white mother and her family. I didn't even know how to deal with my hair until college. I have always been a studious, PC gaming nerd, and I have been told constantly by both white and black friends that I am the 'whitest black person' they know (in terms of how I talk, dress, and socialize). I am still struggling to connect, but even as an adult, I see myself being isolated during BIPoC meetings and Youth Mentoring assignments.
I wanted to see this movie in theaters so bad, but it was only in cinemas for like three weeks. I'm so glad it came to streaming so fast because it was hilarious.
I liked the movie but your analysis has given me more to think about it and more insights. Great video
Also adding undercover brother to my watch list
I don't know if I have seen a film that talks about Ecuadorian Americans facing isolation but I do know that I really didn't get Real Women Have Curves and had to wait for Encanto until adulthood.
As a biracial man, when movies use satire to comment on racial integration, it resonates deeply with me. It mirrors the complexities and challenges I see in today’s wannabe post-racial world. I never thought I would say this, but Undercover Brother's struggle with identity is something I can strongly relate to. The internal battle and others' perceptions of him align with many experiences that people, including myself, face. Blackness is multifaceted, and I identify with the idea that we should celebrate and recognize its diversity rather than pigeonhole it into stereotypes. The struggle to fit in and the feeling of being “othered” is all too familiar.
As for your question about media tackling the topic of alienation within one’s community, one example comes to mind: the HBO series “Watchmen.” It explores themes of racial identity, alienation, and cultural history through its characters and plot. The character of Angela Abar/Sister Night provide a complex look at how individuals can feel both a part of and apart from their community.
Anyone else reminded of Carlton from Fresh Prince facing the sorority?
Trixie was right, we "have" never seen Denise Richards again...
Love this take. and I agree, I too wish these topics were more fleshed out. I still deal with it today, mostly in my head... it's just certain interactions take me back like a reverse That's So Raven vision lol.
*"Yeah that tracks actually" intensifies*
I laughed out loud during so much of the blackening! But when everyone asked how i liked it I actually said “I feel like it could have gone further”. Loved to hear your analysis here, gave me a better understanding of what I think felt like was missing. Also gonna watch it again AND Undercover Brother
As a Latino who doesn’t speak Spanish I often feel like I’m on the outside looking in
Omg 12:41 is that an uhnhhhhhhh reference hehehe 💜💜💜
"I just heard" is next! LMAO
@@Readus101 ohhhh honeeeeyyyyy that’s gonna be good! 😂
Love this video!!! I was extremely excited from the moment I saw the poster for the movie as well and thoroughly enjoyed it. I’d love to see you discuss “They Cloned Tyrone” and Killmonger! I thought They Cloned Tyrone was a lot like “Undercover Brother,” but also stood on its own. It was far more enjoyable than I expected it would be.
Thanks for this video!
I saw the trailers for this movie, but I hadn’t gotten the chance to watch it. I’m not black so I’m probably not gonna understand all the references/ideas, but it seems like an interesting movie. Glad I got to see your takes on the movie before checking it out myself 💖💖💖
Welcome back Readus. I saw this in theaters and had a blast. But I feel your points. Thanks always for your insight!
I cannot say I have watched anything recently that is relatable regarding white acceptance, but the concept is something I battle with internally regularly. While I have more or less made peace with my personal sense of blackness, my sense of self-love and confidence is essentially non-existent and my blackness is something I'm somewhat self-conscious about. Do I wish to be anything other than black? No. Do I wish to separate myself for black folks? No. Do I want to change the things that make me tick in an attempt to appease others black or otherwise? No. But am I a part of a black community at home, or am around black people on a consistent basis? Also no. It doesn't help that as a black sheep, I've been estranged from biological family, and have friends I've leaned on as family in their place, some of whom I've done so long before the estrangement. However, since most of them are non-black folks, and most among them are white folks, every so often I have internal imposter-syndrome-like doubts as to whether or not I'm falling into my own sunken place. Whether regarding white acceptance or any other challenges in life, having the courage and strength to acknowledge red flags is hard. But speaking personally, recognizing them and dealing with the personal punishments, consequences, trauma, and paranoia (many of which are self-inflicted) of misidentifying them is just as hard, especially if you're forced to do so alone. Shout-out to anybody else fighting this internal paranoia as well.
Bro I feel you, but add being white passing to the mix.
I don't identify with the white part of my identity basically at all (also a different kind of Black, Aboriginal Australian) but I live half a continent away from my people, and was raised in a family that was headed by a racist who didn't want us to be part of the community (good job mum, what a fucked choice in man).
At this point I just don't have a culture anymore. Which is even more upsetting because that's exactly what the colony wants of the mixed kids, so we're easy to assimilate.
I'm just Black enough that people are sometimes racist to me, and white enough that I don't really feel like I can just walk into Aboriginal spaces and be accepted (which is stupid, because we took the one drop rule the colony imposed and made it our strength and unity, for the most part, all our babies are Blak, even if they're white, y'know?)
It's a weird and distressing position to be in.
@@Jane-oz7pp
I see you, sister
I'm really like the movie when I'm first saw it in theaters and I'll do like not because it's a satire but because of the subject matter on black people and also plus the only episode that probably tackled the issue about blackness was The Fresh Prince Of Bel-air that Carlton & Will was looking at some fraternities and they found one which is a all African-American fraternity and also later on when I'm did some research (since today now) come to found out that for instance bathing a full-grown St. Bernard, while Will and the other pledges groom Poodle Puppies) due to Top Dog's personal prejudice against Carlton and his wealthy family, since he equates being black with being working class and from the 'hood. So that why he feel some type of way that just being black you have to come from the hood or talking vernacular so that the episode that I'm remember.
I don't know what it is about the music cutting out when he makes a point, but it kills me every time.
The murder suicide joke is one for the ages. I love love loved this movie, it’s lovely to hear your analysis on it.
Excellent video
Thanks for pointing me to this movie. I enjoyed it and I am happy it didn't take itself seriously. We have enough of that.
I love your videos so much!!!
Can’t wait for this! 🤣
I think the phrase "white people shit" has to have been the most annoying thing I heard growing up, because it wasn't just related to my interests (metal, anime/manga, writing/reading, alt fashion), my "friends" and family would brush off my depression with that same phrase. It's so fucking damaging.
I'm white passing, I'm not even black enough for _myself_
I'm so white that I'm practically translucent, but watching this still gave me an interesting look into issues that I've seen black friends online go through with their families.
As an example, one very good friend of mine in the Aladdin fandom back in the days of LiveJournal (yes, I am indeed an internet dinosaur) in the mid-'00s used to tell me a lot about how her family regularly ridiculed her for being "the whitest black person they knew". While she was usually cracking jokes about it, I could always tell that it also hurt a little bit, too. She always felt like an outsider when it came to that aspect of her identity and that just... sucked, basically, because she was such an awesome person.
I'm not even sure what I'm saying here but either way, thanks for making videos like this (and many others in your video history) so white people like me can at least try to gain a better understanding of these issues from a black perspective.
I think I’m Virgo series by Boots Riley hits on much of similar themes The Blackening. Have you seen it yet?
I went into blackening thinking it was gonna be more board comedy then horror. The fact that it satirical critique on Blackness & either the embrace of community or rejection due to made up rules.
The movie focus on there is no one way to be Black & we all have some form of contradictions that can make others feel isolated.
I liked how La’ron ended the video cuz as Black nerd who liked hockey whom grew up in 90s & teen years in early 00s.
I held to come into my own with my Blackness seek out other Black folk within places.
I fear so many stay in isolation of community & seek out white acceptance. Dope video
I enjoyed The Blackening so much I saw it in the theater three times.
I’m so looking forward to watching this, a movie from a long time ago Hollywood Shuffle satires black identity within the US film industry. There’s also a brilliant film on being black, an alien and feeling alienated called Brother from another planet
I loved the movie! I definitely related to Clifton about the isolation, as i was the weird fat black girl that liked anime before it was popular to do so, even in my family. but i also was always surrounded by black people, and my family (at least on my mom's side) were pretty receptive about my likes and hobbies. They didnt understand, and sometimes they could be hurtful (like when i was suicidal) but they supported me for the most part
Bro this movie was so funny to watch and me and my sis tripped and watched it and it was still really good!
Eddie griffin*
I was enjoying this, but looped background music drives me nuts.😥
Oh yea!!!!!
THE DENISE RICHARDS LINE
Would you ever consider doing a review of the magicians? The concept of a niffin is one of my absolute favorite magic tropes, and the subversion of the narnia concept is really fun imo. Also any oportunity to get someone else to read lev grossmans books and experience the same onui i did.
Obv I know you tend to cover shows and movies rather than books, but even if the video was only about the show, you should Def check out the books. Excellent work out here, and Def gunna be staying a while
I haven't seen this movie because 1) I hadn't heard anything about it and B) I'm a massive wuss who avoids anything remotely horror-adjacent, even straight up comedies with a scary component.
I hadn’t gotten to hear about the movie yet, and I’m not afraid of spoilers (anymore) but I find myself running into black culture that I never knew existed because of being caucasian… and then I worry about being accidentally disrespectful or appropriating things because I was never exposed. Like Spades. I thought everyone liked to play card games! But what if I just want to play like I always have and I have misread social context clues and I am somehow awful and everyone else is to nice to tell me that I’m being terrible because that would kill the game?!
I mean, if you want a highly exaggerated, comedic version of The Evil Dead, watch Evil Dead 2 :-D
My profile picture gives away the fact I am a whole entire sentient mayonnaise jar, that said I'm also queer as a three dollar bill and a lot of the statements you said about people not identifying with their blackness due to not checking off all the boxes and the gatekeeping that goes on within the black community also echoed a lot of what I experienced with the queer community as a baby gay [redacted] years ago. As a queer black person who lives at the intersection of both communities, did you notice parallels between the gatekeeping in the black community and the gatekeeping in the queer community?
I just taught my 5year old to play dominio but husband refuses to learn
i'm white brother
I taught you how to play Spades, Readus.
That was after I made this video. lol
For the algorithm.
Love from a Vaush and Lil Bil fan!
ew.
Hey how come you didn't mention that you also like alt-righters like Sargon of Akkad?
And why am I not surprised that Vaush's audience had an overlap with that guy?
Maybe just take your racist ass elsewhere.
And known human trafficker Beau of the Fifth Column?
alt-right meme channels... blackpillers.. jesus dude your subs are yikes as fuck
oof, friendlyjordies even? The dude who spent years telling everyone to shut up about Black rights and Aboriginal sovereignty?
spades is a lackhing,i thought its just a thing.
I saw a couple of reaction videos to it. It was a lot funnier than scary which made me happy because I'm a wuss and because the main characters deserved it. They were all likeable and I didn't want them taken out one by one. Happy they made it 🤗
An alienated movie 🤔
Dances with Wolves
Doctor Sleep
The Last of Us
X-Men
Spiderman - any of them but I love Spiderverse
Lilo and Stitch
Home
Dumbo, Pinochio, The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast (damn Disney!)
Shrek, Dispicable Me, Luca, Aliens vs. Monsters, LEGO Batman, etc.
Wreck it Ralph
Megamind
Elf
Lightyear
Heathers
Carrie
Joker
Horns
School Ties
Everything Everywhere All at Once
District 9
Falling Down
I might be defining alienated as outcast regarding some of these suggestions but I stand by that.
I really want your take on killmonger. Did you already do one?
I did one back when the first Black Panther movie came out, but I've been meaning to do an updated one where I go more in-depth.
Definitely a 9 out 10 for me #killmongerwasright Idk what u say 😂 #whatupdoe
No, my white ass is not