{"id":4286,"date":"2017-01-09T10:21:55","date_gmt":"2017-01-09T17:21:55","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/dailyfilmfix.com\/?p=4286"},"modified":"2017-01-09T10:26:38","modified_gmt":"2017-01-09T17:26:38","slug":"daily-dose-troll-me-hidden-fences","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dailyfilmfix.com\/?p=4286","title":{"rendered":"Daily Dose: TROLL ME: Hidden Fences?!?!"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"hiddenfigures\"\"fences\"<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Okay, I\u2019ve said it, \u201cHidden Fences.\u201d\u00a0 Well, I\u2019m merely repeating the slip of the tongue made by several at last night\u2019s Golden Globes.\u00a0 What started with what the LA Times called a \u201cJenna Bush Hager flub\u201d on the red carpet later spilled over when Michael Keaton used it while presenting the best supporting actress category.<\/p>\n

Although I\u2019m white, and did not make the mistake by combining the titles to the films Hidden Figures<\/em> and Fences<\/em>, now that it has become a hashtag and a meme of the moment, it is inevitably going to work its way into my lexicon.\u00a0 The mistake, if I make it, has nothing to do with my race.<\/p>\n

But let me try to rid myself of it now: it\u2019s Hidden Figures<\/em>, the other film is Fences,<\/em> Hidden Figures<\/em>, Hidden Figures<\/em>, Hidden<\/em>.. Fen<\/em>\u2026 Figures<\/em>!<\/p>\n

The real controversy isn\u2019t an understandable flub, rather, it\u2019s that the best films about race that also feature actors of color in 2016 are not receiving more attention.<\/p>\n

2016 began with a bidding war that culminated in a record purchase for Nate Parker\u2019s The Birth of a Nation<\/em> at the Sundance Film Festival last January.\u00a0 With this historic deal, the year began with a bang for African American filmmakers.\u00a0 But then the rumor mill began\u2026<\/p>\n

\"birthofanation\"Although Parker\u2019s film is excellent, arguably better than Hidden Figures<\/em>, The Birth of a Nation<\/em> suffered mightily at the box office.\u00a0 What began with a bang ended with a whimper.\u00a0 One significant reason for the failure was related to problems outside the production regarding the star\/director\/co-writer Parker\u2019s past involving a sexual assault charge, trial, and not guilty verdict.<\/p>\n

In a year when movers and shakers sought to quell movements such as #oscarssowhite by applying the \u201cgreen poultice,\u201d letting money speak where words were lacking, it is fitting that the one film exposing an overlooked historical narrative about America and racial prejudice that features strong African American leads is also the most easily digestible.\u00a0 It is safe, and I do mean \u201csafe,\u201d to say that Hidden Figures<\/em> is this year\u2019s The Help<\/em>. That\u2019s not a bad thing, but Hidden Figures<\/em> isn\u2019t the only film you should be watching. And it\u2019s far from the year\u2019s best.<\/p>\n

Here\u2019s a list of 2016 releases containing strong, important, socially conscious messages, all of which are, in my opinion, better than Hidden Figures:<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

1. I Am Not Your Negro<\/em><\/strong>
\n2. Loving<\/em><\/strong>
\n3. Fences<\/em><\/strong>
\n4. 13th<\/em><\/strong>
\n5. Moonlight<\/em><\/strong>
\n6. O.J.: Made in America<\/em><\/strong>
\nand, I have my reasons for this,
\n7. Zootopia<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

\"boomadeahalloween\"I know what you\u2019re thinking, my list noticeably fails to mention of most financially successful feature of 2016 made by and starring an African American: Boo! A Madea Halloween<\/em>. Atlanta\u2019s own Tyler Perry, a shrewd businessman, who has been one of the most successful filmmakers in the last decade, continued to show that his brand is viable by delivering the only true Halloween film of the season.\u00a0 Audiences rewarded him for his effort, but those same audiences stayed away from The Birth of a Nation.<\/em><\/p>\n

But take heart, viewers have been kind to Denzel Washington\u2019s actors\u2019 showcase Fences<\/em>, which has not remained hidden, and after 4 weeks in release, the fine film topped Assassin\u2019s Creed<\/em> to take the domestic box office No. 9 spot last weekend.<\/p>\n

Bluntly, it\u2019s about money not awards.\u00a0 Sure, the #oscarssowhite campaign pointed out disparities in the major awards contests, but the people, the viewing public, need to vote with dollars and cents.\u00a0 Great movies with important messages should be seen.\u00a0 Unfortunately, if audiences do not pay for good work, the result will be less good films and fewer great ones.\u00a0 This fact should not remain hidden away or fenced off.<\/p>\n

Once again, it\u2019s Hidden Figures<\/em>, Hidden Figures<\/em>, Hidden Fen<\/em>\u2026<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Jonathan tries to rid himself of the flub “Hidden Fences,” while suggesting what you should be watching.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":4287,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-4286","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-blog","has-thumb"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/dailyfilmfix.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4286","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/dailyfilmfix.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/dailyfilmfix.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyfilmfix.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyfilmfix.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=4286"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/dailyfilmfix.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4286\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":4294,"href":"https:\/\/dailyfilmfix.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4286\/revisions\/4294"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyfilmfix.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/4287"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/dailyfilmfix.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=4286"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyfilmfix.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=4286"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyfilmfix.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=4286"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}