Machete - the 2010 film you aren't expecting

So I have been a bit busy covering the Health Care Reform debate over at my political blog (VASS). But now its time to get back to more simple and pleasant things.

Though I’m not sure that Machete is simple, or pleasant. This is a film that you will likely be hearing a lot about as 2010 approaches. And there will be no lack of coverage by critics big and small. (and if you are wondering, the film has nothing to do with the character from the Spy Kid’s films.)

The reason is that the film is directed by Robert Rodriguez. The cast for this action film will include: Lindesy Lohan, Jessica Alba, Don Johnson, Steven Segal, Cheech Marin, Danny Trejo, Michelle Rodriguez (no relation), and Robert DeNiro (in roughly order of their acting ability). Talk about a wild mix.

The star of this film is also quite different from what most Americans would expect. It’s Trejo as a former Mexican Federales. The bad guy is pretty much everyone, but basically DeNiro as a corrupt elected official (as if there are non-corrupt ones). Everyone else is in and out of the film adding their own flair and crashes, bashes and explosions to the story.

The big question is if this can work. Can a film starring a Mexican, with an American bad guy, hold up? The fact that there will be some martial arts fighting, a couple of young starlets likely in tight nothing, and lots of gunfights will not hurt a bit.

I say that the film will work. Director Rodriguez has more than proven that films starring, and entirely comprised of Hispanic/Latino characters (other than the bad guys) can be huge hits. He has also proven his ability to do a decent film with a good helping of explosions and adult fare (think Sin City). The only place I would worry about this film would be the writing.

Simply put, if you see this film hit in January 2010, it will likely be a horrible flop. If it comes out in April, which I think it will, then that means it all came together great. A mid-summer release means they really nailed it.

Personally I hope it is a good film. Danny Trejo has put in his dues over the decades and having a leading role that works would be a nice feather in his cap. And if you are wondering who he is, well you have seen him. He was the original driver with DeNiro in Heat, he was the uncle in all 3 Spy Kid’s movies, he is Enrique on King of the Hill, he is a bartender on the Young and the Restless.

He has been in 69 movies and television show over the past 25 years. Many actors never even get to do that many films in a lifetime. Not to bad for a former drug addict, ex-con, and prison welterweight boxing champ. Like I said, he has paid his dues, worked hard, and earned the shot at a leading role. So I want to see him do well in this chance.

The growing bandwagon against Spike Lee

Shame on Spike Lee. That’s what it seems Clint Eastwood feels in commenting on the comments of Lee about the absence of a single African American in the nearly 6 hours of film Eastwood created in 2 films about Iwo Jima. And Eastwood is not alone in rebuking Spike Lee.

Amazing. I’ve already made my comment on this issue, where I’ve agreed with Lee and am upset with Eastwood. And yes I do realize that the number of Black troops were less than 1000. Still nearly 6 hours of is more than enough to have one Black face in a background shot at least. Acknowledging the existence of the African Americans that fought and died in WWII is not a lot to ask for. Not that Hollywood has ever cared, as evidenced by the flood of films featuring or including Blacks in WWII films.

But I am now hearing how Spike Lee is being called out for his portrayals of Italian Americans.

“Spike Lee is very talented, but I sometimes wish he'd practice what he preaches," Dal Cerro said. "His points about African-Americans are well taken, but, ironically, he does the same thing to Italians in his films.” - Bill Dal Cerro, president of the Italic Institute of America

Oh really?

This annoys me. Unlike the overwhelming number of movies made by virtually every director since movies have been made, the movies by Spike Lee have diversity in them. People of all colors appear in most of his films. They may not be leading characters but they are there. The same cannot be said of Hollywood in general.

But Spike makes Italians look bad? As far as I recall the Godfather was out long before any film by Spike. As far as I can recall Italians have been portrayed as loud, rude, violent, under-educated, mafia members in dozens of movies and television programs for decades. Spike Lee had nothing to do with the Sopranos. He did not direct Andy Garcia or Robert De Niro in the Untouchables. I really don’t need to go on do I.

There is no absence of Italians in hundreds of films a decade. There is no absence of Italian actors in films, television and the theatre of every style and genre an any year. So this claim against Spike Lee is just a grab at attention, and a means to damage his image. It supports Clint Eastwood and the perception that African Americans were anywhere but fighting for America in WWII.

When the critics of the many films of Spike Lee want to take him on, I suggest they first take a look at our media. When they can prove that Black actors and films are not the trend of the year or the forgotten red-headed stepchild of Hollywood I’ll accept the claim that there are not enough Whites in his films. I’ll accept at that time that historical and current portrayals of Italians, Britians, Germans, French and every other nationality of Whites may be insensitive or detrimental. But when we stop listening to the rhetoric and pay attention to the facts before our eyes we realize that such a dramatic change is still a long ways away.