Best Man Holiday over 12 years a slave?

[Pounder]

Why do many African Americans rather watch movies like Best Man Holiday over 12 years a Slave?

85% of Best Man Holiday's audience was African-American. Impressive A+ cinemascore. Not knocking Best Man itself but the audience. Don't know how it was at other screening, but when I watched 12YAS most in attendance were Caucasian. Would be great if more of the African-American population would watch 12 years also.

[Foggy]

Originally Posted by pgestradasp1

Why do many African Americans rather watch movies like Best Man Holiday over 12 years a Slave?

85% of Best Man Holiday's audience was African-American. Impressive A+ cinemascore. Not knocking Best Man itself but the audience. Don't know how it was at other screening, but when I watched 12YAS most in attendance were Caucasian. Would be great if more of the African-American population would watch 12 years also.

It's probably because they were after a more upbeat film.

[Snicket]

Originally Posted by pgestradasp1

Why do many African Americans rather watch movies like Best Man Holiday over 12 years a Slave?

85% of Best Man Holiday's audience was African-American. Impressive A+ cinemascore. Not knocking Best Man itself but the audience. Don't know how it was at other screening, but when I watched 12YAS most in attendance were Caucasian. Would be great if more of the African-American population would watch 12 years also.

Do POC have to watch 12 Years? I don't like the assumptions you are making about race.

[chris_sc77]

There was a large African American audience in Django Unchained on opening day last year.
Everyone in the theater seemed to love that film
Not a great amount of people at the showing of 12 years a Slave I saw but it was on a thursday night. Not a lot of reaction so hard to tell if people liked that film or not.
12 years is certainly kinda boring when compared to something l like Django.
Yeah its a more realistic and downbeat film and I am surprised that it isnt doing better at the box office but maybe once award nominations are announced it will make more .

I have seen the trailer for The BEst Man holiday and it doesnt look bad at all.
It looks like a respectable romantic seasonal comedy. Looks Better than any other christmas movie released in the past few years at least.
Also, it is not offensive garbage like a Typer Perry movie or the awful looking Black Nativity.
Ugh..

But 12 years definitely has a more prestige awards-y vibe and a lot of the marketing has been aimed at general audiences regardless of color .

[Abdrewes]

Both are good movies. As long as they are seeing one of them, I'm cool.

(And yeah, the racial politics of the OP are kind of cringeworthy)

[Monterey Jack]

It's the holiday season. If you were a black moviegoer, would you rather watch a fun, party-filled comedy, or an incredibly wrenching, downbeat and violent chronicle of your ancestors getting brutalized? 12 Years A Slave is a superb movie, but it's not for everyone, black or white. Django Unchained was certainly violent, but it was also a raucous, cathartic revenge fantasy with plenty of entertaining business along the way, from a director with a huge, built-in fanbase.

[bootsy]

I'll speak for myself on part of this being a black male. I can't stand movies like Best Man holiday, Think Like a Man, Tyler Perry movies, etc. When I was younger I used to support these movies because they seemed to have some sort of purpose but when Tyler Perry came along with his line of shit I couldn't stand it anymore because it was way to preachy, horrible writing, acting, stereotyping, etc. I'm thinking to myself if this is the best product to represent us I want no parts of them. So I stay away from these movies now. These movies have a market and for some reason keep making money but that doesn't mean I'll support them.

My wife goes to all these movies and I don't go with her. She instead goes with her mom or girlfriend because she knows I hate them. I would be willing to bet that 85% is at least half or more black females and the rest is probably the man being dragged to this by their woman. There are many blacks that don't like these movies so I don't think every black person is lining up to see them. I think some of us look at it as we don't see many black movies or urban movies so when a Best Man Holiday comes along we are going to support whether it is horrible or not.

[Scottie]

People prefer lighter subjects. It has nothing to do with race.

[Abdrewes]

Bootsty, have you seen Best Man Holiday? It's really nowhere near Tyler Perry bad. In fact, it's just as good as the original film.

[Mandalorian]

Originally Posted by iScottie

People prefer lighter subjects. It has nothing to do with race.

This, and most of the people I urged to go see 12 Years a Slave hadn't even heard about it. It's catching attention now, because the TV spots are being played more frequently, and more theaters are getting it, but how could anyone look down on people for not seeing something they haven't even heard about?

People remember The Best Man, which was a decent black dramedy and very popular when it came out, so naturally its sequel would be popular. I don't think it's fair to lump this with Tyler Perry movies. Not to mention, The Best Man Holiday is getting decent reviews, so I wouldn't bash people for supporting it. I'm also black, myself, and tend to view Tyler Perry movies with angst, because they're laughing stocks, but I don't turn my nose up at every black comedy that comes out like they're all the same. You're on a mighty high horse if you do...

[bootsy]

Originally Posted by Abdrewes

Bootsty, have you seen Best Man Holiday? It's really nowhere near Tyler Perry bad. In fact, it's just as good as the original film.

I saw the first one when it came out and I enjoyed it but it wasn't a movie I loved or would watch over and over again. I think part of it is because when the first best man came out there wasn't much like it that had come out before. So it was something fresh and new but now it isn't. Most of these movies are the same format once you've seen one they pretty much go the same way. It's just not my type of movie anymore. As I've gotten older I just don't have any desire to watch movies like this.

[Pounder]

Originally Posted by chris_sc77

There was a large African American audience in Django Unchained on opening day last year.
Everyone in the theater seemed to love that film
Not a great amount of people at the showing of 12 years a Slave I saw but it was on a thursday night. Not a lot of reaction so hard to tell if people liked that film or not.
12 years is certainly kinda boring when compared to something l like Django.
Yeah its a more realistic and downbeat film and I am surprised that it isnt doing better at the box office but maybe once award nominations are announced it will make more .

I have seen the trailer for The BEst Man holiday and it doesnt look bad at all.
It looks like a respectable romantic seasonal comedy. Looks Better than any other christmas movie released in the past few years at least.
Also, it is not offensive garbage like a Typer Perry movie or the awful looking Black Nativity.
Ugh..

But 12 years definitely has a more prestige awards-y vibe and a lot of the marketing has been aimed at general audiences regardless of color .

Yeah, when I saw Django last year at least half the audience was black, which is why I'm surprised 12YAS is not getting the same support. I was expecting a large percentage to go and watch 12YAS especially after how well The Butler did.

[Mandalorian]

Originally Posted by pgestradasp1

Yeah, when I saw Django last year at least half the audience was black, which is why I'm surprised 12YAS is not getting the same support. I was expecting a large percentage to go and watch 12YAS especially after how well The Butler did.

Django opened wide right away, and was very well publicized. 12YAS opened in limited release, with basic publicity, and is just now starting to spread. You can't compare them.

[Pounder]

Originally Posted by Mandalorian

Django opened wide right away, and was very well publicized. 12YAS opened in limited release, with basic publicity, and is just now starting to spread. You can't compare them.

Even in limited release, the returns are not as good as the studio hope. Hopefully word keeps spreading.

[olivasauce]

Originally Posted by Mandalorian

Django opened wide right away, and was very well publicized. 12YAS opened in limited release, with basic publicity, and is just now starting to spread. You can't compare them.

Not only that but this dude is comparing to what he saw in the screenings he watched. How does he know what constitutes the crowds in every other screening around the world?

Silly and in my opinion had some undertones going on.

[MikeScott]

Originally Posted by pgestradasp1

Why do many African Americans rather watch movies like Best Man Holiday over 12 years a Slave?

85% of Best Man Holiday's audience was African-American. Impressive A+ cinemascore. Not knocking Best Man itself but the audience. Don't know how it was at other screening, but when I watched 12YAS most in attendance were Caucasian. Would be great if more of the African-American population would watch 12 years also.

Why should African Americans go see every movie about slavery that's released? There are so many, especially lately. Would get sickening. I also saw more white people seeing Django Unchained and The Butler.

[RyanPom]

Originally Posted by MikeScott

Why should African Americans go see every movie about slavery that's released? There are so many, especially lately. Would get sickening. I also saw more white people seeing Django Unchained and The Butler.

Yeah, at least Best Man is a positive outlook movie. I think more white people were overhyping The Help too.

[CZAR]

Originally Posted by Abdrewes

Bootsty, have you seen Best Man Holiday? It's really nowhere near Tyler Perry bad. In fact, it's just as good as the original film.

Oh yes bootsy please dont compare The Best Man films to anything Perry does. Thats a big insult. I cant stand Perry but I love The Best Man. Just needed to get that out of the way. Now to the OP why does it matter what movie African Americans go see? They go see what they want to just like any other race. A lot of black/urban films dont do to well or get a lot of support at the box office which kinda sucks because other races dont go see them but blacks do try to support their own films. The Best Man films are very good films and are worth supporting and are just very good films to see period. Not everyone wants to go see a historical film that will probably be historically inaccurate all the time. I mean there are good ones out there but there are also ones out there that just arent the truth and Hollywood turns it into sumthin else.

I just dont get what does this matter to the OP? Why cant they watch both? It just depends on what u wanna see. The first Best Man film was great and people have been waiting on a sequel for a long time and so now that it is here people are gonna go see it simple as that. Got Em!!

[bootsy]

Originally Posted by CZAR

Oh yes bootsy please dont compare The Best Man films to anything Perry does. Thats a big insult. I cant stand Perry but I love The Best Man. Just needed to get that out of the way. Now to the OP why does it matter what movie African Americans go see? They go see what they want to just like any other race. A lot of black/urban films dont do to well or get a lot of support at the box office which kinda sucks because other races dont go see them but blacks do try to support their own films. The Best Man films are very good films and are worth supporting and are just very good films to see period. Not everyone wants to go see a historical film that will probably be historically inaccurate all the time. I mean there are good ones out there but there are also ones out there that just arent the truth and Hollywood turns it into sumthin else.

I just dont get what does this matter to the OP? Why cant they watch both? It just depends on what u wanna see. The first Best Man film was great and people have been waiting on a sequel for a long time and so now that it is here people are gonna go see it simple as that. Got Em!!

Yeah I wasn't comparing them as far as quality just as it pertains to the target audience for both movies being the same.

[MikeScott]

Originally Posted by RyanPom

Yeah, at least Best Man is a positive outlook movie. I think more white people were overhyping The Help too.

Yeah, when I saw The Help there were no African Americans in attendance. It would be like Jewish people wanting to see every Holocaust drama or gay people wanting to watch movies about AIDS all of the time. I'm gay and usually avoid movies about that subject. I've seen some, sure, but I don't want to see them all of the time.