*Denzel Washington has done it again. His new star vehicle, “Flight,” made $25 million after its debut in only 1900 theaters; and has already surpassed the $30 million gamble previously set by Paramount.
Hot dang!
And to think, the star and the film’s director, Robert Zemeckis, took a pay cut–just to be on the safe side. But these amazing numbers have set the studio a-buzz; as they aim for overdrive in an all-out Oscar campaign blitz. Already, according to Deadline, a new 90-second “Academy” trailer targeted specifically for awards voters has been created; and by highlighting the film’s ensemble cast, the studio hopes to also get the attention of the SAG nominating committee.
“We’re getting out our message early via actor-centric websites and areas where actors congregate online, including social media outlets. Waiting until after opening weekend allows us to highlight the critical raves which serve the dual purpose of continuing to engage movie goers along with capturing the attention of voters,” said a key Paramount awards strategist.
With “Flight” as a major contender already,Washington could be a shoo-in for his third Academy award in the Best Actor category. Paramount plans to introduce several other trailers in short order.
Here’s a sneak peek at the new trailer awards voters will see:
Unfortunately, it’s not all good news for Denzel as far as “Flight” is concerned.
According to Dr. Boyce Watkins’ Black Blue Dog blog, some of Mr. Washington’s so-called “fans” are straight up ready to boycott the film.
Citing a list of reasons that the film is not worthy of a first or second look, they say that people should simply stay home and see Denzel’s next creative venture. I have no idea who generated the poster (below), but it’s certainly creating a great deal of buzz on our Facebook page.
With that being said, this film was difficult for anyone to watch. Sitting in the middle of the black female mecca of Atlanta, Denzel “Dream Boat” Washington falls in love with the kind of “marginal” white woman who fills the nightmares of every black woman who has come to love Denzel more than her own husband. The film reminds black women of the trifling brothers who consider black women as viable mates for the night, but inadequate to become wives and mothers. I literally cringed when I watched the film, because I could hear the reactions in the audience. Oh yeah, black women are the most religious demographic in all of America, and Denzel’s character refuses to even pray.
There’s more. Lots more. You can read it at Black Blue Dog.
Since the author decided to go *THERE* with the sterotypes in FLIGHT, why wasn’t there the same outcry boycott with his character in *TRAINING DAY* ??!!! I personally & THOROUGHLY ENJOYED BOTH FILMS. Keep doin’ whatcha doin’, Denzel ~
I haven’t seen the film, but going through the list on the boycott poster, I couldn’t help thinking of Training Days. Yeah, there was the Hispanic chic on the side he was messing with, then showing his ass acting like King Kong ain’t got shit on him. Didn’t he also abuse alcohol? Now wife beater.
No, no,no. I’m not trying to knock Denzel on applying his craft in diverse roles, but it’s unfortunate that his controversial roles seem to get more consideration for Oscars. There was a lot of controversy when he won the Oscar for Training Days, mainly that he finally got it for portraying a morally inept character. Considering his body of work which include numerous more desirable characters, I would hope that he is not remembered just for these roles, and the Oscar has a way of defining an actor’s career.
Always some crap complaint about something Oh well guess you just can’t please everybody!!
The movie was good and Denzel always deliver as always but I can agree some subjects in the movie were stereotypical. I understood he had an addiction but they characterized him as a black man abandoning his family and the junkie white woman as his somewhat savior. IJS.
I saw this movie as well. It is a good movie but not a happy movie. Denzel plays a broken, drug abusing, gifted pilot. His one redeeming characteristic is his piloting skills which is what the movie pivots on. I did not get the sense that he was a wife beater only that he did abandon his family due to drug-abusing and lying ways. He was living a tormented drug-induced life that he held together through his job (airplane pilot). He was lying to everyone including himself.he was disenfranchised from his son, totally screwed up. I was disappointed that he hooked up with a white woman, she is not his savior! (the very first scene he is with a latino airline attendant). This is Hollywood it is inherently color-conscience and thinks black on black love is still not sellable.
Too me, this was just a gifted actor stretching his artistry by portraying a anti-hero that happens to be black. I left the movie feeling down. Again its not a happy movie, but it’s still a good movie.
I suggest that everyone go see the movie and decide for yourself. BTW, I loved Training Day.
“Flight” was a very good movie. The movie is disturbing and Denzel’s character is as despicable as his Training Day character – just in different ways. That is just what the character is supposed to be. Denzel is a brilliant actor.
Honestly though, anyone who reaches into this movie and pulls out the “stereotype” label must be racist or just looking for it. When I think about the movie, Denzel’s character could have been any race. It’s a very well-acted and thought provoking movie.
Oh gawwwwwwddd this is a bunch bullshyt about NOTHING! I saw this movie and NONE of that stuff came to my mind. Did I think Denzil’s “character” was an idiot and downright stupid at times for some of his decisions? Hell yeahhhhhh. I was truly upset with his “character” in this film which made the movie so great; I was completely sold. However, i definitely didn’t draw any comparison to my life as a black man or any other black men I know – and I know people from all walks of life. This is complete crap and I must say that some of us take ourselves way too serious for human digestion. This is disgusting! If it had been Tom Hanks or Russel Crowe in that role I wonder what we would we be saying?
BOY I TELL YOU…..BLACK FOLKS NEED TO GET THEIR PRIORITIES IN ORDER THERE ARE FAR MORE PRESSING ISSUES IN THE BLACK “COMMUNITY” THAT NEED OUR ATTENTION THAN A FICTIONAL CHARACTER THAT DENZEL IS PLAYING…..THIS SHIT IS RIDICULOUS…..NOT TO MENTION FOLKS LIKE CHRIS BROWN WHO IN FACT IS A REAL WIFE BEATER AND HE STILL SELLS A LOT OF MUSIC, WINS GRAMMYS AND MAKES ACOUPLE OF MILLION A YEAR AND WHO’S BOYCOTTING HIM?…DENZEL PLAYS A WIFE BEATER AND AN ADDICT AND BLACK FOLKS WANNA BOYCOTT HIS MOVIE?….WOW THATS FUKKIN FUNNY….#GETALIFE
Much ado about nothing. Great movie. White actors have portrayed worse characters and got oscars. But if our community is really ticked off about how Hollywood portrays us, then it’s time for a viable Black Hollywood (which has been tried before, btw).
Flight catching more flak:
Budweiser seeks removal from ‘Flight’
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Denzel Washington’s character in “Flight” drinks a lot throughout the film, but his portrayal of a highly functioning alcoholic pilot isn’t going down well with brewing company Anheuser-Busch or the distributor of Stolichnaya vodka.
Anheuser-Busch said Monday that it has asked Paramount Pictures Corp. to obscure or remove the Budweiser logo from the film, which at one point shows Washington’s character drinking the beer while behind the wheel.
I saw Flight and thought it was a good movie. I hated Denzel (can’t believe I just said that) just like I hated him in Training Day and that’s because he is a wonderful actor. I didn’t get any sterotypes at all. He was a broken man (father died and wife/son were not in his life) and he turned to alcohol. As far as the white girl, that’s just who he happened to meet in a hospital and that’s where the attraction was, she was and he knew they were very much alike. She was NOT his savior. Had he ran into a sista in the same hospital for whatever reason it could have been her. He was with the Latino flight attendant because I didn’t see any sistas as flight attendants and she was like him too (drugging/boozing). Him going to jail was a given, he put himself in jail. He could have lied and walked away but he didn’t. He saw the damage he had done and he paid the price. Great movie!! Will make me look sideways and all pilots though.