Is That Black Enough for You?!?

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Is That Black Enough for You?!?

R

Released Oct 28, 2022

2h 15m

Documentary

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Popcornmeter

100%

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43 Reviews

62%

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50+ Ratings

From celebrated writer and film historian Elvis Mitchell, IS THAT BLACK ENOUGH FOR YOU?!? is both a documentary and deeply personal essay. The film examines the craft and power of cinema from a perspective often overlooked: the African American contribution to films released from the landmark era of the 70s. It is a deep dive into the impact that point of view had on movies, as well as popular culture. A love letter to film, it poses questions that have never been asked, let alone answered. Crucial artistic voices, including director Charles Burnett, Samuel L. Jackson, Whoopi Goldberg, Laurence Fishburne, Zendaya and others, artists offer their distinctive prism on the creators and films that dazzled and inspired, providing insight into the history of Black representation going back to the earliest days of cinema, and the cultural impact of witnessing unapologetic Blackness.

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Critics Consensus

An indispensable watch for film buffs, Is That Black Enough for You?!? shines a sorely needed spotlight on a remarkably rich period in the medium's history.

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Stephanie Zacharek

TIME Magazine

Film critic, curator, ace interviewer, and all-around bon vivant Elvis Mitchell has put together a provocative scrapbook documentary that both celebrates and examines the history of Black cinema in the 1970s.

Aug 1, 2024

Full Review

Craig Mathieson

The Age (Australia)

The style is anything but dry, yet Mitchell subtly crafts an overview that is both studded with detail and allows for terrific commentary from the likes of Samuel L Jackson, Zendaya, and Laurence Fishburne.

Nov 30, 2022

Full Review

K. Austin Collins

Rolling Stone

Mitchell is smart. It’s pleasurable to be along for this tour of his mind and its nimbly kinetic knack for association and sharp inference.

Nov 16, 2022

Full Review

Greg Carlson

Vague Visages

Is That Black Enough for You?!? consistently finds the right tone and balance even when one wishes certain movie titles, filmmakers or performers were afforded more time on the screen.

Jul 27, 2023

Full Review

Jillian Chilingerian

Offscreen With Jillian

Is That Black Enough for You?!? is a must-watch for any film lover to provide a historical timeline and the influence of Black cinema.

Jul 25, 2023

Full Review

Carla Hay

Culture Mix

Writer/director Elvis Mitchell gives elegant narration and an informative retrospective in this noteworthy cultural documentary, which puts a deserving spotlight on African American-oriented movies and filmmakers from 1968 to 1978.

Dec 30, 2022

Full Review

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San B

No reason why people hate this documentary, it's just good.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

12/01/23

Full Review

Hatsuhito S

黒人が関わる映画の歴史。見たい映画がない人へのリスト

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

11/29/23

Full Review

Louis J

Is that good enough for you!?

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

11/05/23

Full Review

Steve C

Here's what I liked: I learned about the existence of a lot of films I had no idea about. That was great. Here's what I didn't like: there's no real arc, no central thesis, no real explanation about what we're seeing. Mitchell spends two hours showing us clips of films he likes and that's about it. At the beginning, he poses a question about why there were so many black-oriented films during the 70s and asks why that stopped. But he doesn't really come back around to it. He also does really address one of the core things about that time in film and that's the fact that many (most?) of the films that he excerpts starred black actors but were directed by white men. Seems to me a facet of this story worth exploring. By comparison, Los Angeles Plays Itself follows the same type of formula, but - even at a much longer length - remains compelling throughout. Of course I would expect a film critic to make a better film than this one, but what's really surprising is the 100% fresh rating on the professional reviewer side on RT. Maybe reviewers are afraid to be critical of film made by a peer, maybe they're afraid to be critical of a film that focuses on people of color. But it's frankly bizarre, the gushing going on about a film that's about at the level of a good - not great - undergrad film project.

Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars

05/05/23

Full Review

max p

Flat and not nearly as insightful as you'd believe.

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

03/31/23

Full Review

Stephen C

Always lots of comedy, not enough negativity!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

01/12/23

Full Review

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Elvis Mitchell

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Harry Belafonte

Self

Laurence Fishburne

Self

Samuel L. Jackson

Self

Margaret Avery

Self

Whoopi Goldberg

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Is That Black Enough for You?!?: Trailer 1

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Synopsis

From celebrated writer and film historian Elvis Mitchell, IS THAT BLACK ENOUGH FOR YOU?!? is both a documentary and deeply personal essay. The film examines the craft and power of cinema from a perspective often overlooked: the African American contribution to films released from the landmark era of the 70s. It is a deep dive into the impact that point of view had on movies, as well as popular culture. A love letter to film, it poses questions that have never been asked, let alone answered. Crucial artistic voices, including director Charles Burnett, Samuel L. Jackson, Whoopi Goldberg, Laurence Fishburne, Zendaya and others, artists offer their distinctive prism on the creators and films that dazzled and inspired, providing insight into the history of Black representation going back to the earliest days of cinema, and the cultural impact of witnessing unapologetic Blackness.

Director: Elvis Mitchell
Producer: Ciara Lacy, Terry Leonard
Distributor: Netflix
Production Co: Netflix
Rating: R (Nudity|Language|Drug Material|Some Sexual Content|Violence)
Genre: Documentary
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Oct 28, 2022, Limited
Release Date (Streaming): Nov 11, 2022
Runtime: 2h 15m

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