Ali...Will Smith Dec. 25, 2001

[Admin]

Check out the trailer yall...looks pretty good.

http://www.spe.sony.com/movies/ali

http://www.spe.sony.com/movies/ali/ali.jpg

Holla

[Andre98]

When I think about it, I think Will Smith is perfect for this role, I'll venture so far as to say a natural for it without even seeing it. My only hope is that his boxing ring skills are a good match, at least enough to pass it off and not take away from the illusion. I hear that is what he worked on the hardest. Though he has been very successful at every turn in his career, Will Smith has weathered tons of hateration over the years from the self-appointed rap purists for little more than just not straying from the style of rap that was hot at the tme he hit the scene. It seems tame because we have gone so hardcore. It's the hardcore that is more of a sellout, pandering to negative stereotypes. I am glad he has had the balls to say F-U and blaze his own path. Six Degrees and Bagger Vance were roles not many could play well. I am looking forward to this.

[Bedroomeyes]

Just to see how buffed up Will has gotten... :eek:

[OhSoPrecious]

I'm looking forward to this one. . just hope I'm not disappointed~!! :rolleyes: For some reason, I don't think I will be~!! :)

[Vronni]

I'm looking forward to this one. It doesn't open until Christmas day though...

[nubianx2]

I'm already making plans to see this one. I hope he wins something for this one.

[djackso]

Great Story. Great Actor. Should be a classic eventhough the guy from Sparks played a good Ali on the NBC movie.

[seductive_tee]

I heard this is being nominated for an award, Academy i think. How can that be and it has hit the screens yet?

[Brightness]

I didn't hear that one. . .I thought there was a time frame for the release of the movie. . .just like when Hurricane came out in late Dec. and didn't make the deadline.

But Will is sho' looking good. . .now that's the kinda BIG MAN I could get with in a hurry.

[lasttry]

you gotta get it out before end of the year... densel was nominated for his role in hurricane, he just got cheated....

they show movie critics and reviewers previews and early releases of the film so they can get the buzz out then that influences people who actually vote...

[Melotic]

I thought they had the wrong actor in the beginning, but after seeing the preview, I want to see it...

[Tastey]

I'm a HUGE Ali fan. I definately want to see this one.

[FAMU]

I will go see this movie only because it is a movie about one of the greatest African-American boxer of all-time. However, I do not feel that Will Smith can pull this role off. I am not sure if anybody in Holloywood can pull this role off, but we will see.

[RaiOfSunshine]

This movie is definitely a must-see.

[Juicey1]

Did anyone see him on Oprah yesterday? He has really buffed up. He looks good. Looks like the movie will be a good one.

[Brightness]

He's supposed to be on BET Live Tonight with Ed Gordon. . .

[Toffee]

Has anyone seen it yet?

[djackso]

It's a 8 out of 10. There is so much that a movie can cover. it should have been a HBO mini-series. It's hard to imitate a living person when you can turn to ESPN classic & see the actual footage. Jamie Foxx is funny & the guy who plays Cosell is funny.

[Admin]

So far, I have heard nuthing but good reviews. I will see the movie ASAP Mrs. Admin does not want me to see it without taking her...so that's the only hold up:D

Holla

[Vronni]

I saw it last night and I thought that it was good. It has alot of comical moments but has plenty of serious moments,too. It actually could have been longer, because you can only touch on so much in 3 hours.

[Admin]

Hmmm, well I give it 3 out of 5 stars. Meaning that i don't feel like I need my money back:D.

Issues:
======
I did not like he way the story was told. It's like we are in Ali's head or sumthing. There was lots of silence in the film and Ali mumbling to himself. This is one time that I think they should have let Will do some nararation.

Shyt was just appearing out of no where.

I mean, I lived thru this era and I have the luxury of knowing about 80% of Ali's struggles, but durring the period when he was not allowed to fight, they could have done a better job with that.

Mykelti Williamson (Bubba from Forest Gump) made a terrible Don King. I hated the scenes with him in it...trying to talk like Don? Man, I ould have done a better imitation:D

Likes:
======
Nona Gaye (Marvins' Daughter). I think she did a fantastic JOB! and is sure to get more roles from this movie.

Jamie Foxx. Thank God he was in this movie!!! I needed the laughter and seeing him with NO HAIR, just made me laugh:D

Mario Van Peebles (as Malcom X). I think he gave justice to the role...I liked his perfomance as well.

All of the fighters (except for Gerry Cooney) looked enough like the real ones to make it beliveable.

Will's fight scenes were also, choreorgraphed (sp) pretty well. I think they sprayed too much water on him (o make it look like sweat), but other than that...in the ring, he looked like a young MO-Hammed Ali:D


Your thoughts?
Holla

PS: "When We Were Kings" is a much better film that this one.



:cool:

[Melotic]

too damn long, they were actually longer than the real fights... Ali only had three fights... :rolleyes:

Mario Van Peeeples as Malcolm, his speeches were kind of ~ umm, not moving... That speech that was suppose to be the one, that transform Cassius into Ali, was nothing like some of Malcolm X tapes I have... In fact, Denzel did the job so well, they should worked with him...

Admin...
I don't think Ali ever fought Cooney... That was Holmes...

[Admin]

Actually I'm just going by the movie, In the movie Ali faught Cooney to get to Frazier. It was a deal that Ali and Frazier made. In the movie, Frazier told Ali that if he beat Cooney that he would give him a title fight....so they actually showed a fight with Cooney in the film..

Now, about Mario vs. Denzil? LOL, of course you are correct, but they did not have the money to hire Denzil.

You know what was a trip? The love scenes between Will and Jada. Man, I was kinda turned off by them. I just don't wanna see two married folks (in real life) doing a love scene.

Holla

[KissableSexyShortStuff]

I saw this almost 3hour movie.... Admin I agree with your points about Mykelti Williamson not playing a good Don King..... Mario Van Peeples did not do a good job in the Malcom X role. His speeches were just blah....


Jamie Fox was funny with the bald spot in the middle of his head....

The guy who played George Foreman was diesel (sp)

[Bedroomeyes]

I really didn't know the Ali story so it was very interesting.. Of course most of the info was one-sided (coming from Ali himself).. Like when he fought the first guy and said he got something in his eyes.. :rolleyes: :p

I also didn't realize that he had married that many times!! Was his second wife Marvin's daughter? She did do a good job.. Also didn't know that Ali and Malcom were that close.. I think Mario did a good job.. The story seemed to be more about Malcom X than Ali up until he died..

Will did a good job.. A couple of times he actually did look like Ali.. And I agree with that weak ass Don King...

And I was tripping off of George Foreman!!! I didn't realize he was such a beast back in the day!! Hell - When I think of George, I just think of that cheesy grin he has now!! :p

[djackso]

At the time people feared for Ali's life against Foreman. They forget to show Ali losing to Ken Norton to show how many felt Ali had lost so much during his lay off.The movie should have showed more of the Foreman-Frazier fight to show how dangerous Foreman was & how Ali's victory was a major upset. Ali fought Jerry Quarry not Cooney.

[que90nek]

yes...foreman was a BEAST....even in his older days...he did well!

[dns70]

It's tough to do a great movie on a person like Ali. He has been the subject of so many movies and specials and documentaries and interviews that it's difficult to say anything new about the man...

But they could have done a whole lot more with Ali's character. This is not Will Smith's fault either, it's the director's fault.
1) Ali was at a point where his marriage was failing,
2) he was broke when he thought he was a millionaire,
3) he lost his title,
4) he had the prospect of a 5 year prison sentence hanging over his head,
5) He suffered major public humiliation and scrutiny
5) and he couldn't fight for a living anymore...

THIS IS MAJOR STUFF!

I would have liked to see more sides of Ali in dealing with these issues. Where was the fear, the tears, the anxiety, the humility, the pain, all those things that happen to us when we face those kind of challenges.

I would have liked to seen them go deeper into his womanizing and his marital problems as well. We all know Ali was a genius in the ring, we all know the major events of his life, i.e. the Supreme Court, the bankruptcy, Liston, Frazier, Foreman, but it could have been more personal. But they probably did it so as not to offend Ali.

The performances were great, Jamie Foxx was incredible. He should get a Best Supporting Actor Nomination. John Voight as Cosell was fantastic. Nona Gaye was awesome. The story just lacked some things.

[que90nek]

1) Ali was at a point where his marriage was failing
I THOUGHT THAT THEY SHOWED THE FAILURES OF THE MARRIAGE. THEY DIDNT GO INTO EXTREME DETAIL, BUT THEY SHOWED THE PROGRESSION OF THE WOMEN.
2) he was broke when he thought he was a millionaire,
ARE YOU SAYING THAT HE WAS NUTS. I THOUGHT THAT THEY DID SHOW THAT HE WAS STRUGGLING AND THAT HE NEEDED A FIGHT! NEEDED!
3) he lost his title,
YES, HE WAS STRIPPED OF THE TITLE AND THEN HE GOT WHOOPED BY FRAZIER....
4) he had the prospect of a 5 year prison sentence hanging over his head,
THEY DEFINITELY COVERED THIS.
5) He suffered major public humiliation and scrutiny
THEY DIDNT SHOW A LOT OF THAT...U R CORRECT.
5) and he couldn't fight for a living anymore...
THEY FOCUSED MORE ON HIS WANTING TO REGAIN THE CHAMPIONSHIP...AND HIS EPIC BATTLE WITH FOREMAN...HIS TRIP TO AFRICA...HIS RELATIONSHIP AND UNDERSTANDING OF AFRICA...

it's tough to do a movie of an entire life....they focused more on the other historical things that were going on with black folks...the movie was long enough...but to cover everything...it would have been 6hrs longer.