Judas and the Black Messiah (2021)

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The story of Fred Hampton, Chairman of the Illinois Black Panther Party, and his fateful betrayal by FBI informant William O'Neal. (imdb)

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Directed By: Shaka King

Written By: Kenneth Lucas, Keith Lucas, Shaka King, Will Berson

Starring: Martin Sheen, Jesse Plemons, Lakeith Stanfield, Robert Longstreet, Daniel Kaluuya, Lil Rel Howery, Ashton Sanders, Dominique Fishback, Jermaine Fowler, Darrell Britt-Gibson, Algee Smith, Dominique Thorne

Genres: Drama, History, Biography

Country: USA

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Judas and the Black Messiah belongs to 27 collections

1. Academy Award - Oscar - Best Picture and Nominees (collaborative: moderated by smviper00 - 46 stars)

2. Left-wing politics (collaborative: moderated by djross - 27 stars)

3. Academy Award - Oscar - ALL Best Picture, Directing, Acting & Screenplay Nominees (collaborative - 22 stars)

4. Based on true events (collaborative: moderated by iconogassed - 12 stars)

5. 1960s period film (collaborative: moderated by djross - 9 stars)

6. Black Cinema (collaborative: moderated by Pickpocket - 7 stars)

7. Best by different standards (public: sesito71 - 6 stars)

8. Oscar: Best Supporting Actor (collaborative: moderated by Bojangles - 5 stars)

9. American racial politics (collaborative: moderated by djross - 4 stars)

10. Movies with Black leads (collaborative: moderated by PerryStroika - 3 stars)

11. African-American protagonist (collaborative: moderated by Moribunny - 3 stars)

12. 2021 Academy Awards: Nominated Feature Films (collaborative: moderated by joel-w-m - 3 stars)

13. FBI (collaborative: moderated by livelove - 2 stars)

14. Sight and Sound 50 Best Films of 2021 (public: TychoCelchuu - 2 stars)

15. Films available in HD (supplement) (collaborative: moderated by Jorg - 1 star)

16. African American Cinema (collaborative: moderated by PerryStroika)

17. Available on Divicast (collaborative: moderated by Dunstan-xxx)

18. My Movie Collection (public: elhenzo)

19. Mini Reviewed (public: Adds)

20. seen in 2021 (public: sproost)

21. 2021 Films Seen (public: seals)

22. 78th Golden Globe Awards: Nominated (2021) ~d~ (public: 5Z5qjRCfM2)

23. 2021 Oscar (public: Ozancan)

24. 93rd Academy Award Nominees for Best Picture (public: Yoshinaruto)

25. Giltiga 2021-filmer (public: caffe)

26. Oscars 2020-2021 Winners (public: truman.rose)

27. RMC™ (public: AAAutin)

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All Ratings | With Reviews

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TCI | Percentile | Date Rated | # Stars (Reviews)

Stars	User	Rating
6	Hofschneider	84 _79th
Ryan Coogler is building a star system - and I'm all here for it. What Stanfield and Kaluuya are doing here is unreal. This is some DeNiro-Pacino shit and it's time we talk about it in these terms.
5	Leonardis	95 _85th
I was pretty surprised by how good this is. This particular story revolving around Hampton and O'Neal should honestly be essential viewing. Kaluuya is phenomenal and Stanfield is also really good. I thought some of the directing felt like Michael Mann and the beautiful cinematography helps back that thought up. I do think the last half hour drags a bit, but it's otherwise a well paced, very investing drama with quite the punch. Very well done.
4	juntakinte99	75 _49th
Like Malcolm X or Selma, a Fred Hampton biopic is needed--both as a piece of history and an epic film. The story serves the collective liberation politics well, especially via a Kaluuya performance that shows the love and charm of Fred Hampton. But the picture slightly misses the movie by not fully dramatizing the two men in question--especially from the emotional fallout of the betrayal. Also, the film can be a bit too mawkish with its romance and period music soundtrack. Still, recommended.
2	Kavu	90 _94th
Excellent all around. Kaluuya and Stanfield stand out, but nobody is a weak link.
2	TheRealJ-Ro	80 _70th
One of my first thoughts when I started watching the movie, upon seeing Ryan Coogler's name as a producer, was to question why they didn't get him to direct it. After finishing the movie (no disrespect to Coogler), I'm glad they didn't, because Shaka King did a tremendous job with this material. Kaluuya and Stanfield both put in excellent work in film-driving efforts. Between this and "Trial of the Chicago 7", we have an excellent spiritual duology of social justice in the late 60's in America.
2	Neonman	70 _38th
It's well told, concise, and clear, but also linear and missing some kind of spectacle, insight, or even tension. But the direction is ambitious, helped by some powerful performances (both actors of which are somehow both supporting).
2	sellis	87 _81st
Full of power. A screenplay that feels refined, no fat. Sound casting. Excellent musical composition. The majority of it plays like Michael Mann directed Black KKKlansman, with a Battle of Algiers-edge. But where Algiers uplifts in the end by demonstrating the perseverance of the revolutionary pulse, Judas shows the tragedy and perseverance through healing. Excellent film.
2	mattorama12	72 _68th
Really well cast, with Kaluuya convincing as an inspirational leader and Stanfield adds to his impressive resume with another complicated and tortured character. I think Stanfield is officially on the short list of actors whose presence alone is enough to ensure something will be worth seeing.
2	destro	88 _75th
A light handed, taut retelling of the assassination of Fred Hampton. I particularly enjoyed the performances being sublime instead of over the top. Recommended.
2	jacobclark12	96 _95th
This film hits. Shaka King is someone I've never heard of before but is now someone who I will be watching with great interest. He helms this film so confidently and with oodles of swagger, yet never forgetting to make thematic points at every single turn. Daniel Kaluuya and Lakeith Stanfield knock their performances out of the park, but every cast member deserves a ton of praise for upping their game too; Jesse Plemmons and Dominique Fishback are quite noteworthy.
2	offlineoz	80 _75th
Socialism, so hot right now.
1	Moribunny	35 _19th
Tacky Hollywood tripe adorned by an interesting historical subject. Every minute of it screams "I'm a movie".
1	KasperL	55 _39th
Unexceptional, but completely watchable.
1	Obdurate	85 _80th
Much love to Kaluuya and Stanfield, who drive a lot of this film. While the ending itself is rather crippling, I did find that the movie tapered off a bit at a certain point. Up until then the tension and drama was building and I was really compelled by it but then it became a little less special. Even still, that was late enough into the film that it remained really great. The story is still interesting but that's the only gripe. Directing, acting, music--all memorable.
1	ABUNCHOFCATS	80 _52nd
Takes its time to build but the finale is amazing. Great performances.
1	Bown	83 _67th
Usually when you say “a movie is ## minutes too long” you can’t pick out the exact sections but in this case it is like EXACTLY the 15-20 minutes before they get onto the assassination bit. Aside from that, really good stuff - fantastic performances, great script, lively, powerful filmmaking.
1	bentien	55 _40th
Important but uneven biopic that's mostly watchable due to Stanfield and Kaluuya's performances.
1	PerryStroika	77 _94th
This incredible film manages to be a moving biopic about the life and death of an extraordinary man, a taut political thriller, and a provocation and a challenge to the inner Judas in all of us, that impenetrable core of inner selfishness that makes us sell out others for our own thirty pieces of silver.
1	stuie299	85 _76th
This is just a well written movie, built on the two central performances of Kaluuya and Stanfield. They absolutely nail their characters. Fishback also puts in an extremely strong supporting effort. Plemons' and Sheen's characters on the other hand felt more written and less natural. While the majority of the film feels very fresh, they hold it back slightly by being more cliched villains/antagonists. BTW I can't forget the score/soundtrack. Another good example of how to combine music and film.
1	hajikarimi	90 _59th
1841: i didn't know about this man. it was good to know about black panters and their leader
1	natebarrios	80 _86th
yes to Shaka King, yes to Daniel Kaluuya, yes to Lakeith Stanfield (c'mon now...) but most importantly: yes to motherfuckin' Dominique Fishback.
1	future42	40 _73rd
Well paced, well acted drama. The acting from the two leads is fantastic.
1	magdabag	93 _89th
Some of the best acting of the year, and I was thoroughly surprised and entertained. I didn't have too many expectations for this movie, but It was nothing that I had imagined. It maybe had a but of a sour ending, but that's life and I find it refreshing when movies don't end how you want them to. Definitely give this a watch if you're a movie buff.
1	JSchlansky	90 _91st
Fucking great. A real must-watch
1	le mami	65 _59th
Glad to learn about this man. Fred Hampton is an insprational socialist killed by an operation by the U.S.A. I HATE AMERICA :(
1	joel-w-m	7 _64th
In the way it captures the injustice, high stakes, and high-running emotions of the revolution it triumphs, and loudly-the music, the sounds, the turns all scream for your attention (see especially Hampton's welcome home speech). As a whole it feels a bit scattered though, with biopic-obligatory-feeling side plots (see Jake's revenge), teased but discarded character dynamics (see Roy's discomfort with Hoover), and a titular relationship that doesn't quite live up to its dramatic potential.
1	Corbad	65 _43rd
An undeniably powerful story and movement is no more than serviceably rendered behind the screenblandly written and uninterestingly constructed. The film's focus is the period and the delivery of the historical beats, to the detriment of any character study; Stanfield's Bill shows up to participate, but is never a compelling centrifuge. A polished TV movie.
1	radumsmn	72 _60th
All of which are American dreams. All of which are American dreams. All of which are American dreams.
1	Adds	50 _23rd
The acting and story was good but the pacing didn't keep my attention very well so I ended up not really knowing what was going on or even caring much. I think people felt obligated to rave about this to stay politically correct.
1	doyler29	80 _64th
It's a very good film, that does a fantastic job of telling us who Fred Hampton was and what a tragedy his death was. It would have been a great film if it gave us more insight into O'Neal's tragic situation.
1	Ajayw	83 _87th
A great story and excellent performances from Stanfield and Fishback. I didn't really buy Plemons as an asshole cop, but his exuberant whiteness plays well with the subject matter. It's hard to keep track of all of the characters, but there are some great bit performances throughout.
1	AnnieHall	85 _71st
What a powerful and special story. I don't know if I should admire Kaluuya or Stanfield more, they were both fantastic. Jesse Plemons, typical villain as always. It was very meaningful to see O'Neal's real-life interviews. We see painfully how police violence and racial discrimination, while that Fred's speech scene ( huge credit to Daniel Kaluuya ) is the top moment of the film. I don't like to compare, but I think it's better than The Trial of the Chicago 7, at least I liked it more.
1	Soixist	80 _60th
Really Good

Average Percentile 59.73% from 821 Ratings