Do The Right Thing

If you're in MEL, go see Focus On Spike Lee at ACMI (Federation Square).

In December, ACMI opens Focus on Spike Lee, a career survey of the provocative, powerhouse filmmaker. The season will open with Lee's break-out hit, Do The Right Thing (1989), which Lee penned, earning a nomination for Best Original Screenplay Oscar and sealing his reputation as a socially engaged filmmaker.

Whilst Do The Right Thing heralded him as the new kid on the block, I have to confess it isn't anywhere near my favourite Spike Lee movie. Malcolm X was excellent (Denzel Washington became the character in a way that was rarely seen between that movie and Jamie Foxx's turn as Ray Charles), and Mo' Better Blues is one of my favourite movies period (being scored by Branford Marsalis never hurts!).

More recently (and moving away from African-American-centric themes), I loved 25th Hour with Ed Norton.

Anyway, go see Do The Right Thing so you can at least familiarise yourself with Radio Raheem.