Do the Right Thing at 20

I graduated high school in 1989. So many, many things I identify strongly with are turning 20 this year. On this blog, we've talked about De La Soul's Three Feet High and Rising, Public Enemy's Fear of a Black Planet, and the Beastie Boys' Paul's Boutique. (Can you believe three such influential and revolutionary albums were all released in the same year??!! Damn.)

In film, 1989 was the year of Spike Lee's Do the Right Thing. My first best moment of college (in September of that year) was an all-night conversation/argument about race based on this incredible and ambiguous movie.

That's what I like about it: it's so unclear what Spike wanted us to take away from the experience of watching it. From Rosie Perez' opening dance to PE's "Party for Your Right To Fight" to Radio Raheem''s Love and Hate rings to Vinny in Sal's Famous Pizzeria, the characters are sharp and funny, and the cinematography is incredible.

NPR's show Tell Me More did a great extended feature on this landmark movie. If you've never seen it, or if you haven't in a long time, celebrate it's 20 birthday with a viewing you'll be really enjoy.

PS - I have no idea why most of this post is in italics, but I can't change it, for some reason.