I had a chance to speak with Stacy Peralta when Dogtown and Z-Boys premiered at the Toronto Film Fest. He seemed to me to be a great, easy-going guy who had turned his passion for the story of him and his friends into a passion for telling stories in general; it's no surprise that he's tackling subjects close to home and his experiences.

I am beyond excited to see Made in America. I think Peralta's work is pretty impressive - and brings a real vibrancy to documentary that can sometimes be lacking.

Whoa!! I better hurry-up and read "Choke". Heavy handed, huh? Hey, the heavier the better, I say. I almost died laughing reading "Lullaby", and "Diary" was totally cool, with the strangest happy ending ever; and his factoids are fabulous. According to Palahniuk ("Lullaby"): there was this man named Eugene Schimmelman, or some name like that, who was sad that New York City's Central park didn't have all the birds in Shakespeare, so he released 60 Starlings and within 15 years they had made it to the west coast.

I love Starlings. Palahniuk ROCKS!!

...but yes, Chuck P rocks my world too!

I haven't read "Choke" yet (but with the movie coming out, it's next on my list) - but "Invisible Monsters", "Haunted" and "Rant" were all bloody amazing - ingenious satirical dark comedy at its very best.

Palahniuk has a light touch with his revelations that Bret Easton Ellis, talented as he is, could never quite attain.

Cheers,

His name was Robert Paulson

I read this because of the use of the word "operatic". Let's artfully examine gangs that are killing each other. How daring and arty! I found the article interesting because the author played right into my expectations of blame the white society sentiments and then said that the filmmaker is aware of the incredible self-hatred within these communities sort of answering my concerns and making me interested.

However, he then goes on to say that if 28% of white teenagers were in jail, we'd be doing something about it. It conflicts with what he said regarding self-hatred. Self-hatred can't be cured from the outside, it comes from within. And according to this article, he makes no suggestions that can help but says we would be helping if it was white. What else can be done? Throw money at the problem? It is up to people within these cultures to deal with their self-hatred and stop killing each other. It is not up to me as a person of caucasian heritage. People will change when the pain gets too great and I guess it isn't great enough and I don't know that an "operatic" film will change anything but hopefully it does.

Why has it not been reviewed on Salon? Successful blacks talking in non-stereotypical ways about being black in America? I guess some people here don't want to see this.

The reason why few people outside these ravaged areas of our big cities care is that for the most part the crime is black-on-black and contained within the areas. It is only when the violence spills over to middle class and upper class areas that people sit up and take notice. This is what happened in 1992 during the L.A. riots: white people (but also other "non-poor" groups of various color) were scared because they realized that they might be affected, thinking "Will those poor blacks people come into our neighborhoods?" Politicians only go there for photo ops and the media focus on dramatic news. As the Hurricane Katrina tragedy showed, most people - whites and others - could give a hoot about the poor, and especially if those poor are blacks.

I have been on the Blue line train going from downtown L.A. to Long Beach many times. The train travels past some of the most depressing places I've ever seen. Latinos are now the majority in many of these neighborhoods, but there is still a large black population. I was often the only white person on the train and never had any problems. Most people there seem resigned to their "fate" - quiet, passive, orderly. A few mentally ill homeless people would get on every now and then.

The drivers in L.A. on the other hand were agressive, angry, impatient and rude: people of all classes and colors and ages. As a pedestrian and a mass transit user, I risked my life every time I stepped outside my door. On the train, I felt safe, but depressed: the poverty is staggering. It was one of the reason I moved - the train ride was really beginning to wear on me psychologically. Imagine then what it is for someone who lives there, day in and day out.

I applaud this new documentary, but alas I doubt things will change: for most people the film will merely be allow them to take a curious safe journey into an "exotic" dangerous world and come out saying "how terrible - thank god we don't live there".

P.S. Warren Beatty's decade-old brilliant drama-comedy "Bulworth" is far more effective than any documentary could ever be in commentating on the issue of politics as usual and ignored communities. It's a must-watch, especially in the light of the current absurd and disgusting presidential race.

White liberals are without question the new tyrants on the block..

When will more Blacks like me see white liberals as they are..they will make big $$ of these Black movie props ..spending a litte money on them at Sundance was a good investment and no doubt woll turn a good profit...

Made in America..bullshit matinee spin..These fools represent less that .5 of Black youth!!!