Source:
Focus
Features
Social
media
is
buzzing
over
The
American
Society
Of
Magical
Negroes
which
premiered
at
Sundance
to
mixed
reviews
as
one
of
the
buzziest
upcoming
films
at
the
famed
film
festival.
While
some
reviews
praised
the
film,
others
confirmed
the
initial
social
media
concerns
that
erupted
online
in
response
to
the
questionable
trailer.
Check
it
out
below:
A
secret
group
of
magical
Black
folk
whose
sole
existence
is
to
comfort
white
people?
Yes,
we
understand
that
it’s
satire
but
that’s
a
tough
sell
to
a
Black
audience
without
the
necessary
context
provided
by
the
film.
In
a
scathing
review
that
shook
up
Twitter
X,
RogerEbert.com’s
Robert
Daniels
described
the
film
as
“hollow,”
“wretched,”
and
“utterly
confused.”
(You
can
read
the
whole
review
here.)
THE
AMERICAN
SOCIETY
OF
MAGICAL
NEGROES
is
hollow,
wretched,
and
utterly
confused.
My
#Sundance2024
review
via
@ebertvoices
https://t.co/DlfyP4lgs7
—
Robert
Daniels
(@812filmreviews)
January
20,
2024
Other
critics
echoed
some
of
his
sentiments,
leaving
the
film’s
“fresh
rating”
at
a
disappointing
50%
on
RottenTomatoes.com.
The
new
satire
film,
which
sparked
controversy
ahead
of
the
Sundance
Film
Festival,
isn’t
as
smart
or
funny
as
it
thinks—or,
frankly,
needs
to
be
in
order
to
work,
writes
Nick
Schager.
https://t.co/msH3OD68ef
—
The
Daily
Beast
(@thedailybeast)
January
20,
2024
Directed
by
Kobi
Libii,
the
film
stars
Justice
Smith
and David
Alan
Grier
who,
uh,
didn’t
do
the
film
any
favors
based
on
the
reactions
to
their
comments
at
Sundance’s
Variety
Studio.
“There
were
Black
people
who
were
triggered
by
seeing
something
that
they
weren’t
ready
to
admit
in
themselves,”
said
Smith
about
the
focus
group
reactions
to
the
film.
“Like,
‘I’ve
never
made
space
for
white
people
in
this
way.’
But
then
there
are
Black
people
who
are
like,
‘This
is
me,
this
is
what
I’ve
had
to
do
to
survive.’
This
shows
that
we’re
not
a
monolith.
This
art
is
controversial
because
it
expands
what
Black
art
can
be
and
speaks
about
such
a
specific
side
of
Blackness
and
survival
that
we
haven’t
really
seen
before…this
micro-aggressive
corporate
racism.”
i
hate
when
ppl
don’t
grasp
that
we
GET
the
point
and
the
message
of
the
movie…and
still
think
it’s
corny
and
unappealing
bc
we
want
a
black
movie
that
is
just
fun
and
doesn’t
need
to
reflect
or
center
real
world
dynamics
with
white
ppl
for
the
umpteenth
time
https://t.co/JWhr1fxPl0
—
joanna’s
struggle
tweets
(@dumbdotcomm)
January
21,
2024
At
this
point,
it’s
probably
best
that
they
do
less
talking
ahead
of
the
film’s
release.
Will
you
be
seated
for
The
American
Society
Of
Magical
Negroes
(opening
in
theaters
March
22,
2024)?Tell
us
down
below
and
peep
some
Twitter
hysteria
over
its
Sundance
premiere
on
the
flip.
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