NYC Epicenters 9/11-2021½

Incredible is the best word I can use to describe this movie! There are so many untold stories about 9/11 and the pandemic. New Yorkers and their resilience is inspiring! I loved hearing the different stories and Spike's laughter is infectious!

"NYC Epicenters 9/11 - 2021½" (2021 release; 4 episodes of about 115 min. Each) is a new documentary mini-series from Spike Lee. As Episode 1 opens, we get some quick testimonials from New Yorkers when they heard about the coronavirus for the first time. Lee then serves up images of the abandoned city in March-April 2020 as Frank Sinatra's "New York, New York" plays (in its entirety). We then go back in time to clips from 2005 and 2014 when then-Presidents Bush and Obama, respectively, predicted that a pandemic would strike at some point and we needed to be prepared for that. Of course Trump then threw out all existing preparations upon becoming president. It all leads to the devastation that COVID-19 brought upon the 5 boroughs of New York, each one more so than the other... At this point we are 10 min. Into Episode 1.

Couple of comments: this is the latest "joint" from Spike Lee, looking at something that is near and dear to his heart: New York, and Brooklyn in particular. What begins at a fairly high-level/big picture view, eventually becomes very personal, as we hear time and again how people in New York were affected by and coping with COVID-19 in all of its forms: from healthcare providers to how bars and restaurants were struggling, etc. At times it is so personal that it becomes emotionally overwhelming (listen to the second generation Colombian-American as he relays what happened with his mother on a nursing home, just heartbreaking). This wouldn't be a true Spike Lee joint if we didn't get some political stuff thrown into the mix: Gov. Andrew Cuomo's cooking the numbers relative to seniors deaths in nursing homes (and then for good measure, trying to cover it up) gets extensive attention, and rightfully so. But also the unintended effect of COVID-19 on the murder of George Floyd and its subsequent fallout are closely examined (always from a New York point of view).

"NYC Epicenters 9/11- 2021½" premiered this weekend on HBO and Episode 1 is now available on HBO On Demand, HBO Max, Amazon Instant Video and other streaming services. New episodes air Sunday evenings at 8 pm Eastern. I quite liked Episode 1 and I look forward to seeing the remaining 3 episodes. If you have any interest in New York, or are simply a fan of Spike Lee, I'd readily suggest you check this out, and draw your own conclusion.

*UPDATE 8/29/21* As Episode 1 was released, Spike Lee revealed in a New York Times interview that in the last episode of this mini-series, where much of the focus is on 9/11 and its immediate aftermath, he had provided extensive coverage/platform to 9/11 conspiracy theorists about what caused the World Trade Center buildings to collapse, and simply commented to the NYT that "everyone can make up their own mind". This caused a huge uproar and pushback from the public at large, and long story short, it was just reported that Lee cut out the entire 30 min. Segment dealing with the 9/11 conspiracy theorists. As a result, Episode 4 apparently is now just 90 min. Long. To be continued...

*UPDATE 9/6/21* I've now also seen Episode 3. I can't readily recall a better/more riveting look at 9/11 and all that it entailed, before, during and after. Which makes it all the more puzzling why Episode 4 originally contained a full 30 min devoted to conspiracy theories about how the Twin Towers collapsed. Really looking forward to see how the 4th and last episode turns out.

*UPDATE 9/14/21* I've now seen Episode 4, and it is a logical and moving conclusion of the mini-series. It does indeed clock in at 90 min instead of the usual 120 min. Why Spike Lee originally wanted to include a 30 min segment on the (long-time debunked) conspiracy theories on how the 2 towers "really" collapsed is frankly beyond me. It would've put the entire series to shame. So yea, Lee "did the right thing" but it took a public uproar to get him to do it.... It's important to keep perspective, though, as in: yes, the loss of almost 3,000 lives on 9/11 was and is horrific. But it's the same number of people who continue die of the on-going COVID-19 pandemic EVERY 36 HOURS, as we speak. Covid-19 has claimed 660,000 American lives, and still no end in sight.

Thought this was well presented and even handed. I wonder what happened to us, Americans since 9/11. When did we start hating fellow Americans. Reading the reviews, I didn't see what the various complaints were on the 3 episodes.

I thought the 3rd episode on 9/11 was powerful and moving. I never knew about the boats who evacuated all of the New Yorkers from the tip of Manhattan.

This episode alone should be required viewing for everyone. It's should not be Never Forget, it should be We Always Remember, for those who sacrificed themselves to help others.

Pretty objective view for about 60% of the show. Really compelling stuff, great interviews from regular people you've never heard from before, which was really emotional and was truly compelling.

Then spike adds a "VH1" type comedy relief "witness" who clearly was only in the show for 'scripted' reasons. After he had the hi wire guy and the base jumper interview, and so many "credible" stories, which were amazing and kept me glued to the screen! It was truly disappointing to see some random person, bad mouthing the first responders for keeping poeple at bay after such a serious atrocity. There wasn't a clear message there, because the film tried so hard to reward the first responders, and then he blamed them for protecting the crime scene...

And then at the end he put George Floyd in the film. I completely agree that he was wrongfully treated, abused, and murdered. However , why take away from the9/11 victims? Please don't convolute and confuse the masses.

That is all.

Okay - just going to state this from the off that I have no political bias here and it's clear that haters are just going to hate and try and put people off watching what is one of the most intimate, current and emotively poignant documentaries ever made about a city surviving a plethora of pain, but with a huge 'Butchers Bill' of loss that will be felt for years to come.

Spike Lee through a series of interviews with everyone from officials, to Doctors and Nurses and your average people on the street, gives an authentic vocal narrative to the people of New York City, over one of the most turbulent periods of its history.

I had this programme on in the background as I was working, but gradually I was so compelled by the authentic power of the stories of the real people who lived through the times of Covid and BLM, that I had to watch it all again.

What Lee captures here so viscerally, more important than anything else, is the HUMANITY of the people he interviews. The power of their stories, of friends and families losing loved ones in the pandemic, losing faith in their leaders, after the murder of George Ffloyd is a power piece of filmmaking that deserves to be seen and shows Lee at his best.

There is no conspiracy nonsense here, so don't listen to such comments, clearly made by people who haven't even seen the whole show. If anything Lee highlights the danger of this, by showing how such an attitude cost one person their life. He has, in this mini-series, captured one of the most important times in history through the voices of the people who were there, who saw and experienced everything they're talking about, first hand.

From firefighters, to cops, to actors to restaurant owners.

This is the sort of documentary politicians the world over should be watching. It's a power reminder of what can happen, when you forget the reason you were elected to power was actually to serve the needs of all people you govern, and protect all the people you serve.

Brilliant authentic film making.