Hey! Who turned off the color??

I logged on to Apple Trailers today to see what movies are out and what movies are coming out.  That happens to be one of my favorite pass times.  Pop a big bag of the Kernel's best buttered and garlic flavored popcorn, pour up a tall iced down glass of red kool-aid (ghetto juice according to my mother), and sit back and watch movie trailers.  Today I saw something that I've been noticing over the years.  It seems to have become a Hollywood trend.  You know how trendy Hollywood is when it comes to setting trends.  Well this one has been going on for quite some time.  While going through the list of trailers and watching them I said to myself, "Self, where on earth is all the color?"  And Self replied, "What do you mean?" So I had to explain it to myself.  What I meant by the question was, where are all the black people?  Where are all the African Americans on the big screen.  I think it's a valid question.  I mean, why is there only a handful of black superstars on the big screen and a whole heap of white superstars and not-so-superstars? Will Smith, Halle Berry, Don Chedle, Samuel Jackson, Queen Latifah and newcomer Jennifer Hudson are only a few black A-listers that seem to get steady work in Hollywood.  But there's so much talent out there when it comes to African Americans.  I mean, we (blacks) were the ones who would have to sing and dance way back in the day for the "privileged" American citizens.  I'm not saying that we are the pioneers, but we've obviously got skills.  I'd just like to see more color on the screen.  There are more historic epics made about  Greeks (300, Gladiator), Chinese (Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon), Germans (Defiance, U-571) than African Americans.  I mean we got Amastad, Malcom X, Pursuit of Happiness but that does not accurately display the possibilities.  I'd like to see some great spy movies like 007 with a black lead.  Or maybe an epic tale like Lord of the Rings with some colored folk.  And can I get some super heroes?  There's Spider-man, Superman, The Incredible Hulk (surely if they can give us a green hero they can give us a black one), Ghost Rider.  Ghost Rider?  Come on.  Get real.  The only black hero we get is Blade and he was off the chain.  Then we get Hancock which was a sad attempt to create a black super hero.  He was so stereotypical - angry at the world, a bully, an excessive drinker, went to jail.  Is that what people think we are like?  Well I'm pretty sure that how people in other countries think we are.  I want my son to be able to see people on the big screen who he can identify with. Hell, I want to see some people on the screen who I can identify with.  I'm tired of seeing the same of tire stock characters: The pants-sagging thug, the prisoner with the cornrows, the womanizing athlete, the sidekick to the hero.  I think that the big screen should be shared equally, especially if African Americans go to the box office and spend money watching predominately white films.