Saturday, June 27, 2020

Five by Spike Lee

     This week we pay tribute to one of the greatest filmmakers of all time, Spike Lee. Always bold, never subtle, often brilliant with a command of visual language that is unmatched. 
     Jungle Fever takes a look at an interracial affair and the ripples it creates in the lives of all those around them, including a breakout performance by Samuel L Jackson. Flipper Purify is a successful architect and happily married with a young daughter. When his firm hires Angie Tucci as a temp to be his secretary... one late night at the office they start a tumultuous relationship.
     Crooklyn is a casually plotted but deeply personal semi-autobiographical tale in the summer of 1973. 9 year-old Troy Carmichael learns some hard lessons from her tough mother, naive father, and rowdy siblings.  The project originated as a television pilot and was co-written by two of Lee's siblings.
     He Got Game takes a hard look at sports culture, its inherent predatory exploitation, father-son dynamics, and acceptance of on'es past. Jesus Shuttlesworth is the top prospect in the country. His father, Jake Shuttlesworth, is given a week out of prison and the promise of possible early release if he can convince his son to sign a letter of intent to the governor's alma matter.
     Da Sweet Blood of Jesus is a remake of Bill Gunn's Ganja and Hess shifts the focus more on religion. Wealthy anthropologist and art collector Dr Hess Green is stabbed with an ancient African dagger by his assistant and becomes addicted to blood. As he settles into his new situation, his assistant's ex-wife decides to drop in. 
     Da 5 Bloods explores the complicated relationship between African-American soldiers and the military, the lasting effects for both sides that continue, and PTSD. An African-American squad from the US Army 1st Infantry Division secure a crashed CIA plane and it's cargo- a locker full of gold bars to be used as payment for the Lahu people. Deciding that the gold is as much rightfully theirs as anyone's the squad bury their treasure, only to lose it and their leader in the ensuing counter attack and napalm strike. Years later the surviving members return to search the recently rediscovered area. 

Join us, won't you?



Saturday, June 20, 2020

Auteurist Openings

     This week- the first films from a pair of visionary directors. 
     John Singleton wrote and directed a film that would serve as the blueprint for a whole genre the 30 years since its release. Filled with amazingly naturalistic performances, assured direction, and made with an honesty that is still rare in studio films. Boyz n the Hood set a lasting mark on film.
     Melina Matsoukas created some of the best music videos the medium has ever offered. After years working in that area, she made her feature debut with Queen & Slim. A beautifully acted, amazingly filmed, and perfectly scored story of a couple who are forced to go on the run after accidentally killing a cop. It ranks with the best of the decade and is easily the best film of 2019.

     All that and Craig ghosts, Tyler might have gotten a little too excited, Dave overflows with love, and Kevin readiest himself for a showdown in the Punderdome. Join us, won't you?


Saturday, June 13, 2020

Fastened Nitroglycerin

     Michael Jai White's blaxploitation parody/homage is as upper echelon as the genre is capable. A film that should be spoken of in comedy film groups with the same reverent tones as anything by ZAZ or Guest. The hard hitting, endlessly quotable, strange science, never interrupt his kung fu... I should really put a rhyme here- Black Dynamite
     The second directorial work from Jordan Peele. What if there are clones of everyone underground, somehow psychically linked to you? What if one day they decided to kill you and take your place? Great performances and very important themes but is it enough for Us?
     All that and Dave deep dives but only shallow discusses, Tyler runs out of flavor comparisons, and Kevin finally gets corporeal. Join us, won't you?





Saturday, June 6, 2020

Beautiful Seizures

     This week a live action video game that might have a message and a masterpiece of animation that very much does. 
     First they brought you Crank and Crank 2 and then a bunch of movies everyone, except Tyler, has forgotten about. In the not-so-distant future people can use other living breathing people as their video game flesh puppet avatars in the two most expensive MMOs ever made. Gerard Butler stars as one such puppet forced through death matches to eventually earn his freedom... but is he GAMER enough to pull it off?
     Bringing a bunch of others along for the ride, Miles Morales makes his big screen debut. Wilson Fisk has an ambitious plan. Unfortunately for him, it also drops a clutter of Spiders in his way. An ambitious and fantastic animated film that stands pretty far above a lot of other American entries to the genre and gives its message pretty clearly. Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse
     All that and Kevin shouts from the void, Craig is played again by Dave, Tyler is a bad bad man, and Anna goes full J Jonah Jameson. Join us, won't you?