TOP 10: Spotlight on Black Cinema

When I made my New Year's Movie Resolutions earlier this year, I vowed to watch more black cinema. In light of this, I thought it would be appropriate to revamp this list. So on this final day of Black History Month, I present to you my Top 10 list of my favourite black films, actors and directors:

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A ROTTEN TOMATO: Sweet Sweetback's Baadasssss Song

This week I decided to stray into the realm of avant-garde with "Sweet Sweetback's Baadassssss Song". It's said that this is the seminal blaxploitation film, so I naturally I was curious to check it out. Well, I'm sorry to report that I was wholly turned off by what it was trying to do.

What is the film trying to do? Well, that's a good question. After enduring this film for 97 minutes, I'm still unclear as to its intentions. From what I recall, there's a man named Sweetback (Melvin Van Peebles) who's good in bed and is a known badass. Due to his badassness, he gets into trouble with some racist cops (he attacks them after they beat up a black man), forcing him to go on the run. Throughout his great escape, he is aided by "the black community" (literally, the opening credits state "Starring: The Black Community"), positing the theory that all black people need to work together to fight "the Man". Certainly, there was some legitimacy to this claim during that era (the early 1970s), but the imagery this film focuses on created some insurmountable problems for me.

Within the opening minutes of the film, we are privy to a young boy (Sweetback) being forced to have sex with an older woman. He grows up to be a prostitute, engaging in exhibitionist sex in front of crowds of people. There's no reason for it, leaving me to assume that it's only there for the shock value. All throughout, it portrays black people in an unfavorable light, seemingly at odds with the message it claims to convey. When it's not depicting vulgar acts of public indecency, it's preoccupied with strange scenes like a heavyset man taking a dump. So on the one hand, it's employing a bold experimental filmmaking sensibility but conversely, it's also attempting to tell a linear story with a black power message. Unfortunately, the two styles don't mix.

In the end, it all comes across like the work of a filmmaker who's trying too hard. With its murky cinematography and muddled script, it feels more in line with a scrappy student film than a serious production. I give the director points for trying something different within the confines of conventional black cinema, but the finished product fails to be artistically or thematically engaging. For a film that supposedly speaks for the entire black community, I think we deserve better.

This film is part of my Black Cinema marathon.

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PODCAST: Academy Awards Appreciation

I recently had a nice chat on The Film Pasture podcast with the lovely Lindsay Street (French Toast Sunday). We discussed the importance of the Oscars, as well as general things we do and don't like about them. Click on the link below to have a listen.

http://thefilmpasture.podomatic.com/entry/2014-02-26T17_58_20-08_00

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Oscar Season: The Musical

Are you ready for the Oscar ceremony on Sunday? If not, then maybe a little song and dance will get you in the mood! The cool folks of Wayside Creations have created a fun video titled "Oscars Season: The Musical". Check it out below:

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MOTIFS IN CINEMA 2013: Appreciation of Life

Motifs in Cinema is a discourse across film blogs, assessing the way in which various thematic elements have been used in the 2013 cinematic landscape. How does a common theme vary in use from a comedy to a drama? Are filmmakers working from a similar canvas when they assess the issue of death or the dynamics of revenge? Like most things, a film begins with an idea – Motifs in Cinema assesses how various themes emanating from a single idea change when utilised by varying artists.

"Appreciation of Life" is a theme that is fairly common throughout film history. When we go to the cinema we often seek a certain level of escapism that lends itself to positive life-affirming stories. In that regard, one can approach the theme from two different perspectives. For example, a film can convey appreciation of life through its characters' own attitudes. On the other hand, the construct of a film may convey the theme by allowing you to appreciate the life of a character (biopics and documentaries are especially good for this). With that in mind, I will be highlighting 6 different films that relate to the theme of Appreciation of Life. Though they vary in scale and genre, they are all linked by this common theme.

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MOVIE OF THE WEEK: Menace II Society

My top pick this week is a film that introduced a pair of new talents back in 1993 - "Menace II Society". Directed by Albert and Allen Hughes, it is certainly one of the most remarkable debuts in the past few decades. This cautionary tale boldly illustrates the dangerous lives of a group of young black men living in the ghetto.

The protagonist of this story is a young man named Caine (Tyrin Turner). Fresh out of high school, he decides to follow the usual path of his peers - selling drugs and hustling to survive. This is indeed another story about the urban struggle (as discussed previously in "Fresh"), but the way that the Hughes brothers approach the material distinguishes itself from other black films.

On watching the "Menace II Society", there are fascinating comparisons to be made with the topical black films of the moment ("12 Years A Slave", "The Butler", "Fruitvale Station"). Those popular 2013 releases all put forth the common sentiment of victimization by an unfair, predominantly white society. It's an understandable concern, but perhaps it doesn't give you the full picture (many have already criticized the depiction of the police in "Fruitvale Station"). As a result, the alternate approach of "Menace II Society" feels truly incendiary. Rather than placing the blame on the white man, the directors chose to illuminate the destructive behaviour of young thugs in South Central Los Angeles. In doing so, they make a fervent plea for a change in attitudes and the resulting film truly jolted me.

From the first scene, it's clear that the duo will pull no punches. Best friends Caine and O-Dog (Larenz Tate) enter a corner store to buy liquor, only to engage in an argument with the shopkeepers. Out of nowhere, a trivial comment about O-Dog's mom ends in tragedy. He empties several rounds of bullets into the man and his wife. This incident hangs over the rest of the movie, showing a troubling disregard for human life that is common throughout most of the film's characters. Though Caine is remorseful, O-Dog is proud of his actions, happily screening the surveillance tape for his friends at repeated times in the film. Clearly, there are serious endemic psychological issues within such a society.

As shocking as that opening sequence is though, it's just one of many such instances of sickening violence. Yet rather than feeling too exploitative and extreme, the script manages to include some unexpected glimpses of humanity. It would have been easy to just portray the unending cycle of violence, but inclusion of several voices of reason greatly assists in putting forth the film's message. Caine's grandparents, his friend Ronnie and a wise father figure try to guide him on the right path. He's offered a way out, but will he take it?

The buildup to resolving that question takes Caine through many obstacles. Indeed, every negative stereotype of black culture seems to be touched upon, almost to the point of parody. Admittedly, it holds back the film from realizing its full artistic potential. Still, the social commentary is so rigorous and staggering that it's hard to ignore the film's value. Much like a documentary, this is a case where the subject of the film is the most important concern. That the film also has such an impressive directorial vision (the camera work is particularly impressive) is just the icing on the cake. In the history of black cinema, "Menace II Society" is undoubtedly one of the most essential works.

This film is part of my Black Cinema marathon.

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GUEST POST: An Oscar Party to Remember

I love a good party and am always willing to entertain, so the glitz and glamour of the Oscars offers me plenty of inspiration to create a fun and festive event. What follows is my guide to creating an event that your guests will not only remember, but will make them fight hard to secure their place on next year’s guest list.

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The 6 Key Predictions for your Oscar Pool

After a long awards season with an abundance of precursors, the Oscar ceremony can sometimes feel anticlimatic in terms of the winners. Most of the categories have such strong frontrunners that I'm sure that the many nominees don't even bother preparing acceptance speeches. Still, there are always more or less 6 categories that are still unknown quantities ahead of the big night. Predicting those categories can therefore make the difference between winning and losing your office Oscar pool. This year, these are the categories that you need to pay particular attention to (apart from the shorts of course):

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MOVIE OF THE WEEK: The Attack

My top pick of the week is the 2012 Lebanese drama "The Attack". Set in Tel Aviv, the film is framed around the Israel-Palestinian conflict, exploring the way it impacts our central character - a Palestinian surgeon named Amin (played by Ali Suliman). As the events of the film unfold, he goes through feelings of betrayal and disillusionment as a fateful incident changes his life forever.

On approaching "The Attack", I anticipated much after its successful run through the 2012 festival circuit. Its subject matter (the Israeli-Palestinian conflict) has produced a slew of films that I greatly admire. Based on what I was hoping for then, the film had its strengths and a few minor disappointments.

The film begins with a shocking act of terrorism, as a suicide bomber has caused the deaths of many persons. Based on the nature of her injuries, Amin's wife turns out to be the prime suspect. When he finds out, he reacts with staunch denial. In his eyes, his level-headed, peaceful wife just couldn't be the perpetrator of such extreme violence. However, he is eventually forced to come to terms with the facts. The plot therefore follows his gradual process of understanding.

This quest for answers leads the film down a path that it often struggles to engage fully with. I stated earlier that the film had some minor disappointments and that feeling stems mainly from the film's overall tone/style. Strangely enough, my expectations were based on films that weren't specifically related to the film's topic. Namely, I was hoping for either a brooding mystery in the vein of "Incendies" or a tense thriller like "Zero Dark Thirty". It's perhaps an strange comparison, but these films all share fairly similar Middle Eastern settings, socio-cultural implications and plot elements (mystery and/or investigation). Most importantly, I view them as high stylistic achievements and as such, they were constantly in the back of my mind.

Of course, judging a film based on another is a foolhardy thing to do. "The Attack" is neither a complicated mystery story nor a white knuckle thriller. Rather, it's an psycho-emotional drama about a man and his enlightenment about his wife and his society. This is actually compelling in itself, but the way that the script handles these issues left me unsatisfied.

Mainly, his reflections on his wife takes away some of the potency of the film. The flashback scenes are understandably nostalgic (he has nothing but fond memories of her) but they're altogether a bit too precious for the situation at hand. Considering the fact that he witnessed the horrifying aftermath first hand, it undermines the evident severity of her actions.

Similarly, this sentimentality takes away from some of the story's larger social themes. Despite being Palestinian, Amin is more in line with the Israeli/Jewish point of view. Hence, there's a crucial subplot about his perception of martyrdom that isn't given its due weight until late in the game. Consequently, the bulk of the film is somewhat impenetrable for the viewer, as it lacks the urgency that its title suggests while simultaneously avoiding deeper engagement with the psychology of all involved. As the film is based on a novel, it's possible that the literary source expands more on its ideas. From the way the script is presented, it obviously lends itself to many introspective moments that are inevitably difficult to translate to the screen.

Yet despite my criticisms, this is essentially a well-made film. There's something sincerely touching about the blind ignorance caused by love and those flashback scenes are directed and acted beautifully. Likewise, the film's resolution leaves a significant emotional impact. Clearly, Ali Suliman is a capable vessel for a character study, so it's unfortunate that the screenwriting isn't as dexterous as he is. Overall though, the film has enough strong elements to impress. Just temper your expectations beforehand.

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OSCAR WATCH: BAFTA Awards

As I suspected when making my predictions, today's BAFTA Awards were set to raise some question marks throughout many Oscar races. That's exactly how it turned out, with a few prizes going to contenders that aren't even Oscar nominated! The big winner of the day was Gravity with 6 awards, but 12 Years won where it mattered - Best Picture. It's still a very competitive season, so I think we're gonna have a very interesting Oscar night. This year I got 14 out of 22 predictions correct. Here's the full rundown of winners:

Best Picture
12 Years A Slave (pictured above)

Best British Film
Gravity

Best Actor
Chiwetel Ejiofor, 12 Years a Slave

Best Actress
Cate Blanchett, Blue Jasmine

Best Supporting Actor
Barkhad Abdi, Captain Phillips

Best Supporting Actress
Jennifer Lawrence, American Hustle

Director
Alfonso Cuaron, Gravity

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