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RaZoR-8
Reviews
The Watermelon Woman (1996)
Black Lesbians, White Lesbians, Transparent Lesbians, and some spoilers.
If there was one thing I could say about this movie, it's that it tries very hard...too hard.
The characters aren't just lesbians, they're "very" lesbian. The relationship isn't just interracial, it's "very interracial". The director doesn't just care about the Watermelon Woman, she cares "very much" about her. The see-through, clubbed-over-the-head, teeth pulling-to-send-the-message-home delivery of this movie becomes unbearable the first 10 minutes into the film, and all I can say is that not only is the acting overdone, it's VERY overdone.
The overexertion of the themes in this film (interracial relationships, lesbianism, black history)cause the entire movie to feel strained, making parts of it unbearable. I was unsure what made me cringe more, that all white males in the movie had nasally, geeky voices, or the falsetto yelling of the main character in frustration as she attempts to put emotion behind the "f-word" in one scene.
The theme of racial tolerance is mind-boggingly preachy, and in case there was a possibility of it getting muddled, the filmmakers have conveniently placed a Goth, dog collar-wearing, heavily pierced, white girl to be diametrically opposed to the lead's ebonics-heavy, black pornography-watching best friend.
Honestly, Uncle Ben and Colonel Sanders are less of polar opposites than these two chess pieces.
The characters are two-dimensional, the plot is thin, and the entire catastrophe has the sincerity of an after-school special. Mockumentaries like this make me long for comparative masterpieces like Cannibal Holocaust.
Heavily not recommended.
Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back (2001)
A Big and Wonderful Inside Joke
Some Spoilers!!!
By Kevin Smith's own admission, this movie is a giant inside joke for all View Askewniverse fans. Inside jokes range from easy (the whole ending where everyone leaves the theater), medium (repeat characters), and hard (the seagulls in the background of the bike jump are from the cancelled ABC cartoon show, "Clerks").
If you don't know View Askewniverse, this movie is entertaining. But the more of a fan you are, the better this movie is for you.
O Brother, Where Art Thou? (2000)
Incredible...durned bestest movie I've gosh durn seen in a score.
The Coen Brothers have done very well and accomplished a movie that completely shocked me.
*************** (slight) Spoiler Alert! ****************
The movie is based on the Odyssey, and because it follows it so much I would highly recommend rereading it or at least look at the Cliff's Notes. The thing is, if you know the Odyssey, you will get a lot of the jokes that are thrown in there. I saw one comment on here by another user who didn't like the movie and thought that the scene (SPOILER SPOILER) where the guy slaughters several cows was excessive and that the Coen Brothers were just trying to be shocking. I was laughing a lot, because I understood the connection in the scene to the book. (MAJOR MAJOR SPOILER: connection is that in the Odyssey, they kill very sacred cows of Apollo, and those men are struck with lightning. In the movie, the character who kills the cows is electrocuted in the chair. Absolutely brilliant). There are tons of Odyssey jokes here; so much so that if you don't read it before watching at least read it afterwards. You simply can't do the movie total justice without seeing how genius the Coens are.
Oh, and you WILL be singing to yourself the type of music you thought you hated before this movie.
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED. This is up there on my favorites list, a list that is hard to make (well, not that hard, but there's only about 10 titles on it).
Those who don't see this movie are men in constant sor-row. =)
RaZoR