Check out after the jump for three very brief reviews of DamNation, Black Dynamite, and The Kentucky Fried Movie.
DamNation (2014) - There are some great images and some nice moments in this documentary, but it falls prey to preaching only to the choir. The documentary explores the overbuilding of dams that took place in the early 20th century and the battle to tear some of them down to fix some of the ecological damage that has been done. When it explores the history of dams, the effects dams have had on wild salmon, and the cultural damage done to some indigenous tribes, the documentary works. But the film doesn't present a methodical argument against any particular dam, and all too often the filmmakers abandon a storyline before it is complete. The film makes a brief foray into a pro-dam rally, but steadfastly refuses to explain why there are some people so anxiously fighting to preserve certain dams. If you already know a lot about dams or have made up your mind about tearing them down, this will no doubt appeal to you. But this isn't likely going to change any minds. There are also some moments pushed as dramatic by the filmmakers (such as the climactic graffiti attack on a dam) that aren't sold well as actually involving much drama. All of that said, there is some great imagery here, some good work on showing how salmon have recovered quickly after dams have been torn down, and some great anecdotes and vintage photography from an activist that explored a legendary canyon before it was flooded by a dam. This is just worthy enough for a watch, but not weighty enough as a polemic to be much of a game-changer. Screened in the theater.
Black Dynamite (2009) - This is hardly the first blaxploitation parody to hit the market - it comes, for example, more than two decades after I'm Gonna Git You Sucka - so this isn't the freshest satire in the world. Nonetheless, it may be the most razor-focused of the satires and almost certainly is the most visually accomplished among them. So credit to director Scott Sanders for that. Michael Jai White's committed performance as the title character is also outstanding. The film hits some things that maybe some other parodies haven't fully addressed - Rudy Ray Moore perhaps chief among them. There are numerous genuinely laugh-out-loud moments, especially in the first half. This includes an exasperated White reacting to technical foul-ups and amateur acting - broad jokes done with a thankful bit of subtlety and restraint. Alas, the film isn't able to sustain its energy and humor for the entire film - things start to peter out around the time of the chili and doughnuts scene, and certainly by the tedious diner "figuring it all out" and blaxploitation-meets-kung fu parody scenes. Once Black Dynamite hits the Nixon White House, it has just about run out of things to say. Nonetheless, there's more than enough here to provoke some laughs, even if you're not fully up on blaxploitation films. Screened on Crackle.
Kentucky Fried Movie (1977) - The Kentucky Fried Movie is a film that is fairly legendary, but not necessarily a film that many people care to watch and re-watch. It's a joke and gag movie, structured essentially as a late-night viewing experience on TV (though it breaks the framework when necessary). There are still a few gags that work (the local newscasters watching people have sex is a classic), but most of this material is rather moldy. After nearly 40 years of SNL and other shows like it, and plenty of other gag films, most of this material is likely to provoke eye-rolls more than laughs among modern adult audiences that have been around the block. A lengthy Bruce Lee parody also overstays its welcome by a substantial bit, sucking wind out of the film for way too long. There just aren't enough chuckles left in this gag movie to recommend it. It hasn't aged well. Screened on Amazon Prime Instant.
No comments:
Post a Comment