Movie Review Black Los Angeles

BlackNLA Movie Reviews

*****THE REEL DEAL: Reviewz from the Street*****

by Edwardo Jackson

BIASES: 30 (yikes!) year old black male; frustrated screenwriter who favors action, comedy, and glossy, big budget movies over indie flicks, kiddie flicks, and weepy Merchant Ivory fare

CSA: CONFEDERATE STATES OF AMERICA (Unrated)

MOVIE BIASES: Unbelievably high/horrifying concept. Pre-sold.

MAJOR PLAYERS: Larry Peterson, presenter Spike Lee (Do the Right Thing), and writer/director Kevin Willmott

Imagine if the South had won the Civil War and you have "CSA: Confederate States of America."

Unfolding on a public access-like channel in modern times, "CSA" arrives in the form of a British "documentary" of the same title. Retracing its steps through history, "CSA" gives a detailed account of American history after the Confederacy won the war. Abe Lincoln goes on the run with Harriet Tubman via the Underground Railroad, the Confederacy takes over the rest of the states en route to settling
"The War of Northern Aggression," Jefferson Davis institutes a nationwide tax that ENCOURAGES slavery... The list of historical rewriting goes on, albeit in this made-for-TV format that includes "commercials" for products that blatantly use racist imagery in its promotion. What is most disturbing/illuminating is that several of the
historically rewritten facts and all of the commercial products are grounded in actual history (you can get your "Sambo" toothpaste abroad, but not here in the USA or CSA). Cue your confused, satirical rage now.

Honestly, there is not much to be confused about. "CSA" is the very definition of satire - particularly of the historical, political, and social kinds. When you're not laughing with horror at the horrors of your laughter, a flame of chagrined anger burns inside, that the alternate reality of CSA could very well BE reality, if not already is
in some arenas (use of racially derogatory sports team names, the economic forces behind racial politics, etc.). Although there is no way to truly tell, Willmott's "CSA" has fascinating motivations behind key 20th century events such as Kennedy's assassination (he wanted to free the slaves!), and institutions (Democrats, as in the 1800s, are still the party of slavery). As technology advances, so does the CSA:
planting a Confederate flag on the moon, a slave trading stock market, plus the Internet slave trading economic boom and the Slave Shopping Network (make sure you purchase big, black buck Jupiter separately - or with his entire family - using your Massa Card!).

As if conceits like those aren't enough to make you mad, Kansas University professor Kevin Willmott impressively cobbles together archival footage from just about everywhere under the sun, alongside some brilliantly scripted and developed new material. Central to the rise of our slaveholding nation is the lineage of John Ambrose Fauntroy (Peterson), whose family's political activism throughout the
years culminates in a run at the Presidency in 2002 on the shoulders of "100% white" John Ambrose Fauntroy V. Even though Fauntroy is fake, there is enough factual and historical documentation and film reel to truly wake the dead.

And you must be dead - emotionally, intellectually - not to realize that the racism lampooned in this film actually exists in real life. What is frightening to consider is the reason we do laugh at several of the commercials, concepts, and theories in this movie is because, had the South won or lost the war, we could STILL see segments of our population embracing these today. While potentially numbing us with the novocaine of humor, Willmott administers a social root canal on the psyche of America through a revisionist yet alarmingly plausible history.

With a broad scope that's as wide as his limitless imagination, Willmott, aided to the big screen by agent provocateur Spike Lee, has lit the fuse on a powder keg of a discussion that this country sorely needs but may never truly have (we like artistically discussing our realities through the detached purity of "Crash"-like fictions, thankyouverymuch). On only 24 screens and having grossed only $310,000
(that's not even the escort, er, "masseuse" budget on an Colin Farrell flick) in some 19 weeks, "CSA" is easily, by far, the most important film that no one will ever see. Maybe the South has won after all. But not if I can help it.

@@@@ REELS
(FOUR REELS)
An urban legend/instant classic.

Like what you read? Agree/disagree with The Reel Deal? Think he's talkin' out his...HUSH YO' MOUF! (I'm only talkin' about The Reel Deal!) Email him at ReelReviewz@aol.com!

Edwardo Jackson is the author of the novels EVER AFTER and NEVA HAFTA, (Villard/Random House), a writer for UrbanFilmPremiere.com, and an LA-based screenwriter. Visit his website at www.edwardojackson.com




			BlackNLA Movie Reviews ***THE REEL DEAL: Reviewz from the Street*** by Edwardo Jackson BIASES: 30 (yikes!) year old black male; frustrated screenwriter who favors action, comedy, and glossy, big budget movies over indie flicks, kiddie flicks, and weepy Merchant Ivory fare CSA: CONFEDERATE STATES OF AMERICA (Unrated) MOVIE BIASES: Unbelievably high/horrifying concept. Pre-sold. MAJOR PLAYERS: Larry Peterson, presenter Spike Lee (Do the Right Thing), and writer/director Kevin Willmott Imagine if the South had won the Civil War and you have "CSA: Confederate States of America." Unfolding on a public access-like channel in modern times, "CSA" arrives in the form of a British "documentary" of the same title. Retracing its steps through history, "CSA" gives a detailed account of American history after the Confederacy won the war. Abe Lincoln goes on the run with Harriet Tubman via the Underground Railroad, the Confederacy takes over the rest of the states en route to settling "The War of Northern Aggression," Jefferson Davis institutes a nationwide tax that ENCOURAGES slavery... The list of historical rewriting goes on, albeit in this made-for-TV format that includes "commercials" for products that blatantly use racist imagery in its promotion. What is most disturbing/illuminating is that several of the historically rewritten facts and all of the commercial products are grounded in actual history (you can get your "Sambo" toothpaste abroad, but not here in the USA or CSA). Cue your confused, satirical rage now. Honestly, there is not much to be confused about. "CSA" is the very definition of satire - particularly of the historical, political, and social kinds. When you're not laughing with horror at the horrors of your laughter, a flame of chagrined anger burns inside, that the alternate reality of CSA could very well BE reality, if not already is in some arenas (use of racially derogatory sports team names, the economic forces behind racial politics, etc.). Although there is no way to truly tell, Willmott's "CSA" has fascinating motivations behind key 20th century events such as Kennedy's assassination (he wanted to free the slaves!), and institutions (Democrats, as in the 1800s, are still the party of slavery). As technology advances, so does the CSA: planting a Confederate flag on the moon, a slave trading stock market, plus the Internet slave trading economic boom and the Slave Shopping Network (make sure you purchase big, black buck Jupiter separately - or with his entire family - using your Massa Card!). As if conceits like those aren't enough to make you mad, Kansas University professor Kevin Willmott impressively cobbles together archival footage from just about everywhere under the sun, alongside some brilliantly scripted and developed new material. Central to the rise of our slaveholding nation is the lineage of John Ambrose Fauntroy (Peterson), whose family's political activism throughout the years culminates in a run at the Presidency in 2002 on the shoulders of "100% white" John Ambrose Fauntroy V. Even though Fauntroy is fake, there is enough factual and historical documentation and film reel to truly wake the dead. And you must be dead - emotionally, intellectually - not to realize that the racism lampooned in this film actually exists in real life. What is frightening to consider is the reason we do laugh at several of the commercials, concepts, and theories in this movie is because, had the South won or lost the war, we could STILL see segments of our population embracing these today. While potentially numbing us with the novocaine of humor, Willmott administers a social root canal on the psyche of America through a revisionist yet alarmingly plausible history. With a broad scope that's as wide as his limitless imagination, Willmott, aided to the big screen by agent provocateur Spike Lee, has lit the fuse on a powder keg of a discussion that this country sorely needs but may never truly have (we like artistically discussing our realities through the detached purity of "Crash"-like fictions, thankyouverymuch). On only 24 screens and having grossed only $310,000 (that's not even the escort, er, "masseuse" budget on an Colin Farrell flick) in some 19 weeks, "CSA" is easily, by far, the most important film that no one will ever see. Maybe the South has won after all. But not if I can help it. @@@@ REELS (FOUR REELS) An urban legend/instant classic. Like what you read? Agree/disagree with The Reel Deal? Think he's talkin' out his...HUSH YO' MOUF! (I'm only talkin' about The Reel Deal!) Email him at ReelReviewz@aol.com! Edwardo Jackson is the author of the novels EVER AFTER and NEVA HAFTA, (Villard/Random House), a writer for UrbanFilmPremiere.com, and an LA-based screenwriter. Visit his website at www.edwardojackson.com Â© 2004, Edwardo Jackson