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

2006 PAN AFRICAN FILM FESTIVAL

Been a couple of years since I had the privilege of attending LA's PAFF. Thanks to an advance press screening the festival coordinators arranged, here's a sampling of what to expect at this year's Festival:

CAFUNDO
Players: Lazaro Ramos, Leandro Firmino, Leona Cavalli, Alexandre Rodrigues, directors Paulo Betti & Clovis Bueno
Logline: Former Brazilian slave Joao de Camargo (Ramos) marries a white woman (Cavalli), hits rock bottom when she leaves him, but comes to find a higher calling: miracle worker.
The Deal: Supposedly blending fact with fiction, "Cafundo" is fueled with a lot of imagery I didn't quite understand. Of the imagery I do, I find a little alarming: the white woman seen the ultimate slave temptation (and perk) of freedom, all-black communities praising a white Jesus, etc. Ramos' central performance is stalwart, even though the movie is all over the place. Glad to see "City of God" alumni
Alexandre Rodrigues (Rocket) and Leandro Firmino (Li'l ZÃ©) working.
@@ REELS (Extra medium)

ON THE VERGE OF A FEVER
Players: Lansana Kourouoma, Uly Darly, Koumba Ball, director John L'Ecuyer
Logline: After his hoodlum friend GÃ©gÃ© (Darly) riles up the dangerous
government security force of Tonton Macoutes, fifteen year old Fanfan goes into hiding across the street from his house, where his worried, widowed mother (Mireille Metellus) awaits. Fanfan is hidden by the leader of a beautiful foursome of spoiled pretty girls, Miki (Ball), who quietly yearns for a depth beyond trivial days and evenings spent as one of the dictator's girlfriends.
The Deal: Set in 1971 Haiti during a turbulent change of power, "Fever" is an oxymoron of artistic delight, a love letter to Haiti while condemning its instability at the same time. America also isn't spared Dany Laferriere's caning stick: "While America has its revolution of music and dance, we suffer here." More than that,
"Fever" is a beautifully executed coming of age story, imbued with a poetic, voiced-over soul that mirrors Fanfan's overprotected, inner longing for not just the four tigresses across the street (L'Ecuyer's lensing of Ball, NÃ©hÃ©mie Dumay, Maita Lavoie, and DaphnÃ©e Desravines is so rapturously done, it's like soft porn high art - in a GOOD way) but also for life itself ("Nothing will happen if you have no fear,"
rum-swillin', cigarette-smokin' GÃ©gÃ© assures him). High priestess (in manner of carriage if not by actual written character) of these most elegant, sexy creatures is Koumba Ball as Miki. Ball, who has talent to spare leaking out of her plainly questioning brown orbs, looks a little like a browner, Pocahontas-haired Sanaa Lathan: stunning, simple beauty that acts over nonstop subtext. Toss in some religious commentary by an appropriately worried mother, the wonders of
adolescence and puberty, and some really soulful poetry, and this sensuous, dangerous film of hopes and dreams has it all.
@@@@ REELS (An urban legend/instant classic)

SCENT OF OAK
Players: Jorge Perugorria, Lia Chapman, Raquel Rubi, director
Rigoberto Lopez
Logline: Distinguished Haitian Ursula Lambert (Chapman) and wealthy German Cornelio (Perugorria) attempt to cultivate their love while running the largest coffee plantation in early 19th century Cuba. While they develop a somewhat utopian labor system for the time, pressures from family, politics, and their own faith conspire against their business and their love.
The Deal: Filmed with grand, unspoiled island landscapes full of period, visual lushness by Lopez, "Oak" is fascinating, even while being flawed. The Angerona plantation (one without overseers or whips - they even form a classical music band of slaves!), may perpetuate the myth of the "happy slave" but at least it does so in a humane, intriguing fashion. At times, the astronomically over-the-top music and occasionally melodramatic acting reeks of telenovela. Other times, Chapman's pride and indomitably free spirit as proud Haitian Ursula steer us back on course. While acknowledging the politics of their time, "Oak" demonstrates, once again, the lengths racism and intolerance will go, even overcoming business and artistic sense. As a lawyer friend mentions to Don Cornelio, "The danger isn't Angerona,
but in our not being able to understand it." And I thought love was simple. This touchingly political romance of historical fiction, however, is not.
@@@ REELS (It's pretty hot, go give it a shot)

DELWENDE
Players: Blandine Yameogo, Celestin Zongo, Claire Ilboudo, writer/director S. Pierre Yameogo
Logline: A disease takes hold of a village's children, prompting its citizens to falsely accuse a woman (Yameogo) of being a witch. Driven from the village she wanders about while her proud, independently minded daughter (Ilboudo), most recently the victim of a rape she won't speak of, sets out to bring her mother home so the truth can be told.
The Deal: Slow-moving and quite pastoral, "Delwende" suffers some from
pedestrian direction and its laggard pacing. However, it is a stunning indictment of a woman's worth in this Burkina Faso culture, exasperating even in the blatant social, tribal ignorance of women's rights. Sure, the women aren't portrayed as innocent victims either, but where are the GOOD men in this society? Are they all lecherous,
insensitive, indifferent bastards? Feminist, but unbalanced.
@@ REELS (Extra medium)

TASUMA
Players: Mamadou Zerbo, director Pierre Ernest Rouamba
Logline: French colonial war veteran Sogo Sanou (Zerbo) gets fed up waiting on his pension to arrive and acts out at the benefits office, landing himself in jail. With his entire village depending on his check, the women all mobilize to demonstrate and get Sogo free.
The Deal: Despite some mildly amusing moments, "Tasuma" is a genial but not very compelling affair overall. Zerbo is likable, with a Cadbury Egg hard-but-sweet-at-the-center performance, yet it is not enough. In addition to decrying the evils of credit and supporting a man demanding his respect, "Tasuma" at least celebrates the good men of Africa.
@@ REELS (Extra medium)

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 2006 PAN AFRICAN FILM FESTIVAL Been a couple of years since I had the privilege of attending LA's PAFF. Thanks to an advance press screening the festival coordinators arranged, here's a sampling of what to expect at this year's Festival: CAFUNDO Players: Lazaro Ramos, Leandro Firmino, Leona Cavalli, Alexandre Rodrigues, directors Paulo Betti & Clovis Bueno Logline: Former Brazilian slave Joao de Camargo (Ramos) marries a white woman (Cavalli), hits rock bottom when she leaves him, but comes to find a higher calling: miracle worker. The Deal: Supposedly blending fact with fiction, "Cafundo" is fueled with a lot of imagery I didn't quite understand. Of the imagery I do, I find a little alarming: the white woman seen the ultimate slave temptation (and perk) of freedom, all-black communities praising a white Jesus, etc. Ramos' central performance is stalwart, even though the movie is all over the place. Glad to see "City of God" alumni Alexandre Rodrigues (Rocket) and Leandro Firmino (Li'l ZÃ©) working. @@ REELS (Extra medium) ON THE VERGE OF A FEVER Players: Lansana Kourouoma, Uly Darly, Koumba Ball, director John L'Ecuyer Logline: After his hoodlum friend GÃ©gÃ© (Darly) riles up the dangerous government security force of Tonton Macoutes, fifteen year old Fanfan goes into hiding across the street from his house, where his worried, widowed mother (Mireille Metellus) awaits. Fanfan is hidden by the leader of a beautiful foursome of spoiled pretty girls, Miki (Ball), who quietly yearns for a depth beyond trivial days and evenings spent as one of the dictator's girlfriends. The Deal: Set in 1971 Haiti during a turbulent change of power, "Fever" is an oxymoron of artistic delight, a love letter to Haiti while condemning its instability at the same time. America also isn't spared Dany Laferriere's caning stick: "While America has its revolution of music and dance, we suffer here." More than that, "Fever" is a beautifully executed coming of age story, imbued with a poetic, voiced-over soul that mirrors Fanfan's overprotected, inner longing for not just the four tigresses across the street (L'Ecuyer's lensing of Ball, NÃ©hÃ©mie Dumay, Maita Lavoie, and DaphnÃ©e Desravines is so rapturously done, it's like soft porn high art - in a GOOD way) but also for life itself ("Nothing will happen if you have no fear," rum-swillin', cigarette-smokin' GÃ©gÃ© assures him). High priestess (in manner of carriage if not by actual written character) of these most elegant, sexy creatures is Koumba Ball as Miki. Ball, who has talent to spare leaking out of her plainly questioning brown orbs, looks a little like a browner, Pocahontas-haired Sanaa Lathan: stunning, simple beauty that acts over nonstop subtext. Toss in some religious commentary by an appropriately worried mother, the wonders of adolescence and puberty, and some really soulful poetry, and this sensuous, dangerous film of hopes and dreams has it all. @@@@ REELS (An urban legend/instant classic) SCENT OF OAK Players: Jorge Perugorria, Lia Chapman, Raquel Rubi, director Rigoberto Lopez Logline: Distinguished Haitian Ursula Lambert (Chapman) and wealthy German Cornelio (Perugorria) attempt to cultivate their love while running the largest coffee plantation in early 19th century Cuba. While they develop a somewhat utopian labor system for the time, pressures from family, politics, and their own faith conspire against their business and their love. The Deal: Filmed with grand, unspoiled island landscapes full of period, visual lushness by Lopez, "Oak" is fascinating, even while being flawed. The Angerona plantation (one without overseers or whips - they even form a classical music band of slaves!), may perpetuate the myth of the "happy slave" but at least it does so in a humane, intriguing fashion. At times, the astronomically over-the-top music and occasionally melodramatic acting reeks of telenovela. Other times, Chapman's pride and indomitably free spirit as proud Haitian Ursula steer us back on course. While acknowledging the politics of their time, "Oak" demonstrates, once again, the lengths racism and intolerance will go, even overcoming business and artistic sense. As a lawyer friend mentions to Don Cornelio, "The danger isn't Angerona, but in our not being able to understand it." And I thought love was simple. This touchingly political romance of historical fiction, however, is not. @@@ REELS (It's pretty hot, go give it a shot) DELWENDE Players: Blandine Yameogo, Celestin Zongo, Claire Ilboudo, writer/director S. Pierre Yameogo Logline: A disease takes hold of a village's children, prompting its citizens to falsely accuse a woman (Yameogo) of being a witch. Driven from the village she wanders about while her proud, independently minded daughter (Ilboudo), most recently the victim of a rape she won't speak of, sets out to bring her mother home so the truth can be told. The Deal: Slow-moving and quite pastoral, "Delwende" suffers some from pedestrian direction and its laggard pacing. However, it is a stunning indictment of a woman's worth in this Burkina Faso culture, exasperating even in the blatant social, tribal ignorance of women's rights. Sure, the women aren't portrayed as innocent victims either, but where are the GOOD men in this society? Are they all lecherous, insensitive, indifferent bastards? Feminist, but unbalanced. @@ REELS (Extra medium) TASUMA Players: Mamadou Zerbo, director Pierre Ernest Rouamba Logline: French colonial war veteran Sogo Sanou (Zerbo) gets fed up waiting on his pension to arrive and acts out at the benefits office, landing himself in jail. With his entire village depending on his check, the women all mobilize to demonstrate and get Sogo free. The Deal: Despite some mildly amusing moments, "Tasuma" is a genial but not very compelling affair overall. Zerbo is likable, with a Cadbury Egg hard-but-sweet-at-the-center performance, yet it is not enough. In addition to decrying the evils of credit and supporting a man demanding his respect, "Tasuma" at least celebrates the good men of Africa. @@ REELS (Extra medium)** 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