Indie Sex (2007) Review

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(More customer reviews)Indie Sex is a four-part documentary about the evolution of sex in cinema. Produced by the Independent Film Channel, Indie Sex features John Cameron Mitchell, Dita Von Teese, Rosanna Arquette, Peter Sarsgaard, Tatum O' Neal, and others discussing their thoughts and opinions on everything sexual.
Part one is the segment "Censored," in which filmmakers and critics discuss the necessity of sex in cinema. We also get to see examples of early stag films and see the subtle ways filmmakers would imply sex to get past the Production Code Sensors. "Censored" talks about the introduction of the NC-17 rating (first bestowed upon Henry & June) and how Showgirls (Fully Exposed Edition) ultimately ruined the NC-17 rating's chance of getting a mainstream audience.
"Teens" covers sex in teen films and how it wasn't until the 1960s that this subject was explored. It talks about Hollywood studios seeing profit in teen sex comedies like American Pie - Unrated (Widescreen Collector's Edition). Of course, the impact of Kids on the teen-sex subgenre is discussed in depth, as well as the early `90s starting to explore teenage homosexuality.
"Extremes" talks about pedophilia, S&M, and unsimulated sex in films. Stanley Kubrick's Lolita as well as Adrian Lyne's Lolita are discussed at length. This is also covers fetishism and unsimulated sex in films like 9 songs - Unrated Full Uncut Version and Vincent Gallo's The Brown Bunny.
Finally, "Taboos" (a 30-minute segment) covers much of the same ground including the `70s detaching romance from sex...Here the films of John Waters, David Lynch, and David Cronenberg are the main topics.
Much of the same material is discussed in an older and superior documentary called The Celluloid Closet (Special Edition), although that mostly explores homosexuality in cinema rather than just sex, so this is almost an extension of that material. I found Indie Sex to be entertaining, funny, and educational...Some may find it "enlightening," but I already knew much of what was talked about. The bit about stag films was new to me though and rather surprising too.
My biggest problem with Indie Sex is how repetitive it gets. I wasn't a fan of John Cameron Mitchell's Shortbus (Unrated Edition) already and it's discussed various times in different segments. This also occurs with Last Tango in Paris, almost like the filmmakers ran out of new ideas and fell back on the old ones.
Beyond that, Indie Sex is a very watchable, not-too-graphic documentary. The commentators provide some very amusing insight and besides some well-known facts scattered in here and the typical "why is sex more controversial than violence?" pep-talk; many will find something new and surprising by watching this. Worth checking out, for sure.
GRADE: B+

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Indie Sex by award-winning filmmakers Lisa Ades and Lesli Klainberg explores how films have provided a forum to discover society’s deepest and darkest sexual fantasies played out on the big screen. Divided into three parts – Indie Sex: Censored, Indie Sex: Teens and Indie Sex: Extremes – the series delves into sex in movies through innovative verite footage, provocative film clips and compelling on-camera interviews with some of the industry’s leading actors, writers and directors.

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Bamboozled (New Line Platinum Series) (2000) Review

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(More customer reviews)I finally saw this film recently after reading an editorial that mentioned this film in regards to how the racial stereotypes perpetuated in Minstrel shows continue this day in any rap video you see. This film is a much needed eye opener, a satire with a deeper message. The use of satire is often necessary to bring to people's attention the underlying truth that most cannot accept at face value. This film perfectly draws out on our society's racism and race relations.
A few years ago, I remember coming across an advertisement for a Minstrel show that my church congregation put on in the 1950s. Considering that there are few African American members of my church to begin with, it was a complete shock to me who these nice elderly people could do such a thing. With "Bamboozled", Spike concludes the film with an excellent montage of images from movies, TV shows, cartoons that all featured the worst stereotypes of African Americans as bug-eyed, big lipped, ants-in-pants, cannibalistic animals, who sang and dance, shucked and jived, all kinds of terrible traits. These images were taken from Shirley Temple movies and films with Bing Crosby, Mickey Rooney, and Judy Garland. It was an eye opener. Even Warner Brothers cartoons of my recent youth (1970s) contained racist images in the guise of Bugs Bunny in some of his antics.
I've been meaning to watch all of Spike Lee's films someday, as I like the statements he tries to make in his films. He has amassed an interesting body of work, though some were more successful than others. For me, "Malcolm X" and "Do The Right Thing" are his best works, and this one would be third, ahead of "Jungle Fever". I loved the performance of Michael Rapaport as the cool talking head honcho of CNS Television, who has an expressive way with words and sounds more "black" than the faux intellectual nerdiness of Damon Wayans, who plays Pierre Delacroix, which we learn in the film is a pretentious name he gives himself to distance himself from an embarrassing past. I also liked Jada Pinkett Smith in this film, as Delacroix's assistant who doesn't agree with the direction he's taking with his show idea.
The premise is that Delacroix can't quit his job, so he comes up with a plan to make the most racist show he can imagine that will cause CNS to fire him. He proposed a new Minstrel Show for the New Millennium, featuring two African American street performers (the excellent Tommy Davidson and Savion Glover) in black face make up. Rapaport's Mr. Dunwitty loves the idea and claims that the show would be even bigger than "Friends". They shoot the pilot show to an unsuspecting audience who don't know if its okay to laugh. Tommy Davidson plays "Sleep n Eat" and Savion Glover plays Mantan, the tap dancing idiot. Their variety show features schtick anyone who has ever seen "Hee Haw" would be familiar with...lame brain one liners, idiot people, and exaggerated stereotypes.
The satire is that the studio execs love the show and pick up 12 episodes, and when it airs on TV, it becomes an instant smash show. Soon audiences are showing up each week in black face and proclaiming their pride in being "n------", even though nearly all of them are white. The film is so over the top, poking fun at our double standards (how many claim not to be racist because they listen to rap or watch basketball). The truth is...we expect African Americans to entertain us (in music and sports), but beyond that, we don't take them seriously as people. True, the hip hop community is quite influential in the language and style of our advertising and pop culture, but how many African American CEOs and Mayors and Governors and Senators are there? In the financial matters of our country, we still impose a glass ceiling on anyone not part of the white male demographic...so what is our minstrel show of today? Spike Lee made a point in the commentary track that you don't have to wear black face to have a minstrel show. It goes on without people being aware of it. For that reason, I'm grateful he made this film. Just seeing the disgusting collectibles from the past century (such as the "jolly n----- bank" or the Aunt Jemima dolls) is a reminder of our racist past. We mustn't forget even as we move on to greater inclusion and burying old stereotypes, allowing people to be who they are regardless of race.
I want to give this film 5 stars, but because the film veers into a strange tangent for about 10 minutes near the end of the film, I simply thought Spike Lee got lazy with how he wanted to end this film. It was a cheap and lazy way to go, even though he explains his reason on the commentary track. I disagree, because if done right, his ending would have punched up the meaning of this film. I'm at least glad that the montage at the end saved this film on a somewhat redeeming note. If anything, this film serves as a reminder of our recent history and how overt racism really was. The film succeeds as an awakening to the forms into which the Minstrel Show of the last century has morphed into something a little bit different, but accomplishing the same devastating effect. I know I'll never be able to look at another rap video in the same way again. Thank you Spike Lee!

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Spike Lee directs this sizzling satire on race and racism within the modern media world. Starring Damon Wayons (Major Payne TV's In Living Color) and Jada Pinkett-Smith (Set It Off Scream 2 The Nutty Professor)Running Time: 136 min.System Requirements:Starring: Damon Wayans Jada Pinkett-Smith Michael Rapaport Tommy Davidson and Savion Glover.Directed By: Spike Lee.Running Time: 136 Min. Color.This film is presented in "Widescreen" format.Copyright 2000 Warner Home Video.Format: DVD MOVIE Genre:COMEDY Rating:R UPC:794043519727

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Que Familia Mas Normal (2004) Review

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(More customer reviews)I recomend this movie to teachers of Spanish who want to include in their selection a light-hearted movie with family as a topic at its heart. The actors' accents and idiomatic expressions are true to their characters and authentic: Fernando Allende is Mexican, just like his character, Armando Gutiérrez. Nydia Caro is Puerto Rican, just like her character Lulli. The main characters' mothers have come to join their household; their names are the same the VIrgin Mary has in Mexico (Guadalupe) and in Puerto Rico (Providencia). The Gutiérrez's son is engaged to the daughter of a Cuban father and an Argentinian mother; their daughter, to a very dark-skinned gringo. They converge in their house to celebrate theire son's engagement. The situations and crises the characters go through are very comical and it all has a happy ending.
The family is modern, upper middle class but tradtions and cultural references to the different countries represented in it are there. The enunciation of the characters is clear enough for intermediate and advanced classes in Spanish.It has subtitles to help those in lower level classes. The script is more suitable for a half-hour sitcom than a movie and the editing isn't the best. Its value is more in cultural and linguistic richness.
This is a movie for those who want to see a different aspect of Hispanic cultures, a fresh modern one not based on corruption, politics, drug-trafficking, and guerrilla movements in poverty-ridden backgrounds.

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Cultures hilariously collide in this crazy, warm-hearted comedy about the often perilous journey toward family harmony. Popular film and TV star Fernando Allende is Armando, a suave radio disc jockey trying to hide his sexy secretary from his jealous wife. Meanwhile, he's caught in the unrelenting power struggle between his mother and his mother-in-law, both from very different and equally proud cultures. If that's not tough enough, his son plans to marry the daughter of a sophisticated Argentine mother and a streetwise Cuban father who add a unique layer to the family's multicultural blend. Un divertidisimo choque de culturas es el tema de esta alocada y calida comedia acerca de los peligros que abundan en la busqueda de la armonia familiar.La popular estrella de cine y television Fernando Allende es Armando, un meloso disc-jockey que trata de esconder a su sexy secretaria de la celosa de su mujer.Entretanto, se encuentra en medio de una implacable guerra de voluntades entre su madre y su suegra, ambas de culturas muy diferentes e igualmente orgullosas.Y como si fuera poco, su hijo quiere casarse con la hija de una sofisticada dama argentina y de un padre cubano astuto, que le agregan un matiz unico a la mezcla multicultural de esta familia.

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