Under the Cherry Moon

Yeah, I know I only gave this movie a 7, but the vote is a relative thing. Not everything can be a 10. If I were voting on the basis of genre, then definitely a 10. Anyways, I digress. Under the Cherry Moon is the finest movie Prince ever directed (and if you've seen the abysmal Graffiti Bridge, you know what I mean), and the fact that he took over from Mary Lambert (who went on to direct the ludicrously bad Pet Sematary)at the last minute, further proves my point. Prince and erstwhile sidekick Jerome Benton play a pair of hustlers who make no bones about their profession; in fact, the fun they have is so infectious, it seems to take all the sleaze out of it. Merrily they go along until Christopher (Prince) lays eyes on Kristin Scott-Thomas and goes completely ga-ga, forgetting altogether the pair's objective of swindling her out of her fortune. This is a fun movie, one that manages to evoke the feel of a 30s screwball comedy injected with a modern sensibility. The music is among Prince's finest (and most cohesive album-wise), and most rhythmically inventive. Don't rent this expecting to see a work of cinematic art; this is pure entertainment, plain and simple. If you're looking for something you can watch strictly for fun, check this one out. For those who have seen it and love as I do, I have two words for you: Wrecka Stow!