ultrasween

Xala is set during Senegal's first days of independence from France, and is about a government official (Leye) who's using some dirty money to marry a third wife. When he attempts to consummate his new marriage to a beautiful-young woman, he finds himself unable to perform. His impotence is known locally as the 'Xala' curse. What ensues is an expertly crafted criticism and skewering of the Senegalese government and bourgeoisie as Leye goes to great lengths to find a cure. Told with comedic wit, Xala is a technically proficient film written by the director and based on his 1973 novel of the same name. The freeze-frame and graphic match from the finale is simply unforgettable. You can really feel the sweltering African heat in every frame. S

Tony, written by the director and based on his 2005 short film, is a great example of the disease that "lets the bad guys win", which is plaguing independent films nowadays. In this vain attempt to be edgy, the film follows around socially-inept Tony as he encounters nothing but hostility and gives back nihlistic hate and misdirected retribution. His encounters are far too convenient, although, one would expect someone like Tony to focus solely on moments like these. Tied with the filmmakers' apparent laziness in thinking-through the central character, the film shows an incredibly unrealistic approach to victim struggles. On a similar note, the film claims to be "social realism" yet there is not a shred of human truth in any facet of this film. Furthermore, Tony is peppered with far too many red herrings, which throw the viewer around; leading us in one giant loop of illogic. Shameless-ly (pun on Exec. Producer Paul Abbott intended) exploitative, it provides no answers to so many questions that should have been passing thoughts on the road to a more crafted story. What ever happened to the bad guy going up in a ball of White Heat(1949) making us feel at least a shred of sympathy for them? S

A series of scenic shots of a dilapidated rural community: Karl Childers awkwardly walks, turns and stares directly into the camera; capturing the viewer into his world. Billy Bob Thornton wrote, directed and starred in this intense character study of an anti-hero Karl Childers, a slightly mentally-handicapped man just released from the "nervous hospital" after killing his mother and her lover many years beforehand. Thornton creates such a captivating and well-crafted character, urging the viewer to really get inside his head. Thornton's performance is elevated by the sheer brilliance in every single shot: from the blocking, to the long takes and right down to the well-paced editing. J.T. Walsh bookends the film with two disturbing monologues. This is the definition of a great narrative and a director who knows exactly what he is doing. Sling Blade is the mighty seed needed to nourish any film lover's eyes, heart and mind. S