Reviews
Nothing But a Man (1964)
A Groundbreaking Film
I've seen this movie twice and it touches me in a way that compels me to see it again and again. This film touches so many elements of poor southern existence that it feels more current than films made today. Though forty-one years later, with elements of the situational context dated, the film is eerily current. For example, with cotton-picking, day-working and railways section gangs replaced by newer working-class occupations, there remains a race-based hierarchy to life. NBAM brings to mind scenes from Crash minus the shock required for contemporary senses. I can only imagine what it was like to see this film when it was in the theater. As with so many genre-shifting and defing movies, watch it and the DVD extras section.
The Brown Bunny (2003)
Fantastic cinematography; compelling at times; too long and an interesting what if at the end.
The film has fantastic cinematography; very real in it's detail showing the beauty of the ordinary. The "plot-less" plot was interesting and compelling most times. Unfortunately it was longer than needed to make its point. The opening racing scene and the solitary drag on the flats were obvious fillers. Given the storyline elements Vincent Gallo could have easily made this into an interesting short. Of special note: I wonder if Daisy's dialogue in the final scene was scripted. If one were to assume it was ad-libbed it would make for good controversy; was Chloe getting cold feet and trying to influence the direction of this infamous scene? Check it out and make your own opinion.