Movie Review The Alamo

The Alamo 

Directed by John Lee Hancock

Written by Leslie Bohem, Stephen Gaghan, John Lee Hancock

Starring Billy Bob Thornton, Jason Patric, Patrick Wilson, Dennis Quaid 

Release Date April 19th, 2004

With the patriotic fervor of the war in Iraq having died down, the time for a rousing patriotic war film may have passed. Indeed the producers of The Alamo had to be considering that fervor when they went into production in early 2003. Unfortunately, they lost the opportunity to capitalize on it when the film was deemed not ready for its original December release. Now dumped, with little fanfare, into the month of April, The Alamo arrives as a professionally made but unmemorable history lesson. 

Directed by John Lee Hancock (The Rookie), The Alamo tells the story of how legendary figures Jim Bowie (Jason Patric), William Travis (Patrick Wilson) and Davy Crockett (Billy Bob Thornton) came to a tiny church in San Antonio to fight for the idea that would become the state of Texas. With tin-eared dialogue and stolid pacing, The Alamo unfolds a story that will certainly provide some welcome downtime for teachers who use it to fill the end of a school year. 

For Jim Bowie, San Antonio was the home of his late wife where he had spent many happy nights. His return to San Antonio and to the Alamo was a favor to his friend General Sam Houston (Dennis Quaid). Houston was to retrieve the Texas army's largest canon and return it to Gonzales, Texas where the leaders are debating their future. By taking the canon, they are essentially ceding San Antonio to the Mexicans.

William Travis on the other hand, has been charged with holding the Alamo until a decision can be made as to how Texas will declare and defend itself from Mexico's dictator Santa Anna. Will the Texans declare their independence or negotiate a settlement with Santa Anna to hold onto their land under Mexican rule? Under the assumption that Santa Anna will not attack in the winter, the Alamo is thought to be fairly secure, allowing time for the leaders to debate their options.

For David Crockett, as he prefers to be called, Texas is a place to reclaim his legend after losing his congressional seat in Tennessee. Crockett has spoken to Sam Houston and been assured a good deal of land and power if Texas is declared independent. Crockett arrives at the Alamo unaware that the fighting has not stopped, only slowed due to the weather and the Texans' indecision over how to declare independence.

The setup for the climactic battle is slow and drawn out, probably because the actual battle of the Alamo didn't last long. Once Santa Anna decided on a full frontal attack with thousands of Mexican soldiers, there was little that the three hundred or so Texans could do to stop them. The setup for the battle has its moments, such as when Davy Crockett grabs his fiddle and plays along with Santa Anna's army marching band. Still, for the most part it's all rather dull. 

We learn little about the historical figures of Bowie, Travis or Crockett other than both Bowie and Travis were slave owners and that Crockett never actually jumped a raging river or took on 20 men at once. Credit Billy Bob Thornton with the film’s best performance. Davy Crockett is a poetic pragmatist who struggles with his legendary status that was assured well before he became a martyr for Texas independence at the Alamo.

The film’s best moments are the battle scenes, the siege at the Alamo, which is quick and brutal, and the battle of Houston where Sam Houston avenged the Alamo by routing Santa Anna's army in 18 minutes. Director John Lee Hancock manages one great moment of emotion with Houston's "Remember The Alamo" rallying cry but other than that the film is rather staid and emotionless. Well made, but soulless.

The film is very professionally crafted with solid acting and a well remembered story. However, it plays like a history lesson from a very dull high school class. None of the characters, aside from Davy Crockett, have much of a personality and none of the supporting performances makes any impression whatsoever.  There was a controversial rumor about Davy Crockett's death but it's only a misunderstanding. The Crockett legend is very much intact at the end of the film. Without the controversy there is very little that is memorable about this Alamo.

Movie Review After April

After April 

Directed by Brian Evans 

Written by Ryan Farley 

Starring Michael McKiddy, Angela Duffy, Ethan Jordan 

Release Date Unknown

AIDS is an issue that has disappeared from mainstream consciousness. That doesn't mean that it isn't still killing people and destroying lives because it certainly is, especially in urban communities.  What that means is that AIDS is no longer the cause celebre it once was. Hollywood stars still wear their fashionable AIDS ribbons and show up for the occasional benefit. Still, AIDS statistics that were once front page news are now buried in the back and research into a cure for AIDS languishes even as great strides continue to be made. 

In the movie universe you would think AIDS has been cured, because few of us can recall the last time we saw a movie with an AIDS afflicted character. The film After April does not come out with an agenda aimed at bringing AIDS to the forefront once again. Moreover it deals with the disease in an intelligent and emotional way one hopes will make people remember this most horrible of killers and the lives it destroys.

After April is the brainchild of director Brian Evans and writer Ryan Farley. The film stars Michael McKiddy as Patrick, an inner city white kid whose parents are non-existent and whose drug habit was an all consuming problem until he met Eve, played by Angela Duffy. While Eve is also a junkie they both would like to get clean and leave their inner city home. Just one week from starting a new life with the help of Eve's Aunt, Patrick gets some very bad news. 

In a devastating revelation, a letter informs Patrick that the local blood bank could not use his blood for unspecified reasons. Determined to know why his blood was rejected, Patrick and Eve go to the blood bank and Patrick intimidates a bureaucratic nurse into telling him what happened. Patrick's blood was rejected because he has HIV, the virus that causes AIDS. 

Angry and depressed Patrick begins to search for the girl he is certain infected him, April, played by Stephanie Slongo. A fellow junkie, April has become a prostitute since she met Patrick. In flashback, we see Patrick meet April in a bar where she entices him into an alley where they have unprotected sex.

Knowing that Patrick brought this onto himself makes him difficult to sympathize with but McKiddy's sad desperate performance makes Patrick a frighteningly real character. McKiddy's Patrick is like someone we know, anyone who sees this film will see traits that they recognize in people who are close to them. Much like Brad Renfro's performance in Bully, McKiddy's raw realism gives After April more effect than you’re expecting. 

Angela Duffy as Eve is far more than your average movie girlfriend. Not merely a plot device Eve is a fully fleshed out character who allows the audience to care about Patrick because she cares about him. Even in Patrick's most extreme moments Eve stays with him, not because she is weak or needy but because she truly cares about him. 

The cast is rounded out by Ethan Jordan as Carney, Patrick’s drug dealer until he finally decides to clean up. Carney is also April's dealer so when Patrick goes looking for her, Carney is the first person he goes to. Surprisingly philosophical for a dope dealer, Carney combines an unusual social conscience with his antisocial dealings. Carney doesn't like what has happened to his neighborhood, but openly admits that he is part of the problem. 

He honestly respects Patrick's attempt to clean up and when he sees Patrick slipping as he searches for April, Carney offers wise counsel. Though his rap about how having inner city kids killing each other is what the government wants makes the character look ridiculous, Jordan's honest well delivered performance keeps the character grounded and real.

The unique combination of revenge thriller and an issue as serious as HIV makes After April one of the most fascinating films I've seen in a long time. The film’s direction and production values could stand for improvement but as it is, After April is a raw and thought-provoking film. A film with more than just an idea, more than just a gimmick, April brings the tragedy of AIDS to the streets in a way that is shocking and attention grabbing without being sensationalistic or preachy. This is a very good movie.

Documentary Review AfroPunk: The Rock N'Roll N***** Experience

Afropunk: The Rock N’Roll N***** Experience 

Directed by James Spooner 

Written by Documentary 

Starring Ralph Darden, Matt Davis, Maya Glick

Release Date August 4th, 2007

German philosopher Georg Hegel defines alienation as the unhappy consciousness. He continues on saying that alienation is typical of philosophical skepticism as an alienated soul which is conscious of itself as a divided being, or a doubled and contradictory being whose aspirations towards universality have been frustrated.

The subjects of James Spooner's fascinating documentary Afropunk know all about alienation as defined by Mr. Hegel. Being black in the predominantly white punk scene and a punk in the black community is to be a divided soul. However, as this documentary shows these divided souls are making a way for themselves in a growing community of artists.

Shot over a year on a minuscule budget Afropunk is a collection of interviews with fans and artists in the punk scene. This is not the whitewashed MTV punk scene as identified by the Good Charlotte's of the world. Rather this is the true punk scene of tiny clubs and rowdy hardcore fans. As well as near poverty stricken artists who don't do punk to get on MTV but rather as their only true way to express themselves artistically. Artists who found something in the angry thrashing rhythms and screeching riffs of Punk that can't be simply explained.

Among these artists is Matt Davis from Iowa City Iowa, who performed in a number of punk bands over his short life including the well regarded Ten-Grand. Living in near poverty with his band-mates, Davis personified the duality of the punk lifestyle. He lived for the music and the energy of performing, even if it meant selling blood to make rent. Tragically, Davis died before completion of the film.

Tamar Kali is well known in the New York underground scene for combining hardcore rock and soul identified with the aestheticism of punk. The punk look and the angry lyrics stirred something inside her. After years of struggle with her identity as a punk and a black woman, her fully formed personality leaps off the screen with great strength. Don't be surprised when she breaks through to wider audiences.

Moe Mitchell is the lead singer of the hardcore punk band Cipher. The band with its three white members and Moe at its lead is known for its black power lyrics. Whether Moe's audience has an understanding of his message seems unlikely, the audiences are almost entirely white. Moe doesn't seem to care. After attending Howard University and becoming involved in the black power movement, Moe has found peace with his duality and his friends in the band are aware that when the revolution comes they won't be on the same side.

Finally, my favorite person in the documentary is Marika Jonez, a punk DJ in California. Her strength is organization. She runs a website that promotes punk shows in her California locale and DJ's at punk clubs. Her struggle as a young black punk is the most poignant of the stories in Afropunk because she is the youngest and most vulnerable of the people profiled. She isn't as comfortable with herself as the others and is only at the beginning of her self-discovery.

The documentary intersperses the stories of its four leads with interviews with the people who kicked down the door and made it easier for African-Americans to thrive in the Punk scene. There are interviews with the members of Bad Brainz, Fishbone and the Dead Kennedys amongst many other pioneers.

Director James Spooner weaves a remarkable story in Afropunk. One that combines the history of a scene with a philosophical exploration of identity and humanity. For anyone who thinks Punk is just loud angry noise, Afropunk will teach you that Punk is one of the few musical forms where discourse thrives. Expressions of anger and frustration over politics, religion and race are just some of the topics that Punk tackles that all other music genres stray from.