Hey folks, Harry here... I can't review THE FIGHTING TEMPTATIONS due to the court order from my Ex... Someday she'll forgive me and move back to Austin from Houston, but... well... "B", I'm still here for you, that you kept the name means so much to me... sniffle... Cuba - give her my love! I can't say anymore, here's Capone...
Hey, Harry. Capone in Chicago here. I've got two reviews here for the readership of two films that I can't find a connection between to save my life, other than I saw them both on the same day. If that isn't enough, screw you! One I suspected I'd like and did; one I knew I'd hate and didn't.
STOKED: THE RISE AND FALL OF GATOR
Essentially picking up the story where DOGTOWN AND Z-BOYS left off, STOKED focuses on the life and troubled downfall of probably the most famous of the 1980s skateboarding stars, Mark "Gator" Rogowski. But the film also doubles as a look into the entire skateboarding world of the time and how, like all popular youth-culture phenomenons, it elevated its heroes to rock star-like status and corrupted it with corporate intervention. In the world of vertical ramp skating (as opposed to street skating), Gator and his local skatepark buddies (including Tony Hawk and Steve Caballero) were superstars to millions of teenagers. The film does a remarkable job capturing Gator's lowly California origins, follows him into the emptied backyard pools where he skated with other disenfranchised youngsters. He was a little better looking and built than many of his friends, and as a result, he didn't have trouble getting girls either.
It wasn't long before Gator took the lead among his peers in getting endorsement deals, his own board and clothing lines, and top bill in a series of legendary skating videos. Gator would become synonymous with Vision Skateboards, Vision Street Wear, and the Vision skateboarding team. His legend was solidified when he punched out a cop at a 1986 competition at Mt. Trashmore, and a near riot erupted. There's no shortage of footage of Gator the skater, Gator the actor, Gator the braggart in this film, and director Helen Stickler slowly begins to turn the hero worship found in her interview subjects into tale of a guy who got too big for his own Wayfarers. He changed his name to get better acting gigs, started hanging out with celebrities, and even made an appearance on MTV on Downtown Julie Brown's dance party show (this footage is priceless). At the same time, as the '80s progressed, Gator became involved with a girl named Brandi, the last in a long line of petite blonde beauties. Their relationship was tumultuous to say the least, and Mark's jealous streak and general mental instability came to the forefront. It didn't help that his sport--and his popularity--were declining rapidly thanks to the growing street skating sport (since many kids didn't have access to professional skating parks with ramps, etc.)
By the early 1990s, Gator was into some weird stuff. He'd hooked up with Bible-thumping surfers and started carrying a bible wherever he went, and he starting leaving nasty messages on Brandi's answering machine. His downward spiral culminated in a highly publicized and extremely horrible rape and murder of an estranged friend of Brandi's named Jessica Bergston, for which Mark received a 31 years-to-life sentence. The descriptions of this event are difficult to listen to, and the fact that ultimately he pled guilty to the crime makes it impossible for you to question his innocence or not. You go from him being a guy you love to hate to a cold-blooded rage killer in an instant, and the transition is jarring.
Stickler is clearly committed to the material and her subjects, and she does a remarkable job capturing the period and mentality of both skaters and the nation at a time when Style Over Substance was the norm, rebellion was irrelevant but still admired, and heroes and villains could be found in the unlikeliest of places. Not being much of a skater fan myself, even I was drawn into this story and the culture. In many ways, this was a far more interesting, informative, and human film that DOGTOWN AND Z-BOYS.
As a side note, STOKED is the Opening Night film at the Chicago Underground Film Festival (www.cuff.org) on August 27 at the Landmark Century Center Theatre, where it is scheduled for a theatrical run beginning September 12.
THE FIGHTING TEMPTATIONS
I'm going to shock myself when I say this, but I swear I'm not drunk or on any medication: THE FIGHTING TEMPTATIONS is a pretty great little movie, thanks primarily to the stirring gospel music that makes up a large part of its 2-hour running time. Don't let the stupid trailer or the presence of Cuba Gooding Jr. fool you. This is a spirited, rousing film with only an uninspired set up and a stupid ending dragging it down somewhat. There's so much music in fact that I think TEMPTATIONS could be considered the next in an every-growing line of Hollywood musicals aimed at bringing the genre back into the mainstream.
Gooding plays rising New York ad executive Darrin Hill, who grew up in the South with a single mother who sang in the church choir. When it is discovered that she spends her evenings singing "the devil's music" at a juke joint, she is kicked out of the choir, and eventually she leaves town with young Darrin to pursue her singing career. Years later, long after his mother's death, Darrin has abandoned his simple roots, gotten himself into loads of debt, and spent his life lying about his background in order to get ahead in life. But the fact remains that he's good at his job, even if he's forced to accept accounts promoting malt liquor to black communities. When his bosses discover that he lied about his college degree, he's fired. At the same time, the creditors are beating down his door. Then he gets word that his aunt has died and that she's left him something in her will. Thinking he's got some much-needed cash coming his way, Darrin heads back to his hometown for the funeral.
Turns out that Darrin's aunt wanted to better him after her death. Her condition for him to get her rather large fortune is that he lead the church choir to some grand gospel music tournament. If you're still reading this, I'm guessing you're rolling your eyes so far around, they may have spun into the back of your head. But actually, the best parts of this movie start at this point. Upon his setting up in town, Darrin runs into a colorful bunch of town folk, including Lilly (Harry's wife Beyonce Knowles), another single mother who was kicked out the choir (parallel anyone?); and Lucius (the less annoying than usual Mike Epps). Darrin has to pull together a choir from virtually nothing, and he literally goes door to door soliciting singers, including characters played by Melba Moore, Faith Evans, The O'Jays, the goddess Angie Stone, Montell Jordan (in a surprising hilarious performance), and even Rue McClanahan (!), and of course, Beyonce. Director Jonathan Lynn (MY COUSIN VINNY; THE WHOLE NINE YARDS) plays it smart and lets the music do the the lion's share of the entertaining, and what music it is. From classic gospel tunes to torchy blues to religious-infected hip-hop, all of the music got me going, got my toes tapping, got me wishing I was in the crowds watching these terrific performances unfold. One minor complaint: in no sane universe should Ms. Angie Stone be singing backup for Beyonce Knowles. Only in the movies, brothers and sisters. Knowles is a great pop star, but Stone is an angel. End of music lesson.
There are pockets of story in THE FIGHTING TEMPTATIONS that are too long and pointless; most of it feels like filler between the singing and that's okay. And even at two hours, the film didn't seem that long. Knowles is not a great actress, but she's got what is necessary to carry off this part. She's not winning an awards for her acting, but the film is fluffy enough that she doesn't have to try to hard. She looks great, sounds amazing. (I particularly liked the moments when the slick production is turned off and she really got to showcase her voice.) More importantly, Cuba Gooding has chilled out in the wake of such devastatingly bad films as SNOW DOGS and BOAT TRIP. The guy isn't a terrible actor; overly enthusiastic more often than not, yes, but not terrible. And Lynn reels him back a bit. We know that he and Beyonce will end up together by film's end, but the romance does not take the direct route it could have in lazier hands.
The bottom line is that if you think I'm insane or full of crap, I challenge you to watch this film and not let some part of it make you want to stand up and shout "Amen!" The congregation is dismissed.
Capone
