how to do some reviews

two things have struck me as being very well done, really entertaining work. figured i'd share them with you.

"the contender"
tuesday nights 10pm espn
there's something very human and brilliant about this show. first off, it highlights the dichotomy of boxers. they're vicious people in the ring, and geniune people outside of it. and this show really brings all that out. to begin with, because it's a tv show, they don't have to give a narrative of each round. they can edit liberally to make the rounds seem much more exciting than they might be. there's no need for pacing or for scoring at home. it's presented like a "rocky" film - that brutal, that intensel. and yet, before the fight, we're given their backstories, and you really begin to feel for them. they've all got different backgrounds and stories and you begin taking sides and pulling for these boxers you just met fifteen minutes ago. which, when you put it all together, makes it more than just a show about boxing.

"dave chappelle's block party"
directed by michel gondry
i can't remember the last movie i watched that i had anywhere near as much fun as this one. in short - dave chappelle threw a block party in bed-stuy, with kanye west, the fugees, the roots, erykah badu, jill scott, talib kewli and others. but it's really about bringing people together. he ships in a marching band and some random people from his home in ohio. he gets old white people to come. he brings a mr.t looking mc on stage. he gets the fugees back together. all in all, it's just a very inviting concept. but here's the kicker, though: you don't have to like rap to like this film. it's infectious. it's not a concert film. it's not a comedy film. in fact, i'm not really sure how to categorize it. there's not really a beginning or an end or a story arc. it just is. it really is. which makes it s a helluva lotta fun.