Sankofa

Rafael "Mister Movie" Jovine3.5

B. N. C. (BLACK NEVER CRACKS) - A BLACK CINEMA MARATHONJust like Daughters of the Dust, this is yet another lyrical movie in which everything plays almost like an idyllic world that resembles our own in which these Black slaves find themselves caught in this inescapable nightmare where they are either being tortured by the slave owners or, in one scene, a priest, through whips and “holy water,” that is, when women aren’t being disposed of, not only of their clothes but also their dignity and then getting raped. There’s even a scene that makes me wonder if Steve McQueen saw it as somewhat similar (though not as “gory”) to that horrible whipping scene in 12 Years A Slave. Then when they are not being physically tortured, they all seem to fall into this existentialism where they battle and question their place in the world and their faith. And yet, at the same time, despite all of these awful things happening, there’s a beauty of sorts in the imagery and the scenery in which they unfold, which made for an interesting contrast. The performances are all great and deliver on what they are requested. I also like when actors in this scenario and period in history speak with an accent, as it makes the film more genuine and immersive. Not that I get easily distracted when they speak modern English or so, but it’s a little detail that for me enhances the viewing experience.All in all, probably longer than what it should and it gets a little redundant on certain things, yet, while it depicts a series of harrowing events that may not be for everyone, I’d say its worth checking out. A pretty original take for an already kind of trite subgenre.B. N. C. (BLACK NEVER CRACKS) - A BLACK CINEMA MARATHONTODAY SCHEDULETime BombSanfokaDrishyamDrishyam 2

theshrillest2.5

man I don't know. on the one hand, it is powerful to watch a movie about made by an african, which has enslaved people who have my parents' accents, still of their homeland though not in it. and it's beautifully shot and unsparing in the depiction of slavery as the evil horror that it was. and it is audacious in the way its central premise -- a modern african-american woman inhabiting the life of one of her ancestors -- is a combination of myth and fantasy. I understand why it is regarded as a classic, especially given the era in which it was released, a time in which there were few movies about slavery, and even the majority of those were exploitation films.on the other hand, a plain reading of the movie, and really, its central point, is that the further enslaved people got from africa culturally and religiously, the more docile, submissive, and brainwashed they became -- which is to say that the more "black american" an enslaved person became, the more they had internalized white supremacy. instead of enslaved people forging a new culture, real and vibrant, as their old culture became impossible to maintain, they are depicted as simply losing it and replacing it with the propaganda of their masters.this idea is risible and ahistorical, and the movie is so soaked in it that it made it hard for me to even appreciate a movie I had hoped to love. I'd love to be convinced that I'm missing something, but I don't think I am. I'm very curious what black american critics made of it at the time.

MJsays3.5

A spellbinding trip into historical mysticism grounded by the roots of slavery, showing a kaleidoscopic view of African culture and how a range of external forces have tested the strength of their spirituality across the passage of time. Artistic, challenging and essential.