badassss

over the weekend i watched mario van peebles badassss which is his movie based on the the trials and tribulations of his dad, melvin, as he made his seminal breakthrough movie sweet sweet sweetback's badassss song. a film that is credited with the start of the blaxploitation boom.
now i have to say a couple of things upfront. i have never really been a fan of mario, i was never a fan of blaxploitation movies and i know squat about black history.
but mario has made a great film that manages to entertain and to an extent educate - not only about the struggle a black artist had in creating his own vision, but also the problems that independent film makers face.
if there is a weakness to the film it is the ending (and i have no idea how close to the truth it is) but it's a little like the scene in the producers where mel and gene are in the bar across from the theatre.

all in all it's an engrossing film to watch, with enough social commentary (nicely entwined into the story so it doesn't feel like you are being battered of the head with it) to remind you that we should all be aware of the history of our pasts good and bad.

this film gets a pat's thumbs up.