RoweReviews
  • Viewing Log / Reviews
  • Search
  • Ramblings
  • Contact Me

Chi-Raq (2015) - Spike Lee

12/31/2015

0 Comments

 
Picture
Spike Lee's Chi-Raq is one of the most energized films I've seen in awhile, a film that dances between moments of emotional poignancy and absurdest-fueled satire that borders on farce.  It's a film that tonially feels like it shouldn't work, but it does, being an angry examination of the violence and poverty facing not only Chicago but urban American as a whole.  Bordering on surrealist at times, Chi-raq is a film that manages to be incredibly playful and absurdest while never sacrificing the political and emotional resonance of this story of violence and needed change.  A modern day adaptation of the ancient Greek play 'Lysistrata", Spike Lee's Chi-raq's dialogue is entirely dictated in poetic prose, telling the story of a group of women led by Lysistrata who organize against the ongoing violence in Chicago's Southside by starting a movement of celebacy, denying their men sex, in an effort to stop the ceaseless violence in the community.  Like many of Lee's films, Chi-raq can feel a little uneven at times, but what it lacks in subtlety and nuance it makes up for in vitality.  If there is a hot-topic issue in modern America, in particularly urban America, Chi-raq has something to say about it, with the film's energy really exhibiting the urgency felt by its filmmakers who simply want the unheralded violence which exists in these communities to stop.  Many film's that use poetic dictation feel clunky to me but Chi-raq's dialogue balances its drama and comedy in a way that is endlessly engaging, comical but potent, as Spike Lee has created a truly singular vision, an important film that's passion and energy is felt in every frame.  While the film touches on a host of very important issues facing our country like gun violence and racism, Chi-raq's examination of masculinity is particularly interesting, capturing its penchant for violence and the inherent barbarianism.  A major aspect of Chi-raq is about the importance of intellectualism, showcasing how the gang lifestyle is really just a form of tribalism and barbarianism with the film suggesting the importance of intellectual enlightenment being one of the primary keys to stopping mindless violence in these communities.  Lee's film doesn't make excuses for the urban communities either, acknowledging the neglected but also encouraging them to be better in the face of adversity.  Outrageous, singular, clumsy, but endlessly passionate, Spike Lee's Chi-raq isn't just an immersive political protest but a pleading examination of humanity remembering the importance and power of love over hate.  

Picture
Picture
Picture
0 Comments



Leave a Reply.

    Author

    Love of all things cinema brought me here.  

    Archives

    December 2022
    November 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013
    December 2012
    November 2012
    October 2012
    September 2012
    August 2012
    July 2012
    June 2012
    May 2012

    RSS Feed

Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.
  • Viewing Log / Reviews
  • Search
  • Ramblings
  • Contact Me