Movie Picks of The Week

Watermelon Man

- Based upon a book by Herman Raucher, this movie tells the story of a bigoted white man who wakes up one morning to discover that he is Black. Raucher's whimsical script writing and the lead character played by Godfrey Cambridge make this comedy downright hilarious.

****

She's Gotta Have It

- Spike Lee's first feature length film about a woman who dates three different men. It is also one of the few movies in the 80's to bring Black liberation to the forefront. Shot completely in black & white, Lee seeks to depict the idolizing that many women felt about men at the time. He achieves this by not allowing the main character, Nola, to become the central voice in the movie. 

*****

Castle in The Desert

- One of the best Charlie Chan movies. This one is set in a remote castle where a professor dies from poison during a cocktail party, but it is made to appear as if he has died of natural causes. Numerous people are killed along the way as Charlie Chan swiftly tries to identify the murderer. The writing is clever and keeps you guessing throughout the movie. Sidney Toler delivers one of his better performances here. There is no comedic element from Mantan Mooreland in this particular feature, but the film does not disappoint. 

**** 1/2

Suspiria

- Dario Argento's classic horror film about a ballet dancer who arrives in Germany to attend a prestigious school. This dancer learns that the school is front for a witches coven. The film is a superb flick because it was the last film to be shot in Technicolor. Argento's elements are laden in the film such as his use of anamorphic lenses, imbibition prints and vibrant colors. A horror masterpiece.

*****