#86 - Viva Laldjerie

Oh boy!! More art. This is another Film Movement selection, but I was able to find a picture that wasn't from the collection, and that's what I went with. And of course, it has all the elements that have been discussed in previous reviews: foreign + dramatic = art. More art than you know what to do with. More art than you can shake a stick at. More art than you can legally use to turn your nose up at others with. So put your scarf on, even if it's during the summertime, and let's go watch a film.

Now that I have said my standard and predictable diatribe about art house movies, I will say that this movie isn't that bad. Of course, I am comparing it to the tediousness of Raja. While this may not be a fair comparison because they are two different movies attempting to do two different things, it's what I did, and you'll just have to deal with it. What makes it good is that it's not Raja, and what makes it bad is that it's just okay. Well, bad isn't the right term because it isn't really a bad movie. I did have some problems with it, which in some cases may be due to my lack of knowledge about current events in Algeria.

The main character of the movie is a young girl whose name I can't remember, so we'll call her Viva. She lives with her mother, a former cabaret star who will go by the name of Laldjerie, or Jerry for short. What we get is a story about tradition versus modern times with a bit of western culture versus traditional Islam versus modern perceptions of Islam, all set in the city of Algiers. The story about Jerry is quite fascinating because she was apparently a huge cabaret star who has faded into past due to modern times and the taboo nature of what she used to do. Her search for validity and a connection to her past is quite interesting. It's Viva's character that I can't wrap my head around and since she's the main character, that doesn't bode well for my overall impression of the film. At the start of the movie, she appears to be an irresponsible young slut, but for some reason that doesn't last. She is a little bit at odds with her mother, but it's hard to say why other than the usual generation gap, which isn't that exciting to watch. She has a guy from the neighborhood who has a crush on her and borders on the edge of stalking, but nothing really happens with that. The more I think about it, she appears to be nothing more than a catalyst for what goes on around her. Some of her actions inadvertently cause others harm, but she doesn't know that she is responsible, so no lesson learned. Since I am unable to truly grasp the impetus behind the main character, I find it hard to truly enjoy the whole movie, even though there are a lot good things going on in it.

I would like to take this time to respond to a few comments made by some regular readers of this page known to you all as Fosberg and Chewy. It is in regards to my review of the movie The Notebook. Apparently, my manhood has been brought into question due to my positive review, however hesitant I was to say it. I believe the initial comment by Chewy had to do with renting the movie as oppossed to just catching it on cable. According to him, this would make me a girl. Of course the implication of his statement is such that would make one believe that Chewy watched the film on cable and of his own free will as opposed to a random selection, which is how I came to watch it. This would make Chewy much more of a girl than I. In response to all of this, Fosberg decided to throw in his two cents, declaring that what Chewy was saying was that I was a girl for actually liking the movie. Well, I hate to say it, but it seems to me that this is in no way way what Chewy was saying. Rather, I feel that this is a comment that was thrown in by Fosberg in a unrelated piggyback tactic that does not properly defend the merit of Chewy's initial argument, yet gives a "point" to Chewy. To which Chewy has since chimed in with his agreement. Well....I only have two responses. First, I thought that I made it clear that I was conflicted about the movie. I felt that I expressed myself quite clearly about enjoying a certain aspect about the film that was good enough to carry my interest through the uninteresting romance segments. I also felt that I was able to convey an appreciation for the work done on the movie, even though it is not my favorite genre. It isn't easy to step outside my own likes and dislikes to see the level of work done by others. Secondly, if you two bi-coastal butt buddies aren't man enough sac up and admit when you like shit that you normally don't like, then keep it to your damn self and don't bring your insecurities down onto me. Remember Chewy, you are the one who caught movie on cable, probably sitting alone in the dark with a pillow and some popcorn. And Fosberg, if you think I am a girl for liking this movie, why don't just come out and say it instead of "riding the backside" of someone else's comment. I guess if you are gonna hide your balls somewhere, Chewy's backside is as good as anywhere else.

That is all. I have said my peace. Let the shit storm begin.