Critics Nick Pinkerton and Nicolas Rapold have a series they program at various repertory movie theaters
called “Overdue” which takes a look at movies that haven’t received the praise they deserve, or have
been overlooked in general. One of the films they’ve chosen, which happens to be screening today at
7, is Hype Williams’ directorial debut (and only feature-film to date) “Belly.”
I would describe it, but the
BAM website has already done a great job explaining why this shouldn’t be missed: "Fuck a book," says star DMX, and indeed this is post-verbal filmmaking, with vital plot points rendered
in Jamaican patois. Belly opens with a blacklight nightclub stickup set to a capella vocal gymnastics, and
director Hype Williams (auteur of shiny-suit era Bad Boy music videos) doesn’t allow a routine frame
past the velvet rope in his sui generis, Alizé-and-mushrooms swirl of millennial Manhattan and dancehall
reggae.”
Honestly, the opening sequence alone is reason enough to see this movie in a theater, especially when
it’s being shown in 35mm. "Belly" has been undervalued for a while, and I think this tends to happen
a lot with movies where it’s easy to write them off upon release as focusing too much on “style over
substance.” Cinema is a visual language, so someone’s visual style can obviously say a great deal. “Belly”
is really about the thrill of individual moments, and that’s almost exactly what the characters themselves
are seeking (primarily DMX’s wild card Tommy character).
More info: http://www.bam.org/film/2014/belly
Also starting at BAM on Friday is The SOURCE 360, which the BAM website describes as: "For 25 years, The Source has been at the forefront of hip-hop culture, chronicling its music, style,
personalities, and politics. BAMcinématek salutes the pioneering publication with a series of films
featuring now-legendary artists who were first championed in the pages of The Source."
The series includes screenings of "Nas: Time is Illmatic" and "Dave Chappelle’s Block Party" among
others.
More info: http://www.bam.org/film/2014/the-source-360
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