No comments about The Story of Sumo.

No comments about The Story of Sumo.

1 comments about The Divine Brown: Million Dollar Hooker - A True Story.

1. Divine Brown: Million Dollar Hooker (2006)
   directed by Van Banks
   
   In the summer of 1995, Hugh Grant was caught by the LAPD with a prostitute named Divine Brown. Both were arrested and the incident got more media attention than Hugh probably wanted. Divine, on the other hand, cashed in on the incident and appeared on various talk shows to discuss the infamous encounter. Hugh eventually went back to making the kind of romantic comedies he'd been known for but Divine Brown faded into obscurity. This was a major tabloid media story in the mid-1990s and should have been a very easy follow-up movie to make.
   
   The first few minutes we hear a narrarator retelling the Hugh Grant story over a "re-enactment" on Sunset Blvd. Next, we find out that the narrarator is Money Banks, one of Divine Brown's pimps. He tells the story of their big London trip where they courted the media. Some of the articles are briefly flashed onscreen and we see some shots of her posing for photo sessions, making press appearences and meeting stars. They travelled all through Europe to milk the attention for all it was worth. This is the best part of the movie- too bad its also the shortest.
   
   Next we are treated to an endless barrage of pimps babbling on and on about how great their game is. The older pimps lament the good ol days of pimping and criticize the younger generation for introducing weapons and drugs into the industry. The younger pimps are just loud and obnoxious. This goes on for a good 20 minutes or so. Out of the 20 or 30 people in this segment, only Gangsta Brown has anything to do with Divine Brown. He was the dude who brought Money Banks into the profession and was himself trained by Fillmore Slim, made famous in the documentary AMERICAN PIMP. Not that this is something he talks about. We learn this from a three minute MSNBC news segment that is thrown into the middle of the nonsense. Its pretty sad when your most informative footage is clipped from corporate TV. Gangsta Brown muses that because he profited from the media coverage of Divine Brown incident that he is the most successful pimp of all time.
   
   The next segment is from the 2002 "Players Ball" in Cleveland, Ohio. This part is similar to the earlier babbling segment except that the pimps are wearing cooler suits and occasionally have a ridiculous pimp chalice on their hand. Occasionally we see someone yelling into a microphone or a half naked lady, but mostly more of the same. Unsurprisingly the cartoonish Don "Magic" Juan makes an appearance with Fillmore Slim. Slim blasphemes that the Lord is keeping them alive so that they can pass the game onto the younger generation. This is the most memorable part of the Players Ball section.
   
   The camera fades out then abruptly cuts to a brief rant from Divine Brown herself. She is clearly distraught because somebody firebombed her house and almost killed her children. Considering she hasn't been a part of the movie for a good twenty minutes, this is a hell of a thing to just throw in there all of a sudden. The clip is emotional and would have made for a very powerful angle in the documentary. But just as suddenly as the clip comes in, the movie is over and the end credits are rolling. When was this footage taken? The movie never says.
   
   If you were paying attention during the pirated news footage, you learn that Money Banks' real name is Van Banks. Van Banks is the director of this movie. Being so close to the "subject", you'd think he'd be able to give more backstory. Where did he meet Divine? What was she doing? Did he have anything to do with her appearance at ECW FIGHT THE POWER '96? Did he notice anything about the media spin in Europe vs. the US? Did his "peers" have anything to say about the incident? Does he have anything to say about her recent traumatic experience? Rather than give us any insight at all, Mr. Banks decided to give us a lot of his ego and even more of his goofy friends. I might be able to tolerate the misleading title if this movie showed me something new. In reality this isn't even a documentary on pimpin: it is footage of people rambling.
   
   To put it in the simplest terms, this "documentary" is less than 50 minutes long and less than 15 of those minutes actually have to do with Divine Brown. If you're interested in her Hugh Grant encounter, you'd be better off searching YouTube for the clip of her interview on the Danny Bonaduce talk show. What happened to Divine Brown? This movie won't tell you.

No comments about Bigger Than Big: The Documentary of Ron Newt & the MCA Music Scandal.

No comments about The Life and Times of Gangsta Brown.

No comments about Classic Japanese Culture Film DVD: 1940s Japan & Japanese People, Music, Art, Sumo Wrestlers, Geishas, Shinto, Samurais, Bushido, Judo, Jujitsu & Cherry Blossom Festival Film.

2 comments about SUMO EAST AND WEST.

1. I think this documentary was purposely and wisely titled "Sumo: East AND West" rather than "Sumo: East VERSUS West" (my emphases). The point of the work is that though sumo was originally only for Japanese men, it now has participants that are American, international, and even female. You see how sumo travelled from Japan to Hawaii. Thomas Edison recorded it back in 1903 and it was performed in Japanese-American internment camps. From there Polynesians picked it up. This work is a great addition to Asian Pacific American studies, as you rarely see either group in filmic works.
   
   In this film, you get to see Polynesian, black, white, Arab, and multiracial men embrace this sport. You hear them speaking Japanese (refuting ideas that Americans refuse to learn foreign languages). At the same time, the documentary shows how Japanese boys are tending to abandon sumo and embrace baseball. This work is brilliant in showing the ebb and flow of culture(s).
   
   This movie is surprising. The main interviewees are shown losing rounds. Contestants you wouldn't expect to win do so. Wrestlers retire and re-enter the sport. For those of us who love scantily clad, heavyset, superhot guys, this work is absolute eye candy and pure pleasure.
   
   I applaud this work on so many levels. Serious analyzes of social constructionism and globalization take place here through very accessible methods. I hope this documentary goes on to win awards or garner massive audience reception.



2. This flick is a very interesting peek into the current sumo wrestling world. While I wish it included more historical and technical information about the sport, I guess that's just not what its aim is. For example, I would like to have learned what these wrestlers eat and what leads them to join this sport (is it because they are large to begin with?).
   This film does a good job of showing the newcomers' problems with fitting in and even touches on female sumo wrestlers (though not enough in my opinion). There is some great "insider" footage, such as the ritual of breaking in a new wrestler and the blessing of the dohyo ring before a competition. Overall, it's interesting but a little slow because it relies on wrestlers' interviews to lead the narration and these big guys speak very slowly!

4 comments about Sumo Vixens.

1. This movie was far better than I expected. It came as part of a package and was one of the last I watched not expecting good things.
   It begins with a homage to "The Blues Brothers" (one of my all time favorites) that is done extremely well.
   It then diverts into a story of a woman who's dream it is to restart women's sumo wrestling. They find the guy who was just out of prison to lead and train them.
   Of course they run afoul of the local mafia who then start their own women's sumo team (stacked with killer's - of course) and bet everything on the outcome.
   It's a light and silly piece of fluff that is perfect for when you're in the mood to let your mind be distracted like this. It's not anywhere near Oscar calliber, but for what it is, it's great.



2. The 5 stars are for the wrestling scenes featuring Kei Mizutani- there's not much else in the film you'll want to watch after your first viewing. She wrestles a glamorous older lady at the very start of the film, and has a grudge match with her character's former lesbian lover towards the end. There's also a soft-core lesbian scene and a shower scene that you might enjoy. Kei and her opponents look wonderful in their tiny sumo loincloths,and there can be few things more pleasurable to watch than a couple of beautiful Japanese ladies wrestling and slapping each other in the near nude.



3. I feel that "Sumo Vixens" Should have been longer. "Kei Mizutani" is A wonderful and talented woman. The sexy woman of Japan who drop their tops and enter the ring Are way cool. These sassy sumo wrestlers brawl their way to glory in this no holds barred film. If you ever get this movie, you might also enjoy The "Weather Woman" & "Return Of The Weather Woman" or "Undressed For Success" witch also stars Kei Mizutani as one of the sexeist woman of all time.



4. I didn't find this one particularly funny or erotic, despite the presence of some very attractive women. The women sumo wrestling was just plain stupid, and the overall plot was mostly lame. I did enjoy the flashback scene of the two pretty women who at one time were lesbian lovers. But that one brief scene does NOT a great video make.

No comments about United Ghetto's Eye Candy.

5 comments about VeggieTales - Sumo Of The Opera.

1. This is ADORABLE. Teaches you about St. Patrick's Day and I got it to nurture my boyfriend's inner-child because he also happens to be a huge Gilbert and Sullivan geek (much like myself). This is a spoof on G&S's Japanese opera "The Mikado" -- it also happens to combine a number of Rocky boxing references. Who else could do that? Bravo, VeggieTales. You make the world a funner place.



2. Veggietales are entertaining for the whole family. We own nearly every one of them. Highly recommended.



3. Buy this one now so you will know the story of St. Patrick before March 17! You also get a great lesson in homophones.



4. This video was all worth the St. Patrick story. It was totally funny. Believe it or not it was completely historically accurate. I'm recomennding it to my friends so their kids can learn about St. Patrick.



5. We've all been at a point when the going got tough. It's how we handle those tough situations that define who we really are.
   
   In this story Larry learns that quitting is easy, but seeing it through to the end is it's own reward. The Italian Scallion quits everything when it gets a little hard. Eventually he understands that he can do it if he works hard. What's even better is that even though he didn't win the biggest prize, he wins something even more valuable. A sense of self-worth and dignity.
   
   You and your child will definitely root for the underdog on this one. Your child will learn an important lesson from this pointy headed cucumber.