2006 has been a slow movie-going year. Failure to Launch, The Shaggy Dog, She's the Man, and Larry the Cable Guy: Health Inspector are all currently in the Box Office Top 10. If it weren't for Tivo, reality tv, the return of the Sopranos, and an endless supply of poker shows - I'm not sure where I could have turned for quality entertainment.
The first movie to actually get me off the couch and into the theater this year was Dave Chappelle's Block Party. I love Dave. Jeff and I know parts of his stand up routine by heart (and really, there's nothing funnier than a skinny white kid with hipster glasses retelling the story of a baby selling crack on a ghetto street corner). And after watching Chappelle's recent appearance on Inside the Actor's Studio and learning about his struggles with fame and fortune, I'm proud to say that I've never yelled out "I'm Rick James, bitch!" (though I just said "ping" for the first time, so I guess anything's possible.
But back to my point. I love Dave. I love documentaries. And, in case you hadn't noticed (here, here, here, here, here, here, and here), I'm from Hayward which means I love me some hip-hop.
Block Party follows Dave Chappelle as he plans a surprise, free concert in the middle of Bed-Stuy with some of hip-hop's greatest talents including Erykah Badu (whose afro wig flies off during a song), 'Mos Def', Jill Scott, Common, The Roots, Kanye West (who I hadn't bought into until watching this movie), and Talib Kweli. He even succeeds at reuniting the Fugees - getting Lauryn Hill, Wyclef Jean, and that other guy back together on stage to sing Killing Me Softly for the first time in years.
If you're looking for a well-developed storyline - you aren't going to find it here. If you hate hip-hop - you will hate this movie. If you're still yelling out "I'm Rick James, bitch!" - you're a tool.
But if you answered none of the above, then I strongly recommend you try to find a theater still playing this film and support the movie.
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