No Moderation

Black Snake Moan

So I went to see Black Snake Moan on Friday with my boys Jonathan and Tim. Timmy really wanted to see Reno 9-11, but Jonathan and I were able to persuade him that Black Snake Moan was the way to go. With a name like Black Snake Moan, not a lot of persuading was needed.

Thoughts - in a nutshell - this is a fantastic movie. Best movie I've seen all year, though I haven't seen a whole lot of movies this year.

We had a mixed crowd of movie-goers with everyone from the tragically hip, urban hip hop types, wall street yuppies and most everything in between. Interesting mix to say the least.

Two Qualifications:
1) I'm a blues FANATIC and the sound track done on Fat Possum records is incrdeible.

Why do I like the blues? Simply, because the blues keeps it real in the realest of ways. The blues is about human weakness, sadness and at times redemption. The blues calls a thing a thing and doesn't try to cover up the rhythms of struggle that play in our world. The blues understands the human condition, understands struggle and understands weakness - and doesn't apologize for any of it.

2) I'm also a gospel junkie with a low anthropology.

What does that mean? It means that I don't think people are intrinsically good, but that we're all broken and in need of rescue. It means that I believe we we always act in our own self interest unless something external breaks in and pulls in a different direction. It means that even when this rescue happens, we will resist it and will continue to resist it the rest of our days. It means our rescue is totally undeserved and comes 100% at the expense of another. It also means that our continued resistance once rescued (or our continued desire to serve ourselves), does not make us any less rescued.

How does this relate to Black Snake Moan?

This movie (in my ever so humble opinion) is about

Powerlessness
The need for rescue
External redemption/rescue that is actively resisted and not deserved
Redemption/change in light of the rescue
Continued struggle despite being freed

I thought maybe I'd break down each of those points, but alas I'm too lazy. Check out the flick and see if you agree.