Hot damn, they're slaves!

Last week I was able to finally see what I thought would be the most painful movie going experience of my life: Lars von Trier's second installment of his American trilogy, Manderlay. Why the most painful?

1) Lars von Trier makes films that make me want to be punched in the face just to be rid of the emotional pain they put me through.

2) I've never seen one of his movies in one sitting; it has ALWAYS taken three days the first time around.

3) Did you see the first installment of the trilogy, Dogville?!?!?!

4) Add slaves.

Well it turns out that not ONLY was it not as painful as i anticipated, it is the LEAST painful von Trier flick ever. Really. It was interesting to see the ideals of a white non-American regarding our, no pun intended, dark spot in history. However, with that I was disappointed to see that his "sneaky cinematic take" on the issue is similar to that of slavery supporters: if slaves were freed, they wouldn't want to leave the institution of slavery. We gots it good, massa! Lars did include his fave topic of the ugliness of human nature, but only in rolling hills amounts.

Maybe I was expecting too much to experience his usual 8.3 Richter scale of maddening. Or maybe there was just too much to try and cover when you add slavery in a post-slavery era to already grave themes. The movie was still a good watch, I recommend it to everyone if only to see the oddest sex scene ever and some of the greatest credits ever. It'll get you thinking, but no matter how praised Manderlay is for saying what no other film dare, I wish Lars would have taken the triple dog dare.
-von

ps: on a slightly brighter note regarding slaves, please view the following clip from the happiest place on TV, Wonder Showzen