Whatcha Watchin'? Drumline and A Mighty Wind
by Lah-May
Drumline
Rated: PG-13
Drumline is just as much about beating down the ego as it is about beating on the drums. Nick Cannon plays Devon Miles, a hot drummer from Harlem recruited to a southern university, scholarshipped to be a member of the university’s marching band—only Devon wants to shine alone. The film portrays the short-sightedness of the university president who wants to win competitions at all costs—including overlooking Devon’s rebellious attitude towards discipline and rules—and the long-sightedness of Dr. Lee (Orlando Jones), the band director, who knows Devon needs to learn cooperation over competition, camaraderie over center-stage soloism.
Tough choices are presented to Devon from day one at the university—from keeping the cornrows on his head to admitting deceit. But Devon’s love of music and his sincere inner desire to become a real man, sustains him through his battles with his lower self and eventually wins him wisdom and the respect of others.
Lessons learned weren’t Devon’s alone. Sean, the drumline leader faced his own jealousies. Laila (Zoë Saldana), Devon’s newfound girlfriend, re-evaluated her dreams and goals. Dr. Lee, while steadfast in his role as teacher and even soul guardian, rightfully and humbly moved from his traditional musical approach to expand into new styles of music, realizing audiences moved more to the spirit of the music than to the precision in which it’s played.
All in all, Drumline will bring a newfound respect to what many consider "geek" bands—ever try to play an instrument and perform choreographed moves at the same time?
A Mighty Wind
Rated: PG-13
OK, A Mighty Wind made me laugh. Chris Guest’s (This is Spinal Tap and Best in Show) latest spoof is a “mockumentary” on folk music. A Mighty Wind delivers what it promises—quirky characters to the extreme. There was The Main Street Singers folk band who looked like all-American Disneyland frequenters, but whose "front woman" lived an alter-ego life of a color-worshipping new-age goddess. There was Mitch, whose mind was so slowed from illegal substances and extensive psychiatric "help" that you wanted to pull every word out of his mouth. There was the neurotic promoter and the overly full-of-himself manager. There was the public relations couple who could smile with a lie as well as they could with the truth.
A Mighty Wind sarcastically "disses" the music industry as tawdry and folk music as trite. You see it, you laugh a little, you leave and then, hopefully, you forget about it; otherwise, the cynicism might stick as a distorting influence on perspectives.