Very realistic scenes of prison -- including sexual -- life, and the knowledge that this was NOT written by some Hollywood screenwriter (and same-schmuk's idea of "what prison must be like"), along with the near-documentary feel make this a must-see. This is a GRindHouse Original.Weak story line,but common. In the not-too-distant future, Earth's dying sun spells the end for humanity. The movie's wickedly off the wall sense of humor qualifies as another major asset (the rowdy lady inmate audience members from a neighboring all-female prison are positively hilarious!). En español | There’s always a dark side to a funny guy, and longtime comic actor Bob Odenkirk (of Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul fame) bursts onto the action film scene this week with a big, dark pivot.We’ve got the inside intel, plus the newest must-watches on Netflix, movies with the biggest plot twists, and a heartwarming roundup of the best baseball films to watch now. It is there that he acquires the "Too Sweet" nickname due to his fondness for candy bars. After about forty-five minutes my friend (who was a drama student at the time) wanted desperately to leave the theater. And oh yes..men get anally raped in Prison (see Boondocks episode) This movie was so...So Baad ...that we Loved it. Nor does it mean being nice means they're not tough, or an Iron Woobie.If combat intellect or combat ability are involved, it's akin to Obfuscating Stupidity or Crouching Moron, Hidden Badass because you naturally expect the dark, tormented loner to be rough and tough, and the nice guy to be a Non-Action Guy.So, when it comes time for "No more Mr. Nice Guy", heads roll. They’re just there to be punching bags for other characters and the movie. Cloudflare Ray ID: 63bd28caedbc2c01 But she—along with a few other characters—were eventually edited out of the movie to help streamline the storyline (though she does pop up in a … She's not exceptionally pretty nor is she highly educated. Me Bear is a Care Bear and one of three new characters introduced in the The Care Bears' Big Wish Movie in 2005 along with Messy Bear and Too Loud Bear. There are many characters who are dumb or airheaded. If you are on a personal connection, like at home, you can run an anti-virus scan on your device to make sure it is not infected with malware. Finally a big break comes along, boxing. A very tragic and unlucky event lands the dude in prison. Penitentiary (1979) follows the life of Too Sweet, a young man who's life is has taken a very wrong turn. I refused, explaining that in the years to come we would both look back at this film as a standard for cinema awfulness. 9 Too Sweet: The 8th Son The 8 th Son is a lot like comfort food. While in the penitentiary he gets involved in a boxing competition that the prison hosts. Too Short – Lew-Loc; Khandi Alexander – Karen Lawson; Vonte Sweet – Sharif Butler; Ryan Williams – Stacy; Bill Duke – Detective; Dwayne L. Barnes – Basehead; Charles S. Dutton – Mr. Butler; Martin Davis – Carjacking Victim; Garen Holoman – Junior; Saafir – Harold Lawson; Cynthia Calhoun – Jackee; Erin Leshawn Wiley – Ilena; Samuel Monroe Jr. – Ilena's cousin Howard is generally considered to be fairly shy. • By chance, Xiaoning who's an aspiring voice actress lands a job as Gu Chenyu's assistant. ... Mick LaSalle is The San Francisco Chronicle’s movie critic. He learns that he can improve his fortunes by joining the prison boxing team; initially reluctant, he changes his mind and becomes a star. Another way to prevent getting this page in the future is to use Privacy Pass. Bai Lu did really well too, I loved her character! This one obviously takes the sleaze-o route than being a fulfilling and motivating drama about prison life, something this really should've been meant for. Marty Ollstein's gritty cinematography gives the picture an appropriately grainy and unpolished look and makes inspired use of hand-held camera during the rough'n'tumble boxing matches. I read in an article that "Penitentiary" is one of John Singelton's favorite films. Directed by Dusan Makavejev. It is an film that is kind of like an "acquired taste". In an environment of violent, and sometimes insane men, and no women, the new inmates must prove themselves quickly, or become someone's "boy." Xenon deserves a big nod for releasing these long lost 70s blaxploitation movies on home video. FAQ Metacritic Reviews. The main character is from a poor noble family, and it’s only his incredible magic powers that allow him … A solid and satisfying outing. To celebrate their hundredth anniversary, the American Film Institute ran a series of programs starting in 2005, discussing and honoring 100 years of American cinema. Passionate and very intense cinema experience. Stephen Ouimete. As an added saucy plus, we even get a few incredibly raunchy sex scenes set in the prison bathroom (!). Awards I was hyper-focused on the main couple, and the other side stories were just okay. If you want to see how cheap production values do exist, then don't blink when a close-up view of an inmate actually isn't holding the knife to thrust the guy's chest in. I sat there amazed at how wincingly terrible it was from start to finish. The prison stuff comes across as generally gritty and realistic, but some of the boxers in the story were so bad that it looked like they had to practice being awful in the ring. However, Too Sweet runs afoul of fierce top con Jesse Amos (well played by Donovan Womack) and his deranged flunky Half Dead Johnson (a memorably crazed and over the top portrayal by Badja Djola). There is one part during the terrific fight scene between Too-Sweet and Half-Dead where there is no score, just screeching. I've seen 100s so-called Hollywood "action" films in the last few years, most of which I remember nothing about ("Was that the one with Stallone or Bruce Willis? From its opening credits sequence that kicks off with “Starring: The Black Community” to its unapologetic portrayal of black rage and revenge, the film gives a much-needed and not at all sanitized look at the trials and tribulations one faces on a daily basis simply by being black in America. | I cannot give this Black-cult classic a standard review? Too Sweet joins the prison boxing team in order to secure an early parole. Comes from the usage of an article headline from 'The Onion' titled 'Beautiful Cinnamon Roll Too Good For This World, Too Pure.' “Poms” really wants to be a sweet movie with a sweet message, but it’s hard to buy into it when none of the squad gets significant backstories, inner lives or even enough dialogue to give them distinct personalities. Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs This is probably because he's married to Betty, the loudest grown-up in the gang, and it's hard to get a word in edgewise. Boxer Martel "Too Sweet" Gordone (a fine and likable performance by Leon Isaac Kennedy) gets sent to jail on a trumped-up murder charge. I can see why. The fight scenes are extremely brutal and exciting, with the high stakes match between Too Sweet and Amos rating as a surefire savage and gripping highlight. The greatest stoner cannibal wrastlin' midget vs. three time convict boxer fight ever. I was 28 years old and a flick about convicts in a penitentiary sounded like a good source of two hour entertainment on a Saturday afternoon. The character development in "Penitentiary" is so strong, that you will feel like you know these guys personally, to the point where you care about their fates. Pretty Little Liars: 10 Things The Characters Wanted In Season 1 That Came True By The Finale. 45 Popular Female Characters From TV And Movies Guaranteed To Inspire You Forever. It got a cult following riding on the coat tails of Rocky but set in a prison. Who in the hell is Peaches? That guy Magilla (Will Richardson) was a perfect example. Too Sweet also befriends Eugene 'Genie' Lawson, a younger "newbie" whose integrity is also threatened, and who must also prove his strength and worth. You may need to download version 2.0 now from the Chrome Web Store. It has a low budget, but like any good low-budget movie, you don't miss what the money could have afforded. But, the first will always be may favorite. Bob Harris. Dont waste your time. But like all good guys, he makes a very nasty enemy in the guise of Half Dead, a cruel sadistic inmate who doesn't take a liking to our young hero. Performance & security by Cloudflare. Can Too Sweet fight is way out of prison? All your questions will be answered when you watch Penitentiary! It even got decent reviews, as I recall. External Reviews The musical score takes great risks that ultimately pay off. It's more of a prison story than a boxing story, but since it's got both I'll be adding it to my lists of both subjects elsewhere on IMDb. Please enable Cookies and reload the page. I saw Penitentiary when it hit the theaters 37 years ago. It provides Eastwood with a screen character who is the complete opposite of the patented Eastwood tough guys, and provides a role of nearly equal performance for his son, Kyle, as a serious, independent and utterly engaging young nephew named Whit. Gu Chenyu has a secret nobody knows. However, for some of these, what they lack in intelligence, they make it up with compassion, politeness, and altruism.The Kindhearted Simpleton is not the sharpest tool in the shed, but is always well-meaning and compassionate towards other characters. He has been married to Lolita Armbrister since 1995. 'Seldom' becomes his trainer. A good story, but it drags miserably in acting performances and a sense of weirdness. Surprise, surprise blaxpo fans the movie that started off the penitentiary series is available. The acting is pretty raw, yet sincere and effective, with stand-out contributions by Floyd Chatman as Too Sweet's wise, tough elderly trainer Hezzikia "Seldom Seen" Jackson, Thommy Pollard as the proud Eugene T. Lawson, Hazel Spears as sassy'n'sultry hooker Linda, Chuck Mitchell as the no-nonsense Lieutenant Arnsworth, and Gloria Delaney as the lusty Peaches. He's actually one of the best in the dubbing industry. Pretty Little Liars changed in major ways over the years. Xia Xiaoning is your average girl. After discovering an enchanted castle, it's up to her to break the spell and show the good in everyone. Love scenes in the Men's room are borderline Porn...I saw the premiere with my grandparents! RELATED: 15 Best Disney Toys To Keep Kids Living Their Most Magical Lives Right At Home. Probably the most unbelievable aspect of the picture had to be a well meaning prison warden (Chuck Mitchell), who completely defied stereotype in the story. Often I enjoyed watching wall-hangings or shoes for it's 70s appeal as much as the foreground action! Why does Half Dead want Too Sweet's head? But for our money - and we have a lot of money riding on this - the bunny best friend is the one we want to snuggle. A man is wrongly imprisoned for murder. Sleepy movie, poor acting and low budget. After winning the "most virgin" contest, Miss Canada is married to a rich milk tycoon. Cult actor Leon Isaac Kennedy here has one of his most notable roles: Martel "Too Sweet" Gordone is a drifter who gets into a fight with two bikers over a prostitute whom they're insulting. (penintiary III) This is the one with the original too sweet, half dead and seldom seen. Lowlife scum's, trashola conns and pscyhotronics check this one out! Fans of American Idol may recognize Lil’ Sweet, the zazzy little—very little—star of Diet Dr. Pepper’s new campaign, as season 1 runner-up Justin Guarini.But how did it all happen? Hard-hitting, intense, and memorable, with some very well done casting, especially bad-man Badja Djola as "Half Dead". Raw, gritty, seedy, violent and desperate; this is the world that Martel Gordone (Leon Isaac Kennedy) is thrown into when he is caught in "the wrong place at the wrong time." "Penitentiary" is definitely a superior prison/boxing movie. No, it's not the one with Mr. T (penitentiary II) or that horrible one with the midget. Too Loud Bear is a Care Bear and one of three new characters introduced in the The Care Bears' Big Wish Movie in 2005 along with Me Bear and Messy Bear. You can see that in the Disney Parks gingerbread display for 2019. This boxing club and this prison is filled with some of the most unforgettable people you will ever see. We're suckers for movies where people return back into the main characters' lives—Sweet Home Alabama just barely missed out on this list—and Jennifer Garner's affability and … There is another great prison film that is considered a genre classic; Jonathon Demme's WIP outing "Caged Heat." Note: Don't miss PEN 2 (the debut of Mr. T., and a Rudy Ray Moore cameo, no less); and PEN 3, which many believe to be the best of the three. Another interesting thing about this movie is the character half dead (Badja Djola) was hilarious. | | PENITENTIARY does have some enjoyable moments, including the wild boxing matches. It didn't occur to me while watching that this was one of the Blaxploitation films of the era, but in hindsight there's no doubt about it. Rowdy prison film offers more strange attitude than drama. An almost all-unknown cast (that also contributes a lot to the movie's appeal), realistic 1970s African American dialog and backgrounds, realistic and mind-bending scenes of perverse violence and huge doses of humor make this a blast in every department. It has its own audience. If you are at an office or shared network, you can ask the network administrator to run a scan across the network looking for misconfigured or infected devices. User Ratings Ps...I have not seen this movie in 22years. ... she would've believed in me too." Good fun for "blaxplo" fans, but the majority of us would pass this up and stick to the ROCKY movies. And Half-Dead Johnson (Badja Djola) has to be one of the ugliest characters ever to appear on screen, he was absolutely manic when he made his first appearance and upheld his end as a grotesque character throughout. He has deep red fur and his Belly badge is a yellow and red bullhorn with a red heart mark on its side. Debra Kissen : Our minds are designed to think abstractly and to problem-solve, so we ' re never just handling what ' s happening in the current moment. He was previously married to Jayne Kennedy. One of the bikers dies, and Martel is soon in prison, making enemies out of guys like Jesse Amos (Donovan Womack) and the intense "Half-Dead" Johnson (Badja Djola). Despite the fact this movie is the epitome of low budget, try to find the boom mike in some scenes. He has been nicknamed "Howie". Prison politics are explored realistically in this unbelievably entertaining prison tour-de-force, as we get to know some unforgettable characters; 'Half Dead,' the insane alpha monkey, missing half his teeth and half his mind, with a desire to dominate everyone around him. Writer/director Jamaa Fanaka delivers a funky, funny, and flavorsome depiction of the harsh reality of life behind bars: deprived of women, surrounded by nothing but men (Fanaka's frank and honest treatment of homosexuality in the big house is especially admirable and impressive), yearning for freedom, and bereft of hope. Though she starts off as … How did Too Sweet get in Prison? But the movie had not yet gotten through the first reel when I knew it sucked. Voice Actor. You will never see a more realistic portrayal of life in prison, than in this absolutely brilliant film from 1979. Another interesting point, in Penitentiary 2, Ernie Hudson is just as good as Half-Dead's replacement. Neither as sweet or profound as the fanciful American indies like “Ghost World” that clearly inspired it, nor all that insightful in its interpretation of a single mother’s universal struggles, “Bagnold Summer” is sadly a forgettable film, often too ironically close to being the kind of bore its central character Daniel’s accidental summer in the English suburbs threatens to be. History aside, it’s a sweet little movie with good voice work from Zach Braff as the title character, the only one who knows the sky actually is falling. This film is about a wrongly convicted man who must fight for survival, then fights in a boxing tournament held by the warden. A character that is very kind and sweet but faces more hardship and suffering than they truly deserve. With Carole Laure, Pierre Clémenti, Anna Prucnal, Sami Frey. He can be a bit annoying at times, but he is pretty funny, too. 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