Why is Black Dynamite the best film at Sundance so far?

Because it knows exactly what it is, why it is, and what it wants you, as an audience to experience.

It's not perfect - the last 15 minutes needs one or two more bits with a clearer drive to the big finale - but it is everything that Grindhouse so desperately wanted to be yet couldn't seem to achieve, in part because it was trying sooooo hard. (Note: I still really like Death Proof, but it was Tarantino's take on a car movie and most certainly not a real homage to those films.)

I was shocked to hear that director Scott Sanders' last movie, Thick As Thieves, was a decade ago. I am old. But this one really makes you wonder where he has been all our lives.

The film, obviously a riff on Dolemite, et al, has a letter-perfect performance in the lead by Michael Jai- White, great support all around him (including all them bodacious bitches), and a strong, clear view of where the lines in this film are... how and when the fourth wall is cracked.

The smartest thing is how rarely the film smirks at the audience. It respects us enough to let us find the laughs, even though the form being satirized (and this really rises to satire and not parody) is so over the top.

It's easy to over reach regarding quality when a film makes you feel deeply, whether the feeling is sadness or laughter. But Black Dynamite kicks some serious ass, even for jive ass honky muthafuckas.

Hell, even The Man might give it two nunchucks up... WAY up... up yo ass, that is!

And when I say "The Man" I don't mean Ms. Dargis... I mean THE MAN... though Manohla might like it too!

(PS - If you are still thinking about the "bitches" comment... and obvious joke on my part... because that phrase offends your sensibilities on principle, get a sense of humor and-or skip this film.)