Two by Charles Burnett

To Sleep With Anger (dir by Charles Burnett). First up is Burnett's amazing 1990 movie starring Danny Glover. A mysterious subtly profound movie about Harry, a family friend, who comes to stay with a South Central Los Angeles family. During his stay, Harry, who comes from the South, like many in the family, seems to call up feelings of anger and violence. But ultimately, Harry's mysterious time with the family seems to open then heal wounds that allow the family to progress. The movie captures an electric authenticity about family life in South Central that makes a thousand points without hitting the point too hard. The movie overflows with emotion, observation, spirituality, and mysticism. It's a profound and emotional piece of cinema.

 KILLER OF SHEEP (dir by Charles Burnett) Burnett made this, possibly the most famous of all his movies, while still a student in the 1970's at UCLA. It follows a few weeks in the life of a working class South Central family. We see the stress money issues take on the mother and father. There's also an extended sequence where the father saves up all his pay to try to buy a new engine for the family car. But when he goes to pick it up, the experience has unintended consequences. One of the most striking scenes I've ever seen occurs to a Dinah Washington song in front of a window. The husband and wife, at their wit's end, dance with each other in a moment of connection, anguish, despair, solidarity, all of the above. A beautiful humanist movie that pulses with a love for people and the daily struggle to endure and persevere that animates all endeavor.

Written by Craig Hammill, Secret Movie Club Founder