Unusual couplings

SATAN AND ADAM (B-minus) - An interesting but clunky documentary about the unexpected pairing of a young white academic harmonica player and an older black blues veteran who together went from the streets of Harlem to international venues. Adam Gussow helps narrate the story of his bold move in the 1980s in stepping up to jam with Sterling "Mr. Satan" Magee, a virtuoso guitarist and one-man band.

The duo eventually landed a record deal and a decent amount of fame in the 1990s. But Magee's mental and physical woes precipitated their downfall, and that story weighs heavy on the middle portion of the film before the final reel gives us a tale of redemption and reunion. This debut by V. Scott Balcerek is pretty pedestrian and awkward in its attempts to keep a coherent narrative. The story is worth telling but this one is ragged around the edges.

SEX: THE ANNABEL CHONG STORY (2000) (C) - I was hoping for some psychological insight into the woman who, in the late 1990s, felt compelled to set a pornographic record by sleeping with 251 men in one day. But we don't really get traction on the thought processes of Annabel Chong, aka Grace Quek.

Chong started acting in explicit films while majoring in gender studies at USC, and there is promise in the opening scenes suggesting an academic point to her exploits. But no, she just comes off as psychically skewed and immature, perhaps a product of sexual abuse. The creepy part involves a late reveal of her infamy to her parents in Singapore. Chong's inclinations change as often as her pixie hairstyle. Even porn legend Ron Jeremy regards her with apprehension. In the end, this end product feels cheap and used.