“I’m not trying to be the fucking Ginzu Master of this. It’s about the Tribe, it always has been.”

Beats, Rhymes, and Life: The Travels of A Tribe Called Quest tells the true story behind the music of one of the most influential and innovative Hip Hop groups of our time. It gives an introspective and interpersonal look into issues involving the group as a whole and subsequently how those issues uniquely affected each member of the group as an individual.

When asked what drove him to make the film, director and producer Michael Rapaport, stated that he was seeking an answer as to why the group he loved so much split up and when, if ever, they were going to be releasing new music. As the filming process went on, it proved that he was in for a lot more than just the simple answer that he sought. And as a whole, the film leaves the viewer with an opportunity to create their own conclusions as to why Tribe is no more. It tells the opinions and viewpoints of each of the members and thoroughly expresses their feelings on their time spent as a group and what factors contributed to their eventual downfall.

There is a great scene where Phife is describing having incredibly high sugar levels (he suffers from juvenile diabetes) to the point of almost fainting on stage in 2008 at Rock The Bells, Seattle. Just as he was finishing his verse, leaning on Jarobi for assistance, Tip runs up and says into the mic, “Look alive ya’ll, look at Phife ya’ll.” At that point, Phife says in the interview, “That was it.”

Myself being too young to really remember Tribe’s reign and what is was like when they first stepped into the game, the film gave me an idea at just how monumental they were at the time and broke down the groups career album by album, giving an understanding of the ATCQ ideology and the impact they’ve made on Hip Hop. It covered the Native Tongues movement, their afro-centric eclectic style, and their relationships with other eccentric groups such as the Jungle Brothers and De La Soul. While the creative process of their music wasn’t heavily emphasized in the film, it did give cool facts about the production and group’s history.

Africa of the Jungle Brothers tells the story of the group’s name and how during a recording session one day, Tip was on the mic and said, “I go by Q-Tip and I’m from a group call Quest.”

Africa stopped him and said, “Yo, say I’m from A Tribe Called Quest.” From there it just stuck.

In another scene, Q-Tip tells how the idea for “Left My Wallet In El Segundo” was spawned by something said by Redd Foxx on the show Sanford and Son. Personally, my favorite part was when Tip was talking about why he chose to listen to the record that contained the drum sample used for the Low End Theory hit, “Buggin’ Out.” “I thought the cover was just dope–he has the fly kangol hat and the bad chick. When I was playing the record and slowed down the drums, I heard the part we looped for the first time and almost pissed my pants!”

Ultimately, I would recommend the film to anyone from the biggest Tribe fans to an average Hip Hop head because the interviews are in-depth and informative and some of the footage and commentary they gathered is absolutely priceless. My only qualm with the film is that “Scenario” isn’t in it. When asked why the song didn’t make the cut the director stated, “We had trouble with the sample and couldn’t get it cleared in time to make it in the movie.” Maybe now he understands the trouble Jive and ATCQ went through each time the group made a new record.

Overall the film was wonderfully produced and despite some of the problems they faced when it came time for distribution and release, the group was thrilled with the final product and they all have seen the movie. Regardless of their feelings towards each other and individual problems, they always put them aside when it came to the group and you can tell when they get on stage all the negativity ceases to exist and they are A Tribe Called Quest—“They are family,” says director Michael Rapaport, “They will be in each others lives forever.”

The movie will be released nationally this summer and is set to be out on DVD by November 2011.

Related posts:

1. Beats Rhymes & Life: The Travels of A Tribe Called Quest [Official Trailer]
2. A Tribe Called Quest: Beats, Rhymes and Fights [Trailer]
3. Circa ’94 Beats: An Ode To A Tribe Called Quest

Directed by Gavin Hood (Tsoti)

Starring Huge Jackman, Live Schreiber, Danny Huston, Ryan Reynolds, will.i.am

Has any series been as weirdly developed as the X-men series? The first one was good to build up a sentimental and in depth plot, but lacked any cool action and development of some of the most memorable cartoon and comic action heroes of all time. X2 was fantastic and it’s a film I hold high when mentioning “greatest comic book movies of all time.” The Last Stand, without Bryan Singer, was a total display of forced action and ignorance of a strong plot it held in the first two.

Enter Wolverine, the most popular character of the comics and of the movies, and arguably the biggest male actor on staff, Hugh Jackman. Don’t let the title mislead anyone, it’s called Origins, not Origin, which is the graphic novel this is loosely (and I mean loosely) based off of. It takes less than a fraction of parts from the graphic novel, adds in some absurd and confusing X-men plot turns that seemingly don’t add up, and develops a load of silly questions that lead up to the beginning of the first X-men film.

It’s a tough task for director Gavin Hood, who previously received much acclaim for his work on Tsoti, to take such a treasured myth of a comic book character and know what to include and add. Unfortunately, additions like Gambit (Taylor Kitsch), Silverfox (Lynn Collins), and a not-so-Deadpool (Ryan Reynolds), prove to be useless, temporary, and campy. The special effects are even a little questionable for such a highly touted blockbuster and the script seems to have been an afterthought with some really cheesy lines that even the original 1960′s comic book series of X-Men would question.

Origins talks about James and his brother Viktor, who run away from home after a huge domestic fight. They become men (Hugh Jackman and Live Schreiber respectively) who fight in wars for their country (which is Canada, but never bashed into our heads like it is when others represent USA). Of course, they both have their healing powers and can’t die, even when they are put to die via Firing Squad. William Stryker (Danny Huston) offers them a spot on Team X, a team of powerful mutants such as themselves and wants them to retreat a meteorite with particular material Stryker wants. When on mission in Nigeria, Stryker commands that the whole village be killed but James doesn’t want to follow through, but his half-brother, Viktor, does.

James (now Logan) many years later, is now living with his girlfriend Kayla, but after Viktor starts hunting down all of Team X’s members and kills Logan’s girlfriend in the process, Logan wants revenge and allows Styker to make him into Wolverine. Then we get some crazy fight scenes with some really silly CGI and some bizarre importance on characters that never really were that important. The film is essentially about Hugh Jackman (who is also a producer of the movie) and Live Schreiber who both put in fairly great performances doing whatever they can do. Also, points to Hood for making this the Sabretooth we’ve all been waiting for.

It really depends how you look at Origins to see whether you enjoy it or not. In correlation to the comic book world, there are a few cool moments in there that will allow the geek to come out (like identifying all the unnamed mutants), but when taken with that lens, plenty will be super critical. If you just decide to go in and watch it with very little expectations and such, it could be quite an entertaining flick. It’s no Dark Knight or Spiderman, or even X2. Sadly, Wolverine has the power internally and physically as any of the aforementioned characters and as a sole character, has the ability to drive a plot home as powerful as the others. But here, it just doesn’t deliver and it ends up falling fairly flat with a few jolts of adamantium jockeyed in there.

67/100

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Starring: Sanaa Lathan, Omar Epps, Deenis Haysbert, Alfre Woodard

Directed by Gina Prince-Bythewood

A twist on a classic love story about falling in love with your childhood best friend, Love and Basketball presents the conflicts between the love for the game of basketball and the love for another person. Writer-director Gina Prince-Bythewood’s first feature film, co-produced by Spike Lee, looks beyond the surface of a coming-of-age tale, and further explores a feminist view of the relations between women and the world of sport through the trials and tribulations her characters face.

Love and Basketball, which is respectively divided into quarters as per the basketball theme, starts with the ‘First Quarter’ – childhood. As a young Monica Wright into Baldwin Hills, LA., with her family, she introduces herself to three boys playing basketball and asks to play, only to have them discover that the new boy next door is in fact a girl. Despite their apprehension for allowing a girl on the court, Monica defiantly takes the court by storm and garners an unexpected friendship with Quincy McCall, after a flagrant foul on his part and a forced apology by his parents.

The ‘Second Quarter’ exposes Prince-Bythewood’s underlying political message that centers gender discrimination within the sports world, as well as in society as a whole. Stemming from childhood, characteristics of strength and stubbornness simultaneously overlap Monica’s emotional nature as the movie carries into young adulthood. As they grow up, both Monica (Sanaa Lathan) and Quincy (Omar Epps) go on to lead their high school basketball teams, and struggle to be recruited by colleges. Love and Basketball further explores how gender roles are assumed within the family, as Epps’ character is encouraged by his father (Dennis Haysbert), to focus on his game, whereas Monica is ridiculed by her mother (Alfre Woodard) for her love of the game. As they grow through college, Quincy, the son of a prominent basketball player, is given his career on a silver platter, while Lathan’s character is required to work substantially harder to simply get noticed. Continuing into the ‘Third’ and ‘Fourth’ Quarters, the gender barriers become more evident as Quincy is signed to the LA Lakers straight out of college, and Monica’s only success is seemingly within women’s leagues abroad.

Throughout the movie, Monica and Quincy’s shared dream of big-league stardom coincides with the friendship and love they have for one another. Despite a number of challenges that strain their relationship, including timing which is rarely on their side, Prince-Bythewood’s characters never fail to fall back on each other in times of need. They confide in each other about the game, family problems, dating experiences, their happiness and their fears, only strengthening a bond and tending to a strenuous friendship and relationship, alike. Lathan and Epps’ chemistry on screen is undeniable, equaling that of their characters, which reflect an irrefutable love between Monica and Quincy that captures a series of heartfelt emotions as a viewer.

Love and Basketball acts as a façade to uncovering gender discrimination in sports, concurrently taking an in-depth look at the power of love and the challenges of achieving dreams. Sanaa Lathan and Omar Epps equally offer a personal and emotional depth to their characters, but it is Lathan’s charismatic and passionate performance that upholds the storyline. However, Prince-Bythewood’s plot seemingly falters towards the end of the story, as the strong socio-political undertones loose luster and become a victim to a euphoric fantasy world. Nonetheless, Love and Basketball concerns overcoming hurdles, finding strength within self, and never loosing hope, whether that be in love or basketball.

82/100

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Directed by John Singleton

Starring Ice Cube, Laurence Fishburne, Cuba Gooding Jr., Nia Long, Morris Chestnut

During the early and mid-90s, Hollywood saw a number of movies dedicated to showing the experiences of young black men growing up in the ghetto, most notably New Jack City, Menace II Society, Juice, and, to a lesser extent, Don’t be a Menace to South Central While Drinking Your Juice in the Hood. With the growing interest in West Coast gangsta rap and the stories that they told, Hollywood decided that it was time that these stories were told on screen, accurately and tastefully. Enter Boyz N the Hood, which was written and directed by John Singleton, who based the movie and characters on events and people he was familiar with while growing up in South Central Los Angeles.

The audience is introduced to the young versions of characters we’re going to know later in the movie: Tre Styles, Ricky Baker, and Ricky’s brother Dough Boy. Although it’s early in their lives, they’re already exposed to things that nobody, no matter what age, should be exposed to: gangs, dead bodies, burglaries, and a lot of other things that come with the territory in South Central. Tre moves in with his father, Furious Styles (Laurence Fishburne), who immediately lays down the law as disciplinarian and makes it clear to Tre that even though he’s hard on him, it’s all for a reason: so Tre can grow up to be a responsible adult. Furious points out that Tre is better off than Ricky and Dough Boy because Furious is there to help raise him, unlike Ricky and Dough Boy. This serves as Singleton’s commentary on the importance of fathers raising their children, and the consequences of fathers not being there for their sons is something that has plagued black families for decades and to this day.

The three main characters represent three different life paths that were common at that time for young males in South Central: college through good grades (Tre), college through athletics (Ricky), or being caught up in the gang lifestyle (Dough Boy). Tracing the lives of the characters, Boyz N the Hood hits a variety of familiar scenes and experiences that accurately depict the South Central scene at that time: the BBQs, the crack heads and junkies, cruising down Slauson, the gangs, the shootings, and everything in between that made Los Angeles famous through gangsta rap lyrics. In a nod to the movie’s hip-hop influences, Ice Cube’s “A Bird in the Hand” is played when the rival gang rolls up on Tre (Cube Gooding Jr.) and points the gun at him, and the crack head that Dough Boy (Ice Cube) beats down wears a “We Want Eazy” shirt, in reference to Ice Cube’s feud with N.W.A. Also, in reference to Ice Cube’s lyrics in “Fuck tha Police,” there are two instances where a black police officer seems to show out for his white partner, expressing disdain for the black community and black people in general.

One of the most effective parts of Boyz N the Hood is Singleton’s ability to get the audience to emotionally invest in the main characters, especially Tre and Ricky (Morris Chestnut). It’s impossible to not root for them to escape South Central. Singleton paints a dark picture of what South Central is like, and you can’t help but feel for everyone that lives there, in a place where lives can be lost and futures can be destroyed over a small disagreement.

No matter how many times you watch Boyz N the Hood, you want Ricky to keep running and not scratch that lotto ticket, or somehow outrun the bullets that might eventually catch up with him. It is this devotion and engagement to a character that made this movie an Oscar contender.

Singleton’s picture resonates with anybody living in LA at that time, but it can also resonate with people outside of LA, even people who don’t live in the hood. Hope and despair, life and death, friends and enemies, father and son are issues that can be found anywhere, not just South Central. But Boyz N the Hood remains one of THE essential viewings for anyone interested in hip-hop, especially for those interested in the settings and stories behind West Coast hip-hop.

90/100

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Directed by April Maiya

To kick off the 2009 year, hip hop was granted one of its many wishes: a biopic about Notorious B.I.G. Unfortunately, Notorious [read review] was greatly underachieving with a variety of flaws, misled information, and bad casting. It wasn’t the movie everyone was expecting and sadly, it just wasn’t a good movie (let alone a biopic). Enter April Maiya, a saving grace to those still hungry for a proper visual Christopher Wallace homage. She presents the world with a sixty minute documentary on his hip hop life: the art of his rhyme, concert footage, quotables, and his persona. It’s an important film, and Maiya does a great job of bringing the audience along on a ride where they can actually connect with Biggie, much more than the aforementioned feature film.

First and foremost, April gets real live footage from D-Roc, Big’s best friend. This amplifies the excitement of the atmosphere at a concert, and centralizes on the actual personality of Biggie away from the stage, but still within the hip hop world. Ever wondered what it felt like to rock “Gimme The Loot” on stage with Biggie? Well here’s your chance. See why it literally paid to be in the front row of a Notorious live show. The live footage is the star of the documentary and is sure to move even the shyest hip hop fan .

One great thing about this piece is the added concern on the artist, rather than the person. Biggie in a hip hop state of mind was simply marvelous, a gem. He was simple, yet complex. As many of the interviewees stated (including Jadakiss and Styles P who were high as hell), Biggie just had this ability to create something so simple that it appealed to the mainstream, but so complex that the real heads knew that he was deep. And this is true. Some of the most intriguing bits of information came from D-Dot, the most important member of Puffy’s production team, and R.A The Rugged Man, who was close friends with Christopher.

The documentary points out that Wallace was a funny kid, always joking any chance he got. He was as vicious as ever on the microphone and in videos he had this particular image, but away from all of that, he was a clown. We have to sit back and think, as the interviewees mention, this is the same guy that made “Suicidal Thoughts” and then went on to do “Juicy” and “Sky’s the Limit.” Sure, he was diverse lyrically, he could flow on anything, but he’d also been through quite a bit and was a whirlwind of emotions at times.

With that said the viewer gets all they need to know from this piece. Granted, it doesn’t go into great detail about his relationship with his mother, or Lil’ Kim, or Faith Evans, but it does go into great detail about his relationship with D-Roc (a relationship that was retardedly dumbed down in Notorious). There is still some left to desire, but it’s a quick educational fix into the hip hop world of Biggie Smalls, the motherf*cking Rap Phenomenon.

85/100

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Notorious, the biopic of Christopher Wallace, deals with the struggle, the hustle, the rise, the fame, the women, the game, and the eventual “fall” of the Notorious B.I.G. Ranging from Biggie’s time as a kid to his funeral along Fort Greene, this George Tillman Jr. film provides us with stunning performance visuals of the Black Frank White, but lacks grit, decent dialogue, and noticeable details that hip-hop heads everywhere will notice. Instead, we are given mountains of fluff, numerous quick fixes, and some good/bad casting for characters that aren’t engaging.

Read Full Review

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Starring: Brad Pitt, Cate Blanchett, Tilda Swindon, Taraji P. Henson, Julie Ormond

Written by: Eric Roth (Forrest Gump, The Insider, Munich)

Directed by: David Fincher (Se7en, Fight Club, Zodiac)

Yes, it’s worth all the acclaim. I’ll say that off the bat to put everything at ease. It should and will win a bunch of awards. With that said, we can move on. The Curious Case of BB is based on F. Scott Fitzgerald‘s short story of the same name. The author that penned The Great Gatsby (possibly one of the greatest pieces of modern literature) conceived this idea of an infant being born with a “curious case” and through it, delivers a great commentary on the unpredictability of life and all the tasty metaphors that come with it. One of Hollywood’s best directors, David Fincher, takes it on and turns out one of the best theatrical releases of 2008.

Benjamin (Pitt) is born during the celebration of the end of WWI as what appears to be an 80 year old man. His mother dies in the process and the father, Thomas Button, scared of his unusual appearance, drops him off at the doorstep of a New Orleans home. Benjamin is taken care of, fearlessly, by Queenie (Henson), and she mothers him as if he was her own. He still has the disabilities of an 80 year old man, but as the old get older, Benjamin just gets younger; watching all of his elderly friends die of old age in the process.

Through his journey to a younger life, he meets Captain Mike, whom he works for as a dock worker, his father, whom he meets at a brothel, and Elizabeth (Swindon), whom Benjamin falls in love with as they have an affair. Regardless, the love of his life has always been his childhood friend, Daisy (Blanchett). Meanwhile, this entire story is being told by Caroline (Ormond), Daisy’s daughter in 2005 during the start of Hurricane Katrina.

The script, written by Eric Roth, does borrow heavily from another one of his films, Forrest Gump. Actually, it borrows a lot. Plenty of the same morals and values are instilled, but for those who weren’t a part of the Forrest generation, here’s your Forrest.

Pitt is sufficient in his role as the protagonist. He doesn’t go above and beyond expectations, but he does his job. The character is more than Pitt and his portrayal; it is everything else that comes with his aging process. The same can be said for the beautiful Blanchett, who really doesn’t amaze, but is once again, sufficient in her role as Daisy.

The beauty of BB is in the depth of the story and how it plays out. The setting of 2005′s Katrina is of extreme relevance and also helps blend the theme of obscure fantasy with global realism. It is aesthetically beautiful, and the tremendous special effect work is quite the spectacle. We saw a similar blend with Slumdog Millionaire and it worked out just as well.

What needs to be harped on is the direction of David Fincher. There really aren’t better mainstream directors better than him. Some of the shots are so chilling, so warming, so captivating, simply with its colour, its lighting, its positioning and its delicacy that the shots alone have loads of dialogue and story. He’s got a very sharp and unique eye, and the grit of Se7en or Panic Room are clearly evident even in the happiest of moments during the 170 minute long film.

That’s right, get ready for a lengthy one, but it serves its purpose. Similar to Zodiac, Fincher uses the film’s length to clarify and emphasize the timeline of Benjamin. He brings you into the movie and lets you dive into each situation and really feel it. If you can handle the length and the occasional long scene every now and then, you’ll be fine. Go see it whenever you can.

88/100

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Starring: Will Smith, Rosario Dawson, Barry Pepper, Woody Harrelson

Directed by: Gabriele Muccino (Pursuit of Happyness)

Curiousity can do a lot of crazy things to a person. It can make them ask rather silly questions, swallow their pride, go beyond their limits, or even take particular risk. What does Seven Pounds do with our curiousity? It wastes our time.

The marketing campaigns for this movie was quite stupid…err…smart. The plot wasn’t let out and rightfully so; the movie is one big mystery. What I can tell you is the Will Smith plays Ben Thomas, an IRS agent with a huge secret that he wants to cope with and account for. So he uses his position to “audit” people that he essentially wants to help. The first 20 seconds is him sending out a call to 911 for his own suicide (relax, it’s not a spoiler) and from there, the next 119 minutes is how he got to that point and its aftermath.

A big chunk of the mystery is gone about 30 minutes in (if you are an attentive and smart enough viewer), but you keep paying attention because you are waiting for either a huge spin, a huge cry, or a huge zombie to come out of no where to turn this into I Am Legend 2. Director Gabriele Muccino, at least had a connection with the audience in Pursuit of Happyness, and one that evoked plenty of sympathy, sadness, and hope. While that film was nothing to write home about, it was certainly a lot more introspective and mysterious than this mystery was…and Pursuit was based on a true story that was told to millions.

Will Smith is not good in this. Plain and simple. I’m sorry to all of you Smitty fans, but his acting ranges to split seconds of anger to a pause to a tear drop to a reflection moment. It’s the same cycle throughout. If one actor does benefit from this movie, it is Rosario Dawson, who plays an ailing cardiac arrest patient. This shouldn’t be a surprise, however, she’s amazing in anything she does because of how genuine she is on screen. If the audience does and should care about one character in this movie, it is hers.

Seven Pounds will have to rely heavily on its vague marketing for people to see this movie because there really isn’t much else to bank on. The performances, aside from one, are not impressive, the character development of the main character is nonexistent, the secondary characters are useless, and the mystery/twist/big moment is nothing that you can’t get from staying at home watching an episode of 24. If you want to know the meaning of the title, email me, I’ll tell you. Seriously.

38/100

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Starring: Dev Patel, Freida Pinto, Irrfan Khan

Directed by: Danny Boyle

It’s been a minute since a movie review has been posted up on the site, and quite frankly, none is more worthy than the new Danny Boyle film, Slumdog Millionaire. It is supposed to be this years ‘little engine that could’ Oscar nomination similar to Little Miss Sunshine and Juno in past years, but it is much closer to a tour de force in the form of a classic Mustang, as opposed to any little engine. The script, the score (including brilliant placements of M.I.A.), the cinematography and the direction is tremendous and the vision from the original book, Q and A, is a perfect translation, in which all the necessary changes and updates were made to fit many tongue-in-cheek commentaries and jabs regarding the ‘American’ Dream.

It starts off with Jamal, played by a relatively unknown (unless you are accustomed to the British show “Skins”) Dev Patel, being interrogated by a Mumbai police officer, played by the incredible Irrfan Khan, regarding a speculation that he cheated in order to get to the final question on India’s Who Wants to Be A Millionaire. He is constantly referred to as a ‘slumdog’ and it is found impossible that a regular Joe like him could be so smart, even by the show’s host, played brilliantly by Anil Kapoor. After some ‘shocking’ treatments and still no confession of being a cheat, the story settles in with Jamal reviewing with the cop how he came to know the answers to the questions. The result of this is filmmaking is clever, witty dialogue, courtesy of Simon Beaufoy (“The Full Monty”), along with plenty of laughs, sobs, gasps, jumps and triumph throughout the very thorough and gripping story.

By revisiting Jamal’s life (via flashbacks with performances from tremendous child actors), the audience isn’t only exposed to how Jamal knew these answers, but also his relationship with his sadistic, yet loving older brother Salim, the love of his life, Latika and even his experiences with a child labour exploiter. The cinematography, in typical Danny Boyle film fashion, is beautiful and some of the camera shots capture the situation, the intensity, and the drama more than words ever could. It is also a barrage of colour; necessary colour or lack thereof in accordance with top notch timing and style. The only downfall may be the downplaying of a slum lifestyle in the gutters of India, as it is slightly beautified at times. Oh, and just when you think it avoids every Bollywood stereotype possible, in comes the end credit dance sequence.

That still isn’t enough to slow this film down from the massive run it should/could be on towards the end of 2008 and start of 2009. Unlike other movies of this kind and movies with this sort of indie hype, Slumdog does not run the risk of being overrated or misconstrued. It is what it is, a great film that can draw out emotion and interest from even the most stone-faced slumdog, millionaire, or anything in between.

94/100

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Starring: George Clooney, Frances McDormand, John Malkovich, Tilda Swinton, and Brad Pit
Directed by Joel & Ethan Coen (Fargo, The Big Lebowski, No Country For Old Men)

Whatever hot streak existed in Hollywood belonged to the Coen Brothers. Coming off of the scorching (and deservedly so) No Country For Old Men, Joel and Ethan decided to change pace from the gritty and intensely violent to their other favourite type of genre, comedy. Most of their films include a type of comedy, whether blatantly joyful or vigorously dramatic, they manage to find comedy in violence, horror, and danger. Their vision is certainly amongst the elite in the biz and their track record speaks volumes about it. They are so prolific that their most recent picture, Burn After Reading, combined former Coen-ers with new Coen-comers to form an elite cast of A-list actors in this mysterious comedy that has laughs at the forefront to present a much lighter side of the Coen’s.

Viewers beware: lower your expectations. That’s not to say that this film is bad, because it isn’t; however, with the cast and the people behind the camera, one could have extremely high expectations. It is essentially one of the funniest incomplete comedies and mysterious incomplete mysteries a viewer might ever see. Because it never really sides with one genre, it tends to beat around the bush of a few and this leads to a clutter of appetizers as opposed to one big main course with delectable sides.

The film starts with Osbourne Cox (Malkovich), a CIA analyst who is fired because of his drinking problem. He wants to write a memoir (a word he can’t pronounce) to tell of his CIA experience and some CIA secrets. Somehow the disc gets into the idiotic hands of Hardbodies Gym employees, Chad (Pitt) and Linda (McDormand). Linda, who is obsessed with getting her body surgically enhanced, feels that if she blackmails Cox, she might be able to get enough money to pay for the surgery. She uses Chad as help to embark on a mission to secure this bribe; they even go to the very uninterested Russian agency. More plot twists involve Harry, (Clooney) who is cheating on his wife with Cox’s wife, (Swinton) and this provides for one of the seemingly unnecessary plot points in the story.

There’s plenty more to the story and this proves to be the movies biggest problem. There is so much going on that by the end of the film, two CIA agents (one being the always hilarious and on point J.K. Simmons) spend 3-5 minutes unraveling and explaining the story line. It is unsure whether this is intentional to prove some sort of point about the US homeland security or whether the Coen’s really just wanted to wrap things up in a rather short movie. It ends up being a large cluster of really good things never reaching their potential.

The biggest positive for this movie is the cast. Full of award nominees and winners, the film really uses each member to some comedic and mysterious extent. Malkovich is great (as usual) as a really angry and bothered man, while Pitt provides some of the films funniest moments with some great physical comedy. The Coen’s, especially with Pitt’s character, pay great attention to detail and even the blonde streaks in Pitt’s hair add bits of humour. Clooney and Swinton are also great, but as mentioned before, their affair doesn’t prove that valuable. Clooney has a bunch of side stories that are all rather interesting, but as stated, never fill out their potential.

It is an enjoyable film and I was simply never bored. I was, however, torn between genres and was not sure which one to fully commit to. Because the film never does, it is hard for the viewer to and this leads to a rather frustrating viewing. The film is filled with a lot of laughs, and in typical Coen fashion, the smallest prop placement will give a bit of a laugh (note the Vladimir Putin poster in one of the clips). There is action, about two scenes, and they are so sudden and unexpected that laughs generally followed them. This is once again a Coen trademark, in which they find comedy in the darkest and cruelest fashions. It is a much lighter movie than “No Country”, but, it is also one that will leave many unsatisfied and incomplete. At least they made us laugh and not cringe from suspense.

Overall Score: 72/100

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Starring: Ben Stiller, Jack Black, Robert Downey Jr.

Directed by: Ben Stiller (Cable Guy, Zoolander)

The “Tropic Thunder” experience begins without warning as fake trailers starring the soon to be protagonists are shown. The quick 10 minute batch of trailers provides a quick shock, but it is simply a warm up. It’s a perk that this film has that not many are able to have (this also includes borrowing competitor corporate names) and director Ben Stiller uses this, along with many other pieces of ammunition, to unload a barrage of satire, comedy, irony, and action all into one film.

The film (within the film) stems from a book of the same name developed by Vietnam veteran Four-Leaf Tayback (Nick Nolte) and is now a film being directed by Damian Cockburn (Steve Coogan). The films stars some of the biggest names in the business including fading action star, Tugg Speedman (Stiller), award winning and Australian method actor Kirk Lazarus (Downey Jr.) and farting comedic genius Jeff Portnoy (Black). Because the cast and crew feel so pressured to satisfy the actors and attend to their needs, the film is slow in progression and is far from authentic. Tayback suggests that Cockburn takes his actors out into the real jungles of Southeast Asia and film the shots “guerilla style”. These actors are left in the jungle to do their best soldier impression while being surrounded by actual danger. This leads to conflict between Speedman, who is oblivious to the fact that there is a real danger to be aware of, Lazarus, who has had a surgery to ensure the most authentic African American look possible and is so into his role that he doesn’t leave character “until after the DVD commentary”, and financer of the movie, Les Grossman, played by a well kept secret Tom Cruise.

There are a plenty of precarious steps taken by Ben Stiller on a very thin line via the script. One is Downey’s symbol of irony in Hollywood and another is the on-going ‘joke’ of retardation. The latter is already under heavy fire, but it is important to note that Stiller is more or less poking fun at those actors attempting to play the roles of the mentally disabled as opposed to what others might take to. Films like “Forrest Gump” and “I Am Sam” could prove to more offensive because of the vague display and interpretation of a mentally disabled struggle, whereas this film states its purpose right off the bat. The racial issue with Downey’s character is obviously a risky move; however, it is there to exemplify the distances actors will go to get award recognition. The film also briefly takes shots at Hollywood for possibly benefiting from another actor’s death, as well as the ruthless corporate heads invest money into the business.

Even with the great cast, two actors simply steal the show: Downey and Cruise. The former really has nothing to prove because he is indeed one of the best actors of this generation. This particular role needed someone of his talent and caliber and it was the brightest spot of the movie. Downey alone is a huge reason to see the film. If he isn’t, Cruise just might be why you should run to the theatres. This role just may revitalize Cruise’s career and sanity (admit it, you were getting really creeped out). His sequences and pieces of dialogue might provide you with the strongest bits of laughter.

Truly, it already is a unique film and much credit should be given to Ben Stiller for taking a risk and sticking with this story he envisioned quite a while ago. It is by no means a parody, even if it does blatantly make fun of scenes from classic war movies like “Saving Private Ryan” and “Platoon”, it is an ‘indirect direct’ look at spoiled and pampered Hollywood actors. Moreover, Stiller essentially directs two movies and controls a star studded cast while providing a wide variety of characters. The only problem is that attachments with these characters are not as strong bonding as one might think. Even though it is a comedy, the relationship between the characters in the movie and the audience could be stronger (“Knocked Up” is a prime example). It also doesn’t provide for any pieces of ‘dying laughter’ because plenty of the jabs are quick and uneasy. The jabber between Downey and Stiller throughout the entire movie is a consistent laugh and Cruise’s character, when on screen, is another consistent laugh. All in all, it simply may not be the biggest laugh this summer, but it is certainly the most poised and interesting laugh you will have. Get some.

Overall Score: 70/100

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Starring: Seth Rogan, James Franco, Rosie Perez, and Gary Cole Jr.

Directed by: David Gordon Green (George Washington, All the Real Girls, Snow Angels)

The gap between hip hop and Seth Rogan really isn’t that large. If you have seen Knocked Up, you may remember the first song to be heard was “Shimmy Shimmy Ya” by none other than Ol’ Dirty Bastard. Superbad, another movie Rogan had a large part in, contained “Here I Come” by the Legendary Roots Crew and also the DangerDoom logo, which appeared in a character’s room. It didn’t stop there, as Pineapple Express contained a beautiful usage of M.I.A’s “Paper Planes” for the trailer and even had Dilated Peoples and Cypress Hill joints on screen. While I appreciate his taste in music, I more so appreciate his acting and his writing along with long time friend (and Canadian) Evan Goldberg. Together, it is safe to say that they have gone three for three (the two aforementioned movies) as Pineapple Express is an all around great movie with very few flaws.

Judd Apatow, who directed The 40 Year Old Virgin and Knocked Up, and has had hand in a fair share of credible (and really funny) comedies, lent a helping hand on this and it shows. Dale (Rogan) is a process server and while making a delivery, he witnesses a murder committed by drug lord, Ted Jones (Cole Jr.). The roach he leaves behind is the best blend of weed out on the streets, Pineapple Express, which only his dealer, Saul (Franco), has. He quickly heads to Saul’s residence and attempts to escape the grasps of Ted’s hitmen and corrupt cop buddy (Perez).

Throughout all of this are some great action scenes that contain some of the films biggest laughs. It is rare to find a movie that has so many laughs in the explosions and fights, but director David Gordon Green finds all the comedy possible in a risky car chase or weed house fist fight. The story is great because it is not simply a ‘stoner movie’, it extends heavily beyond that and really expands on the topics of forced friendships, drug use, and homosexuality.

Franco simply steals the show. He trades in his Green Goblin suit for all of the best green that he can find and plays the spaced out stoner role perfectly. While it is clear that Rogan is the star, Franco does provide most of the laughs in the simplest forms (facial expressions, one word responses). The movie relies on its natural flow and improvisation as opposed to huge set up gags. Viewers will also appreciate the character development and the variety of characters that Rogan and company provide the movie with- the character, Red (Danny McBride), who has an interesting story line.

All in all, it is a great film and it really is hard to find flaws in it. What might prove frustrating is that Rogan more or less plays the same character he has played in every movie he has been in thus far. At times, the viewer is limited to potty mouth stoner comedy, but only on the rarest of occasions. Regardless, it proves to be the funniest movie of the summer and a comedy that has substance rather than slapstick. The streak continues.

Overall score: 84/100

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Starring: Dave Chappelle and plenty of Hip Hop Acts.

Directed by: Michel Gondry (Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, Be Kind Rewind)

The movie opens with a man having difficulty starting up his car and getting help from Dave and another man. Behind him, a band (The Brooklyn Steppers) is playing “Overnight Celebrity” in such a beautiful manner. It should give any hip hop fan chills. There is so much more where it comes from.

The premise is that Dave wants to throw a block party in Brooklyn, but not just any block party, he wants to get some of hip hop’s biggest acts to join him with no price attached. It really is a dream concert consisting of acts like Mos Def, Talib Kweli, Kanye West, Common, The Roots, Big Daddy Kane, Kool G Rap, Dead Prez, The Fugees (who provide the greatest climax because they reunited just for this) and more that I’m probably missing. The documentary also consists of Dave handing out golden tickets (similar to that of Willy Wonka) to unsuspecting people to come to the free show (yeah, I forgot to mention that the show was free).

This was also out before the highly publicized and ridiculously weird disappearance of Chappelle for a while after he rejected that huge deal to continue with his “Chappelle’s Show.” Regardless, the dude is still hilarious, but this documentary has comedy on the back burner and the presence of hip hop and universal dopeness that is hip hop, on the center stage.

In and out of these clips of Dave recruiting people to come to the show and other silliness that Dave does so well, there are clips from the actual show that still give me chills after so many viewings. The live band (headed by ?uestlove) also adds so much to the atmosphere that you can’t help but rhyme along with “Get em High” or “Defintion.”

The laughs are throughout the movie as Dave attempts to get some attire for the show (and instead gets pimp attire), talks to old Caucasian couples who own the building that Dave wishes to throw the party in front of, and even conducts sketches and stand up comedy acts in between musical acts. Of course, the documentary’s essence would not be captured if not for one of the best directors in the biz, Michel Gondry. His philosophical and spiritual vision that he has shown in previous efforts is not lacking here as he captures all the key moments and presents them with such emotion and perfection. Seemingly small irrelevant scenes such as the description of the building they want to use for the concerts home base (fittingly called “The Broken Angel”) can be seen as a definite symbolic display of the growth and development and rise and fall of hip hop. Gondry gives you so much to piece together, but still gives you the experience of the block party as if you were there.

If there was a downfall, it would be that there wasn’t enough interaction with the artist themselves. Anytime ?uestlove or Mos Def or Talib Kweli speak, it is something worth hearing, but we rarely get to hear them speak. Also, Chappelle speaks about Thelonius Monk and the timing he had in his instrumentals. Chappelle relates comedians to musicians in regards to timing, it is actually quite brilliant. I’d love to hear and see more displays of those types of tidbits. It was a tease at times, but that is a small complaint.

The film is dedicated to James Yancey, better known as Jay Dee/J Dilla and he would’ve loved this display. It is hard to pick one favourite performance with what was shown, but hearing the marching band play “Jesus Walks” and Kanye walking right in front of them was pretty damn cool. The talent alone at this show is crazy and I recently just came back from Rock the Bells, but this show would’ve been just as good and possibly better. Any hip hop fan should watch this and you will leave happy and will want to buy it. No matter how many times I’ve seen it, I always get goose bumps and the experience that could’ve been if I was in Brooklyn at that time.

Overall Score: 88/100

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Starring: Will Farell, John C. Reilly and Richard Jenkins

Directed by: Adam McKay (Talledega Nights, Anchorman)

If the trailers didn’t have you laughing, don’t worry, there are still plenty more laughs to go around in this 90 minute laugh-fest. What you didn’t see in the trailer were some other ridiculously crude moments that provide some of the biggest laughs. The trio that made “Talledega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby” work so well are back for more as Will Farell, John C. Reilly, and director Adam McKay all have a hand in providing what could be the funniest movie you see in 2008.

Hopefully by now you haven’t had enough of Will Farell because what you get here is more trademark delivery and improvisational freak outs that he has really mastered. While there is plenty of physical comedy to go around for the slap stick lovers, there are also plenty of well written lines between Dale (Reilly) and Brennan (Farell) and enough secondary characters like Derek (Adam Scott), Brennan’s brother.

Dale and Brennan’s parents get married, but both parents have their 40-something year old sons living with them. They all move in together and while they at first find it hard to live with each other (exemplified in a ridiculously hilarious banter in Dale’s room while they are sleeping), they’re hatred for Derek brings them together along with the same taste in men that they would sleep with if they were females. Dale’s father, Robert (Jenkins) can only tolerate so much before he begins losing it on the kids. He forces them to pursue a job (in which Seth Rogan makes a cameo as an employer) and even considers a divorce from Brennan’s mother, Nancy. Thus, the boys embark on a new trail to save their parents marriage and clean themselves up in the process.

The storyline seems quite sentimental, but the laughs are pretty consistent and quick. There are plenty of moments that hardcore Will Farell fans everywhere (like myself) will die laughing from because of his character’s subtle stupidity at times. There are plenty of long-time laughs (including a hilarious sleep walking scene) and a good enough story line to keep plot picky people interested.

One should applaud the writing and directing because of finding comedy in this particular situation. Dysfunctional families always provide sitcom-like laughter and this certainly differs from that. Given the R-rating, you can go in expecting them not to hold back and once you see a particular scene, you will understand what I’m saying. It does however have plenty of toilet humour and really could be enjoyed and understood by kids who aren’t even in their teens yet. Reilly and Farell are both really talented enough to play these parts with ease and provide plenty of laughs in the process. It isn’t a type of mature comedy that Judd Apatow (who Co-produced this) provided us with on “Knocked Up” but it really is a great 90 minute time out at the movies. Have a great time and just enjoy the show.

Overall Score: 78/100

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Starring: Christian Bale, Heath Ledger, Aaron Eckhart, Michael Caine

Directed by: Christopher Nolan (Memento, The Prestige, Batman Begins)

This is not a comic-book movie; it is in a league of its own. While others have claimed this summer to be loaded with tremendous blockbuster pictures and such, I differ. I think we’ve seen all of this before; the typical big special affects blockbusters, the occasional big money making comedy, and the superhero movie. Ironman has more or less been the only post-Oscar movie to wow me this year in any shape or form. The Dark Knight didn’t wow me, in fact, it left me speechless, gasping for air, questioning if this could possibly be the best comic-book adaptation ever, and lastly, questioning if this could possibly be one of the best movies to come out in the last decade.

Bold statements, I know, but these were all were claims made before the movie even came out. Because the director here is Christopher Nolan, nothing is a surprise as far as quality goes. You are going to get the best experience mentally, emotionally, visually, and just about any other way it is possible to get an experience at the movies. An all star cast led by Bale and the late Ledger give performances that are all worthy of acclaim and praise.

This is also barely a summer movie. Sure, all the blasts, explosions, action scenes and superhero-ness lead one to perceive that, but the complex storyline, extensive character development, gripping cinematography, artistic visions and carefully picked score suggest that this movie is not to be limited to one season.

The ending of Batman Begins gave you the hint that The Joker would be around. The Joker (Ledger) is a psychopath who kills just for the fun of it. He actually enjoys the chaos and mayhem Gotham City undergoes when he reaches the peak of his havoc. Of course, Bruce Wayne as Batman is called upon to put a stop to this carnage. The character played by Ledger is one of extreme intelligence when it comes to destructing Gotham City, as he is always one step ahead on route to his goal. He betrays and persuades his enemies and short lived friends along the way, including District Attorney, Harvey Dent, played by Aaron Eckhart. Without giving away too much of the plot, it is easy to say that even as a hardcore Batman fan, there are plenty of twists and turns to keep you guessing, but moreover, it is the ridiculously gripping writing of Nolan, his brother Jonathan, and David S. Goyer that will keep you intrigued when stuff isn’t getting blown up.

The delivery of the dialogue by Ledger and Eckhart in any scene they are in is quite amazing and it should keep you holding your breath just as the action scenes do. Maggie Gyllenhaal replaces Katie Holmes as Rachel Dawes, the love of both Bruce and Harvey, and she delivers a suitable performance. Caine and Freeman reprise their roles as aids to Bruce and once again do a fantastic job whenever they are on screen.

Nolan’s vision is beautiful; he portrays Gotham as a modern day corrupt Rome or Constantinople, and he subtly tackles topics of crime, character, surveillance, and ethics without making you think too much. Moreover, his aerial shots, action sequences and especially chilling close ups on the scarred smile of The Joker add so much flavor and personality to a movie that had pretty much established itself in the first 5 minutes.

This movie only contributes to the fact that Nolan is at least one of the top three directors in Hollywood today and is one of the best writers the industry has to offer as well. His in depth look on the psychology of just about every character is more philosophical than scientific and his development of character seems unparalleled in this day and age of summer movies. If Memento and Insomnia weren’t enough to draw a coming out party for him, then hopefully this Batman series is.

It is also important to outline the performance by Ledger. As a hip hop fan, we tend to over rate those who have passed on and hold them in high regards as a sign of respect and recognition. But this isn’t the case here. His death does make this performance extra chilling; however, even if he were alive it would be perfect. Every time he is on screen, he grabs the audience by the balls and controls whatever he wants. He even makes a pencil disappear.

The movie, however, isn’t flawless (rarely any movies are). It is slightly too long. It runs at about 2 hours and 40 minutes with the last 20-25 minutes seeming rushed and packed with so much info. The ending isn’t completely satisfying and is literally left hanging. Also, the introduction of Two-Face along with the already established villain of The Joker seemed to be a lot to instill in one plotline. There is certainly a lot going on, but this warrants a possible second viewing. You really do not feel the extensive time until the movie is over because you still will be strapped to your seat, but, in retrospect you could point out that a few scenes could have been skipped over or excluded and put away for another sequel. Still, the essence of Nolan is seen in every scene and I love being the nerd that can tackle the moral and purpose of every scene.

Seriously, this is a complete movie and you will not really have anything bad to say about it once you leave the theatre. I couldn’t speak for a while because I was still in shock, but when I came back to my regular state of mind, you realize that it is simply one of the most intense movie experiences you will ever have. It is worth every penny and I suggest you see it while it is still fresh. However, I repeat, it is not a comic-book movie; it is in a league of its own, but it will set a new bar as far as comic book movies go because this one kind of makes all the others look like a joke.

Overall Score: 90/100

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Starring: Will Smith, Jason Batemen and Charlize Theron

Directed by Peter Berg (Friday Night Lights, The Kingdom)

With this being my first movie review, let me start off by saying that I am a huge movie buff. If hip hop is my first love, movies are a very close second in a tie with hockey. With that said, I mark movies very similarly to how I mark albums: out of 100 with the score being the conclusion of many elements that are taken into consideration. Theme, concept, execution, delivery, acting, vision, cinematography, dialogue, action scenes, realism, target audience, etc. Movies are beautiful when done right; it just so happens my first film to review is a film that was not done right, Hancock.

I’ll start off by saying I’m by no means a huge Will Smith fan. If anything, I think he is terribly over-rated as an actor. Nevertheless, that is not saying he is bad, I think he is ridiculously entertaining, and as we’ve come to know time and time again, a lead actor in a summer blockbuster can make or break the film. He plays John Hancock, a drunken super hero who is rude, reckless, and seemingly inconsiderate of the way he gets the job done. He would probably be adored if he cleaned up his image and mannerisms a little bit more. Insert Jason Bateman who plays Ray Embrey, a man who was saved by Hancock and feels like he owes him, thus, he wants to help Hancock become accepted by the public.

The movie is a development story about Hancock, a story about finding identity and could even be a clever piece on how society is accepting only to the pretty. The original script apparently had so much more to it and even had a darker story, which I felt could work much better than this. The added comedy is cool for the first bit, but the jokes (if you see it, you’ll know which ones) wear out very quickly. The first hour is promising and is exciting, but then the smart side of your brain kicks in and you realize you still know nothing about the main character. Charlize Theron plays Jason Bateman’s wife, Mary, and could be the help that Hancock needs more so than a P.R.

The special effects are great and you could tell that from the first time you saw the trailer, but the fact is, just about every summer blockbuster will have great special effects. These weren’t anything new. The character of the “Drunken Superhero” could be such an enigma, instead through the writing process; it is dumbed down to sessions of alcoholic anonymous meetings and is essentially ignored. Sadly, the Oscar winning talent of Theron is also dumbed down to a pretty “duh” role and Will Smith does whatever the script and Berg has allowed him to do, and he does it well. Bateman is by far the best out of the trio, and let’s all pray for an “Arrested Development” movie.

This movie will leave you frustrated because it could have been so much more. Its biggest problem is that it’s jumbled and incomplete. From the extremely forced 15 minute hospital scene to the failed symbolism of the eagle, the movie goes half assed in much of what it does. Even though a movie like this should give a clear indication of what to expect, it performs much below even the lowest expectations. Sadly, it was a big miss, a big mess, and a creative character, wasted.

Overall Score: 41/100

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