Hustle & Flow- art within art

nine out of ten

Wow. I just finished this movie. Very powerful. The story revolves around a pimp who is looking at his life and wondering where its going. Happenstance leads him to an old middle school friend who could help him record music. In their ghetto they build a makeshift studio and begin recording on a hope that "Skinny Black" a now famous rapper from their hood who returns every year to a particular bar on the fourth of july might listen to his demo tape. Every single hope of this man and his "family" (so to speak) rides upon this hope. This one shot in the dark.

I love movies with depth and character development. Where not everything is all black and white. The movie was about art, and how art can transport you out of your circumstances and give you hope and joy. And on another level I saw some amazing actors showing how beautiful an art acting itself can be.

What was different about this movie that I havent seen in a long time is that it spoke to me. A movie about a hopeful criminal rapper in the hood spoke directly to me and my life which is so different from his. I have dreams too. For me they are as shot in the dark like him. It's hard to realize dreams. Today I was talking to my brother and it hit me, so many people go into law or medicine or X, Y, Z because they can't think of something else they'd rather be doing. I have a few dreams that I have cradled in my heart like DJay but I'm scared like him to make it work, because the odds seem so against you. This movie is inspiring because though a shot at success is not guarunteed for you, on the flip side, a guaruntee of staying on the bottom is not guarunteed either.

I heard a lot of discussion about the fact that the theme song for this movie "Hard out here for a pimp" won an Oscar and how ironic it was that upon the acceptance of the song they said "Thank you Jesus." Thank you Jesus for accepting a song about how difficult life is for a pimp everyone said shaking their heads.... Then I saw the movie and I understood.

"Some people just talk the talk. Others, they walk the walk. Every now and then you'll find someone who walks the walk, and can talk the talk too." - Hustle & Flow

Dave Chappell's Block Party

8 out of 10

If you love hip hop you will love this movie. Well it's not really a movie, its a documentary that follows Dave Chappell as he wanders through Ohio and New York recruiting people to attend a block party he is hosting with great artists like Eykah Badu, Mos Def, Dead Prez, Roots, Jill Smith, and the FUGEES. YES! The Fugees. The fugees reunite in this movie and sing "Killing me softly" Just that moment of watching them all up on stage together with Lauryn Hill's soulful performance is worth every penny of the movie ticket. The hip hop is powerful and you walk out of the theatre feeling like you went to a block part yourself!

My recomendation is if you love hip hop shell out the bucks and watch this in theatres where you get the best sound to listen to the fabulous music of amazing artists.

16 Blocks

Six out of ten

This movie centers around a stagnant cop (Bruce Willis) whose told to pick up an inmate (Mos Def) to take him to the courthouse to testify at a Grand Jury trial where many crooked cops will be named. The trip to the courthouse is deterred 16 blocks short by said crooked cops and the movie centers around Bruce Willis determined to take him to the courthouse.

***warning- spoiler alert****

The movie was interesting, very very suspensful but I felt the writer/director/SOMEBODY took a few too many liberties with the movie with "easy out" shortcuts. For example, the bus scene where its Mos Def and Willis in the bus and they're careening through the city. How did they get the bus "just so" coincidentally right behind the court house considering they didnt choose for it to end up there. The police shot the tires and it ended up sliding there on flats. Very implausible. Another example was the ambulance scene. One minute they're in the ambulance, the next minute they're in a totally different ambulance. I thought I missed something but when I read Roger Ebert's review he found the same issue.

It's no secret, I adore Mos Def. I think he's adorable and funny and he's a fabulous hip hop artist. But I was ready to kill him in this movie. I don't blame him at all but the director or SOMEBODY decided not only would he have a highly nasal voice in the movie they'd have him talk continously throughout the entire movie. I kid you not. Again love Mos Def but this movie was proof that too much of a good thing can be bad.

Movies from my rotten tomatoes website

I thought I'd combine the movies I wrote about from this site, to here. Enjoy!

Monday, April 11, 2005

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Terminal [ Mainstream ] MOOD: Grumpy Basic story plotline, a man from a fictional land gets stranded at the JFK airport for about 9 months where he befriends the staff, learns English, pisses the airport comission chief off, and eventually has a happily ever after tale.... The idea of the story is very good particulary since its the story based on a real life situation Merhan Karimi Nasseri whoendured living in the Charles De Gualle Paris airport for ten years because he had no choice, and now over 20 years later still endures because he knows nothing else at this point... Unlike Tom Hank's character, Nasserri has slowly gone from a psychologist to crossing the brink of insanity as he sits in the airport for over 20 years... I guess this story is Merhan Nasseri's "daydreams-coming-true" movie. Things happen that can only happen in fantasy land such as the entry guard gets an engagement ring from a man she doesnt know and they run off (this guy she doesnt know) to the airport chapel and get married, and somehow she has a wedding dress on hand and they run through the terminal in an airport cart. It's these sorts of utter rifts with reality that really hurt the movie for me. http://www.geektimes.com/michael/cu...i/stranded.html 0 Comments | Add Comment | Permalink | 07:53 PM

Office Space [ Mainstream ] MOOD: Enlightened CURRENT RATINGS: 10/10 Movie: Office Space (1999) This movie ROCKS. It's the type of movie you buy so you can watch certain scenes over and over again because those jokes will never get old. Very Very Very Funny! 0 Comments | Add Comment | Permalink | 04:34 PM

Spanglish [ Mainstream ] MOOD: Happy CURRENT RATINGS: 7/10 Movie: Spanglish (2004) For the record, if perhaps Tea Leoni had not played Adam Sandler's wife I would give this movie at least an 8, but she was so terrible, it was enough to drop it a point.... It's usually the movies with no expectations that I typically end up liking the most, this movie was no exception. I loved it enough to forgive it its faults. The movie centers around two families whose lives converge. One, a Mexican single mother who speaks no English and her young daughter whom she lives for, The other a complete little family with mom, dad, a boy and a girl and a grandmother who all live for themselves. Their lives converge and the drama unfolds. The movie deals with temptation, childhood and adult insecurity. But most particulary the movie discusses how different cultures view child rearing particularly the pull of assimilation versus the desire to keep your child true to their culture.. Perhaps because I'm a minority this particular story line affected me more than it may others. I also liked the story line dealing with infidelity. I dont know how else to describe it except that its probably something many people deal with, and so it was very touching, very real. I may be wrong because (alhamdullilah) I havent dealt with this, but the motives and the choices all seemed very realistic. All in all, worth a rent! 0 Comments | Add Comment | Permalink | 03:22 PM

Thursday, April 07, 2005

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Sideways MOOD: Bored CURRENT RATINGS: 5/10 Movie: Sideways (2004) I was pretty excited about Sideways since it looked like "The little Indie Flick that Could" becaues it got itself nominated for five Academy Awards. Plus I adore character driven movies. But boy was I surprised.... Now yes, I'll give you this: 1. The last thirty minutes were WONDERFUL. Particularly the part at the wedding and saw Victoria and found out she was pregnant. He displayed such good emotions that I was moved.... so can't balme the acting. 2. The analogies of him to a Pino Wine was very nice and tender. But STILLLLL 1. SLOW SLOW SLOW 2. I didn't feel for the playboy character. When he burst into tears cuz he couldnt lose Kristen, I kept thinking, HOW did he get nominated for best supporting actor/actor? 3. And once again SLOW SLOW SLOW... how much wine sipping can one take? Monday, April 04, 2005 Super Size Me [ NonFiction ] MOOD: Saturated CURRENT RATINGS: 7/10 Movie: Super Size Me (2004) Aside from the fact that the movie's theme song is stuck in my head on repeat, the movie is good. It's not as entertaining as a Michael Moore documentary, but it is very informative. I was so thankful when they exposed the public school lunch situation. The things children at in the school system are beyond words nasty. *Shudder* Some days I will be starving but I will not touch the food there..... The freakiest thing is that the liver began weakening as a result of a high fat McDonald's diet, just after a few weeks. I see the candy at the grocery store aisle very differently...... If you NEVER want to eat McDonald's again, check out the bonus feature "smokin fry"...... I'll guaruntee it'll be a done deal after that... 0 Comments | Add Comment | Permalink | 08:43 PM Sunday, April 03, 2005 After the Sunset MOOD: Moldy CURRENT RATINGS: 2/10 Movie: After the Sunset (2004) Pretty People, Pretty Places, Pathetic Plot..... PASS... 0 Comments | Add Comment | Permalink | 09:16 AM Saturday, April 02, 2005 Maria Full of Grace [ Indie Flicks ] MOOD: Fierce CURRENT RATINGS: 10/10 Movie: Maria Full of Grace (2004) Three little words: WOW This is definetly one of those movies that start and finish perfectly. Maria works at a flower factory where her boss tells her to hand wash flowers she vomited on because he wouldn't let her use the bathroom...... unable to take it anymore, she quits leaving her, probably the main provider for their family, with no job and no prospects....... This is how the movie begins and we begin to root for Maria. The movie is so good because it does not feel like a movie. You are watching her live her life and you understand her. At least for me, my throat tightened when she swallowed the pills, and your heart jumped at each suspenseful moment which thankfull y was not played up as it probably would have been if it was made by BIG HOLLYWOOD productions.... The only thing is I didn't like Blanca. But they probably meant for her to be annoying.... but goodness I wanted to leap through the TV and strangle her. But nevertheless...very well worth the watch. 0 Comments | Add Comment | Permalink | 03:09 PM Closer [ Mainstream ] MOOD: Chill CURRENT RATINGS: 6/10 Movie: Closer (2004) The first time through I didnt really like this movie but on the second viewing it makes more sense. Basically it's two couples flirting and sleeping with each other and trying to say things that sound "totally deep" They say they love each other and inexplicably they change their mind. Clive Owen and Natalie Portman do a really good job. Julia Roberts seems like she was annoyed at being there, I haven never seen her so half hearted... Jude Law and Roberts had NO CHEMISTRY whatsoever. When they have the first kiss you feel embarrassed for them... thats how bad it is. But I can't understand the ending...... Why lie about what we find out she lied about in the end? (I won't say what it was so if you havent seen it won't be ruined).... What was the point? If anyone knows please share. 0 Comments | Add Comment | Permalink | 01:53 PM Thursday, March 31, 2005 Ray [ Mainstream ] MOOD: Confused CURRENT RATINGS: 7/10 Movie: Ray (2004) As everyone else says, Jamie Foxx did a fabulous fabulous job. You believe he is blind, but better still you believe he is Ray. I know now why he won his Oscar, he earned it fair and square..... BUT I realize that Ray Charles was a complicated man with many stories that could not possibly be covered in a single movie however I could not understand why they picked and chose certain aspects to include, and not. For example, he didn't have one child out of "wedlock", he had at least a dozen... His wife divorced him and how about a hint of the fact the had more than one marriage? They may not have lied about anything but they ommitted facts that hurt the movie's authenticity. Was this to be simply a story to entertain, or was this to be a story about his life? I went into it thinking I'd learn more about his life, but instead can probably say it was a good story but I can't move beyond the simple fact that it danced and chose what it chose. Now dont' get me wrong. It's a good movie, the scenes of his childhood are absolutely gripping and I love the bright colors in his flashbacks... The plot IS interesting, but couldnt get past the accuracy issue... Sunday, March 27, 2005 Motorcycle Diaries [ Indie Flicks ] MOOD: Poetic CURRENT RATINGS: 9/10 Movie: The Motorcycle Diaries (2004) To explain how we found this movie.... Hubby went to blockbuster and a worker approached him saying "I think you will like this movie" and guess what we did? I wasn't very enthused about it, an epic about two young men who tour South America.... BUT.. It ended up being a very good movie. The "Might One" is the ironic name of the motorcycle which sputters and falters every step of the way... and the way they scrap for money keeps you awake watching these men obviously born into money feel the pain of others. (Although why they couldnt get a better motorcycle and take along more cash is beyond me... but it is a true story so can't question these decisions to much... it is what it is....) The most poignant part of the movie for me was the leper colony. It's hard to imagine this actually happened.... the lepers kept on the other side of the Amazon, seperated from family and friends... as though their condition is their fault....... The soundtrack is very good, very oscar worthy. The cinmotography is amazing as well, I want to tour South America now.... I didnt know when I watched the movie who this man was. Since then I've done a little research and realized he helped create Cuba... oook..... And Ive since the movie seen both good things and bad things about this man. So while I may not understand the man he eventually became, the man he was is very romantically portrayed in this movie. Very much worth a watch. 1 Comment | Add Comment | Permalink | 04:45 PM Monseiur Ibrahim [ Indie Flicks ] MOOD: Enlightened CURRENT RATINGS: 8/10 Movie: Monsieur Ibrahim (2004) Very good movie, worth a watch. From a French book titled "Monseiur Ibrahim and the flowers of the Quran"... It follows a young jewish boy in the slums of Paris, taking care of his father and never able to fully please him. Slowly he creates a bond with the "arab" store owner across from his home who changes his life forever. There are some graphic scenes in the beginning of the movie so be forewarned not to sit down with children to watch the first ten minutes, but after that it's fine... In a day and age where Muslims are paraded on TV as terrorists and wife beating sadistics, it is nice to see a Muslim, not neccesarily as a hero, but simply as a human being, living his life as best as he can. Favorite Quote: "I'm sufi- No, its not a disease, its a way of thinking... although some ways of thinking can be disease"

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