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Reviews
Dirty Kopz (2001)
fun and funny flick
pay no attention to the synopsis on the back of the DVD cover. the scenario with the cops and drug dealers is resolved within the first 20 minutes. what comes after is pretty unexpected.
the main part of this flick involves a latino psychic named nuvo whom the "dirty kopz" have taken hostage. apparently they're sort of superstitious, as they bicker for the remainder of the movie as to who's going to kill him. after a few exhibitions of his psychic prowess, it seems as if they're as much a hostage to him as he is to them. the ending turns out to be somewhat contrived.
bad acting, faulty logic, plot holes. this one's got all the elements of your average B-movie. i personally enjoyed this a lot. it struck me as a standout from your regular made-for-video cop flick. lots of clever humor (as well as some unintentional comedy from the less-than-amateur cast) made this fun to watch. luckily, they kept the dramatic scenes to a bare minimum, as not a one of these guys is convincing in their roles. good mindless entertainment.
Rap War One (2004)
real rap, but not realistic drama
filled with poor lighting, horrible audio quality, and home-video cinematography, this is a cinephile's nightmare. that's not a snub. i personally thought this was everything a rap movie should be. Hollywood should never be allowed to make stylized rap flicks, it goes against what hip-hop is all about. 8 MILE, GET RICH OR DIE Trying, ATL are all too expensively produced to represent real, raw rap. real rap/hip-hop came from (and should come from) the underground.
set in the ghettos of NYC, this is a pretty standard tale of rappers trying to get paid (not famous, just paid, which is how most unsigned rappers get by). to get those almighty dollars, they must win at battle rapping (to the uninitiated, this amounts to insulting your opponent worse than he insults you). the club scenes are the best parts of this flick, though the park scenes with the homies just kickin it and freestylin aren't bad either.
nothing great story wise (this ain't classic cinema, folks). i would've liked to see something about a dj, though, if it weren't for scratching/breakbeats, hip-hop would've never existed.
two separate grades:
A+ ( as a raw, underground rap venture)
F (as a "film")
V for Vendetta (2005)
mixed reactions
having read the graphic novel, i expected a lot from this film. i was slightly disappointed, but as with every print-to-screen adaptation, it comes with the territory.
virtually every subplot has been eliminated to focus on the three main characters. v the revolutionary, every the unwitting apprentice, and finch the detective.
this could have been better, but we can say that about every movie that's ever been made if we want to nit-pick.
overall, it follows the primary story as laid out in the original comic; one man against the totalitarian world.
miss portman's performance was great, the FX were great, and the ending was a bit more upbeat than the book. heck, it was damn near inspirational.timely also, considering our current state of the world.
i expect most people will enjoy this more if they hadn't read the book first. at least that's how it seemed at the advance screening i went to. most of the crowd applauded and cheered at the explosive finale. the few people i talked to hadn't read the novel.
v comes off as more of a "superhero" than in the comic, which in itself isn't a bad thing. it's just too bad the "symbol being greater than any one man" moral already was used in BATMAN BEGINS.
expect negative reviews from comic fans who hold this title in high regards. just as you should expect better reviews from movie fans that don't read comics.
not the best adaption ever, but better than FROM HELL or LEAGUE OF EXTRAORDINARY GENTLEMAN, the other two alan moore titles already filmed.
not as good as the book, but an above average film nonetheless.
The Contract (2000)
very ,very good.
once again, buried treasure has been unearthed from the bargain bin. i felt i'd like this when i bought it (i'm usually more lenient towards bad cartoons than bad movies). this one delivered the goods and then some.
i haven't seen a drama as good as this in awhile (and it's a 'toon). i found it to be tense, gritty, raw and somewhat thought-provoking. can a murder be an act of mercy? does embracing your evil side make you a better person?
this short is based on another film i haven't seen yet called LOVE AND A BULLET. this is low budget animation, for sure, but i got hooked on the story more than the art. it's primarily about a hit-man named bishop and a beautiful woman he's supposed to kill. as you hear bishop's life in his own words, a complex character is established. the flashback with his father is shocking in it's own way and works well to keep you interested for the rest of the film.
the caged bird sings of freedom, and i think this short cartoon sings for recognition. yes we can do serious adult anime right here in America.hopefully they'll do it again. two thumbs up.
Playing for Keeps (1986)
not as bad as i thought....
finding obscure movies in the bargain bin is a continuing habit of mine. that said, i've seen my fair share of clunkers. i had no expectations of liking this as i put it in my DVD player.
was i surprised.
this deserves more than obscurity, for sure. it has all the great elements of 80's cheese. three friends that are so different you wonder how they'd ever hang out together in the first place. the main characters little sister delivers dialogue as if she's wise beyond her years. the trio's amusing con games to raise money. the generically corrupt small town authorities. obligatory 80's topless scene(sorry, it's not marisa tomei).
and they win in the end (big surprise for a teen underdog flick,eh?).
add on the above-par 80's pop soundtrack and VOILA! a tasty slice of cheese for sure. watch this as a double feature with FOOTLOOSE or BILL AND TED'S EXCELLENT ADVENTURE and let your brain rest for a few hours.
oh yeah, CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS!!!
Public Enemy: It Takes a Nation - The First London Invasion Tour 1987 (2005)
for hardcore fans
as a big fan of PUBLIC ENEMY i have a hard time knocking this film. it does have a lot of historical value to it. being able to see the young chuck & flava bring their own brand of hip hop to fresh overseas audiences is very engaging. almost twenty years later, this isn't very shocking or controversial now. still ranked as one of the most influential hip hop groups of all time, this is a chance to see why (if you don't already know).
BEST MOMENTS: flava unleashed on the streets of London (funny). LL cool J's backstage freestyle (cool). chuck's comments on black women and tokenism in corporate America (insightful). flava's onstage comedy dance (do they still do this bit live?).
WORST FEATURES: poor video quality (like the film sat in a basement since 1987).does not show the entire concert (wish the ERIC B and RAKIM, LL COOL J, and RUN-DMC segments were added. copyright issues i guess.). will not stand up to multiple viewings ( don't worry, it comes with an audio CD that will).