Chi-Raq

Chi-Raq is a street term used in America to compare the streets of Chicago to that of Iraq because of the gang violence and death toll, despite what the title might imply, this is not your typical ghetto gangster movie, so a lot of simps won't like that, but if you're familiar with Spike Lee, then you should already know he's not your typical director, which is what makes him great. This movie is a modern day adaptation of a 411 BC Greek play called 'Lysistrata' by Aristophanes, so i was expecting something a little more different than your typical hood movie, and i was right, as you get deeper into this movie you start to notice the dialogue is very animated and somewhat like a play, which is understandable since it was adapted from a play. Set against the backdrop of gang violence in Chicago, Chi-Raq gives a would be hood movie a twist and explore's a new angle, which is a welcomed change if you ask me because in my opinion there's been an over saturated amount of hood movies with the same boring storyline that's been done many times before so this is a breath of fresh air. Chi-Raq features an array of established and talented black actors and actress's such as, Wesley Snipes, Angela Bassett, Nick Cannon and others, including Samuel L Jackson, who plays the narrator of the story. The male lead role, played by Nick Cannon, who is also called Chi-Raq, is a gangster/rapper and leader of one of the opposing gangs in this movie, Wesley Snipes plays 'Cyclops' the leader of the other gang. Teyhona Parris plays the lead role of 'Lysistrata', Chi-Raq's girlfriend who the story evolves around. This movie is a drama with comedic elements, a far cry from your average run of the mill drama, Chi-Raq is a thought provoking movie that explores sexual relations in a male-dominated society in which women have to use their sexuality in order to get their voices heard, this is basically a good story of women banding together for a greater good, Chi-Raq is a interesting and entertaining watch.

Synopsis and trailer

Chicago women abstain from sex to force gang members to end the senseless cycle of violence.

CHI-RAQ Trailer from 40 Acres and a Mule Filmworks on Vimeo.


Director: Spike Lee
Writers: Kevin Willmott, Spike Lee
Stars: Nick Cannon, Teyonah Parris, Wesley Snipes, Angella Bassett,
Running Time: 1h 58min
Initial Release: December 4th, 2015

Beasts of No Nation

Released in 2015, Beasts of No Nation is loosely based on the true events of child soldiers and civil wars that happened in Africa, and although it was filmed in Ghana, the chain of events that took place in this movie was in an unnamed country. At first i didn't know what to make of this movie when i heard about it, as it is an American movie, set in Africa, and directed by an American Japanese by the name of Cary Fukunaga, who decided to make the movie after he came across a novel of the same name, written by Uzodinma Iweala, an author and physician who hails from Nigeria. I was a bit sceptical at first of  how Fukunaga's adaptation of the novel would be, but after watching this movie i was pleasantly surprised by the in depth storyline and great acting by Idris Elba who played the rebel leader 'Commandant' and another great performance was by the young actor Abraham Attah who played 'Agu' the child soldier, a role he won awards for, the 14 year old first time actor is a natural talent. 

Director

Synopsis and trailer

A drama based on the experience of Agu, a child soldier fighting in the civil war of an unnamed country.

Director: Cary Fukunaga

Starring: Idris Elba, Kurt Egyiawan, Abraham Attah, Opeyemi Fagbohungbe

Adapted from: Beasts of No Nation (by Uzodinma Iweala)

Screenplay: Cary Fukunaga

Running time: 2h 17m

Release date: October 16, 2015

Dope

This was one of my favourite releases of 2015, a well written and directed comedy drama by Rick Famuyiwa, featuring some great actors and actresses, it was also produced by Forest Whitaker and executive produced by Pharrell Williams so from the get go i expected great things, and i was not disappointed. Amongst the best coming of age movies i've ever seen, Dope will make you laugh but the serious undertone that merge with the comedy in this movie is balanced out perfectly. In the first five minutes or so you would think this movie was set in the mid 90's not only because of the great 90's hip hop soundtrack that plays all the way through out the movie but also because of the main character and his two best friends love for the particular genre of 90's hip hop, i liked the way they incorporated that into the movie, great if you like your 90's hip hop as much as i do.

The main character Malcolm, played by Shameik Moore, does a great job in setting the tone and made it easy for the audience to connect with him and the other characters as he interacts with them from start to end of the movie, his on screen presence is one of the many reasons this movie works well, he even as his own rock group in the movie with his two friends Diggy and Jib as members, you also get a chance to see him perform some pretty smooth 90's hip hop dance moves at the end of the movie, a true talent. 

The beautiful Zoe Kravitz, daughter of musician Lenny Kravitz, plays Nakia, the love interest in this movie who has a cool disarming demeanour that would make anybody fall for her. 

Rapper, Asap Rocky is also in this movie in his first acting role, he plays 'Dom' the drug dealing gangster, a major role that leads to all of Malcolm's adventures, and he does a great job for a first timer, very impressive.

At first glance i thought Kiersey Clemons, who plays Diggy, (one of Malcolm's best friends) was a boy, then i later realised she's a lesbian character, a very funny and entertaining one at that. 

In this funny scene Diggy proves she's a girl in order to get her and her friends into a club.

I could go on about the other great actors and characters in this movie because that's how good it is, but i'll leave it to you to check out the dopeness yourselves.

Synopsis and trailer

Malcolm (Shameik Moore) is carefully surviving life in a tough neighborhood in Los Angeles while juggling college applications, academic interviews, and the SAT. A chance invitation to an underground party leads him into an adventure that could allow him to go from being a geek, to being dope, to ultimately being himself.

Award winning musician and executive producer of Dope Pharrell Williams talks about the movie and the new music he wrote, Pharrell was the one who wrote and produced all of Malcolm's group 'Awreeoh' songs in the movie, now that i think about it you can hear is sound on every one of those songs, especially on a track called 'Don't Get Deleted' which as that signature sound of of his own group N.E.R.D.

Pharrell at the premiere of Dope, in L.A

Director: Rick Famuyiwa
Writer: Rick Famuyiwa
Producers: Forest Whitaker, Nina Yang Bongiovi, Mimi Valdes
, 
Executive producer: Pharrell Williams
Starring:  Shameik Moore, Tony Revolori, Kiersey Clemons, Kimberly Elise, Chanel Iman, Tyga, Blake Anderson, Zoe Kravitz, Asap Roky
Music composed by: Germaine Franco
Running time: 1h 55m
Initial release: January 24, 2015

Creed

This 2015 release see's the continuation of Sylvester Stallone's Rocky movies, the seventh in the series which tells the story of Apollo Creed's son, yes Apollo Creed who was Rocky's rival and later became his closest friend. This movie had a lot to live up to and that was enough reason to watch it, i did like the way the Rocky saga took this new turn but it didn't quiet have the same impact, and i felt that the only character i could really connect with was Rocky, for obvious reasons, not to say it was a bad movie but the performance of the other actors and actress's plus the storyline were just mediocre, hopefully if there's another part to Creed which i think will happen should be more interesting as i think this release was just an introduction and feel that the young director Ryan Coogler is just getting started so i'm looking forward to future projects by him, all in all this was not a bad movie and worth the watch.

Synopsis and trailer 

Adonis Johnson (Michael B. Jordan) never knew his famous father, boxing champion Apollo Creed, who died before Adonis was born. However, boxing is in his blood, so he seeks out Rocky Balboa (Sylvester Stallone) and asks the retired champ to be his trainer. Rocky sees much of Apollo in Adonis, and agrees to mentor him, even as he battles an opponent deadlier than any in the ring. With Rocky's help, Adonis soon gets a title shot, but whether he has the true heart of a fighter remains to be seen.

Director: Ryan Coogler
Stars: Michael B. Jordan, Sylvester Stallone, Tessa Thompson, Phylicia Rashad
Film series: Rocky
Screenplay: Ryan Coogler, Aaron Covington
Running time: 2h 13m
Initial release: November 19, 2015 (Westwood)

Pulp Fiction

If not the best, this is undoubtebly one of writer, director, Quentin Tarantino's best work, released in 1994 the movie follows the story of two hitmen, Vincent and Jules. We all know of buddy cop movies, well this realease is a buddy hitman movie, with so much twist and turns it might leave you feeling dazed as the viewer is flung around characters that incounter and interact with each other in a kind of predestined way. I don't know which was my favourite character in this movie as everyone involved delivered a great performance, even Tarantino himself made a good cameo appearance. Pulp fiction must be the only movie too make me feel confused about whether to laugh or be horrified as the very dark humour is prevalent all the way through the movie giving it a kind of twist which made it more interesting to watch as you're left on the edge of your seat waiting for the next shocker.

Synopsis and trailer

Vincent Vega (John Travolta) and Jules Winnfield (Samuel L. Jackson) are hitmen with a penchant for philosophical discussions. In this ultra-hip, multi-strand crime movie, their storyline is interwoven with those of their boss, gangster Marsellus Wallace (Ving Rhames) ; his actress wife, Mia (Uma Thurman) ; struggling boxer Butch Coolidge (Bruce Willis) ; master fixer Winston Wolfe (Harvey Keitel) and a nervous pair of armed robbers, "Pumpkin" (Tim Roth) and "Honey Bunny" (Amanda Plummer).

Pulp Fiction: Where Are They Now?

Directed by: Quentin Tarantino
Produced by: Lawrence Bender
Written by: Quentin Tarantino
Story by: Quentin Tarantino, Roger Avary 
Starring: John Travolta, Samuel L. Jackson, Uma Thurman, Harvey Keitel, Tim Roth, Amanda Plummer, Maria de Medeiros, Ving
Rhames, Eric Stoltz, Rosanna Arquette, Christopher Walken, Bruce Willis 
Cinematography: Andrzej Sekuła
Edited by: Sally Menke
Production companies: A Band Apart, Jersey Films
Distributed by: Miramax Films 
Release dates: May 12, 1994 (Cannes)
October 14, 1994 (United States) 
Running time: 2hr 34mins

Jurassic world

The biggest grossing movie release in 2015 and one of the top 5 grossing movies of all time see's the return of Steven Spielbergs Jurassic Park franchise, although the story was very similar to the first Jurassic Park, this time in the fifth outing it's more bigger, hence the title "Jurassic World" so this movie looks very good on the big screen. Chris Pratt plays a good dinosaur expert and impressive in his interactions with the four velociraptors he had trained and as he his the expert in this movie you know something is going to go very wrong when he desplays his discontent for the creation of a new dinosaur (Indominus rex) through genetic modification. If you've seen the other Jurassic Park films you'll kind of know whats going to happen in this one but it is still great fun to watch especially for the younger crowd which the movie is aimed at. 

Synopsis and trailer

Located off the coast of Costa Rica, the Jurassic World luxury resort provides a habitat for an array of genetically engineered dinosaurs, including the vicious and intelligent Indominus rex. When the massive creature escapes, it sets off a chain reaction that causes the other dinos to run amok. Now it's up to a former military man and animal expert (Chris Pratt) to use his special skills to save two young brothers and the rest of the tourists from an all-out, prehistoric assault.

Director: Colin Trevorrow

Story By: Rick Jaffa, Amanda Silver

Running time: 2h 4m

Film series: Jurassic Park

Genres: Action, Science fiction, Adventure, Thriller