Amazon Prime brought Lagos to NYC for an exclusive screening of their first original African movie: “Gangs of Lagos”.
It has been 20 years since the phenomenal release of Eminem’s semi-biographical feature 8 mile and it has only grown in relevance with the forthcoming years.
I, for one, have always been a huge fan of Eminem. I appreciated his lyricism and artistry as a rapper and his body of work has only grown exponentially since the release of the film.
The film takes place in Detroit where a young man named Jimmy “B-Rabbit” Smith (Eminem) attempts to break out into the rap scene. It becomes difficult for him as he is the only white man to attempt to compete in the 90s to early 2000s zeitgeist.
This film had the muster and energy that you would expect from any high-octane Eminem single off of one of his fire albums.
This film proves to be a gritty and raw look at the life of a young man making his way through a strange and dangerous world in Detroit. Its realism is what contributes to its artistry and makes it a thing of beauty that other hip-hop movies like Get Rich or Die Tryin’ failed to achieve.
8 Mile is a feat in, not only the film genre, but also in songwriting, as Eminem became the first rapper to win an Oscar for Best Original Song. “Lose Yourself” is easily one of the greatest rap songs of the decade if not the century. It is played in every gym and almost every motivational video for a reason.
The song has a unique quality that has remained ubiquitous in its use wherever it is played. The song, much like the film, deals with struggle and perseverance with a message of never giving up no matter what happens.
That is what everyone needs to keep the drive and spark inside of them burning. It’s the only thing that gives up hope for a better tomorrow. That’s what keeps me up and running throughout the day.
How far into the Land of Luck would you go to find your friend a forever home? This is the question asked by Luck’s protagonist, Sam Greenfield (voiced by Eva Noblezada), as soon as she came upon Bob, a Scottish black cat (voiced by Simon Pegg) with whom she shared a panini in her local neighborhood.
Directed by Peggy Holmes, Luck is a film that follows Sam, an eighteen year old girl who has just aged out of her foster home. As she leaves to embark on her journey into adulthood, Sam makes it her mission to find her friend, Hazel (voiced by Adelynn Spoon), the forever home she was never able to find for herself. Having come upon a lucky penny after her chance encounter with Bob, Sam happens upon the Land of Luck where she must face leprechauns, dragons, and talking pigs to scrounge as much luck as she can for Hazel.
LOS ANGELES, CA – July 30: Eva Noblezada, Adelynn Spoon, John Ratzenberger and Colin O’Donoghue attend the world premiere of Apple Original Films’ “Luck” at The Regency Village Westwood Theater.
Throughout Sam’s journey to turn her bad luck around, screenwriter Kiel Murray doesn’t just communicate a heartfelt message that life is full of random ups and downs that we must embrace, but also uses five-star talent to convey that message. The film features star-studded cast members such as Jane Fonda (voicing Babe the Dragon), Whoopi Goldberg (voicing The Captain) and John Ratzenberger (voicing Rootie).
When Murray was asked what the motivation was to write Luck, she said, “for me the idea that bad luck and [Sam] enduring a lot of bad luck could become a superpower she could turn around” is a powerful theme that resonates in our every day lives. During Sam’s various misadventures to find luck, she finds a lot of bad luck along the way. It is these random ups and downs that allow Sam to help Hazel and herself find the pieces of luck that were sitting right in front of them all along. In short, watching Luck teaches us that with every lucky streak need just as much bad luck to appreciate the good. After all, sometimes a kink in that lucky streak can lead to other fortunes down the line.
Luck is available for streaming on Apple TV+.
The Sea Ahead, a Lebanese-film by director Ely Dagher has been exclusively premiered at the Rooftop Films in Brooklyn, NYC this past weekend.
It’s not every day you get to sit in a room full of people talking openly about mental health, but that is exactly what arthur gallery’s new short film, Genesis X, prompted dozens of young adults to do. Hosted at the Hippo Factory Studios in Los Angeles, the 15 minute movie was screened in the large photo studio with an open bar and music featured by William Anthony.
The film follows a down-on-her-luck young woman named Xiomara, played by Jalesa Marks. Xiomara is struggling to turn her life around and impress her esteemed father working for an infamous corporation. As she continues to perform tasks for the company, she struggles to break free from her anxiety feeling as though there is no escape.
As many young professionals have seen, the standards of work ethic and face time set by corporations lead to increased anxiety and a diminished sense of self-worth. gallery explores this notion in Genesis X by outlining the pressures Xiomara faces from the corporation while also outlining the parental pressures that come with said performance. Stylistically, gallery also illustrates these tensions through Xiomara’s body language, a strong cinematic color palette, and action scenes. The film’s musical efforts, led by William Anthony, also create a palpable sense of stress as we see Xiomara struggle to reconcile her work and her emotions.
Q&A moderated by Sadé Unique Grandberry
Q&A moderated by Sadé Unique Grandberry
During the Q&A with gallery and the cast, the discussion centered around the anxieties and pressures of corporate life. The open dialogue was refreshing given mental health is still seen as a taboo subject. Take away from the night? There is a little Xiomara in all of us, but perhaps there is an escape if we continue to de-stigmatize mental health.
Pharrell’s Something is the Water Festival was something worth talking about!
Yvonne Mbanefo, filmmaker discusses the making of the newest project Equiano.Stories, the importance of telling this story.
“No Exit”, the newest suspense thriller film, starring Dennis Haysbert and Havana Rose Liu (“May Day”) who plays the leading role as Darby.
In this upcoming mystery thriller, Ghosts of The Ozark, channels the reality of society coexisting with a supernatural force.
It was an honor to meet and speak with Mr. Scott Mescudi also known by his stage name, Kid Cudi. His film A Man Named Scott directed by Robert Alexander is an intimate look at his life not only as the artist we all know him to be, but as a mere human being navigating this life and this reality. The film follows his discography in order from the very beginning of his career until the present day. We see archival footage of his early tour days in Australia, and interviews never before seen on the big screen. The documentary is raw and unfiltered, highlighting the cultural impact and shift Mr. Mescudi’s music has had on the music industry over the last decade.
With interviews from Kanye West, Shia Labeouf, Willow Smith, Schoolboy Q and many more, they each speak about his artistry as a musician with such regard and passion. Most notably, interviewee’s highlight Cudi’s ability to be so vulnerable in his music. Giving his listeners a safe space to feel their feelings. For some, this is the first time in their lives they would feel safe enough to do so.
With great success comes great struggle. Mr. Mescudi’s story begins with struggle, meets success, and once again finds himself fighting a battle within himself. Even while having world tours, financial gain, and a growing fanbase, Mr. Mescudi found himself plagued with challenges both with his mental health and drug misuse. With incredible courage and utmost strength he vocalizes his pain and seeks help. It is because of his bravery, he is able to get the help he needs to heal. Overall, the documentary is cut together as eloquently as his musical works. His voice transcends across mediums. A true gift. The film premieres this Friday, November 5th on Amazon Prime Video. I highly encourage you all to watch it.
