Day 1 – Friday, October 23

The Missing Person – Directed by Noah Buschel
“The Missing Person” stars Michael Shannon as miserable private detective, John Rosow.  Mired in depression and nostalgia for his days with the NYPD, he’s given a case that shakes up his entire world view.  His task is to tail a man (Frank Wood) from Chicago to Los Angeles, and bring him back to New York.  It turns out that the man is actually a missing person –  one of the thousands presumed dead from the 9/11 terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center.  It’s an original piece done in classic film-noir style.

The film’s opening scenes forecast a typical cliched film-noir, hard-boiled detective story complete with the brilliant alcoholic P.I., the dramatic voice-over, shadowy scenery and the overall feeling that everyone’s afraid to turn on a light.  Amy Ryan fills out the cast as the stock seductress with more to her than meets the eye.

Luckily, my initial conceptions turned out to be the result of a disingenuous forecast.  Ryan shakes her archetypal character proving to be more complex and even had me wishing she was in more scenes.  Rosow’s flashback brings a much needed brighter dimension to the story, and deftly conveys the depth of his pain.  He’s a smart ass, uses words like doll face, and can’t stop thinking about his days with the NYPD.  Although he sure seems to have a little too much pain until the narrative gradually reveals the source of his misery (Spoiler Alert!)– his wife was actually a victim of 9/11.

The pacing can be rather slow at times, and even leads to, dare I say, boredom.  It isn’t until the latter third of the film when Rosow accepts that the past won’t change no matter how much he drinks.  Shannon, who seems to be perpetually unhappy, does a good job.  His eyes never open much and his unshakable melancholy pervades the picture.  Overall, the good performances and mildly interesting story make this one worth a rental.  3/5 stars – Reviewed by Brian Gray.

The Only Good Indian - Directed by Kevin Willmott/Opening Night Gala and Afterparty
The Orpheum was packed for opening night’s marquee screening, “The Only Good Indian,” directed by Kevin Willmott.  In attendance was the film’s star, Wes Studi (“Last of the Mohicans,” “The New World”).  Sadly, Studi’s presence may have been the best thing about the screening.  The film itself was a mild disappointment.  I’m no stranger to Mr. Willmott’s work.  His film “The Confederate States of America” (or C.S.A) is excellent and I was hoping for at least the same standard of quality with this effort.  Unfortunately, this talented filmmaker has taken a step backwards.

A young Native American boy (Winter Fox Frank) in Kansas around 1900 is ripped from his family and forced to attend a distant Indian “training” school to facilitate his assimilation into white society.  He escapes but is caught by a fellow Native American turned bounty hunter, Sam Franklin (Studi), who plans to take him back to the school.  As they travel back, Franklin runs into his long time nemesis, Sheriff McCoy (J. Kenneth Campbell), and after a fight, he realizes that the “white man” is doing terrible things to his people and decides to help the boy.

The central premise is compelling but the film wonders away from it too much for me to care.  What began as a dark showcase of how whites destroyed much Native American culture turns into a story of Franklin vs. McCoy, minus the microcosmic metaphor of Native vs. White.  On top of the disorienting narrative, the acting is atrocious, almost as bad as a student film.  The entire cast was plagued with unnatural stiffness and cliche.  The writing may have been just as bad.  Franklin has a sudden character change that makes no sense at whatsoever.  He treats his own people almost worse than the whites do, and within a matter of minutes and without warning, he becomes the sympathetic hero.

I wanted to hear more about the plight of the Native American people. I wanted to know if there were more who felt the same way that Sam did, that their best chance was to live under the rule of the whites. I even wanted to see more correlation between story and the Frankenstein book the boy is reading, but even that went by the wayside.

Despite its considerable flaws, the film was stunningly beautiful.  Filmed in Wichita, Lawrence, and the Topeka/Kansas City area, it really puts the film’s events in proper context (is that an insult to Kansas?).  But beautiful visuals are merely one of many components needed to create a good film.  1.5/5 – Reviewed by Brian Gray.

A Q&A with the director and star followed the screening, but even that proved a little disheartening. When Wes Studi was given the microphone and asked to describe his career, his responses were less than positive.  Although he recovered by turning his statements about his “tanking” career into jokes, a sadness behind his voice told otherwise.  When Kevin Willmott was asked about the film’s marketability, which was a Sundance Film Fest Official Selection, he related his disappointment with the lack of interest from potential buyers/distributors.

Luckily, the melancholy atmosphere was disrupted by a beautifully touching moment, wherein the Native American Association of Wichita presented Studi, a man of the Cherokee Nation, with the Eagle Feather, one of the highest honors a Native American can receive.  His choked up acceptance of the award was a moving experience powerful enough to erase any of the night’s adverse happenings to that point.

Things then moved to the afterparty down the street, which was probably the highlight of the night.  Take me to an open bar serving ice cold bottles of Stella Artois (the sponsor) and I can have a good time regardless of what’s happening around me.  The live music, fun atmosphere, and diverse crowd of movie-lovers couldn’t be beat. The hit of the party were the dessert, uh tables? Men? Men tables?  They were men dressed in drag as kind of kinky Marie Antoinettes in the middle of a table on wheels. The table had all sorts of appetizers and desserts, so when you wanted a piece of cake, one of these guys had to stop and help.

When I was leaving I saw the star of the festival, famed actor Seymour Cassel, who I greeted with a pat on the back, and let him know how big of a fan I was of his. Well the pat on the back happened just as he was stopping and turning, and an innocent fanboy greeting became an apology for spilling his whine all over his hand.  Did I mention it was an open bar with ice cold beer?  Overall, great night.

World’s Greatest Dad – Directed by Bobcat Goldthwait
“World’s Greatest Dad” is a dark comedy starring Robin Williams directed by comedian, Bobcat Goldthwait.  It centers on a single father named Lance (Williams) doing his best to raise his unruly teenage son Kyle (Daryl Sabara) without a mate.  Lance’s dream is to be a famous writer but after repeated rejections from publishers, he realizes the cruelties of reality.  So he settles on struggling along as a poetry teacher at his son’s high school.

He finds a common soul in a fellow teacher, Claire (Alexis Gilmore), and they begin dating, but she refuses to admit they’re relationship.  In short, Lance has seen better days.  But then, tragedy strikes.  Strangely though, this tragedy has the power to deliver Lance all he’s ever wanted — book deals, fame, talk show appearances, etc.  Thing is, the means by which he acquires said good fortune isn’t exactly what you’d call truthful.

I really enjoyed this film, maybe my favorite of the festival.  I have a lot to say about this movie, but I’ll resist the temptation for fear of ruining it, so I’ll keep this short.  Robin Williams turns in a great performance as a funny, yet troubled pushover of a dad.  Daryl Sabara is excellent as the devilish teenager.  The sharp-edged banter between father and son is both hilarious and depressing.  Brilliant.

The dark, often uncomfortable but original story is perfectly complemented by an unbelievable soundtrack that assists the storytelling beautifully.  Though the narrative does have a tendency to drag a bit.  Ok, we get it.  Lance is sad.  Move on.

The film’s greatest asset is its razor sharp social commentary.  It works extremely well in the context of America’s current pop-culture obsessions wherein we have people riding the coattails of dead celebrities, parents exploiting their families for a shot at fame (I’m talking to you, balloon boy, Jon and Kate, Octomom, etc.).  It’s sickening.  But this movie really asks the question, what would you do?  Sure most people would say, oh nothing that would affect my family, but given the chance, could you really say no?  Could you turn down fame and fortune to save your dignity, repuation, pride or family, or would you be willing to lie, and risk it all for your 15 minutes in the limelight?  Regardless of your answer, you must see this movie now.   4/5 – Reviewed by Brian Gray.

Day 2 – Saturday, October 24

Serious Moonlight – Directed by Cheryl Hines
“Serious Moonlight,” directed by the hilarious Cheryl Hines, stars Meg Ryan, Timothy Hutton, Justin Long and Kristen Bell.  Even though it seemed I might be heading to a chick flick, I decided to join my parents for this early morning screening, mainly because it was the most star-driven flick at the festival.

Even though my fears were warranted as it turned out to be a pretty cheesy rom-com (it is a Meg Ryan movie), I was pleasantly surprised.  Ryan plays Louise, a busy attorney who discovers that her husband Ian, (Hutton) is having an affair with the younger Sara, played by Kristen Bell.  After a fight, and learning of his intentions to run away to Paris with his mistress, Louise decides to go to the extreme and duct tape him to the toilet to force them to work out their problems.  Of course, just when she decides to leave for a bit, their house is robbed by Justin Long.  Louise ends up duct taped to the bathroom as well, where she and Ian inevitably tackle the issues plaguing their relationship.  Imagine “Misery” with more cute romance and less psychotic Kathy Bates.

Meg Ryan’s signature cheesy, delusional overacting can be a little grating, but it works like a charm for this movie.  There were times that I just wanted to scream at Ryan because she handled the news of her husband’s adultery comically well, but I had to remind myself that it’s a silly romantic comedy, so turn the brain off and enjoy it.  The film has no intentions of changing the world or even effecting deep thought.  It knows what it is and sells itself well.

It made me laugh and I was never quite sure if Louise was really in on robbery or not.  Overall, it was entertaining, a bit ridiculous, but good fun. So grab the girl you are trying to impress or the guy you want to force to watch a chick flick and enjoy.  3.5/5 – Reviewed by Brian Gray.

Fish Out of Water – Directed by Ky Dickens
“Fish Out of Water” is a controversial documentary made by newcomer Ky Dickens. It centers on the key role the Bible plays in the gay and lesbian marriage rights debate.  Dickens, an openly gay woman, has lived through the discrimination so pervasive in American society, especially within the Bible Belt where she attended university.  Her ultra-conservative sorority sisters would quote several famous passages which evangelical Christians typically use to justify their discrimination against homosexuals.

Instead of simply accepting their assertions that the Bible forbids the practice she decided to intensely scrutinize those verses and, with the help of several Christian ministers and preachers and Bible scholars, draw a fully fleshed out conclusion about what the Bible really says.  What she found is sure to upset the conservative Christian establishment.

I was born and raised Catholic, which as most people know generally means a strong opposition to the gay lifestyle, especially gay marriage. I have since fallen away from the Church, but was hoping to see a representative of my old faith talk about the issue.  As a young Catholic boy, we were always lectured on the teachings of the Bible, but it was interesting to see these verses broken down by representatives of various religions.

The insights into Christianity and homosexuality given by varying clergy members was compelling, but the array of interviews with members of the Gay, Lesbian, Bi-sexual, and Trans-gender community were heartbreaking.  It was incredibly disheartening to hear the stories of how many of these people want to keep their faith and stay close to God, but so many churches turn their backs on them due to their sexual orientation.  Many of their families have disowned them, and even blamed them for totally unrelated tragedies, simply because of they’re attraction to others of the same sex.

The only thing this film lacked was more opposing views on the subject.  The only real opposition was infamous and universally despised Westboro Baptist Church minister, Fred Phelps, who is just an awful, awful human being, and one other pastor whose only memorable characteristic was that he wore a red shirt.  If a wider pool of religions were consulted and stronger opposing views were presented, then this would’ve been a stellar film.  It had silly animation breaks that helped ease the tension, and break up the monotony of interview after interview.

Hopefully this film can help change people’s minds on the issue of gay marriage. It’s stimulating and thought provoking, and an overall excellent documentary.  Hopefully people can open their minds, not only about this film’s message, but about the plight of oppressed peoples across the globe.  4/5 – Reviewed by Brian Gray.

Gogol Bordello Non-stop - Directed by Margarita Jimeno
Named after 19th century writer Nikolai Gogol, the father of modern Russian realism, Gogol Bordello is a gypsy punk band from Manhattan’s Lower East Side. Led by the eccentric, electrifying frontman, Eugene Hutz, the band is a diverse group of innovative immigrant musicians, primarily from Eastern Europe, famous for their groundbreaking and unapologetically original fusing of traditional gypsy music with British and American punk rock.

Hutz’s compelling story of the power of creativity, hope, and the American dream is told from impoverished beginnings under suffocating communist rule to the freedoms and thriving art-culture of New York City that leads to record deals, headlining festivals, and sold-out world tours.

The film has very little structure outside of that loose storyline, which is told almost entirely through archival footage and contains almost no talking heads or slick production that we might see in a typical documentary.  The music itself and Hutz’s hilarious mustached antics are enough to carry the film.

Though I would have liked to see more interviews with Hutz’s contemporaries and perhaps a stronger narrative structure, the general idea still manages to bubble to the surface.  But a more concrete form with an established goal would have added that extra kick this one-of-kind band deserves.  3/5 – Reviewed by Eric M. Armstrong

Ad Astra Award Presentation – Seymour Cassel/Reach For Me - Directed by LaVar Burton
Legendary Hollywood star and Academy Award nominated actor, Seymour Cassel, received the Tallgrass Film Festival’s highest honor, the Ad Astra Award.  Cassel was on hand to accept it and give a short Q&A preceding a screening of his latest film, “Reach For Me.”  The ceremony kicked off with a beautiful video tribute featuring congratulatory messages from fellow actors including Lacey Chabert, Jacqueline Bisset, and Steve Buscemi, and his adorable grandchildren. When he took the stage to give his thoughts on the acting world, it was apparent from the get-go his love and admiration for the late John Cassavetes, who gave him his start in movies, and was a dear friend.

It was nice to see a man of his stature speak so openly and honestly.  So much so that he almost made me forgot who he was or how many times I’ve seen him on screen.  Cassel seems to really enjoy what he does, and expressed his gratitude for all that he has been given. It was interesting to hear him tell stories of everything from working with a first time director on a small independent film to working with big names like Cassavetes and Wes Anderson. He might not be a “star” and a household name, but he is a legend, and a down to Earth type of guy. His main source of conversation was respect, that’s all he cares about, giving and receiving respect, and its what he deserves.

LaVar Burton’s “Reach For Me” centers on a grumpy old widower named Alvin (Cassel) who’s withering away the remainder of his life at an old folk’s home.  He spends his time talking to his roommate about his penis and how he’d like to get into the pants of every smokin’ hot young sexpot he sees on TV.  His vulgarity and crassness is just a front to prevent the heartache sure to follow if he ever got close to anyone again.

He eventually relents and becomes quite close to a young accident victim and his fiancee, only to have his heart crushed once again when the young man passes.  Alvin must come to grips with life and death and find a way to appreciate what he’s got and enjoy life’s happier moments.

Burton’s direction is low-key, virtually style-less, but sufficient for the material.  Cassel is both endearing and loathsome, but never reaches the brilliance he displays in Wes Anderson’s “The Royal Tenenbaums.”  Johnny Whitworth turns in a passable performance as Alvin’s new roommate, and Lacey Chabert is excellent as his hopeful and tireless fiancee/caretaker.

Many exchanges of dialogue ring false and disrupt the suspension of disbelief, but its pure intentions and refusal to give in to substitute substance with style make “Reach For Me” watchable.  3/5 – Reviewed by Eric M. Armstrong.

Day 3 – Sunday, October 25

Traveling light Shorts
The traveling light shorts were presented as a string of 10 short films meant to be funny, light-hearted counter-programming to the typical brooding, thought provoking films that seem to overflow at independent festivals. It was nice to just sit back and relax and be entertained by short films from all over the world, some funny, and some that made me say, “what the?”

The group’s clear standout was “Official Selection,” a short by local Vincent Masciale. It was simple utterly hilarious.  It was about two guys trying to come up with a short film to enter into film festivals, and neither wanting to submit what the other wants to make.  One wants to make an artsy, deep, thought provoking type, while the other wanted to make an action packed blockbuster style film.  It’s hilarity may have outweighed anything I saw the entire weekend, including features.

Tony Manero - Directed by Pablo Larrain
“Tony Manero” is Chilean film directed by Pablo Larrain starring Alfredo Castro, who also wrote the film.  It’s set in Dictator Pinochet’s communist regime, and deftly portrays the tough times the country was saddled with during that period. Castro, as Raul Peralta, was obsessed with John Travolta’s legendary character Tony Manero from “Saturday Night Fever.”  He would do anything it took to win a look-alike and dance contest, and I mean anything.  He was a sick, and deeply disturbed character, who honestly had no likable qualities — not a single one.  At first it was a bit humorous to see this man, probably around 50, trying to dance like Travolta’s disco king, but about halfway through that novelty wore off.

This film is disturbingly dark — one kids should stay away from.  Raul was dull and emotionless, even while committing murder for something as little as a color TV. “Tony Manero” isn’t without its proponents.  Many critics are raving and it’s even Chile’s official entry into the Academy Awards for Best Foreign Film, but I just couldn’t find anything about it to grasp on to. I know it was a dark time for Chile, and that message couldn’t come through any clearer, but there’s got to be something to invest in to really enjoy a film and this one had nothing of the sort. The three female characters had some weird infatuation with Raul, which led to some rather graphic sexual encounters. I’m not sure if it was his dancing that made the three of them want to love him or what, because that was the only semi-positive characteristic he portrayed. He abandoned his family, killed people and did whatever it took to try and make it as Tony Manero. The film was shot using almost entirely dark tones, and it went in and out of focus, probably to continue to portray the world they lived in under Pinochet’s rule. There were plot holes, and nothing good about the protagonist and overall I just didn’t feel like it was a good movie. By the end of it I was just hoping for something bad to happen to these miserable characters, and that usually isn’t a good sign. So pick this DVD up if you want to see what all the fuss is about (especially if it wins an Oscar), but I won’t recommend it. 1/5

Audience Award Winners

Audience Choice Feature Film – Sweet Crude

Beginning with the filmmaker’s initial trip to document the building of a library in a remote village in Nigeria’s Niger Delta, SWEET CRUDE is a journey of multilayered revelation and ever- deepening questions. It’s about survival, corruption, greed and armed resistance. It’s about one place in one moment, with themes that echo many places throughout history.

SWEET CRUDE shows the humanity behind the statistics, events and highly sensationalized media portrayal of the region. Set against a stunning backdrop of Niger Delta footage, the film gives voice to the region’s complex mix of stakeholders and invites the audience to learn the deeper story. The issues are local and human, yet they have far- reaching political, environmental and economic implications. It’s a powder-keg situation that affects the daily lives and futures of the people who live there. Left unchecked, its consequences will be felt around the globe. Yet barely anyone outside the Delta knows what’s really happening.

Audience Choice Short Film – Lost Paradise

A man and a woman are tenderly making love in a one star hotel room.  A moment later when they are both dressed up, the idyll that seamed authentic is now gone.  A present-day Adam and Eve story.

There you have it!  The 2009 Tallgrass Film Festival has been another great success.  A victory for the city of Wichita and the whole of independent film.  Great people, great movies, and great fun.  How many world-class events like this will it take before the naysayers accept Wichita as one of the nation’s prime centers of artistic vibrancy?  My guess is, not many more.  Cheers to a great weekend and here’s to another one next year!

Tallgrass Film Festival Official Website

Well I’m finally getting back into the swing of things. This whole sleeping, eating, sleeping, and eating a little bit more has really taken a toll on me the past month or so.

So over a month ago I went with my dad to see a little independent film called, “The Wrecking Crew.”  I didn’t have a lot of knowledge about its content but I knew it was about music (not construction as the name might lead you to believe), it sounded kind of interesting, and my dad offered to pay, so I said “why not?”  Little did I know that a month later, I would still be in total awe and completely obsessed with this little movie.

Directed and produced by Denny Tedesco, “The Wrecking Crew” is a documentary  about a group of studio musicians based in Los Angeles in the 1960s.  Tony Tedesco, famed guitar player and Denny’s late father, was the unofficial leader of this “crew.”  Tony, and what seemed to be just a big group of his friends, backed a slew of musical luminaries and legends, including the Beach Boys, Frank Sinatra, Nancy Sinatra, Sonny and Cher and so on and so on and so on.  Simply take a look at the charts at virtually any point during the 60s and 70s, pick out a hit, and chances are this crew played on it.

The film is a collection of interviews with band members, clips of their music, and hundreds anecdotes about how, despite their unfathomable accomplishments, they remain shadows in the mainstream world.  You might be saying to yourself, “Okay, I like music so thing sounds interesting, but what’s all the fuss about?” First, stop talking to yourself.  Second, the stated description is the only boring element of the movie.  The real power of this film is in the heart and soul of these musicians.  This crew didn’t just play the background music for these famous bands, they made the music.  No wrecking crew = no Beach Boys.  If the Beach Boys are your favorite band and you think I’m being a little hyperbolic, don’t take my word for it, listen to the legendary Brian Wilson.  The genius behind The Beach Boys wouldn’t even bring in “the boys” to lay down tracks, instead opting to strictly use Tony and the wrecking crew.  And he wasn’t the only one.  Practically all of L.A. was clamoring to work with them.

The director employs an array of effective devices that set the mood and lend a nice layer to the storytelling.  My favorite example is how we often hear a member of the crew start to play a note — it sounds nice, maybe even kind of familiar, but then the accompaniment kicks in and you realize it’s some famous, mega-hit song.  Maybe it was the bass line to Nancy Sinatra’s “These Boots are Made for Walking,”  or maybe the drums to an Elvis tune.  It didn’t matter.  These musicians were behind it all.  They did the heavy lifting for music’s icons, and they did it very well.

Providing an indelible contrast to the loads of great music is the gut-wrenching stories about these musicians’ family lives.  Many of them admitted on camera that they weren’t good parents thanks to their demanding careers.  They went through bankruptcies, divorces, estranged children, you name it.  Maybe it would’ve been easier for them if they were front and center — if they were The Beach Boys instead of making The Beach Boys’ music for them.  Who knows.  They were real people.  They were the blue collar work horses of the music industry.

There were some heartwarming tales as well.  For instance, when one of the crew members becomes a famous singer/performer himself (here’s a hint, he is a Rhinestone Cowboy), and includes his old friends in the creative process.  It’s this wide variety of authentic stories about real people living extraordinary lives told in expert fashion that makes “The Wrecking Crew” a damn good film, not just a movie about music.  I could go on forever.

Unfortunately for this film and numerous independent movies like it, nobody knows when or where it may reappear for some lucky audience.  It doesn’t have the marketing budget, the big names or a big studio behind it necessary to get this thing seen.  Hopefully Mr. Tedesco can score a nice deal with Netflix or get some good word of mouth.  It’s done quite well on the festival circuit, but it should be a staple for all movie lovers, musician or not.  So look for it anywhere you can and you will be touched by what this film has to offer.

“Its the missing piece of the puzzle that I didn’t know I was looking for.”   These are the words of a fellow patron at my theater, probably 40 years my elder.  I couldn’t have said it better myself.

Score: (5/5)

The film’s official website

When I picked up “Defiance”, I was pretty excited because I’ve enjoyed some of director Ed Zwick’s previous movies (The Last Samurai, Blood Diamond, Courage Under Fire), but I became a little nervous when I realized Liev Schreiber (Zus Bielski) and Daniel Craig (Tuvia Bielski) would be sporting Russian accents in this “true story.”  Despite my reservations I was gladly surprised and pleased with the turnout of the film.  Craig and Schreiber do a good job with the accents and generally excel in their roles. I really enjoyed the fact that all of the main characters spoke Russian at times. It drives me nuts when movies speak English in certain regions and times when English was obviously not spoken. I understand that people don’t enjoy reading movies, but I liked the fact that this one mixed it in.

I did have some small issues with some of the characters.  Daniel Craig begins as a ruthless man seeking revenge, but almost as soon as he satisfies that urge he changes his mind and develops all of these morals and values that were completely absent before.  He mentions that he can still see the faces of the people he’s killed, but it’s so quick you might miss it. If that intense moral conflict were drawn out a little more, it might seem a little more plausable that he would be overcome by such a dramatic change of heart when his brother wants to go on his own mission for revenge.  Also, the two brothers share the screen for about the first half of the film, but when they split up, Liev’s story is basically tossed to the side and almost forgotten entirely.  Zwick paints Craig as the more likable brother and the obvious the hero, but there would have been a more enjoyable dynamic if both brothers got their fair share. Zus’ character would have been more nuanced and less predictable had he had been given more time. Instead, the youngest brother, Asael Bielski (Jamie Bell) took over his place, and I found him the most interesting.  There was a really interesting scene that showed Asael getting married, and blended it with Zus attacking and killing more Nazi’s. It was a great contrast and maybe my favorite scene.

Speaking of contrast, I wish Mr. Zwick would have gone into more depth about the clashes within the Jewish class system.  Zus describes how despite their incredible heroism in saving these fellow Jewish people, some still refuse to give up their prejudices, feeling that they’re better then him because of their superior wealth, class, etc.  It was really only mentioned that once, but it would’ve added a level of depth and created a more compelling story.

The wardrobe department deserves some recognition.  The costumes effectively got across the fact that these people had to literally drop everything and run into the woods to survive.  Men in suits and women in nice dresses are not the typical outdoor survival wear, but they had no choice.

With all that being said, I still enjoyed this movie. It was really entertaining and fun to watch. It had its cliche moments; forced love story for our hero, very predictable moments etc. and can we please stop doing the “video game war scene”? You know the scene.  When our hero is getting attacked, and something explodes right by him, and everything goes into slow motion, and there is a ringing like know he can’t hear anything, and then someone yells at them to snap them back to reality. Hasn’t that been in every war movie? It was even in “Tropic Thunder,” which makes fun of this genre!

Anyway, pick this one up.  It’s probably not my favorite Ed Zwick film, but it doesn’t disappoint.

(3.5/5)

Fun fact:  The producers struggled to find a proper shooting location, and when they finally chose remote Lithuania, they realized they were only a few hundred miles from where the real story took place.

Next week I tackle my favorite movie ever, The Jonas Brothers Concert Experience!!!!!! Oh what’s that? My DVD player rejected it? Oh shucks. Oh well, I have it memorized for you.

“Notorious,” starring Jamal Woolard, is the life and death story of one of the most famous rappers of all time, Christopher Wallace, aka Notorious BIG.  The movie opens in familiar biopic fashion;  We see a key point in the subject’s life, e.g. their death, and then we flashback to when it all began, and work our way back to that key moment.

The main difference between this biography and other recent films of the same ilk like “Ray”, or “Walk The Line” is most noticeably the acting. We all know Jamie Foxx won an Academy Award for his portrayal as Ray Charles, and Reese Witherspoon won an Oscar for her performance in “Walk the Line”, but don’t worry–nobody in “Notorious” will be bringing home any prestigious hardware.  Everything just seemed so over-the-top; from Puff Daddy’s (Derek Luke) constant hand movements and dance moves, to Voletta Wallace (Angela Bassett) struggling to maintain her Jamaican accent.  Whether these people really act like that in real life, or the dialogue was just poorly written, it was just awful either way.  It seemed as if every time someone talked, they had something profound to say, regardless of the time or situation. Every time Voletta Wallace opened her mouth it was some great piece of wisdom. This made the characters seem unrealistic, which is no easy task considering they were based on real people.

Another issue with this film is the entire narrative is very anti-climactic.  If you know anything about Biggie and his story, than you already know everything that’s about to happen. I’ve been a Notorious BIG fan for awhile, and I’ve known most of his story, but I was hoping for more.  It’s no secret that he sold drugs on the streets of Brooklyn, then became a world-famous rapper and then was shot and killed, oops, is that a spoiler alert? Obviously the filmmakers shouldn’t take blatant liberties with the story, but adding a layer of depth and background to the secondary characters could have helped a ton!  There were times when they didn’t even introduce people, and I was left wondering who they were, and why were they hanging around so much.  Even though I knew the rapper’s story, there could have been more drama that might have surprised me, or at least helped me become more emotionally invested.  I knew Ray Charles’ story too, but it was far more compelling than this one.

On a positive note, if you enjoy Notorious BIG’s music, than this film can be fun.  It’s been a few years since I’ve listened to him and it definitely makes me want to go dust off the CD, er I-Tunes now.  Also, there are some really funny moments when the movie decides to put the actors in some real life, famous situations.  Not least of these is the infamous “Vibe” magazine covers during the peak of the West Coast vs East Coast rap battle (who won that, by the way?).  It was hilarious to see the Death Row cover featuring a real picture of Snoop Dogg and Dr. Dre next to the character Tupac (Anthony Mackie) and the character Suge Knight (Sean Ringgold).  There were also your typical flashbacks, and a few montages that really served no purpose for this movie, but managed make me laugh a few times.  One montage in particular that ended with Notorious having grown a beard stands out. Thank goodness they made it clear time had passed!

Overall the movie wasn’t horrible, but could have been much better–the acting and dialogue being the most prominent areas in need improvement.  But if you want to have a little fun watching Notorious BIG try and balance his rap career and juggle three women at the same time, then you should check this out. If you really want to hear some old Biggie tracks, and if it’s on HBO or something, give it a look, but you might weigh other options before renting it.

Fun fact about the movie: The little boy playing Notorious BIG as a 10-13 year old was actually Biggie’s and Faith Evan’s real son, Christopher Jordan Wallace. How odd would it be to play your father that you never really knew? (Chris Jr was born in 1996, BIG was killed in 1997)

(2.5/5)