Tag: Hip Hop

HIGHEST 2 LOWEST – Review

Even though the sweltering temps haven’t abated, it seems that the 2025 Summer movie season is nearing an end with the return of one of the most acclaimed filmmakers working today. Yes, this is an award contender premiering in August. Oh, and this director is “doubling down” with a “re-working” of a film from one of the true “masters of international cinema”. And did I tell you that this is the fifth collaboration between the filmmaker and a two-time Oscar-winning actor? It all appears to get all the “boxes checked” for the big nominations and the critics’ lists. So, with this elite “pedigree”, just how does HIGHEST 2 LOWEST really “stack up” (is it more the latter than the former)?

In the story’s opening moments, we’re whisked around and about the gleaming towers of Manhattan. On the balcony of one of them is a man barking into a cell phone. Speaking of “stack”, he is David King (Denzel Washington), chief executive and co-founder of the music label “Stackin’ Hits”, and he’s putting all his “ducks in a row” in this life-changing “deal”. But first, there are family obligations. His beautiful wife Pam (Iifenesh Hadera) needs this year’s contribution to a local charity. Her “radar” goes on as David suggests just half the usual “check”, for now. Then it’s on to their teenage son, Trey (Aubrey Joseph), who goes with dad to his elite basketball camp (one of the coaches is Rick Fox). There, Trey meets with his BFF Kyle (Elijah Wright), who happens to be the son of David’s personal chauffeur, Paul Christopher (Jeffrey Wright). He’s late because he’s gathering the proper papers for the big business “play”. After “touching base” with other company execs, David returns to his lush penthouse apartment to share the big news with Pam. He’s taken out loans, set up several accounts, and called in lots of favors in an attempt to acquire sole ownership of his recording empire. As she processes this news, David takes another call, thinking it’s a possible investor. He’s stunned when the unknown caller informs him that he’s grabbed Trey, and ransom instructions will soon follow. The police are called, while Paul realizes that his son Kyle hasn’t returned yet and isn’t picking up his calls. As the NYPD set up a command center in the dining room, another call occurs. The voice informs David to put together over 17 million dollars in Swiss currency, with drop-off details to come. David assures Pam that he will pay, while a new development has the police scurrying. A patrol car has picked up Trey and is bringing him home. He tells the stunned group that Kyle was grabbed instead. When David gets a new call from the criminal, he boasts that his son is safe, that he has Paul’s son. Nonetheless, the “voice” still insists on the ransom money; otherwise, he’ll murder Kyle. Paul doesn’t have the funds, while David balks at paying, since it would almost wipe out the needed capital for his company’s takeover. Will he make this huge sacrifice for his old friend’s boy? His decision plunges the affluent David into the seedy, crime-ridden underbelly of the Big Apple…

In case we all needed to be reminded of true movie star charisma, Mr. Washington easily delivers that quality from that slow tracking drone shot in the film’s opening minutes to the final fade-out. As King contemplates his “power move”, Washington displays a jovial swagger as he prepares for that day. When it takes that awful turn in the evening hours, we see the darkness consume him as he strains to keep control as his life crumbles. And as a deadly decision weighs on in shoulders, Washington allows us a glimpse of King’s vulnerability as the world seems to turn against him. He then taps into all those qualities in the rousing finale, when David dives into the abyss to demand justice. He’s got a great rapport with the stunning Hadera, who makes the perfect life partner for David. She’s his sounding board and fierce beacon of empathy. They’re a true power couple, though the more volatile pairing is with the always wonderful Wright as Paul. He’s been beaten down by life after losing his wife and spending too many years in the system. Wright gives him an inspiring dignity, pushing back at the police who suspect him (such “side-eye”), while struggling against despair as his beloved son is taken from him. Kudos are also due to the main law-enforcement trio of John Douglas Thompson, LaChanze, and the surly, snarky Dean Winter (“Mayhem” in a superb TV ad series). The biggest “find” may be the fiery performance of rapper A$AP Rocky as fledgling “wannabe” Yung Felon. He’s got an unpredictable energy that gives Washington a chance to reveal another facet to King.

The entire cast is stellar, guided by an elder cinema statesman who is still a “firebrand” after nearly 40 years of films, Spike Lee. He, along with screenwriter Evan Hunter, has put a remarkable spin on a classic crime film from 1963 by Akira Kurosawa, HIGH AND LOW, which he adapted from the novel by Ed McBain, “King’s Ransom”. They’ve taken most of that story’s structure and used it as a reflection on current society, from hip hop culture to the smothering, all-surrounding online community. Lee is in full command as he makes use of a few of his stylistic tropes (the “slow-rolling close-up” is here), an eclectic music soundtrack (the opening song is a strange stunner), and background images that reflect and comment on the characters. Plus, he and cinematographer Matthew Libatique give us a very vibrant NYC, more vivid than most recent flicks. What may surprise most filmgoers is the humor that finds its way into a dark tale of teen kidnapping, while not taking away the “high stakes” involved in the terrible crime. It’s tough stuff, for sure, but Lee sprinkles in lots of levity, even as we worry about the fate of the Kings and the Christophers. For fans of the “source” film, Lee takes a sharp “left” from that story’s third act, which gives the drama and social commentary an added heft. My only problem is the use of the musical score as a smothering “blanket” for many of the pivotal plot sequences, hammering in the emotional “stakes”. It’s a minor quibble with such a thought-provoking and entertaining film, proving that there’s still lots of juice and enjoyment in the fifth collaboration of Lee and Washington. Now they’re truly “stackin’ the hits” with the compelling HIGHEST 2 LOWEST.

3.5 Out of 4

HIGHEST 2 LOWEST is now playing in theatres everywhere

FREAKY TALES – Review

As the big Spring break period approaches its conclusion, there’s still just enough time left for a quick trip via the multiplex. The destination’s not an exotic locale far from our shores, nor the pixel-generated backdrops of this weekend’s big studio flick. This movie “getaway” all takes place on the sunny streets of Oakland, CA. And, more importantly, this is a “time trip” since the “stories” are set in the long-ago Reagan era of 1987. Yes, I said “stories’ as this is an anthology of “twisted” fables with characters dropped in and out of different segments, so it differs from the TALES FROM THE CRYPT or NEW YORK STORIES template, though there’s an off-screen narrator (unlike the Cryptkeeper). So, get your hair teased out, unplug the Walkman, lace up the Reeboks, and set the “Wayback machine” 38 years in reverse to take in some truly FREAKY TALES.

Speaking of that narrator, he provides a bit of a prologue as we’re told of a mysterious green glow, perhaps alien in origin, that affected that gritty West Coast city in 1987. As a TV commercial for a “self-help” style center called “Psytopics” fades out, we’re taken to the outside of a movie theatre playing a quartet of classic 80s flicks for the first story, “The Gilman Strikes Back”. A trio of “New Wave” garbed friends are hassled by a truck full of teenage Neo-Nazi skinheads, who speed away. Ah, but they aren’t done for the night as they invade an underground dance club and destroy the venue and the band’s instruments. A young couple, Tina (Ji-young Yoo) and “Lucid” (Jack Champion) decide, along with the other club regulars and owners, to fight back. Next is “Don’t Fight the Feeling,” in which two young women who work in an ice cream shop decide to pursue their dream of being hip-hop stars. It may come true when Entice (Normani) and Barbie (Dominique Thorne), AKA “Danger Zone”, get a chance to be part of a big concert with rap superstar Too $hort (DeMario Simba Driver). But could it actually be a “set up”? From there we’re dropped into the last days of a loan shark enforcer with the third tale “Born to Mack”, as weary “leg-breaker” Clint (Pedro Pascal) tries to leave the “life’ and settle down with his pregnant partner Grace (Natalia Dominguez). But the ‘sins of the past” catch up to him outise a video rental shop, run by a familar talkative cinefile. The final story is “The Legend of Sleepy Floyd”, which focuses on the title Golden State Warriors superstar (Jay Ellis) who becomes the target of a home invasion committed by a biker gang turned burglars sent out by the crime mastermind known simply as “The Guy” (Ben Mendelsohn). They soon find out that basketball is just one of Floyd’s incredible “skills”.

Now, even though it’s four stories, several of the actors should be lauded since there’s certainly a lot of “cross-over” activity. Its biggest star might be the busiest guy in streaming TV, though he’ll truly stretch (sorry) as Mr. Fantastic this Summer: the internet’s “daddy”, Pedro Pascal. He brings a real gravitas to the haunted Clint, a “working class” mob soldier who’s aching to reach that light at the end of the tunnel, the road to a better future. That’s reachable unless the past grabs him. Yes, he’s fearsome when he confronts his last “gig”, but Pascal can tug on our hearts moments later with his love. At the opposite end of the spectrum is the always terrific Mendelsohn, who is ruthless and brutal with none of the sophistication of previous “baddies” in STAR WARS: ROGUE ONE or READY PLAYER ONE as the sneering, lascivious crimeboss creep. And kudos to him for resisting the temptation to twirl his mustache. The most physical, rather than verbal, of the main roles is “Sleepy,” played with lots of charisma and steely determination by Ellis. He’s gregarious and charming after the big game, but “flips a switch” when responding to the tragedy in a twist on the typical superhero origin story. Also engaging are the BFFS played by Normani and Thorne, who try to escape food service “Hell”, with a chance at hip hop stardom. Their ‘arc” takes a turn when they decide to forge ahead even though they believe their “invite” was merely to put them back in “their place”, mainly as “eye candy” for the men with the mike. And happily we get one last big screen performance by the late Angus Cloud as the main “intel man” for The Guy.

My lack of knowledge about the people behind this film gave an added element of pleasant surprise as the end credits rolled. I had assumed (which is always a “no-no”) that this was made by a film student (or students) fresh from graduation, eager to make their “mark”, and trying to use all the cinematic “toys ” at their disposal. But no, this is from the directing/screenwriting team of Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck, who have been making features for twenty years now. Most of their work would be considered “indie”, though their last effort was a stint in the Marvel Cinematic Universe with CAPTAIN MARVEL. With that film’s late 1990s setting, they were comfortable in going back another decade with this sprightly, grungy, zingy ode to pop culture tropes at he time. Sure, there’s a definite Quentin Tarantino influence, particularly PULP FICTION and especially ONCE UPON A TIME IN HOLLYWOOD with the inclusion of several real people (Sleepy and Too $hort), but it also felt as though the story was concocted after a weekend video store rental “binge” during that era. We get nods to everything from SEVEN SAMURAI to the “Lone Wolf and Cub” flicks to REPO MAN and even SCANNERS, with some Bruce Lee tossed in for a bit of spice. Oh, and back to the “toys”, Boden and Fleck make great use of retro special effects, from the practical “gore” of the final battle to the green glow that gives a boost to a city bus (which is a riff on the orb from HEAVY METAL). And there’s some nifty “2D” animation, as sketchy stick folk act out the inner thoughts of Tina and Lucid (naughty boy), and later to illustrate the big basketball game in the style of Saturday morning TV adventure shows. Those cartoon bits may have been “side winks” to underground comix, lurid paperbacks, and the glory days of black and white comic magazines such as “Creepy” and “Eerie”. Boden and Fleck also reward us for paying attention as they return to different locales and offer “blink-and-you ‘miss them” cameos, which add to the fun of the flick. And “fun” is the main “f” word, along with fabulous, flashy, funky, and ferocious, making it the perfect “midnight movie” that can be enjoyed anytime of day at the multiplex, drive-in, or “grindhouse”. So thank you, Oakland, for the perfect quick escape from the 2020s via the talent and imagination of the truly dynamic duo of Boden and Fleck and their FREAKY TALES. Hmm, now I’m in the mood for the tasty hot dogs this curly-haired lanky kid once sold at the A’s games…

3.5 Out of 4

FREAKY TALES is now playing in theatres everywhere

PATTI CAKE$ – Review

It used to be “can a white boy sing the blues,” but now it is “can a white girl rap,” in the Sundance hit PATTI CAKE$. Of course, Patricia Dombrowski, aka Patti Cake$, isn’t a girl any more, she’s a 23-year-old overweight white woman who feels her teenage dream of being a hip-hop star fading away as she remains stuck in lower working-class suburban New Jersey.

PATTI CAKE$ is surprising, endearing, and inspiring film about outsiders, misfits and outcasts but with a women-centric twist. Much of the film’s appeal rests more on the cast performances than its familiar struggling-musician story. As Patti, Australian actress Danielle Macdonald seems like an unremarkable dreamer at first, but Macdonald suddenly transforms when she starts to rap, radiating charisma, intelligence and defiance in equal measures. Even those who are not rap fans while find her energy hard to resist.

The underdog story is familiar but writer/director Geremy Jasper makes it fresh again, in his first feature film. Jasper draws on his own life for parts of the story, adding a feeling of authenticity, and fills it with unique characters while avoiding some familiar music genre plot beats. The former music-video director also provides original songs and music for a tuneful soundtrack.

Blonde-haired Patti has a pretty face but she’s overweight and white, hardly the picture of a rap star. Patti’s best friend calls her Killa P, her mom calls her Patti, but the neighborhood bullies call her Dumbo. She does not internalize the taunts as much as endure them, having heard them all her life. But all that negativity drops away when she is rapping, where she exudes confidence, charisma, vocal power, and an angry, ironic intelligence.

Set in a low-income Jersey suburbia of run-down strip malls, convenience stores, and fast-food restaurants, there is nothing in Patti’s environment to encourage ambition or hope. Patti lives with her bitter hard-drinking mother Barb (Bridget Everett) and wheelchair-bound grandmother Nana (Cathy Moriarty), who struggle to get by on Patti’s income as a bartender at a neighborhood watering hole. Patti gets no encouragement from her boozy mother, a once-promising blues singer disdains hip hop, but she gets support from her best friend and biggest fan Jheri (Siddharth Dhananjay). Jheri’s name tag at the pharmacy where he works may give his name as Rasheen but this South Asian embraces his hip hop identity as passionately as fellow outsider Patti.

None of this looks very encouraging for Patti’s dreams. Hanging out with Jheri, she could easily daydream her life away but Patti feels the pressure to do more. She sees a chance when she meets a shy, nearly non-verbal punk rock musician who goes by the name Basterd (Mamoudou Athie) at a talent contest. Something about his beats and dedication to his art speaks to her and she seeks him out. Together with Jheri and her Nana, they take a shot at musical success.

Patti’s vivid inner life is portrayed in fantasy sequences where she acts out her rapper dreams, fantasies that often feature her favorite rapper, O-Z (Sahr Ngaujah), whose fame and success she hopes to attain.

Patti, Jheri, Basterd and Nana look nothing like typical rappers but their drive to grab a last chance for success and their commitment to each other is infectious. The film is as much about friendship and family as music.

Macdonald’s winning star turn anchors the story, but much of the plot is woman-centric, and strong performances by Bridget Everett and Cathy Moriarty as her mother and grandmother add greatly. Patti has a difficult relationship with her oft-irresponsible mother. Barb. Barb still sometimes belts out tunes at the dive bar where Patti pours drinks, and has a kind of following of old fans from back in the day. Mom often takes out her frustrations on Patti, while also asking her for money, and the parent-child dynamic seems sometimes reversed. But tough, wisecracking Nana provides Patti with the love and encouragement her mother doesn’t.

Jasper’s catchy music, and his skill as a music video director, give the music sequences a gripping energy that grabs even those who are not rap fans.

Music is a big part of this film, which features blues as well as hip hop. Macdonald’s rap sequences are infectious but blues fans will be thrilled with Everett’s soaring, sexy, belted-out blues numbers. The music genre debate forms an interesting backdrop for the story.

PATTI CAKE$ is an irresistible outsider tale with a women-centric twist, lifted by Macdonald’s striking performance, strong supporting cast and catchy score.

RATING: 3 1/2 out of 5 stars

7L & Esoteric “Retrospects” Music Video from Ian McFarland and Mike Pecci

The latest video from 7L & Esoteric is a refreshing new approach to hip hop music videos. Brutally honest In a genre filled with bravado and flashy extravagance, 7LES along with the directing team McFarland & Pecci set out to make a bad situation as real as possible.

Ian Mcfarland: “Mike and I saw an article in the New York Times on joy riders in Ireland and we both called each other and said this would make an amazing video! The photography by Ross McDonnell had this beautiful gritty realism that would be perfect for hip hop and the embedded feel that the photographer captured really piqued my interest.”

Mike Pecci: I saw this video as an opportunity to create a real world in which the violence and edge that hip hop wants to have could actually exist. Esoteric was a perfect match and understood what we were going for immediately. It’s not often that an artist ‘gets it’ after you tell them that they are going to get their ass kicked, be held at gunpoint for the whole video, and have to run for their life. Eso not only understood it, but brought a maturity to it that steals the show.”

The directing team (known as the two headed dragon) has been acclaimed for pushing boundaries in the metal and hardcore world with their videos for Fear Factory and Meshuggah. 7LES’ “Retrospects” marks their entrance into the hip hop video world.

Pecci: “We are excited to cross over into a new genre and are looking for a handful of talented artists to collaborate with. This video is a prime example of the artist/director collaboration gone right. We do our best work when we are able to communicate directly with the artist and develop ideas that would otherwise be lost in translation. We are actively seeking other musicians that are open to pushing the boundaries of the genre and their limits as an artist!”

— Released by Mike Pecci (dir. Boxed Lynch, Stray Bullet)

7L & Esoteric “Retrospects” Music Video from mcfarlandandpecci.com on Vimeo.