Image Source: Everett Collection
Hip-hop has transformed music, and the world at large, since it was conceived 50 years ago. In a relatively short time, it's made a massive impact on every aspect of pop culture - and fortunately, there are a lot of great documentaries that chronicle the unforgettable, twists, turns, and triumphs that made hip-hop what it is today.
Many of these documentaries offer fascinating insights into hip-hop's exponential growth, such as 1995's "The Show" and 2016's "Hip-Hop Evolution," which both examine exactly how the genre became a worldwide, multibillion-dollar industry. Some of them also focus on individual artists, like 2003's "Tupac: Resurrection," a documentary narrated entirely by Tupac Shakur himself. Others focus on specific music scenes, like Ava DuVernay's "This Is the Life," which centers Los Angeles's alternative rap scene in the 1990s, while others delve into the technical aspects of hip-hop and rap, like Ice-t's...
Hip-hop has transformed music, and the world at large, since it was conceived 50 years ago. In a relatively short time, it's made a massive impact on every aspect of pop culture - and fortunately, there are a lot of great documentaries that chronicle the unforgettable, twists, turns, and triumphs that made hip-hop what it is today.
Many of these documentaries offer fascinating insights into hip-hop's exponential growth, such as 1995's "The Show" and 2016's "Hip-Hop Evolution," which both examine exactly how the genre became a worldwide, multibillion-dollar industry. Some of them also focus on individual artists, like 2003's "Tupac: Resurrection," a documentary narrated entirely by Tupac Shakur himself. Others focus on specific music scenes, like Ava DuVernay's "This Is the Life," which centers Los Angeles's alternative rap scene in the 1990s, while others delve into the technical aspects of hip-hop and rap, like Ice-t's...
- 8/12/2023
- by Eden Arielle Gordon
- Popsugar.com
Each week we highlight the noteworthy titles that have recently hit streaming platforms in the United States. Check out this week’s selections below and past round-ups here.
A Compassionate Spy (Steve James)
See an exclusive clip above.
The latest film from acclaimed documentarian Steve James, A Compassionate Spy, comes with a fascinating subject: the spy who leaked nuclear information from the Manhattan Project to the Soviet Union, therefore ensuring that America could not establish a nuclear monopoly on the world. It’s easy to see why James would be drawn to the spy, Theodore “Ted” Hall, and his wife Joan as he has often been interested in using individuals as the framework to explore larger societal issues. Utilizing a hybrid of recreations, archival footage, and modern-day interviews, James crafts a portrait of a man, a relationship, and the sheer weight of the decision to betray your country to save the world.
A Compassionate Spy (Steve James)
See an exclusive clip above.
The latest film from acclaimed documentarian Steve James, A Compassionate Spy, comes with a fascinating subject: the spy who leaked nuclear information from the Manhattan Project to the Soviet Union, therefore ensuring that America could not establish a nuclear monopoly on the world. It’s easy to see why James would be drawn to the spy, Theodore “Ted” Hall, and his wife Joan as he has often been interested in using individuals as the framework to explore larger societal issues. Utilizing a hybrid of recreations, archival footage, and modern-day interviews, James crafts a portrait of a man, a relationship, and the sheer weight of the decision to betray your country to save the world.
- 8/4/2023
- by Jordan Raup
- The Film Stage
It was more than a little heartening to see Roger Corman paid tribute by Quentin Tarantino at Cannes’ closing night. By now the director-producer-mogul’s imprint on cinema is understood to eclipse, rough estimate, 99.5% of anybody who’s touched the medium, but on a night for celebrating what’s new, trend-following, and manicured it could’ve hardly been more necessary. Thus I’m further heartened seeing the Criterion Channel will host a retrospective of Corman’s Edgar Allan Poe adaptations running eight films and aptly titled “Grindhouse Gothic,” though I might save the selections for October.
Centerpiece, though, is a hip hop series including Bill Duke’s superb Deep Cover, Ghost Dog, and numerous documentaries––among them Beats, Rhymes & Life: The Travels of a Tribe Called Quest, making Michael Rapaport a Criterion-approved auteur. Ten films starring Kay Francis and 21 Eurothrillers round out series; streaming premieres include the Dardenne brothers’ Tori and Lokita,...
Centerpiece, though, is a hip hop series including Bill Duke’s superb Deep Cover, Ghost Dog, and numerous documentaries––among them Beats, Rhymes & Life: The Travels of a Tribe Called Quest, making Michael Rapaport a Criterion-approved auteur. Ten films starring Kay Francis and 21 Eurothrillers round out series; streaming premieres include the Dardenne brothers’ Tori and Lokita,...
- 7/19/2023
- by Nick Newman
- The Film Stage
DJ Kay Slay, the venerated hip-hop DJ known as rap’s “Drama King,” died Sunday, April 17, due to complications related to Covid-19. He was 55.
The New York City radio station Hot 97 — where DJ Kay Slay was a longtime host — confirmed his death and shared a statement from his family. “Our hearts are broken by the passing of Keith Grayson, professionally known as DJ Kay Slay,” the Grayson family wrote. “A dominant figure in hip-hop culture with millions of fans worldwide, DJ Kay Slay will be remembered for his passion and...
The New York City radio station Hot 97 — where DJ Kay Slay was a longtime host — confirmed his death and shared a statement from his family. “Our hearts are broken by the passing of Keith Grayson, professionally known as DJ Kay Slay,” the Grayson family wrote. “A dominant figure in hip-hop culture with millions of fans worldwide, DJ Kay Slay will be remembered for his passion and...
- 4/18/2022
- by Jon Blistein
- Rollingstone.com
Broadcast
The BBC has acquired U.K. free-to-air rights of high profile crime drama “Tokyo Vice” (8 x 60’), which has a pilot episode directed by Michael Mann, from Endeavor Content. The BBC has second window rights for the U.K. and will air it later this year. The series will stream in the U.K. on Starzplay from May 15. Endeavor has sold the series, currently streaming on HBO Max in the U.S., wide.
Co-produced by HBO Max, Endeavor and Japanese broadcaster Wowow, the series is based on American journalist Jake Adelstein’s non-fiction first-hand account of the Tokyo Metropolitan Police beat. The series, filmed on location in Tokyo, captures Adelstein’s (Ansel Elgort) daily descent into the neon-soaked underbelly of Tokyo, where nothing and no one is truly what or who they seem. “Tokyo Vice” was created and written by Tony-winning playwright J.T. Rogers, who also serves as showrunner and executive producer.
The BBC has acquired U.K. free-to-air rights of high profile crime drama “Tokyo Vice” (8 x 60’), which has a pilot episode directed by Michael Mann, from Endeavor Content. The BBC has second window rights for the U.K. and will air it later this year. The series will stream in the U.K. on Starzplay from May 15. Endeavor has sold the series, currently streaming on HBO Max in the U.S., wide.
Co-produced by HBO Max, Endeavor and Japanese broadcaster Wowow, the series is based on American journalist Jake Adelstein’s non-fiction first-hand account of the Tokyo Metropolitan Police beat. The series, filmed on location in Tokyo, captures Adelstein’s (Ansel Elgort) daily descent into the neon-soaked underbelly of Tokyo, where nothing and no one is truly what or who they seem. “Tokyo Vice” was created and written by Tony-winning playwright J.T. Rogers, who also serves as showrunner and executive producer.
- 4/13/2022
- by Naman Ramachandran
- Variety Film + TV
Closing out the summer, Mubi has unveiled their August 2021 lineup, kicking off most fittingly with Brett Story’s acclaimed recent documentary The Hottest August. Also among the lineup is Akira Kurosawa’s epic Ran, Fritz Lang’s hugely entertaining two-parter The Tiger of Eschnapur and The Indian Tomb. As his latest films arrive, Pablo Larraín’s The Club is also part of the lineup.
Xinyuan Zheng Lu’s Rotterdam winner The Cloud in Her Room is coming to Mubi in August, plus a “late film” special featuring Manoel de Olviera’s Gebo and the Shadow and The Last Sentence by Jan Troell. There will also be a canine double feature of Heddy Honigmann’s Buddy and Los Reyes by Bettina Perut and Ivan Osnovikoff.
See the lineup below and get 30 days of Mubi free here.
August 1 | The Hottest August | Brett Story
August 2 | Gebo and the Shadow | Manoel de Oliveria | Twilight...
Xinyuan Zheng Lu’s Rotterdam winner The Cloud in Her Room is coming to Mubi in August, plus a “late film” special featuring Manoel de Olviera’s Gebo and the Shadow and The Last Sentence by Jan Troell. There will also be a canine double feature of Heddy Honigmann’s Buddy and Los Reyes by Bettina Perut and Ivan Osnovikoff.
See the lineup below and get 30 days of Mubi free here.
August 1 | The Hottest August | Brett Story
August 2 | Gebo and the Shadow | Manoel de Oliveria | Twilight...
- 7/19/2021
- by Leonard Pearce
- The Film Stage
Hannibal scoured Hugh Dancy’s past to plan Will Graham’s future.
TVLine has learned exclusively that Tony winner Nina Arianda — Dancy’s leading lady in Broadway’s Venus in Fur — is joining the acclaimed NBC thriller’s Season 3 cast as Will’s new bride.
As TVLine was first to report, Arianda’s recurring character, Molly, will be introduced in Episode 8, an installment that will jump ahead several years to allow for the transformation in Will’s personal life.
Single mom Molly is described as a strong, vibrant thirtysomething who is not only unperturbed by her husband’s dark and...
TVLine has learned exclusively that Tony winner Nina Arianda — Dancy’s leading lady in Broadway’s Venus in Fur — is joining the acclaimed NBC thriller’s Season 3 cast as Will’s new bride.
As TVLine was first to report, Arianda’s recurring character, Molly, will be introduced in Episode 8, an installment that will jump ahead several years to allow for the transformation in Will’s personal life.
Single mom Molly is described as a strong, vibrant thirtysomething who is not only unperturbed by her husband’s dark and...
- 1/20/2015
- TVLine.com
Chicago Fire may be NBC’s go-to hour for infernos, but it’s Chicago P.D.‘s Lindsay and Halstead who generated the heat when they finally gave in to their feelings on last week’s episode.
On Wednesday’s hour (10/9c), the long-awaited pair “picks up right where they left off” – which if you recall was in the throes of passion (photographic evidence below) – star Jesse Lee Soffer previews.
The twosome will keep the new development in their relationship a secret, “but they’re going to play with, ‘Alright, we’ve put our feet in the water now. Do we tell people?...
On Wednesday’s hour (10/9c), the long-awaited pair “picks up right where they left off” – which if you recall was in the throes of passion (photographic evidence below) – star Jesse Lee Soffer previews.
The twosome will keep the new development in their relationship a secret, “but they’re going to play with, ‘Alright, we’ve put our feet in the water now. Do we tell people?...
- 1/20/2015
- TVLine.com
The Closer alum-turned-Oscar-nominated/Golden Globe-winning Whiplash star J.K. Simmons will make his Saturday Night Live hosting debut on Jan. 31.
Serving as musical guest, People.com reports, is D’Angelo and his band The Vanguard.
The long-running NBC sketch series opened 2015 this past weekend with host Kevin Hart. Next up is The Voice‘s Blake Shelton — doing double duty as host and musical guest — this Saturday, Jan. 24.
Related storiesCelebrity Apprentice Recap: Style WarsParenthood: Who's 'Super Bummed' to Have Been Cut from Series Finale?Kevin Hart Hosts SNL: Watch Video of the Best and Worst Sketches...
Serving as musical guest, People.com reports, is D’Angelo and his band The Vanguard.
The long-running NBC sketch series opened 2015 this past weekend with host Kevin Hart. Next up is The Voice‘s Blake Shelton — doing double duty as host and musical guest — this Saturday, Jan. 24.
Related storiesCelebrity Apprentice Recap: Style WarsParenthood: Who's 'Super Bummed' to Have Been Cut from Series Finale?Kevin Hart Hosts SNL: Watch Video of the Best and Worst Sketches...
- 1/20/2015
- TVLine.com
My look at 2014 continues as I review the best documentaries of 2014. Documentaries can serve a multitude of purposes. You will have your change the world docs that pick a certain cause and attempt to spread the word so people will rise up and do something. You have those that are just about a particular story that is just too incredible to believe. You also have those experimental docs that are all about playing with the perimeters with film and experience. My list covers those categories and much more. It shows documentaries can really be used to do just about anything.
10. Kids for Cash Directed By: Robert May
Synopsis: Kids For Cash is a riveting look behind the notorious judicial scandal that rocked the nation. Beyond the millions paid and high stakes corruption, Kids For Cash exposes a shocking American secret. In the wake of the shootings at Columbine, a small...
10. Kids for Cash Directed By: Robert May
Synopsis: Kids For Cash is a riveting look behind the notorious judicial scandal that rocked the nation. Beyond the millions paid and high stakes corruption, Kids For Cash exposes a shocking American secret. In the wake of the shootings at Columbine, a small...
- 1/6/2015
- by Dan Clark
- Nerdly
In "The Honoraries" we're looking at the careers of this year's Honorary Oscar recipients (O'Hara, Miyazaki, Carriere) and the Jean Hersholt winner (Belafonte). Here's Glenn on a Belafonte hip-hop musical gem…
Harry Belafonte brought hip-hop culture to the world with Beat Street. This rather unassuming musical from 1984, made in the shadow of Style Wars and Wild Style, might not strike you as an important film, but it very much is for the way it influenced a lifestyle and popularized it around the globe. Belafonte was a producer on the film as well as the soundtrack (the first film to ever release two soundtracks – I have part one on vinyl!) and his influence shows. His time-tested ability to spin niche into cultural touchstones is yet again on display with this, the first mainstream film to focus on hip-hop, graffiti art and breakdancing into a hit. Giving the under-heard voice of the youth an audience.
Harry Belafonte brought hip-hop culture to the world with Beat Street. This rather unassuming musical from 1984, made in the shadow of Style Wars and Wild Style, might not strike you as an important film, but it very much is for the way it influenced a lifestyle and popularized it around the globe. Belafonte was a producer on the film as well as the soundtrack (the first film to ever release two soundtracks – I have part one on vinyl!) and his influence shows. His time-tested ability to spin niche into cultural touchstones is yet again on display with this, the first mainstream film to focus on hip-hop, graffiti art and breakdancing into a hit. Giving the under-heard voice of the youth an audience.
- 11/7/2014
- by Glenn Dunks
- FilmExperience
Even without having a Super Bowl ring as a fashion accessory, quarterback Colin Kaepernick was named the winner of GQ's Style Wars. The charity competition pitted Kaepernick's sense of style against other NFL stars. Fans voted online for which player they considered to be the league's best dressed. The win will give $10,000 to Kaepernick's charity, Camp Taylor, which helps young people and families of children with heart disease. See photos: Shootings, Stabbings, Dog Fighting: 11 NFL Scandals That Rocked the League Kaepernick beat out other fashionable footballers Victor Cruz (New York Giants), Cam Newton (Carolina Panthers), Eric Decker (New York...
- 10/16/2014
- by Ryan O'Connell
- The Wrap
A former child actor who was born and raised in New York City, Reynier Molenaar made his debut in the entertainment industry as a child actor, premiering in such landmark music videos as Krs-one's My Philosophy, and the Latin Empire's Puerto Rican And Proud, directed by Henry Chalfant (Style Wars). He would later in life attend The California Institute of the Arts, where he made the switch from acting to directing-producing and began his career at Fox Searchlight Pictures, where he produced original content for films such as I Think I Love My Wife, Notes on a Scandal, The Namesake, and Little Miss Sunshine, among many others.
Leading up to the release of mega selling multi-platinum metal band Metallica's documentary, Metallica Through the Never, IMAX reached out to him to create a short film 'Metallica – Amped For IMAX' for the fans which was a collaboration with the band themselves. We asked him to share his experiences with us.
LatinoBuzz: How did you discover filmmaking?
Reynier: My dad took me to see E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial when I was about 3 years old. It was my first movie and I was captivated by the magic on the big screen. Pet aliens, flying bikes, kids outsmarting adults -- I was hooked! But when I found out that E.T. had to go home, I had a stage-4 meltdown. My dad carried me out to the lobby where he tried to comfort me. As he wiped my tears away, he revealed that movies were make-believe. He told me that they were all pretend. Somebody just made that stuff up! He even said, get this, a director's job was to make-believe with cameras. ...wait, what? Mind Blown. I've been playing with film ever since.
LatinoBuzz: What is the most rewarding thing about film & video for you?
Reynier: I love dreaming up stories and making them come to life. I love shepherding ideas through that creative process. There's something magical that happens when you focus all your energy on realizing your imagination -- life takes you on some incredible adventures. I've bombed around with parkour stuntmen, flown in hot-air balloons, hung off the sides of speeding cars, battled zombies, and most recently, hung out with rock legends. Every project feels like a chance to dream my next adventure into existence, which makes the work a reward unto itself.
LatinoBuzz: When you were approached by Metallica's people, what were your first thoughts and what was the creative process behind the concept you came up with?
Reynier: I was pretty stoked when IMAX contacted me about directing a branded short for Metallica Through the Never. I had just finished working with IMAX on another production (for Disney), so it was pretty gratifying to hear they wanted me back so soon. Not to mention I'm a huge Metallica fan! We kicked-off the production with a screening of Metallica Through the Never in IMAX 3D -- which was a lot of fun! It was all I could do not to break out my devil horns during the film. Then I went home and watched all of Metallica's documentaries. I found backstage footage of the band. I listened to all of their music. I wanted to make sure our short felt authentic to the fans. I wrote four concepts and then designed some visual boards. I always try to put some visuals together when I'm pitching ideas to clients
. On short-form projects, like commercials, it can be hard to convey the proper tone with just a written script. I think visuals can help everybody get on the same page very quickly. Once Metallica and IMAX signed off on the concept, things started to move really fast. Sedna Films prepped our crew in record time, including 2 units lead by my talented director of photography, Spencer Goodall. And after a couple of short weeks, we were filming Metallica, a biker gang and 1,600 screaming fans at a secret show in San Diego. I'm still pinching myself!
LatinoBuzz: I can't imagine what it is like to hang with those guys, how were they to work with?
Reynier: They were all super nice dudes, and such natural performers. I got to film with them individually, so it was cool to style each of their scenes to match their personalities. Robert Trujillo was a lot of fun to work with, since he was just as enthusiastic as some of the fans. He was incredibly generous with his takes, which helped me find some great improvised moments with him. Lars Ulrich had a really strong presence. It was pretty obvious we didn't need to do much more than point a camera at him. So we gave him some bold, dramatic lighting and let his expressive eyes do all the talking. His shots are some of my favorite in the short -- so much intensity.
We shot Kirk Hammett's scenes while he warmed up for the show. It was a pretty incredible experience to hang with the maestro while he rocked his personal axe, affectionately labeled "Kirk's Guitar." At one point my camera team and I broke away for a late bite. Since we happened to be eating an hour later than everybody else, we were the only ones around to find Metallica jamming out in their private "tuning room," next door. When James Hetfield emerged and found us scarfing down our dinner, he apologized for the loud music. We just thanked him for the awesome tunes and said we dug listening to Metallica rock while we ate. James chuckled as he walked off toward the stage, "yeah man! Dinner music!"
LatinoBuzz: What are you working on next?
Reynier: I'm on hold to direct a commercial that involves some spy action goodness... I would tell you more, but then I'd have to kill you. Just take my word for it, as a grown man with a James Bond ring tone: I'm excited!
For more of Reynier Molenaar's work, check out: http://reyniermolenaar.com
Written by Vanessa Erazo . LatinoBuzz is a weekly feature on SydneysBuzz that highlights Latino indie talent and upcoming trends in Latino film with the specific objective of presenting a broad range of Latino voices. Follow @LatinoBuzz on Twitter and Facebook .
Leading up to the release of mega selling multi-platinum metal band Metallica's documentary, Metallica Through the Never, IMAX reached out to him to create a short film 'Metallica – Amped For IMAX' for the fans which was a collaboration with the band themselves. We asked him to share his experiences with us.
LatinoBuzz: How did you discover filmmaking?
Reynier: My dad took me to see E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial when I was about 3 years old. It was my first movie and I was captivated by the magic on the big screen. Pet aliens, flying bikes, kids outsmarting adults -- I was hooked! But when I found out that E.T. had to go home, I had a stage-4 meltdown. My dad carried me out to the lobby where he tried to comfort me. As he wiped my tears away, he revealed that movies were make-believe. He told me that they were all pretend. Somebody just made that stuff up! He even said, get this, a director's job was to make-believe with cameras. ...wait, what? Mind Blown. I've been playing with film ever since.
LatinoBuzz: What is the most rewarding thing about film & video for you?
Reynier: I love dreaming up stories and making them come to life. I love shepherding ideas through that creative process. There's something magical that happens when you focus all your energy on realizing your imagination -- life takes you on some incredible adventures. I've bombed around with parkour stuntmen, flown in hot-air balloons, hung off the sides of speeding cars, battled zombies, and most recently, hung out with rock legends. Every project feels like a chance to dream my next adventure into existence, which makes the work a reward unto itself.
LatinoBuzz: When you were approached by Metallica's people, what were your first thoughts and what was the creative process behind the concept you came up with?
Reynier: I was pretty stoked when IMAX contacted me about directing a branded short for Metallica Through the Never. I had just finished working with IMAX on another production (for Disney), so it was pretty gratifying to hear they wanted me back so soon. Not to mention I'm a huge Metallica fan! We kicked-off the production with a screening of Metallica Through the Never in IMAX 3D -- which was a lot of fun! It was all I could do not to break out my devil horns during the film. Then I went home and watched all of Metallica's documentaries. I found backstage footage of the band. I listened to all of their music. I wanted to make sure our short felt authentic to the fans. I wrote four concepts and then designed some visual boards. I always try to put some visuals together when I'm pitching ideas to clients
. On short-form projects, like commercials, it can be hard to convey the proper tone with just a written script. I think visuals can help everybody get on the same page very quickly. Once Metallica and IMAX signed off on the concept, things started to move really fast. Sedna Films prepped our crew in record time, including 2 units lead by my talented director of photography, Spencer Goodall. And after a couple of short weeks, we were filming Metallica, a biker gang and 1,600 screaming fans at a secret show in San Diego. I'm still pinching myself!
LatinoBuzz: I can't imagine what it is like to hang with those guys, how were they to work with?
Reynier: They were all super nice dudes, and such natural performers. I got to film with them individually, so it was cool to style each of their scenes to match their personalities. Robert Trujillo was a lot of fun to work with, since he was just as enthusiastic as some of the fans. He was incredibly generous with his takes, which helped me find some great improvised moments with him. Lars Ulrich had a really strong presence. It was pretty obvious we didn't need to do much more than point a camera at him. So we gave him some bold, dramatic lighting and let his expressive eyes do all the talking. His shots are some of my favorite in the short -- so much intensity.
We shot Kirk Hammett's scenes while he warmed up for the show. It was a pretty incredible experience to hang with the maestro while he rocked his personal axe, affectionately labeled "Kirk's Guitar." At one point my camera team and I broke away for a late bite. Since we happened to be eating an hour later than everybody else, we were the only ones around to find Metallica jamming out in their private "tuning room," next door. When James Hetfield emerged and found us scarfing down our dinner, he apologized for the loud music. We just thanked him for the awesome tunes and said we dug listening to Metallica rock while we ate. James chuckled as he walked off toward the stage, "yeah man! Dinner music!"
LatinoBuzz: What are you working on next?
Reynier: I'm on hold to direct a commercial that involves some spy action goodness... I would tell you more, but then I'd have to kill you. Just take my word for it, as a grown man with a James Bond ring tone: I'm excited!
For more of Reynier Molenaar's work, check out: http://reyniermolenaar.com
Written by Vanessa Erazo . LatinoBuzz is a weekly feature on SydneysBuzz that highlights Latino indie talent and upcoming trends in Latino film with the specific objective of presenting a broad range of Latino voices. Follow @LatinoBuzz on Twitter and Facebook .
- 10/2/2013
- by Juan Caceres
- Sydney's Buzz
In a world a long, long ago, there was Wild Style, the film that can be legitimately called the first hip-hop film ever made.The low budget musical docu-drama film, which revolves around the life of a New York City graffiti artist, played by real life graffiti artist Lee Quinones, as he deals with his life, his work and his relationship with a fellow artist Rose (Sandra Fabara), and featuring performances by Grandmaster Flash, Fab Five Freddy, Rock Steady Crew and Cold Crush Brothers, can rightly claim to be one of the very few films ever made that had a ground breaking cultural impact.The film’s success led to other similar films, such as Style Wars and Michael Schultz’s Krush...
- 7/10/2013
- by Sergio
- ShadowAndAct
For those of you living or heading to the Southern California area this summer, the biggest Movie Geeks in the world (the folks who run the Oscars) have got a treat in store for you under the stars.
Grab the blankets, lawn chairs, your friends and get ready to find a spot on the grass to enjoy The Academy’s 2013 Oscars Outdoors summer movie season. Tickets will be available starting this Wednesday, May 22, at www.oscars.org/outdoors.
The series kicks off with Joss Whedon’s “Much Ado about Nothing,” presented by Kcrw’s “Matt’s Movies,” on Wednesday, June 5. The movie stars Amy Acker, Alexis Denisoff, Clark Gregg, Nathan Fillion, Fran Kranz and Sean Maher, all of whom will join Whedon for a post-screening Q&A moderated by Kcrw’s Matt Holzman.
Academy Nicholl Screenwriting Fellow Destin Cretton’s “Short Term 12” and festival favorite “Twenty Feet from Stardom...
Grab the blankets, lawn chairs, your friends and get ready to find a spot on the grass to enjoy The Academy’s 2013 Oscars Outdoors summer movie season. Tickets will be available starting this Wednesday, May 22, at www.oscars.org/outdoors.
The series kicks off with Joss Whedon’s “Much Ado about Nothing,” presented by Kcrw’s “Matt’s Movies,” on Wednesday, June 5. The movie stars Amy Acker, Alexis Denisoff, Clark Gregg, Nathan Fillion, Fran Kranz and Sean Maher, all of whom will join Whedon for a post-screening Q&A moderated by Kcrw’s Matt Holzman.
Academy Nicholl Screenwriting Fellow Destin Cretton’s “Short Term 12” and festival favorite “Twenty Feet from Stardom...
- 5/19/2013
- by Michelle McCue
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
Joss Whedon Much Ado About Nothing: Oscars Outdoors film series Joss Whedon’s Much Ado About Nothing will kick off the 2013 "Oscars Outdoors" summer movie season on Wednesday, June 5 at the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences’ open-air theater in Hollywood. Much Ado About Nothing stars Amy Acker (Alias), Alexis Denisoff (How I Met Your Mother), Clark Gregg (Iron Man), Nathan Fillion (Waitress, Castle), Fran Kranz (Cabin in the Woods) and Sean Maher (The Playboy Club), all of whom are expected to join The Avengers director Joss Whedon for a post-screening Q&A moderated by Kcrw’s Matt Holzman. Oscars Outdoors screening films also include two upcoming releases: Morgan Neville’s documentary about backup singers, Twenty Feet from Stardom (June 6), and Academy Nicholl Screenwriting Fellow Destin Cretton’s relationship drama Short Term 12 (July 20), featuring Brie Larson, John Gallagher Jr., and The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 2‘s Rami Malek.
- 5/16/2013
- by Andre Soares
- Alt Film Guide
The movie industry has never known what to do with rap music. But from Nwa to Odb, the extreme lives of its stars offer epic stories for the big screen
'Are you the one?" asks the trailer. In March last year, the Los Angeles production company Morgan Creek put out an online casting call, seeking an unknown to play the part of "poet … rapper … actor … revolutionary … legend …" Tupac Shakur. Anyone could apply by submitting footage of themselves reading a scene from the script and rapping to one of Shakur's songs. The director is Antoine Fuqua, best known for the movie Training Day, and the movie's producers include Shakur's mother. The casting call received thousands of applications, which makes for some hilarious viewing on YouTube, but the question of who could fill the shoes of one of rap's biggest personalities is indicative of a bigger problem for the movies: that they...
'Are you the one?" asks the trailer. In March last year, the Los Angeles production company Morgan Creek put out an online casting call, seeking an unknown to play the part of "poet … rapper … actor … revolutionary … legend …" Tupac Shakur. Anyone could apply by submitting footage of themselves reading a scene from the script and rapping to one of Shakur's songs. The director is Antoine Fuqua, best known for the movie Training Day, and the movie's producers include Shakur's mother. The casting call received thousands of applications, which makes for some hilarious viewing on YouTube, but the question of who could fill the shoes of one of rap's biggest personalities is indicative of a bigger problem for the movies: that they...
- 7/20/2012
- by Steve Rose
- The Guardian - Film News
Trailblazing the way for more rap documentaries just as A Tribe Called Quest did for its genre’s musical potential, Beats Rhymes & Life is a passion project by first-time director Michael Rapaport that goes deep into how important the quartet was during the ’90s. As heard in both underground and mainstream rap acts today, the influence of the group (who included members Q-Tip, Phife Dawg, Ali Shaheed Muhammad, and Jarobi White) is still prominent.
I sat down with first-time director Rapaport and Atcq member Phife Dawg to discuss the group’s influence on modern culture, the small existence of rap documentaries, the excitement of rap music in the ’80s, and more.
Beats Rhymes & Life: The Travels of A Tribe Called Quest opens in Chicago on July 15.
There’s a lot of talk in this documentary about respect and influence. Is that an important component to musical history? Are financial numbers equal,...
I sat down with first-time director Rapaport and Atcq member Phife Dawg to discuss the group’s influence on modern culture, the small existence of rap documentaries, the excitement of rap music in the ’80s, and more.
Beats Rhymes & Life: The Travels of A Tribe Called Quest opens in Chicago on July 15.
There’s a lot of talk in this documentary about respect and influence. Is that an important component to musical history? Are financial numbers equal,...
- 7/14/2011
- by Nick Allen
- The Scorecard Review
Fans of the Red Hot Chili Peppers listen up! Here is the chance to get your hands on a bass guitar tagged by Flea and attend a private bass lesson with the legendary musician for a good cause.
Proceeds from the auction will benefit The Style Wars Restoration Fund through Public Art Films Inc., an organization dedicated to producing films and videos about grassroots cultural expressions.
Read more...
Proceeds from the auction will benefit The Style Wars Restoration Fund through Public Art Films Inc., an organization dedicated to producing films and videos about grassroots cultural expressions.
Read more...
- 6/6/2011
- Look to the Stars
Mary-Kate Olsen teamed up with actress Catherine Keener last night for a party for Style Wars, a documentary about hip-hop and street art that was released in 1983. It was an evening of fashionable shoulder rubbing for Mary-Kate, who also spent time with New York Rangers player Sean Avery. Ashley Olsen skipped out on the dinner, but she was spotted in the city this morning heading to a meeting. Both Mary-Kate and Ashley have been busy doing press for their various collections and new online shopping venture StyleMint, and recently spoke about the massive time commitment maintaining their style empire requires. Mary-Kate and Ashley touched on their "hobo-chic" period, their wide group of friends, and the power of the Olsen brand. Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen told Style.com: Ashley on their long hours: " I don’t think it’s the creative process that has ever gotten to us. More than anything,...
- 5/26/2011
- by Allie Merriam
- Popsugar.com
A writer who first encountered the artist during the dawn of rap remembers him and his influence on the scene.
Rammellzee was remembered Wednesday with affection and admiration as a man whose originality and idiosyncratic vision was a hallmark of early-'80s hip-hop. He died Tuesday at age 50 from causes unknown at the time of writing.
"Beat Bop," the 10-minute single he cut with K-Rob in 1983, was tinged with the surreality of dub music; the sleeve designed by his close friend, Jean-Michel Basquiat, (who also produced the track) quizzically states that the disc is a Test Pressing. Well, of course. Though the disc's "iconoclastic panzer" rhythms really were meant to be just a test pressing -- for Rammellzee everything was a test, an experiment.
[youtube 9I56Kkxh_os]
Rammellzee was truly different -- not just from the other artists who surrounded him, like Fab5Freddy, Basquiat, and Futura 2000, innovators all, but from anyone else on the planet.
Rammellzee was remembered Wednesday with affection and admiration as a man whose originality and idiosyncratic vision was a hallmark of early-'80s hip-hop. He died Tuesday at age 50 from causes unknown at the time of writing.
"Beat Bop," the 10-minute single he cut with K-Rob in 1983, was tinged with the surreality of dub music; the sleeve designed by his close friend, Jean-Michel Basquiat, (who also produced the track) quizzically states that the disc is a Test Pressing. Well, of course. Though the disc's "iconoclastic panzer" rhythms really were meant to be just a test pressing -- for Rammellzee everything was a test, an experiment.
[youtube 9I56Kkxh_os]
Rammellzee was truly different -- not just from the other artists who surrounded him, like Fab5Freddy, Basquiat, and Futura 2000, innovators all, but from anyone else on the planet.
- 6/30/2010
- by Vivien Goldman
- Fast Company
The first five minutes of the Banksy documentary, Exit Through The Gift Shop, are now available online for your consumption.
There have been a handful of documentaries made about graffiti culture, most notably 1983’s Style Wars. For obvious reasons, there aren’t a lot of artists willing to appear on camera doing something that is frowned upon by neighborhood boards and business owners alike which also happens to be completely illegal.
Read more on Watch the first five minutes of Exit Through The Gift Shop…...
There have been a handful of documentaries made about graffiti culture, most notably 1983’s Style Wars. For obvious reasons, there aren’t a lot of artists willing to appear on camera doing something that is frowned upon by neighborhood boards and business owners alike which also happens to be completely illegal.
Read more on Watch the first five minutes of Exit Through The Gift Shop…...
- 4/7/2010
- by Drew Tinnin
- GordonandtheWhale
By Steven Roberts
The wait is finally over! Pastelle is here! You know, Kanye West's sorta-highly-anticipated fashion line? Remember "So go 'head, go nuts, go ape s---/ Specially in my Pastelle or my Bape s---"? Yeah, that Kanye West fashion line!
Photos finally hit the Web late yesterday of the much talked about — and nearly forgotten — clothing line by Kanye. The Louis Vuitton Don has been plugging his fashion line since his debut album, The College Dropout, when he was rocking Jordan VIs, a leather Louis backpack and a Polo sweaters — you know, the one with the cute little bear on it. Fans have waited patiently, but the only evidence of it has been a static Web site and a few pieces that Mr.West has worn at various award shows and red carpets.
Despite the delay of his own brand, Yeezy has been incredible active in the fashion world.
The wait is finally over! Pastelle is here! You know, Kanye West's sorta-highly-anticipated fashion line? Remember "So go 'head, go nuts, go ape s---/ Specially in my Pastelle or my Bape s---"? Yeah, that Kanye West fashion line!
Photos finally hit the Web late yesterday of the much talked about — and nearly forgotten — clothing line by Kanye. The Louis Vuitton Don has been plugging his fashion line since his debut album, The College Dropout, when he was rocking Jordan VIs, a leather Louis backpack and a Polo sweaters — you know, the one with the cute little bear on it. Fans have waited patiently, but the only evidence of it has been a static Web site and a few pieces that Mr.West has worn at various award shows and red carpets.
Despite the delay of his own brand, Yeezy has been incredible active in the fashion world.
- 10/12/2009
- by MTV News
- MTV Newsroom
Wesley Pentz is better known as Diplo. And he's better known as a DJ who's worked with M.I.A., who co-wrote "Paper Planes," who's toured with Justice and who brought baile funk to the mainstream masses with a series of nasty-good party-making mixes. But with "Favela on Blast," which had its premiere at SXSW last month, Diplo's now also a filmmaker, collaborating with Brazilian co-director Leandro Hbl on a documentary about the world from which baile funk comes. "Favela on Blast" goes deep into the teeming slums of Rio de Janeiro, whirling through interviews with producers and DJs to street-level party footage to dance numbers, a pulsating document of both life in the marginalized economic sidelines and of a vibrant and unique music scene.
Where'd "Favela on Blast" start?
The idea [was] for it to be another bootleg street DVD, really simple -- it just became a big project. I...
Where'd "Favela on Blast" start?
The idea [was] for it to be another bootleg street DVD, really simple -- it just became a big project. I...
- 4/16/2009
- by Alison Willmore
- ifc.com
Flashdance star and hip-hop/breakdance pioneer Wayne 'Frosty Freeze' Frost has died at the age of 44.
Frost shot to fame after his performance in the 1983 film, with the famous Rock Steady Crew, which started a worldwide breakdancing craze.
He also appeared in hip-hop movies Wild Style, Beat Street and Style Wars.
Frost lost a long battle with illness on Thursday (4Apr08), according to longtime friend and Rocksteady Crew senior vice president Jorge 'Fabel' Pabon.
Frost shot to fame after his performance in the 1983 film, with the famous Rock Steady Crew, which started a worldwide breakdancing craze.
He also appeared in hip-hop movies Wild Style, Beat Street and Style Wars.
Frost lost a long battle with illness on Thursday (4Apr08), according to longtime friend and Rocksteady Crew senior vice president Jorge 'Fabel' Pabon.
- 4/4/2008
- WENN
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