The Smoothest Voice of the West

Californian singer Nate Dogg passed away in his home city of Long Beach, CA yesterday. I am not sure what the cause was and I don't really care (probably a stroke). Nate Dogg's solo career wasn't a strong one, but his collaborations with the world's biggest hip-hop artists always guaranteed a hit. When I was a young wigger not in the hood, Nate Dogg's voice seemed to epitomize the westcoast rap scene, especially during the g-funk era with his work on Dr Dre's landmark album The Chronic and Snoop Dogg's misogynistic and fun Doggystyle (how can an album named Doggystyle not be good).

Nate Dogg was then resurrected at the dawn of the millennium on Dr Dre's futuristic 2001. Among many collaborations throughout his career, his closest seemed to be Warren G. Their work on the song Regulate has become a hip hop classic. Nate Dogg's wonderfully deep, low voice helped develop a style of his own that was undeniably marketable across the world. His voice also made it easier for women to be degraded to such a fantastic level  so "just lay back and open your moooouuuutttthhhh!"


Here are what I believe to be some of Nate Dogg's best pieces of work:

Rango

Rango can easily stand up against any western past or present when it comes to narrative, style, character, emotion and convention. It is the best movie I have seen so far in 2011 for many reasons. The night before I watched Kim Ji-woon's I Saw the Devil, which was a sadistic, bloody revenge tale that is basically torture porn. Don't get me wrong, I liked the film and it was excellently made (check the stabbing frenzy in the taxi). However by the end the protagonist and the audience are left unsatisfied by the havoc of bloodthirsty revenge. Lets say compared to Tarantino's climax of Kill Bill Vol. 2, where we get a different glance at revenge through long dialogue rather than violence overload. Even though the idea that revenge never really works the way you want it to was the aim of I Saw the Devil, that doesn't mean I have to enjoy it.

Back to Rango, a movie that also reflects Tarantino and his encyclopedic knowledge of cinema, I found a much more stronger film in its characters and narrative. I love South Korean cinema, but I find it funny how the audience that also love it find it refreshing from Hollywood cinema when in fact much of the style, humor and themes are beginning to be used quite frequently. Although Rango obviously contains no bloody violence that might be seen in a Tarantino film it does provide the love of cinema and homage that is present in say Kill Bill or Inglourious Basterds. Rango not only is a dedication to the classic Hollywood western and the Spaghetti western, but its story also pays respect to one of America's greatest film noir tales: Chinatown.


Some films that play as a reference book to older films sometimes do not contain the emotional drive or attraction to their own characters, but Rango doesn't slip up here. This movie really gets you involved where you care about the characters and not just who they have parodied. The scene where an all too convincing Rattlesnake Jake (Bill Nighy) confronts Rango (Johnny Depp) is intimidating and the sequence that follows where Rango shamefully departs the town and walks through the moon-lit desert is very moving and looks amazing. The scene where Rango meets the Spirit of the West (Timothy Olyphant) is very clever and pays great tribute to Clint Eastwood's icon, the man with no name.

Even though I knew that the ending would be a classic western happy resolution, the Chinatown references had me wondering if John Huston/Mayor character was gonna reveal his daughter to be his lover...Incest in the West? But fortunately it ended with the John Wayne tribute, walking off into the sunset with the girl.

Currently Listening To....

Last week many people witnessed one of the insane and electrifying live performances in a long, long time on Late Night With Jimmy Fallon. Tyler, The Creator and his hip-hop collective Odd Future Wolf Gang Kill Them All have been on the underground scene for a while, but this performance automatically broke them from their perverted stank basement, where they probably prefer to be. I first heard of Tyler and Odd Future through Pitchforkmedia, but never really listened to them properly, it was the intensity and visual creativity that caught my attention on Jimmy Fallon and I'm clearly not the only one. Their aggression was welcomed by the audience and now we just have to see if they can stomach the violent and misogynistic lyrics on Tyler's Bastard or upcoming album Goblin set to be released on XL in April I believe.

The mise en scene they created for stage was fantastically bizarre: zombie girl, gnomb, huge trombone, i think some guy just texting and laughing and just their hyper-active presence (when the chorus WOLF GANG!!! WOLF GANG!!! kicks in they went berserk. Not since the Wu Tang Clan in the early nineties, has such an innovative and original hip-hop act crossed over to the mainstream when they really shouldn't be allowed to. Its like a prison break.

Here is Tyler, The Creator's new single Yonkers:

The Strong Silent Type

Although The Fighter has garnered mostly positive reviews it has received its fair share of criticisms. One that stands out as a negative is Mark Walhlberg's performance. Roger Ebert complains that the leading role is too subtle and that the other performances from Christian Bale, Melissa Leo and Amy Adams shadow Marky Mark's. Well isn't that the point. Micky Ward is repressed by everyone around him, his brother, mother and girlfriend sorry Ebert if Mickey isn't as charming as Rocky Balboa or as complex as Jake La Motta. Why should we need an electrifying performance from Wahlberg if it doesn't coencide with the actual story. To be honest I find Micky Ward's simplicity, innocence and vulnerability to be refreshing. 

I put off seeing The Fighter for a good while, even though I loved the trailer, I was expecting it to be your run of the mill rags to riches boxing movie, and it is that, but it is also excellently made. The opening scene in the Lowell neighbourhood is big opener that follows Micky and brother Dicky as they mess fight and converse with everybody on the street. It is a strong opening that leaves you expecting big things and it doesn't let you down.

Even though David O. Russell has delivered a great drama, he has also given audiences a very funny film. Most of the hilarity comes from Dicky's actions and reactions. His facial expressions are fantastic, and an example of a subtle funny expression is when it is announced to Micky and Dicky that Micky's new opponent is fresh from jail- Dicky's face lights up with excitement for a quick second. The family, Micky's mother, stepfather and 200 sisters convey most of the other humorous lines. However one of the funniest scenes of the movie is when Micky is at his most vulnerable, when he takes Charlene to a foreign art movie so he won't be seen by the locals and have to deal with his shame publicly. 

Bales performance is great here, its funny, sad and sometimes frightening and regardless if he receives and Oscar for it, it is in my opinion the best supporting role of the year. The opening scene set the audience up for a riveting tale and the end of the movie during Micky's championship bout has the viewer on the edge of their seat. It is the greatest portrayal of a an enthralling sports atmosphere that has ever been filmed I believe. I might be forgetting something else, but until I remember, I will stand by that. It was such a great cinema experience during those last 15-20 minutes of the movie and you really want Micky to win as if it were your favourite boxer, football, rugby, basketball etc... team.

Perfect Tribute

Orson Welles gives a humble and poignant speech for one of my favourite actors and icons of all time: Jimmy Stewart.

Great Directors: Wes Craven

Wes Craven is an incredibly intriguing filmmaker, who has helped shape the horror genre by projecting his fears and dark perceptions onto audiences. His interviews discussing his films are nearly more entertaining than his actual films. Unlike many great directors, Craven was a late bloomer to the world of cinema. He studied English and Psychology in college, which is evidently expressed in his movies. His first career path took the route of education when he became college professor teaching English and Humanities. We all know what he did after this career path, but Craven has kept up his teachings through his films. 

Craven's debut was with his exploitation rape/ revenge picture "The Last House on the Left", which has garnered much controversy over the years for its graphic portrayal of rape and murder. Although many would recognize "Last House" as a meaningless gore infested flick, Craven has claimed that it was a statement about the United State's involvement in the Vietnam War. Whether or not this movie is a political statement it works superbly as a horror film. It is famous for portraying a realistic and terrifying dilemma, and its advertising slogan was  an extremely clever idea: "Remember its only a movie, only a movie, only a movie." I saw in an interview recently that this was the only film that frightened Quentin Tarantino when he was a child and rightly so.

Craven has also tackled the subject of lucid dreaming long before Christopher Nolan's success with "Inception", with his own "Nightmare on Elm Street" in 1984. Although not as complex as Nolan's take on the sub-conscious it gave a whole generation of kids nightmare for years and the story behind the now huge franchise is actually terrifying and bizarre. 

A cult classic for sure and a really well made movie that resurrects a certain nostalgia from my youth. My cousin used to have a poster of Freddy Kruger on his bedroom ceiling, which forced me to cover my eyes when I had to enter his room, to be honest I still would today.

One of Craven's most fascinating and possibly most terrifying concept is "The Serpent and the Rainbow", which focuses on Voodoo and the idea of "the zombie". Set in Haiti, where the zombie originated, Craven shows us the realities of the tough times in the country and portrays a universal fear, which is being buried alive. Craven's natural skill for horror is at its peak in this movie, not so much because of craft, but just for the idea and his explanation in the video below heightens our fears.

All these real life phenomenons that have been fictionalized by Craven for the screen are bound to have strong affects on audiences, but in his first meta-horror project, "Wes Craven's New Nightmare", Craven does question the affects his films have on not only audiences, but its contributers. I believe that "New Nightmare" could possibly be Craven's best and most original work. The narrative is very clever as in the idea that if Freddy is no longer trapped on the screen  he will be free to terrorize reality. This is a great satire of Hollywood and the marketing of Freddy Krueger, which places Craven in Godard mode, while reliving his college professor days.

Craven continued his horror film within a horror film antics by re-establishing the slasher genre with "Scream". Once again, except with more humorous and yet more frightening methods, Craven takes a satirical glance at not only his previous work, but at the entire horror genre. Even "Scream 2" and "Scream 3" are pretty good movies. Is he satirizing his own success of the Freddy franchise by actually reliving it with "Scream"? Craven's influence on the horror genre is without question, yet others and Craven himself have said that he doesn't necessarily want to make horror, but is just so fucking talented at it that he must. I believe that is true to an extent, but when you look at this man gently explain his methods he is either insane or really likes what he is doing.

My Top 10 Films of 2010

During my two and half months living in New York I have been lucky with the movies that have hit the big screen. Overall it has been a good year and I have gone to the cinema more than I have in recent years when I just buried myself in DVDs at home. As I am finding it extremely difficult to decide on a countdown of the years best films I am going to chicken out and just list off the top 10 in no order. I personally prefer the excitement of the countdown, but as I said it is proving to be quite tough. However I do have a number one spot that I believe to be the best movie of the year, which I will leave to last. This list is what I consider to be the best movies of this year. You are welcome to disagree.

"Mother" (Bong Joon-Ho). No matter what he does Bong Joon-Ho will never be able to surpass his masterpiece "Memories of Murder", but we can all enjoy watching him try. "Mother" is a fine film and it is evident that he is a master of the mystery/thriller genre and he never holds up with the dark humor. South Korean murder mysteries are funnier than most Hollywood comedies these days. Joon-Ho's craft is impeccable in his thrillers and he repeats the rural environment that he utilized in "Memories of Murder", which creates a chilling atmosphere. 

"Buried" (Rodrigo Cortes). Now here is an extremely impressive film that was able to keep audiences on the edge of their seats even though they were trapped in a grave for 94 minutes. Not only is this an excellent thriller, but it also takes a humorous inspection of the modern devices of communication and the absolute frustration that comes with them. The humor doesn't last though as Cortes portrays the most depressing conclusion I have seen in years.

"Shutter Island" (Martin Scorsese). Although Scorsese doesn't need to prove his directing skills to anybody he still tries new and interesting projects. This time he makes an attempt with a psychological thriller with a gothic ambiance. He pulls it off of course with great style. We all know what to expect, but we enjoy the mystery ride anyway with support from great dream and flashback sequences.

"Somewhere" (Sofia Coppola). Not the greatest plot of the year, but Coppola does what she is best at and that is documenting characters and character relationships. Indeed it does take patience, but it is well worth it as we witness these characters and relationships unfold. In an age where we are subjected to rapid cuts every few seconds it is nice once and a while to simply go steadicam and concentrate on one scene or character. "Somewhere" demonstrates a simply crafted piece of work that follows the life of a movie star, who has no idea what his purpose is. Johnny Marco (Stephen Dorff) has the money, fame and any woman he wants, but he is incapable of receiving pleasure from anything, anyone or any act. He is depressed. This film follows the same premise as the excellent "Lost In Translation"- big movie star, depressed and isolated in a nice hotel, but is portrayed in more documented format.

"127 Hours" (Danny Boyle). Similar to "Buried" Danny Boyle's "127 Hours" focuses on a man trapped, however this is a survival story and not a mystery/thriller, but an in depth look at human nature. James Franco plays the real life mountain climber Aron Ralston and deserves an Oscar nomination if not a win. Ralston goes through stages of guilt, sorrow, delusion and hope, which is expressed during an intense 95 minutes. Not only does Boyle convey a startling portrayal of survival and human drive, but lets the audience witness visually stunning shots of Utah's Canyon Land. Ralston is trapped, but has been isolated for some time before his accident and this disaster has given him time to reflect and we follow him in his physical and mental journey.

"Inception" (Christopher Nolan). "Inception" incorporates fantastic effects, great action, a complex narrative that all help create a superb heist movie set in the sub conscious. It took Nolan years to develop the script and it is evident why. This isn't your run of the mill action, heist or even psychological thriller. It is an excellent take on lucid dreaming and the architecture of dreams. What I found to be so intriguing about this film were the amount of layers our protagonists wage through in order to complete their mission. 

"Black Swan" (Darren Aronofsky). Ballet has been portrayed as a psychological terror before (see The Red Shoes) and Aronofsky re- establishes that concept in this unsettling thriller that mashes reality and fantasy with the help from a great performance by Natalie Portman (Nina). Vincent Cassel plays Thomas, the director of Swan Lake, who attempts to use his intensity to bring out Nina's. He wants her to play the Black Swan as well as she plays the White, but it is Lily (Mila Kunis) who proves that she is perfect for the part. There is also the uncomfortable and unsettling relationship between Nina and her mother (Barbara Hershey). This movie keeps the audience guessing and has them on the edge of their seat and sometimes makes them jump out of it. This is my favourite Aronofsky film to this date and thats really saying something following "The Wrestler". 

"The Social Network" (David Fincher). Jason Reitman's "Up in the Air" mirrored the economic crisis of society in 2009, and in 2010 "The Social Network" reflected how we are beginning to perceive each other in contemporary society. It is too early to know if it is a crisis or not. Facebook is a global phenomenon that has influence society tremendously. I previously noted that I had a slowly developing script that focuses more on the affect Facebook has on society, but this movie explains why and how it all began. It is an excellent biopic of this phenomenon and Time Magazine's 2010 "Man of the Year". That man is Mark Zuckerberg. Not only is this a riveting story that has compelled huge interest, but it is also wonderfully directed by Fincher and his style that was put on the map after "Fight Club" is marvelously incorporated into his latest work making it a film for these times.

And the best movie of the year according to me is:

"The Ghost Writer" (Roman Polanski). From a new way of telling a story to the oldest way, Polanski proves that he is a master of his trade and produces a fantastic thriller. In a time where we constantly see fast images, big explosions through CGI it is hard to believe that a great thriller like "The Ghost Writer" can be made anymore. No hype or gimmicks, but simply a great story that unfolds through the images we see on screen. Hitchcock and De Palma were avid fans of the visual, which Polanski expresses brilliantly at the conclusion. I must admit that I am biased as this is my favourite type of film, but it is unbelievable how underrated this movie is. Possibly to do with Polanski's personal life, as if that should have any affect on audiences of this movie. For me "The Ghost Writer" holds up as a positive because even though I am not against mindless movies that portray mediocre narratives or CGI effects, I am happy to see that authentic filming methods are still relevant in Hollywood and world cinema. It still works.

Honourable Mentions:

Jackass 3D

Pirhanna 3D

Death at a Funeral

Hot Tub Time Machine

Greenberg

The Crazies

Rare Exports: A Christmas Tale

True Grit

The King's Speech

Morning Glory