Rhapsodies

This weeks selection I’ve watched dramatic films about hip-hop

The first film on my list,  F. Gary Gray‘s Straight Outta Compton, tells the story of the rise and fall of the gangsta rap group N.W.A. In the process, it looks at race relations in the late eighties, the Rodney King riots, and the aids epidemic.

I had first heard of this film most of the things I’ve heard about it was the complement of the ensembles betrayal of NWA and this is indeed the case with the excellent cranial from the entire cast.

The biggest problem I have with biopics, in general, is the way they have to cram years into a couple of hours. I find they do better when they focus on certain key elements. In this case, the focus is the relation between the band and their manager Jerry Heller played by the wonderful Paul Giamatti.

All in all, my only real problem was an overuse of close-ups.

Next on my list was Curtis Hanson‘s 8 Mile which tells the story of white rapper B-Rabbit played by the real-life rapper Eminem as he struggles with his job, the life on the streets and terrible home life as he makes it to the underground rap battle. Loosely based on Eminem‘s early career (give or take a couple of embellishments), Eminem gives a surprisingly good performance and it is in his Intensity that holds the whole thing together