Block Party

Block Party
In Dave Chappelle’s Block Party you are able to witness Dave’s pursuit to bring together a community of people of all demographics to attend a free block party / Hip Hop show. Within the beginning of this documentary Filmed by Michel Gondry, you see Dave Chappelle as his humble self. You see him as the way he acts in his normal or somewhat normal life, yet he is still entertaining us. Dave travels around his hometown in Ohio looking for local residents to attend his block party. Not only is Dave looking for local residents, he is trying to get people who wouldn’t typically experience a Hip Hop show in Brooklyn, almost in a way to open people up to something new. Through all of this I feel you can get a better idea of who Dave really is, and to me he seems like a great person. I really like this film and the way it portrays Hip Hop culture. I do like Hip Hop although I haven’t really listened to it on a regular basis. However I have always had a familiarity with it. I am also familiar with the work of Mos Def and Talib Kweli, who both make up Black Star and represent some of the Hip Hop that I like the most. I have also heard of, and listened to at one time or another just about everyone else who was in this film. I guess I have somewhat of a different out look on this subject matter because of my involvement within music and the recording industry. As well as the fact that I have worked with different Hip Hop artists from all the different demographics that Hip Hop has. I also challenge my self to listen to different music and always keep an open mind to everything until I am able to hear it myself and create my own opinions. With that said I definitely think that Dave made great choices with the musicians that he gathered to represent Hip Hop.

After reading Dyson’s work I was just reminded of the constant argument that has happened time and time again with many different types of music. Dyson expresses what I would hope more people realize, and that’s that you can’t just generalize a style of music with an entire culture of people. Hip Hop/Rap music has been around for many years, and has many different demographics to it. You have to look deeper into it, into its origins where they can be traced back to, well Brooklyn, the hart of Jamaica, and the Afro-Latin styles of Caribbean music. I believe that Dyson would give Dave’s Block Party the seal of approval based on the representation of Hip Hop music that he created. I also think that Dave shares and or agrees with Dyson’s depiction of Hip Hop culture as well as most of the performers who were in the film.

In researching alternate reviews of block Party I came across a review by Ebert and Roeper which I couldn’t agree with any more, this review was found at http://tvplex.go.com/buenavista/ebertandroeper/mp3/060306-dave_chappelles_block_party.mp3 or searched for Block Party at www.rottentomatoes.com and clicking Ebert and Roeper’s review. Here they comment “the performers Chapelle uses are not from the hard edge of rap their not gangsters but accomplished musicians and created a harmonious spirit in Brooklyn despite the rain that day.” The only part of their comment I wasn’t crazy about was the statement “not gangsters but accomplished musicians” this to me just seemed like they didn’t get the message of the film. However Roper did say “I want to see another hour of Dave Chappelle’s Block Party.” There were also a few reviews that were poor given to the film, and what I gathered was that they were all responding on the footage of the film. Like “It looks like run-of-the-mill party videos shot by a drunk.” Quoted from Jim Lane of the Sacramento News & Review found on rottentomatoes.com. Although some people may not have like the footage, or possibly the mobility or unsteady shots given (Jim Lane) I on the other hand maybe through a biased view being a fan of Gondry’s work, felt that it just added to the experience and actually brought you further into the film as if you were there, rather than watching some over produced large budget style of concert footage.

Well I can definitely say I enjoyed this film, I also feel that Dave did a great job at representing Hip Hop, and delivering a fantastic set of performances to an audience who are new to the scene, or already fans. If anything I think Dave did a great job of taking viewers and opening up a different view about himself, a style of music and a culture that has gravitated around it.

Rev. Living Out Loud

within the review of Living Out Loud submited on Rottentomatoes.com by Sean Axmaker from the Seattle Weekly, he makes some good points about the movie that I aggree with. Like when he states "Holly Hunter provides plenty of fuel, but the film still loses steam." I agree with this statement Holly did play a very invigorating role it the movie that still did't have the needed wind to set it a sail. How ever Sean's statement about the director and the way the movie went,(" director Richard LaGravenese creates in scene after scene a velvety elegance that, unfortunately, dissolves at the edges. He just can't seem to pull it all together into a coherent story.")can be eckoed with in his own rivision. Its quite possible that this does reflect the movie being the the review is also lacking coherentness. Living Out Loud does protray a series of events that revolve around Judith's (Hunter) life and how she is searching for a new meaning after her husband left her for another women. the movie is basically based around Judith's search to find new meaning and if it is possible to live a happy and successful life alone. its throught this search and many intoxicating nights that Judith meets Pat (Danny DeVito) who has also been through some life chalenging events and the two are able to develope a friendship based upon this that takes them through many enusual events, and lots of time spent haning out in a jazz club with Liz (Queen Latifa) who is a jazz singer.

“Be Wedgie Free”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LcM0OT6mnqA
or
http://www.youtube.com/bewedgiefree

“Be Wedgie Free” is the slogan that Hanes is using for their new You Tube commercial. In the commercial you see actress Sarah Chalke dance, squirm, and shimmy allover as she is walking down the side walk. She is doing this all in attempts to get her wedgie out without fixing it by hand because she is out in public. I know this advertisement is not directed towards the male demographic. However it could be pretty funny to see an add like this that is targeted towards the male demographic. How differently do you think they would try to sell men’s wedgieless underwear? This advertisement however is directed towards women, women who are irritated by the problem of having wedgies, and the obstacle of trying to free themselves of these wedgies when in a place where they can’t simply pick it. The add then offers a solution to this problem of trying to wiggle your way out of a wedgie by purchasing very comforting Hanes panties that won’t ride. It seems Hanes is trying to identify with their intended customers by with a humorous approach to the irritating and possible embarrassing consequences of getting a wedgie and offering their product as a comfortable solution. I would guess that Hanes is reaching their target audience here and that many women will like this advertisement. Maybe just because of the humor of the situation, or that they might be able to relate to it. Maybe their Scrubs fans and will look farther into the product because of Sarah Chalke. If anything I can defiantly see this add catching the attention of younger kids who would probably look at just the humor in the add, or just enjoy the catchy song. Maybe seeing this add just might remind women how much they want comfortable underwear.

Living Out Loud

Living Out Loud directed and written by Richard LaGravenese and released in 1998 is a drama / comedy, portraying the new spin that’s just been put on the main character Judith Moore’s (Holly Hunter) Life. Hunter’s character in the film has had to stop and take a whole new look at her life, and how she is going to live it. After she had devoted sixteen years of her life to her marriage, as well as sacrificing career movements for her husband, he leaves her for another women. Hunter’s character is now considering all the possibilities of life, and where it might lead her. The biggest question being can she lead a successful happy life alone. To add to the story Hunter’s character winds up meeting and becoming friends with her buildings elevator man Pat (Danny DeVito). DeVito’s character has also gone through many challenges in life, a failed marriage, a resent loss of a child, and not to mention the ill ability to maintain a good job. Yet never the less he has a somewhat good outlook on life, and the continuing idea for his own business. Of course this brings these two characters close together is somewhat of a tangled friendship romantic something. Also making an appearance in this film is Queen Latifah who plays Liz a jazz singer at this cool kind of run down jazz club. Thought the film Latifah’s character is somewhat of a voice of reason for Judith. Liz who is kind of a fallen jazz singer still has a positive out look on her life and holds a strong presence. It is through these three characters that the film evolves taking you in and out of the jazz club, Judith’s apartment, the elevator, some flashes of Judith’s imagination and to some club where a choreographed dance happens.
All in all I don’t think that this was a terrible movie, it’s definitely not a movie that would be projected towards my demographic. I under stood the roll of the character and how she had to look at and reevaluate her entire life from a standpoint other than hers, yet you can imagine the struggle. Through out the film it was easy to see how the main characters were attracted to each other given their different personalities and pathways through life. Some of the events that took place like flashes into Judith’s mind or the random ness of her actions, to even the places they would go were confusing yet it kept me wondering what could actually happen next. I would say I would give this movie a two and a half of five stars, I’d say this because all the randomness and unusual humor that had been used in the film kept me some what occupied for at least one sitting.