The Significance of Straight Outta Compton in 2015

With the release date set for August 14^th, we were finally treated to the first look at the upcoming biographical drama Straight Outta Compton, a film that will portray the story of the legendary Californian rap group N.W.A.

 

The movie poster for the upcoming biopic.

If you’ve never heard of N.W.A before, you will no doubt have heard of some of the founding members such as Easy-E, DJ Yella, Ice Cube and Dr. Dre. The film will show their rise and subsequent fall from the top of the hip hop genre and being one of the biggest rap groups commercially, but more importantly, it will outline a dramatized version of the prejudice the black community of Compton faced during the late 1980’s-1990’s and their notorious conflict between the group and various law enforcement agencies.

Biopic. Drama. Rap group. To some of you, you’re probably reading this thinking “so what?” or “why should I even be interested in something like this?” Well, not only should you be interested in this film but, this could potentially be among one of the most significant films of 2015.

Now, I consider myself to be a major cinephile, so to come out with a claim like that, when this year will see the likes of Avengers: Age of Ultron, Furious 7, Jurassic World and of course, Star Wars VII hitting the big screens, it is a big deal…

So what is my reasoning behind that claim? If you’ve seen any news in the last eight months or so, you might have heard about the recent riots and shootings happening in America. What do they all have in common?

Race.

Straight Outta Compton, while it could be a cinematic masterpiece in its own right – given the rich story behind it and an impactful first trailer – this film will provide a sharp social commentary on contemporary life in America, where racial tensions are unfortunately still running high.

Back in August last year, 18 year-old Michael Brown, an African-American male was shot to death after an altercation with a white police officer, after he was considered to be a suspect in a robbery hours before. The response of the police to the shooting was heavily criticised and, after a further escalation of events, a number of riots began to break out across Ferguson, Missouri. The unrest sparked a vigorous debate about the law enforcement’s relationship with African-Americans, and police use of force doctrine in Missouri and nationwide.

Flashback to the late 1980’s where the streets of Compton, California were filled with a number of black youths outraged at the judicial system and the relentless discrimination and racial profiling by the authorities. It was at this time that N.W.A translated this into honest music that rebelled against abusive authority, giving an explosive voice to a silenced generation. This later led to the Rodney King riots of 1992, a period of civil unrest following the acquittal of a number of police officers on trial regarding a videotaped incident of police brutality, beating King – an African-American – after a high speed pursuit.

Are you seeing any similarities here?

A walk that says fuck tha police...

Back in the late 80’s, despite Compton being one of the most prominent locations for gang violence, drugs and police brutality, it also became one of the fundamental pillars for gangsta rap and the hip hop scene largely due to N.W.A. The group’s lyrics alone had a number violent profanities directed towards governmental institutions and departments like the LAPD and the FBI with songs like ‘Fuck tha Police’, this can be argued that their songs only added further fuel to the fire.

However, the Compton group were only providing a social commentary on the events happening on the streets all while marking the beginning of a revolutionary change within the hip hop genre itself. Back to the future (casually dropping another film reference) and we’re here in 2015; the year where the biopic Straight Outta Compton will be released, the year where the hip hop genre will coincidently explode once again and, it is the year where a social reflection and change regarding racial profiling in certain areas is unquestionably needed.

The release of Straight Outta Compton this year is monumental when looking at current issues, especially with an uncanny echoing of the N.W.A-era, with Compton-born rappers The Game and Tyga beginning to break into the mainstream’s vision as well as the lyrical genius Kendrick Lemar – who makes a brief cameo in the extended trailer for this film – releasing his highly anticipated album this year too. Not only this, the film will be released a year after the start of the Ferguson riots. 

Coincidence?

So, despite this sounding like a history lesson, a sermon or an article that perhaps belongs within the Music section of this magazine, I think the main point to take away from this is the fact that, amidst all of the major blockbusters hitting the screens this year, it’s worth to note some of the lesser publicised films – such as Straight Outta Compton – that will address social and political issues currently developing across the pond. Because of this, Straight Outta Compton can undoubtedly be one of the most important films of 2015.

Despite what Eminem proclaims, Dr Dre is not locked in his basement and will instead perhaps be a part of something that Slim Shady can never quite replicate. 

American Sniper Review

After recently receiving six nominations at this year’s 87^th Academy Awards, including Best Picture and Best Adapted Screenplay, American Sniper had already established a high calibre prior to its release.

The film is a biographical war drama film directed by Clint Eastwood and written by Jason Hall, which centres on the awe-inspiring and melancholic tale of navy SEAL Chris Kyle, a sniper who was accredited officially with 160 kills; the deadliest marksman in US military history.

Based on Chris Kyle’s autobiography, the film highlights the true horrors of modern warfare, the rough terrain of the Middle East, wrought with tension and suspense at every turn. While the screenplay arguably lacks depth into the true psychological toll of war, it still maintains a sound structure with notable progression in the narrative and overall character development; portraying a worthwhile cinematic story.

Stars Bradley Cooper and Sienna Miller show fantastic onscreen chemistry as both Chris and Taya Kyle, but the real star is Cooper, who puts in his best performance and transformation within a role yet; worthy of his Best Actor nomination.

Bradley Cooper transforms into Chris Kyle in this war biopic, pulling on the heartstrings of Americans.

Cooper is thrown deep into the mind set of Kyle’s life, reacting in a somewhat reserved and robotic manner to the horrors and hardships he had to face both emotionally and physically in the war zone and outside of it while back at home. A somewhat lacklustre third act of the script fails to deliver that impactful convergence of theme and character arc and the true emotional toil of war.

Sienna Miller punches home with an impressive and emotional portrayal of Kyle’s wife, combining her skills and distinctive personality to make every gut-wrenching and tear-jerking moment stick, in particular a scene where she overhears Chris in battle over the phone. While the main focus is on the tale of both Chris and Taya Kyle, the supporting cast help to bolster their performances and act as necessary stops to keep the narrative moving forward.

With impressive action sequences, crafted with meticulous detail, Clint Eastwood really shows off his skills with an array of sombre shots, highlighting the gritty nature of war and the backdrop of the Middle East. In a clear and edgy cinematic capacity, American Sniper is filled with high-octane and suspense to keep you on the edge of your seat throughout.

The pallid, drab and monotonous tone of the film further enhances the callousness of the Middle East, where a majority of the film takes place, and strengthens its impressive cinematography. Proving to be a strong biopic with striking action sequences, American Sniper is possibly one of the best modern war films since Black Hawk Down or Hurt Locker. Complete with moving performances from its two leads, wrapped in suspense and a dramatic take on the mental afflictions that war brings, American Sniper proves to be worthy of its Oscar nominations and critical acclaim.

9/10.

2015 TV Schedule

As promised, here is an indepth look at some of the shows releasing in the next few months, complete with release dates and some personal recommendations! Enjoy TV watchers! A key is at the bottom.

TV Shows to Check out in 2015

While 2015 is set to be the year to end all years in terms of films scheduled to be released, the small screen has an emphatic year ahead of it too.

This year will see comedy come back with a force with the final season of Parks & Recreation, the fifth season of Workaholics, the sixth season of Modern Family and the tenth season of It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia. Not only that, 2015 will see the returns of; the hit fantasy show Game of Thrones, the critically acclaimed True Detective, the hit Brit show Sherlock, the heart-pounding The Americans and the award-winning Fargo all scheduled to have new seasons released this year, the big hitters will be accompanied by some new shows and the return of others that took one hell of a mid-season break.

After a string of earth-shattering and internet-breaking mid-season finales, there are a few shows that have many questions left to be answered, like: [*SPOILERS AHEAD*]

A solemn Rick Grimes does what he can to keep his friends and family alive...

What other horrors are in store for Rick, Daryl and the Gang? (The Walking Dead)

Did they really just kill Oliver Queen? (Arrow)

Is Harrison Wells really the Reverse Flash? (The Flash)

Will Raven lash out at Clarke after killing Finn? Will peace be kept between them and the Grounders? (The 100)

Will Oswald Cobblepot become The Penguin this season? (Gotham)

Now that Annalise Keating knows, will the group get away with Sam’s murder and clear Rebecca’s name? (How to Get Away with Murder)

So many questions from so many shows that have had millions over the Christmas break wanting more! But unfortunately, we have to wait – for some shows at least – another month before having these questions addressed.

But amidst the returning shows, a handful of newcomers will be looking to make an impact and garner a following from the start of the year.

Empire: Premiered January 7^th 2015

Terrence Howard shows off his ambitious side in this new drama

Empire is an upcoming musical drama television series about a music empire starring Terrance Howard.

Howard plays a successful hip-hop artist that receives a medical diagnosis that predicts he will be incapacitated in three years. This prompts Lucious Lyon (Howard), a man has ruled the music empire unchallenged, while without further damaging his family, must decide which of his three troubled sons will take over. The reappearance of his ex-wife only complicates things further after she says he owes her for taking the fall for the drug-running that financed his early career.

The fact that the show is a musical based drama was interesting in itself and worth checking out, and the fact that it was one of FOX's highest rated shows in a long while proved its weight. The dark tone the show has embedded within it makes it a highly worthwhile show as you mull over the mid-season questions.

Better Call Saul: Premiering February 8^th 2015

Who ya gonna call?? Well if it ain't the Ghostbusters, it should be this guy...

Coming in early February, we will be returning to the world of AMC’s Breaking Bad and following the adventures of the immoral and brazen lawyer Saul Goodman (Bob Odenkirk). Better Call Saul will show the trials and tribulations of the criminal lawyer in the time leading up to establishing his strip-mall law office in Albuquerque, New Mexico; and before the time of Heisenberg.

Last Man on Earth: Premiering March 1^st 2015

Will Forte doing practically a one man show?? Just take my money now!

The Last Man on Earth is a new comedy about the life and adventures of the last man on earth. Phil Miller (Will Forte) was once just an average guy who loved his family and hated his job at the bank – now he’s humanity’s last hope.

The premise of this show is intriguing, already raising questions like; is he really alone? Where did everyone else go? And with rising actor Will Forte starring, it should be worth the watch.

American Crime: Premiering March 5^th 2015

With a name like that, what's not to like?

American Crime is an upcoming American Anthology crime drama series that will center on race, class, and gender politics as it follows a racially charged murder and the subsequent trial.

Community: Premiering March 17^th 2015

#SixSeasonsAndAMovie looms ever closer

Being picked up for another season by online network Yahoo!, this meta-comedy will aim to go back to its comedic roots as one of Yahoo!’s flagship shows. A show that’s always been ahead of its time and has always been an internet show will finally have its freedom on the internet.

Marvel’s Daredevil: Premiering April 10th 2015

Marvel? Mixing with Netflix? If anything looked like perfection, it'd be this.

As Marvel’s dominance in film and television continue, they move over to Netflix with the start of their Defenders series, starting with Daredevil this coming May. Lawyer-by-day Matt Murdock uses his heightened senses from being blinded as a young boy to fight crime at night on the streets of New York City’s Hell’s Kitchen neighborhood as superhero Daredevil. Expect this to break the internet when it arrives after Avengers: Age of Ultron in May.

Westworld: Premiering late 2015

Ever seen that Itchy & Scratchy Land episode of The Simpsons? That's what this is... just less Homer Simpson

Westworld is an upcoming science fiction thriller television series created by Jonathan Nolan and Lisa Joy for HBO, based on the 1973 MGM film of the same name, which was written and directed by American novelist Michael Crichton.

Described as “a dark odyssey about the dawn of artificial consciousness and the future of sin,” the series tells the story of a futuristic amusement park called Westworld. The series will star big names such as Thandie Newton, Evan Rachel Wood, James Marsden and the legendary Anthony Hopkins.

Obviously this is only a glimpse at some of the shows that will be gracing our screens this coming year; but we will also seeing the conclusion of a few shows, such as critically acclaimed Mad Men and unequivocally funny Parks & Recreation.

A more in-depth television schedule/guide with personal recommendations to help you navigate and never miss a televisual moment in 2015 can be found here!

Gone Girl Review

Despite Hollywood – for some bizarre reason – seemingly finding it impossible to come up with any original ideas that don’t include remakes, reboots, books or comics adaptations, Gone Girl is a unfortunately not exempt from that list… However, it does break away from the dismal mould of poor adaptations and slips nicely into a sharp, clever social commentary.

Based on the book by the same name, Gone Girl provides the viewer with an exciting and somewhat disturbing look at dishonesty, appearances, the effects of the media and the institution of marriage and relationships. The mystery-thriller, that was directed by David Fincher (Fight Club, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, The Social Network), was a brilliant choice to take control and helm this adaptation; really making the film his own in terms of vision and structure.

Gone Girl is an intricately well-thawed out and layered narrative experience, with an intriguing mystery at its core that unearths the secrets at the heart of a modern marriage. On the occasion of his fifth wedding anniversary, Nick Dunne (Affleck), who now lives a quiet life in the suburbs of Missouri, reports that his beautiful wife, Amy (Pike), has gone missing. Under pressure from the police and a growing interest from the public thanks to an uncontrollable media frenzy, Nick’s portrait of a blissful union begins to crumble. Soon his lies, deceits and strange behaviour have everyone asking the same dark question: Did Nick Dunne kill his wife?

Ben Affleck as Nick Dunne trying to find his wife.

The film utilises the use of the flashback technique to advance and flesh out the story and the characters superbly. Ben Affleck, who to some remains as a controversial actor in some of his roles (being casted as the new Batman, anyone?) takes the role of a struggling, distant and awkward husband and delivers an exceptional performance throughout. From the continual character development to the sudden outbursts of a range of motions, Affleck takes the laidback yet troubled Nick Dunne as he deals with the accusations of murdering his wife causing the audience to switch back and forth between empathy and suspicion as the events unfold. Throughout the film, you continually question his temperament by asking the same question: is he a victim or is he a complete sociopath?

His performance is only elevated by the talented Rosamund Pike, who portrays the missing “girl” in question, his wife Amy Dunne. Her character arc is essentially the main plot thread of the entire film, which is something Pike adapts to and makes her own in a never ending exploration of the perks and worries that comes with any long term relationship. The contrasting emotions of the two, when on screen together, help to paint the picture of the potential struggles of relationships in the modern era.

With any good film that has strong and convincing leads, it helps to have a talented supporting cast. Gone Girl has Neil Patrick Harris playing the somewhat creepy, rich and spoilt ex-boyfriend of Amy Dunne, Desi Collings. Tyler Perry plays the contrasting character as the nonchalant and arrogant attorney of Nick Dunne, Tanner Bolt. But the most impressive performance is perhaps by Carrie Coon, who plays Nick Dunne’s twin sister, Margo. Coon provides a solid platform for Affleck to work off from and gives a further insight to his character and their family’s past.

The script is one of the noticeable high points of the film, something that is becoming harder to find in many of today’s blockbusters, and this could be down to the fact that the author of the book, Gillian Flynn had the opportunity to write the screenplay herself. With this, it helped to grab the essence of the book while making it an entirely different entity in itself.

Who's telling the truth then...?

The focus of media exploitation and manipulation of appearances is something that Fincher unravels throughout the film, something that is a major theme throughout the book as well. He takes the fickle opinions of popular news culture and that alone helps to set out the story, supplying the next thread to follow. What makes Gone Girl an enticing film for the casual movie-goers all the way to the raging cinephiles wanting to see it is the fact that it is not a completely straight forward mystery-thriller, with a heavy focus on character development.

Gone Girl is another noteworthy cinematic experience from David Fincher, something that encapsulates the feel and themes of the novel that are portrayed expertly onto the big screen, with its cast really standing out in their respective roles as the ugly side of love rears its head into a memorable movie viewing. Perhaps one of the more memorable – albeit a little disturbing – films of the year that is worth that trip to the cinema.

 

9/10.

TV Shows Cancelled Before Their Time

Nothing lasts forever.

Yes, I know, a rather woeful start but I’m sure you’ll agree that it’s applicable to the world of television. Throughout the calendar year, we see countless shows that fall under the axe of TV networks. If, like me, that the debris of multiple mid-season finales over the last few months are still causing you to squeal and throw your fists in a sea of raging tantrums, then this can only be seen as a good thing for your favourite shows; it at least means that people are tuning in to keep the show on the air to create big twists.

Other shows have not been so lucky… Over the years, you might come across a rare gem of a show and to you, it’s perfect. It has everything you wanted in a show. But then a few months later, you find out that the network that aired it have cancelled the show. They cancelled it?!!

…But let’s be honest, you could be one of those few people who only liked that show and it is probably rubbish, hence why they cancelled it.

Too harsh? Well clearly you haven’t taken a step back and

witnessed some of the drivel that is on TV, aside from the talentless reality shows and fake, monotonous talent shows… wait, do I have that the right way round?


ABC's Selfie, that was cancelled not long after it started. No surprise there...

Either way, this year saw shows like Utopia on FOX (a social experiment where random people were placed in a ‘utopic’ space to see how they’d get along with each other) or Karen Gillan in ABC’s Selfie (a rom-com series about… well…) Because who thought that these were good ideas for TV shows?!

But there are times when these “all-knowing” TV networks get it completely wrong and cancel a show that is, in fact, perfect. To millions. A show that has every aspect crafted with perfectly with meticulous detail.

Sometimes, they’ll blame budget cuts, forcing the show off the air. Others, they just don’t like and don’t care too much about it; they then take this show and air it either out of order or at irregular timeslots or they just stop airing it altogether!

Sometimes the Network Gods really know how to push my buttons… But just humour me and read on, I’ll show you, on numerous occasions, where these “omnipotent” network executives have gotten it oh so very wrong.

Let’s start with FOX. Ha! FOX…So many things can be said about the handling of their programming and their incompetence in managing a network, but I digress. Last year, you may have missed it, thanks to their complete disregard for the show – airing it on random days and even out of order – Almost Human hit the air waves.

The cast of futuristic sci-fi police procedural Almost Human.

Set in 2048, Almost Human starred Dredd actor Karl Urban as police officer John Kennex, who wakes up from a 17-month coma without his girlfriend, his partner and without one of his legs. Surviving a catastrophic attack on the police department and now outfitted with a highly sophisticated synthetic appendage – along with depression, trauma on-set OCD and PTSD – Kennex is persuaded to come back to work. As all cops are required to work with a robot, Kennex must overcome his aversion to androids and get accustomed to his new partner: a discontinued android with unexpected emotional responses.

The tagline for the show.

What set this show apart from the other mundane police procedurals that clog our justice system of television were the outstanding special effects, perhaps thanks to producer J.J.Abrams, and the onscreen chemistry between Urban and Michael Ealy, who plays the new robot partner Kennex is paired with. The storylines of the episodes were well-crafted and meticulously planned as well as believable, given it was set in the future. The downfall of this show however was that FOX had failed to air the episodes in order and not to mention taking long and frequent breaks from airing them.

But they didn’t stop there. A short-lived summer comedy by the name of Surviving Jack aired last year that, set with a nostalgic 90’s vibe, followed Jack Dunlevy, an ex-military man and no-nonsense guy who becomes a full-time parent when his wife decides to go to law school. He takes an unorthodox approach to keeping his teenagers, Frankie and Rachel, in line.

Any kid born in the nineties would not only adore this show for its visual appreciation but the humour of the show is something that is hard to come; the jokes were well-timed, witty and well delivered by each of its actors. But because of irregular time slots and not even airing the final episode, FOX pulled the plug on another great show.

 

Why FOX?!

 

Yet this wasn’t the first time that they had thrown away something so precious. I’m sure you’ve heard of Firefly. Oh you haven’t? THAT’S BECAUSE FOX CANCELLED IT!

Another short-lived cult phenomenon that, set in the future, explores the lives of a group of people who fought on the losing side of a civil war and others who now make a living on the fringe of society, as part of the pioneer culture that exists on the fringes of their star system.

I’ve tried to understand why this show was cancelled but I… just… can’t.

So let’s move away from the abysmal decision-making and the past blunders of FOX to a more reputable network. Let’s go with HBO; the home of The Sopranos, Boardwalk Empire, True Detective and Game of Thrones. Surely a pedigree network such as this couldn’t have made mistakes like that of *eurgh* FOX?

Rome wasn't built in a day... yet that didn't stop HBO cancelling the show before it was at its best.

Before the days of Spartacus and Game of Thrones, HBO had another hit show called Rome. But Rome’s demise was in fact felled by its own doing. Because of the complex expense of the production, HBO had to make the decision on the second and third season at the same time. HBO ordered a second and declined to order a third – a decision they must have regretted when season two debuted to a better reception than the first (with a few Emmy nominations as well). By the time the network realized its mistake, it was too late since it had already released the actors, who’d moved on to other things. Still, Rome was a real game-changer that helped pave the way for Game of Thrones, Spartacus, The Borgias and The Tudors to name a few.

But this wasn’t the first thread to be cut short by HBO; Deadwood, a drama about wrangling the West into shape included a cast as big as a small, uncivilized frontier town. But Deadwood ended before the West was truly won, and even creator David Milch’s empty promise of a series of TV movies to accompany the show wasn’t enough to stop the cancellation of a nostalgia-hitting phenomenon.

Keeping with the theme of shows that helped pave the way for hit shows today is none other than CBS’s Jericho.

The apocalypse wasn’t nearly as hot in 2006 as it is today in shows like AMC’s The Walking Dead and (the now cancelled) NBC show Revolution – Don’t worry, we’ll get to NBC shortly. A fervent fan-base saved the series from becoming a one-season wonder by mailing CBS execs 20 tonnes of nuts (a nod to a quote on the show by Skeet Ulrich’s Jake Green), but consistent lackluster ratings in season 2 forced the “all-seeing” Eye (get it, because CBS’s logo is an eye…forget it) to pull the plug after seven episodes. But that didn’t stop Lennie James from playing mysterious characters in post-apocalyptic shows, first in Jericho and now he portrays Morgan Jones in The Walking Dead.

 

Now before I bore you to death with too much pessimism and over-the-top-pent-up anger issues with certain television networks, let me tell you about the “home of comedy” that is NBC.

Before the turn of the century, back in 1999, NBC had a revolutionary show in Judd Apatow’s Dramedy Freaks & Geeks. The show that starred James Franco, Seth Rogen, Linda Cardellini and Jason Segel would be an instantaneous hit today with names like that attached.

a young stellar cast graced the show Freaks & Geeks.

But this was unfortunately not the case. Freaks & Geeks emphasized the struggles of teenagers and the transitions they take as it follows the lives of Lindsay Weir (Cardellini) and her younger brother Sam and their relationships with their new friends, as well as the friction they cause with their parents. One central strand of the show is Lindsay’s own self-image from a star academic to a troubled slacker; the other follows Sam and his group of geeky friends as they navigate a different part of the social universe.

The inconvenient truth of this is that they pulled the plug on a show that was so hard-hitting and undercut expertly by well-timed comedy, it had the potential to set NBC apart from the rest… As did Community.

Community is an American sitcom that follows a group of students at a community college in the fictional and dysfunctional locale of Greendale. The series heavily uses meta-humour and popular culture references, often parodying other films and television clichés and tropes. The show also holds many familiar and famous faces in its main cast, along the likes of Ken Jeong, Alison Brie, Johnathan Banks, Joel McHale, Donald Glover and many others.

But this summer, NBC decided to pull the plug after five illustrious seasons, even with a cult following bigger than Firefly; the tagline fans had “Six Seasons and a Movie” was just not what NBC wanted for some reason…


Time to grab the books and get studying; Community is here to stay!

But before things slipped into the “darkest timeline”, there is always that beacon of light. And much like the Beacons of Gondor, the Beacons of Television have been lit to warn television networks that something big is coming; online subscription services. Yahoo!, keen to get their online service up and running revived the innovative show that is Community for another season. Let’s hope the season pays off and the movie shortly follows!

But this is not the first time that ground-breaking shows have been saved by the internet. Arrested Development, which had its plug pulled by FOX – why even bother with this network – will be seeing a revival on the online conglomerate that is Netflix.

So while we’ve seen the demise of some exceptionally great shows, with the constant growth of online networks, it’s quite possible that some shows will start to make the jump and move with the times… especially with television networks continually making blunders like the ones above, what do you expect.

Nightcrawler Review

After a somewhat lacklustre summer for major blockbusters in terms of originality, the winter seems to be providing us with what we needed. After the release of films such as Fury, Interstellar and The Imitation Game, Nightcrawler slots neatly into the mix of these outstanding cinematic experiences.


Set in Los Angeles, Louis Bloom (Jake Gyllenhaal) survives by scavenging and petty theft. He quickly stumbles on to a new career and the world of “nightcrawling” – a nocturnal profession where freelance video crews roam the city, striving to be the first to shoot up-close-and-personal footage of crime scenes, vehicle collisions, and other assorted tragedies, which can then be sold to the highest bidding local news station. Armed with a camcorder and police scanner, Lou proves that he has the determination and the perfect temperament necessary to strive at this profession and sniff out the shocking and grisly crimes of LA.

 

As Lou wrestles his way towards the top of this cut-throat business, he goes to increasingly greater lengths to catch the “money shot” and secure that bigger pay-check. Director Dan Gilroy demonstrates an uncommon assurance within its audience in his directorial debut. As well as this, he creates an audacious neo-noir thriller with constant tonal shifts and outstanding performances from its cast.

Gyllenhall with Rene Russo

Jake Gyllenhaal provides a chilling performance, constantly hiding behind a hollow smile and an articulate demeanor to trick others into believing him. The performance is unbelievably captivating and unnerving; one that would be a crime to not be considered come awards time with Gyllenhaal deserving every bit of praise for his almost psychotic portrayal of the character.

 Nightcrawler also acts as an effective insight – although troubling – into social commentary and the sharp critique of contemporary social issues. The film focuses a lot of its attention with the media’s exploitation of assorted tragedies as entertainment and the demand for it in our contemporary society. It is however amplified and then presented as a dark and disturbing tale about a ghoulish protagonist who prospers by abandoning any moral qualms he might have with the corrupt system and the consequent effects. But there is still truth to the film.

Despite the social commentary, the visual aspect of the film is almost breathtaking. With shots of LA at night creating an eerily accurate setting for the narrative unfolding of Lou Bloom, the film takes a nice blend of a true thriller mixed with an element of horror and action to create a neo-noir phenomenon.

Lou Bloom losing his marbles

Nightcrawler would be worth seeing just for Jake Gyllenhaal, whose performance carries the film to its worthy position as one of the best films of the year. But it’s also a gripping and entertaining dive into a nocturnal world of ruthless opportunism and dark secrets, accompanied with an enthralling supporting cast acting as the voices of reason, an enticing soundtrack and a refreshingly corrosive satire on moral responsibility.

 

9/10