Straight Outta Compton

This autobiographical film tells the story of 80's hip hop group N.W.A, specifically artists; Dr Dre, Ice Cube and Eazy E. The film depicts their rise to fame and fall from grace as they deal with the hardships of life, friendship and racial inequality.

Indifference is the best word to describe my feelings when I heard about this film. I never intended to see it in cinema, and if it wasn't for some friends suggesting it - as there was nothing else on that I would waste my time seeing - then I never would have seen it.

The progression of the lives of the main characters from children to adults almost seems to fictional to be true. Fuelled by their passion for music and success despite the Compton backdrop of gangs, drugs and violence, and turning their rage from their constant prejudice and mistreatment into a relatable political stature is truly powerful.

Despite the pain, despite the struggle and despite the oppression, there was a lighter side to the group, they didn't let the fact that they could be arrested for walking funny get them down. They laughed, at one another, with one another and they had each others back, no matter what would happen later on you could see that they had a connection, they were more than friends, they were brothers.

Naturally music is a huge component of this film, but I think it works so well because the music the artists make is about their lives, and so you find yourself nodding along to the beat, raising a hand to testify, and feeling as though you have gone through the same struggle they have, as essentially you have witnessed it to... Not quite on the mean streets of Compton, but from a comfortable cinema seat on a Sony 4k Digitally Projected Screen.

Despite the irony of me writing this review for you, I think for me going into this film more or less blind, with no expectations or prior historical knowledge of the films basis, really allowed me to be more receptive.

Hands down this is probably one of the best films I have seen this year, so I suggest you get straight outta your house and go and see it.

Mission: Impossible - Rouge Nation

I will keep this review shorter than Tom Cruise and start by saying that similarly to what I wrote about seeing Fast and Furious...and basically any action fuelled film ever made, you don't tune in for the moving plot, emotional character journey or Oscar worth performances. Not that it would be Mission: Impossible for any of those things to happen, just very unlikely, and so Tom Cruise being very much aware of the rules, went right on ahead and reprised his role as Ethan Hunt.

The film starts off at at 100 miles an hour... well more around 55 knots an hour, as Ethan Hunt "boards" a plane to recover information he believes will help the CIA believe in the existence of The Syndicate - an international criminal organisation.

Naturally, said international criminal organisation will not allow Hunt to do so, and thus they steal his proof, capture him and begin torturing him. While he is basically slacking off, the Impossible Mission Force faces threat of disbandment for their chaotic tactics in getting the job done, a feat that is being spearheaded by the CIA.

Hunts mission, should he choose to except it (though when has he not?) is to escape capture, prove the existence of the Syndicate, look cool in a tuxedo, engage in a chase scene, re-enact the fight scene from Elijah Wood's Piano, and out smart the girl.

They call this mission impossible, but I could probably do all that with my eyes closed, my hands tired behind my back, and in heels. Either way the film was as Okay as expected, and though I hope that they just let the character of Ethan Hunt rest so that they can reprise him with a younger model... I will probably be finding an inventive way to rehash this review in two years when Mission: Impossible - Never Going To  End, makes its way onto the big screen.