www.theotherpress.ca

Arts.

 

Stirring the controversial pot with Zero Dark Thirty

By Steven Cayer, Contributor

oe

irected by Kathryn Bigelow

(director of the 2010 Best
Picture-winner The Hurt Locker),
Zero Dark Thirty is an intense
film that takes you through the
obstacles the CIA went through
in finding, and eventually
killing Osama Bin Laden. The
movie has already snagged four
Golden Globe nominations (the
top ones being Best Picture—
Drama and Best Director), and
was recently nominated for a
Best Picture Oscar (amongst
others) as well.

Zero Dark Thirty covers
the decade-long span, from
September 11, 2001, all the way

to that final moment on May 1,
2011. Yes, although the movie is
157 minutes long Gust over two-
and-a-half hours), it is very well
paced. There were also a couple
of surprise cast members along
the way, although the big focus
has been on Jessica Chastain’s
performance. Chastain plays

a CIA operative who is hell-
bent on finding Bin Laden in
what has already been a mullti-
award winning (and now Oscar
nominated) role.

I must admit, while the
first quarter of the film was
tough to watch, the rest left me
on the edge of my seat. And
even though we already know
the ending, it still made me
imagine the possibilities and
kept me asking, “Did this really
happen?”

 

Still from Zero Dark Thirty | Photo courtesy of Jonathan Olley

‘Gangster Squad’ embarrasses Hollywood with its film noir spoof

 

By Parker Thompson,
Contributor

|

f you were dying to go see

Gangster Squad since its
delayed September release,
you may want to reconsider.
Directed by Ruben Fleischer
(director of 2009s Zombieland),
Gangster Squad’s stylized
cinematics are insulted by
unclear directorial choices and a
lacklustre storyline.

Set in a corrupt post-WWII

Los Angeles, Gangster Squad
takes us into a period famous
for its organized crime. The film
opens with Mickey Cohen (Sean
Penn), the most feared gangster

Get ASAP Rocky on ASAP!

By Zach Roubos, Contributor

i

perceived knock against
$AP Rocky that critics

bring up over and over is that he
is a style over substance rapper.
Entirely on the contrary, Rocky’s
(a.k.a. Rakim Mayers’) style zs
his substance; his ear for beats is
ridiculous, and his debut album

Long. Live. ASAP. (out January
15) is a testament to that.

With production credits
from Jim Jonsin, Hit-Boy, Clams
Casino, and 40, amongst others,
there are many varied styles
on the album, yet nothing feels
out of place. The first standout
track is undeniably “PMW (AIII
Really Need),” where Schoolboy
Q steps in and arguably steals
the show on the incredibly
infectious ode to all one needs in
life. “Hell” finds Clams Casino

on the boards with a banger
that sounds like it was made in
the far reaches of deep space,
which Rocky flows nimbly over
while Santigold slides through
on the chorus. “1 Train” sees
the resurrection of the posse
cut featuring an insane lineup.
Over a throwback grimy string
sample based beat cooked up
by Hit-Boy, Rocky spits what is
probably his best verse on the
album, followed by six of his

most innovative crew joining in.

in town, on the verge of taking
over LA. However, Cohen meets
trouble when police sergeant
John O'Mara (Josh Brolin) puts
together a secret police unit
dedicated to taking him down.

The late 1940s were a
nostalgic and exciting time for
LA, but Gangster Squad doesn’t
take advantage of that the way a
film noir should. While the film
was Clearly stylized, I wasn’t
sure if it was meant to be a noir
revival or spoof. It ended up
coming off as a combination
of both. Fleischer’s history as
a comedic director leads me to
believe that he involuntarily
made fun of the genre.

With the exception of Penn’s
portrayal of Mickey Cohen, poor
writing victimized a talented
cast into delivering shallow,

Deluxe editions of the
album wrap up nicely with
Rocky getting surprisingly
personal about lost love on the
Florence Welch (of Florence
and the Machine fame) assisted
“I Come Apart.” That is the
version I recommend getting,
as it also comes with three
additional bonus tracks, making
what is already a solid listen last
even longer.

 

uninteresting characters.
There’s so much more that
could have been done with an
all-star lineup of actors in this
fascinating time period.

I did appreciate the
beauty of individual
moments—especially the
action sequences—but that’s
not enough for a coherent film.
Maybe next time Hollywood
wants to share its history with
us, it’ll choose a director suited
for the job.

ANA

male Mw by

DRAKE, 2 CHAINZ & te