#319: STARRY EYES

2014
Directed by Kevin Kolsch & Dennis Widmyer

Psychological Horror, Body Horror, Slasher

Now this was a real breath of fresh air! I don't keep up with modern Horror films as much as I would like to, but quite frequently when I do check out a new Horror film that is being hyped up, I often end up disappointed. Yes, even It Follows didn't hit the sweet spot for me! I was browsing the Horror menus of Netflix and after reading the premise of this film and seeing it had a high average rating, I decided to give it a go! THANK GOD!!! Starry Eyes hit all the sweet spots. The first discussion point, is that it is quite an original premise. A struggling actor working a crummy, demeaning job is so desperate for a role in a Horror film, but is she willing to do absolutely ANYTHING to land the role?

Starry Eyes starts off like a regular movie, but it isn't until leading lady Sarah goes on her audition that things start to seem a little odd and unsettling. Without giving too much away, this is a film that escalates in creepiness and gets more fucked up as it goes along. There are some surreal touches along the way that add to the creep factor, and the film never misses a beat. The performance of the leading actress Alex Essoe is fantastic throughout, giving a very physical performance. The cult like film producers are also excellent. Starry Eyes is quite a unique idea for a Horror film. The closest film I can compare it to is Black Swan, not only because it is about a woman pushing herself too far to land a role, but it has a lot of messed up Body Horror elements, and a similar duality of good an evil sides of one person. Starry Eyes is also a great satire of the Hollywood system. I really don't want to give too much away about this film, but it is very creepy and very intense the longer you get into it. If you want something fresh and exciting from modern Horror, this is it! 8/10.

#317: NAS - TIME IS ILLMATIC

2014

Directed by One9

Music Documentary

Dogwoof seems to be churning out some of the highest quality and most fascinating documentaries of recent times, and here is another great one for music lovers to enjoy. Time Is Illmatic looks at the genesis of one of contemporary music's greatest masterpieces. Nas' 1994 debut LP "Illmatic", still praised as one of the greatest Hip Hop releases of all time. Rather than taking the route of the "Classic Albums" documentary series, Time Is Illmatic gets behind the events surrounding the creation of the album, rather than going too deep into the recording and writing process. Nas was in his late teens when he was writing and recording his masterpiece. His lyrics tell graphic descriptions of life in the Queensbridge projects, where drug dealing, gunfire, incarceration and death are all normal daily occurrences. Determined not to fall into the trap of dropping out of school and becoming a street hustler, a young Nas focused on his art and poetry instead. The true turning point was when Nas' best friend Ill Will (who is frequently referenced on the album) was shot dead, with Nas' own brother escaping wounded, right outside his block of flats. Nas had the smarts to turn his pain and tragedy into a great work of art.

I enjoyed the whole of this documentary, that focuses solely on the debut album, rather than the whole of Nas' career. It's true that Hip Hop die hard fans can easily spot a lack of depth in the making process of the album, but it does cover the basics very well, including interviews with producers Pete Rock, Large Professor, DJ Premier, Q-Tip and LES. You get to see some of his early guest spots, including fabulous footage of him performing "Live at the BBQ" with Main Source. But I think the things that stand out most in this film are the things that aren't heard on the album. A look into Nas' upbringing, his school days and his parents separation. But most importantly it gets behind how black Americans were living at the time, and life in the projects, getting under the skin of how that correlated with Nas' music. Nas himself said he was an observer rather than a participator. If "Illmatic" was a perfect snapshot of life in the projects back in 1994, then Time Is Illmatic is a great extension of this snapshot, putting images to Nas' words. 8/10.