New York, 1986: a city of big dreams and equally big problems. Like New York itself, hip-hop music encompassed both of these human conditions. But hip-hop and its cultural birthplace shared other important characteristics, too: the desire to always be original, a hustle-to-survive ambition, and — if the stars aligned — the ability to come out on top, no matter what the odds. Big Fun in the Big Town is about hip-hop when artistry in the game was still at its center. When skills, not hype, got you your first record deal. When Run-DMC took the reins from Doug E Fresh and Grandmaster Flash, paving the way for hundreds of other hitmakers to follow. When a chart-topping LL Cool J still lived with his Grandmother. When the Latin Quarter was the club to be at on any weekend night. And when artists from all backgrounds could taste their own pop chart dreams, just beyond their reach but still seemingly attainable.
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British stockbroker Nicholas Winton visits Czechoslovakia in the 1930s and forms plans to assist in the rescue of Jewish children before the onset of World War II, in an operation that came to be known as the Kindertransport.
It's the end of the century at a corner of the city in a building riddled with crime - Everyone in the building has turned into zombies. After Jenny's boyfriend is killed in a zombie attack, she faces the challenge of surviving in the face of adversity. In order to stay alive, she struggles with Andy to flee danger.
Antonio Torres, a serious singer of Spanish popular music, and Bárbara, a vivacious yé-yé singer, face off in a chaotic contest promoted by Rodolfo Sicilia, an overworked publicist.
In this musical adventure, Alvin develops an alter ego after Brittany rejects his offer to the Valentine Ball. In a dream state, he becomes a dashing Don Juan, the Valentine heartbreaker extraordinaire CAPTAIN CHIPMUNK. Brittany is quickly won over and eagerly accepts his offer to the Valentine Ball. Hilarious consequences follow when Alvin wakes up at the dance and realizes he’s not the dashing debonair Captain Chipmunk.
Ruth Butler, a clerk in an emporium, marries Jimmy Rutledge and thereby greatly displeases his mother, the owner of the emporium, because of Ruth's lowly origins. Renaud Graham, one of Mrs. Rutledge's friends, becomes interested in Ruth, forces his way into her apartment, and attempts to make violent love to her. Jimmy walks in on their embrace and, suspecting the worst, leaves Ruth. In the family way, Ruth finds refuge in a boardinghouse where she meets Al Bryant, an aspiring writer. Ruth tells Al her life story, and he makes it into a bestselling novel and then into a play. Jimmy sees the play and comes to his senses, winning Ruth's forgiveness.
An elite trio of astronauts aboard a years-long, possibly compromised mission to Saturn's moon Titan, gears up for a highly dangerous slingshot manoeuvre that will either catapult them to Titan or into deep space.
Ngor is a young man living in a Senegalese village who wishes to marry Coumba. Ongoing drought in the village has affected its crop of groundnuts and as a result, Ngor cannot afford the bride price for Coumba. He goes to Senegal's capital city, Dakar, to try to earn more money and is exploited there. He returns to the villagers and shares his experiences of the city with the other men. The story, which shows the daily lives of the villagers, is told in the form of a letter to a friend from a villager, voiced by Faye.
This film explores the continuous journey between the past and the present. In the sense of change, like the natural condition of a river and of man. In low flight across the water, from the source in the mountains to its mouth, we witness the consequences of the indifference of man towards nature. But the river resists. Because everything that runs deep is revealed at the surface.
A woman relives her trauma as she recounts her experiences with immigration, disassociation, and abuse.
A professor accidentally creates a pill that essentially makes him Superman. Soon everybody, from a soccer team to a gang boss, wants those pills and the clever complications compound until it's up to a fast-thinking "Super Girl" to save the day.
Three people, each having different aspirations from life, are caught in a tangle of emotions and don’t know the way out. There’s a husband and wife with love eroding from their life. And there’s a single, happy-go-lucky dude who falls in love with the wife.
Yet again. The sickness continues with Chain Reaction III. You will be thrown into the saddle to experience downhill madness that only the DH Productions stable of knuckleheads can deliver. The tradition of brutality is upheld with broken bikes, bones and blood. Everything that you have come to expect from three time Emmy Award producer/director Don Hampton.
This is a story, actually a fairytale for adults, that expresses how life could be beautiful, if only mankind would get out of its own way and enjoy it for a change.
While Rena and Maki recover from their injuries, the other SORD members jet off overseas for a school trip. Within moments of their arrival, though, the Mihama gang are pulled into a manhunt for a SORD deserter, assisted by student Sylvia and Velvet of St. Aile's International School. Tohka's the star of the show this time round, but she's wrestling with her own issues - old memories of her parents, and a promise to a friend that she wasn't able to keep...
A documentary film that highlights two street derived dance styles, Clowning and Krumping, that came out of the low income neighborhoods of L.A.. Director David LaChapelle interviews each dance crew about how their unique dances evolved. A new and positive activity away from the drugs, guns, and gangs that ruled their neighborhood. A raw film about a growing sub-culture movements in America.
In The FADER's doc Right Here Is Home, JPEGMAFIA revisits one of the first places he connected with a creative community, The Bell Foundry in Baltimore, and explains how the city's collective fight against police brutality helped foster his early forays into music. He then gets into how there really wasn't a backup plan after music, despite his journalism degree. And to show the electric energy in his live shows, the doc ends with a sold out show at Baltimore's Metro Gallery featuring himself as the DJ.
Copyright Criminals examines the creative and commercial value of musical sampling, including the related debates over artistic expression, copyright law, and (of course) money. This documentary traces the rise of hip-hop from the urban streets of New York to its current status as a multibillion-dollar industry. For more than thirty years, innovative hip-hop performers and producers have been re-using portions of previously recorded music in new, otherwise original compositions. When lawyers and record companies got involved, what was once referred to as a “borrowed melody” became a “copyright infringement.” The film showcases many of hip-hop music’s founding figures like Public Enemy, De La Soul, and Digital Underground—while also featuring emerging hip-hop artists from record labels Definitive Jux, Rhymesayers, Ninja Tune, and more.
The world of hip-hop lyrics has changed, simple rhyme schemes just don't cut it. Rhymes are put under a microscope, and there is no lyrical leeway for emerging artists. This gripping documentary tells the story of Jeff Walker.
After three years of hustle in the capital, Jony Nyberg is dumped and forced to move back into his mother's mobile home, still parked in the Motown of Finland. Returning to the hoods he grew up in, Jony has to contend with loose ends from his past, including a repressed hip-hop persona known locally as "MC Pahis".
For over a decade, this portrait of a North Philadelphia family and the creative sanctuary offered by their home music studio was filmed with vérité intimacy. The family's 10-year journey is an illumination of race and class in America, and it's a testament to love, healing and hope.
WAR OF WORDS is an energizing, controversial and inspiring feature documentary that lifts the lid on the fast growing UK Battle Rap scene. The documentary is an examination of an exciting subculture of youth in the UK today; their creativity and work ethic, their passion for language and ability to control their own destiny. It investigates freedom of expression and respect for other cultures and lifestyles. While the language is often harsh and unflinching, the 'anything goes' philosophy of the battle arena results in one of the most harmonious and creative scenes in youth culture. The film is a truly entertaining expose on how the UK has embraced this American art form, creating one of the most exciting youth subcultures happening right now.
A progressive graduate student finds success and sparks outrage when his interest in battle rap as a thesis subject becomes a competitive obsession.
A film about women who love and make hip-hop music. These artists strive through the erasures and obstructions of a heavily male-dominated industry.
At Mr. Rad's Warehouse, the best hip-hop crews in Los Angeles compete for money and respect. But when a suburban crew crashes the party, stealing their dancers - and their moves - two warring friends have to pull together to represent the street. Starring hip-hop sensations Marques Houston, Omari Grandberry, Lil' Kim and comedian Steve Harvey.
Nerdcore Rising is a documentary/concert film starring MC Frontalot and other nerdcore hip hop artists such as mc chris, Wheelie Cyberman of Optimus Rhyme and MC Lars, with contributors from such as "Weird Al" Yankovic, Prince Paul and Brian Posehn. It combines interviews about nerdcore and its origins with footage of MC Frontalot's 2006 Nerdcore Rising national tour.
Street dancer, Thomas Uncles is from the wrong side of the tracks, but his bond with the beautiful Megan White might help the duo realize their dreams as they enter in the mother of all dance battles.
It follows two teenage rappers in Bangkok who use their musical talent to navigate their difficult circumstances.
"Continuum" is an updated look into the intricate mind of rising creative, Jaron Ikner. Acting as a cherry picked cross section of his creative output, CONTINUUM explores random worlds portraying different thought patterns and psyches of Jaron Ikner. Jaron tries to escape these various universes in hopes to find freedom while set to the soundscape of some of his recent releases as hip hop artist, Black One.
African Underground: Democracy in Dakar is a groundbreaking documentary film about hip-hop youth and politics in Dakar Senegal. The film follows rappers, DJs, journalists, professors and people on the street at the time before, during and after the controversial 2007 presidential election in Senegal and examines hip-hop’s role on the political process. Originally shot as a seven part documentary mini-series released via the internet – the documentary bridges the gap between hip-hop activism, video journalism and documentary film and explores the role of youth and musical activism on the political process.
The documentary film "Mr. Dial Has Something to Say" investigates the problem of classism and racism in the elite American art world. By following the dramatic, disturbing story of Thornton Dial, a 79-year-old American-African artist from Alabama's Black Belt.
Guillermo Gómez Álvarez explores the identity politics of Puerto Rico via archival footage from various sources that clash with nine original songs from local independent musicians and a thematic analysis from a psychoanalyst and a historian. From the juxtaposition the absurd becomes coherent and the coherent becomes absurd as Puerto Rican identity is defined and rejected almost simultaneously.
Home movies, photographs, and recited poetry illustrate the life of Tupac Shakur, one of the most beloved, revolutionary, and volatile hip-hop MCs of all time.