Just Another Day (2009)

Wow! Such a good movie.

A terrific literary drama and character piece that shows how the process of creating art can be seen differently by those doing it and those looking at it from the outside.

The movie's not perfect, but it sticks the landing of its message. It was engaging - thrilling at times - and I personally thought it was a great time.

The film never slows down or bores, plunging from one harrowing sequence to the next.

I've watched this movie several times and can't get tired of it. I could relate to some of the characters in the movie. I thought that this movie hit the nail right on the head. This movie encompassed a realistic glimpse of what types of things go on in the industry. It didn't focus on just the money and success of an artist. It showed the dark side of being a hip-hop celebrity in this day and time. The music in the film was great at inspiring the scenes and vice versa. It was well written and well directed. Shout out to all the actors and actresses as they definitely brought this film to life. If you are a fan of hip-hop then you would definitely enjoy watching this movie!

I enjoyed this movie because it did not have a fairy tale ending. I am not going to spoil it, but unlike most movies, this one was very realistic. Thankfully there is a movie that delves into the deeper issues of the fame and glory of the Hip Hop lifestyle. What I found most compelling were the actors, each and everyone seemed authentic and in their own element. I really believed that these actors were rappers -not to mention their music was pretty good in the film. Overall, I thought the movie was good. It kept my attention the whole time, and the stakes were pretty high. When I though I knew what was going to happen next, I was wrong -which I appreciate. This isn't your normal "rags to riches" hip hop story like "Get Rich" or "8 Mile" this is a better look at the sacrifices and pressures of becoming and staying famous in Hip Hop.

There is only one good thing about this dumb movie. Avon and Marlo. Kids nor The Player should ever be mentioned in the same breath as this film, and there is a big reason why this went straight to video. It's plain bad.I had no idea what this film was, but I decided to see it because Wood Harris was on the cover. When I saw Marlo Stanfield during the title credits, I became very excited. To have both of these guys in the same film was an opportunity for greatness. To bad a fraud of a director and a weak script failed them both. What a shame.We all know these two actors are very good. Both should have Emmys, but were snubbed. In this film though, both seem like amatures, but this is due to the weak director. I really hope these two can be paired again for something good. For now I'll just watch the greatest show (even better than almost any film) ever made for the eighth time. The Wire.

Finally, a movie that gets Hip-Hop right. If you're like me, and though "Terrence Howard, a rapper? Really?" when you saw H&F, you'll dig this movie. It is way more authentic, and less of a silly fairytale portrayal of the Hip Hop industry. Don't get me wrong, Terrence Howard is a great actor, and H&F was a fun movie for what it was, but I never believed for a second that Howard was a rapper. And the approach to writing, recording, and everything else music related in that movie was just corny. In Just Another Day, I totally believed that Wood Harris and Jamie hector were rappers. They each have a very distinct style, and their rhymes and flow seem authentic to their characters. But, you don't really watch the movie to see a couple actors rap, you watch it because it provides a really interesting and believable look at the way the music industry works. At times it feels like a documentary (in a good way... think Robert Altmans "The Player" or Larry Clark's "Kids"). And the "24" style concept of showing just one day in the lives of two very different men was really effective. You see just how similar their struggles are, and that fame doesn't really change the situation all that much. It's kind of a bleak view of the industry, but that's the reality. All in all, a much better movie than I expected for a low budget indie. A unique story, solid acting, and good music too. A must-see for Hip-Hop fans and aficionados of the great Hood-Classics of the 90's like Mennace II Society, New Jack City, Boyz n the Hood, etc. And highly recommended for anyone that appreciates engaging indie cinema and unconventional storytelling.