5/22/2003 10:30:00 AM|W|P|Danny Eagle|W|P| The original Style Wars was dope, brilliantly edited, and the only honest and fair look at the budding youth culture of hip hop. It was the first documentary to infiltrate the secret society of graffiti writers and show the world what really motivated them to steal paint, sneak out of their homes, and risk arrest or death to put up their work. This is not Beat Street, this is not 8-Mile, this is not a 50 Cent video. This is the real story of hip hop, long before the bling and the 20 inch chromes. Documentary makers Henry Chalfant and Tony Silver succeeded in matching human faces to the colorful misdeeds of these brazen few that inspired both hope and hate from the city government and the general public. The film dispelled all myths, put all stereotypes aside and made plain to the world that these were intelligent artists from all backgrounds and races, in one common urban wasteland, desperately in need of some homemade culture. It�s been said that they were the founders of history�s only art movement created entirely by young people. I got chills watching this revamped 20th anniversary edition. In addition to being super crisp, it's got current day interviews with many of the original cast, carefully selected outtakes, and a gallery of train pieces broken down by artist, all set to a Def Jux soundtrack. I used to strain my eyes through the fog of slow/advance on my VHS copy in high school to copy down the masterpieces that were rolling by on my living room TV. Kids have it so easy nowadays. The addition of "where are they now" interviews turns the nostalgia of the "good ol' days" of hip hop completely upside-down. Suddenly, it's clear that these heroes have aged, the trains have long since been repainted, and hip hop circa 1982 has moved on. The grainy and dirty scenes of the movie are revisited in super crisp digital video. In one sequence, legendary writers Zephyr and Revolt stand quietly at the sight of a legendary "wall of fame" that has been replaced by a Trump building and an onramp, all clean as a whistle. The movie is not proof that graffiti has died, rather just the contrary. The fact that the movie has been meticulously remastered and carefully supplemented is proof that this film is an integral part of a culture that is still very much alive, whether that be in Brazil, Australia or France. For many, including myself, this movie is what fueled a lifelong obsession with hip hop and graffiti culture. Own it, see it, and get inspired. Get Style Wars here.|W|P|200328207|W|P|Henry Chalfant and Tony Silver | Style Wars|W|P|scottlmoe@gmail.com5/19/2003 11:53:00 AM|W|P|Danny Eagle|W|P| The second you start feeling sorry for yourself for having no beer in the fridge or having to pay off your credit card bill, go see Love and Diane. Ready for some reality TV? Go see this documentary. Diane, mother of six and recovering crack addict, finally regains custody of her kids who have grown up separately in foster care and group homes in and around New York City. One has a baby boy of her own, who is HIV positive. None have money, some aren't in school, and all are fatherless. Trying to become a whole family again, they are completely at the mercy of legal technicalities and public policy. Never thought the government could take away your apartment? Or worse, your child? This documentary is direct evidence of an ongoing and nearly unbreakable cycle of poverty and hardship for the urban poor. I remember I was pissed for having to show up for a "work seminar" to collect unemployment. I never thought about how much the government could get involved in your life if you were truly in need of state money for food, medicine, or rent. As far as documentaries go, it's pretty long, but it succeeds in covering entire years of a family's life. It's painfully real, difficult to watch at times, and if nothing else, you will walk away with an appreciation for how easy your life really is. Now go get some beer for that fridge, you'll need it after watching this movie.|W|P|200312541|W|P|Jennifer Dworkin | Love and Diane|W|P|scottlmoe@gmail.com5/06/2003 09:46:00 AM|W|P|Danny Eagle|W|P| It's dope. It lights up, it's thinner than the old one and at least twice as big for the same price. I slept with it last night and have named it the Shiz Box because just about everything in it is the shiz. Except for Gleaming Spires "Are you ready for the Sex Girls" from Revenge of the Nerds. That song is crap. My only complaint: they've made music files tiny, increased sound quality, and made shock proof devices, and still haven't figured out how to make headphones that don't tangle. Also wish they weren't the bright white "I have an iPod" color to give me away. Get it at the Apple Store, they say you can have it in a day...|W|P|200250343|W|P|Apple | iPod|W|P|scottlmoe@gmail.com