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8 Mile (Widescreen Edition)

8 Mile (Widescreen Edition)

List Price: $14.98
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Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Solid entertainment, but hardly Oscar-worthy.
Review: ...

It cracks me up to see how many reviews were written by people who haven't seen the film. I saw it today, and while I seriously doubt this movie will win any awards, it's a solid production (and will likely be very profitable).

Perhaps the best compliment I can pay this film is that I never had the sense I was watching a vehicle for Eminem to capitalize on his current fame. Mr. Mathers isn't asked to display huge range, but he does well with what's asked of him. The rest of the cast is very solid. The writing is decent, although the romance between Em's character Jimmy, and Britney Murphy's Alex, is so rushed and thin that it felt like it was added in a last-minute script re-write.

The best part of the movie, without question, are the "battle" sequences, wherein rappers compete for crowd approval by coming up with freestyle insults of their opponent. During the final battle at the end of the movie, I was literally on the edge of my seat. Very entertaining!

Bottom line: very enjoyable movie that does one thing really well (the battle sequences), and nothing else too badly. A respectable acting debut by Eminem. I'd leave the young kids at home.

Rating: 2 stars
Summary: Like Him and His Music or Not¿
Review: There are several facts that will either vindicate your feelings about this performer, or the same facts will reinforce your preconceptions about him, his music, and the culture that has created it.
A. This film opened in a small number of theatres when compared to a film that is expected to be big at the ticket window. The 2,470 theaters that opened the film are about 1,000 short of what a "big film" would normally open on.
B. An estimated 8 Million people saw the film this weekend.
C. Only one R-rated film had a bigger opening, which was, "Hannibal".
D. This film took in more than any other film in the category of drama, ever.
E. The audience was primarily white, 26% black and 20% Hispanic.
F. The majority of those attending were female at 53% of the audience.

I would guess I am the lowest probability demographic for this film, and I do not like the message of this man's lyrics. I went to see what the fuss was about, because I am a parent, and I was curious who the audience for this film would be. I am at a loss to explain why women would be in the majority in the audiences, for the two primary female parts in the film, Stephanie Smith, portrayed by Kim Basinger, and Alex, portrayed by Brittany Murphy, played roles that were little more than an endorsement of the world's oldest profession, and exemplified the vile way women are spoken about, sung about, rapped about, and beaten about in the film, and in this genre of music in general.

Basinger first appeared in this film in her birthday suit (with company), played a drunk, a "mother" that Dante would have memorialized, and a pathetic Bingo junkie who lives with a boy, her son, (Eminem) went to school with. If a career has ever spiraled in to oblivion after the winning of an Oscar, it is Basinger's.

Brittany Murphy is on screen to play a younger version of Basinger, and to provide an example of the trash this music would have you believe all women represent.

The lyrics that have been a staple of this man's records are that of a text book homophobe, racist, and misogynist, and despite a big contrived duet and hug on the most pathetic moment in Grammy History with Elton John, the lyrics have not changed. His defense of a gay male in the film is not as pathetic as The Grammy joke, but this is just a movie, however popular. Sure he has a black buddy, and he pays tribute to him by calling him an Uncle Tom, very classy.

...

The lyrics and language are without exception vile, vulgar, racist, homophobic, and violent. A new word will need to be coined that encompasses a cross between nihilism, total lack of respect for anyone except the promotion of the self, with a bit of naïve juvenile anarchy mixed in as well.

Another fact is that 69% of the moviegoers were under the age of 25. What no statistic will tell you is the large number that were under the age of 17, or 12, or even 10, some of the youngest accompanied by their, "parents".

This film has been compared to the original, "Rocky". To make such a comparison is to demonstrate you never saw the film. This is not about overcoming adversity through methods that represent anything that is remotely admirable.

The hero of this film has his defining moment that sets him on chosen path after winning a "battle" that takes the form of 45-90 second "improvised" raps against his opponent. His sterling achievement takes the form of ripping apart a black male for the following, attending private school, having two parents that gave him a home, and being in a yearbook instead of one that features mug shots.

Defenders will say that this was a preemptive strike against his own white trash, broken home background, but this, like other defenses of the film are all nonsense. In this world you advance only at the expense of, and humiliation of others, and even when a young African American male has accomplished what most would value and define as success, he still is shown in the sleaziest dumps trading the basest vulgarities with his trailer park nemesis.

This film is a slick piece of commercial product that no one would associate themselves with but for the fact it has now become a money minting vehicle. The message this film has buried beneath the overwhelming weight of garbage it dumps upon itself is valid. However, it has been done many times, and without the need to sink to the easiest shock tricks to replace substance.

Remove the expletives and the negativity from this film, and it would enter an old genre, that of the long dead silent films.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Genius makes its own destiny
Review: Emimen stars as "B.Rabbit" a factory worker in Detroit who has a talent for rapping. After splitting from his girlfriend, he moves back home--but is ashamed to admit it to his friends. "Home" by the way, is a dilapidated trailer on 8 Mile. In scenes that make Detroit look like Berlin after the allies finished with it, we know that poverty is very real to the desperate people who nurse dreams of escape. Kim Basinger plays Rabbit's damaged, bingo-addicted, insufferable mother, and this is the best role she's ever had.

Rabbit dreams of making it and signing with a big label, and he's counting on his rapping skills to get him there. He obsesses on his rhymes and covers sheets of paper covered with hieroglyphic-like scrawl. Rabbit's misfit friends encourage Rabbit--hoping that if he makes it big, they will too.

This is raw, gritty film, and Eminem does a spectacular job--as always. No doubt this film will bring Eminem the artistic respect that he has long deserved.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: This is an excellent movie
Review: Eminem did an amazing job acting as the character Jimmy Smith Jr, it mainly focuses on how jimmy goes through certain things in his life that make him work twice as hard to make up for , his mother trys making changes in her life but seems to drag her son into problems , but in the end Jimmy shows that he is not afraid of who he is , and he's proud of what he is by exposing everything about himself that leaves his coompetitior at a slight shock , even though it is a good movie i dont; suggest taking your kids to see this movie , a lot of language , some sexual scenes, but see for yourself , overall eminem did an amazing job i was so impressed with his acting

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: worthy of the hype
Review: I was anticipating seeing 8 Mile for weeks and I finally saw it the night it opened. I can tell you all that it was well worth the wait. Eminem's portrayal of Jimmy "Rabbit" Smith is so authentic and real that you feel his pain, share in his sorrows and cheer for his triumphs. The chemistry between him and Mekhi Pheiffer is great, and the scenes with his buddies riding around Detroit are hilarious. But the absolute best parts are the rapping contests, and Eminem shines like the star he is. Even if you're not a fan of Eminem's music or his public persona, watching this movie gives you a glimpse of the man behind the music, and seeing where he came from and how he got to where he is today gives you a new found respect for him, regardless of your previous preconceptions of him. The entire theatre actually cheered after the movie so that should tell you something! All the bad reviews of this movie are from people who haven't even seen it, so that should tell you what their opinion on this movie is worth. Trust me, after seeing this movie you will understand his lyrics 'opportunity comes once in a lifetime'.
Do not miss the chance to see this amazing movie!

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: A great movie!
Review: I saw this movie yesterday and thought it was an awesome portrayal of young, up-and-coming rappers. I didn't give the movie 5 stars because the language was just too vulgar (200 "f" words if you can believe it). If it wasn't for all the language, it would have got a 5. But I still enjoyed the movie. Eminem is a good actor (if you can believe it, he does a phenomenal job!) and the rest of the cast supported him throughout the movie. ...check this movie out! It's very interesting, but keep your little kids far away from it. This is strictly for ages 16+!

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: A little bit depressing but still engaging
Review: Being from Detroit, but now living in Texas, you can't help but want to see the movie 8 Mile. Well, it was everything and nothing I expected. In order for us to understand the character Jimmy and his life situation, we had to go inside the somewhat ugly and depressing world in which he lived. Trailer park, unreliable vehicles, unstable family situation, ignorant friends, etc., makes you feel blue, very blue, during two-thirds of the flick. So, on the one hand, that makes you empathize with Jimmy, and it also makes you appreciate the life that you have if it's much better than Jimmy's situation in Detroit.

The rapping, music, and some of the comic relief provided by the Cheddar character was the best part in my opinion. The dialogue wasn't the most original, but it wasn't the worst either. I loved Jimmy's perseverance in spite of his surroundings. Eminem did a commendable job. He does have screen presence, and the intense passion people have for hip-hop is evident and admired throughout the film.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Rough, gritty, with heart
Review: Okay. I figure I was about 25 years older than the average person in the theater. Most of the people were between 12 and 24, and then, there was a smaller batch of people in their thirties through fifties-- the parents who drove the kids.

But the truth is, I was looking forward to seeing this movie and it lived up to my expectations. It was so good it could win some awards. I had some justified trepidation about my almost 13 year old seeing, but wild horses couldn't have kept him from going.

Of course, I couldn't be seen going in with him. He had to do it with his friends.

So I went in alone and sat between other parents. One was sitting with her two boys, ready to tell them when to shut their eyes during the "too sexy" scene. When that scene arrived, it was not graphic, showing naked erotic zones. But it was clearly quick, shallow sex. I winced that my kid was watching it as I watched this mother sitting next to me trying to get her twelve year olds to cover their eyes. She didn't succeed. They half heartedly covered half of one eye. I couldn't resist saying to her, "You can feel your grasp on them slipping away."

And I looked around the theater- the biggest of the megatheater's 24 rooms and saw a totally packed house, filled with kids mostly under 16.

This is a story about a kid who starts our so afraid to sing in public, in a free style "battle" he pukes all over himself before going on stage. He's broken up with his pregnant girlfriend, given her his car and has to, oh so embarrassingly, go back to the trashy trailer where his alcoholic, ... mother lives.

'Tis not a sweet smelling rose we watch here, but more like a coral reef, filled with beauty and sharp edges.

Eminem does a superb job playing the lost kid who finds himself and his integrity. The music is rap throughout and this child of the sixties, who used to diss all rap, has learned to like the sound. I'm a liberal, who, when I heard about Eminem, and his attitude towards gays and women, thought little of him. He makes that up in this movie.... to an extent.

It's worth seeing this. The third act shows Eminem facing his truth-- something the democrats could learn from, after last weeks political annihilation.

Now, after seeing 8 Mile, I'm ready to go to a real battle of rappers.

I still felt uncomfortable about my almost 13 year old seeing this. There was a lot of violence, profanity and three sex scenes that suggest the act. One with Kim Bassinger (probably a body double) and two with Brittany Murphy. Considering the setting for the story, the language was consistent. The sex was.... appropriate for an R rated film. The problem is, with the protagonist being a star whose fans are mostly under 16, they should have and could have cleaned up the script a bit, without hurting the story. At 57, director Curtis Hanson (also directed LA Confidential and Wonder Boys) is old enough to be grandfather of the kids in the audience. Overall all, though he's done a brilliant job on the story.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Why do people review movies before they even come out?
Review: I was reading some reviews on this site and lots of people judge this movie before they have even seen it...why? Do we really need someone's opinion on a trailer since we're too stupid to figure it out ourselves?? This was a wonderful movie, and I HAVE seen it. It was intense, colorful, and generous in its profanity, and Eminem really holds the spotlight with his engaging personality (and conflicts) and his realistic enactment of "B. Rabbit." This was well-acted and true to the core, so whether you love Eminem or just appreciate the hip hop culture in general, you MUST check this movie out. I think this removes all doubt to his acting ability since it is obviously better than any other artist-turned-movie star and I look forward to seeing him in more roles in the future. Unless you're really sensitive to violence, profanity, and Kim Basinger/Britany Murphy sex scenes, you need to see 8 Mile. I'm thinking of getting the soundtrack...wonder if will have the kickass freestyling?

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Excellent
Review: I went to see this movie last night and it was what I expected and much more. Everyone I was with agreed that Eminem's acting was wonderful and exceeded all our expectations. The freestyling was pure genius, and I found myself captivated by the skill and the hilariously provoking rhymes. Set in the grimy Detroit ghettos, the occasional qualms of morality and the sparks of humor from Em's friends bring an authentic touch of reality. The touching sensitivity Eminem portrayed with his little sister reflects his real-life attitude, and this only furthers the originality and genuine tone of the movie. My only complaint is the...character played by Brittany Murphy who, predictably, is wearing a new miniskirt and fishnet with boots in each scene. She truly has no part in that movie; her acting is boring and thoroughly unrealistic--the most she does is dance like a... However, I fully recommend this movie to everyone, excluding children, but including any rich white kid from the suburb (like those sitting behind me in the theater making cute comments throughout). It was more than a movie; it was an experience and Eminem shows us the meaning of individuality just as he has done in his music.


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