REVIEW MOVIE
Sony
Ice Cube takes another stab at acting in the new action adventure sequel “XXX State of the Union.” Vin Diesel chose not to reprise his role in the film.
Sequel follows same action flick formula BY ARASELI CUEVAS Daily Titan Staff
Rapper-turned-actor Ice Cube shows yet another facet of his career in the new installment to the XXX series, “State of the Union.” In the movie Cube plays military prisoner Darius Stone, who receives a get-out-of-jail card from the government to prevent an attack on the president during his State of the Union speech. In an interview with Premiere Magazine, the director and scriptwriters of the film state they loved this project because it was not just another popcorn action movie, but rather an intelligent action script like “The Matrix” or “Die Hard.” I hate to be the barer of bad news, but someone needs to call them and tell them they failed miserably. The fact they even attempted to compare this film with “The Ma-
trix” and “Die Hard” is laughable. Excuse me while I pick my self up off the floor and wipe the tears from my eyes. “State of the Union” is just like every other pathetic action film geared towards teenage boys and guys in their 20s who say things like “nice” when they see things blow up. But if you don’t believe me, let us go through the list. Guy with a bad attitude turned badass hero, check. Action surrounding a conspiracy to overthrow the government, check. Nerdy, or in this case, preppie hacker guy, check. The hot girl, we all know, should not be trusted because she is actually sleeping with the enemy, check. Gadgets that, unfortunately, only exist in the world of Hollywood make-believe, check. The boys from the hood who
will not only act a fool but also come to the rescue after the supposed good guys show their true color, check. Good story … hmm, wait… If you don’t care about the absence of an actual plot and love your high-speed chases, cars that blow up and flip in the air, and enjoy watching human being tossed like rag dolls and their attempt to kill each other, then “State of the Union” is the film for you. In regards to the actors, why does Willem Dafoe (Spiderman) always have to be the bad guy? The poor guy has typecast himself. I’ve got to give Ice some credit; the man is funny in the film and it looks like he did a lot of his own stunts, too. His attitude is reminiscent of his N.W.A. days, and if you watch closely, you will see a picture of his rapper past when Speedman’s character discusses his file.
You got to give it to the man; he is playing it smart. He raps, he acts, he’s produced, he’s a dad, he’s charismatic and has fans of all ages. And for those of you who are wondering why Vin Diesel didn’t return as the “XXX” agent, ac-
cording to Premiere Magazine, he asked for too much money, acted like a diva and refused to sign on for the publicity tour. Wow, he’s a bigger loser than the man who invented the action genre, and that’s saying a lot.
Zion-I stays “true” to hip-hop BY JULIE KIM Daily Titan Staff
Along with the Bronx and other New York boroughs, northern California also belongs on the map of the hip-hop nation. With the release of “True & Livin’” by Oakland duo Zion-I, there’s no question why the Bay Area continues to thrive. Masterminded by MC Zion and producer Amp Live, their third album boasts of 18 songs and a grip load of guest appearances by Del tha Funkee Homosapien to Talib Kweli. But the real star is Amp, who’s
bravely chosen to stray from his customary break beat-electronica past. “Doin’ My Thang” is laced with trumpets and a simple key loop. And on “The Bay,” Amp flips the script with a laid-back track depicting their gritty, hometown life. Even Zion’s writing – criticized for a lack of depth – has improved. Social commentaries are rampant on tracks like the politically-charged “Amerika” and “Poems 4 Post Modern Decay,” featuring Definitive Jux star Aesop Rock. But one can’t ignore Zion’s fear of not being accepted in
the culture. On “One Chance,” for example, he raps against the slow baselines reminiscent of the days of A Tribe Called Quest. It’s almost as if he’s trying to stay ahead in a game where today’s star is tomorrow’s nobody. And in “Bird’s Eye View,” which borrows Common’s metaphor in “I Used to Love H.E.R,” the rapper wonders if he’s made the right career move. Zion-I’s concern is unwarranted despite the missing je ne sais quoi that made their first album a classic. But “Livin’” is still a must-have for true heads; Zion-I is indeed one of Oakland’s finest.
Daily Titan May 05, 2005
FULL EFFECT 5
