Tag: Pharrell Williams

Piece By Piece

GoMovieReviews Rating: ★★★1/2Piece By Piece

Rated: TBA

Directed by: Morgan Neville

Produced by: Mimi Valdes, Pharrell Williams

Original Songs by: Pharrell Williams

Original Score by: Michael Andrews

Animation Director: Howard E. Baker

Written by: Morgan Neville, Jason Zeldes, Aaron Wickenden, Oscar Vazquez

The Collaborators: Shae Haley, Chad Hugo, Pusha T, Timbaland, Missy Elliot, Teddy Riley, Busta Rhymes, N.O.R.E, Jay-Z, Gwen Stefani, Snoop Dogg, Justin Timberlake, Daft Punk, Kendrick Lamar.

‘Everyone wants you to win.’

Opening another Universal LEGO® animation world, a handheld cam follows a LEGO® Pharrell William as he enters a room to sit opposite Morgan Neville to talk about his life.

This is a LEGO® movie with a difference.

“You probably think I’m out of my mind,” Pharrell says, chuckling. The musician, mega producer and multi-hyphenate artist is speaking about what he hopes for his film, Piece By Piece — to be an instrument of unity, to inspire people of all ages and stripes, to tell people that they really could wake up tomorrow and build their dreams, piece by piece.

“The only caveat is that after we shoot it, I don’t want to use the footage,” Pharrell remembers telling his agent. “I just want to use the audio.”

Piece by Piece is a documentary, in LEGO®.

This is a history of Pharrell’s life, of his contribution to Hip Hop, his clothing brand, Billionaire Boys Club, then Billionaire Girls Club, to the music scene and how his beats became famous worldwide like:

T’S HAPPENING, MAYBE, I WISH, FUNKYTOWN, SEÑORITA, BLURRED LINES (FEAT. T.I. AND PHARRELL), MY PEROGATIVE, VIRGINIA BOY, RUMP SHAKER, HOLLABACK GIRL, GOD BLESS US ALL, ROCK STAR, TUBTHUMPIN, BONITA APPLEBUM, EVERYONE NOSE (ALL GIRLS STANDING IN THE LINE FOR THE BATHROOM), NOTHIN’, SPLASH, KNOCK YOURSELF OUT, SHAKE YA ASS, L’EGO ODYSSEY, HELLA GOOD, LIKE I LOVE YOU, LOOKIN’ AT ME (FEATURING PUFF DADDY), SUPERTHUG, I JUST WANNA LOVE U (GIVE IT 2 ME), HOT IN HERRE, DROP IT LIKE IT’S HOT (W/ PHARRELL), PASS THE COURVOISIER PART II, GRINDIN’, BEAUTIFUL (FEAT. PHARRELL & UNCLE CHARLIE WILSON), SOONER OR LATER, FRONTIN’ (CLUB MIX), I’VE SEEN THE LIGHT / INSIDE OF CLOUDS, GET LUCKY (FEAT. PHARRELL WILLIAMS AND NILE RODGERS), HAPPY (FROM THE FILM DESPICABLE ME 2), ALRIGHT, PIECE BY PIECE, PURE IMAGINATION (from WILLY WONKA AND THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY), FOR REAL.

The soundtrack is what makes this film.  And the idea of music creating colours in Pharrell’s mind.  He has a condition, sound-color synesthesia or chromesthesia.

Growing up, Pharrell thought everyone related to music in the same way – music seen in colours.

He didn’t do well in school.  But his grandmother knew he would be good at music.

There’s a fascinating backstory here, that lends itself to the LEGO® world, the assistant blown away by Pharrell’s beats so his LEGO® head pops off, the parents browsing through LEGO® photo albums and the beach is the flow of small LEGO® pieces, a mix of white and blue to create waves.

Pharrell was obsessed with water growing up in Virginia Beach, where Pharrell and his mates, ‘just loved doing music.’

Then fate brought famous producer Teddy Riley to town.

Hearing Pharrell perform at a high school talent show in 1991, Riley knew he was hearing something unique when Pharrell went from rapping to playing the drums to singing.

Pharrell grew up with the idea of, What if nothing’s new?  That you’re borrowing from colours that already existed?

By combining two different ideas, he found he could create something new.  He created until suddenly, everyone wanted his beats.

There’re appearances from: Shae Haley, Chad Hugo, Pusha T, Timbaland, Missy Elliot, Teddy Riley, Busta Rhymes, N.O.R.E, Jay-Z, Gwen Stefani, Snoop Dogg, Justin Timberlake, Daft Punk, Kendrick Lamar.

All LEGO®.

Two pieces, a light shining set next to another LEGO® represent a new beat.

It’s all creativity.  Of the magic of the hood, where ideas come from the future.

It’s an autobiography told in pieces.  An idea that was unique in itself, but in the end became a meandering philosophy of how best to serve this thing called life.

Not a usual LEGO® movie but more a contemplation of a life using the LEGO® world to explain an idea, to see through different eyes, like Pharrell and his colours.

As documentaries go, this has to be one of the most creative.

Sing 2

GoMovieReviews Rating: ★★★☆ (3.7/5)

Rated: PGSing 2

Directed by: Garth Jennings

Written by: Garth Jennings

Produced by: Chris Meledandri, Janet Healy

Starring: Matthew McConaughey, Reese Witherspoon, Scarlett Johansson, Taron Egerton, Tori Kelly, Nick Kroll, Bobby Cannavale, Halsey, Pharrell Williams, Letitia Wright, Eric Andre, Chelsea Peretti and Bono.

‘Guts, determination and faith.’

With all the goings-on at the moment, I felt like I needed some escapism.  But when Sing 2 opened to bright flowers and vegetables singing, it was all VERY bright.  Too bright.

And I’m not a fan of musicals.

I took a Panadol and braced myself.

Then Mr. Moon (Matthew McConaughey), owner of the New Moon Theatre goes and gets himself drenched.  Then proceeds to dry his koala fur with a hair dryer so he looks like a fluff ball.

It’s a bit adorable.

Because after being told his show, a local hit, isn’t good enough for the Crystal Tower Theatre in Redshore City, Buster Moon takes his new show to Redshore City anyway.

He believes he’s got a shot with cast: Rosita (Reese Witherspoon), Ash (Scarlett Johansson), Gorilla Johnny (Taron Egerton, Meena (Tori Keely) and Gunter (Nick Kroll).

He’ll convince Mr. Crystal (Bobby Cannavale) they’re worth an audience.

Sing 2 is the second instalment of Sing (2016), with director and writer Garth Jennings returning with familiar characters and some new (Bono is in this one as recluse rock legend, Clay Calloway).

Sing 2 is about over coming fear with Rosita given the lead role of the new show only to freak out so her new found responsibility is taken from her and given to Mr. Crystal’s daughter, Porsha (Halsey).

There’s Meena’s terror of the over-confident and hair award winning, Elwood (Eric Andre): how can she act like she’s in love for the show when she has no idea what it feels like?

However, Miss Crawly (Garth Jennings) with the glass eye (my favourite) is fearless.  Until she tries to convince recluse super star, Clay Calloway to come back into the spotlight only to be shot at with paint balls: pew, pew.

Along with some laughs, there’s an almost overwhelming wealth of emotion bursting from the screen, with the songs seamlessly complimenting the storyline; the voices so pure, I literally had tears spring to my eyes.

The music is fantastic as these characters learn to overcome their fear.

I attended a public screening for this one, and kids were literally dancing in front of their seats.

There’s a couple of scary moments (particularly if you’re scared of heights), but this is a sweet and adorable escape for a family viewing that will leave songs playing in your head for hours after the credits roll.

I’m still humming, You’ve got to get yourself together, you got stuck in a moment, and you can’t get out of it…  Touché.

Dr. Seuss’ The Grinch

Rated: GThe Grinch

Directed by: Scott Mosier, Yarrow Cheney

Based on the Book: ‘How the Grinch Stole Christmas’ by Dr. Seuss 1957

Screenplay by: Michael LeSieur, Tommy Swerdlow

Produced by: Chris Meledandri, p.g.a, Janet Healy, p.g.a

Starring: Benedict Cumberbatch, Rashida Jones, Kenan Thompson, Cameron Seely with Angela Lansbury and Pharrell Williams.

Based on the Dr. Seuss book (1957) ‘How the Grinch Stole Christmas’, The Grinch modernises a classic tale of a self-isolating grump (Grinch’s voice-over by Benedict Cumberbatch) who hates Christmas because he can’t stand all the bright light and exuberant joy – three times as much joy called for this year by the major of Whoville.

All Grinchie (so named by the super-friendly neighbour Bricklebaum (Kenan Thompson)) feels when he sees all that joy is pain.

Being chased by over-enthusiastic carollers in town while having to re-stock the cupboards after emotional over-eating… during Christmas week… does not help matters.

What Grinch wants is quiet and isolation in his abode on Mt. Crumpet, with his constant companion Max; the dog able to read his moods from annoyed to really annoyed while making his morning coffee.

So when Grinch sees the size of the giant Christmas tree, where all the Who Folk of Whoville will sing carols – it’s too much.

Christmas has to be cancelled.

And the way to stop Christmas is to dress up like Santa, abduct a tubby reindeer, Fred who looks like he ate the other seven reindeers (hilarious), steal a sleigh from a roof-top and burglarise everyone’s house taking all the presents.

That’ll make him feel better.  He thinks, until he meets little Cindy-Lou (Cameron Seely) who only wants to help her overworked mum.  Cindy-Lou doesn’t want presents, she only wants to feel the joy.

It’s all very sweet.  And the classic nature of The Grinch, the cantankerous meanness of the green, pot-bellied critter is even funnier when alongside the over-joyous Whos while Max and Fred (the orange-haired reindeer) are all the more adorable alongside the grumpy Grinch.

Everyone loves to see a Grinch turn good.  It warms the heart.

And the attention to detail, the artwork of scenes like the light maze and the inventions of Grinch including the extenda-legs; Max turning in his dog matt just that one more time like real dogs do; The Grinch trucking around in sandals over socks; and the little stubby legs of Cindy-Lou as she prepares to leave for the north pole to find Santa in four winter jackets really keeps up the cuteness and fun of the film.

It took me a while to get absorbed into the Christmas world and spirit, but I couldn’t help some laugh-out-loud moments with the screaming goat – Benedict Cumberbatch as The Grinch noting the goat as nothing but ‘strange’ – capturing that sense of humour that I find ticklish.

The Grinch is a classic made with a wave of magic from the Illumination CEO Chris Meledandri who also adapted Horton Hears a Who! (2008) and The Lorax (2012), the success here in those added details so the kids will be entertained by the fun of the story, the light twinkling, the not-so-quiet antics of Fred (who my nephew found hilarious!), while the adults will appreciate the extra effort of getting the wonder of the story as realistic as if it was a film about people: that crotchety old Grandpa, or grumpy Aunty that just needs an extra hug at Christmas-time.

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