The Hip Hop Project 
Director: Matt Ruskin. Cinematography: Ari Issler, Matt Ruskin. Film editing: Matt Ruskin. Producer: Scott K. Rosenberg. With: Doug E. Fresh, Bruce Willis, Russell Simmons, Sway, Diana “Princess” Leon, Christopher “Cannon” Mapp, Chris “Kazi” Rolle. USA. 88 min. 2006.
Documentary. Kazi, a teen with a mission, developed the film’s eponymous self-help program, wherein troubled youths translate their hard knocks into art, or rather, into rap music. If this is your demographic, you may have a great time. – David Sterritt
Hot Fuzz
Director: Edgar Wright. Screenplay: Simon Pegg, Edgar Wright. Cinematography: Jess Hall. Film editing: Chris Dickens. Production design: Marcus Rowland. Music: David Arnold. Producers: Tim Bevan, Nira Park. With: Simon Pegg, Bill Nighy, Billie Whitelaw, Timothy Dalton, Jim Broadbent, Paddy Considine, Rafe Spall, Nick Frost, Peter Wight, Julia Deakin, Martin Freeman, Joe Cornish, Robert Popper, Chris Waitt, Eric Mason, Bill Bailey, Paul Freeman, Trevor Nichols, Stuart Wilson, Tim Barlow, Alexander King, Olivia Coleman, Stephen Merchant, Rory McCann, Steve Coogan, Cate Blanchett, Peter Jackson. UK. 121 min. 2007.
The hero is a London cop whose competence makes his colleagues look bad—so they engineer his transfer to a sleepy little town, where he and his unpromising new partner discover what’s either a sinister conspiracy or a figment of his overheated imagination. After the first hour or so the screenplay runs out of good ideas and tries filling the gap with bad ones, but there are plenty of good laughs before that happens. Dalton is priceless as a businessman with a nasty streak, and any movie with Jim Broadbent is well worth checking out, no? – David Sterritt
Director: Matt Ruskin. Cinematography: Ari Issler, Matt Ruskin. Film editing: Matt Ruskin. Producer: Scott K. Rosenberg. With: Doug E. Fresh, Bruce Willis, Russell Simmons, Sway, Diana “Princess” Leon, Christopher “Cannon” Mapp, Chris “Kazi” Rolle. USA. 88 min. 2006.
Documentary. Kazi, a teen with a mission, developed the film’s eponymous self-help program, wherein troubled youths translate their hard knocks into art, or rather, into rap music. If this is your demographic, you may have a great time. – David Sterritt
Hot Fuzz
Director: Edgar Wright. Screenplay: Simon Pegg, Edgar Wright. Cinematography: Jess Hall. Film editing: Chris Dickens. Production design: Marcus Rowland. Music: David Arnold. Producers: Tim Bevan, Nira Park. With: Simon Pegg, Bill Nighy, Billie Whitelaw, Timothy Dalton, Jim Broadbent, Paddy Considine, Rafe Spall, Nick Frost, Peter Wight, Julia Deakin, Martin Freeman, Joe Cornish, Robert Popper, Chris Waitt, Eric Mason, Bill Bailey, Paul Freeman, Trevor Nichols, Stuart Wilson, Tim Barlow, Alexander King, Olivia Coleman, Stephen Merchant, Rory McCann, Steve Coogan, Cate Blanchett, Peter Jackson. UK. 121 min. 2007.
The hero is a London cop whose competence makes his colleagues look bad—so they engineer his transfer to a sleepy little town, where he and his unpromising new partner discover what’s either a sinister conspiracy or a figment of his overheated imagination. After the first hour or so the screenplay runs out of good ideas and tries filling the gap with bad ones, but there are plenty of good laughs before that happens. Dalton is priceless as a businessman with a nasty streak, and any movie with Jim Broadbent is well worth checking out, no? – David Sterritt
