RZA Movies
Rapper RZA (born Robert Diggs but alternately credited, at various junctures, as Prince Rakeem, Bobby Steels, The Rzarector, and The Abbott) initially rose to fame as a member of the rap group All in Together Now, then branched out into a career as a solo artist. Though he achieved tremendous commercial success in this capacity, RZA nonetheless made his most enduring musical impact not as a performer but as a producer, of the rap supergroup the Wu-Tang Clan. His spare, lean, and razor-sharp approach to rap production for the group laid the groundwork and set the bar for dozens of other rap acts throughout the 1990s.Cinematically, RZA placed his strongest emphasis on contributions to soundtracks, scoring and lending featured music to such opuses as the Jim Jarmusch-helmed crime drama Ghost Dog: The Way of the Samurai (1999), Quentin Tarantino's Kill Bill Vol. 1 (2003) and Kill Bill Vol. 2 (2004), and the urban farce Soul Plane (2004). Though RZA's acting roles officially began with a bit part in Jarmusch's Coffee and Cigarettes (2003), he went on to grace the supporting casts of films as diverse as Scary Movie 3 (2003), Derailed (2005), and The Take (2007). Also in 2007, RZA tackled a supporting role as Moses Jones in Ridley Scott's period crime drama American Gangster, starring Denzel Washington. ~ Nathan Southern, Rovi
- 2014
The Motown-meets-kung-fu cult hybrid The Last Dragon gets a retread with this Columbia Pictures production starring Samuel L. Jackson as the over-the-top villain, Sho' Nuff, who squares off against a young martial arts student infatuated with Bruce Lee. Timed to coincide with Motown's 50th anniversary, the remake is headed up by Kerry Gordy, son of the label's founder. ~ Jeremy Wheeler, Rovi
- Starring:
- Samuel L. Jackson
- 2013
- PG13
- Add G.I. Joe: Retaliation to Queue
The Joes reteam to prevent Cobra from achieving total world domination in this sequel that picks up shortly after the events of G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra. The Nanomite threat has been neutralized, and the U.S. government has imprisoned Cobra Commander and Destro in an inescapable subterranean prison. When the leader of Pakistan is assassinated, the U.S. president (Jonathan Pryce) calls on the Joes to secure Pakistan's nuclear warheads before they fall into enemy hands. In the wake of successfully completing their mission, however, the Joes are decimated in a devastating surprise attack. When the smoke clears, Roadblock (Dwayne Johnson), Lady Jaye (Adrianne Palicki), and Flint (D.J. Cotrona) are the sole survivors. They're convinced that something is amiss in the White House, and as Lady Jaye theorizes that an imposter is pretending to be the commander in chief, bad guys Storm Shadow (Lee Byung-hun) and Firefly (Ray Stevenson) team up to break Cobra Commander (Luke Bracey) out of prison. Later, as Storm Shadow retreats into the mountains to recover from burns incurred in the extraction, Snake Eyes (Ray Park) and Jinx (Elodie Young) manage to capture the elusive white ninja, in the process discovering a shocking secret about his past and learning that Zartan (Arnold Vosloo), posing as the president, has called an international summit to discuss nuclear disarmament in order to bring the leaders of the world to their knees before the diabolical Cobra Commander. Now, as Cobra holds the entire globe hostage with a revolutionary new weapon placed on satellites orbiting the planet, it's up to the Joes and a trustworthy old friend to save the day. ~ Rovi
- Starring:
- Dwayne Johnson, Channing Tatum, (more)
A former slave and a German bounty hunter become unlikely allies in the battle against a tyrannical plantation owner in this western from visionary director Quentin Tarantino. Two years before the Civil War pits brother-against-brother, German-born fugitive hunter Dr. King Schultz (Academy Award-winner Christoph Waltz) arrives in America determined to capture the outlaw Brittle brothers dead or alive. In the midst of his search, Dr. Schultz crosses paths with Django (Academy Award-winner Jamie Foxx), a freed slave and skilled tracker who seeks to rescue his beloved wife Broomhilda (Kerry Washington) from ruthless plantation owner Calvin Candie (Academy Award-nominee Leonardo DiCaprio). Once Django has aided Dr. Schultz in coralling the Brittle brothers, the two team up to capture some of the most wanted men in the South. Meanwhile, Django never loses sight of his mission to free Broomhilda from the treacherous slave trade before it's too late. Upon arriving at Candie's nefarious plantation, dubbed Candyland, Django and Dr. Schultz discover that slaves are being groomed for gladiator-like competitions by Candie's malevolent right-hand man Billy Crash (Walton Goggins), and together they skillfully work their way onto the compound for a closer look. But just as Django and his partner locate Broomhilda and plot a daring escape, Candie's house slave Stephen (Academy Award-nominee Samuel L. Jackson) catches wind of their plan, and informs his master of the betrayal. Now, as a clandestine organization attempts to back them into a corner, Django and Dr. Schultz will have to come out with pistols blazing if they ever hope to free Broomhilda from Candyland and the clutches of its vile proprietor. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi
- Starring:
- Jamie Foxx, Leonardo DiCaprio, (more)
When the population of a village in rural China must defend themselves against a formidable enemy, a local blacksmith (director/star/co-writer RZA) forges the weapons they need to emerge victorious from the bloody battle to come. Russell Crowe and Lucy Liu co-star in this period action thriller co-written by famed horror director Eli Roth (Cabin Fever, Hostel). ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi
- 2011
- R
- Add A Very Harold & Kumar Christmas to Queue Add A Very Harold & Kumar Christmas to top of Queue
Christmas gets green as pot-smoking pals Harold and Kumar reunite for a hilariously hazy holiday adventure set six years after the events of the previous film. It's been a long time since Harold (John Cho) and Kumar (Kal Penn) escaped from Guantanamo Bay, and these days they're just not as tight as they used to be. But as they each prepare to celebrate Christmas Eve with their new best buds, Kumar receives a very special delivery that should have gone to Harold. Always the dutiful friend, Kumar does his best to see that the package reaches its intended destination by the time sleigh bells start ringing. Unfortunately, while making the delivery Kumar causes Harold's family Christmas tree to go up in flames. Thankfully for Harold, the in-laws are away for the evening, giving him just enough time to track down a replacement and avoid the wrath of his wife's temperamental father. With the clock counting down to Christmas and the family returning home soon, Harold and Kumar race though New York City on a mad dash to find the perfect substitute tree. Neil Patrick Harris returns for more raunchy fun in a sequel also featuring Danneel Harris, David Krumholtz, and Eddie Kaye Thomas. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi
Writers Eric Garcia and Garrett Lerner team with director Miguel Sapochnik to adapt Garcia's novel about a repo man named Remy whose body has been constructed almost entirely of artificial organs. When Remy (Jude Law) fails to keep up on payments for his recent heart transplant, his former partner vows to take back the organ by force if necessary. Meanwhile, Remy finds an unexpected ally in the form of his long-lost wife, Beth (Alice Braga), who has also been retrofitted with numerous artificial organs. Now, despite the fact that they haven't seen each other since Remy joined the army ten years ago, the desperate repo man and his sympathetic wife attempt a daring escape from a man who holds the lives of millions in the palm of his hands. Forest Whitaker and Liev Schreiber co-star. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi
- Starring:
- Jude Law, Forest Whitaker, (more)
Director Todd Phillips re-teams with his break-out Hangover star Zach Galifianakis for this road movie concerning a soon-to-be father (played by Robert Downey Jr.) and his cross-country trip to make it back in time for his baby's birth -- with the only roadblock being the dubious passenger (Galifianakis) who's along for the ride. Michelle Monaghan and Jamie Foxx co-star in the Warner Bros./Legendary Pictures production. ~ Jeremy Wheeler, Rovi
- Starring:
- Robert Downey, Jr., Zach Galifianakis, (more)
His wife convicted of a murder she swears she did not commit, a college professor plots to break her out of prison in this thriller starring Russell Crowe and Liam Neeson. John Brennan (Crowe) and his wife, Lara (Elizabeth Banks), were happily married and raising a family when their lives fell apart in the blink of an eye. Lara has been charged with murder, and despite every effort to prove her innocence, the judge sentences her to an extended prison sentence. Meanwhile, on the outside, John files multiple appeals while struggling to raise their children and maintain his career. Lara's future starts to look especially grim, however, after the final appeal is rejected, and she admits that she'd rather commit suicide than spend the rest of her life behind bars. Determined to save his wife after the justice system fails her, John seeks the advice of ex-convict Damon Pennington (Liam Neeson), who staged his own daring prison escape, in order to draw up an airtight plan. Later, John prepares to put his life on the line for the woman he loves, and sets the plan into motion with the knowledge that one false move could be their last. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi
- Starring:
- Russell Crowe, Elizabeth Banks, (more)
Based on writer/director Buddy Giovinazzo's novel of the same name, Life Is Hot in Cracktown explores how crack cocaine infiltrated the streets of urban America by following the journeys of four people whose lives are on a tragic collision course. Pre-op transsexual Marybeth (Kerry Washington) is working as a prostitute in order to save enough money to make her transformation complete. She lives with her lover, Benny, a small-time burglar, whom she hopes to marry after her final operation. Meanwhile, Manny (Victor Rasuk) is busy pulling double shifts while his wife, Concetta (Shannyn Sossamon), cares for their sickly infant son in their run-down apartment. By night Manny works at a 24-hour bodega frequented by junkies, drug dealers, and prostitutes, and by day keeps the peace as a security guard at a welfare hotel. One of the residents at that hotel is Willy, a ten-year-old boy who lives with his mother (Illeana Douglas) and her abusive boyfriend. Willy begs for money on the street so he and Susie can get some fast food. But it's dangerous out there, because volatile gangster Romeo (Evan Ross) is still searching the streets for his brother's killer, and he won't hesitate to terrorize anyone unfortunate enough to cross his warpath. Lara Flynn Boyle, Brandon Routh, Desmond Harrington, and RZA co-star. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi
- Starring:
- Kerry Washington, Victor Rasuk, (more)
Judd Apatow casts his former real-life roommate Adam Sandler as George Simmons, a comic superstar who learns in the movie's opening scene that he suffers from a rare blood disorder that will likely kill him within a year. This news gives him the impulse to go back out and work on his standup, something he hasn't done in years thanks to the massive success of his movie career. At a club, he meets struggling standup Ira Wright (Seth Rogen), takes a shine to him, and hires the young man both to write jokes and to be his personal assistant. Ira, who's been sleeping on a friend's pull-out couch and working a day job at a deli, enjoys the glimpse into the superstar lifestyle, but soon the protégé discovers how selfish and egocentric his mentor really is. Jason Schwartzman and Jonah Hill, and a host of famous standup comics make cameo appearances as themselves. ~ Perry Seibert, Rovi
- Starring:
- Adam Sandler, Seth Rogen, (more)
Hong Kong action icon Michelle Yeoh stars alongside American muscle Vin Diesel in this science fiction thriller concerning a nun who is charged with the task of caring for a young girl who may be the carrier of a deadly virus. Based on author Maurice Dantec's Babylon Babies, this tale of genetic manipulation comes to the screen courtesy of director Mathieu Kassovitz. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi
- Starring:
- Vin Diesel, Mélanie Thierry, (more)
The super bad samurai who avenged his father and found a life of peace is pulled back into the game by a deadly beauty from his past as the cycle of vengeance continues in Afro Samurai: Resurrection. There was a time when Afro Samurai (voice of Academy Award-nominee Samuel L. Jackson) was quick to duel, but these days he prefers serenity to swordplay. Still, there are those who will never allow the retired master to live down his violent past, and when the hatred in Sio (Lucy Liu) grows too powerful to contain, she vows to teach Afro Samurai a painful lesson in humility. Mark Hamill and RZA lend their voices to director Fuminori Kizaki's bloody animated sequel. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi
Director Ridley Scott spins this yarn concerning a Harlem drug kingpin (Denzel Washington) who smuggles heroin into the country by hiding it in the bodies of U.S. soldiers killed during battle in Vietnam. There was a time when no one noticed reserved driver Frank Lucas (Washington), but when the criminal kingpin he was charged with transporting through the city streets suddenly dies, Lucas seizes the opportunity to build his own criminal empire. In the following months, Lucas solidifies his status as Harlem's most innovative drug dealer by delivering a product that is purer than the competitors' and cheaper, as well. When innovative businessman Lukas attempts to go semi-legit by becoming one of the Manhattan borough's biggest civil supporters, however, street-savvy outcast cop Ritchie Roberts (Russell Crowe) begins to sense a sizable shift in the hierarchy of the drug underworld. But Roberts is one of the few honest detectives operating within a corrupt system, and as he sets out to investigate the case, crooked detective Trupo (Josh Brolin) does everything in his power to compromise the integrity of his idealistic counterpart. Upon clearing all of the usual Mafia-connected suspects, Roberts begins to believe that a previously unknown black power player has come out of the woodwork to dominate the local drug trade. While Roberts and Lucas may be operating on opposite sides of the law, the one thing that both men have in common is a strict code of ethics that separates them from their opportunistic colleagues. Now, as a confrontation between the two men becomes inevitable and the fate of each becomes inexorably tied to the other, it gradually becomes apparent that only one of them will emerge from the conflict victorious. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi
- Starring:
- Denzel Washington, Russell Crowe, (more)
Assigned the thankless task of teaching freshman English at a gang-infested Long Beach, CA high school, a 23-year-old teacher resorts to unconventional means of breaking through to her hardened students in director Richard LaGravenese's adaptation of Erin Gruwell's best-seller The Freedom Writer's Diaries: How a Teacher and 150 Teens Used Writing to Change Themselves and the World Around Them. Her students had been written off, and her chances of succeeding scoffed at, but Erin Gruwell (Hilary Swank) wasn't about to go down without a fight. Long Beach is a place where a new war is waged with each passing day, and when the hardened students who walk those dangerous hallways sense an outsider attempting to understand their plight, their cynical resentment threatens to keep a deadly cycle in motion. Despite the initially hostile reaction she receives in the classroom, Gruwell uses the writings of Anne Frank and Zlata's Diary: A Child's Life in Sarajevo to teach her students not only the basis of the English language, but compassion and tolerance as well. Later, when the time comes to tell their own tales in a project specially designed to explore the daily violence that the majority of students have grown numb to, the barriers that had once stood so strong gradually begin to crumble. When the only chance for survival is to befriend the person who was once your mortal enemy, the world is opened to a whole new realm of possibilities. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi
- Starring:
- Hilary Swank, Scott Glenn, (more)
On the eve of presenting a pair of prized elephants to the King of Thailand, a young martial arts expert and his father are shocked to discover that the beloved creatures were stolen by an international mafia syndicate, and now the determined fighter must travel to Australia to get his animals back in this adventure from the team behind the international action hit Ong Bak. To Kham (Tony Jaa) and his father, the elephants that they were about to present to the King of Thailand were not simply pets, but members of the family as well. When Kham learns that the criminals who stole his elephants have taken them back to their home base in Australia, the fearsome fighter vows to brave the strange new land and bring his animals back safely no matter what the cost. Upon arriving in Australia, Kham enlists the aid of Thai Police Sergeant Mark (Petchthai Wongkamlao) and pretty slave Pla (Bongkuch Kongmaili) in taking on down notorious crime boss Madame Rose (Jing Xing) and locating the animals he loves before it's too late. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi
- Starring:
- Tony Jaa, Petchtai Wongkamlao, (more)
The Art of 16 Bars features interviews with major hip-hop stars that involve them discussing how they rose to prominence. Among the artists who offer their insights are 50 Cent, Nas, Kanye West, Russell Simmons, and The RZA. ~ Perry Seibert, Rovi
A clandestine love affair may claim a terrible price from two desperate people in this psychological thriller. Charles Schine (Clive Owen) is an advertising executive who is married to Deanna (Melissa George) and has a young diabetic daughter whose third kidney operation has just failed. Charles' life turns a most unexpected corner when he meets Lucinda Harris (Jennifer Aniston) on a commuter train. Lucinda, who is also married with a daughter, keeps bumping into Charles on the train, and they strike up a friendship that soon grows into something deeper. Eventually Charles and Lucinda meet for lunch, then dinner, then check into a posh hotel, but the consequences turn out to be greater than they imagined; the dangerous criminal Philippe LaRoche (Vincent Cassel) breaks into the couple's hotel room, beats Charles nearly unconscious, and rapes Lucinda. The problem doesn't end there, however; LaRoche soon unveils both his certainty that the couple avoided calling the police, and -- more troublingly -- his possession of Charles' personal information. When he makes the ill-advised attempt to blackmail the couple, Charles turns to a rough-cut friend from his workplace, who offers to help out -- for a small commission.Derailed was the first American project for Swedish filmmaker Mikael Håfström. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi
- Starring:
- Clive Owen, Jennifer Aniston, (more)
Quentin Tarantino's sprawling homage to action films of both the East and the West reaches its conclusion in this continuation of 2003's ultra-violent Kill Bill Vol. 1. Having dispatched several of her arch-enemies in the first film, The Bride (Uma Thurman) continues in Kill Bill Vol. 2 on her deadly pursuit of her former partners in the Deadly Viper Assassination Squad, who, in a furious assault, attempted to murder her and her unborn child on her wedding day. As The Bride faces off against allies-turned-nemeses Budd (Michael Madsen) and Elle Driver (Daryl Hannah), she flashes back to the day of her deadly wedding, and we learn of how she was recruited to join the DiVAS, her training under unforgiving martial arts master Pai Mei (Liu Chia-hui), and her relationship with Squad leader Bill (David Carradine), which changed from love to violent hatred. Originally planned as a single film, Kill Bill grew into an epic-scale two-part project totaling more than four hours in length; as with the first film, Kill Bill Vol. 2 includes appearances by genre-film icons Sonny Chiba, Michael Parks, Larry Bishop, and Sid Haig; Wu-Tang Clan producer and turntablist RZA and filmmaker and composer Robert Rodriguez both contributed to the musical score. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi
- Starring:
- Uma Thurman, David Carradine, (more)
- 2004
- Add Wu-Tang Clan: Disciples of the 36 Chambers to Queue Add Wu-Tang Clan: Disciples of the 36 Chambers to top of Queue
The concert film Wu-Tang Clan: Disciples of the 36 Chambers features nine members of the hip-hop collective performing nearly three-dozen tracks including "C.R.E.A.M.," "Bring the Pain," "M.E.T.H.O.D. Man," and "Gravel Pit." This concert marked one of the last public appearances of controversial member O.D.B. ~ Perry Seibert, Rovi
- 2004
- Add RZA: The World According to RZA - Live From Germany to Queue Add RZA: The World According to RZA - Live From Germany to top of Queue
As one of the leading members of the Wu-Tang Clan, RZA has built a well-deserved reputation as one of the most exciting and innovative producers and DJs in hip-hop, and this performance video finds him teaming up with a handful of leading European MCs for an exciting concert in Berlin. Featuring guest appearances from Xavier Naidoo, IAM, Saian Supa Crew, Blade, and Deborah Cox, RZA: Live From Germany includes the songs "I Can't Go to Sleep," "I've Never Seen...," "Wu-Tang Clan Ain't Nuthing ta F' Wit," "Brooklyn Babies," "Reunited," "4th Chamber," and more. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi
Wesley Snipes returns as legendary vampire hunter Blade in this, the third film inspired by the popular Marvel Comics character. A fearless warrior immune to vampires, Blade (Snipes) has become a hated enemy of the bloodsucking community, and as they gather in their desert compound, a group of vampires is plotting to eliminate Blade once and for all by turning the mortal community against him. The vampires have concocted a misinformation campaign that paints a picture of Blade as a ruthless murderer and has sent the FBI on the vampire hunter's trail, led by the relentless agent Cumberland (James Remar). At the same time, the vampires have brought their founding father, Dracula, back to his undead state, renaming him Drake (Dominic Purcell) and investing him with special powers that allow him to walk unharmed in daylight. After a dangerous encounter with Cumberland, Blade and his ally, Whistler (Kris Kristofferson), form an uneasy alliance with a scruffy team of human vampire slayers, the Nighstalkers, led by Hannibal King (Ryan Reynolds), and Whistler's daughter, Abigail (Jessica Biel. While Sommerfield (Natasha Lyonne), a biologist working with the Nightstalkers, researches a scientific answer to the vampire problem, Blade and his comrades take a more hands-on approach against Drake and his minions, including Danica Talos (Parker Posey), Asher (Callum Keith Rennie), and Grimwood (Triple H). Blade: Trinity was directed by David Goyer, who also wrote the screenplay for this film, as well as the first two movies in the series. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi
- Starring:
- Wesley Snipes, Kris Kristofferson, (more)
After an excruciatingly humiliating in-flight experience that culminated in a messy breakup and the untimely death of a dog, Nashawn Wade (Kevin Hart) sues the airline for all it's worth. This turns out to be a more than profitable move on his part; the lawsuit brings him a settlement in the hefty amount of 600 million dollars. Eager to prevent his experience from happening to another -- and perfectly willing to reap the financial benefits of the cash cow he believes his plan to be -- Nashawn decides to launch NWA, an all African American airline complete with sensuous stewardesses, an onboard dance club, and a bathroom attendant. Far be it from giving "flying the friendly skies" a new meaning, however, chaos ensues in the form of a white family with the unfortunate last name of Hunkee. The Hunkee patriarch (as played by Tom Arnold) and his antics prevent the flight from going as smoothly as intended. The feature debut of music video director Jessy Tererro, urban comedy regulars Snoop Dogg and Method Man co-star. ~ Tracie Cooper, Rovi
- Starring:
- Kevin Hart, Tom Arnold, (more)
Perhaps the most highly anticipated film of 2003, Kill Bill Vol. 1 marked the return of renowned filmmaker Quentin Tarantino after a six-year hiatus. Re-teaming the director with Uma Thurman for the first time since 1994's Pulp Fiction, the film was originally the first half of what was to be a three-hour-plus movie before being split into two films. Thurman stars as The Bride, one-fifth of a team of assassins called DiVAS. When The Bride opts to leave the outfit for a life of marital bliss, it doesn't sit well with her boss, Bill (David Carradine), so he has her former cohorts, played by Lucy Liu, Vivica A. Fox, Daryl Hannah, and Michael Madsen, show up at the nuptials, leaving behind a blood bath. Miraculously, The Bride survives a bullet to the head and, four years later, she sets out for revenge against her four assassins and their employer. The story is concluded in Kill Bill Vol. 2, released six months later. ~ Matthew Tobey, Rovi
- Starring:
- Uma Thurman, Lucy Liu, (more)
- 2003
Over thirty of the biggest names in hip-hop come together to discuss the rules of the game in this release designed to show aspiring rappers just what it takes to make it to the top. From making a name for yourself as an artist to navigating the sometimes-treacherous waters of the music industry, this release offers useful advice on what it takes to get ahead by such well-known recording artists as Master P, Nelly, KRS-One, RZA. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi
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