[M-Trey]

What did/do my fellow movie nerds think of Runaway from a filmmaking standpoint?  I know there's a section for it and everything but the kind of discussion I'm looking for is probably more likely to occur here lol...

 

[That Fred Kid]

I know it's directed by Kanye, but I am unsure as to what he really did. My strongest endorsement would be of the cinematography, which is the responsibility of the DP. The set design was also dope.

I didn't feel the songs fit with the images, the writing was sparse and bad, and the acting was terrible.

I'd give it a 6.5/10, if only because the ambition. As far as the execution, I was a bit let down.

Co-sign.

 

[18]

loved the sets and visuals, thought the acting was meh, writing was simply ok.

i disagree joe, i thought some of the songs fit well with the images.  lost in the world was particularly effective.

i'd give it a 7, 7.5 tops out of 10.

 

[Micool]

MEH

If im considering this a film, it sucks

I really consider this just a music video lol

 

[mmonty86]

I'd give it a 7/10. The ambition really makes up for the acting and tacky dialogue. With that being said, the images leaped off the screen. I also wouldn't agree that the images entirely matched up, but I felt they helped emphasize the emotional power of the songs. This is most notable in the Runaway sequence for me.

Part of me wishes Kanye would've just stuck behind the camera and hired an actor.

 

[Rod-Man]

As a film it wasn't great. I think Ebanks did alright but for the most part the acting wasn't doing anything for me. I had a problem with the music fitting the images as well. I think it would have been better to use instrumentals at times or something. I have to agree that the sets looked good. There were good looking scenes but they didn't flow well to me. I think they would have worked better in a longer movie.

 

[Micool]

Part of me wishes Kanye or Selita Ebanks spoke at all...then again I also didnt really like most of it. The best part of it for me was the Intro and the MJ Fireworks scene. Without the music... its garbage.....that said I REALLY love the music

 

[K N E E S]

yeah the music is what made it for me...visuals were nice considering the acting and awkward moments...6/10 as a film.

 

[18]

Lost in the world was the best fit. I thought the short "Hell of a life" actually fit as well. LITW kind of had me conflicted when they showed her flying. Corny to me.

the special effects were very sub-par, i kind of wish they would've found a way to do it without it looking ridiculous.  that was my only complaint with the LITW scene though.  i got chills when it cut to the title card.  that song just fits well to film.

i kind of wish he would've hired better actors as well.  he's got to have some friends in the acting business...

 

[mmonty86]

Honestly that dialogue would not be out of place in "The Room."

haha, I thought some of it was ok. There seemed to be a purpose, where as in The Room it's spastic. I think the dialogue would've been greatly helped if there was a decent delivery to them. This wouldn't make it great, but it would make it more bearable.

 

[mmonty86]

I think Kanye kind of gets confused when it comes to aesthetics in film. Kubrick and Malick films may look like they are just freestyling and pointing the camera at any pretty thing, but every shot has a purpose. "Runaway" just shot a bunch of pretty stuff,and none of it really fit.

I don't know why the visual effects were so bad either. They certainly had the money to make it look better. There is nothing that will a ruin a film for me faster than bad SFX.

Yeah, the effects take me out of it as well. I was getting slightly annoyed too over the last few days about how Kanye's vision was being compared, at least in a sense, to the work of Kubrick and Fellini. I think it's a little over the top.

 

[18]

Yeah, the effects take me out of it as well. I was getting slightly annoyed too over the last few days about how Kanye's vision was being compared, at least in a sense, to the work of Kubrick and Fellini. I think it's a little over the top.

I don't think anyone said that he was making anything Kubrick or Fellini-esque...I thought it was cool he name dropped them as influences though.  I think Runaway is entirely Kanye, really...for better or for worse.  Maybe if he studied a little more film he could direct something better, there were some promising things about the film.

It's something I'd watch again occasionally, definitely not close to my favorite films or anything.

 

[mmonty86]

If there was one aspect that Kanye captured was Kubrick's tracking shot.

Yeah I read Fellini and PT Anderson comparisons...................


Maybe Paul W.S Anderson, and that's even a reach.

You crazy for this one, 'Ye!

Someone compared him to Paul Thomas Anderson?!? 

 

[18]

One thing I really liked that he kept mentioning was colors and contrasting and all that shit.  It's certainly an underrated aspect of film.

 

[mmonty86]

One thing I really liked that he kept mentioning was colors and contrasting and all that shit.  It's certainly an underrated aspect of film.

I'd agree.

 

[Mishima]

Personally, I admire kanye's attempt to make a film that represents the songs on his album (what they represent, I still don't know) but it seemed all very clustered and contrived. I understand that it's really just a music video and a way to promote his album, which is fine, yet I'm not quite sure what the meaning of some of the shots were. That crane shot with the ballerinas was beautiful but it didn't help me understand the meaning behind the rest of the scene or movie. Visually, it was quite a surprise and honestly I wasn't expecting to be wow'd by the acting so it really didn't bother me. From a music video standpoint, it was awesome. But from a narrative point of view, not so much. I actually would've liked to see Spike Jonze involved with this because Flashing Lights was phenominal. Not just because of those titties but because it did a perfect job at conveying the message behind the song and at the same time leaving me wanting to see more.

 

[mmonty86]

"Punch Drunk Love" is a textbook example of great color usage. Anotioni(sp)  is probably the master(if only his movies weren't so damn boring.)

Fuck yes. I love PDL and its use of color.

This  may be random, but inside the DVD case there's a note that reads:

"Get Barry's suit blue, blue, blue. Don't be shy
Get Barry's shirt white. Don't be afraid to let it bloom a bit.
Turn up the contrast! Make sure your blacks are black and listen to loud"

 

[Mishima]

I'm still very naive when it comes to the usage of color contrast in film .

Anyone wanna give me a quick 101? No ****.

 

[18]

Personally, I admire kanye's attempt to make a film that represents the songs on his album (what they represent, I still don't know) but it seemed all very clustered and contrived. I understand that it's really just a music video and a way to promote his album, which is fine, yet I'm not quite sure what the meaning of some of the shots were. That crane shot with the ballerinas was beautiful but it didn't help me understand the meaning behind the rest of the scene or movie. Visually, it was quite a surprise and honestly I wasn't expecting to be wow'd by the acting so it really didn't bother me. From a music video standpoint, it was awesome. But from a narrative point of view, not so much. I actually would've liked to see Spike Jonze involved with this because Flashing Lights was phenominal. Not just because of those titties but because it did a perfect job at conveying the message behind the song and at the same time leaving me wanting to see more.

I agree with you...everything seemed very random and not connected...maybe he should've just made a series of music videos for each song

 

[mmonty86]

I definitely want to give Kanye credit for attempting a short film. You really don't see a musical artist these days really going to those lengths.