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R & B No Contest: A Karaoke Saga (2005)
A Smash or Trash Movie Review by Robert Long II ©2013
Starring Robert Matthews II, Ben Schyan, Bryant Conley, David Greene, Connie Lamothe
Written by Ben Schyan sand Robert Matthews II
Directed by Ben Schyan
Genre: Musical Comedy
Story synopsis: two young MEN – Brad and Rick – fresh out of college (Schyan and Matthews) are up and coming free style rappers in the Baltimore club scene. Needing to pay off loans, the pair decide to enter the city-wide karaoke contest where the grand prize is $5,000. The only problem is that they are up against an aggressive rival rapper that will stop at nothing to win the big cash prize. Can Brad and Rick out run the threats and intimidation from the rival rappers and a sexy Cougar (Lamothe) hell bent on breaking the duo apart? Will they be able to out rap everyone else in the contest and win the prize money? Stay tuned – same rap time – same rap channel.
Ben Schyan co-wrote, produced and directed R & B No Contest: A Karaoke Saga. Schyan is a comedic actor that has appeared in such movies as DEAD HUNT and LIMITS TO AMBITION. Overall, the movie is pretty well done and acted, though the acting goes a bit overboard in places. It can be a little too comically reactive in the vein of older vaudeville acts where people are emoting for the people in the back, rather than for something as close to them as a camera. If is was a little more subdue and played closer to the vest it still would have come off comedic, but a bit more realistic.
But those observations aside, the movie has a lot going for it. For a micro budget movie, it is well shot and edited. The scenes are well lit and the audio is clear. There is some pretty clever dialog and the performances are fun. I am not sure what is the status of this movie. Considering that it is a karaoke movie with well – known pop songs, I am under the impression that it was done solely to travel around the indie film festival circuit. For more information on the movie and where to see it, I would suggest getting in contact with the producer and director himself – Ben Schyan. Ben is busy in the LA/Hollywood scene and can be contacted through his Facebook page HERE.
FINAL RATING: 6/10 KARAOKE SONGS. All the people involved with this movie show a lot of promise in the entertainment field.