Tupac: Resurrection is made such a compelling documentary because rather than a documentarian detail the life, motives, and opinions of the late rap icon Tupac Shakur, old interview compilations, poetry excerpts, excerpts taken from Shakur's colorful music, and much more are played in order for him to tell his own life story despite no longer being with us. This provides for one of the most personal documentaries I have yet to see, especially considering that it would've been much easier to hire a narrator to analyze Shakur's upbringing, rise to fame, untold controversy, and his untimely death in 1996.When Shakur died, he left us with a plethora of content, some of which had been released, some of which would later see a release on his label Death Row Records. Tupac: Resurrection even contains some seldom-heard music from the man himself, and even emphasizes on Shakur's handwritten poetry, which describes his mother, who was a devoted Black Panther, and his father - whom he didn't know until later in his life - who was also an activist for African-Americans. Growing up in an unstable home, where violence was prominent and alternate living conditions were difficult to arrange, Shakur would often emulate the behavior of characters on sitcoms like Different Strokes, which revolved around a big, happy family - something Shakur craved.Shakur had the fortunate circumstance of being exposed to the arts and the theater when we was very young, and read and admired William Shakespeare throughout his entire life. He recognized his good fortune by seeing others in his neighborhood not even know who he was talking about when he would try to hold a conversation with them on plays, art, theater, or what-have-you. After leaving his mom's house as a teenager, Shakur looked to role models on the streets, which helped build the Shakur we know today.The film shows Tupac as a commanding, rugged philosopher, who would always emphasize the word "thug" and his personal motto "thug life." However, the way he defined "thug" was much different than the contemporary dictionary definition of the world. Shakur states that a "thug," in his mind, is a prideful underdog - somebody who has nothing but still holds their head up and works to make something. "What's the difference between me saying, 'I don't give a f***?' and Patrick Henry saying, 'Give me liberty or give me death?,' Shakur asks.Directly after the scenes where Shakur is defining "thug" show Shakur working in efforts to bring the East Coast/West Coast sides of the rap game together in a social gathering that served as a truce in the nineties. Shakur stands tall on stage, rapping his heart out, before imploring the people at the gathering to stop the violence and he'll continue to organize benefit concerts as a token for his appreciation.When Shakur explains his music, however, is when he can be a deeply contradictory figure. Despite his music both equal parts powerful and empowering, Shakur's actual music and his explanations and analysis of his music frequently seemed to come at a crossroads. This isn't as big of an issue as it may seem. Shakur, despite being rugged, tough, and thuggish (the word is employed here with his definition in mind), he was also incredibly vulnerable, and his explanations of his work reflect a more sentimental or compassionate side of him that may or may not have been an afterthought. Regardless, even his perspective on certain issues makes one think more than the average rapper today. In one scene, Shakur tells us that the only reason the Vietnam War ended was because we saw the horror that took place over there; with other wars, we kind of just assumed people were dying in a beautiful, civil way When the time comes for Shakur's brief but significant career as an actor to be discussed, one can see that through his methods of preparation and focus when portraying another character that Shakur was nothing other than a method actor, or somebody that invests in and studies their character for an ample amount of time in order to perfect a role. From his memorably gritty performance as the main antagonist in the street-drama Juice to the sweeter, softer side of him shown in the film Poetic Justice, Shakur demonstrated a diverse, character-actor mentality despite being so young and impressionable in the industry.Finally, Tupac: Resurrection looks at the controversy Shakur endured, not in the form of concerned politicians and talking heads in terms of what music their children were listening to, but how Shakur found himself wrapped up in several sexual assault cases, all of which he vehemently denied. With the aura Shakur had created about himself through his music and ideas, he proved that while you can be one of the smartest thinkers in a dangerous industry, you're still part of a very dangerous industry, which only further proved true as Shakur was shot and killed in Las Vegas in September 1996 in a drive-by shooting.Tupac: Resurrection is a fantastic display of documentary filmmaking by director Lauren Lazin, who allows Shakur to discuss ideas and topics "in his own words," so the film's tagline goes, and provide us access to a great deal of exceptional content from the man himself. It is one of the strongest, most powerful music documentaries i have yet to see.Directed by Lauren Lazin.

After watching almost everything related to Tupac Shakur and his life and learning by heart all his CD's I was more than excited when I sat down with my girlfriend ready to watch a documentary about the myth - this one made in co-operation with Afeni Shakur (Tupac's mom). Since Afeni Shakur has the rights to Tupac's work this movie is filled with Tupac's music which obviously is a great benefit - compared to "Biggie and Tupac" and "Thug Angel". This movie goes into the background of Tupac and describes how a young black male came up through hard situations that sculpted his mind. There isn't a big focus on his actual murder and no theories are presented about his death but the '95 shooting is described a little bit. If you are interested in Tupac and his life this movie is both informative and entertaining. I also have to recommend "Thug Angel", "Biggie and Tupac" and other films about Tupac to better understand some events and things in his short but remarkable life. Respect to Tupac, the best rapper ever. R.I.P.

One never knows what to expect out of rock films. Going into Tupac: Resurrection, I half expected another mediocre blaxploitation groaner. The other half expected a gushy MTVish drool-fest out to promote the soundtrack artists, including current corporate media darling 50 Cent.Resurrection is neither. The producer is not some slick Hollywood mogul with no understanding of rap except as a source for making a quick buck. Instead, Afeni Shakur, the late rapper's mother, takes charge. As both executive producer and the dominant force in her son's short life, her personal agenda impacts every frame. Like all documentaries, this is an extremely one-sided account, and it is likely due to her input that the movie downplays the darker aspects of Pac's self-destructive downward spiral after his move to Death Row Records. Nor is the film harsh enough on Tupac's seemingly endless capacity for paranoia and irresponsibility.Fortunately, she also makes the crucial decision not to dwell on more tired hash-rehash of so called East Coast/West Coast rap war, which the movie clarifies as less of a reality than a media event. Nor does it choose to linger on the numerous rumors and conspiracies surrounding Tupac's murder.Shakur and director Lauren Lazin wisely decide to let Tupac's voice carry the film. Lazin wisely refrains from using the masterful, propagandistic gimmicks of a Michael Moore documentary. There are no distracting interviews or massively-edited montages. As a result, the movie has a lyrical, sacred tone. History has mystified Pac as a martyr for West Coast gangsta rap, although during his lifetime he only released one such album. Few choose to remember that Death Row was the twilight of his life, that he spent the first half-decade of his career recording in the East where he grew up. It is here that the film takes its cue.Resurrection lays bare a magnetic, arrogant, charismatic spirit that immediately affirms why Pac remains one of rap's only true megastars. Though the film is not hard enough on how his growing obstinacy may have hastened his demise, it does not shy away from the controversy, the premonitions of death, the sex abuse conviction, and the inflated ego. The result is a well-drawn sketch of man aware of his genius but haunted by demons, a tortured soul navigating a realm more thuggish than he was at his core, a contradiction which plays as a general commentary on rap's manufactured images.This movie's production value alone easily outclasses nearly every other cinematic work that has ever pretended to be about hip-hop. It bears little resemblance to How High or Belly or to the shameless self-promotion of the vanity project 8 Mile, which was so sanitized as to kill any revelations it might have made about its star Eminem, the most high profile rapper to yet arise. I don't understand how someone could praise 8 Mile for its beauty and honesty (it isn't) and then criticize this film.By contrast, the sincerity of Resurrection solidifies Pac's reputation as `the only rapper that matters.' It shows why he is peerless and maybe the greatest artist the genre has yet produced: whatever can be said about his music, as an intelligent personality there is simply no one else in his class. He is so much more painfully relevant than all star rappers, and the sharpness of his observations on everything from politics to poverty leaves dust in the eyes of all his contemporaries. He represents a paradigm that has become all-too-rare in a musical form now dominated by cartoon images: a constructive rather than destructive point-of-view.A ball of contradictions, Tupac is finally much more complex and brilliant than most people would expect. People are uninformed and uninterested in hip-hop probably will get little out of this movie. Those who know will realize that the biggest tragedy is that not that Tupac died before reaching his full potential, but that other young black men with similar sensibilities rarely reach his level of visibility. 9.5/10.

Even after his untimely death in 1996,Tupac Shakur is still cranking out hit gangsta tunes from the grave. Yes,he maybe gone from here,but still is kicking strong within the hood. This was a brilliant and excellent documentary features footage from interviews and special material about the man who would become one of the most influential rappers of all time,the one and only 2PAC. From his earliest beginnigs with his parents,who were members of the notorious Black Panther movement of the 1960's and 1970's to his childhood days growing up in parts of New York to moving to Baltimore to attend the famous Baltimore School For The Performing Arts and from there to the West Coast areas of Oakland where he would established himself within the hood as sometimes controversial,loud and proud and speaking what was on his mind about the people,the society and most of all the music industry itself that was very corrupt and distasteful. The film goes on to the times where he was on top of the throne to the rise and fall of his own empire.However,his held his own towards the troubles in his life and furthermore the trials and tribulations that would follow from the celebrities he would have encounters with including some with Arnesio Hall,Eddie Murphy,Spike Lee,The Hughes Brothers,and the final confrontation the would end his life with the East Coast/West Coast feud with rivals Biggie Smalls,P.Diddy,and mostly the head of Death Row Records Suge Knight. This film was of the best documentaries I've seen in a long while and it really kept me in tune to a individual who was not just about rapping about the thug life of drugs,guns,violence and women,but he was a poet/activist,and actor in his own right--a man whose thoughts about society as an a black man living in America and how the black man is mistreated is something to see,since 2PAC was large and had fans worldwide. The documentary is a must see.