Tupac: Resurrection
Directed by Lauren Lazin
By Noel Dix

Biggie & Tupac focused on sensationalism and half-truths, failing to take the time to see Tupac Shakur as a gifted mind with a message, and taking more interest in fuelling the alleged hip-hop war between the East and West coasts. The majority of people involved in that project didn’t give a damn about Tupac. Although it has no choice but to focus on the rivalry with Notorious B.I.G., Tupac: Resurrection serves more as a tribute to the fallen poet, shedding so much light on this multi-entertainer that you will be hard pressed not to get wrapped up in his knowledge and overall kindness, whether you’re a hip-hop junkie or still refer to the genre as "rap music." With numerous archives at their disposal, MTV has succeeded in creating a biography of Tupac that will be next to impossible to top. For the love of God, MTV, please make an equally amazing film on Biggie. This DVD comes strapped with numerous extras, such as deleted scenes, including one of Pac’s last interviews with Snoop Dogg, where the pair deny any rivalry with the East coast, with Snoop eerily stating that they wouldn’t be there if it existed, only to have Tupac killed three days later. Another interesting nugget is a deposition that has Pac dodging questions about "gangster rap" and how much weed he smokes while trying to link his lyrics to the fatal shooting of a police officer. Hollywood celebrities such as Shawn Wayons and Jada Pinkett-Smith reflect on where they were when they heard Tupac was murdered, as does Eminem, who was nothing more than a cook at the time. Eminem also lends his time to describe his production on his number for the soundtrack, in which he paired up Pac and Biggie for a beyond the grave duet. The commentary is quite disappointing though, as Lauren Lazin has clearly prepared her words just like a boardroom presentation, dropping pre-thought out analysis with perfect timing and having numerous guests drop in here and there. It’s far too polished for you to get the feeling that you’re enjoying the documentary with any of the participants, acting more like a duller second narration. Tupac put it in his own words the first time around so we didn’t need to hear a half-assed retelling. Plus: exclusive interviews, music videos, Malcolm X dinner speech, more. (Paramount)
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