While the city of Toronto tries to figure out which season it wants to be, it’s still a guarantee that Summer is right around the corner, and with the high temperatures and looser clothing, comes Blockbuster movies – it’s the unwritten law of the land, I don’t make the rules, I just do my best to abide by them. Speaking of which, law is an interesting concept within society. It’s supposed to maintain a level of structure and order with the people, so that everyone theoretically is judged on the same mantel. Fair and square right? Wrong. It doesn’t work like that, and systemically, more are faced with disadvantages than the others, and when you face those disadvantages, you have to find other means of trying to survive. It’s the name of the game, and there have been, are still, and will be a lot of players. It’s one that has no start date nor end in sight – it’s the hustle.

Now, one reason to appreciate remakes is to pay homage to old art with a new generational spin. With the 1972 original Superfly being based in Harlem, with Curtis Mayfield being the strength behind the iconic soundtrack that has withstood time all these decades later, the need for a remix to speak to the generation that has birthed the name of ‘Trap,’ in the city from where it spawned (Atlanta), it only made sense for this movie to see the light. I’ve never seen the original, but I’ve heard the Soundtrack. There are probably a lot of people who have heard the likes of Pusher Man, Little Child Running Wild, Freddie’s Dead, and of course the title track, but haven’t seen the movie. The art of sampling is what introduced me to Curtis Mayfield, and this time around, it’s the sound of Nayvadius Wilburn (or Future) that carries on throughout this explosive remake blessed to the masses through the vision of Brampton’s own Director X.

The original Superfly was able to live on for so long because of its art of cool. Priest exemplified smart, cool, but an aggressor when pushed. Trevor Jackson took on the challenge of being the suave hustler this time around and from the opening scene till the last frame of picture, he was locked in on being that cool cat that earned the moniker of Superfly. This movie as a whole was as much entertaining as it was smart. There were definitely lines in dialogue that took jabs to the current state of the United States, and social commentary (and actions) may trigger some, but in the macro perspective, it speaks to a very real world that we live in daily. Karma comes for everyone, but of course I don’t spoil.

            You shouldn’t spoil your summer by not seeing this, because not only is it a fun film with a dope soundtrack, and a great cast, it’s the importance of seeing a Director who has brought so much flavour of the Greater Toronto Area to the world, through music videos for so long, that it’s only right that the love be reciprocated as he shows off for the big screen. It’s inspiring to see that someone from your backyard can achieve such great things, no matter how long it may take. It’s just another testament to the old adage that the hustle don’t ever stop. This is my opinion, this is my review,

That’s My Word & It STiXX