Once more someone requests that I enter the realm of Nsync video and once more I acquiesce. Once more I enter the fray, place my very mind and soul in danger…just to keep the fans happy.
Once more because I will now attempt to review…Justin’s new video.
Ok, so it’s not actually Nsync.
It’s close enough though, ain’t it?
Let me just start out by saying that I really enjoy this song now. I’m not sure exactly how this happened, because at first it really did nothing for me at all. It would come on the radio and I would sigh and change the station. Then, after a couple of weeks, I found myself humming it when it wasn’t on. Then, a little bit after that I started to sing parts of it when it wasn’t on. Now, I listen to the damn thing every chance I get and am slowly but surely learning all the words.
THIS was not supposed to happen.
Fucking Timberlake.
Can he do no wrong?
Oh yeah…cornrows. Sometimes he is fallible.
But not here apparently. The song is good. The video leaves much to be desired.
As I watch it, the first thing I think of is the Girlfriend video. Same Justin in a stupid hat (except that this one has apparently been crocheted by his grandmother), same ethnic chick that he’s trying so hard to woo, same young people milling about on the streets for no apparent reason…same general vibe. I really, really felt that it was Girlfriend, Part Deux, and that disappointed me. I mean, at one point Justin is dancing with four male backup dancers.
Helloooo?! Can anyone say Nsync?
Ah, where ARE Joey, Lance, JC and Chris when you need them?
I DO give Justin points for dancing with female backup dancers.
But then he loses points for having most of the video shot in the parking lot of a 7-11. While wearing a 7-11 T-shirt no less. What the hell is that all about? 7-11 is not cool. 7-11s are where you go to get a Slurpee, not dance around with hip street people.
Now, I mentioned in my LJ that I would do a little write-up detailing how I would film this video if I were the director. Well, here it is.
Do I think my version is a cinematic triumph?
No.
But I think it’s better than what they came up with.
Here’s how I would do it.
Let’s start with the beginning of the song - where he’s actually speaking, not singing, these lines…
I would have it look very similar to what it looks like now (close up of his face) but he would not be moving at all. Then the music starts and we see the full length of him against a black background. Now, Justin has said that when he wore that hat and outfit at the VMA’s to perform LILY, that he was actually saluting Frank Sinatra, not Michael Jackson.
Really, Justin? Then let’s go with that. I want to see him dressed up, in black and white. White dress shirt, black pants, black jacket. But not completely dressed up. Maybe the shirt open, no tie…dressed up but casual. Like the photos of him in EW. Something like that. Casual elegance. And he wears a hat. At this point he’s lip-synching and dancing.
Then I want these scenes inter-cut with scenes of him at some kind of club. No stupid 7-11 parking lot. He’s there looking hot, catching the eye of some hot chick across the dance floor at the bar. They begin to walk towards each other. They finally meet in the center of the dance floor. Inter-cut this with scenes of Justin against the black backdrop except now the hot chick is there too. She’s dressed in casual elegance also. They start dancing, but the moves are part hip-hop, kindof sexy, part Fred Astaire/ Ginger Rogers. Inter-cut to the dance floor, where they’re dancing all hot and sexual and grinding except that they are the only people in focus. Everyone around them is a little distant and blurry.
Inter-cut between this scene and scenes of Justin and the chick against the black background.
When Clipse does his part, put him against the black background with Justin.
When Justin starts his other speaking part, I want a close-up of his face again. When he says, "Drums", he looks off to the side. He at no moment points to the side of his head.
Then when he says, "now everybody dance", we cut back to Justin and the hot chick on the dance floor, except that suddenly everyone else comes into focus and closer. And that’s the final scene. The dance floor, full of dancing folk, and the camera moves up higher and higher from that scene…
THE END.
And that’s my version of LILY.
And just trust me when I say, it looks really cool in my head.
Rating for the LILY video – the way it is now…a 5. It just doesn’t do a lot for me. Let’s see how they do with "Cry me a River"…which is a really pretty song, btw.