The internet has been buzing, the televisions have been roaring and the street have hollering over the anticipation of Kanye West‘s film “Runaway“. If you weren’t hiding under rock or closing your ears due to the noise about Ye’s film you would obviously know the film premiered Saturday October at 8PM (US time) on MTV, MTV2 and BET. Being a huge Ye fan I knew the film would be amazing. Fuck what LA Times said (excuse my french) but they’re no NY Times *kanyeshrug*. More after cut.
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Runaway is Ye’s first ever film directed by the man himself with words by Hype Williams, art direction by Vanessa Beecroft and costume by famous fashion designer Phillip Lim. The film is based on Ye’s perspective of last years incident at the VMA’s with Taylor Swift and his thoughts on the media. The film also features music off My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy such as Lost In The World, Power, Lights, and of course Runaway. In the film Runaway Selita Ebanks stars as the main character playing the role of the Phoenix.
While watching the film you notice that Phoenix is meant to represent Kanye in a way. Several scenes highlight how Ye felt during the time of the VMA incident such as: when the phoenix learning how to eat (reference to Ye’s XXL spread article), watching TV and hating what it was hearing (reference to VMA Taylor Swift incident) being criticized for bringing a mythical creature/bird to a dinner (reference to Amber Rose and the talk that came his relationship her) and everyone raising their cups to being douchebags or scumbags or even knowing some (another clear reference to acknowledging that everyone acts like scumbags and douchebags at times).
But there were two big scenes that stuck out to me which were when the phoenix was at the table saw it’s fellow bird being served. I found it to be Ye expressing how he felt some people ranted on twitter wanting him dead it was sort of Ye’s way of seeing himself as a dead man. The second thing that stuck out to me was the semi ending scene where West and Ebanks have sex. It was like he set up Selita to represent his mother. West finds out that phoenix has died. For those who didn’t notice the foreshadowing in the beginning; the phoenix does die but depict towards the end as rising into the sky looking over everything.
Like the mother is a representation of his mom saying “Ye I do have to go. This is your time to face reality“. Runaway ends with the phoenix rising into the sky and Kanye running to find out that the phoenix is gone and nowhere to be found. Quite like how a child reacts when their goldfish has just died. Overall the film was beautifully executed and reminds you a bit of the film “Science of Sleep“. Runaway is a definite must see! For the uncensored version click here and extended version click here.