All Is Lost

A man alone with himself sometimes has only one's mind to fear. Though sometimes the risk of drowning at sea cut off from all communication with the rest of humanity enters into it as well, even if there's not a giant CGI tiger to make things extra complicated. Robert Redford is such a man adrift, alone with solely himself to rely on as the open ocean and fates toss him about as a plaything. Little background about him is given as the audience is taken along as he attempts to survive his ocean going yacht being struck by a loose shipping container. In a nearly dialog free picture Redford delivers a deeply engaging performance, truly becoming a seasoned and calm mariner pushed to the breaking point. All is Lost is a worthy challenger to Gravity in this Oscar season's category of mankind against the elements pictures. It manages to to thrill and educate while presenting an intensely human portrait of a man running out of options and bearing almost all of it with the patience and determination of Job.

What I loved most about All is Lost was the decision to tell very little but show a lot. The opening moments of the film largely are presented as the conclusion of the tale, with a letter read aloud offering apologies to family and loved ones for sins unstated. Quickly we jump back to the start, Redford alone on a sailing yacht awoken by a bump and water running into the cabin. He's clearly an old hand at sea. Rather than freaking out he preternaturally calmly investigates what looks to an outsider as a huge freaking problem. In that the the ship has been struck by a large shipping container. Causing sneakers to spill from the container and water to run into the boat. This begins a surprisingly restrained, but high stakes battle for survival as Redford uses the constrained resources available and his brain to try and escape from harms way. 

With all his energy focused on problem solving nary a word is spoken, but you'll barely notice that until it's over. Sea (a opposed to outer space in the similar but more visually banging Gravity) doesn't reward chatter boxes. Practically the entire film relies on Redford's ability to convey inner state through face and movement. Delivering a powerful performance that's emotionally engaging Redford is a sure thing for a best acting nomination this year - if there's any justice in the film world. The filmmaking visually complements his performance switching seamlessly from the confines of the cabin to the vastness of the sea at just the right moments. 

I'll say no more other than this is a work that deserves to be seen on the large screen. Actually, perhaps deserves to be seem more than once as knowing how it turns out will free viewers to discover what I expect is a second level of richness in the performance. Maybe leading to a more definitive answer as to how it ends. Even though most folks I've spoken with saw it as cut and dried I'm not quite as sure. 

Oh, and if you are going sailing at sea I've definitely learned that investing in maybe a couple extra satellite phones might be worth it. Just saying. 

On the Job (Philippines)

On the Job is an extremely engaging and cynical film that throws you immediately into the purposefully confusing story with two assassins about to go to work. The men are "on the job" and in prison at the same time. An evilly brilliant plan if you think I about it. The "powers that be" are pulling everyone's strings in a way that's as insidious and corrupt as can be. The "based on a true events" opening cards make it all the more real. Over the length of the film the story follows this pair of assassins (one older, one younger) and a pair of what appear to be the only two clean cops in the city (again, one older and one wizened). Part actioner, part melodrama it's a pretty darn good ride. Highly recommend keeping an eye out for it. Film is opening 9/27 in NYC and LA with a nationwide roll-out to follow.

Both story lines following the criminals and police are engaging and grant a disturbing view into corruption from top to bottom in Philippine society. Positively, neither provides much in the way of exposition - you figure out what's going on by paying attention. The prison is less of what one expects from US conventions and more a sprawling walled off community filled with criminals off all stripes. Both imprisoned professional killers have relationships on the outside that their killings allow them to participate in more fully than they could behind bars. The older of the two worries that his impending release may take away his ability to earn effectively on the outside. Of course he also ought to be worrying about how his current employees feel about him wandering about with more options to choose from. The younger and central figure of the two policeman is married into privilege - his wife being the daughter of seriously higher ups. Which means they may expect certain discretion from him - keeping in mind that schemes going on clearly have a scarily high level of sanction.

But it's not just a rotten to the core story of Faustian bargains. On the Job also repeatably brings the tension in a ways one would hope for in a tale of cops and cold blooded assassins. Most notably with an incredible stand out set piece involving a bit of cleanup at the local hospital. That alone would cover the price of admission in my view. But the unique perspective of a society's ugly underbelly, thrill ride moments and complex melodrama tie together into a thoroughly entertaining package. Keep your eyes peeled for this one. Even after an intense week of Fantastic Fest On the Job stands out and demands attention.

Miss Zombie (Japan)

Miss Zombie cannot be the first zombie movie with such an intense art house esthetic. But it's the first I've seen. More importantly this quiet but disturbing Japanese family horror film brings a level of sympathy unusual to the genre. Creating one of the few zombies where you care about their backstory and what happens to them. And no, Warm Bodies does not count.

The film's story starts with the delivery of a female zombie to a doctor's country home. Sent by a friend trying to create a new business around "low grade" zombies the box comes with two instructions. Don't feed her meat, and use the included pistol if things get out of hand. Zombiness in this universe is a viral condition of sorts. Lower grade carriers tend to be docile and not considered a large danger. Though things can of course change pretty fast under the right circumstances.

Soon she's put to work scrubbing an outside floor and is allowed to come and go on her own (living in the family's more urban storage shed). The way too adorable young son of the couple enjoys photographing the formerly young women (along with everything else around). While she deals with fragmentary memories of her own life cut short - workmen and others tend to admire her posterior. And perceived complacency to overt aggression. That sets up a vibe where the zombie tends to be in a a sympathetic space and the humans around her all seem too eager to exploit her. Including the wife of the family in a moment of desperation.

This is a zombie film after all ... not just just a picture reveling in overt subtext of a patriarchal culture of abuse of women. So eventually things start to become *ahem* complicated.  Which is when all the time building tends to pay off rather well.

There are some areas where suspense of disbelief is key. When the zombie is first delivered town leaders express strong concerns about the potential killer in their midst. But soon seem completely unconcerned that she's walking across town without supervision. Then there's the fact that she seems less than effective at here assigned job. And last but certainly not least - among literally thousands of potentially bad ideas, having sex with the zombie has got to be at least be in the top ten. But you'll be surprised at how little thought seems to go into the obvious potential complications of that. Even beyond the "hey isn't that rape?" issue. Though I suppose that last part/issue is very much the point of the story being told within the genre convention.

All said though there's a lot to recommend Miss Zombie. It looks terrific being mostly shot in gothic black and white. Then there are the simple but effective performances built upon by the visual editing. Finally, there's the true emotion that builds leading to the films compelling climax. It's not like all those other zombies - meaning while it's unclear how many more unique zombie stories exist to be told - Miss Zombie remains on the right side of that equation.

Goldberg and Eisenberg (Israel)

Goldberg and Eisenberg is the sort of film that's well done, but makes me wonder why I watched it. Not because of the filmmaking but because I probably could have found something more personally rewarding than watching a two people escalate towards the point of possible bodily harm for no particular reason. The film is listed as black comedy wasn't the sort of thing that actually made me laugh. I can chuckle I think about the bleakness of the human condition at times - but generally not much to laugh at here. Except perhaps Eisenberg's association with what I'm assuming is the sole Nazi in Israel.

Things start to go wrong for Goldberg right from the beginning. A free lance middle aged programmer he's frankly a bit of a schlump. Out to meet an online date he's sitting alone in a darkened park where by day he walks his dog (and only visible friend). It's looking a lot like she's not coming - but along into the scene wanders Goldberg. A big, crude sloppy sort of fellow who exudes menace of an ill defined kind. Or perhaps he's just trying to make a friend also. Either way the two of them rub each other the wrong way rather quickly. Begging off the encounter I'm sure Goldberg is pretty sure he'll never see this guy again. But of course that's not the way this thing goes. 

Eega (India)

I could be wrong about how this all came about, but after seeing Eega I've been picturing the inception moment that led to the film. My imagining involves a bunch of friends shooting the shit - alcoholic beverages or other mind altering substances may or may not have been involved. It's got to be a bunch of folks talking about film, and maybe they were imagining creative stagings of revenge fantasies. Someone might have been reminiscing about the multi lifetime love story Dead Again. Maybe things got philosophical / religious and what people came back as in your next life and why became the topic. From this rich stew of religion and love stories and perhaps a bit of Tarantino sprang a crazy, crazy idea - a guy returns from the dead as a housefly to avenge his death and be reunited with his pre-destined love. Oh, and don't forget to leave room for Bollywood's signature musical interludes. Sounds completely nuts - but in a striking victory for fans of high concept everywhere the creators of Eega (Fly) have managed to near perfectly thread the needle resulting in a supremely fun and satisfying genre bending flick. Kudos to them and huge thanks to the people behind programming it at Fantastic Fest this year.

Bindu is a micro-artist by night and member of a NGO by day. Over the past several years she'd noted with appreciation the flirtatious of neighbor Nani across the way. Slowly being won over - her interest and eventual love for him is growing. Unknown to them a huge obstacle by way of Sudeep lurks just over the horizon. He's a rich, womanizer scumbag with serious anger/jealousy control issues. After becoming obsessed with Bindu he thinks he's making progress until realizing she only has eyes for Nani. Outraged he kidnaps his competition and proceeds to beat him mercilessly. When Nani realizes why he's being attacked he threatens to kill Sudeep should he touch Bindu. That takes things up another notch and Nani ends up dead at Sudeep's hand (technically his foot). In most films that would be the end of things. But Eega is just getting started.

Long story short - a reincarnated Nani retains his love of Bindu even as he loses his human form. Leading him to do anything and everything a fly can do to enact vengeance. As it turns out a lowly housefly can be a powerful enemy - especially if the powers of the universe are on his side. What follows is an affecting love story as he reconnects with Bindu coupled with a relatively bloodthirsty revenge story. He's not just back to hamper Sudeep's plans and get him to see the errors of his ways. Nani's back for biblical justice. He's on earth to end Sudeep - plain and simple.

By now you've got to be wondering "great idea, but how does one execute on that?" Short answer, extremely well realized computer graphics. Nani is back as a fly, one with depth, character and slick integration into the live action world of the other characters. We've come a long way in the 25 years since Roger Rabbit. I'm sure if you look closely enough the boundaries of film and CGI will be notable. But it's not easy - more importantly, I almost guarantee you'll be having way too much fun to look.

All three leads deliver performances well matched to the material. Righteous outrage, delightful chemistry, and evil but borderline mustache twirling cheesy villainy are all delivered. Leading to a wonderfully breathtaking pre-intermission sequence. By the time we get to a murderous  montage sequence or the creation of the most dangerous Mojito of all time all you'll do is enjoy the ride. To which colorful nighttime musical dance sequences are just a delightful bonus.

If I can say one thing with confidence about films coming out of Fantastic Fest - you're unlikely to see a better reincarnated as a fly revenge/love story regardless how many times your soul returns to this mortal coil. I'm off now to take a look at what else the co-directors of Eega have been up to. Eega truly deserves to be seen widely. Keep an eye out and jump on the opportunity when it presents itself.

Commando - A One Man Army (India)

Holy cow guys. If you've ever wanted to see mashup of Commando, Roadhouse, Bourne, Last of  the Mohicans and a crazy dance party - with a touch of Gymkata thrown in - then have I got just to thing for you. Model turned actor, Vidyut Jamwal, the muscles of Mumbai (I may have made that up) flying kicks his way through legions of goons mainly to unwind and blow off some steam after a year of torture at the hands of the Chinese. Oh, and to clean up a corrupt politician culture and get the girl. Did I mention that the film opens with an announcement that he does all his own stunts with no wire-work or CGI? I know, I know ... I had you at Commando meets Roadhouse. You're gonna want to see Commando - A One Man Army - just trust me on this one.

The titular commando crash lands during routine helicopter training inside of China (nope, that seems shady to me also)g. For political reasons he's treated as a spy and the political elite let him twist in the wind. But due to a stunningly awesome monologue from his commanding officer we learn that such commandos are national treasures. In fact his description of what a commando is sounded suspiciously like a series of Chuck Norris Jokes. My favorite part being that if you take ten of the world's most poisonous snakes that would form a commando's breakfast.

Being transported for a sham trial our hero escapes and makes his way back into Indian territory. On the way he rescues the films gorgeous though often oddly unconcerned leading lady. She's trying to sneak out of town to avoid a shotgun marriage to villain AK. A politician with a penchant for sadistic murder and horribly corny jokes that are continually texted to him throughout the film (not making that part up). A short while later a dozen or so baddies for hire lie beaten or dead on the ground. Before we know it the couple are evading capture through the jungle occasionally stopping to unleash the dogs of war (or more specifically his mad commando skills) on the pursuers. They're on the run - but not without lots of time to stop and flirt. When he's not killing a dozen men at a time with his bare hands.

I wasn't especially thrilled with the portrayal of the female character. Though at the end there's a pseudo feminist "you're the first man to believe in me" bit she's more often written as an offensively silly woman. By which I mean there's a beaming smile on her face as she's being chased through the jungle. Not a concern in sight. Though I suppose if I was in the company of Jamwal with his buff bod, great looks and ability to fight in a way that  difficult to believe (because of how incredibly cool it is) perhaps I would be whistling while I ran also.

Being a Bollywood production there are a seies of dance numbers. They mostly make sense in context and are catchy enough. Though for me that's not the reason to see the film. See it for the action combined with a bit of cheesiness. Your inner Gymkata fan will be glad you did.* I'll be keeping an eye out for Jamwal ... this guy is seriously going places.



* this is actually a totally unfair comparison. The action sequences in Commando (Army of One) are super engaging and when you laugh it's typically because Jamwal did something you cannot believe you just saw (or is especially brutal). Though there is definitely a gymnastics element to the moves at times - it's just that he's not going to find a gymnastics horse in the middle of the jungle (as opposed to in Gymkata)

Mirage Men

You may want to believe - but in what exactly? That aliens are among us and engineered the creation of our species through DNA experiments on early primates. Or maybe that the government has been running a focused disinformation campaign to spread stories of UFO's to distract the public, flummox the Soviets, cover up advanced technology programs, or perhaps just to goose Hollywood box office numbers. Though don't forget the possibility that these government coverups are muddying the waters - hiding our dealings with the aliens by spreading half truths about aliens. Yep - if you thought the final years of the X-Files was all over the place then brace yourself for the Mirage Men. This documentary delivers access to the players - from UFO researchers telling tales of good men turned mad by the NSA to OSI agents who told the lies.

Frankly by the end it's just as impossible to know what to believe as when it started. On the negative side it's not really the intense mind-fuck I was expecting. Partly because after the most intense story of government manipulation early in the film everything else seems tame. And secondarily because the picture to me never really establishes the bonafides convincingly of the talking heads. Everyone seems off (like possibly delusional off) and lacking in gravitas - to put it mildly. So by the time the snake starts to eat it's own tail it's too easy to start wondering if you're watching a modern day Sasquatch... A film whose documentary provenance feels shakey (which in that case it was as apparently in that case anyone but seven year old me knew it was a dramatization - of probably absolute fiction).

The whole picture has the production values (likely purposefully) of what I'd imagine the X-File's Lone Gunmen would produce and at times could stand to use some exposition beyond the talking heads. If you're familiar and deeply into this UFO space I doubt it breaks any new ground. For me, it whet my appetite to understand what exactly the government was spending out tax dollars on. It's reassuring that the story isn't about how the military was killing off people to keep their secrets. But whatever was/is going on it's hard not to wonder if folks couldn't have come up with less elaborate ways of handling things. I'd be down for watching a deeper and more involved take on this material. For this one I'll vote moderately interesting with a lot of flaws.

Got to say though - great subject matter choice for FantasticFest. And unrelated to the fest, makes me think about the fictionalized retelling of the (alleged) aliens autopsy fraud from several years back.
                          

Confession of Murder (South Korea)

Confession of Murder continues Korea's success in delivering some of the most engaging and satisfying genre experiences out there. Taking what seems to be a tired old trope and making it into something surprising and visceral. The film opens with a cop attacked by a serial killer who he's been tracking. After the officer is wounded in the pitched running battle the bad guy gets away. Fast forward fifteen years and the murderer still hasn't been apprehended. A multi-year grudge, unresolved deaths ... you know where this is going, right? Well ... So did I but step into the theater and brace yourself. Things are gonna get wild.

After that opening scene we learn that 15 years is the statute of limitations for murder. Before you can ask yourself what idiots came up with that idea a young, brash cocky bastard is holding a press conference to announce he's the killer. With a new book as the lucrative path to confession. Obviously this doesn't go over too well with the man who ran the long cold case. Nor with some of the victims family who have the will, means and skills to exact their own direct revenge.

Twists and turns will follow including at least two that I didn't see coming - at all. The director seamless marries thriller twists and tension, dynamic camerawork (including some well used for the storytelling flying cameras between building floors), off the hook action and old fashioned melodrama. Yep, this one kicks ass.

Oh yes ... the action. You've got fights, you've got car chases, you've got poisonous snakes unleashed in hotel pools. All high octane and incredibly dangerous looking. Specifically one of the most off the charts car chase sequences I've ever seen. Shot seamlessly enough that I'm willing to be significant portions are continuous moving shots. Maybe the risky nature of the stunt work isn't so surprising once you recognize the film was directed by the guy who did the documentary Action Boys about the world of Korean stuntmen. I didn't love that doc, but I recall that the guys in that field would go to lengths that were considerably more extreme (and often unwise) compared to a lot of other folks. Ethical issues aside it makes for some riveting and gripping cinema.

Like in all such situations where one builds to an incredibly high crescendo it's hard for the ending to be as satisfying as the journey.  But it's mild departure from a top notch experience - I'd happily take the ride that is Confession of Murder again at the first opportunity.

Monsoon Shootout (India)

"The law is what it is. If you can't use it to get justice then you're the ass!" - Rookie officer Adi addressing his superior.

Monsoon Shootout from director Amit Kumar is a tight and satisfying take on first day on the job dramas such as Training Day while layering in a metaphysical treatment of the power of choices we make in each moment of our lives. Clocking in at a fast 88 minutes a lot gets packed into this one.

The film kick offs with Adi's first day on the job as a cop. He's teamed with Khan, a beyond pragmatic lawman who believes in justice but not upholding all the details of the law. That's made pretty clear when within minutes of reporting for duty Khan executes a group of suspects in the extortion murder of a real estate developer. Adi's asked to crash their car to cover up the "escape" attempt and his moral dilemmas begin. Before long he's making choices that are all over shades of grey spectrum as they try to put away Shiva (aka the "Ax killer") who's the tip of the bloody spear wielded by local gangster "the Slum Lord." In the meantime corruption is all around in what could just as easily serve as a scathing indictment of Indian society as a hard nosed police thriller.

Adi turns out to be a hell of investigator and coupled with Khan's sack of guns makes rapid progress on the streets. He's quickly on the heels of Shiva, racing through a crowded night market. Drenching rain provides the backdrop for a fateful split second judgement around with the rest of his existence pivots. I will say no more about that.

The look of Monsoon Shootout tends to be dark, lush and predictably rain soaked. Which blends nicely with the relationship of few, but often explosive, words between Khan and Adi. Things start off pretty fragile but the deepening relationship adds authenticity to the story. Truthfully, the actual nature of the crimes are bluntly simple enough that they're almost besides the point. But they form an important construct to hang off everything else. Plus the Shiva is one seriously serious bad ass dude. Especially for a guy with such a sweet clay sculpting kid.

If you threw The Wire, Training Day, Sliding Doors, a class on ethics and drenching rainstorm into a blender you'd get Monsoon Shootout. And if you could I'd advise you to take a long deep gulp of that cocktail. I assure you that 88 minutes will scream buy punctuated only by a couple of excellent WTF? moments. Drink up!

Why Don't You Play in Hell (Japan)

Almost equal parts Yakuza drama, slavish love story to classic cinema shot on film, romantic comedy and over the top bloodbath, the Venn diagram intersection of those three makes it feel as if Why Don't You Play in Hell was specifically created for Fantastic Fest audiences. The wacky gonzo feel appealed to me, especially once I decided that logical consistency had no place in evaluating the film.

It's hard to comprehensively explain the tangled plot and motivations of all the characters. Thankfully I don't especially want to say anything that would take away from deconstructing the tangled bits yourself. There are essentially three groups interacting over the course of a ten year period. First - a group of gonzo (and supremely un-talented) filmmakers who for reasons never fully explained have named themselves the "Fuck Bombers." The second storyline tracks two gangs of feuding Yakuza - one of whom bosses has decided they should always wear kimono and setup their headquarters in a castle. Finally budding potential romance between the child actress since grown up daughter of one of the crime bosses and a guy she meets on the street while trying to run away. Ultimately all these groups are pulled inevitably towards each other as the girl's father's attempts to make her the star of a serious drama ... Largely as a thank you to her mom who has spent the lay ten years of prison praying for the girl's return to the stage. Which is a dicey proposition at best so many years after the girl's popular nationwide toothpaste commercial was taken off the air, due to the scandal of the mom violently dispatching a group of Yakuza assassins. Yep ... that's seriously the plot. Mixed in there's plenty of references to specific films and cinema in general. What's not to like?

One thing to especially love is the early sequence which explains how the Mom ends up incarcerated. Turns out it's hard to claim self defense when you chase one of the killers through the street with a chef's knife. The whole setup is visually amazing, and made laugh out loud. It's one of the most memorably enjoyable sequences I've seen in a while. The rest of the film for me never quite recaptured that high. But I suspect a lot of viewers will equally or even more appreciate the final epic conclusion where all parties come together to film a battle royale between the feuding gangs. Arguably fulfilling the Fuck Bombers lifelong dream to "to make a damn good movie - even if it's only one." Demonstrating in incredibly violent fashion one of the film's themes that a person should be willing to sacrifice everything for one's art. Though in the case of the bombers their passion seems to eclipse putting in the time and discipline to learn how to make a movie. Those and many other pieces creates a work about film that will give folks plenty to discuss, in addition to just marveling at the chaos. Whether you believe realists will always lose out to fantasists or not - there's a surprising amount to chew over after the final frame rolls.

The film's top charms are the murderous stage mom - and the two Yakuza leaders. Each of which are ridiculous but strangely compelling. The lack of skill of the Bombers combined with their extreme passion for film were a smidge annoying to me at times, to an extent I was pulled out of the film. Though thinking back perhaps that's one of the possible points of the picture. Around how enthusiasm, willingness to do anything and blind prayer may not be enough to create something of substance. Thankfully writer/director Shion Sono and his cast both clearly love cinema and have taken the time to master the skills required to create it.

Why Don't You Play in Hell is an ultraviolet genre film that likely will appeal to the sort of folks who like to see films about film - assuming they can look past all the blood. And I'm talking little child sliding across a floor covered in the stuff two inches deep. I know for many readers I had you at two inches of blood. But even if it doesn't sound awesome I'd suggest a broader group give it a chance - it's violent and flows red, but it's not especially gory (OK - there are a couple of exceptions to that too).

Sample This

There are moments that change the world after years of research, precise calculation and unceasing discipline striving towards a goal. And then there are the wonderful stories of unexpected consequences arising our of creative chaos, happenstance and being in the right place at the right time. The tale of Sample This is definitely in the latter category. Not since Fish Story have I watched a film about a more influential song. That was fiction (I believe) but this tale of the man behind the Incredible Bongo Band's cover of Apache credits that single cut with the birth of what today we call hip-hop. That may be somewhat stretching things - but it's clearly a seriously impact full set of music, having been sampled on a regular basis for going on thirty years. Perhaps more amazing than this (to me) unknown hub of mash-up culture is that Sample This manages to sprawl in multiple random directions yet still present a satisfying and entertaining result that I can easily recommend checking out. The film opens theatrically and on VOD Friday 9/13.

Improbably narrated by KISS front man Gene Simmons the story starts at the assassination of Robert Kennedy which marks the departure of Michael Viner from politics into the music business. A business opportunist who seemed to have the rare skill of not meddling with the artistic process Viner goes on to produce a range of work from novelty albums to involvement with the soundtrack of The Thing with Two Heads. Long story short - he puts together some of the day's best session musicians as the Incredible Bongo Band. The album didn't amount to much commercially. But in the Bronx a DJ culture discovered the album and in particular the track Apache. Containing parts that were uniquely awesome for the realtime remixing DJ Herc was doing - and the song was reborn. Through countless remixes the song's DNA remains firmly enshrined in the musical argot of hip-hop.

The film itself is sort of all over the place telling really three stories. First, that of Michael Viner who seemed to have earned a broad range of admirers with his pluck. Second, that of the unheralded session musicians who come in each day to make someone else famous - often across more musical genres than I can name. Finally, it holds up the mix and match musical underpinnings of hip hop that can be missed if one overfocuses on the vocal part of the equation. Demonstrating how great artists "steal" for the betterment of society Sample This serves as a powerful if subtle reminder how overly restrictive intellectual property laws hinder innovation more than they may help in many many cases. Or at least that's how I saw it. Either way - Sample This is eye opening and fun to watch. Whichever angle appeals to you I recommend checking out this peppy little history and economics lessons at first opportunity. 'nuff said.

You're Next

You're Next the long delayed horror film from director Adam Wingard is must see viewing for fans of horror. But the way it subverts the expectations of the home invasion genre while honoring it at the same time  makes it must see viewing for a far broader audience. It's a bloody, cracking good time. With the emphasis on both bloody and good time. Violent and funny as hell not to mention pretty darn scary. Plus, filled with the sort of practical home alone tips you're going to want to impart to your daughter during early childhood. Run don't walk to see You're Next

The film does leave those intending to deliver a spoiler free review in a bind. The writing is super clever but I hesitate to share much of it at all at the expense of ruining some of the puzzle box secrets built into the story. So instead let's fall back to a brief overview of what's going on.

The centerpiece of the movie revolves around a family reunion in the countryside. Parents celebrating their 35th anniversary are gathering adult children (and significant others) to their beautiful, spacious and isolated vacation home. Which would be wonderful if the film's opening scene hasn't gorily setup the background that there was a psycho killer on the loose murdering folks with a machete and scrawling "You're Next" in large letters, using their blood as ink. So we know things aren't going to go especially well ... and they certainly do not.

The opening sequence is shot as a tribute to 80's era slasher films. The look is lush and off and sexual all at the same time making it nigh impossible not to be drawn in. But it's definitely familiar and I couldn't help but wonder about having see this sort of thing too many times before. Wingard's cinematic sleight of hand lulls one into the belief that they're about to watch a well shot but thoroughly ordinary flick about a violent home invasion nutcase. Even the younger women being killed half naked and post coitus is familiar for the genre. But this bit of misdirection hides the fact that You're Next will soon winningly twist its knife in ways you weren't expecting. Even as opening scene anchors the first few bars of the picture's only soundtrack which will soon be used in ways that are insidiously clever. 

This might be a good time to point out that You're Next is not for everyone. Personally I'm not particularly interested in horror films and I'll admit to be easily scared. But I still loved You're next. It's worth mentioning directly that while I laughed out loud repeatedly during the screening this is in fact a bloody, tense and often disturbing (for some) film. Which is another way of saying that while it's funny this ain't Tucker and Dale vs Evil.

Getting back to our happy family .... They're not especially happy. That suspicion is raised early on and then solidified over dinner. The brothers are at each other's throat (making way for an especially entertaining performance by director Joe Swanberg), some appear to have substance abuse issues and it's not entirely clear that this is going to be a bump free family reunion. Yet no one is expecting masked intruders to burst upon the scene. Intruders with no agenda other than murdering everyone in sight. Which delightfully doesn't really bring an end to the bickering - most notably with two brothers having what seems like a well trod argument over who is the better runner, and thus the one who should try to make it to an outside phone.

At this point genre filmmaking has conditioned us to expect people to die bloodily, attempt to fight back, probably make some dumb mistakes, but perish in a blaze of entertaining glory. But it turns out one of the guest has a set of skills that comes in particularly handy in such situations. As the story unfurls there are more than enough plot twists and turns to keep mentally engaged while the bloody catharsis spools out at a breakneck pace. Standard relationship concerns such as "you never want to try new things" yield retorts such as " .. I don't think that's a fair criticism under the circumstances" which perhaps have never been more true in the history of cinema.

The visual and verbal storytelling is sharply executed. The ensemble cast is terrific. With actress Sharni Vinson being a perfect fit to the entire endeavor. Not to mention the clear Miss December of any gorgeous women with hot accents and an ax calendar. Plus it's fun to see Ti West get shot in the head with an arrow. Oops, maybe a spoiler there. But this is a slasher film at its core. And one of the few giveaways in a remarkably spoiler free trailer.

You'll laugh, you'll shudder, you'll marvel at the skill of what the filmmakers and cast have wrought. And if you're like me you'll giddily wait for the much teased moment proving that Chekhov's gun is sometimes really an ax tied above a doorway,which is definitely gonna cut someone by the time the night it through.

All in all a piece of disgustingly beautiful violent art that deserves it's largest honor to date - the painting of a tribute mural on the wall of the former South Lamar Alamo Drafthouse theater. That may be gone but I'm are a large number of accolades await You're Next 2+ years after playing at Fantastic Fest.

Sometimes you just need a night out to laugh, cringe and enjoy a bloody catharsis. I did need such a thing and You're Next delivered. Bravo!

Mural that used to sit on the side of the South Lamar Alamo Drafthouse

Nothing Bad Can Happen

When I'd first read the description of Nothing Bad Can Happen - I must say I wasn't especially interested. But the execution of the film while extremely uncomfortable held my interest both during and after. In the sense that for reasons I cannot entirely explain the experience has stayed with me, my brain periodically and randomly revisiting moments in the film.

The story isn't exactly subtle ... Tore, a lost young man with an angelic face has been found and saved, becoming a fervent member of the "Jesus Freaks" a Christian punk rock collective of believers. The opening moments of the film show Tore's baptism with the group. Like punk itself they've striven to strip things down to the basics - in this case that of their Christian faith. And Tore is a true, true believer in the power of prayer and belief. So much so that when he runs across a family with a broken down car he prays over the hood. Much to the surprise of the family's dad, Benno, the car restarts. Clearly, not believing, Benno is intrigued enough on some level to take up Tore's invitation to learn more. Long story short - Benno comes to meet Tore and ends up taking him home after the boy experiences an epileptic seizure (or as Tore prefers to think of it a visiting by the Holy Spirit).

As the title of the film suggests, all is not well in the Benno household, and the family patriarch soon begins to test Tore's faith in ways that even Job himself might have struggled with. We know it's coming, but the extent of the bullying to abuse (not entire limited to Benno) will still shock even hardened audiences. Tore suffers, but believes that holding to his principles will save those in the family, and saving they are in serious need of, from father to mother to children. Tore's personal and religious transition and that of the families is complex, disturbing, but also rather engaging. Some of it is extremely in your face, but there are also moments of powerful and more subtle change, particularly a late moment in the hospital where Tore admits something being of the mundane rather than supernatural that shows more about where he is than any amount of telling would.

This is not a fun movie to watch, and at times it's hard to believe that someone would subject themselves to the level of misery that Tore does. Likely a credit to actor Julius Feldmeier his performance makes the unbelievable believable enough to roll with the story. Benno (played by Sascha Alexander Gersak) delivers an incredible performance. Managing to be both overstuffed with quiet menace, incredible evil, yet likable to the degree it's understandable as to how those around him could be pulled into his damaging spell. Not all the relationships are horrible, Tore's growing closer to the family's daughter elicits the most touching moment of the film as he struggles to hold true to his vow of celibacy until marriage. And it's for her and the younger brother that he endures (or believes he's enduring) the suffering. None of this is to say that I agree with what might be viewed as the film's message. I venture to say most viewers will be screaming at Tore to take a very different path. But I don't have to necessarily agree with the artistic vision, or even fully like to recommend Nothing Bad Can Happen as a unique picture worth watching.

The film's cinematography is simple, but often beautifully calibrated to the story at hand. The performances, and perhaps the discussions that could erupt later bring me to recommend taking a look. But again, not a nice film about good people. And given one extremely memorable scene of forced feeding I don't expect you'll want to watch it directly before or after dinner. Though I suspect they'll definitely serve chicken during a future screening at the Alamo Drafthouse given their dark sense of humor.

Only God Forgives

Only God Forgives opens this week in Seattle as well as via home streaming options. Seeing a repeat pairing of Ryan Gosling and Nicolas Winding Refn one might be expecting a visually stunning film like Drive or a solid straight thriller like the Pusher trilogy. But banish that frame of reference from your thinking - 'cuz that's not what's coming. Instead they've created something more akin to a thriller through the eyes of Jarmusch with a healthy helping of David Lynch homage on the side. Meaning it's slow, indirect, obscure, surreal and with a lot of red tones. Both from the copious blood and the Thai decor. Together it's an interesting fusion of mythological underworld imagery crossed with something from Twin Peaks, where you expect a dancing little person to emerge into each scene. Also have to say it's a clear winner of film most likely not to have have been sponsored by the Bangkok visitors bureau nor their local organization for fair and just policing practices. Bottom line Only God Forgives feels more like a master class on visual symbology than what I wanted to watch on a Friday night.

Let's back up ...

Ryan Gosling is a man assigned to avenge the death of his brother. While reluctantly pursuing his killer an avenging angel (or devil) of a cop appears hot on his trail. Shot in a dreamlike stupor it's never 100% clear which of the brutal and graphic violence is real, a psychological detour, a metaphor for heaven and hell or just weirdness for the sake of weirdness. It's also not transparent for much of the film what specific exploitative business Gosling is in, but given the circumstances of his brother's death he's understandably of mixed mind of how hard to push the revenge thing. Egged on by his lifetime of therapy inducing mother he begins an investigation. One that takes him and his family deep inside the belly of the beast. Leading to less than subtle Shakespearean tragedy (or maybe justice) as scene upon scene of blood being washed off hands is foisted on us. Yep, idle hands are clearly the devil's workshop. Or something similar. At least based on the more than ten scenes in which characters none too subtlety look at or brandish their hands. Not to mention the negative impact on some of these appendages amongst the naughty.

The Otherside

Hip hop is alive and well in Pacific Northwest. Having undergone a break out childhood and adolescence where it tried on lots of personas the art form has grown up, had kids and is now figuring out what to do with the rest of its life. That's roughly the message that the made in Seattle documentary The Otherside opens with before jumping into a whirlwind tour of the state of the "scene." Clocking in at a brisk 47 minutes director Daniel Torok must have been faced with a variety of choices in the editing room. What makes it onscreen demonstrates the unrealized potential for a fantastic film. What's there as exhibited at SIFF will likely be a hit with fans already deeply enmeshed in the genre. But frankly I'm hoping he'll go back and flesh things out for the rest of us. I'm definitely up for a return viewing under those circumstances. What follows comes from a point of love - I hope it's taken that way.

[ Lots of photos from the Seattle premiere of The Otherside are available here ]

First the good. The filmmaker appears to have fantastic access to some very interesting people working to live their dream, at what appears to be a unique moment of inflection in the music industry. The way things are going it's harder to hit that huge mega stardom and riches from selling your songs. On the other hand the record labels that have historically optimized themselves to separate an artist from their full earnings have been weakened. The Internet has wrought an entirely new way to connect with fans and earn a living. Arguably with less of a tournament winner take all economic model - though perhaps one where a higher number of folks can earn a living through their art due to connecting with fans and market segmentation. Broad access to a local music scene creates opportunities to tell a story that wasn't possible some years ago. And concentrating across a range of acts in a single genre gives one the possibility of skipping many of the almost unavoidable cliches of the backward looking doc of an influential band of yesteryear.

So ... We've got access to a compelling set of characters at an interesting point in time. Those are the keys to a great documentary. Add to that great footage and solid technical execution of The Otherside. What's not to love?

The problem for those unschooled in Seattle hip-hop is pretty basic. Lots of background is left out and one theme is expounded on in a manner that weighs way too heavily on telling rather than showing.

In short the distance between what I watched and possible perfection includes the following tweaks

• Less people saying over and over that the Seattle sound is that we don't have a specific sound. There are lots of quick clips of performances. Letting those play out in a way that audience members can clearly see the differences would be far more convincing. Hip-hop isn't the music genre I know best. So perhaps I need more convincing. I could see strong stylistic differences. But most audiences I'd recon would benefit from more onscreen music that's edited to demonstrate the musical omnivores Seattle audiences are said to be. In case I'm being too subtle let's put this another way. If you made up a drinking game premised on drinking a shot anytime someone said "we have no sound" anyone short of an alcoholic would end the movie in the ER. That said - I am pleasantly impressed no one uttered the rock doc bingo phrase "I'm not into labels." Perhaps I'm just showing my age though.

• More background on the sub-genres being mentioned. Maybe with a bit of history thrown in - the music doc animated history section has become popular for a reason. I'm left guessing what the differences are between the tons of sub-genres briefly mentioned onscreen. Some are pretty obvious (gangster rap) but even someone I know who is a fan of hip-hop wasn't able to illuminate me on "backpack" style.

• Expand the view out to other things that might be unique to the northwest scene. Or at least throw a bit of screentime to the local fans. There's mention in passing how club infrastructure has improved. That might be part of it. But I'm not 100% sure and was itching to learn more.

• Macklemore - more or less, either might work better. He's hard to ignore as the local boy made good. From what I read and what I hinted at it seems there's a lot more to talk about here. An issue with overindulgence is mentioned along with a single comment that suggested he may have taken some time off before hitting it big. In for a penny in for a pound I say. Either cover this in more depth of don't go there. It's almost as if the filmmakers got an extremely great bit of Macklemore being introspective on film. But then didn't support it within their storyline. Not to mention Macklemore's reduced dependence to breakthrough on traditional distribution was untouched even though it's likely instrumental to the hopes and dreams of many profiled. That would've been great to expand on. Especially as the moments when local artists answered questions about how long they could go without being able to financially support their families were some of the most heartfelt.

The good news is that at 47 minutes a bit of reorganization and possibly new footage could turn this into a tight and insightful 80 minutes. I hope that's in the cards for the future. The blood sweat and tears of those documented deserve it if at all possible. In the meantime even if that never happens if you're into the Seattle scene shown I'm sure you'll get a kick out of it nonetheless.



[ The Otherside screened at the 2013 Seattle International Film Festival ]

Fateful Findings

I'm calling it right now, Fateful Findings is going to win SIFF 2013. Regardless of category; best dialog, plot, love story, computer hacking - this film takes the experience to eleven. Admittedly, for some that might be to negative eleven. But in the bad movie olympics, Fateful Findings sticks the landing to take the gold, silver and bronze. A hell of a lot of fun to watch by myself, I cannot believe it won't be 10 times more enjoyable at its world premiere midnight screening. I seriously cannot wait for the equally improbable sequel. Take a gander at the trailer - if you're intrigued, RUN to buy a ticket. In a just universe, they'll sell out.

On one hand Fateful Findings is an absolute masterpiece of "can't look away" dysfunction, for which the phrase "hot mess" seems too complimentary. On the other hand, the bizarre and often unexplained vision makes it hugely entertaining - in ways many other bad films such as The Room don't approach. One doesn't need to throw spoons at the screen to enjoy Fateful Findings. Though I suppose a few cocktails or bit of other now legal in Washington substances couldn't hurt. Troll 2, you've now got some serious competition.

The film's poster trumpets it as "a dark mystical journey where passions collide with technology on the edge of life as we know it." Certainly a fair description. Things open with a creepily beautiful time lapse shot of an office building as clouds stream by on a sunny day. The camera cuts quickly to a long, creepy shot of storage lockers. Jumping next to two children walking innocently through a forest. Not even two minutes in, they pass an animated ram's skull that gives the Chaos Reigns fox from Antichrist a run for it's no particular reason appearance money. Without noticing, they continue on their way to discover an enchanted treasure hidden under a disappearing mushroom (seriously). It's "a magical day", the young girl writes in her notebook, while the young boy pockets a smooth black cube. They're in love, but perhaps doomed to be apart for many years, as shortly after returning home her family moves away from his. And the stage is set ...

Later in life, a violent accident brings the couple back together. Things have grown considerably more complicated by then. He's living with a drug-addicted girlfriend who loves to pop pills and wash the same dish over and over again. He's also somehow been negatively impacted by that black cube. Clearly aging at twice the rate of the girl he once knew, appearing at least 15 years older than her by the time they meet again. Along the way, he's gained amazingly cheesily-rendered paranormal powers and some super lame best friends. A lot of crazy shit goes down - but I've already revealed too much.

The trailer for the film hints at the significant issues with the writing and acting. In reality, it barely scratches the surface at how off it all is - it's truly terrible. Complexities of plot build on themselves so quickly that it's hard not to imagine there's a 17 hours director's cut somewhere that more clearly explains things. This isn't like The Room, where things are completely out of left field. It's more that the paranormal activity aspects of it are largely peripheral to the relationship and the incomprehensible We Steal Secrets shades of plot. The most mystifying things aren't that he can walk through walls or who the unnamed black clothed spectral people who materialize at will are. What troubled me far more are things like ..
- Who takes a shower with their lover who has just returned from the hospital with bloody streaming head wound and doesn't even ask about the incompetence of whoever put the bandage in place? Or I don't know ... why she has a gaping head wound?
- What does Neil Breen's character have against laptop computers? In every office scene he's got around 5 different laptops which he consistently physically abuses. Thrown across the desk, pelted with books, and dumped on the floor --  there's clearly some deep seated aggression at work here.
- The budget for Fateful Findings appears pretty significant. For such an over-the-top production you'd think wardrobe could afford a bra for at least one of the women who appears onscreen? {Ed. note: you're complaining about THIS? Wow. It must be really, really bad. ~Imaginary Amie} 
- If you're going to have nudity, why my Lord, why is it entirely limited to Neil Breen's ass? Is that some sort of tribute to Tommy Wiseau?
In all fairness though, the issue with the laptops may actually be explained. Breen's character earns his living as a novelist but is clearly torn about it, preferring to spend his time hacking into corporate and government databases to unearth incriminating proof of corruption and malfeasance. The horror of becoming a writer tortures the man, leading to the best line in the film (which cannot be done justice with the written word), "I have a damn masters degree in computer science ... And I turn out to be a writer ... Of novels!" Perhaps most impressive is how he's achieved fortune as a writer and skills as a software guy without learning how to type. Or actually know how turn the computers on, from what I can tell.

Hacked secrets have a way of bringing out problems - and that truism does not get an exception in Fateful Findings. Breen is plenty busy fending off the hot daughter of his friends, dealing with a failing relationship, recovering from a coma, and engaging in new (oddly PG) rated affairs. During all this soap-opera drama, things start to get real. All I'll say about that is that if the government ever decides to go after me I'll hope to suddenly develop the same mad skills as Breen. Also, that government goons sent after my loved ones helpfully drop the coordinates as to where they're taking their kidnap victims where I can finding it. Yes ... that happens ...

Fateful Findings is a true one man show. Neil Breen is the writer, director, producer, editor, production designer, and male lead of the picture. I'm assuming if asked he might also remark that he's also a writer, a doctor, a nuclear physicist and a theoretical philosopher. One can call a film so bad it's good - but to be fair if it's good, then it's good. It matters not at all how it got that way. To me, it's the same as making a big deal about how much money was spent on a picture. I still only pay $11 - so that someone is taking a $200M bath isn't for me to judge. If I like it, my money was well spent. I'm confident fans of non-normative film making will get their money's worth with Fateful Findings. You'll want to be there when it plays SIFF as it's unclear when the opportunity to see this masterwork will present itself again.

Motivational Growth

Motivational Growth is one seriously twisted, fascinating and occasionally imperfect film which deals with a depressed shut-in's relationship with a smooth talking mold in his bathroom. Yep, talking mold - we're going there for reals.

The day starts off with Ian's beloved TV set going kaput ... leaving him with little reason to live. After a failed suicide attempt the incredibly well spoken huckster of a mold colony begins to talk Ian through a makeover of sorts. Which given that he's been in the house for over a year and desperately wants to meet his super adorably cute neighbor strikes Ian as more reasonable than it would most folks. The film has some super well rendered (and often absolutely repulsive) physical special effects, some very strong performances, and perhaps one of the most well rendered and disturbingly realistic takes on loneliness and desperate isolation resulting in giving up on the world that I've seen in quite a while. It's twisted in a range of ways, very well shot, though as I'll get to some things that I didn't absolutely love. But it's a unique vision that's worth a look. Even if you may occasionally look away while you're watching it.

The performances play a strong role in the positive aspects of Motivational Growth starting perhaps with The Mold (who is very clear about the the part) which is voiced by Jeffrey Combs who is perhaps best know from Re-Animator. The harder to carry off role of Ian is handled well by Adrian DiGiovanni who balances the need to be appealing (or at least likable) while presenting on screen as a slovenly disturbing mess with oozing looking bed sores. Danielle Doetsch is perfectly cast as the girl next door who's improbably interested in hanging out with Ian after he's cleaned up a bit.

Kiss of the Damned

One of my most anticipated films of SXSW was Kiss of the Damned. Not really based on anything particularly significant about the film other that it had (a) vampires and (b) a trashy enough trailer to pique my interest in a big way. I mean, if we're all being honest, they don't put a half naked female vampire chained to a bed out there because it's going to drive audience members way do they?

The good news, is that if you're intrigued before or after reading this review Kiss of the Damned is available ahead of theatrical release on various video on demand channels. The less good news is that in my opinion you'd be way way better off watching We Are the Night again (so long as you can avoid the dubbed version on Netflix). There are some reasons to watch the film, mainly a couple of interesting shots that made me really sit up straighter when they hit the screen. But overall I was seriously underwhelmed.

I'm going to stray really close and perhaps a smidge over the spoiler line in what follows. But I don't think it's going to take away from the film much ... if Kiss of the Damned is going to speak to you it's not because of the minor plot point transgressions I make below.

12 O'Clock Boys

12 O'Clock Boys was my most anticipated documentary of SXSW. With great expectations sometimes comes at least moderate disappointment. 12 O'Clock Boys has many merits but it failed to deliver fully on the promise it had captured my imagination with. That of getting to both witness and to an extent better understand a vibrant sub-culture in I'd never myself get to be a part of. It's got some unbelievably fantastic visuals and an amazing premise. For the former alone I think it's worth a watch, but be aware it may leave your curiosity somewhat unsatisfied.

The picture follows a few years in the life of Pug, a pre-teen whose goal in life is to join the 12 O'Clock boys. The crew in question is a Baltimore based collective of dirt bike (and ATV) riders who enjoy the occasional Sunday jaunt through the city's streets. Pug practices his moves on a small ATV as his mother (Coco) worries that he's got his motivations mixed up. All the while raising her children and dealing with tragedy in a tough environment. The action follows Pug's ups and downs closely, at the cost of going deeper into the outlaw bike culture that at least for me was the main draw of the film. I'd never heard of this group or this uniquely Baltimore activity, but the rebel concept and fantastic trailer drew me in for the picture's first SXSW screening.

I respect the director's choice to take a fly on the wall approach to things focused on Pug. But I think it reduced the opportunity to more deeply cover the actions of the 12 O'Clock Boys and the actual members' lives and motivations. One of the few onscreen interviews with Steven, an adult member is all too brief. He mentions he no longer rides illegally, playing a supportive role. The value of which is clear given the police focus on tracking the bikes both on the streets and from the air. There's one of the few less urban onscreen moments where he takes some of the young wanna be riders out to to work on their skills in a safer environment. I can't help but thing that he and some of the older participants would have made for a richer take on the material. Albeit perhaps without the more familiar coming of age narrative arc Pug affords.

There's mention that the group has been involved in fatal incidents - but implicitly suggests those come only when the police chase them. I never really understood what the local dynamics were, who the riders were and what had them taking to the street on what I feel I know from The Wire as "church day." There were multiple media mentions about the scourge of these Wednesday ride alongs - but little investigation as to where the truth lay. The site of the riders is awesomely impressive as they flow as a noisy swarm, often balanced on only half their tires. Director Lotfy Nathan nails the visuals - his high def, slow motion photography of the 12 O'Clock boys is true onscreen poetry. Alone reason enough to see the film on the big screen. It's when he switches the focus back to Pug that the story is interesting, often wrenching but somewhat more familiar. He has a gift with animals and a desire to become a veterinarian - a challenging goal I sincerely hope he achieves. Maybe he'll get to ride with the big boys as well, but as ambitions go it's a bit harder to root for.

Throughout, bike gang (and I'm not sure that's the right term) is kept at a distance. Leaving one to wonder who they are, why they do it, and at what risk. These are all questions I left the theater wishing I'd seen more answers to. Or barring that at least seen more footage of the group in action.

 

Some pictures from the film's SXSW post-film Q&A follow.

The Great Hip Hop Hoax

I'm excited to get a bit into reviews for some of the films I saw at SXSW 2013. There's a lot to cover, so for the most part I'm going to keep things a bit shorter than I often do. Unless something really speaks to me - either positively or negatively. Given the length of what follows it seems I had more to say about The Great Hip Hop Hoax than I'd originally expected to.

The Great Hip Hop Hoax was one of those documentaries where the idea was far more interesting than the execution. The story is about the allegedly almost super famous rap duo of Silibil n' Brains who didn't quite make it while living a lie. The latter being that while presenting as California based rappers they were in fact from Scotland.

OMG! - Seriously, Rich - why the hell did you ruin it for us?!? 

Well, before you think that let me clarify. That secret is not just in every written synopsis of the film, but it's also made clear in the first few minutes of the picture. So ... imagine you know that going in, then the tension has got to be about how they found out ... right? Well no, that's not quite it. A big part of the problem is that there really wasn't any tension in the film. Without the what happens when they're caught hook it's actually the story you've probably seen a bunch of times before in music docs. A band starts to have some success, enjoys the high life (perhaps a bit too much) and then doesn't find the success they hoped for. And at the end of the picture at least one of the members is still chasing the dream of hitting it it big some years later while the other has moved on. The big difference here is the underwhelming level of drama ... as well as the fact that Silibil n' Brains aren't convincingly the second coming of the hip hop messiah regardless. In comparison, most other rock docs share the narrative arc, lack the pretending not to be Scottish hook, and more than make up for it via enjoyable music.



After the jump I'm going to let fly with some more details - including some that possibly might be considered spoilers. So if you want to stop now that's cool. Just leaving knowing that the greatest trick that The Great Hip Hop Hoax may have played is getting one to sit through the entire film, only to discover...