SIFF 2023: 'Even Hell Has Its Heroes' Capsule Review

In certain circles, experimental metal band Earth is revered with a sense of mythic awe. Heavily influential, especially to the early grunge era and continuing today, Clyde Petersen’s documentary, Even Hell Has its Heroes, tracks the group’s path, specifically mastermind Dylan Carlson, offering a glimpse behind the reclusive curtain.

'The Retaliators' (2021) Movie Review

You have to love a good rock and roll vanity project. Usually in these situations, a single band or musician is the driving force, but in the case of The Retaliators, it’s financed by a record-label-turned-film-producers and serving largely as a vehicle for their roster of recording artists. The movie is, as one might expect, kind of a mess, but also kind of fun sometimes. But despite all the chaos and pitfalls and head-scratching moments, this is still pretty damn fun to watch and builds to an unhinged, gore-soaked climax that’s worth the wait.

NBFF 2022: 'Sirens' Movie Review

I’m a sucker for documentaries about punk, metal, or really any other musical genre popping up in places you don’t normally expect. Death Metal Angola, Los Ultimos Frikis, A Band Called Death, among others come to mind. Fitting nicely into this specific niche is Rita Baghdadi’s documentary Sirens, which chronicles Lebanon’s first all-female heavy metal band, Slave to Sirens. 

'Poly Styrene: I Am A Cliché' (2021) Movie Review

On its own, a documentary about Poly Styrene, legendary vocalist of X-Ray Spex, would be a good watch. A punk pioneer and one of the few women, and even fewer women of color, in the early days of punk, her story is one of grappling with fame and influence, carving out your own place in the world, racism, misogyny, mental illness, and much more. While the new documentary, Poly Styrene: I Am a Cliché, has all of that, it also presents the story different, more personal light than most music docs.

'All The Streets Are Silent' (2020) Movie Review

Sometimes a movie starts and you know immediately it is 100% your jam. That is precisely what happened with All the Streets are Silent: The Convergence of Hip Hop and Skateboarding (1987-1997), the new documentary from Jeremy Elkin and Dana Brown, which held its world premiere at the Tribeca Film Festival. A love letter to both forms, the film tracks their parallel evolutions, from underground phenomena to mainstream staples, and ways in which, particularly in New York City, they collided and crossed over at a key juncture.

'Dons Of Disco' (2018) Movie Review

When you hear the phrase “lip-synching scandal,” you can be forgiven for immediately thinking of Milli Vanilli. That’s obviously the highest profile incident, but it’s also not the only public kerfuffle about pop sensations not singing their own songs. Jonathan Sutak’s new documentary, Dons of Disco, rectifies that situation, diving deep into the epic—and I do mean epic, as things get truly nuts along the way—saga of Italian singer Den Harrow.

'Desolation Center' (2019) Movie Review

This is an updated version of an earlier review.

If you’ve ever wondered what it would be like to go on a punk rock field trip, like pile into school buses with a bunch of like-minded outsiders who are into the same kind of music as you, Stuart Swezey’s new documentary, Desolation Center, has you covered. 

NBFF 2019: 'The El Duce Tapes' Movie Review

During the intro of U.S. premiere of The El Duce Tapes at the North Bend Film Festival, the host, at a loss for words, asked, “Who here is familiar with The Mentors?” To which a few of us raised our hands and one audience member replied, “Unfortunately.” “Well, you know what you’re in for,” he said, pointing our way. “The rest of you…” and he trailed off with nervous laughter. That sums it up pretty well. If you know, you know; if not, hold the hell on and get ready for some conflicted feelings.

SIFF 2019: 'The Legend Of The Stardust Brothers' Movie Review

Dear The Legend of the Stardust Brothers, where have you been all my life? Seriously, this lost Japanese musical oddity from 1985 fills a gaping chasm in my soul I didn’t even know was there. It also has maybe the most WTF twist I’ve ever seen, and this is a movie that’s basically non-stop WTF moments from one end to the other.

SIFF 2019: 'Enormous: The Gorge Story' Movie Review

From geological anomaly to accidental concert venue—the original owners wanted to start a vineyard—Nic Davis’ documentary, Enormous: The Gorge Story tracks the evolution of Washington’s Gorge Amphitheater into one of the most unique, spectacular places to see live music. The film weaves together archival footage, intimate performances, and talking head interviews with the likes of Dave Mathews, John Oates, Jason Mraz, members of Pearl Jam, and more.

Slamdance 2019: 'Beats' (2019) Movie Review

One-night-that-changes-everything is a familiar cinematic narrative, especially in the lives of young people. Not the most original set up, there are reasons filmmakers and storytellers keep coming back to this particular well. Many people who’ve survived adolescence have had this type of experience, a transformative moment where you make a choice, where you can go one way or another, and where, afterwards, nothing is ever quite the same. Maybe it’s not always as dramatic as movies portray it, but when you’ve lived on that precipice between childhood and adulthood, searching for some nebulous thing you can’t quite define, it’s easy to relate.

Slamdance 2019: 'Memphis '69' (2019) Movie Review

Concert movies are a documentary staple, from classics like Woodstock and The Last Waltz to modern takes like Justin Timberlake and the Tennessee Kids. They provide a contained narrative window that can service various other storylines. And there’s usually killer music. Joe LaMattina’s Memphis ‘69 fits solidly in this tradition, and is a must-see for fans of Tennessee blues and soul, though it also has more on its mind.

'A Star Is Born' (2018) Movie Review

Did you know Lady Gaga is a phenomenal singer? Apparently only Bradley Cooper does, which is the basic premise for his directorial debut, yet another remake of A Star is Born. Which also happens to be yet another movie where a mediocre white dude is the only one who truly recognizes how talented, remarkable, and beautiful the central female figure is. So, that’s obnoxious. The movie is actually very good and emotional and romantic and all the other superlatives bandied about—to degrees—but there’s that one massive hurdle to get over, so your mileage may vary. 

High School Zombie Christmas Musical 'Anna And The Apocalypse' Has A Distributor, All Is Right With The World

Here’s some good news to get you through day. The gory, high school zombie Christmas musical Anna and the Apocalypse finally found a distributor.

'Rumble: The Indians Who Rocked The World' (2017) Movie Review

Catherine Bainbridge’s documentary, Rumble: The Indians Who Rocked the World, uncovers the oft-ignored and overlooked contributions of Native Americans to the history of popular music. (Hint: It goes way deeper than the dude in the headdress from the Village People.)

'Turn It Around: The Story Of East Bay Punk' (2017) Movie Review

Any movie with a Crimpshrine song playing over the credits has my immediate attention. And so begins Turn It Around: The Story of East Bay Punk, Corbett Redford’s Green Day-produced, Iggy Pop-narrated documentary looking back at decades of loud, abrasive punk rock spawned by right side of the San Francisco Bay.

SIFF 2017: 'Rumble: The Indians Who Rocked The World' (2017) Capsule Review

Catherine Bainbridge’s documentary, Rumble: The Indians Who Rocked the World, examines the oft-ignored and overlooked contributions of Native Americans to the history of popular music. (Hint: It goes way deeper than the dude in the headdress from the Village People.) 

Watch Tony Jaa's New Music Video. Yes, Tony Jaa Made A Music Video

When you conjure up an image of Tony Jaa, odds are you think of the Thai action superstar, the star of the likes of Ong-Bak, Tom Yum Goong, and Kill Zone 2, deftly pummeling cinematic villains, and, of late, Vin Diesel and his cronies. But deep down, every musician wants to be a movie star, and every actor wants to be a musician, so Tony Jaa released his first pop single. If you don’t believe me, check out the very real music video for his song “Groundbreaking” below.

Thor Is Getting A New Movie, But Not The Thor You're Thinking Of

The muscly, blond-haired Thor is getting another movie, but I can almost guarantee it’s not the Thor you’re thinking about (okay, that Thor is also getting another movie, Marvel’s Thor: Ranarok, but that’s a topic for another time). In this instance, however, we’re talking about the incredible rocker Jon Mikl Thor, a heavy metal thunder god and the star of the classic Rock and Roll Nightmare.

Blu-Ray Review: 'Decline Of Western Civilization' Box Set

Growing up a punk rock kid in a small or at least smallish town, Penelope Spheeris’ 1981 documentary The Decline of Western Civilization, chronicling the early Los Angeles scene, served as a de facto history text book. You poured over the footage of The Germs, Black Flag, Circle Jerks, and more, noting how they lived, how they dressed, the fuck you attitude they flaunted by their very existence. This was your primer, your roadmap to being an outsider.