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Reviews
Kurt Cobain About a Son (2006)
A Powerful Testamonial
I attended a screening of -Kurt Cobain, About A Son at the Seattle International Film Festival. As you can expect with a hometown audience, the audience was ready to fall in love with this film going in. For the most part, the film did not disappoint. The most powerful aspect of the film is the fact that we hear Kurt Cobain's voice speaking his own words, a far better idea than the standard documentary format that features "experts" and fans talking about what made a person great. In the interviews, Cobain is happy, depressed, funny, bitter, excited, exhausted, gracious, resentful, kind, sarcastic ... but always engaging and interesting. It was also powerful to see the images of the towns in which Cobain lived -- Aberdeen, Olympia, and Seattle -- as he talked about different phases of his life. I agree with an earlier poster's comment that saving actual images of Cobain and Nirvana until the end really worked. After all, it is Cobain's voice that is his greatest legacy, and by filling our eyes with images of industrial workers, train trestles, run-down houses, liquor stores, street corners, and so on, the film reminds the viewer that Cobain was a man, first and foremost, and an icon later. And the soundtrack is AWESOME! Kurt talks a great deal about bands that influenced him as he grew up and started writing songs, and many of these artists were kind enough to grant permission to the film-makers to use their music for free. I hope that a soundtrack album is released at some point. My only complaint was the film-makers' choice to include images of places, buildings, and scenes (especially in Seattle) that were not around when Cobain was alive. How much did the Mariners' baseball stadium (which opened in 1999) "shape" the person who became Kurt Cobain, and I somehow doubt that Cobain spent any time at Starbucks. Nevertheless, I highly recommend the film to anyone who loves Nirvana or is fascinated by the man.
The Life of Reilly (2006)
Entertaining Stage Performer, Frustrating Film-Makers
I just saw a screening of this film at the Seattle International Film Festival. Everyone was in great spirits with some pre-show Charles Nelson Reilly t-shirts being given away. Knowing that CNR was more than just a television perma-guest, I was looking forward to hearing him tell stories as only he can. He didn't disappoint. It takes a gifted storyteller to wring humor and pathos out of a painful childhood, and a sharp observer to make the life story so fresh and consistently surprising. As long as the cameras held steady on CNR and just let the man express himself, the film was excellent.
Unfortunately, it seemed that the film-makers wanted to constantly remind the viewer that this was a FILM documentary. I wanted to hear more stories, especially about his life in the theater, but the film-makers edited three-plus hours of stage material down to barely ninety minutes. This lead to some jarring transitions and title screens explaining what surely must have been great stories. Black-and-white film clips interspersed with CNR's monologue detracted from the stories rather than enhance them. But my biggest complaint, however, was the totally distracting soundtrack. Electric guitars and synthesizers played constantly, often making it difficult to hear CNR's words. The director attended the screening and explained that they were still editing the film, and he seemed to acknowledge that it was difficult to hear at times. I recommend more Charles, mellower editing, and far less soundtrack.
The good news is that the director announced the production team's desire to include as a DVD bonus feature an uncut film of CNR's stage show from 2003, which runs about three hours and has plenty of stories and anecdotes. Maybe my problems with the film are really to disguise my disappointment at never being able to see CNR's show live on stage. I hope that uncut film will provide the fix.
Hedwig and the Angry Inch (2001)
Universal Themes
This movie is one of my all-time favorites. First and foremost, Hedwig is simply one of the most original, complex, and sympathetic characters ever put on
screen ... even with her rather extraordinary personal story. Second, the songs are great, and staged with a great sense of fun and visual flair. Third, it is hilarious. (One quote: "Tommy, can you hear me? From this milk less tit you have sucked the life out of this business we call 'Show!'") Fourth, John Cameron
Mitchell's direction always keeps you entertained. Considering this was the first film Mitchell directed, it is a stunning accomplishment.
Joe Versus the Volcano (1990)
Inspired and Very Underrated
I love this movie. It is very funny, with some inspired characters and quotable lines. It has a terrific message about living your life without fear. Few other people I have met liked it, and I can think of two reasons. One, they don't want to admit that they like a Tom Hanks-Meg Ryan movie, even though this one is
more idiosyncratic than the others. Two, the film was not what they were
expecting, which is another saccharine romance like _Sleepless In Seattle_ or _You Got Mail_. Read the message boards, and you will find plenty of people
who greatly enjoy this movie.