It's truly a mystery how a movie this low-grade gets not one but two recognizable stars attached to it. There are points where it honestly felt like I was watching a Syfy made-for-TV original. The plot is paper-thin and the characters are just collections of standard movie clichés that you've seen a thousand times before. You'd think it would have at least been made with some mind-blowing special effects to compensate for those shortcomings, but no! The special effects in this look cheap and nowhere near up to the quality you'd expect for a major release in 2021. I've seen demos done by aspiring SFX artists on their home computer that look better than Cosmic Sin.
Reviews
10 Reviews
Just to Get a Rep
(2004)
It's the bomb!
6 March 2006
Is it art? Is it crime? Maybe it's both at the same time? Graffiti is a shared cultural experience. Everyone has seen it, many have hated it, and some have been forced to give grudging admiration its more artistic forms. It has existed almost since invention of spray paint, but in the early 1970s something changed in the world of graffiti.
Two 'aerosol artists' in NYC, who went by the handles Comet and Blade, moved from simply writing their names in spray painted lines to creating ever larger, more elaborate and more artistic versions of their chosen 'tags,' until their work soon covered entire sides of subway cars. While not the first to utilize spray paint as art, their boldness and fame (or perhaps infamy) sparked an explosion of graffiti art across the city, the country, and eventually into Europe.
In Just to Get a Rep Peter Gerard traces the history of aerosol art from a small, insular group of early pioneers to the young people making waves in graffiti today, across the country and across the pond. His interviews with now middle-aged taggers are amusing and help explode many of the myths that have built up around the origins of graffiti art; particularly the association between hip-hop culture and graffiti, which is largely a media invention.
In fact, a real strength of this documentary is the way in which it examines the dissemination of a supposedly underground cultural phenomenon via media like film (in this case, movies like Wild Style and Beat Street), so that what kids in Europe were receiving initially was a very Hollywood-ized version of the culture.
Gerard definitely manages to capture the spirit, frenetic energy, and sense of community in the graffiti world. The narrative alone is intriguing, but coupled with the rich visuals in Just to Get a Rep is well worth seeking out.
Two 'aerosol artists' in NYC, who went by the handles Comet and Blade, moved from simply writing their names in spray painted lines to creating ever larger, more elaborate and more artistic versions of their chosen 'tags,' until their work soon covered entire sides of subway cars. While not the first to utilize spray paint as art, their boldness and fame (or perhaps infamy) sparked an explosion of graffiti art across the city, the country, and eventually into Europe.
In Just to Get a Rep Peter Gerard traces the history of aerosol art from a small, insular group of early pioneers to the young people making waves in graffiti today, across the country and across the pond. His interviews with now middle-aged taggers are amusing and help explode many of the myths that have built up around the origins of graffiti art; particularly the association between hip-hop culture and graffiti, which is largely a media invention.
In fact, a real strength of this documentary is the way in which it examines the dissemination of a supposedly underground cultural phenomenon via media like film (in this case, movies like Wild Style and Beat Street), so that what kids in Europe were receiving initially was a very Hollywood-ized version of the culture.
Gerard definitely manages to capture the spirit, frenetic energy, and sense of community in the graffiti world. The narrative alone is intriguing, but coupled with the rich visuals in Just to Get a Rep is well worth seeking out.
Genius and Madness
6 March 2006
Many of the great artists of history have suffered from some form of mental disorder, and we often find ourselves fascinated both by their brilliance and their madness. Of course, as this documentary points out, none of us ever had to actually live with a Van Gogh or a Lord Byron and deal with the real world consequences of what went on in their heads.
In The Devil and Daniel Johnston, Jeff Feuerzeig gives us a rare glimpse into the tortured mind of just such brilliant artist by effectively combining interviews from those who have known Daniel Johnston best with Johnston's own internal monologue. Feuerzeig achieves the latter because, apart from recording hundreds of songs on cassette tapes, Daniel recorded much of his life; from his mother screaming at him as a teenager to his arrest by park officials for painting Jesus fish on the Statue of Liberty to Johnston reading aloud about his own mental illness from the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders.
Many people came to know Daniel Johnston's work in the early 90s when Kurt Cobain famously called him the "greatest songwriter on Earth" and wore a t-shirt with an image from one of Johnston's hand-drawn album covers on the MTV Video Music Awards. Johnston's raw and introspective songs were subsequently covered by Nirvana, Sonic Youth, The Flaming Lips, Beck, and many others. Sadly, just as his music was making inroads into the popular consciousness Johnston's mental illness worsened (possibly accelerated by heavy LSD use), and his career and life entered increasingly troubled waters.
The Devil and Daniel Johnston works as a documentary about music, art, and mental illness all at the same time. It grants you unusual access to what's going on inside a the mind of a human being bursting with creative talent while simultaneously struggling to control the demons that haunt him. After watching this, don't be surprised if you find yourself wanting to hear more of Daniel Johnston's work.
In The Devil and Daniel Johnston, Jeff Feuerzeig gives us a rare glimpse into the tortured mind of just such brilliant artist by effectively combining interviews from those who have known Daniel Johnston best with Johnston's own internal monologue. Feuerzeig achieves the latter because, apart from recording hundreds of songs on cassette tapes, Daniel recorded much of his life; from his mother screaming at him as a teenager to his arrest by park officials for painting Jesus fish on the Statue of Liberty to Johnston reading aloud about his own mental illness from the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders.
Many people came to know Daniel Johnston's work in the early 90s when Kurt Cobain famously called him the "greatest songwriter on Earth" and wore a t-shirt with an image from one of Johnston's hand-drawn album covers on the MTV Video Music Awards. Johnston's raw and introspective songs were subsequently covered by Nirvana, Sonic Youth, The Flaming Lips, Beck, and many others. Sadly, just as his music was making inroads into the popular consciousness Johnston's mental illness worsened (possibly accelerated by heavy LSD use), and his career and life entered increasingly troubled waters.
The Devil and Daniel Johnston works as a documentary about music, art, and mental illness all at the same time. It grants you unusual access to what's going on inside a the mind of a human being bursting with creative talent while simultaneously struggling to control the demons that haunt him. After watching this, don't be surprised if you find yourself wanting to hear more of Daniel Johnston's work.
An Evening with Kevin Smith
(2002 Video)
Funnier than his films
1 March 2006
Before any Kevin Smith fans get bent out of shape, I think Smith's films range from simply amusing (Mallrats) to laugh-out-loud hilarious (Clerks/Dogma). I even think that Smith has some very insightful turns (Chasing Amy/Jersey Girl).
That being said, simply watching this man stand and talk to an audience is the funniest thing I've ever seen him involved in. The stories of events that have actually happened in Kevin Smith's life, at least as told from his perspective, are more interesting and hilarious than any Hollywood script I can think of in recent years.
If Smith decided to stop making movies, I honestly think he could have a career as a spoken word artist along the lines of Spalding Gray. I don't care what you think about Kevin Smith as a filmmaker, this is well worth checking out.
That being said, simply watching this man stand and talk to an audience is the funniest thing I've ever seen him involved in. The stories of events that have actually happened in Kevin Smith's life, at least as told from his perspective, are more interesting and hilarious than any Hollywood script I can think of in recent years.
If Smith decided to stop making movies, I honestly think he could have a career as a spoken word artist along the lines of Spalding Gray. I don't care what you think about Kevin Smith as a filmmaker, this is well worth checking out.
Guerrilla Girl
(2005)
More Girl than Guerrilla
28 February 2006
Young men and women the world over enter military service for a variety of reasons, from economic opportunity to patriotism to the simple desire to fight. The journey of young recruits from raw human material to part of an effective fighting force in nations like the Untied States has been covered ad nauseum, and such films have even been encouraged by the government (assuming they have final say).
But what if you wanted to follow the journey of say a young person joining up with the Maoist rebels in the mountains of Nepal or the Tamil Tigers in Sri Lanka? There we are talking about a much more arduous and less traveled road. This is exactly the sort of path Frank Piasechi Poulsen has taken in Guerrilla Girl. By some amazing combination of tenacity and luck, he has managed to get inside of rebel training camp in South America.
Isabel is an educated young woman from a family of means in Colombia who has decided to leave behind everything she knows and journey into the heavily forested mountains of her country to join the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC). Her commitment is a profound one, as membership in FARC is for life.
Such a documentary could easily become a polemic, but Poulsen has eschewed such an approach focusing instead on the very personal trials, thoughts, and beliefs of Isabel and those around her. This film is shot up-close and personal from a perspective that allows you to feel as though you were sitting in a jungle camp just across from this intriguing young woman. We see her in political education classes, practicing soldiering with a wooden rifle, and having a spat with another recruit over soap; all portrayed with a surprising intimacy.
Guerrilla Girl has some of the best cinematography I've seen in a documentary, made all the more incredible when one considers the setting it's achieved in.
If you're looking for an explanation of the decades-long conflict in Colombia, I can suggest many excellent books on the subject. Any film attempting to explain this struggle in ninety minutes would be doomed to failure, and not worth your time. But if you'd like a very human portrait of someone you're not likely to ever know otherwise, in a place you'll probably never be, then I highly recommend Guerrilla Girl.
But what if you wanted to follow the journey of say a young person joining up with the Maoist rebels in the mountains of Nepal or the Tamil Tigers in Sri Lanka? There we are talking about a much more arduous and less traveled road. This is exactly the sort of path Frank Piasechi Poulsen has taken in Guerrilla Girl. By some amazing combination of tenacity and luck, he has managed to get inside of rebel training camp in South America.
Isabel is an educated young woman from a family of means in Colombia who has decided to leave behind everything she knows and journey into the heavily forested mountains of her country to join the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC). Her commitment is a profound one, as membership in FARC is for life.
Such a documentary could easily become a polemic, but Poulsen has eschewed such an approach focusing instead on the very personal trials, thoughts, and beliefs of Isabel and those around her. This film is shot up-close and personal from a perspective that allows you to feel as though you were sitting in a jungle camp just across from this intriguing young woman. We see her in political education classes, practicing soldiering with a wooden rifle, and having a spat with another recruit over soap; all portrayed with a surprising intimacy.
Guerrilla Girl has some of the best cinematography I've seen in a documentary, made all the more incredible when one considers the setting it's achieved in.
If you're looking for an explanation of the decades-long conflict in Colombia, I can suggest many excellent books on the subject. Any film attempting to explain this struggle in ninety minutes would be doomed to failure, and not worth your time. But if you'd like a very human portrait of someone you're not likely to ever know otherwise, in a place you'll probably never be, then I highly recommend Guerrilla Girl.
This Film Is Not Yet Rated
(2006)
Maybe Not Rated, But Definitely Brilliant
28 February 2006
The film rating system in this country is governed by a secret panel created by the major film studios more than 35 years ago. Since its inception the MPAA ratings board has functioned as a sort of 'black box' where movies go in one end and a rating comes out the other, with absolutely no transparency or public accountability of the process.
The MPAA rating system is publicly proclaimed to be merely a voluntary industry system that nobody is 'required' to follow. Unfortunately the reality of the movie industry is entirely divorced from these innocuous proclamations. The rating placed on a film largely determines who gets to see it in a theater, and what sort of publicity for the movie will be accepted by television and newspapers. An NC-17 basically guarantees that only the small sliver of the public with access to art house cinemas will ever sit down in a theater to watch the film, and that there will be virtually no way to promote the film to the public.
So, in the real world, the MPAA ratings board wields considerable unchecked power over the film industry. Since the organization is funded and sustained by the major studios, that influence becomes particularly problematic when applied to independent productions. It would be not unlike a small, local merchant having to go to board set up by Wal-Mart and Target to get approval for what he can put out on his shelves.
Kirby Dick approaches this subject with humor, insight, and tenacity. He undertakes to blow the lid off of the black box of the MPAA rating system. In the process he creates a narrative filled with both information and humor. While I will leave his methods as a surprise for the viewer, suffice it say they are both unconventional and effective.
The interspersing of interviews with independent filmmakers who have been forced to do battle with the MPAA to get their movies seen, provides an excellent counterpoint to Dick's quest to expose the star chamber like proceedings of the rating board to the light of day. As well, his side-by-side comparisons of similar films, one receiving an R rating and the other an NC-17, is illustrative of the particular biases present on the ratings board.
If you care deeply about he art of film, This Film Is Not Yet Rated is a must-see. On the other hand if you just want to learn a little something and have a good laugh, this is a good pick for you too.
The MPAA rating system is publicly proclaimed to be merely a voluntary industry system that nobody is 'required' to follow. Unfortunately the reality of the movie industry is entirely divorced from these innocuous proclamations. The rating placed on a film largely determines who gets to see it in a theater, and what sort of publicity for the movie will be accepted by television and newspapers. An NC-17 basically guarantees that only the small sliver of the public with access to art house cinemas will ever sit down in a theater to watch the film, and that there will be virtually no way to promote the film to the public.
So, in the real world, the MPAA ratings board wields considerable unchecked power over the film industry. Since the organization is funded and sustained by the major studios, that influence becomes particularly problematic when applied to independent productions. It would be not unlike a small, local merchant having to go to board set up by Wal-Mart and Target to get approval for what he can put out on his shelves.
Kirby Dick approaches this subject with humor, insight, and tenacity. He undertakes to blow the lid off of the black box of the MPAA rating system. In the process he creates a narrative filled with both information and humor. While I will leave his methods as a surprise for the viewer, suffice it say they are both unconventional and effective.
The interspersing of interviews with independent filmmakers who have been forced to do battle with the MPAA to get their movies seen, provides an excellent counterpoint to Dick's quest to expose the star chamber like proceedings of the rating board to the light of day. As well, his side-by-side comparisons of similar films, one receiving an R rating and the other an NC-17, is illustrative of the particular biases present on the ratings board.
If you care deeply about he art of film, This Film Is Not Yet Rated is a must-see. On the other hand if you just want to learn a little something and have a good laugh, this is a good pick for you too.
Steven Banks: Home Entertainment Center
(1989 TV Special)
The funniest one-man show you'll find
11 February 2005
Digging through a box of old videotapes, I was lucky enough to run across this gem that aired on HBO back in 1989. It was a little worn because it was one of those shows that once you see it, you want to show it to everyone you know. And, surprise, it is still as amusing as the first time I watched it.
Imagine a 30-something loser hanging out in his apartment and amusing himself for the evening. Doesn't sound too interesting? Well, imagine he's funny, makes up great songs chocked full of pop-culture references, and can play every instrument known to man. That's what you've got with Steven Banks: Home Entertainment Center. Banks portrays a kind of man-child in a state of protracted adolescence (trapped in a dead end job, still dreaming of being a rock star, and unable to commit to a relationship) who he milks for full comedic potential. Who would have thought watching someone flip through an old songbook and playing guitar could make you laugh out loud? Or that a guy with a recorder waiting for cookies to bake could be comic gold? But Banks pulls it off flawlessly.
The songs sprinkled throughout the performance could be funny for nearly any audience, but are likely to be especially amusing to Baby Boomers. They range in subject from the character's likes and dislikes ("...but I don't like Charles Manson, Adolf Hitler or Rod McKuen's poetry), to a song questioning who killed Elvis, to the joys of outdoor bar-b-ques. All of the strange detours, asides and songs are woven seamlessly into an engaging whole.
This show may be hard to find (I don't believe it was ever released to video), but it is well worth the search.
Imagine a 30-something loser hanging out in his apartment and amusing himself for the evening. Doesn't sound too interesting? Well, imagine he's funny, makes up great songs chocked full of pop-culture references, and can play every instrument known to man. That's what you've got with Steven Banks: Home Entertainment Center. Banks portrays a kind of man-child in a state of protracted adolescence (trapped in a dead end job, still dreaming of being a rock star, and unable to commit to a relationship) who he milks for full comedic potential. Who would have thought watching someone flip through an old songbook and playing guitar could make you laugh out loud? Or that a guy with a recorder waiting for cookies to bake could be comic gold? But Banks pulls it off flawlessly.
The songs sprinkled throughout the performance could be funny for nearly any audience, but are likely to be especially amusing to Baby Boomers. They range in subject from the character's likes and dislikes ("...but I don't like Charles Manson, Adolf Hitler or Rod McKuen's poetry), to a song questioning who killed Elvis, to the joys of outdoor bar-b-ques. All of the strange detours, asides and songs are woven seamlessly into an engaging whole.
This show may be hard to find (I don't believe it was ever released to video), but it is well worth the search.
The Corporation
(2003)
The Madness King Corporation
18 February 2004
Our daily lives have come to be so dominated by corporations that we can easily fail to notice it. Most goods, services, information and entertainment now flow from huge multinationals. But what if this dominant player in our existence is certifiably insane?
The Corporation explores this disturbing possibility with mix of wit, opinion and hard facts. It takes us through the visible "personality traits" of these business entities and shows us that, for all intents and purposes, corporations are psychopathic. The film points out that this is not an aberrant state for corporations, but rather an inherent part of their nature. It even portrays high-ranking business executives as people so caught-up in the madness of the corporate world they must act not from their own conscience, but rather from a bottom-line mentality of what is most profitable.
Despite its length and the fact that it features some forty different talking heads (ranging from the former CEO of Goodyear to Noam Chomsky), The Corporation keeps you engaged both visually and intellectually. It is by turns informative, amusing and thought provoking. It does not attempt to present remedies (which would be beyond the scope of a single documentary) but rather challenges its audience to view their world from a different perspective and seek out their own solutions. In this way, it reminds me of Michael Moore's excellent documentary Bowling for Columbine.
I saw this film at the True/False Film Festival and was fortunate enough to hear a Q&A with co-director Mark Achbar after. Many questions seemed to be "Well, what can we do about it." The website for the film has many links available to explore further and learn about actions that individuals can take. Mr. Achbar said half-joking that he may have to bring a handout to future screenings with a list of websites.
Whether you are a longtime activist, or someone who has never thought much about issues of corporate dominance, this film is definitely worth a look.
The Corporation explores this disturbing possibility with mix of wit, opinion and hard facts. It takes us through the visible "personality traits" of these business entities and shows us that, for all intents and purposes, corporations are psychopathic. The film points out that this is not an aberrant state for corporations, but rather an inherent part of their nature. It even portrays high-ranking business executives as people so caught-up in the madness of the corporate world they must act not from their own conscience, but rather from a bottom-line mentality of what is most profitable.
Despite its length and the fact that it features some forty different talking heads (ranging from the former CEO of Goodyear to Noam Chomsky), The Corporation keeps you engaged both visually and intellectually. It is by turns informative, amusing and thought provoking. It does not attempt to present remedies (which would be beyond the scope of a single documentary) but rather challenges its audience to view their world from a different perspective and seek out their own solutions. In this way, it reminds me of Michael Moore's excellent documentary Bowling for Columbine.
I saw this film at the True/False Film Festival and was fortunate enough to hear a Q&A with co-director Mark Achbar after. Many questions seemed to be "Well, what can we do about it." The website for the film has many links available to explore further and learn about actions that individuals can take. Mr. Achbar said half-joking that he may have to bring a handout to future screenings with a list of websites.
Whether you are a longtime activist, or someone who has never thought much about issues of corporate dominance, this film is definitely worth a look.
Honest portrayal of a band on the edge
16 February 2004
I saw this film at the True/False Film Festival in Columbia, Missouri, and was fortunate enough to hear some Q&A from the director after.
The two words that best describe Some Kind of Monster are "brutally honest." This is a no-holds-barred look at a band that has played together for two decades and is on the verge of disintegration from internal conflict, external pressures and creative stagnation. We see the members of Metallica not as icons, but as flawed individuals in a close, but often tumultuous relationship that has lasted longer than many marriages. At a fundamental level the seem to love each other, but as with many long-term relationships, they sometimes reach the point that they cannot stand the sight of one another.
Can they survive? Well, the mystery is obviously abated by knowing how the story ends (the production of the album St. Anger and the subsequent tour); but it in no way detracts from this interesting examination of the process of separation and reconciliation.
Central to the story is not only tension the band members experience in once again trying to bottle the lightning of musical success, but the fundamental changes taking place in James Hetfield's life as he enters rehabilitation for drug and alcohol addiction. While Hetfield's personal battle takes place off-screen, we see the powerful impact it is having on the rest of the group.
Some truly standout moments include the interaction between Lars Ulrich and his father Torben (an amusing and brutally honest character); the long-delayed meeting between Lars and Dave Mustaine (who was kicked out of the band in the early 80s and went on to found Megadeath); a long band meeting which consists mainly of screaming obscenities; the band's search for a new bassist; and the almost surreal scene of Hetfield attending his daughter's ballet recital.
If you wish to see the members of Metallica as icons, then Some Kind of Monster is probably not for you; however, if you would like an up-close view of them as very real human beings, then I highly recommend this film. Love them or hate them, you will bring something away from Some Kind of Monster.
The two words that best describe Some Kind of Monster are "brutally honest." This is a no-holds-barred look at a band that has played together for two decades and is on the verge of disintegration from internal conflict, external pressures and creative stagnation. We see the members of Metallica not as icons, but as flawed individuals in a close, but often tumultuous relationship that has lasted longer than many marriages. At a fundamental level the seem to love each other, but as with many long-term relationships, they sometimes reach the point that they cannot stand the sight of one another.
Can they survive? Well, the mystery is obviously abated by knowing how the story ends (the production of the album St. Anger and the subsequent tour); but it in no way detracts from this interesting examination of the process of separation and reconciliation.
Central to the story is not only tension the band members experience in once again trying to bottle the lightning of musical success, but the fundamental changes taking place in James Hetfield's life as he enters rehabilitation for drug and alcohol addiction. While Hetfield's personal battle takes place off-screen, we see the powerful impact it is having on the rest of the group.
Some truly standout moments include the interaction between Lars Ulrich and his father Torben (an amusing and brutally honest character); the long-delayed meeting between Lars and Dave Mustaine (who was kicked out of the band in the early 80s and went on to found Megadeath); a long band meeting which consists mainly of screaming obscenities; the band's search for a new bassist; and the almost surreal scene of Hetfield attending his daughter's ballet recital.
If you wish to see the members of Metallica as icons, then Some Kind of Monster is probably not for you; however, if you would like an up-close view of them as very real human beings, then I highly recommend this film. Love them or hate them, you will bring something away from Some Kind of Monster.
Lovely & Amazing
(2001)
Not your typical chick flick
24 January 2003
I was really impressed with this film. It manages to avoid all of the cliches you frequently see in Hollywood films about women and present an honest and often amusing picture of the characters' lives.
Catherine Keener is a real stand-out and I can't say enough about Raven Goodwin's performance.
This film isn't just about women. It's about the way we all see ourselves.
Catherine Keener is a real stand-out and I can't say enough about Raven Goodwin's performance.
This film isn't just about women. It's about the way we all see ourselves.
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