From the start of Kevin Smith‘s career, he’s shown an endless amount of talent and ambition. Even his big studio pictures carry an endearing respect to the art of independent cinema. He is constantly challenging himself by creating characters, stories, settings and themes that most young adults can seemingly relate to. With Clerks, his knack for creating crafty dialogue about relationships, hockey and even Star Wars, turned heads every which way. Being confined to a convenient store wasn’t a detriment to the story going in directions that made the film feel larger than life, at the time.

He continues his career by drifting further outside his comfort zone, little by little, tackling themes of homosexuality, religion, and abortion but fusing them with his flair for snappy dialogue and likeable characters. No doubt, he has become a director that many actors have wanted to work with. Within six years of his feature debut, Smith has worked with Alan Rickman, George Carlin, Linda Fiorentino, Matt Damon, Michael Rooker, and many other fantastic actors. Quite a feat for a fellow starting a career many have snubbed as, “simple dick/fart jokes humor.”

Kevin Smith’s career isn’t all sunshine and rainbows, though. I always say that everyone has a blemish on their record, which Smith clearly has. Jersey Girl and Jay & Silent Bob Strike Back were films that made me think he was rehashing successful ideas that had run their previous course. I was nervous to think that a filmmaker with such potential was simply getting complacent. Zach & Miri Make a Porno was a strong comeback from his previous efforts, but Smith has said he’s wanted to do more. So when was he going to challenge himself again like he did with Chasing Amy? or Dogma? Red State is that departure and challenge that we’ve all been waiting for.

Red State is an ambitious feat, as it is a departure from Smith’s regular body of work. The film begins with three teens answering an anonymous online sex ad. Travis, Jared and Billy Ray venture out to the countryside, only to be met by religious fundamentalists. The group, led by Pastor Abin Cooper (Michael Parks), intends to make an example of these kids in front of the rest of their congregation. Disastrous results lie ahead as Smith meticulously creates moments in Red State full of absolute horror, tension and excitement quite effectively. It’s hard to describe this film without including spoilers, especially when Red State is a major re-invention for Smith and his career.

One of the most exciting aspects of Red State, is Smith’s screenplay. The dialogue is genuinely well written and intricate. Smith’s casting choices only elevate the screenplay even more. Beginning with Michael Parks as Abin Cooper. Parks is well known as a regular in many Tarantino and Rodriguez’s films, so it’s understandable that he’s included in this project. His hate filled sermon will send chills up your spine, as will his performance. I truly feel that this is a role that couldn’t have been filled by anyone else.

John Goodman also gives a standout performance as ATF Special Agent Keenan. Melissa Leo, Kevin Pollack and Breaking Bad’s Anna Gunn are all memorable cast members as well. Bringing Smith’s new vision to life, is cinematographer Dave Klein. Klein has a history of shooting almost all of Smith’s films, and re-invents his style as much as Smith does. Using the new RED digital camera (Made famous by Soderbergh’s experimental bio pic “Che.”), Klein brings a documentary feel with a fly on the wall approach to all events happening before you.

Red State isn’t a perfect film by any means, although, it’s an entertaining breath of fresh air from a director whom many believed was beginning to do formulaic films. While it’s typical of him to address social issues in a mocking undertone, it is replaced with respectful moralistic views on religion gone too far. The influences in the film range from the Westboro Baptist Church, Waco TX siege of 1993 and the many dangers caused by “blind faith”. At the end of the day, the performances are what stand out the most. I’m happy to see Smith pushing himself further than he’s ever gone before. There are rumors of him intending on retiring after his next project, a hockey drama-comedy based on the song “Hit Somebody (The Hockey Song)” by Warren Zevon. Hopefully, these rumors are false. With Red State, I feel Smith is embarking on a completely new path that can make his career interesting and fresh all over again.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uJ1v6oFHefc

I’m no stranger to controversial films. I tend to go out of my way to find these, actually, as I’m always on the tip of constantly wanting to be challenged. Ideally, I believe that’s what films should be about. As much as they entertain, it’s even better to find a film that incites emotions, outrage, controversy, discussion, etc…

That said, let me tell you how I stumbled upon this film. I was surfing the internet to find updates on the Sundance Film Festival’s 2011 line up, and I found that one film had caused an uproar. In fact, Lucky McKee’s The Woman made a theater patron so upset, that he began throwing things at the audience members who were actually enjoying the film. Flinging things, he called them sick, perverted, and said that the film was, “Trash! Not Art!” Eventually, he was escorted out.

Of course, after reading that, I immediately went out of my way to find a screening of this gem.

For those not familiar with McKee’s previous work, he’s no stranger to the horror and visceral film genres. In 2002, McKee released May, a film about a young girl with murderous tendencies to keep people she wants close to her. Gathering favorable reviews; including a 4/4 star review from Roger Ebert, McKee was immediately poised for horror stardom. McKee’s follow-up came in 2006 with Sick Girl. A contribution to the wildly popular Masters of Horror series. Until the release of The Woman, McKee’s best work came in 2007 with Red (Not to be confused with the Bruce Willis comic adaptation.). In the film, Brian Cox loses his dog (Red) to troublesome teens in the neighborhood. He seeks retribution by any means necessary, legally and illegally.

The Woman, which is based off a collaborative novel McKee penned with Jack Ketchum, is McKee’s latest offering. The story follows the Cleek family, mainly the father Chris Cleek. Chris, is out hunting one day and discovers a savage woman living in the woods. He decides to capture her and take her back to his home. He reveals to his family his intentions of “civilizing” this woman and enlists their help to do so. Sounds pleasant, right?

Well, right up to the part where the woman bites Chris’ finger off and eats it…then you know this odyssey has no intention of ending well. Each interaction continues to build to levels of major discomfort. Ranging from simple communication to extreme torture, The Woman builds with a crafted pace that feels similar to David Lynch’s Blue Velvet. McKee seems more comfortable this time around and The Woman comes off like a film he truly wanted to make. McKee seamlessly balances Chris’ twisted ideals with layered levels of uncomfortable emotion and offbeat humor.

The Woman is McKee’s most solid work on all fronts. The casting was quite good for a group of unknowns. He’s worked with a few of his cast members in the past. Angela Bettis, who delivers a solid performance in The Woman, worked with McKee as the title character in May. Sean Bridgers stands out with a great performance of maniacal intensity. His ups and downs of humor and fear come so relaxed, you’d think he’s a seasoned veteran in the horror genre. Bridgers is remembered for his character Johnny Burns in the criminally underrated Deadwood. The Woman, played by scottish actress Pollyanna McIntosh, is effective in raising neck hairs during tense scenes.

I really don’t have anything negative to say about this film. The controversy drew me in, but the merit of the film eventually left me feeling satisfied. It’s underlining story of male dominance and misogyny is interesting for a horror film. Not since I Spit on Your Grave, have we seen a woman truly take charge on film. The torture and violence might be excessive for some viewers, but the horror genre is continuously to try and find ways to push the envelope. Kind of like riding the worst roller-coaster, this will be fun as it is uncomfortable for most avid horror fans. The torture and violence might come off excessive, but it’s necessary to tell a story that’s rotten to the core. And I mean that in a good way.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nEKFeAYmN9c

PASSIONE

Sometime box office thrillers just wont cut it. The same old plots at the same old theater. Luckily for you Miami holds many cinemamtic treasures to keep your weekend busy with indie films and off the beaten path good times. Here are two films you may want to check out…

You probably best remember John Turturro from his roles in Do The Right Thing, Barton Fink, Quiz Show and The Big Lebowski. The actor made a name for himself with his versatility, but his talents don’t end there. In the film “Passione” Turturro guides a musical adventure through Italian culture. Be transported to Napoli, Italy to discover the world of contemporary Neopolitan music alongside the history and sights of the city. The documentary, with its large gestures and outsized emotions, comes to life through the songs in a bold and passionate travelogue.

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jKbtRBx-lP4&feature=player_embedded

Miami Beach Cinematheque
Adults $10 – Senior/Students $9 – Members $8

Friday Aug 12th | 8:40pm
Saturday August 13th | 5pm & 8:40pm
Sunday August 14th | 5pm & 8:40pm
Monday Aug 15th | 8:40pm
Tuesday Aug 16th | 8:40pm
Wednesday Aug 17th | 8:40pm

Cosford Cinema
Adults $10 • Seniors/Non UM Students/ UM Faculty/ UM Alumni $7 • UM Students Free

Friday Aug 12th | 9pm
Saturday August 13th | 3:30pm & 7:30pm
Sunday August 14th | 6pm

THE TROLL HUNTER

We’ve heard it all before… “There’s nothing to worry about.” The same old excuses… “It’s just bears.” When you live near the mountains and forests of Norway blaming it on the bear seems like an obvious choice, but we know better. As do the local hunters and a group of college students who seek the truth. This 90 min tale takes you through the hunt of… you guessed it TROLLS. In a Blair Witch style the kids bring their video camera along for the ride and end up alongside a “poacher” who isn’t too keen on their risky hunt. You’ll be at the edge of your seat waiting for a glimpse of the trolls while you uncover the life of of a Troll Hunter, who battles the celebrity of a skilled hunter and the anonymity of a man who seeks a fairy tale creature.

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TLEo7H9tqSM&feature=player_embedded

O Cinema
Adults $10.50 – Seniors/Students $9 – Members $7.50

Thursday August 11th | 8pm
Friday Aug 12th | 10pm & 12am
Saturday Aug 13th | 10pm
Sun Aug 14th | 7:45pm

Terrence Malick is considered to be more of an entity in the world of filmmaking. It’s hard to believe that with just five films in a career spanning four decades, there isn’t one person in the film business that doesn’t look at Malick as an important figure in filmmaking. The Tree of Life is a sincere display of ambition from a director that aims to blur the lines of a film’s impact and ultimately bring his audiences to be more involved. He is a filmmaker with an interest in displaying the beauty of every single facet involved in each frame he shoots. Whether you’re watching romantic teenage rebellion (Badlands), looking at the Industrial Revolution (Days of Heaven), World War II (The Thin Red Line), or the British colonization of North America (The New World), Malick’s films are unique, soulful, and easily misunderstood.

The Tree of Life is a study on the existence of life as we know it. Malick’s ambition and his vision come hand in hand with the methods he uses to bring viewers along for the existential ride that he’s created. “The way of nature or the way of grace…you have to choose which one you will follow,” begins with a flicker of light on the screen. The first true sign of life perhaps? Malick’s study of life is told in two highly different and interpersonal methods. One being the lives of a family living the american dream in 1950′s Texas. The central character Jack O’ Brien (Sean Penn) is going through a fragmented recollection of his childhood memories that slowly explain the eventual disillusionment he currently holds as an adult. Beginning with Jack’s birth, we are introduced to Mr. & Mrs. O Brien (Brad Pitt & Jessica Chastain), immersed in the joy of their first born. As their family grows, the film ultimately centers on the adolescent era of these three boys, growing up and evolving through love and tragedy.

Malick has never been the type of director that had an interest in traditional storytelling. The film cuts to a dramatization of the formation of the universe. As the galaxies expand and planets are formed, we hear existential questions being asked by various characters throughout the film. With Malick combining the intended narrative with a dramatization filled with dinosaurs and microbes, it’s easy to call this film pretentious. Being familiar with his early work, I truly believe that The Tree of Life isn’t a practice of egotism, but a visual puzzle that is up to the viewer to solve.

Every technical aspect behind this film is treated with meticulous respect and care. Cinematographer Emmanuel Lubezki’s vision of shooting the film in 100% natural light makes the film an absolute work of art. Complimenting Lubezki’s visual aesthetic precision is Douglas Trumball’s effects contributions. Nearly 30 years out of the business, Trumball’s approach to the effects are more in the classic approach of his early work; like 2001: A Space Odyssey and Close Encounters of the Third Kind. Utilizing as little CGI as possible, Trumball’s methods are just as beautiful today as they were 30 years ago.

At the end of the day, you’re with Terrence Malick or you’re not. His films are polarizing in every sense of word and his film aren’t easy to watch. I don’t recommend this film as an introduction for someone who hasn’t seen a Malick film. However, should you be familiar with his work, this film is ultimately satisfying in every way. The most amazing aspect of this film, is it’s ability to display the narrative as if it were a dream. Through fragmented snippets of stylized beauty, Malick’s images create a story that’s reflective of his view on life itself, it’s value, it’s importance, and intensity. If you’re up for the challenge, I can’t recommend this enough. If not, then you wouldn’t be the first, and you won’t be the last either.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DlYYreuK8vo

Quentin Dupieux is quite an interesting artist. Known mainly as Mr. Oizo, a pseudonym for his electronic music persona, Dupieux has been crossing boundaries into the realm of filmmaking since 2002. The main difference is, unlike most ego-maniac rap artists, he’s continuing to treat the art  of filmmaking as an art…and not a paycheck or exploitation of himself.

Rubber is the second full-length feature by the French musician and reviewing it is probably just as hard for me as it is for the audience to understand what they are watching. Magnet, the company involved in releasing this film in the United States, has their work cut out for them. At the surface, Rubber feels like another entry into the myriad of pictures we see year after year. If this is really another “no brainer” offered by another studio trying to make a quick buck off the assembly line cattle that flock to the theaters every Friday night, why isn’t this a major release? The answer is simple, Rubber is a wolf in sheep’s clothing. We have the facade of B-movie nonsensical trash with something actually profound to say, and if you work in the Hollywood film system, the message isn’t pretty.

We begin with a beautiful, and I do mean beautiful–but I’ll get to the camera work later– pan shot of a desert scene. Along the dirt road are a bunch of chairs, lined up in no particular order. A car approaches and begins to make sure it knocks down every chair on the way to the camera. Lieutenant Chad, played hilariously sarcastic by Stephen Spinella, approaches the camera and delivers a monologue of complete absurdity and utter brilliance. Beginning the momentum of this strange little film, he gives you insight on the duality of films coexisting with the element of, “no reason.” To continue this streak of arbitrary dark humor, we’re introduced to another character named Accountant, played awkwardly subtle by Jack Plotnick, who is overseeing a group of individuals perched on the top of a desert rock, with binoculars, watching the events of the film WE, as the audience, are seeing. Are you still with me? The set up is absolutely strange and intriguing.

Getting to the story at hand, we meet Robert, an inanimate tire that suddenly moves by itself and realizes…it has the power of telekinesis. Are you still with me? This is where the arthouse portion begins to truly take flight in this film. We are literally watching the development of a tire, learning how to move, and hone it’s powers, blowing up bottles, birds, and all things that cross it’s path. Robert eventually shows his true power when he comes across a human being that nearly runs him over on the highway. Eventually catching up to the driver at a gas station, Robert gives this film a head explosion that can give Cronenberg’s Scanners a run for it’s money. The initial set up is that this tire is eventually terrorizing people left and right. Some people are hip to what’s going on and others have their doubts. The crowd, still perched on the rock and watching what’s going on, makes comments about these actions as if they were an audience sitting right next to you. The beauty of this particular set up is that Dupieux has made characters of all the different types of obnoxious people that sit next to us in a film. Making idiotic comments on the pacing, the absurdity of the subject matter, the fact that for a while..there’s no dialogue. The most interesting aspect of this portion of the film, is that this group has that one person most of us film lovers are. Played by Wings Hauser, he’s not distracted and is able to understand what is going on exactly. Guess who he is supposed to represent? ::wink wink::

Dupieux may not be very well understood by the general film community, but there are things about Rubber that can’t be denied. From the start, the cinematography is absolutely stunning. He lights his outdoor desert pan and track shots as if he’d been working with Robert Elswit or Conrad Hall for the last 20 years. Dupieux clearly believed in this project as most of the important facets of this film, Direction, Cinematography, Music, and the Screenplay are all done by him. The dialogue is extremely tongue-in-cheek from beginning to end. It’s incredibly surprising that this film is able to continue the momentum of satire at this level without cracking up at certain points.

To conclude this segment, I can’t stress enough how you have to suspend your level of disbelief, which can be extremely high when just viewing the trailer, and let yourself get lost in this. It has it’s moments where the film loses a bit of momentum because it’s by no means a perfect film. It is, however, an extremely brave and original concept that demands to be seen and screams to be analyzed. A film so chock full of analogies like this hasn’t come around since Jodorowsky’s The Holy Mountain back in 1973. The ending alone is so thick on it’s metaphor, that I’m surprised Hollywood studio heads haven’t sued this film for intentional infliction of emotional distress. Proceed with caution…but pay attention…it’s interesting and most of all…funny.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6G5pyFhmAqE

“Linden Boulevard represent, represent. Tribe Called Quest represent, represent…”

I will open this review by saying that I am a diehard Tribe Called Quest fan. When People’s Instinctive Travels and the Paths of Rhythm dropped, I was a shorty, maybe 11-years-old, but Bonita Applebum made me want to have a bigger ass…fact. I think when the lyric, “Can I kick it?” is uttered, the only natural response is, “Yes, you can.” And when Scenario hit, I remember ditching school JUST so I could go cop the Low End Theory.  I can still say with 100% confidence that Midnight Marauders is one of the greatest albums of all time. I dare someone to say different…especially you, sucka nigga, whoever you are. And on more than one occasion, I have declared that, “If I was working at the club, you would not pay,” is the most romantic hip hop lyric of the 90s.

I am a fan. You do NOT want to get into some deep discussion with me about Tribe. You do NOT want to test my ATCQ knowledge. And you do NOT want to get me started on their Love Movement album, because like most fans, I have a lot of anger about what happened with that project. (Even though, Find A Way is still one of my favorite ATCQ songs.)

When A Tribe Called Quest officially disbanded, for me, it was the day that music died.

After having said all that, I will own up to watching a bootleg copy of Beats Rhymes and Life: The Travels of A Tribe Called Quest. Yeah, a bootleg. NOT because I didn’t and won’t pay to go watch this in the theater. I WILL. And not because I don’t support the ATCQ franchise. I DO. Mostly, I caught it on bootleg because I couldn’t wait one more damn second to see this movie. That said, I will gladly tell you that I was pleased with the film as a whole and think that all this controversy surrounding the film is a bunch of crap. In fact, I cannot wait to see this movie again. A lot of times.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qT6hiajuLhs

The movie itself is put together as an homage to the group. You can tell off the bat that director Michael Rapaport is a fan. And while most people knock him for being a, “mediocre actor,” I disagree. (His role as the skinhead Remy in John Singleton’s Higher Learning was awesome. Hands down.) So what if he is not Spike Lee? This was a project that only a fan could make and I am going to give Mr. Rapaport kudos for making a film that says what most of us already knew…ATCQ is an incredible group, pioneers in hip hop and incredibly talented.

Oh, and that Q-Tip is an asshole.

I didn’t need this film to open my eyes to that little tidbit. The idea that Q-Tip is painted as some sort of musical genius/perfectionist/control freak is superfluous. Who cares? How could you listen to any of his verses on any ATCQ song, or even on his solo projects and not think, “This guy is a little bit full of himself.” He is STILL a producer genius. GENIUS. (His work on the first three Tribe albums is the stuff of legend!) He is STILL a lyrical poet. I still love him. I still respect him. I would still give him babies. Period.

If you are a fan, you know the roles that the members of Tribe embodied. Q-Tip was always the frontman/producer, Phife was always the lovable five-foot assassin rapper and Ali was always the neutral DJ/producer. This is not a mystery. (And to Jarobi, AKA the forgotten member of ATCQ, sorry, but this review is not about you. I get it, you were in the group. I get it, you left the group. I am sorry, but you do not embody the group for me.)

The idea that people are complaining [read: crying] that Rapaport somehow bamboozled them and edited the film to make Q-Tip the bad guy and Phife the crippled diabetic victim is total bullshit. Here we have a case of people not liking how they really come across in a film AFTER the fact. (Editing cannot change who you are…sorry.) Could Rapaport have edited Q-Tip into any other role other than that of the narcissist and subsequent villain? No. Does Phife really have juvenile diabetes that made being on tour and the hectic lifestyle of a rapper hard on him, so we should kind of feel bad for him as a result? Yes. Is Ali Shaheed Muhammad always going to come across as the vanilla-no-real-opinion-I-just-want-to-make-music-neutral member of the group? Yes.

The drama surrounding the film in regards to the producers and Rapaport trying to fuck the group out of producing credits…well, if that is the case, well, then it is the case. However, that didn’t change the film for me or the fact that I loved it.

The film itself focuses on the rise of ATCQ and their subsequent demise due to Phife and Q-Tip’s friendship/working relationship falling apart. To anyone who has ever worked in a creative partnership before, you know that conflicting personalities, opinions and control issues come into play. This is not a new concept. If you watch any Behind The Music kind of documentaries, there is always a victim, a villain and drama. It has happened to the best groups. It happened to Tribe. Will we ever know the truth? Probably not. What we see in Beats Rhymes and Life: The Travels of A Tribe Called Quest is a middle ground of said truth and I don’t think that it could have been shown in any other way.

Here is the thing; if you are a fan, you knew all of these things BEFORE you saw this movie, so all this hoopla about the Phife/Q-Tip drama didn’t even make a dent in your mental. At least it didn’t in mine because when I finished watching Beats Rhymes and Life: The Travels of A Tribe Called Quest, I wasn’t thinking about all that. I was still lost in the afterglow that happens when you see a film that speaks to you. Because Tribe’s story is that good. If you love hip hop culture and you love the music, you have to see this film and relive the time when hip hop was groundbreaking and when the marriage of the music and the art of sampling was just that…ART.

With that said…I am going to go ahead and downplay all the negative hype surrounding this movie and give it my nod as a great hip hop doc.

Because when I finished watching this film, I wasn’t thinking about the drama or the fighting or that Q-Tip should have been nicer to Phife. I wasn’t scrutinizing the credits, looking to see who got production nods and who didn’t. I was too busy reminiscing about a time when hip hop was good. I was too busy feeling good about growing up during that time and that movement. I was too distracted with looking for ATCQ tracks on my iPod for the ride home. Why? Because Beats Rhymes and Life: The Travels of A Tribe Called Quest served it’s purpose…it gave me, the fan, an inside look at how Tribe made their music, made their careers happen and made history. It told the story of the come up and the fall of one of the greatest hip hop groups of all time. And it made Tribe relevant again. Not just to all the old-school fans like myself, but rather, to the new generation of hip hop kids who need to know about this era and movement in this culture.

And it made me sad.

Because ultimately the movie personifies what we, the fans, already know…that the legendary A Tribe Called Quest will (probably) never get to relive their magical chemistry again. They will (probably) never make new music, and if they do, it will (probably) be a lot less glorious than their first three albums. It is the bleak and sad truth. But it is a truth that all of us real fans have accepted. It does not make the music any less potent or good. It does not make ATCQ any less favored or loved. It just makes us, the fans, realize that for one brief moment in hip hop, ATCQ was king and that they made music that was real and good. That point hits home when you watch this film. And watch it, you will. And more than once, I promise.

The first installment: Your Life Is A Movie, Hazel puts a modern twist on an age-old conflict: She loves him, he loves her…sometimes.

The 15 minute piece shows what lengths the main character, Hazel Sanchez, will go to win back Ernesto’s love all while feeling socially inadequate.

“Hazel is an interesting paradox when you consider her talents. She  performs well on stage, she commands in the bedroom but can’t readily express herself in regular settings,” Hederr said.

Ernesto, played by Fidel Prida IV, also worked behind the scenes in true do-it-yourself indie-style.

“He deserves a medal and perhaps anything he wants for a year. He practically devoted this past year to the project out of love for me and without his love and friendship I am not sure where I would be with all the stress attacks I went through. He assisted the DP, he assisted me with development and pre-production,” Hederr said.

Written, directed and produced by Perez and filmed at REd Light Studios, the film has been screened at Film Slam Sunday where winners can earn a shot at showing their film at the Oscar-worthy Florida Film Festival. For a while, Hederr was a jack of all trades, master of none in the art realm.  She dabbled in music, dance and even some creative writing before her true calling found her one fateful night in 2009 at the Borscht Film Festival. Since she has a spent a year creating the Your Life Is A Movie series and is actively promoting the Hazel installment.

The film glorifies the North Miami scenery and it’s beautifully grimy streets with even a shot from inside Churchill’s Pub. To take the project from the page to the stage, Hederr called upon Miami comrades: designer Diane Brache and local music powerhouse Telekinetic Walrus and the Pride of Ions for help executing her vision. Among others involved in the film’s creation were Richard Freedberg and Wedens Raymond.

“Richard is extraordinary! In recent years he moved to Miami after living and teaching  acting in Amsterdam for 30 plus years! Richard helped me perfect my script. He was also our acting coach. I met Wedens at the Delray Film Festival where his short film was premiering. We hit it off, he liked my enthusiasm and offered to help. I picked his brain any chance I got. He’s been film making for almost ten years, his experience helped expedite the process, since I was learning as I went,” Hederr said.

Hederr will travel to Barcelona to work on the second installment of Your Life Is A Movie centering around a character named Cassandra played by Jennifer Puig who is a friend of Hazel in the movie and Hederr’s good friend in life:

“Jennifer a great friend of mine. She is crazy talented. She is an incredible dancer and her energy is magnetic. She ended up becoming our production coordinator during her most recent visit which was when we shot YLM. When she returned to Barcelona some weeks later, she posed as Cassandra once again in photos that are in the movie. So, Jennifer has done a great deal for this project. I absolutely love her and feel honored that such great talent is my dear friend.”

While we eagerly wait for the second film’s release, here’s the trailer to YLM, Hazel to hold you over. To find out when and where Hazel is screening next, click here.

If I’m going to spend my hard-earned money to see films and tell you whether or not they are worth watching, I want to see something good, damn it! I’d rather have renal failure than watch Kung Fu Panda 2, Transformers 3, Thor 8, and Harry Potter 14. But I digress…

Super 8 looks fantastic and promising and has the feel of watching one of the beautiful Hollywood films of the 70s that Spielberg started with, like Close Encounters and E.T.. But until it comes out on June 10th, I’ve comprised a top 10 list of movies you should watch in the meantime. With the range of bands and rap artists coming to Miami lately, there seems to be music fever going around. So I’ve taken it upon myself to bring you my top 10 list of films that feature music as a major narrative. Shall we begin?

1. Sid & Nancy

Director Alex Cox‘s morbid follow up to the fiendish and off kilter Repo Man. Starring Gary Oldman in a knock out performance (Like we haven’t seen that before…) as the volatile Sid Vicious of the Sex Pistols. The film chronicles his relationship with Nancy Spungen (Played beautifully by the underrated Chloe Webb.) and the rise of the Sex Pistols up to Vicious’ untimely death in 1979. All points are covered in this film; the band, the romance, the mysterious death of Nancy Spungen and Vicious’ popularity increasing due to his strange career as a product of exploitation. It’s funny, it’s sad, it’s stoic, and most of all…it is sincere. Cox showed ambition as a director and proved he was going places, especially with his later film, Walker. Punk rock fans and Oldman fans alike will enjoy this tenfold.

2. Detroit Rock City

How many of you had parents who constantly prevented you from going to see a band you loved? (I know that I used to sneak out of my house to see Pantera!) Well, this movie is for you.  Detroit Rock City is about four high-school friends who embark on the road trip  of their lives to see the greatest rock ‘n’ roll show of the 70s…KISS! Full of great cameos and hilarious puns, such as, “Man, if there’s one thing KISS will never do, it’s a bullshit disco song,” this movie chronicles a journey so flat-out ridiculous that it would be a crime not to say that this is one of my favorite films I watched growing up. AND it’s about KISS! Say what you will, but KISS’ Destroyer it’s one of the greatest albums in rock ‘n’ roll history. Need I say more?

3. Rock ‘N’ Roll High School

Okay, when I was younger I had a huge thing for P.J. Soles. So, as a kid what could be better than seeing her as the lead in a movie about rock ‘n’ roll lover who just wanted to party? I’ll tell you what could be better…putting the Ramones in the same film!  With this film, director Roger Corman demonstrates his uncanny ability to make the funnest films imaginable on a shoe-string budget. (Not to mention that he catapulted the careers of amazing filmmakers like Bogdonovich and Ford Coppola.) In this movie, P.J. Soles plays Riff Randell, a girl who wants to rock ‘n’ roll all the time. and the Ramones are coming to town and she’s going to be there. The set up is simple and charming and this movie is filled with classic moments like the high school office in the bathroom, promises of getting laid and being popular, the “go-to” guy played hilariously by Clint Howard, the Ramones, dancing, cheesy one-liners, etc. The film has it all, including a great soundtrack supplied by the Ramones. In fact, my favorite Ramones song, I Want You Around, is from this movie.

4. Control

Ian Curtis’ death was always speculated about by many music enthusiasts; when Joy Division was on the rise to becoming one of the biggest bands from Europe, he committed suicide. His depression was documented, but never really understood. Director Anton Corbijn brings a film that offers some light on this particular subject. Sam Riley‘s performance as Curtis is quite convincing. The black and white approach to the film only adds to the intensity of the subject matter, as the film’s austere approach to the complex story compliments the narrative harmoniously. You’re taken back by the images; bleak as they are beautiful, they are simple enough to not distract you from the story at hand. Control is one of the best bio-pics I’ve seen and cemented Corbijn as a gifted and amazing director with lots of potential in my book.

5. Hustle & Flow

Continuing on the tip of intense film-making comes Hustle & Flow. It documents the rise of a Memphis pimp named D-Jay who has dreams of making more of his life. In this film, Terrence Howard gives an Oscar worthy performance that is absolutely captivating. There are other standout performances from up-and-coming actors like Taraji P. Henson, Taryn Manning, and Anthony Anderson, too. I can’t recommend this enough film enough. It’s not just a film about hip-hop…it’s like Rocky but with music instead of boxing. It is a story about what a person is willing to do in order to get his name on the annals of something to be remembered by. It is a story about perseverance, survival, and love. I promise this film will resonate in you long after the credits roll. Oh, and Ludacris is in this, too…and he’s not extremely annoying for once. Give it a shot. I felt like an idiot when I passed up on this movie’s initial release.

6. Almost Famous

This is epic independent film-making at it’s finest. Even the extended Blu-ray cut (Which I highly recommend.) never slows down. (I must confess that the extended cut excites me.) Director Cameron Crowe creates a loose autobiography about his experiences as a rock journalist for Rolling Stone magazine. The film and it’s many facets are extremely heartwarming and enjoyable on many levels. It’s about growing up (I hate using the term, “coming of age.”), friendships, ambition, and more importantly…the impact that music has on an individual. With an amazing cast, soundtrack, screenplay, and beautiful direction by Crowe, Almost Famous remains my most-beloved representation of music films, ever.

7. This is Spinal Tap

Don’t you just love the roller-coaster of emotions I’m bringing to this list? I mean, who hasn’t seen This is Spinal Tap? This Rob Reiner mockumentary exposes the whirlwind rock-star life of hotel rooms, press conferences, record store appearances, stage antics and even getting lost backstage (“Hello Cleveland!”). The cast of band members includes comedy veterans of the Christopher Guest troop (Michael Mckean, Christopher Guest, and Harry Shearer) who star as a forgotten metal band supporting their new record on their latest comeback tour. Bruno Kirby, Ed Begley Jr., and even an early Fran Drescher add to this outstanding comedy by Rob Reiner. (You know…the guy who made the great films Stand By Me and Misery.) Watch this movie…NOW!

8. The Buddy Holly Story

Gary Busey stars in The Buddy Holly Story (Which earned him an Oscar nomination in 1978.), a film that gives you a look at the rise and early demise of one of Rock ‘n’ Roll’s most-important pioneers. I think that the soundtrack and performances are what make this film so fun to watch. Unlike most actors who play singers in films, Busey did his own singing in this movie making him the highlight of what makes this film so enjoyable.

9. I’m Not There

This is the toughest of the films in this list to watch. I applaud director Todd Haynes for his excruciatingly meticulous and unconventional approach to telling the story of the life and times of Bob Dylan. Haynes guides the viewer through Dylan’s many roles as a singer/folk songwriter, an outcast, a political activist, and the actor that he created in the limelight at the apex of his popularity. Follow Haynes’ vision with caution and stick with it because this film will absolutely move you. It carries some of the best performances I’ve seen, featuring stellar roles by Cate Blanchett, Heath Ledger, Christian Bale and Richard Gere.

10. 24 Hour Party People

The insanely infectious Michael Winterbottom, who directed one of my favorites films, The Killer Inside Me, recreates the inception of Factory Records and leads the cavalry through one of music’s most-important eras in Europe. With a great performance by Steve Coogan as Factory Records owner and creator, Tony Wilson, 24 Hour Party People plays like a documentary, giving you a  fly-on-the-wall view of this famous label and the musical movement of the time. Paddy Considine, Andy Serkis, and John Simm are just a few of the many supporting cast members that make this film a delight to watch. It’s funny, intense, authentic, and extremely well-done.

Now I know, I know…I missed a few other greats (Airheads, Head, La Bamba, Walk The Line, The Commitments and Backbeat, to name a few.), but this list wasn’t easy to compile. But by all means, give me your two cents. What movies would you have picked? What movies did I miss?

Duncan Jones first appeared on the film circuit in 2009 with the incredibly fresh and original Moon. A one man showcase of the talents of its lead, Sam Rockwell, with the support of a Hal-9000 type computer, voiced by Kevin Spacey, named Gerty. Moon was a practice and homage of the Sci Fi films Jones clearly grew up watching. With visual elements of inspiration drawn from Solaris, Silent Running, and 2001, Moon told the story of a man faced with a major dilemma while working solo on a moon colony for 3 years. With very little CGI, elaborate sets, a fantastic script, and of course one of this generation’s best actors carrying the film, Moon became an audacious and resonating debut feature for Duncan Jones.

Source Code, Duncan Jones’ second feature, is comprised of a bigger budget, a slew of great players like Jake Gyllenhaal, Jeffrey Wright, and Vera Farmiga, and an interesting Quantum Leap-esque script by Ben Ripley. Gyllenhaal is Capt. Colter Stevens, aboard a train with no recollection of how he arrived there. The passenger ahead of him knows him, but he doesn’t know her. His reflection isn’t him in the train bathroom, suddenly the train is bombed. �As he wakes up, we learn that he is working with the US Army via a program called “Source Code”. Source Code is a program that allows Stevens to enter the body of someone in a previous time frame for exactly 8 minutes. Stevens was chosen due to his match of physical and physiological aspects to the real passenger on the train, Sean Fentress. The film goes on a Groundhog Day type of a set up, reliving the bombing over and over as Stevens tries to find the bomb and the bomber.

The pacing, from the very start of the film, is a mile a minute. Which isn’t necessarily a bad thing. It keeps you hooked and guessing as to what’s going to happen next. The elements of suspense are as prominent in the film as the elements of disbelief are as well. Sometimes the film can become outrageous and preposterous but you don’t care because you’re having so much fun going back and forth from Army headquarters to the bomb site. All performances are solid through and through. Especially Wright, who is always a delight to watch in all the roles he takes on. Whether he’s being a Puerto Rican pimp in Shaft, a runaway gun slinging slave in Ride with the Devil, or Felix Leiter in the 007 Franchise, your attention is on him when he’s on screen, he’s fantastic!

Overall, Source Code is satisfying and extremely entertaining. It’s great to see a film that channels so many elements of genres from action, sci-fi, and drama and�for once,�a story that was not based on a comic book! My only gripe with Source Code was the sappy side plot between Stevens and Christina Warren, played well by Michelle Monaghan. The heartfelt side of the story is great, though it comes off a tad excessive, only for brief moments. It’s nothing that ruins the momentum of the film. If you’re looking for the first great film from Hollywood in 2011, look no further. Source Code is the second notch on Jones’ belt that just heightens my anticipation for what he does next.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NkTrG-gpIzE

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Kim has the ability to wow audiences with his techniques in storytelling. Audiences that aren’t even film buffs are awestruck by his camera work, pacing, and stylized image compositions. His dream-like scope of terror in Tale of Two Sisters was uncomfortable tantamount to how it was for americans to see The Exorcist for the first time. Kim’s follow up A Bittersweet Life, was an ode to the gangster genre in a manner of respect and meticulous detail that can only been seen in a film by Jee-woon Kim. His career continued to impress with the hugely ambitious and endlessly entertaining The Good The Bad and The Weird. A western that changes the rules but treats the historic and inspiring genre with a tremendous amount of respect and care. Balancing humor with action, you would think he would continue a lighter path�yet Kim returns with his darkest and most sadistic film yet; I Saw The Devil.

I Saw the Devil blurs the line between good/evil as a secret agent becomes a monster to catch the monster that has taken the life of his pregnant fianc�e. We’ve seen the revenge/serial killer genre tackled many times over. What sets this apart from the usual is the approach and twist to the story, that starts early on, and continues to take the viewer on an odyssey of depravity that is beautiful as it is brutal. Byung-hun Lee plays an agent that loses his bride to be to a notorious serial killer that ruthlessly takes the lives of women all over South Korea. Min-sik Choi, best known for his role as Oh Dae-Su in Oldboy, gets more than he bargained for when he’s continuously stalked and tortured by man set to marry one of his victims. We’ve always wondered what would happen, should the loved one get to the killer of a victim before the police do. It’s unfortunate for Kyung-Chul, the killer, that the person who gets to him is the law as well as a loved one.

Jee-woon Kim explores human nature through a story that can come off austere in the hands of inexperienced directors. A story of this emotional magnitude can only be told by someone who respects and loves the cinema medium as much as Kim clearly does. The violence is shocking at some points, especially when you see a graphic severing of an Achilles tendon, but is it justified? Is it fair to treat a monster the way he treats his victims is really the main theme in the grand scheme of things. Kim creates enormous amounts of discomfort and tension in scenes where you know what’s going to happen, but it’s told in such a manner of intimacy that film goes beyond the screen and involves the viewer as much as the characters in the story. With Kim’s skillful camera workand story telling, drama scenes and actions scenes alike, are heightened to the apex of a film’s capabilities. With a fantastic cast, strong writing by screen writer Hoon-jung Park, and an impressive debut of cinematography by a clearly talented Mogae Lee, I Saw the Devil is a breath of fresh air to genre that wasn’t on a “Do Not Resuscitate” list to begin with. It just brings a new light and life into a genre that most film fans can enjoy. Whether you’re into genre pictures, revenge, action, horror, or just extreme cinema in general, I wouldn’t be surprised to see this film make the best of 2011 for critics and viewers alike. It’s already made mine�and the year just started.
-Review by Alex Leon

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pa_Kv9jWA3A