The 2009 Movie Genre of the Month

[Heineken Skywalker]

In order to get myself to watch movies I've always meant to, but just haven't gotten around to, or to rewatch movies I haven't seen in a long time, I've come up with something I call "The Movie Genre of the Month".
At the beginning of each month, I'll announce what that month's "Movie Genre" or category is, and then try to watch at least four movies that month (averages to about one movie per week) in whatever that month's chosen genre/category is. Anyone else here who wants to participate is welcome to.
I try to watch at least four per month, but you can watch as many, or as few, as you want.

Unlike last year, it won't be a contest and there will be no prizes or incentives. This is purely for fun and to try to get myself, and others, to try genres and categories outside of their "comfort zone". I won't be counting up scores or anything like that, so anyone can participate at any point during the year.

[slayrrr666]

Sounds fun. I like that no incentives thing, as that was what the whole point of it was: watch movies outside your comfort zone for fun, so this should be cool.

[Heineken Skywalker]

The genre/category for January is...

THE MUSIC BIZ

Films about singers, musicians, bands, composers/songwriters, etc.

Some rules or guidelines, if you will:

1. Films watched can be biopics about real people, comedies, documentaries, concert films, etc., but you should try to see a variety of types of films and of different genres of music, Opera to Country to Heavy Metal.

2. The main character(s) have to be in the music business somehow. Either as a musician, a band, even a record producer, but they don't have to be famous. It could be a film about someone struggling to make it.

3. All movies have to have been theatrical releases. No made for tv or made for cable movies, ie: HBO, Sci-Fi Channel, etc., are not eligible. No television mini-series either.

4. Whenever you watch one, feel free to post it in "Just Watched Movies" like you normally would, or even write a review for "Review Hell" if so inclined, but post here also, so we can see what everyone's watching within the genre. Feel free to tell us what you thought of the film and score it using the 1 to 10 system, ie: 1 being just awful, 5 is average and 10 being perfect. Half points, ie: 8.5/10 are also allowed.

5. You have until January 31st, and then on February 1st I'll announce the next genre or category.

6. Like I mentioned in the original post, try to watch at least four, one per week, but watch as many, or few, as you feel comfortable with.
Hopefully at the end of it all, you'll feel like you saw some movies you might not have watched otherwise and actually enjoyed some of them.

[Heineken Skywalker]

THE DECLINE OF WESTERN CIVILIZATION PART II: THE METAL YEARS (1988)

Director Penelope Spheeris' (WAYNE'S WORLD, THE BEVERLY HILLBILLIES), documentary about the late 80's hard rock/heavy metal scene. Features linterviews with stars like Gene Simmons, Lemmy, Alice Cooper, Steven Tyler, Dave Mustaine, Ozzy Osbourne, etc., some metal fans, and lots of wannabe rockers. Topics discussed include groupies, alcohol and drug abuse, promotion and day jobs.
At times hilarious, but often quite sad. I think most of the struggling bands or musicians in this film, who swore they were going to "make it", disappeared off the face of the earth.

8/10

PREY FOR ROCK & ROLL (2003)

Gina Gershon plays Jacki, lead singer and guitarist for an all-girl rock band named Clam Dandy who have been playing for ten years in the LA club scene. Jacki is about to turn forty and considering throwing in the towel.
The bad: Lots of cliché" Behind the Music" moments, ie: drug abuse, lesbianism, lame gigs, abusive boyfriends, lousy contracts, rape, death, etc. On the other hand, writer Cheri Lovedog, based the story on her own band experiences and with the music business so if it's cliché, at least most of it is actually true too.
The good: Some of the music is halfway decent. Gershon has a good Crissie Hynde (The Pretenders) type of voice. The actresses all look and play like a real band.
Not a great movie, but I'm a huge fan of Gershon (Nice!) so I stuck with it.

6/10

[Heineken Skywalker]

AIRHEADS (1994)

Brendan Fraser, Steve Buscemi and Adam Sandler play a heavy metal band named The Lone Rangers who think that a local radio station should pay more attention to them. They go down to the station demanding that their demo be played, things get out of control, and before you know it, it's become a hostage situation.
Has a funny moment here and there, and Buscemi pretty much steals the show, but overall, with that concept, it should be way funnier than it is.
The supporting cast includes Chris Farley, Michael McKean, Judd Nelson, Ernie Hudson, David Arquette, Michael Richards and Joe Mantegna, and again, with that cast, I just expect a lot funnier movie. Very average.

5/10

PHANTOM OF THE PARADISE (1974)

Brian De Palma's rock opera remake of PHANTOM OF THE OPERA. A disfigured songwriter tries to get revenge on the record producer who stole his music.
Campy, schlocky and completely over the top.
Pretty good score by Paul Williams, who also plays the record producer, a devil-like character named Swan.

6/10

[raina]

Killer Diller (2004)

Now here is a film that was a very pleasant surprise.
The story is about the unlikely friendship between Wesley, a troubled young guitarist sent to a halfway house where he is to join a band of other young convicts in playing Christian hymns and Vernon, an autistic savant piano player.
The music's good, and its mostly well acted, with (mostly) likeable characters. The biggest problem with the film is it doesn't always feel genuine, and is a tad superficial when it comes to the portrayal of Vernon. This is nothing against Lucas Black though, as I felt he did as well with the role as it was written as he could have.
But the film is sometimes sweet, sometimes funny, and mostly very likeable despite its flaws.

6.5/10

[Heineken Skywalker]

THAT THING YOU DO! (1996)

Very likable movie, written and directed by Tom Hanks, about a 60's pop group who score a hit song and ride its wave of popularity. The cast is really good, including the band members, Liv Tyler as the lead singer's girlfriend, and Hanks who plays the band's manager.

7.5/10

BOUND FOR GLORY (1976)

Biopic about Woody Guthrie (David Carradine), one of America's most influential and greatest folk singers. The film covers about 4 years in his life, from the time he decides to leave 1930's Depression-era Texas for California, to try to find work as a sign painter.
Along the way, he meets many of America's unemployed and downtrodden, and finds occasional work as a singer/guitar player. According to this film, based on Guthrie's autobiography, he was a man of total integrity. Often turning down, or sabotaging his own opportunities at bigger paychecks or greater success, because it would mean selling out his own ideals. He sacrificed everything, including his own family, to champion the cause of the working class.
Carradine is pretty amazing, doing his own singing and guitar playing.
The bad: The movie is really long, about 2.5 hrs, and pretty slow, so if you've got a short attention span, this one's probably not for you.

6.5/10

[slayrrr666]

Rock Star-2000
This one seemed tailor made for me to like it. Man joins legendary heavy metal band as new lead singer and carries them on to new heights of success, only for what really killed it for me, his personal life keeps getting in the way. This one was just deathly boring for most of it's running time, concentrating on the back-stage life and how fame was affecting everyone around the band. None of it was interesting, and it's only really good when the band gives their performances, as it's actually not a bad selection of songs, and you know me and my musical tastes. Frankly, when there's metal on, it's good, when it's not, the film sucks a big one, and there wasn't enough of the former and too much of the latter to keep me interested.
4/10

[raina]

Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story (2007)

A spoof of music films like Ray, Walk the Line and The Doors that stars John C. Reilly as Dewey Cox. Reilly gives it his all, and when it works, the movie is actually quite funny. Sometimes even clever. But it is also uneven, sometimes you have to wait awhile for a good laugh. Entertaining enough though.

6/10

Crossroads (1986)

My husband had been after me to watch this movie for awhile and I figured now was the time. Ralph Macchio stars as Eugene, a teenage guitarist studying at Julliard who has a love for blues music. He is interested in finding (and hopefully recording) a rumored lost song written by blues legend Robert Johnson, and finds Willie Brown (played wonderfully by Joe Seneca). They set out together for the Mississippi Delta, so the kid can really learn about the blues. Except Eugene is unaware of the deal with the devil Willie made years before, that he is hoping to break before his death.
Its a great story and its great fun, and has a hell of a good sound. Not without its problems (and inaccuracies), but I loved it.

8/10

[Heineken Skywalker]

Jan 7, 2009 12:30:44 GMT -5 raina said:

Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story (2007)

Currently in my Netflix queue. ;D

[Heineken Skywalker]

ALVIN AND THE CHIPMUNKS (2007)

Sometimes you have to watch a movie that's appropriate for your 3-year old daughter.
Based on the classic cartoon series, the very thin plot goes like this: Dave Seville (Jason Lee), a failed songwriter, meets Alvin, Simon and Theodore, three adorable talking, singing chipmunks. The chipmunks sing in high-pitched squeaky voices, which just might be the "new" sound that Dave, and an unscrupulous record company executive (David Cross), have been looking for.
Riiiiightt.......
Anyway, Dave and the chipmunks score a huge hit with "The Christmas Song", and before you can squeal, "I still want a hula-hoop!", Alvin and the boys are megastars, recording, touring and merchandising more toys than KISS.
The CGI chipmunks are very well done, but those silly live-action humans keep getting in the way.
BTW, my three-year old was enthralled by the little critters, but like me, every time they weren't on screen, she'd get restless and ask, "Hey, where'd the chipmunks go??".

5/10

[slayrrr666]

Fun in Acapulco-1963
One I decided to watch purely on the basis of it being on yesterday, and one I would've skipped over without too much hesitation at all. Now, it may not be close enough to count here, but the fact remains that I chose it because of the secondary storyline where Elvis and his friends have a band that they perform in the restaurant where he works, and they do play several songs and have a storyline where they are trying to get discovered, so I hope it counts. The cliff-diving scenes where, naturally, one of the only moments where something exciting was happening so they were kinda fun, and it did make Mexico look really good, so I'm not going to be too harsh, even if it was quite dull.
5/10

G.I. Blues-1960
Another one that's pretty close to being eliminated, but this time there's a little more emphasis on the band that the guys form, which is more upfront and has more time in the story devoted to it. Pretty much like the other one, not a whole lot of stuff going on but then it really isn't that kind of film. Tried to make the most of it, and a couple songs weren't too terrible, but without a whole lot to keep my interest, it faded around the end.
3.5/10

[Heineken Skywalker]

The Elvis flicks sound fine as far as qualifying, Slayrrr.

THE ROSE (1979)

Fictional biopic starring Bette Midler as a rock star named "Rose". The character, and her story, are obviously modeled after Janis Joplin. The movie follows a short segment of her career, her last tour, where her extreme lifestyle, ie: Sex, Drugs and Rock and Roll, finally catch up with her. Midler is really good in the role, and does a great job of singing in a Janis Joplin-style voice.
Good soundtrack, kind of a bummer of a movie though. Definitely not a "feel good" film.

7/10

SWEET AND LOWDOWN (1999)

Another fictional biopic, this time courtesy of writer/director Woody Allen.
Sean Penn stars as Emmett Ray, the second best jazz guitarist in the world, but he's also a narcissistic, obnoxious womanizer. His only weakness seems to be his admiration and jealousy of Django Reinhardt, an even more talented and famous guitarist. Ray tends to pass out whenever Reinhardt is in the vicinity.
Penn's portrayal is funny and he pulls off the guitar playing very realistically, wish the movie itself was funnier though. It tries too be a little too serious sometimes and I would've preferred if Allen had gone for the laughs more often.

6/10

[Heineken Skywalker]

WALK HARD: THE DEWEY COX STORY (2007)

Jan 7, 2009 12:30:44 GMT -5 raina said:

A spoof of music films like Ray, Walk the Line and The Doors that stars John C. Reilly as Dewey Cox. Reilly gives it his all, and when it works, the movie is actually quite funny. Sometimes even clever. But it is also uneven, sometimes you have to wait awhile for a good laugh. Entertaining enough though.

Couldn't have said it better myself.
Should have been hilarious, especially the songs. As it is, it's okay. My favorite scenes were when he met Elvis and then later, The Beatles.
You pretty much can't top SPINAL TAP when it comes to this kind of movie.

6/10

[raina]

Jan 10, 2009 12:20:29 GMT -5 Heineken Skywalker said:

You pretty much can't top SPINAL TAP when it comes to this kind of movie.

This is true....

Shine a Light (2008)

If you are a Rolling Stones fan and a Martin Scorsese fan this is pretty much a must see. Very well done concert film.

8/10