Film-Forward

Music

Searching for Sugar Man

Edited, Written & Directed by Malik Bendjelloul Produced by Simon Chinn & Bendjelloul Released by Sony Pictures Classics Sweden/UK. 85 min. Rated PG-13 In this entertaining musical mystery tour, pop culture crosses politics and geographical borders to remarkably touch the lives of an artist and his fans in unexpected ways. From the wide open spaces […]

Wagner’s Dream

During its final days, the Tribeca Film Festival world premiered three New York-centric fine arts documentaries. The most penetrating of the trio, Wagner’s Dream is an engrossing look behind the curtain of the Metropolitan Opera, and is the perhaps best film about that art form, fictional or otherwise, though it may have that field all […]

How to Grow a Band

Directed by Mark Meatto Produced by Michael Bohlmann & Meatto Released by International Film Circuit USA/UK. 88 min. Not Rated How to Grow a Band has a promising story to follow. A young, gifted musician rises from a narrow genre to commercial success, falls into personal turmoil, and finds catharsis with a new mode of […]

John Mellencamp: It’s About You

Directed by Kurt Markus & Ian Markus Produced by Kurt Markus & Maria Markus Written by Kurt Markus Released by MPI Media Group USA. 80 min. Not Rated What becomes a rock ‘n’ roll legend most? Commissioning a film crew to follow him around on tour and recording an album. But John Mellencamp gave the […]

The Other F Word

Written & Directed by Andrea Blaugrund NevinsProduced by Cristan ReillyReleased by Oscilloscope LaboratoriesUSA. 99 min. Not ratedWith Jim Lindberg, Flea, Tony Adolescent, Fat Mike, Tony Hawk, Mark Mothersbaugh, Ron Reyes, Tim Mcllrath, Joe Escalante, Mark Hoppus & Lars Fredericksen Fat Mike of the band NOFX sprays fake butter on his daughter’s toast, Mark Hoppus of […]

The Weird World of Blowfly

Written & Directed & Produced by Jonathan Furmanski Released by Variance Films USA. 89 min. Not rated The Weird World of Blowfly is the earthy, living history of the roots of rap through the ribald and bemused perspective of a septuagenarian veteran of the music business. With over two dozen raunchy, groundbreaking albums since the […]