The Greatest Rock Movie Ever

Is A Hard Day's Night, obviously.

But what do leading Chicago film critics, music critics, and historians think? Find out at CIMMfest's "Greatest Rock 'n' Roll Movie Ever" panel at 3:30 pm on Sunday, March 8 at the Chicago Cultural Center, 78 E. Washington, when the members of this distinguished panel duke it out.

Chicago Reader film critic JR Jones thinks it's The Girl Can't Help It (1955), directed by Frank Tashlin, starring Jayne Mansfield, and featuring performances by Ray Anthony, Fats Domino, the Platters, and Little Richard.

Film historian and author Arnie Bernstein thinks it's Rock 'n' Roll High School, directed by Alan Arkush and the uncredited Joe Dante and Jerry Zucker, starring PJ Soles and Ron Howard's big brother, and featuring the Ramones.

Jim DeRogatis, Chicago Sun-Times music critic and co-host of Chicago Public Radio's Sound Opinions, thinks it's This Is Spinal Tap, directed by Rob Reiner and starring Spinal Tap.

The Onion film critic Keith Phipps hasn't told me what he thinks it is because he just confirmed for the panel today.

Underground filmmaker and CIMMfest jury chair Lech Kowalski hasn't told me either, but he's been really busy watching 65 official selections and shooting a movie. But he did make DOA, Born to Lose: The Last Rock 'n' Roll Movie, and the impossible-to-find Unfinished (Stations of the Cross), which we're showing at the festival, so I bet his choice will be interesting.

People Love Robert Pattinson

We sold out CIMMfest's first 290-seat screening of Pattinson's new film How to Be in a day; the second screening is well on its way to selling out too. It got so crazy that I had to write up a special set of instructions to answer all the questions that were pouring in. I had no idea how popular he was.

(I'm blogging about Pattinson again because I like getting lots of hits. Even if it's not about me.)

The Rolling Stones @ CIMMfest

Well, not in person. But we have a film about eight of the most passionate fans in the history of rock 'n' roll in It's Only Rock 'n' Roll (But I Like Keith), an Italian film about what it means to devote your life to the love of music. These guys drive all around Europe following their rock heroes, and in this film, we find out whether they will achieve their greatest dream: to meet a Stone in person.

And yes, there's never-before-seen footage of the pre-fossilized Mick Jagger & Co., shot from the audience at a 1973 show in Milan.

"But how can I see it?" you ask. It's easy! Just come to the Chicago Cultural Center, 70 E. Washington, on Sunday, March 8 at 1:30 pm with a suggested $8 donation in your hand, or you might want to reserve a seat.

(Funny, I just realized we've continued the "Beatles vs. Stones" debate here at CIMMfest by programming this film and America's Lost Band at the same time.)

The Beatles @ CIMMfest!

Well, not in person. But this isn't about them anyway, darn it! This is about The Remains, the Boston quartet that opened for the Fab Four on their second US tour. Hundreds of thousands saw The Remains in concert that fateful summer (were you there?), but then, poised on the brink of hugeness and stardom, the band broke up. Went their separate ways. Now, 40 years later, they've regrouped in America's Lost Band to reminisce about the past with surprisingly little regret.

And yes, there's never-before-seen footage of that other band on the tour. What were they called?

"But how can I see it?" you ask. It's easy! Just come to the St. Paul's Cultural Center, 2215 W. North Avenue, on Sunday, March 8 at 1:00 pm with $8 in your hand, or you might want to buy a ticket.

Matt and Kim, The Deathset, Mika Miko, Dan Deacon, and others @ CIMMfest

Well, not in person. But we have the Chicago premiere of Todd P Goes to Austin (short trailer, more on that page), in which Brooklyn DIY pioneer Todd Patrick loads a bunch of his favorite bands into various grungy vans and drives cross-country to put on a huge outdoor music festival in a parking lot at the same time as the South by Southwest festival.

As an added bonus, we're showing local filmmaker/animator Jodie Mack's brilliant short Yard Work Is Hard Work on real-live 16mm film!

And as an added added bonus, Chicago band Percolator is going to blow the roof off after the screenings!

"But how do I see it?" you ask. It's easy! Just show up at 6:30 pm on Wednesday, March 4 at the St. Paul's Cultural Center, 2215 W. North Avenue, with $8 in your hand and maybe some earplugs, because it will get loud. You might want to buy a ticket ahead of time.

Andrew Bird, Sarah Silverman, Flight of the Conchords, Louis CK, all @ CIMMfest

Well, not in person. But they're all in Largo (trailer), a documentary/concert film about one night at the famed Los Angeles club. And they're not alone: the lineup also includes Jon Brion, Zach Galifianakis, Patton Oswalt, Fiona Apple, John C. Reilly, Aimee Mann, Eels mastermind Mark Oliver Everett, Michael Penn, Jackson Browne, and more.

"But how can I see it?" you ask. It's easy! Show up on Saturday, March 7 at 9:00 pm at the St. Paul's Cultural Center at 2215 W. North Ave. with your $8 in hand, or you might want to buy a ticket.

Francois Begaudeau from The Class @ CIMMfest

Well, not in person. But before he was the writer and star of that Palm d'Or winning and Oscar nominated film, he was a rock star in France, and we have the world premiere of a documentary/concert film about his band, Zabriskie Point. It's called Je Suis Une Videomachine (I Am a Video Machine), it's directed by his bandmate Xavier Esnault, and the only place you can see it is at CIMMfest.

"But how can I see it?" you ask. It's easy! Show up at the St. Paul's Cultural Center at 2215 W. North Avenue on Sunday, March 8 at 3:00 pm with your $8 in hand, but you might want to buy a ticket.

Monty Python @ CIMMfest

Well, not in person. But we have The Seventh Python, a documentary about Neil Innes, who performed and wrote songs with the Pythons, had his first single produced by Paul McCartney, was a Rutle, and wrote a song with Oasis. Plus he likes to wear a plastic duck on his head. The film features in-depth interviews with John Cleese, Eric Idle, Terry Jones, and Michael Palin.

And Burt Kearns and Brett Hudson, the film's director and producer, are going to be there in person to answer questions. I don't know if they're going to sing or wear ducks.

"But how can I see this?" you ask. It's easy! Just show up at the Chicago Cultural Center at 8:00 pm on Saturday, March 7, with your suggested $8 donation in hand. But seating is limited, so maybe you want you reserve your seat.

Sonic Youth @ CIMMfest

Well, not in person. But we have the Chicago premiere of Sleeping Nights Awake (trailer), a concert film slash backstage documentary that provides the first really good cinematic exploration of the underground music legends.

And it was shot by high school kids! Reno, Nevada's nonprofit Project Moonshine teaches kids how to be filmmakers in the best possible way—by having them make a movie under the tutelage of a professional director.

"But how can I see it?" you ask. It's easy! It's playing at 9:30 pm on Friday, March 6 at the new St. Paul's Cultural Center, 2215 W. North Ave. But you might want to buy a ticket.

OMG ROBERT PATTINSON @ CIMMfest!!!

Well, not in person. But we're going to have the Chicago premiere of How to Be, in which Mr. Handsome Sparkly Vampire plays a sad-sack wannabe troubadour who can't get his twentysomething angsty life together, so he hires a life coach to move in with him and get things back on track. His legions of fans will swoon when he bares his tortured soul and float away into the clouds when he croons; most everyone will be pleased, because it's a good movie—otherwise I wouldn't have programmed it.

"How can I see this?" you ask? It's easy! You can just show up at the Chicago Cultural Center at 3:00 pm on Sunday, March 8, with your $8 donation in hand, or you can reserve a seat at Brown Paper Tickets.

The first screening (290 seats) sold out in less than a day. But fear not! We added a second screening at 5:15 pm, same day, same location. I seriously suggest that you reserve your seat now. If those sell out, we're reserving a limited number of seats for CIMMfest weekend pass holders on a first-come, first-serve basis.

Wilco @ CIMMfest

Well, not in person. But we'll have the Chicago premiere of their concert film Ashes of American Flags at the Music Box at two evening screenings, 7:00 and 10:00 pm, on Monday, March 9 as part of the Chicago International Movies and Music Festival. Director Brendan Canty (the drummer from Fugazi) will be there to answer questions. This is a one-night-only opportunity to see Chicago's favorite adopted musical sons in concert on the big screen.

You might want to buy your ticket now, since the last time Wilco was at the Music Box (I Am Trying to Break Your Heart) the first show was sold out.

Four Thoughts on The Wrestler

1. Good, but still a really familiar trip down well-traveled (perhaps over-traveled) paths. Honestly, does she have to be a stripper? To paraphrase Barton Fink: "Mickey Rourke! A wrestlin' pitcher! Whaddaya need, a road map?"

2. Was Rourke's face the result of makeup, bad plastic surgery, or Nerf? Still, he's amazing, and if Sean Penn didn't deserve it more, I'd say give him an Oscar.

3. I sort of agree with Armond White. This is a Blue State film by someone who I don't think really knows or understands his Red State subjects.

4. After two viewings, I still give it 3.5 goats.

CIMMfest

Q: What's up, Mike slash goatdog? You haven't been blogging much, and you haven't reviewed a movie in forever!

A: I was/am programming CIMMfest.

Agile, Mobile, Hostile: A Year with Andre Williams (USA, directed by Tricia Todd and Eric Matthies) CHICAGO PREMIERE! Andre Williams has recorded hit records, written hit songs, and worked with legends of the industry including Berry Gordy, Ike Turner, and Stevie Wonder. Andre has also struggled throughout his 72 years with addiction, poverty, homelessness, and the legal system. Andre has never stopped driving his creative visions forward, regardless of cost or consequence, but the consequences turn out to be severe as his addictive history catches up with him. Director Tricia Todd in person. (Saturday, March 5, 7:00 pm, St. Paul Cultural Center, 2215 W. North Ave.)

All the World's a Stage (India, directed by Nirmal Chander, documentary/concert film, 60 min.) CHICAGO PREMIERE! For centuries since they arrived from Africa, the Sidi community in western India have struggled against discrimination and indifference, relying on their devotional music for identity and stability. As the Sidi Goma musical group grows in popularity, will they be able to maintain their cultural identity? (Friday, March 6, 3:30 pm, Chicago Cultural Center, 70 E. Washington)

America's Lost Band (USA, directed by Adam Stich, documentary/concert film, 65 min.) CHICAGO PREMIERE! Hundreds of thousands of people saw The Remains in concert in 1966, but the Boston quartet was overshadowed by the headliner—the Beatles on their first US tour. But what would have happened if they had stuck together after coming to the brink of rock greatness instead of breaking up and going their separate ways? Forty years later, they regroup to share their memories and rock out one more time. (Friday, March 6, 1:00 pm, St. Paul Cultural Center, 2215 W. North Ave.)

Becoming Pony Boi (USA, directed by Sergio Myers, fiction/comedy, 87 min.) CHICAGO PREMIERE! Real-life documentarian and reality TV producer Sergio Myers takes the mockumentary to the next level, playing middle-aged Jewish executive who embarks on a quest to become rap superstar Pony Boi, "the Hugh Hefner of Hip-Hop." Myers actually recorded a hit record and single featuring DaBrat but found fame fickle, blurring the boundaries between his screen persona and his reality. Alongside the plentiful laughs is a biting satire of the manufacture of celebrity. Director Sergio Myers in person. (Saturday, March 7, 3:00 pm, Th!nkArt Salon, 1530 N. Paulina)

But We Have the Music (France, directed by Shanti Masud, documentary/experimental, 43 min.) US PREMIERE! This experimental documentary film about young people listening to various rock songs is an intimate exploration of our personal reactions to music. (Friday, March 6, 6:00 pm, Th!nkArt Salon, 1530 N. Paulina)

A Cricket in the Court of Akbar (USA, directed by Andrew Mendelson, documentary, 82 min.) CHICAGO PREMIERE! A sitar player from Texas who became the first Westerner to compete in and win the Sri Mahendra Bhatt Music Competition in Rajasthan, Andrew Mendelson takes us along as he returns to India to compete in the Tournament of Champions, the Sur Sadak, but discovers that his Western identity is in direct conflict with his desire to gain acceptance in the world of Indian classical music. (Saturday, March 7, 1:30 pm, Chicago Cultural Center, 70 E. Washington)

A Detroit Thing (USA, directed by Anthony Brancaleone, documentary/concert film, 108 min.) CHICAGO PREMIERE! Brancaleone explores the struggles of working-class bands in the Motor City. When the labels come looking for "the next big thing" they bring with them not only the answer to every band's rock 'n' roll dreams but a reminder--for every band to get "signed" there are a thousand who don't. Featuring Kid Rock and the Howling Diablos. Director Anthony Brancaleone in person. (Friday, March 6, 4:00 pm, St. Paul Cultural Center, 2215 W. North Ave.)

East of Paradise (France/USA, directed by Lech Kowalski, 108 min.) CHICAGO PREMIERE! At the start of World War II, Maria Werla was taken from Poland and made a slave in a Soviet work camp in Siberia. "My mother asked, 'Why do you want to film me now'? I could not give her an answer... All I can say is that I need to arrive to some yet unknown place to take sweet revenge, shaking my insanity like a fist at the world, screaming and kicking that my mother and I survived". East of Paradise is a diptych about two characters who have many and one story to tell. DIRECTOR LECH KOWALSKI & PRODUCER ODILE ALLARD IN PERSON! (Sunday, March 8, 3:30 pm, Chicago Cultural Center, 78 E. Washington)

The Eternity Man (Australia, directed by Julien Temple, fiction/opera, 64 min.) CHICAGO PREMIERE! Music video pioneer and punk rock chronicler Julien Temple (The Great Rock 'n Roll Swindle, Joe Strummer: The Future is Unwritten) takes on another bombastic niche genre: opera. Filmed in jaw-dropping HD, Eternity Man tells the true-life story of outsider artist Arthur Stace, an Australian homeless man who for 35 years covered Sydney with an evocative chalk signature reading simply "Eternity." "A mesmerising, beautifully filmed work... Blindingly good: loopy, addictive, brilliant." — The Observer. (Saturday, March 7, 1:00 pm, St. Paul Cultural Center, 2215 W. North Ave.)

Family Meeting (Finland, directed by Heikki Kossi, documentary/concert film, 84 min.) US PREMIERE! The Wentus Blues Band has been kicking it old school for the past 20 years, working with such blues legends as Louisiana Red, Eddie Kirkland, Mick Taylor, and Eric Bibb. This film is an exciting mixture of earth-shaking concert footage, featuring many of the musicians they've worked with along the way, and backstage life as Scandinavia's premiere blues experience looks back over its storied history. PRODUCER/FOUNDER ROBBAN HAGNAS IN PERSON! (Sunday, March 8, 3:00 pm, Chicago Cultural Center, 78 E. Washington)

Hardtimes Killin' Floor Blues (France, directed by Henri-Jean Debon, documentary, 60 min. US PREMIERE! In 1992, Jeffrey Lee Pierce, singer of the Gun Club, was living in London. He had no label contract anymore, and barely any money. And his health was deteriorating... (Saturday, March 7, 5:00 pm, Th!nkArt Salon, 1530 N. Paulina)

It's in the Blood: Leo Abshire and the Cajun Tradition (USA, directed by Cyndi Moran & Eric Scholl, documentary, 58 min.) CHICAGO PREMIERE! This intimate biography traces the personal history of Cajun music legend and instrument maker Leo Abshire as a musician and oil worker against the larger backdrop of the Cajun tradition. Weaving together exciting live performances, candid interviews with Abshire, and input from historians and musicians, local filmmakers Cyndi Moran and Eric Scholl created a lively, entertaining, but still educational film about the one of the best musicians most people have never heard of. Directors Cyndi Moran & Eric Scholl in person. (Friday, March 6, 3:30 pm, Chicago Cultural Center, 78 E. Washington)

It's Only Rock 'n' Roll (But I Like Keith) (Italy, directed by Piergiorgio Gay, documentary, 68 min.) US PREMIERE! Eight fortysomething Italians demonstrate the meaning of the word "fan" (and its origins in "fanatic") with their decades-long obsession with the Rolling Stones. If you've seen the Stones in Europe, you've probably seen Max, holding his immediately recognizable banner "AFTER ELVIS ONLY KEITH." Will they achieve their lifelong dreams of meeting their idols in the flesh? Featuring never-before-seen footage of a 1973 Rolling Stones concert in Milan. (Sunday, March 8, 1:30 pm, Chicago Cultural Center, 78 E. Washington)

Je Suis Une Videomachine (I Am a Videomachine) (France, directed by Xavier Esnault, documentary/concert film, 100 min.) WORLD PREMIERE! Documentary about the legendary French Rock Group Zabriskie Point, featuring Francois Begaudeau, a former punk rocker, journalist, and writer/star of the 2008 Cannes Film Festival Palm d'Or winning THE CLASS. (Sunday, March 8, 3:00 pm, St. Paul Cultural Center, 2215 W. North Ave.)

Largo (USA, directed by Andrew van Baal, documentary/concert film, 112 min.) CHICAGO PREMIERE! An intimate club nestled away on a busy Hollywood street, Largo has garnered a reputation among performers and fans alike as a place where what's on stage truly matters. Circumventing flashy MTV-style lensing or editing, the film places its focus squarely on the musicians and comedians onstage, allowing the performances to truly shine through. Featuring Flight of the Conchords, Andrew Bird, Fiona Apple, and Sarah Silverman. (Saturday, March 7, 9:00 pm, St. Paul Cultural Center, 2215 W. North Ave.)

The Life and Death of Gotel Botel (Israel, directed by Daniel Sivan, fiction, 82 min.) WORLD PREMIERE! A misunderstood experimental musician who daylights as the vacuum cleaner in a children's play reinvents himself as a genre- and gender-bending superstar, but his newfound fame changes him in more ways than he expected. The film undergoes as many seismic shifts as he does, switching gears pell-mell and throwing in elements of mockumentaries, unprompted musical numbers, even animated sequences in its quest to keep up with Gotel's sudden rise and violent fall. (Saturday, March 7, 8:00 pm, Chicago Cultural Center, 78 E. Washington)

Martino Unstrung: A Brain Mystery (USA/UK, directed by Ian Knox, documentary, 82 min.) CHICAGO PREMIERE! Jazz legend Pat Martino lost his memory and his playing ability after brain surgery but fought back, relearning his music by listening to his old records. The film follows director Ian Knox and renowned neuropsychologist Paul Broks as they trace Martino's comeback while exploring the mysteries of memory and musical talent. (Saturday, March 7, 6:00 pm, Chicago Cultural Center, 78 E. Washington)

Paraiba Meu Amor (France, directed by Bernard Robert-Charrue, documentary/concert film, 74 min.) CHICAGO PREMIERE! Examination of music and culture of traditional forro musicians as famed French accordionist Richard Galliano travels to Brazil to perform with his childhood idols. (Friday, March 6, 2:00, Chicago Cultural Center, 78 E. Washington)

Punching the Clown (USA, directed by Gregori Viens, fiction/comedy, 92 min.) CHICAGO PREMIERE! A road-weary troubadour comedic comes to LA seeking fame and fortune and ends up getting more than he imagined, including a big record deal and the interest of a pretty barista, but his fleeting fame is sabotaged when his offhand compliment of a bagel spins out of control. Singer-comedian Henry Phillips plays himself, sort of, in this viciously funny satire of the music industry and Hollywood fakery. (Saturday, March 7, 6:00 pm, Chicago Cultural Center, 78 E. Washington)

Punk East: Too Much Future (Germany, directed by Carsten Fiebeler and Michael Boehlke, 93 min.) CHICAGO PREMIERE! Describes the history and the present-day situation of six people, who between 1979 and 1984 belonged to the first generation of punks in the GDR. They hit the walls of a system that tried to control them when they refused to be controlled by it. Whereas the social misery of English teenagers manifested itself in the outcry "no future" the socialist misery of a planned youth in the GDR could more appropriately be described with "too much future." Directors Carsten Fiebeler and Michael Boehlke in person. (Friday, March 6, 6:00 pm, St. Paul Cultural Center, 2215 W. North Ave.)

The Seventh Python (USA, directed by Burt Kearns, documentary, 92 min.) Neil Innes refuses to be famous, despite writing and performing with Monty Python, being a Rutle, writing a song with Oasis, resembling the Belgians, and generally being one of the best musical satirists around. The Seventh Python follows him as he finally braves the wilds of Hollywood, the birthplace of the fame he's been avoiding his whole life. Featuring Monty Python, Matt Groening, and Aimee Mann. DIRECTOR BURT KEARNS AND PRODUCER BRETT HUDSON IN PERSON! (Saturday, March 7, 8:00 pm, Chicago Cultural Center, 78 E. Washington)

Shivering Beauty: Soundscape of Mongolia (Netherlands, directed by Robin Noorda, documentary, 51 min.) CHICAGO PREMEIRE! Nonnarrative film explores Mongolian culture and music, reveling revels in the vibrant color, movement, and music that thrive in the forbidding landscape. And you've never seen anything like the snake dance. (Friday, March 6, 2:00 pm, Chicago Cultural Center, 78 E. Washington)

Sixteen Days in China (USA, directed by Martin Atkins, documentary/concert film, 53 min.) WORLD PREMIERE! Musician Martin Atkins (Public Image Ltd., Pigface) heads to Beijing to explore the Chinese underground music scene and gets more than he bargained for, facing censorship and other interference as he attempts to pull off a five-day music fest that ends, after a great deal of difficulty, in his 2007 China Dub Soundsystem and Look Directly into the Sun albums. DIRECTOR MARTIN ATKINS IN PERSON! (Saturday, March 7, 2:00 pm, Chicago Cultural Center, 78 E. Washington)

6015 Willow (Canada, directed by Mark Mullane, 82 min.) US PREMIERE! Twenty bands, seventy-two hours, three floors: when a longtime community art space closes, the indie rock scene of Halifax, Nova Scotia sent it out with a bang by rocking the house from roof to foundation--literally, as guitarists crouch in the attic, drummers pound the skins in the bathtub, and noise rockers echo through the stairways. You may not know of bands like Dog Day, North Of America, The Stolen Minks, and The Just Barelys, but you should. (Saturday, March 7, 11:00 pm, St. Paul Cultural Center, 2215 W. North Ave.)

Sonic Youth: Sleeping Nights Awake (USA, directed by Michael Allbright, 82 min.) CHICAGO PREMIERE! Working with a crew of high school students from the nonprofit group Project Moonshine, director Michael Albright finally gives one of the greatest bands in history the concert film/documentary they deserve. Shot during a 2006 show in Reno, the film combines candid backstage interviews with band members and stellar performance footage, along with glimpses of the process involved in making a concert film. (Friday, March 6, 9:30 pm, St. Paul Cultural Center, 2215 W. North Ave.)

Unfinished (Stations of the Cross) (France/USA, directed by Lech Kowalski, documentary/concert film, 64 min.) US PREMIERE! Stations of the Cross Unfinished features never-before-seen footage of New York Dolls guitarist Johnny Thunders playing at the Mudd Club in NYC and acting out a script inspired by a picture of Christ on his way to be crucified. Filming was interrupted when Thunders and his manager had to flee to Europe, and a lab vault lost some of the footage, but Kowalski finally completed the film with the material he managed to save. DIRECTOR LECH KOWALSKI & PRODUCER ODILE ALLARD IN PERSON! (Saturday, March 7, 9:00 pm, Th!nkArt Salon, 1530 N. Paulina)

Who Is KK Downey? (Canada, directed by Pat Kiely, fiction/comedy, 88 min.) CHICAGO PREMIERE! A rockstar wannabe and his tortured-writer best friend hatch a plan to transform the writer's grungy first novel into a bestselling memoir by creating a hipster icon, KK Downey, who instantly becomes a messianic star. They gain the fame and fortune they so desperately wanted, but at a steep price. "The real thing. Feature debut of Montreal’s Kidnapper comedy troupe is a truly funny movie." – Variety. (Saturday, March 7, 3:00 pm, St. Paul Cultural Center, 2215 W. North Ave.)

Zwarte Ogen (Black Eyes) (Netherlands, directed by Jan Bosdriesz, documentary, 100 min.) Inspired by an old gramophone record, director Jan Bosdriesz went looking for the Russian/Romanian singer Pyort Leshchenko (1908-1954) but discovered his own family history. (Friday, March 6, 2:00 pm, St. Paul Cultural Center, 2215 W. North Ave.)

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