Fade To Black

I finally got to see the Metallica documentary last night, Some Kind of Monster, after my friend Jeff (thanks, Dude!) had been trying to get me to go for months. Yes, it's not being released in LA till July 16th, but I'm just that lucky. And Jeff happens to be a very nice guy connected with the making of that film.

It was screened at the LA Film Festival, and showed at the Ford Ampitheatre - an outdoor venue tucked into the Hollywood Hills. My pal & I were lucky enough to also score VIP seating if we wanted it: this means we sat next to the likes of Robin Tunney & Annabelle Gish. Ben Stiller was kind enough to be there too, being congratulated on the #1 status of his new flick, Dodgeball. I heard no "hit him in the nuts" type jokes, thank God. Alison Anders was there too (Gas, Food, & Lodging, Mi Vida Loca) and I kept hoping she'd bring one of my two favorite Johns with her - either Taylor or Doe - since she directed them both in Sugartown and I thought it might be their thing. Maybe? Please?

Oh, the movie? I dug it. Despite the fact that it was nearly three hours of therapy. It made me either want to move back to the Bay Area or get a tattoo, and since I'm not moving again anytime soon - get those needles ready! If you've ever known anyone in a band, you understand what an intense relationship it can be -like being married, or so I've been told. You feel it on this one. The band is practically imploding over the course of the film, yet you watch it start to come back together and are totally rooting for the good guys at the end. And I kinda wanted to kick the therapist in the ass a few times; he seemed to be trying to take over. Brian Wilson, anyone? Anyway, if you want to read a more in depth review by an actual old school metal dude, check out Chuck Klosterman's piece in the New York Times.

The movie was intro'd like this: "Do you like movies?" "YEA!" "Do you like Metallica?" "YEA!" "Have you ever been in therapy?" "YEA! "Well, you're gonna love this movie!"

Go, Hollywood!