'Poly Styrene: I Am a Cliché' Review: A Tribute to a Rocker and Mother
Marianne Joan Elliott-Said, aka Poly Styrene, was a British punk rock icon who is credited as one of the first mixed-race front-women in the underground music scene. But beyond that, she was also a loving mother–a role that wasn't as flashy as "rockstar," but one that she loved just as much.
In the documentary Poly Styrene: I Am a Cliché, Marianne's story is told through her diary entries, voiced by actress Ruth Negga, her daughter Celeste Bell, and some of Poly's industry peers. All pay tribute to the irreplaceable new wave punk artist who left her mark on music forever.
Poly Styrene is best known as the lead singer of the band X-ray Spex, an English punk rock band formed in 1976. As Poly Styrene: I Am a Cliché shows, growing up in London was difficult for her, who was of mixed race. She was half-English, half-Somalian, and was always categorized as "half-caste." Her rough childhood followed her throughout her adolescence and adulthood, giving her a hard edge, but to those who really knew her, Poly is described as a sensitive sponge. She absorbed everything around her both good and bad, including the success and the side effects of fame.
In 2011, Poly Styrene passed away from breast cancer. She was just 53-years-old. As the self-described caretaker of Poly's legacy, her daughter Celeste beautifully pays homage to a perfectly imperfect woman. The documentary acts as a memorial to the feminist trailblazer who proudly rocked braces, embraced her fuller figure, and shaved her head when she felt that people were paying more attention to her looks instead of her music. Directed by Celeste, Poly Styrene: I Am a Cliché is a touching tribute to a musical maven, courageous woman, and dedicated mother that will inspire you to rock out and share love.
William Basinski On Recording the Sounds of 9/11 in 'Disintegration Loops'
Everyone's lives changed on the morning of September 11th, 2001. While most of us flocked to TV screens and descended into chaos and confusion, William Basinski went up to the roof of his NYC apartment building and started filming the aftermath of the morning's catastrophic events. When his tape ran out, it was just after sunset. He took the footage and imported it into iMovie, laying it over the track he was working on at the time, which was constructed from decaying twenty-year-old tapes of his earlier music. What transpired was called "The Disintegration Loops," and it became an unintentional yet historical time capsule and masterpiece of an unforgettable moment in time.
Directed by David Wexler, the new film of the same name, Disintegration Loops, is a quick 45-minute snapshot of a complex, long-awaited resurgence from one of ambient music's most revered artists. William Basinski is best known for "The Disintegration Loops," but his repertoire extends as far back as 1998. It wasn't until Pitchfork scored The Disintegration Loops albums a perfect 10 (which is incredibly rare) for his career as an experimental ambient artist to become revered in the music industry.
Technically speaking, the pandemic filmmaking style in The Disintegration Loops is very apparent in the film, which allows us to connect to the film even more. Most, if not all, interviews take place over Zoom: the sound quality isn't perfect, but none of that matters compared to the story at hand.
This year will mark the 20th anniversary of 9/11, a reflective time for both Basinski and all Americans, no doubt. While quarantining in Los Angeles, Basinski released "Lamentations," an album that transforms operatic tragedy into abyssal beauty. Although Disintegration Loops left me wanting more in terms of its story (and Basinski interviews), I've since jumped on Spotify and listened through his numerous ambient albums to feel that sense of sonic connection. And after you check out the documentary, I highly recommend you do the same.
'Alone Together' Review: Charli XCX Makes an Album Amidst a Pandemic
What's a pop star to do when their world tour gets canceled, and life as they know it feels like a horribly unpredictable nightmare? For Charli XCX, the only way out is through. In place of her Covid-dashed plans for 2020, Charli XCX channeled her creative energy into creating a new album, which she accomplished in quarantine and with the help of some of her biggest fans, which the new documentary Alone Together captures.
As documented in the SXSW closing night film Alone Together (directed by Bradley Bell and Pablo Jones-Soler–professionally known as Bradley & Pablo), Charli XCX adopts a total DIY approach in order to write, produce, and release an entire album and accompanying music video in a matter of weeks. Taking to social media and everyone's favorite video conference app, Zoom, Charli XCX encouraged fans to submit lyrics, artwork, and other ideas that ultimately helped bring her album "How I'm Feeling Now" to life. As the doc shows, this not only served as a way for Charli XCX to connect to the outside world when she needed it most, but it also gave her globally-reaching fan club a sense of shared purpose and belonging during a time of uncertainty and isolation.
Scored by Alex Somers (Honey Boy), the music doc uses a hybrid of mixed media to tell this far-reaching story, including Instagram, digital avatars, and self-shot footage by Charli XCX herself. This intimate documentary captures everything from the romanticizing of the early stages of quarantine to the effects it takes on her mental health (and that of many others). By sharing her vulnerability with her fans in real-time and throughout this film, the film acts as a life-raft for those who feel as if they've been wading through the physical and emotional turmoil that 2020 brought. Charli XCX proves that despite life's disappointments and hardships, music will always have the ability to connect us, and that's something COVID-19 can never cancel.
'Demi Lovato: Dancing With the Devil' Review: A Pop Star is Born Again
If the opening night showcase film at this year's SXSW film festival set out to prove anything, it's that sharing our struggles with strangers can be a cathartic and positively-affirming experience. When you're former Disney star/recovering addict/and newly "out" artist Demi Lovato, it can also be quite vulnerable and scary.
Drawing comparisons to the recent New York Times-produced documentary Framing Britney, which revealed a troubling, unacknowledged history of one of the world's most famous pop stars (Britney Spears), Demi Lovato's own story–Dancing with the Devil–sounds hauntingly similar.
Demi's catapult to stardom first launched as a child in Barney & Friends, then Disney Channel, and quickly led to deep-rooted insecurities, teenage rebellion, and addictions of many kinds. Demi candidly talks about her eating disorders, losing her virginity as a teenager in a sexual assault, and her tumultuous relationship with drugs and alcohol; it's the last topic that is covered most in-depth, and serves as the genesis behind making this film.
Dancing with the Devil shows that this wasn't Demi's first attempt at shooting a documentary to show her struggles. In fact, the initial shoot shut down in 2018 after Demi suffered a near-fatal overdose in which, as she reveals now in the doc, she was mere minutes away from dying. Removing herself from the public eye for a few years to recharge and reset (as well as rest her voice), Demi attributes 2020's forced quarantine with her family and ex-fiancé to keeping her alive. For many, 2020 was a brutal year; but as her family and close friends share in the film, it was the best thing that could have happened to Demi.
Directed by Michael D. Ratner, Dancing with the Devil joins the ranks of other docs made by former young pop culture icons who want to tell (and own) their stories, including Justin Bieber: Seasons and This is Paris. While Dancing with the Devil is itself, an engaging work, it feels as though its purpose is a thinly veiled beg for forgiveness from her peers and fans. I don't feel like it's my place to judge someone's past and their explanation as to why they did certain things, but the audience's only requirement here is to sit and listen. Demi's hope is that we allow her the chance for a fresh start, and this is her explanation as to why she deserves one.
So, the big question: is the struggle over for Demi Lovato? The film doesn't leave us with a confident answer either way, but one thing it hammers home is that the Demi who is going to reemerge in 2021 is not the same woman we've seen before. This new woman has the power to come out on top, and we should all be rooting for her much-deserved comeback.
'Demi Lovato: Dancing With the Devil' is available to stream on YouTube on Tuesday, March 23, 2021.
'Max Richter's Sleep' Review: Drift Into Serenity With This Ambient Opus
Today, Friday March 19th, is "World Sleep Day." This is one of the only oddball holidays I'd like to acknowledge not only because it's an excuse to sleep in a couple of extra minutes, but because it also marks the release of Max Richter's Sleep on MUBI.
Max Richter is a composer that I've admired for years. His beautiful, soulfully constructed compositions have scored the cinematic achievements of Ad Astra, Arrival, and Shutter Island, among others. And now, it's Max's turn to step into the spotlight as the star of his own feature film.
Directed by Natalie Johns, Max Richter's Sleep is an arresting look at the infamous performance of his celebrated eight-hour ambient opus "Sleep" at an open-air concert in Los Angeles. Together with his creative partner Yulia Mahr, the documentary explores the genesis of the complex piece, as well as the relationship that his fans have developed to it after spending the night under the stars while Max and company performed it live.
Max Richter's Sleep is not only a groundbreaking composition but also a massively overwhelming physical performance. Running eight hours long (his original performance–not the doc) the "Sleep" composition consists of 204 classical movements and was composed in consultation with American neuroscientist David Eagleman, whose input was to scientifically examine the relationship between music and the subconscious mind during sleep.
Natalie Johns precisely documents the strength that it takes to create the perfect calming atmosphere, all the while emphasizing Richter's mission statement of "stillness and meditation." As the world seems to be swinging from one disastrous news event to the next, Max Richter's Sleep aims to unite all who watch in a collective moment of musical reflection. Celebrate "World Sleep Day"–and every day after–with this spell-binding experience.
Distributed by Dogwoof, 'Max Richter's Sleep' is available to stream on MUBI on Friday, March 19, 2021.
'ON-GAKU: Our Sound' Review: For Lo-Fi Fans and Arthouse Rockers
A star is born in ON-GAKU: Our Sound, the latest release from the much-loved distributor, GKids. Stuck in production for over seven years (which includes over 40,000 hand-drawn frames that were animated almost entirely by director Kenji Iwaisawa), ON-GAKU: Our Sound tells the story of teenage misfits turned rock & rollers who prove that you don't have to be talented to play music–you just have to be passionate (although, having talent definitely helps).
ON-GAKU: Our Sound centers around three friends (including one voiced by Japanese cult singer and multi-instrumentalist Shintaro Sakamoto) who, after growing tired of their rebel misfit image, decide to reinvent themselves as musicians. After strumming the same chords over and over again and beating the drums in the same tempo (clearly lacking any sort of technical skill), the trio promptly decides they're good enough to enter the town's local music festival. What follows when they hit the stage can only be described as a magical musical moment.
With a 70-minute runtime and a minimalist, scratchy 2D animation that immediately feels full of heart, ON-GAKU: Our Sound is a short and sweet watch. Those familiar with Japanese Anime and the modern manga landscape will recognize this story, which was adapted from Hiroyuki Ohashi's most popular manga release. Full of deadpan humor, a buzzy score, and a laconic style reminiscent of Jim Jarmusch, ON-GAKU: Our Sound is a fun, refreshing watch that may even inspire you to pick up a guitar yourself.
Distributed by GKIDS, 'ON-GAKU: Our Sound' is now available to rent on Apple TV+ and Amazon Prime, Blu-Ray, and DVD.
'Stray' Reflection: How To Reach Enlightenment? Live Life Like a Dog
"Human beings live artificially and hypocritically and would do well to study the dog." - Diogenes of Sinope, 360 BC
Elizabeth Lo's Stray is more than just a canine cinéma vérité documentary on the roaming street dogs of Istanbul. Sure, the premise of the film lends itself to comparisons to another one of my recent favorites (Acasa, My Home) in furthering the old adage that you can't tame a wild spirit. But Stray felt bigger than this simple message. Watching Stray (available in virtual Laemmle Theaters this Friday) is to see a pathway towards enlightenment unfold before your eyes, through the actions of very untraditional four-legged teachers.
In general, dogs possess many characteristics of the Buddha: Basic principles of Buddhism include showing unlimited compassion, living in the moment, and wanting little besides survival needs like food, water, and shelter. There are Four Noble Truths that I was taught when I studied Buddhism in college, and after watching this beautiful film, I found that dogs possess them all.
First Noble Truth (Dukkha): Life is Suffering
They say there are two universally unavoidable things in life: death and taxes. For most people, fixating on the fact that they will in fact pass away one day is not a pleasant experience, and so they numb themselves with distractions (albeit mostly positive ones). Focusing on work, creating families, and living out their passions and dreams are all outlets that provide happiness and joy. But this Noble Truth reminds us that this is all temporary. Happiness and joy are temporary, especially when we pin all of our emotional stability on materialistic possessions. This however isn't something that should burden us, as moving through life with the mindset that everything is temporary will only help us to appreciate the beauty (tragic and otherwise) of the present moment.
The dogs in Stray, without even knowing it, embody this Noble Truth perfectly. Of course, they don't think about their inevitable ends because I doubt their consciousness extends that far. To that end, they also don't have expectations of living a "perfect life." To dogs, basking in the sunny spot on the floor or getting a good head scratch brings contentment–and most importantly, is enough.
Second Noble Truth (Samudāya): The Origin of Suffering
To live like a dog is to want little and live in the moment. As one man states in Stray, "Nothing happens to a person who lives day to day." This mindset seems to be in direct opposition to our current culture of future planning and our unnecessary stresses of "want." This Noble Truth is fairly easy to identify in our own lives; social media, capitalism, and the media are all contributing factors that continuously tell us that we're not "enough."
It's an endless cycle of believing that acquiring "that something" will make us happy, buying "that something," realizing "that something" didn't fix our problems, and then holding onto "that something" which becomes clutter in our physical and emotional space. As long as their basic needs are met, dogs are satisfied. Do you see how excited a dog will get when you give them a new toy? Or sneak them a piece of food from your dinner plate? The reason why they get so excited is because they never expect anything. Their lack of vices and desires allows them to avoid expectations and ultimately, any suffering at all.
Third Noble Truth (Nirodha): The Cessation of Suffering
This Noble Truth is about reaching Nirvana, which means living a life free from suffering. Another principle that isn't as comforting is the realization that, ultimately, we are all alone. Moving through life, we are lucky to bond and share love amongst family and friends, and while these relationships should be cherished, they should also be acknowledged for what they truly are: temporary. This may sound shallow and cold, but Buddhists whole-heartedly believe that the practice of unattachment–getting rid of our desire to be liberated from attachment–is the key to reaching Nirvana.
Much like the dogs in the film who move freely through various packs and environments searching for their next moment of serenity, the aspiration to live as unattached to material possessions as possible is the ultimate goal of Buddhism. "Things" will never make us happy, and the sooner we believe this, the sooner we can reach Nirvana.
Fourth Noble Truth (Magga): The Path to the Cessation of Suffering
This Noble Truth acts as a guideline on how to live an enlightened life, known in Buddhism as the "Noble Eightfold Path." Similar to The Four Agreements by Don Miguel Ruiz, these eight steps are attainable practices that consist of Right Understanding, Right Thought, Right Speech, Right Action, Right Livelihood, Right Effort, Right Mindfulness, and Right Concentration. Living in tandem with the Eightfold Path is the key to a life without suffering.
In Stray, director Elizabeth Lo intuitively (and perhaps unintentionally) shows us how dogs exhibit many admirable qualities of the Buddha. A bit of historical background: Turkey is one of the only countries that has made it illegal to euthanize or hold captive any stray dog, motivating Lo to film this documentary in Istanbul and across Turkey from 2017–2019 to capture this reality. Using street dogs as her subjects, and propelled by an evocative string score from composer Ali Helnwein, Stray is a quiet and highly-meditative depiction of conscious living and contentment in which we could all learn to live a little more freely.
Distributed by Magnolia Pictures, 'Stray' is available in virtual Laemmle Theaters on Friday, March 5, 2021.
Ariel Marx Interview: 'Rebel Hearts' Composer Talks Sonic Experimentation
I had the opportunity to chat with the highly accomplished composer Ariel Marx after the world premiere of the documentary Rebel Hearts at the 2021 virtual Sundance Film Festival.
Directed by Pedro Kos, Rebel Hearts offers a look at Los Angeles's Sisters of the Immaculate Heart, the nuns who challenged the patriarchal conventions of the Catholic Church 50 years ago and are still taking a stand today.
In our exclusive interview, Ariel Marx talks about creating the dynamic and layered score in only one month, the difference between being a composer vs a musician, and the future of remote recording.
Learn more about Ariel Marx here, and stream her new album 'Luthier' here.