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MarkWojahn
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Burning Man: Beyond Black Rock (2005)
Intimate look into Black Rock City
The Burning Man festival happens in late August of each year on the scorched playa of the western U.S.A. Over 30,000 revelers congregate to the temporary city of Black Rock, Nevada. This documentary leads us on a 365 day, behind the scenes, countdown to the burning of the man. "Beyond Black Rock" has intimate interviews with many of the keys involved, including the founder of Burning Man. The movie is an insiders view of this eccentric carnival of pyros, performers and artists. Sometimes, the films chronological structure competes with the implied spontaneity of the actual event but the 'burning man' wins in the end. We are left with the ashes everyone's spectacular efforts and a desire to return again the next year.
The Fearless Freaks (2005)
Fearless Freaks is a road map to rock n roll stardom!
Fearless Freaks is the story of "the punks finally taking acid" featuring the alternative band, The Flaming Lips. It is a masterful explosion of bizarre rock & roll footage collaged into a documentary form. Each 'Lip' goes into detail how they became part of the group and their personal struggles throughout their years. In a way, the film is a blueprint of how to become a rock star; make music with your friends, film every show, make loud experimental music, use smoke and fire when you lack talent, find a filmmaker to follow you around, crank call record companies, tour , tour , tour and you'll finally make it big. Every Flaming Lip fan and starving rocker will appreciate this fiery saga. Freaks is filmed by their longtime director Brad Beesley(Okie Noodling). It looks deep into their origins in Oklahoma City and is culled from over 400 hours of video footage the 'Lips' had in their archives of early shows, growing up, pictures and show posters. Beesley signed on to follow the band in the early 1990's and made many of their early music videos. Produced by Minnesotans, Rick Fuller and edited by Jolynn Garnes.
Milk (2008)
'Milk' blazes the trial for Hollywood GLBT political films.
"Milk" is the rare counter culture Hollywood film which touches your heart with its spot on directing and wonderful award winning performances by Sean Penn, James Franco and Emily Hirsh. Sean Penn won the Best Actor Oscar as the first openly gay elected politician and activist, Harvey Milk. Right before Penn calls out to the academy in his acceptance speech, "You homo-loving sons of guns! " Robert DeNiro said to the Penn, "How did you fool us for so many years by playing straight men?" I bring this up because the smiling Penn is so convincing as the gay leader. 'MILK' conjures up the excitement of the emerging gay activism in the Bay area and the extreme sadness of his untimely death. The viewing of the film benefits with the timely release during last years Proposition 8 battle in California. It will likely become as important of Hollywood film as "Brokeback Mountain" was a few years back.