Mile End Kicks had its US premiere on March 12th at SXSW, and even though the film is unapologetically Canadian and deeply rooted in one specific neighborhood of Montreal, something about it felt extremely Austin, Texas, which made it kind of perfect for the festival. This is a hangout movie about music, ego, longing, and being painfully unsure of who you are. SXSW crowds eat that up.
Read MoreSwamp Dogg Gets His Pool Painted (2024)
Swamp Dogg Gets His Pool Painted is one of those rare documentaries that feels more like a hangout than a historical overview—and that’s largely the point. Like its subject, the cult icon Swamp Dogg, the film is unapologetically loose, unexpectedly moving, and bursting with character. While it may not offer the deepest dive into music history, it provides something arguably better: an intimate portrait of an artist who never stopped creating, even as the world changed around him.
Read MoreSynthesize Me (2025) #SXSW
In Synthesize Me, director Bear Damen crafts an intimate and haunting tale of grief, memory, and connection through music. Set in April 1989 in a liminal town near Mexico City, the short film follows young teenager Violeta as she attempts to bring her late mother’s synthesizers back to life—only to unleash disastrous consequences for both her and her father. Delivered in a visually striking 4:3 aspect ratio, Synthesize Me feels both classic and timeless, immersing viewers in its vintage aesthetic while maintaining an emotional core that is deeply resonant.
Read MoreArt of a Hit (2024)
Art of a Hit, releasing on August 20th, 2024, from Giant Pictures, showcases an intriguing blend of rock culture and horror, starring a notable cast including Ryan Donowho, Charlie Saxton, and Tim Jo. This film attempts to capture the essence of the late '90s rock scene while intertwining it with a chilling narrative set in a 1000-year-old French chateau. Despite its shortcomings, Art of a Hit deserves appreciation for its originality and effort.
Read MoreCB4 (1993) #RetroReview
Tamra Davis’ hip-hop satire and early Chris Rock vehicle CB4 made its theatrical debut on March 12th, 1993. I decided to take a look back at the film’s 30th anniversary. Care to join me?
Read MorePink Floyd: The Wall (1982) #RetroReview
Like many kids from my generation, I got into Pink Floyd as a teenager. All it took was a few late-night listening sessions with my friends for the psychedelic rock band to become one of my all-time favorites. Even now, decades later, they hold an unassailable position in my heart.
Read MoreDingo (2022) #DVD
After over thirty years of languishing in relative obscurity, Australian director Rolf de Heer’s Dingo from 1991 is getting a rerelease into American arthouses. I honestly may not have noticed but for the presence of legendary jazz trumpeter Miles Davis in a rare acting role. Being that I am a huge Davis fan and I had never heard of the film before, it instantly shot to the top of my must-see list.
Read MoreThe Runner (2022
I discovered darkwave duo Boy Harsher a few years ago and instantly fell in love with Augustus Muller’s smoky atmospheric synths and Jae Matthews’ sultry vocals. Their four albums have essentially been the soundtrack to my pandemic. So, when the former film students recently announced that they’d written, produced, edited, and directed a short movie called The Runner that would also include an album’s worth of new songs, it immediately shot to the top of my must-see flicks for 2022.
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