Film Guts

UPDATED w/3 word Wall-E review. Comment gumbo, new releases posted on website

2008-06-26T12:46:00.000-07:00

Quick 3 word Wall-E review. Idiocracy for kids.

The reviews referencing Chaplin aren't far off either. Visually, some shots would be envied even if compared against future films like Blade Runner or a Terry Gilliam film. Why is it in the same weekend, the "hard" R-rated film Wanted has lines like "kill one, save thousands" and is mainly childish, while the Pixar film Wall-E is by and large one of the most subversive films this year, and its sneaking by for kids? Why is Pixar making more mature films than the films targeted to grown ups? Easily some of the best and most entertaining social commentary all with barely any dialogue to weigh it down for the most part.

Sam Fuller's Steel Helmet has a south korean character, a young kid, nicknamed short round who follows the lead actor around........short round, sound familiar? Damn you Steven Speilberg and George Lucas!

Meanwhile, one of the "local arthouse" cinemas is showing Get Smart, Sex and the City, and an indie film that is already out on dvd. Things are going well.

So George Carlin died. And I have to stare at his face everytime I walk into the New release corner on his boxset. A huge loss for pretty much everyone breathing.

On the up side, its raining heavily and that means you should be renting movies. New releases for july have been posted on the website. We have a slew of new stuff to the floor.

And despite the movie ripoff summer season of '08 being a doozy, we've still got over 6,000 movies that should wet your visual whistle.

Until the Dark Knight comes out in theaters next month, there isn't much playing, so come in and return/rent some movies. Take a sticker, buy a button, tell a friend.

Any shelf ideas for our middle room? Give us a shout.

Ice cream back in stock. Drinks will be swapped out next month for an undecided mix of beverages. But root beer will be back.

Don't forget we can order films to buy.

Remember to please update your information if you move or change numbers.

If you missed out on the email, these are new to the store floor.

Planet Earth
Cities of the Underground s. 1
Rififi - Will be remade stateside soon! See this one first!
Devils on the doorstep
Psych s. 1
5 Charlie Chaplin films
Infernal Affairs 2-3
Innocence
Orlando
Great Yokai War
Chushingura
Kwaidan

Indy 4 (national treasure 3?) - 3 word review

2008-05-26T13:11:00.000-07:00

Apocalypto meets Stargate.

If I take a zero carbon footprint ’eco’ dvd case and litter with it, does 2+2=5?

2008-04-26T14:55:00.000-07:00

Why do the new 'eco' lightbulbs contain mercury that requires actual special disposal?
Does that mean they aren't eco-friendly and just easily marketable?

Anyway, watching an episode of LOST from Season 3 or 4 when you haven't watched any of the other seasons is like eating flour then a raw egg and expecting delicious chocolate cake.

We are once again renewing our call for volunteers who would be willing to work every so often for free rentals (no new releases, sorry, dems the rules). Our vetting process is at best eccentric and at worst like reading microwaveable soup instructions from another planet. 99% of the work is stuff you pick up over time, so the training period can be hectic, didn't anyone watch GI Jane? It's like that. Anyone interested drop us your name and phone, it helps if we know who you are or your already a renter.

Furthermore, in the I wonder what he did to warrant a specific mention, we are looking for a one Joshua Skidmore, who we would like to disembowel, k?

Furtherest nevermore, let us kindly remind college students not to run off at semester end with our movies, and NEVER leave with someones promise that they are going to return them once your gone, they never ever ever never never never ever do.

Additionally amore, a few new movies from this month we skipped mentioning on the mailing list (should really signup at bestplaceever.com) -

New release - I want someone to eat cheese with

Criterion - Wages of Fear

Wholphin Issue 5 - including a 20 some minute short adapted from a Michael Chabon story starring Paul Rudd and Zooey Deschanel. Also, a blind rubiks cube champion.

Thanks for reading, you've been really great, and so have I.

Blog posts in future to be 20% meatier

2008-03-13T19:45:00.000-07:00

I had a thought, in celebration of Michel Gondry's new film Be Kind Rewind, would it be a good idea to have a film contest where people have to shoot their own versions of popular or random films totally from their memory?

Just tossing it around. Totally just in our heads at the moment.

We would also like to say we have room in our hearts for as many framing stores in Des Moines as possible. I would frame my own right arm if I could part with it. No matter who you are, you have to be crazy to own your own business in this day and age.

What would it take to get someone who has no idea who Agnes Varda or Bernardo Bertolucci to rent the new criterion editions of his The Last Emperor, or her Criterion boxset? The Last Emperor has the best under the covers giggling since spaceballs. Agnes Varda's Cleo from 9 to 5 is the best movie with 9 and 5 in the title since 9 to 5.

On the online front, the 'store', using that term in the most humble way possible, will have an 'adopt-a-movie' section if anyone wants to give certain orphaned (ie stolen) movies a second chance at life.

BPE wins best place to rent a movie 2008

2008-02-24T16:48:00.000-08:00

So we were voted Best Place to Rent a Movie for the 2nd straight year by Cityview. Thank you to those who voted.
Next year: Best place to make out, and best nachos. Let's make it happen. Someone buy us a nacho machine and start making out, possibly with nachos.

A note of correction from that issue: despite the article, we have been in existence longer then 2 years. In fact, since 2003.

We came up 2nd in Best locally owned store.

Some have asked in response "who won? what is Des Moines' best kept locally owned secret?!"

That's right, Frank Stallone.
Sorry, bad SNL norm macdonald joke.

It's actually, drum roll, Deck the walls?

That's right, the local franchise of the national corporate chain of framing establishments located in the mall.

Now, before it sounds like sour grapes because I'm sure the Deck the Walls people are nice and whose ever heard of a seedy frame shop anyway, I only mention it because in a bizarre twist, I actually have a locally owned framing store opinion, which I never thought would ever come up in any conversation ever for any reason.

Dot's Framing on the southside who we like to visit time to time, and who also framed much of what hangs on Cup O'Kryptonite's walls. They do good work.

Again, thanks to all.

4 Year Anniversary shirts from December will be on sale in perpetuity till our stock is gone. While not final, we'll probably put them for sale at $6-8. Check instore next week sometime.

A Beta version of a paypal fuelled online store page will be up end of march hopefully. Nothing huge, just a place to sell posters, shirts, used stuff, and whatever knick knacks and things we can think of. It is totally in the air, and may end up being something or nothing at all, we'll see.

For those who were looking for the TV Show The Wire, we got in all 4 seasons recently.

Best of lists, Hours/Pricing change (UPDATED 1/31)

2008-01-22T20:26:00.000-08:00

A modest Price change coming early February:

It's been years since we've touched them but it is necessary to stay open and pay the bills, afford that huge indoor block of ice we keep for no reason.

New releases and regular criterions will be 3.25
Regular Titles will be 2.75
New/Multi-disc Criterions will follow suit.

Also, we will be trying out New Weekday hours starting Feb 4th.

Monday thru Thursday our new hours will be 2-12.
Friday and Saturday are the same - Noon to Midnight.
Sunday hours are 12-10.

2007 is over, our movie picks for '07!

All movies seen for the first time in 2007. We are trying to avoid putting movies that came out theatrically only very late in the year, since most critics year end lists have included movies that will get awards (oscars for instance) in 2008 or no one outside Festivals have seen yet, so bear with it. "There will be Blood" JUST opened here, yet its on many 2007 year end lists.

TJ

No Country for Old Men
Angel-A
Ghosts of Cite Soleil
13 Tzameti

Adam

The Ten
Eastern Promises
LOST Season 3 (Hurley Explodes)
The Wind that Shakes the Barley

Grant

3:10 to Yuma
Seeing the films of Andrei Tarkovsky for the first time
Hot Fuzz
Best American Drama you've never seen: Apart From That
BBC's Dr. Who relaunch
After this Our Exile
Criterion's release of La Jetee/Sans Soleil
Songs from the Second Floor
The Fountain (in perpetuity)

Please vote for us!

2008-01-04T20:06:00.000-08:00

It's time once more for Cityview's Annual Best of Des Moines Survey.

Please take a moment to Vote us "Best Place to Rent a Movie" and "Best Locally Owned Store".

Go to Cityview's Homepage and click on the top right corner.
Or go directly.

Getting a team of people to vote on a bank of supercomputers a plus, but not required. Family, Friends, co-workers, random unattended laptops whose owner could return at any moment, all fair game.

Don't forget all the other amazing local stores, coffeeshops named after planets that are in town.

End Notes - updated with cityview survey link

2007-12-21T17:01:00.000-08:00

Many quick notes, leftover shirts from our 4 year anniversary are still for sale at the shop in all sizes. Check out the design - By David Nietzke

After the new year, this will get its own post, but if your antsy, Vote for us for best locally owned store and best place to rent a movie at cityview's best of des moines 2008 survey - Cityview best of survey for 2008

Our holiday hours will be 12-7 on X-mas Eve.

Christmas day we will be open 6-10. CALL AHEAD if you want to be sure.

Hours will be the same on New Year's Eve with the offchance of closing at 10-11.

Don't forget to Caucus on January 3rd. Arrive at your precinct early, you and anyone you can drag there can register to vote and participate AT the event itself. MEGACAUCUS VOTAGANZA!!!

You can lookup your precinct location here if you don't know. Incidentally, while I won't tell anyone who to vote for, the location lookup is located within the obama website, draw your own conclusions.

http://my.barackobama.com/page/content/iacllookup
---------------------------------------------------

And because its too funny to us personally, BPE quasi-Employee of the Year: Thai Luong (take that other 2 semi, gray area, bordeline, on again off again we still love you "employees", maybe next year!).

We will also be starting a customer of the month thing soon, so rent often, rent nicely and take care of each other.

Until the new year. (signup for our mailing list on our website if you haven't!)

The 3 headed BPE Hydra

Until they run out.....

2007-12-12T19:51:00.000-08:00

Shirts for Best Place Ever's 4 year anniversary will be available until whats in this box is gone, and then will be gone forever. While it is a 4 year shirt, it is not event specific, so anyone can pick one up.

They make good gifts, and if you couldn't make the bash, no better way to show support.

4 Year bash is in the bag

2007-12-09T19:04:00.000-08:00

Thanks to everyone who came outdespite winter conditions and Oprah's distracting hypnosis -

BestPlaceEver turned 4 on Saturday, December 8th

We celebrated with 2 films, 2 bands, 1 director and a mess of giveaways

These fine people allowed us to giveaway stacks of dvds to many happy people. Courtesy of Mars Cafe, Criterion, Zeitgeist, and Kino films.

We Showed "Plagues and Pleasures on the Salton Sea" with the director in tow and in the night

These Bands played:
The Autumn Project
Oh Possum

We also showed Battle Royale.

Food was locally catered by Frank's Pizza
Afternoon program Courtesy of Markey's Audio,
BATTLESHIP POTEMKIN: TWO-DVD ULTIMATE EDITION, Criterion, Zeitgeist films, and Mars Cafe.

4 Year Bash Evening Intermission a la Frank's Pizza

2007-11-21T17:07:00.000-08:00

If your looking for the ticket prebuy info, or afternoon film trailer, check out the last blog entry.

The evening program's intermission will be catered by Frank's Pizza. (www.frankspizzadm.com)

Food is included in price of evening/package ticket.
Vegetarian pizza will be an option!

We'd also like to thank Markey's Audio for presenting the afternoon film via their lcd projector equipment.

UPDATED: Salton sea trailer and shirt preview

2007-11-10T20:04:00.000-08:00

UPDATE:

THOSE WHO PREBUY

4 Year Anniversary Bash Tickets

Will be entered in a drawing to win

1st Prize
A copy of Criterion's 2-disc set of
Richard Linklater's Dazed and Confused

2nd Prize
Wes Anderson's Royal Tenenbaums from Criterion

3rd Prize
Poster for Charlie Chaplin's Modern Times courtesy of Kino
$10 Mar's Cafe Giftcard

Winners will be announced at the event.

This is only a taste of the giveaways we'll hand out at the bash.

For full details on the 4 year bash, please refer to our website or the profile of our myspace page.

Trailer and praise for our Afternoon film.

"A Heartbreaking, sidesplitting parade of humanity"
-The Village Voice

"A funny and pognant new documentary"
-San Francisco Chronicle

"A hilarious and kindly ode to a fallen paradise"
-SF Weekly

"I don't know whether to laugh or cry. A must see."
-Kansas City Star
***

This is one of the UNUSED shirt sketches by our friend David Nietzke just to give you a taste, we weren't sure if everyone would get the 'Seven' reference here, but we didn't want it to go to waste. The idea we went with is great, and will be worth wearing.

BPE turns 4! All day Bash! Tickets at BPE Now.

2007-11-01T15:16:00.000-07:00

What: We turn 4 with 2 films, 2 bands, 1 director, a mess of giveaways, and all day festivities
When: Saturday Dec 08, 2007
at 4:00 PM and 8 PM depending on program
Where: The Varsity & Vaudeville Mews
25th and University (varsity) & 212 4th St (Mews)
Des Moines, IA 50311
United States

Click Here To View Event

BestPlaceEver turns 4!

Saturday, December 8th

An all day event of fun and film.

Over $1,000 in giveaways courtesy of Criterion, Zeitgeist, and Kino films.
Different giveaways at each event, so come to both!!!!

Afternoon Program @ The Varsity Theatre -- (map)

4 PM - "Plagues and Pleasures on the Salton Sea"
+followed by Q and A w/director Chris Metzler

Narrated by John Waters, an epic western tale of fantastic real estate ventures and failed boomtowns, inner-city gangs fleeing to white small town America, Hair-raising and hilarious, part history lesson, part cautionary tale and part portrait of one of the strangest communities you've ever seen, this is the American Dream gone as stinky as a dead carp.

Evening Program @ The Vaudeville Mews

8 PM

Bands
The Autumn Project
Oh Possum

Intermission w/locally catered food

At Midnight - The Infamous, the one of a kind viewing experience, Battle ROYALE!!!!!!!!

Tickets available as a package deal or separately for each program.

Available from BestPlaceEver NOW!!

Tickets, particularly for the evening program or package deal SHOULD be bought prior to event so we know how much food to get (vegetarian option will be provided).

Courtesy of BATTLESHIP
POTEMKIN: TWO-DVD ULTIMATE EDITION, Criterion, Zeitgeist
films, and Mars Cafe.

Plus a commemorative T-shirt sold only at this event designed by local artist David Neitzke.

Lars and the Real Girl and Mr.Woodcock

2007-10-30T12:10:00.000-07:00

....were directed by the same guy.......what the hell?

I feel used.

varsity myspace, writers strike

2007-10-26T02:08:00.002-07:00

if you feel the want, there is a myspace for the varsity up. Listed under our friends, or myspace.com/varsitydesmoines

Add as your friend.

Sidenote, how many people know their is an upcoming writers strike in the movie industry threatening to shut down new productions? The TV writers strike is already starting I think. Prepare for reality tv shows en masse.

4 year anniversary event announcement november 1st

2007-10-26T02:08:00.001-07:00

The tedious and inevitable tying up of loose ends as regards the event slowly continues.

I promise full disclosure as of next week, with tickets on sale then. It should be fun, we may publically speak. Grievances will be aired, duels will be paced, movies shown, dvds given away, much rejoicing.

The only 4 year old's Birthday party that goes into the wee hours

2007-10-14T20:22:00.000-07:00

Finalizing details, putting calls into tokyo, getting on the red eye to seal deals with Bono (without his permission, nothing in Des Moines moves, little known fact), getting excited.

Saturday December 8th, all day multi-venue BASH.

The Varsity, The Vaudeville Mews.

Ever since V for Vendetta, we're V haunted.

More giveaways and fun then your silly bones can handle.

There might be actual stormtrooopers.....fingers crossed.

More cryptic messages coming soon.

To Be-rlin Alexanderplatz or not to Be-rlin Alexanderplatz

2007-10-14T20:05:00.000-07:00

Berlin Alexanderplatz is director Rainer Werner Fassbinder (pronounced fossbinder, fossssbinder if your a snake) epic climax to his career. This film could hardly ever be watched in any form for the past few decades. Recently, it was restored, cleaned, given the deluxe treatment and given a renewed theatrical run at select film houses and film forums. It was adapted from the acclaimed German novel, and is coming out via Criterion this November.

.....oh, yeah.

It's 15 hours long.
It's a 7 disc set.

So, the conundrum. This landmark of film, this milestone, how do we rent it, do we rent it? Is there going to be enough people to even break even on it?

We took the plunge as loyal criterion-ites and ordered it.

So again, the challenge of renting out a 15 hour movie.

So let us hear if you want to see this film, if you know of someone who might. Can we tempt you?

We are going to split it into 2-4 hour chunks, or renting it out by 1-2 discs at a time.

Check it out, and give us some feedback.

Here is a synopsis from Criterion's website:

"Rainer Werner Fassbinder's controversial, fifteen-hour-plus Berlin Alexanderplatz, based on Alfred Döblin's great modernist novel, was the crowning achievement of a prolific director who, at age thirty-four, had already made forty films. Fassbinder’s immersive epic, restored in 2006 and now available on DVD in this country for the first time, follows the hulking, childlike ex-convict Franz Biberkopf (Günter Lamprecht) as he attempts to "become an honest soul" amid the corrosive urban landscape of Weimar-era Germany. With equal parts cynicism and humanity, Fassbinder details a mammoth portrait of a common man struggling to survive in a viciously uncommon time."

Plus, it comes with an entire second adaptation of the novel by another director.....

# New high-definition digital transfer from the 2006 restoration by the Fassbinder Foundation and Bavaria Media, supervised and approved by director of photography Xaver Schwarzenberger

# - Two new documentaries by Fassbinder Foundation president Juliane Lorenz: one featuring interviews with the cast and crew, the other on the restoration

# - Hans-Dieter Hartl's 1980 documentary Notes on the Making of "Berlin Alexanderplatz"

# - Phil Jutzi's 1931, ninety-minute film of Alfred Döblin’s novel, from a screenplay co-written by Döblin himself

# - New video interview with Peter Jelavich, author of Berlin Alexanderplatz: Radio, Film, and the Death of Weimar Culture

4 Year Anniversary whispers pt 2

2007-10-08T15:47:00.000-07:00

But seriously, 2 venues, all day, locally catered food, an exclusive local artist designed tshirt, a director, ridiculously priced, loads of dvd giveaways from some amazing labels.....it might be december 8th.

I have a hunch.

What is really in the hatch on LOST

2007-10-08T15:27:00.000-07:00

In 4 years, we've gotten opinions and insane suggestions from a wide variety of people. Some are helpful, some are angry, others are just bizarre and slightly creepy. Most people don't realize the surreal and irrational world that is video rental, or business for that matter.

With netflix, redbox, and other means for renting movies, our biggest gripe is that people are blatantly persuaded of things that are either not true or completely trivial. A few examples.

At some point during the beginning of Harsh Times or Factory Girl, a polite title comes up - exclusively available to rent at Blockbuster.

Which is strange considering we rent these out.

The Weinstein company, the one that split off from Disney - run by the infamous Weinstein Brothers, has come up with an ingenious marketing ploy, lying.

Weinstein and the big blue made a deal to exclusively rent their titles. There were ads, press, a whole public marketing campaign, as seen from the in-dvd warnings.

Except that its illegal. Little known law called the "First Sale Doctrine" is the entire ground that allows the rental business to exist. This is what allows any rental store to rent movies out without having to get explicit copyright permission for every single film, individually.

Everyone is renting the Weinstein discs, the Weinsteins are in court for this blatant misinformation campaign.

We are the ones who are asked if we can rent them out.

We get customers afraid of giving out their credit card information who will swipe it freely at some random and anonymous mcdonalds rental kiosk, a kiosk that flat out tells you it will charge your card for everyday you have it. Customers who keep a film for 3 weeks who complained there was no 1 day option. This is the wonderland of customer service in the video rental niche.

The omnipresence of this saturation, its beginning to get out of hand.

You see - netflix, redbox, downloads - its the same waste repackaged. If a company doesn't take money out of your pocket and put it in theirs, they don't open to begin with. These companies have done the numbers. If the consumer actually got more for their buck, it wouldn't be worth the companies time to exist. Remember, the house always wins.

Video rental and the film experience is always worth something. No matter how much the current climate seems to make movies and TV disposable as if it were a contest to see who can digest the most film fastest with as little reason, we still firmly believe brick and mortar is the way to rent. It connects the film and the experience to a tangible place, a place that exists and is vulnerable to the environment around it, that changes and can be changed, that is reminiscent of the worlds you visit on the screen, dramatic - eventful but well, real.

As long as both we and you, the movie watcher, stay honest and realize that our financial well being rarely hinges on insisting for 2 days instead of 3, that we do in fact drive quite far to go to stores and restaraunts, or bars and bookstores out of our way apart from BPE, and that no matter how technology changes, the stories seem to stay the same, we will get along nicely.

Now if I could only get rid of those "community" movie bloggers at the register......................

4 Year anniversary Rumblings

2007-10-03T16:45:00.002-07:00

Multi-venue citywide 4 year anniversary bash?

Can't say much more right now, as it is 'under wraps', but a word to the wise - keep december 8th clear on your calendar.

Rambo and the Illuminati

2007-10-03T16:45:00.001-07:00

Quick question, the upcoming and final Rambo film tentatively titled 'John Rambo' takes place in Burma, or as it is also referred to in current news headlines 'Myanmar'.

One imdb post (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0462499/board/nest/86072340) posits:

"I bet Stallone is nervous about the situation in Myanmar."

Nervous? Let's recap.

Aging, steroid drowned actor finished the last bookend film of his two main 80's characters, Rocky Balboa and John Rambo.

As the post points out, Rambo 3 was sullied when the Soviets pulled out of Afghanistan before the film premiered, leaving the story behind current events.

What's a promotional junket to do? Incite civil war in Burma.

The news is rife with pop star gossip, will smith is thinking of remaking the karate kid with his 9 year old son, is Sylvester Stallone leading a shadow military junta for ticket sales really that crazy?

The clincher: Stallone's Judge Dredd costume - missing.

Red Carpet Stallone dazed under flashbulbs spotted mumbling 'ima demolition man'. Think about it.

New Arthur Magazines, at last!

2007-09-11T12:44:00.000-07:00

New Arthur’s!!!!!!! You thought they were dead, but boxes of new (free) Arthur Magazines have arrived at our doorstep. So stop in, rent a movie, buy a drink, and pick one up. Or return your movies, give us a duffle bag of late fees, and pick one up.

don't know what Arthur is? Shame on you. It's only the best free magazine of art, music, and culture ever. Try finding it at barnes and noble.

Best Place Ever

Michelangelo Antonioni 1912-2007 & Ingmar Bergman 1918-2007

2007-08-04T15:34:00.000-07:00

Cinema lost two of its foundations this month, a day apart from one another. Swedish Auteur Bergman was a lifelong influence on Woody Allen and was highly influential in the strangest of places (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0101452/). His films include the ever present film class staple The Seventh Seal as well as comedy (Smiles of a Summer Night), horror (Time of the Wolf), and a modernist classic, the study of a psychoanalytic break, Persona. His style was often parodied but always with the utmost respect to the source material. He will be missed.

Antonioni died at 94. The Italian great broke all the rules of conventional narrative. In the same year Hitchcock killed off Janet Leigh partway into Psycho, Antonioni introduced L'Avventura as part of an eventual trilogy. In the picture, one of the characters disappears while on a daytrip with a group of friends to an island, and 2 characters left to find her drift across Italy, with the disappearance slowly fading from their and our attention. He would follow this with L'notte, and L'eclisse. A master of depicting alienation, there will not be another Antonioni.

July 22nd, 4PM, the varsity, BE THERE!!!

2007-07-01T19:22:00.000-07:00

Best Place Ever Presents
Sierra Leone's Refugee All-stars, a documentary film.

After being forced from their homes by a brutal civil war, a group of musicians form a band in a West African Refugee Camp. A unique tribute to the power of music and a triumphant celebration of the human spirit.

Money going to ninemillion.org

Sunday, July 22nd

4:00 PM

@ The Varsity

1207 25th St (right around the corner from us)

$6 Prepaid Tickets at BPE or

$7 at the door.

Support a good cause and see a great flick.

Trailer viewable at bestplaceever.com or directly at youtube.

The Independent (UK)
11/24/06
“…The Refugee All Stars film is a hymn to the strength of the human spirit. It does not spare us from the graphic brutality of the conflict, but it juxtaposes it with life-affirming moments of defiant hope and forgiveness.”

THE NASHVILLE SCENE
Oct. 19 2006
“Gripping new documentary… Unlike many humanitarian-crisis documentaries that take a broad approach—with oodles of statistics and downtrodden throngs— Sierra Leone’s Refugee All Stars focuses on the experiences of just six people, putting a human face on the tragedy of war that is far harder to ignore.”

Austin Chronicle
March 17, 2006
“The Refugee All Stars is big and rich and complex itself, all while matching the optimism of its subjects. Personal, political, generous, and skillfully edited amid the pitfalls of melding performance footage, interviews, and archival context, it bursts off the screen with the same brilliance and intensity that the band does onstage.”

The San Francisco Chronicle
July 13, 2006
“Niles and White paint a vivid, unflinching portrait of life in the refugee camps, but they don’t dwell on the horrors of the war. Their film is about the healing power of music…”