Sunday, September 20, 2009

“Movie Review: Rock doc ‘It Might Get Loud’ expressive - WOAI” plus 2 more

“Movie Review: Rock doc ‘It Might Get Loud’ expressive - WOAI” plus 2 more

Movie Review: Rock doc ‘It Might Get Loud’ expressive - WOAI

Posted: 20 Sep 2009 07:16 AM PDT

Turning his attention from climate changes to key changes, Academy Award-winning director Davis Guggenheim ("An Inconvenient Truth") creates rock 'n' roll heaven in his newest documentary "It Might Get Loud."

Featuring guitarists Jack White of the White Stripes, Jimmy Page of Led Zeppelin, and The Edge of U2, Guggenheim makes the rules simple: Toss the trio into a comfortable environment where they can swap stories and talk rock history, leave a few electric guitars and amplifiers laying around, turn on the camera, step back, and see what happens.

The musical experiment isn't like putting chimpanzees in a cage full of Legos and hoping for the best. If you're familiar with the careers of White, Page, and Edge, it's pretty obvious what is going to occur if given the time to bond during the course of one afternoon: one hell of a jam session.

Between the electric guitar strumming, Guggenheim gets to the root of each man and their deep-seated passion for their craft. White, Page, and Edge might be the most diverse group Guggenheim could have assembled, but once you see the respect they share for each others' musical styles, the gathering of guitarists causes sparks. No matter which generation you relate to the most, "It Might Get Loud" definitely turns up the volume.

The one-on-one time Guggenheim gets with each man is also priceless. Traveling back to where music became the cornerstone of their lives, Guggenheim is able to draw fascinating opinions and musical philosophies out of them as if he has known them forever. Edited into these intriguing interviews is archive footage of past performances with different bands. It almost feels like the men themselves have invited you into their homes to share something special; something that will be added to their legacy once all is said and done.

While each of their biographies is worthy enough of its own documentary, the most revealing scenes of the film are when the music is flowing out of them as a small ensemble. Once White, Page, and Edge get passed the sometimes-awkward small talk, there's more to be expressed on the strings than any dialogue could ever compare to. In one scene, Page is playing alone as White watches attentively and smiles as if the two just shared a moment than no one else experienced. It's that connection between the musicians that makes "It Might Get Loud" a once-in-a-lifetime moment no real rocker (or wannabe for that matter) should miss.

Grade: B+

Fringe 2009: Biographies of the Dead and Dying - Georgia Straight

Posted: 11 Sep 2009 04:53 PM PDT

Pastor, best-selling author talks about falling in love with words ... - Modesto Bee

Posted: 20 Sep 2009 03:42 AM PDT

Q: Last year, you stopped competing in Iron Man competitions and had heart surgery, and also stepped down as your church's senior pastor. How is your health and your church?

A: They couldn't be going better. We hired a new senior minister, Randy Frazee, from Willow Creek Community Church in Chicago. We're splitting the preaching 50-50. I love working with him. He's a great guy, a great leader, loves to build a team. Our plan is that when I'm not preaching, I'll be able to write. And when he's not preaching, he'll be able to focus on leadership development of the church and strategic plans. It's good.

Q: You're such a fabulous storyteller. Did you tell stories when you were a youngster?

A: I've always loved stories. I remember going to the elementary school library and reading the biographies of American presidents and leaders. And I remember as a middle schooler, I ran for office on student council, and in my speech, telling stories, illustrations, and being surprised at how well people listened. It was then I began to realize there's a power in a story, and using a story can be a really great communication tool.

Q: You've said you were shy as a child. Were you academic? Athletic at all?

A: I was probably more athletic than academic. But I had a real interest in literature. My brother and I both really enjoyed reading growing up. The earliest I can remember enjoying writing was in middle school, being turned loose in English class on an idea. I can remember writing the first paragraph and how much fun that was creating something from nothing. Some people are intimidated by a blank page. A blank page has always invited me. I thought, this will be fun to create something.

Q: Can you give me an anecdote from your youth that reveals who you are?

A: One of our assignments was to write a short story when I was a high school junior — literally hearing the rest of the class groan, and I got excited. I was barely home and I was already writing the story and spent the whole evening writing it. I can still remember it today; I can even see it in my mind on the paper, written out longhand, and I couldn't wait for my turn to read it because I knew everybody would be impressed. I knew I would get a good grade. At that moment, I was beginning to sense my love for stories and love for words.

Q: What was the story about?

A: I'm almost embarrassed to tell you the title. It was called "Life is Hell." That's a horrible title. I wasn't a Christian at the time, and everything was fatalistic. I think teenagers are prone to fatalism without Christ, because you begin realizing how tough life is. It was the story about a guy who played football at an Ivy League college, and then he was diagnosed with cancer. It was all about his living with that, coming to grips with it, and finally his death. It was a very sad story. I wouldn't want anyone to read it now. But the fact is that I took it so seriously and actually enjoyed creating it.

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