CONTROL

CONTROL... SHOULD BE RENAMED: OUT OF CONTROL "Love will tear us apart, again..." and tear us apart it did. Only 23 years old, Ian Curtis, lead singer for Joy Division, a late seventies/early eighties band from the UK that exploded onto the post Ziggy Stardust (aka David Bowie) glam-rock scene, kills himself after losing a battle with depression, epilepsy and a tumultuous relationship with his wife, as well as the unexpected catapult to fame. He likened himself Jim Morrison, which would turn out to be sadly ironic. NOTE TO TALENTED, CREATIVE MUSICIANS: SEEK THERAPY! This film, directed by Anton Coorbijn, who has made a name for himself in the music video/production world did a fine job with this film. The grainy black and white shots give the movie an almost documentary style, akin to playing a record rather than a CD. The talent is beyond expectation. Sam Riley is Ian Curtis. Samantha Morton is Ian's wife, Debbie, who effortlessly plays the strong undercurrent of true love and acceptance. She is a most gifted actress and plays off of Riley to create a real bond. Sometimes hard to watch, but compelling and intriguing. After Curtis died, the group renamed themselves and became New Order, one of the most popular 80's bands ever. A must see.
PICK: A good film on its own, but also a must see for all 80's music lovers! Cheers!

KURT COBAIN, ABOUT A SON

KURT COBAIN, ABOUT A SON... A SON YOU NEVER KNEW
14 years ago, April 5th, a great mind, borderline genius musician, literally blew up. This is my generation; we all knew what we were doing when OJ had every LAPD going for a joy ride and perhaps a lesser group remembers where we were when Kurt was reportedly dead from a self-inflicted gunshot to the head. I was lucky enough to write for a local music publication and during a break from my "day job" I was able to join Jeff and Matt as we listened to the DJs reporting and trying not to choke on their tears. This is an audio film. Ever been to Aberdeen? You will. There were over 25 hours or interviews with Kurt, his words, his thoughts previously unreleased, by Michael Azzerrad who wrote the book, Come As You Are, about the band (Nirvana). We all joked about Kurt and Courtney being the next Sid and Nancy, and Kurt confesses when he met her he immediately thought of Nancy. Kurt makes some observations and insight about the band, the music, the media. All the while, the screen is busy with flashes of places Kurt lived, worked or hung out. It's a beautiful start to a Cobain coffee table book. Hearing his voice "beyond the grave" was both erie and comforting. He was honest and for once, sounded real. It's like all this time he kept himself hidden from the media and this film broke down any and all walls. He was a very smart man, soft spoken and funny, even if he didn't make the best of choices (heroin and Courtney), like many artists, he was misunderstood. Although even if it's too little too late, it was touching to hear his side of things. This film was touching but it served as too much of a reminder that it was post-mortem.
PICK: A must for any Cobain fans, melancholy and insightful. Bean has his eyes.