03/23/06 Awesome; I F#$%in' Shot That!

Awesome; I F#$%in' Shot That! (2006), directed by Adam Yauch (aka Nathanial Hornblower); advanced one-night screening nationwide

watched w/ Leslie; theater (Garner Towne Square Cinema, Garner, NC)

When I heard about this film being released nationwide for a one-night only advanced screening, I thought that it would be the unique opportunity of the year not to pass up. However, who would have thought that the closest showing in the area would be Garner, NC of all places! Besides that random fact, we set out on the adventure of finding the lonely cinema. Maybe I'm showing my age a bit, or my maturity lack thereof, in claiming that I'm a huge Beastie Boys fan. Once seen as a gimmick band, they have proven to be not only hip-hop pioneers but gifted and creative musicians. They are one of the great bands that can be completely silly and down-right political all in the same set. Their sound, instrumental experimentation, and video stylings have been highly influential. Therefore, their feature length foray into concert films should be just as visionary. They decided to take their comeback tour at Madison Square Garden in '04 as the site; and handing out 50+ digital cameras to fans to record the event as the hook. It worked beautifully! This approach not only captures the raw energy of a live concert, but the fun of all the fans who get to share in that energy. Seen through many different points of view, the band is shown backstage, up close, far away, lip-synced by kids in the crowd, and pre & post performance. A chance of a lifetime of every fan, this is truly a way for them to contribute to the legacy that is their fantasy. The footage was compiled and edited into quick cuts, low-tech special effects, random shots of hot dog vendors & arena bathrooms, split screen action, and the appropriately grainy film. Plus, this is just a great performance by a fun band. They hit all the bases from new stuff to old, and props go out to the guys wearing t-shirts displaying their nicknames as board games of the past (Boggle, Scrabble, Electronic Battleship). One last touch of this unique showing was the short film beforehand that starred comedian David Cross as the ever eccentric Hornblower during a day in the life on the NYC streets. If only all Bavarian skiers could sample the chocolate fresh in the factory.

5 out of 5 stars