Jeff Beck: Performing this week... Live at Ronnie scott's

Short review: Buy it-or rent it now!

Long Review: Finally, the guitars gods have smiled-and bestowed a Jeff Beck DVD on us fans! And its only taken 50 years...

One of the pleasures of the digital age we live in, is getting an ever increasing selection of great music-related DVD's, from complete concerts, documentaries, conceptual works-and many hybrid versions of the aforementioned. Some artists seem to have an endless supply of DVD's-others are notable for their absence. And Jeff Beck definitely fell into the later category! Just why some artists take their time getting to this format is a mystery, possibly it may come down to factors like record company indifference, squabbles over royalties, artist differences-and a myriad of other complicating reasons as to why they have empty spaces in the visual medium.

After reading various rave live concert reviews in the English rock press, I knew that when this DVD was first slated for release, it would be a foregone conclusion that my battered credit card would take another unavoidable hammering, to acquire this masterpiece.

I wasn't disappointed...

In fact, It was revelatory to say the least. Not only at the ripe young age of 65 is Jeff Beck still a master of the guitar, but the backing band were something else as well. That would be the combined skills & talents of: ultra-skillful drummer Vinnie Colaiuta, the shy-ish but stylishly impressive Jason Rebello on Keyboards and last-but not least, the precocious pint-sized Aussie wonder-girl Tal Wilkenfeld on bass guitar. Her facial expressions back to Jeff are both very entertaining-and revealing at the same time. The look of unadulterated joy is absolutely irresistable! Having pointed that out, the rest of the band are clearly having a ball as well. In fact, the audience joins in as well; feeding off on watching the jaw-dropping talent on close display - and the band respond in kind. When Jeff announces later on, that its been "The best week of my life", you are very much inclined to agree with him. To have witnessed this first-hand would have been something else. Again, thank god for the DVD medium. Now, we get to share what those few lucky enough to have been at Ronnie Scott's witnessed in the flesh. Pure musical magic on an unprecedented scale.

To single out any particular song is redundant with a DVD of this magnitude. The whole thing rocks-from go to whoa!

BUY IT NOW!!!

Departures

Usually with my film festival selections, I'll avoid the seemingly obvious commercial movies that I'm fairly certain will come back to the cinema's after completing their run at the festival-and put my time into viewing stuff that I'm not so sure of making a return. Mostly, I focus on the documentaries & animation sections. These genres are a real treat to see on the big screen. But, having said that, I always allow myself a few exceptions, historical epics are one such category! Its pretty damn cool to see vast landscapes, epic struggles, battles etc, on the biggest scene possible. This genre in particular loses a grand sense of scale that regrettably, does get diminished by reduction to the average sized TV screen.

So, with that criteria in the background of my selection planning, when I first read the brief on this film, I immediately was seduced by its potential charm to make me really enjoy the benefits of seeing it on a big canvas.

I wasn't wrong...

Justifiably the winner of the best foreign movie Oscar in 2009 (And blitzing the Japanese Oscars with 10 tucked away safely!), this utterly charming & deeply moving film is damn near perfect from my point of view!

The story is of a Cellist Daigo Kobayashi (Masahiro Motoki), who after unexpectedly losing his job with an orchestra, reluctantly decides to return to Yamagata (His hometown) with his dutiful wife Mika (Ryoko Hirosue) to pursue a new career. Of which, he has no idea! Spotting an Ad in the local paper for someone to help with 'departures', he investigates with eagerness, thinking it might be a new career in a travel related business. Of course, he is partially right. Only before the interview starts, he does start to wonder just why there are coffins in this office...
With the owner Sasaki (Tsutomu Yamazaki) not wasting any precious time whatosever, i.e the job interview being one quick question, Daigo is hired immediately. Then he learns the truth about the company's business. Assisting the recently departed on their journey from this life to the next! Shocked, he is struck with a sense of 'how did it all come to this? so quickly in my life so far. But Sasaki is able to impress upon him the honour of such a job-and slowly over the coming weeks, Daigo begins to see things in an entirely new light. Observing the old man tenderly handling the deceased with a care & reverence that is just truly beautiful to watch, Daigo, begins to grasp the sensitive nature of this new job. At first, he is hesistant to assist, but gradually gains enough confidence to try the job firsthand. This new experience changes his outlook completely, and from that point on, there's no turning back. Or at least until Mika is made fully aware of just what Daigo actually does now for a living...

Everything about this beautifully crafted movie is perfect. From the understated, empathetic acting, the masterful direction from Yojiro Takita, the well crafted screenplay from Kundo Koyama, the stirring & majestic score from Joe Hisaishi, the set & production design-all combine brilliantly together to make for a fantastically powerful experience. Although, perhaps the most crucial element is the absolute respect the Japanese show for the deceased. It is an tradition that has been revered, honoured, and cherished for countless numbers of Japanese families for centuries. It is, unquestionably, a very moving experience to watch-even though this is a fictional tale! Half the audience we watched it with were sniffling, crying, sighing, all deeply affected by watching this cinematic masterpiece.

This was my favorite movie of the festival-and of this year to date. Its really hard to see anything else even coming close. Go and see it on the big screen if you can-otherwise buy or watch it when its available on DVD-or BluRay!

Tyondai Braxton: Platinum Rows

This is an exciting development, to say the least. Tyondai Braxton is unquestionably, an extremely talented individual with a superb musical vocabulary, steeped in a rich heritage from his father, the avant garde composer, Anthony Braxton. This musical legacy can be a millstone for many siblings who are born into famous families, many have balked at the mere idea of following the imposing footsteps that famous parents unwittingly hand down. Some however, rise to the challenge of creating new works of art that although, will be inevitably compared to their folks, they make a mark with their own distinct abilities that fans recognize as unique to that person.

Braxton has already made significant inroads in this respect, having recorded with such luminaries as Battles, Glen Branca, Prefuse73, Kronos Quartet, to name, but a few who've benefited from his unrivaled compositional talents and ability to arrange musical pieces that demonstrate his prowess supremely.

I've just sat and listened to this new 'song' Platinum Rows, which is already being touted as the centerpiece of his soon to released album Central Market. And yep, if this is the sound of the new album, then it promises to be a more than worthy addition to his small (But select) body of work thus far. The easiest (And laziest!) way to describe the sound would be "Battles meets the Orchestra". And, in all fairness to Mr Braxton, its not too far from the truth either! That is, its very much the sound of an avant-garde composer writing for an avant-garde orchestra, with a healthy dose of processed vocals, gargled with an odd assortment of unlikely musical instruments. Central Market was inspired by Igor Stravinsky, Bernard Hermann, Brian Eno, John Adams and Swans. This intriguing combination of classical & electronic composers are a vital clue in decoding Braxtons musical lineage-and dropping major hints as to future explorations.

This killer track reeks of all those influences, infused with Battles' type arrangements, but undoubtedly the major contributing factor here is Braxton himself.

Surely, a full length (30 minute plus) piece is not out of reach for a man of this many talents?

To paraphrase Jon Landau...

I HAVE SEEN THE FUTURE OF MOVIES-AND HIS NAME IS JAMES CAMERON!

OMG. OH MY GOD!!!

Absolutely mind blowing...

I have just seen the 15 minute promo for AVATAR, and trust me on this-it will be THE movie of 2009 Without question!!!

Now at the moment I don't sound like a 45 year old guy, I sound more like a pimply snotty nosed fan-boy kid who has just soiled himself rather badly but I really do feel extremely excited about this movie as much as I did when I was 14 (In 1977!) and saw Star Wars for the very first time.

I watched the trailer on Friday, and was immediately hooked, and needed more straight away. We then watched a news report telling us of the very first screening in NZ (In Wellington-home of Peter Jackson & WETA) and the reaction of those viewers afterwards. So, when I see in today's weekend paper, that my local cinema (Less than 500 yards away!) is playing the promo footage-for free! - what do you think I did next?

Soon, we are there, getting our 3D glasses, in eager anticipation of what we're about to view. It starts with JC giving us a little preamble about what we are about to view-select footage from the first half of the movie only. And then it starts...

You will totally believe you are in another dimension. The clarity, depth of field, sense of realism is quite frankly, staggering. I have never seen such jaw dropping, eyeball watering visuals on a SciFi movie before On the news report they mentioned that there is something like 850 people working on the visual FX alone! You can see where the money is being spent on this spectacle . But, having said that, the storyline does seem like it will be a major component of this movie. That is one area where, unlike some big name action directors, Cameron does give a huge focus on how the whole thing works in its entirety.

Anyways, back to the stunning visuals... The alien designs, color palates, fluidity, sense of motion, contrast between foreground & background are just absolutely stupendous, to say the very, very least. One thing that seems abundantly clear to me is how much the designers (And presumably James Cameron) were in thrall to such visionary artists such as Roger dean & Syd Mead. The dragon-like bird creatures clearly straight off a YES album cover methinks Not a bad reference point at all!

Come December 18th, there will be a mark made by this movie that will define all that have preceded it-and those who follow in its footsteps. It is going to be the movie event of 2009...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fXF2n...eature=related

If you can, go and see this footage as soon as you can. You will not be disappointed It clearly will whet your appetite for the main course to come...

Attached Thumbnails

WHITE LIES: TO LOSE MY LIFE...

I love getting recommendations from friends, because you know one thing is certain. Whatever they are suggesting that you buy, watch or listen to, you know they are wanting you to enjoy it just as much as they have done. When someone is so passionate & enthusiastic about a particular band, album or movie, their infect you so well, that its really hard to say no!

So, when I walked into my favorite record store www.marbecks.co.nz, and asked my friend Bryan about what he could recommend, he had no hesitation in suggesting this young 3 piece from the U.K, the very promising new rock band, WHITE LIES. I wont bother boring you with the details about their history etc, instead I'll direct you to the informative wiki over here. Lets cut straight to the chase, to the stuff that matters most, the music...

1: Death. From the opening minute of insistent bass & drums, you know this track is going to explode later on-and wow-does it ever, soaring into the stratosphere with its impassioned vocal from lead singer Harry McVeigh. The opening line "I love the feeling when we lift off" sets the tone for the rest of the record, with its themes based around death, funerals, loneliness, dreams, fears, anxieties, missed opportunities and a whole host of life's myriad complex human emotions & feelings. Musically, the bands sound is, as many other scribes have noted, reminiscent of obvious influences such as Interpol, Editors, and yes, almost inevitably Joy Division. But there is one major difference. Most of the aforementioned bands have had the tag of 'Gloomy' attached to them at least once during their career, but although you could argue that White Lies sound like they belong with that bunch, their music is much more joyous, upbeat- euphoric so emphatically in fact!. This song has even made it to the status of 'Sing-along-classic' with its chorus line of "Yes, this fear's got a hold of me". Check out the Glastonbury clip on the band's homepage!

2: To Lose My Life. With its Joy division sounding drums, Fuzzy bass line, this propulsive track starts much like the preceding one, then launches into a great chorus, with another interesting couplet "Lets grow old together-and die at the same time". Yep, you can imagine this line being sung along with as well! (And that's not a bad thing either...)

3: A Place to Hide. 15 seconds of shuffling drums makes way for a shiny synth & bass riffs, followed by McVeigh intoning with his now familiar convictions about guilt, redemption-all "before the storms begin". Although a now familiar musical template is being set, each tune has a unique arrangement, one that is very welcome I'd add! This is the sound of a band confident in its abilities to create something different with each respective song.

4: Fifty On Our Foreheads. Slight drop in pace for the opening of track 4, the drums clattering away, setting up for the majestic sounding verse with its glorious keyboards, rich plump toned bass lines, and more soulful vocals from McVeigh informing us to "Start burning in the sky" And, is it me? Or did I hear a snatch of Joy Division's "Atmosphere" somewhere in there as well? I suppose if you gonna reference another band, might as well be obvious about your influences! Initially this track wasn't a favorite, but breaking it down to its parts reveals hidden qualities that cant really be appreciated with one or two cursory listens.

5: Unfinished Business. Opening with McVeigh asking for a second chance, and a church organ droning away, this track bumps up a gear when the chorus kicks in, with the expansive drum pattern throwing scatter-bombs in many directions. Then, with its galloping simplistic bass lines its picks up another gear, with bassist Charles Cave adding backing vocals to the main chorus lines.

6: E.S.T. The most obvious influence in this track is undoubtedly Joy Division, with its fat, rich Keyboard providing a foundation to build from magnificently. Although keyboards are an important part of the bands sound, they never overwhelm any song, instead adding a depth & complexity to the overall sonic template. A sound that would be very hollow if they were removed. Which does beg the question of why bands like this (And many others) never seem to like to acknowledge the pivotal role that keyboards bring to a bands identity, even to the extent that the keyboard player isn't always identified officially in a bands career. See Joel Sieglers fantastic Black Sabbath website for his views on the role of longtime keyboardist Geoff Nicholls!
Maybe guys, for album 2, give Tommy Bowen (Who augments the band on live dates) full band credit. Your sound wouldn't be the same live without keyboards...

7: From The Stars. With its serene String section sweetly setting the tone, McVeigh regales us with a story about a friend having some sort of personal epiphany during a funeral. Another thudding drum pattern laying a solid foundation for the strings to start soaring higher during the following choruses. One of my fav tracks on the album.

8: Farewell To The Playground. A great sharp rhythm guitar riff drives this snappy driving number, with another memorable sing along chorus to keep live fans happy! "Keep on running, keep on running, there's no place like home"

9: Nothing To Give. A moody sombre introspective number, with McVeigh wishing "That I've got no regrets" and "I've clung to time like gold", this ballad is a nice step back from the rockier moments prior to this song. One of McVeigh's most dramatic & impassioned vocal performances thus far in his career, one can imagine other future songs in this vein being well received.

10: The Price Of Love. And saving the best for last? This powerhouse rocker (With a trademark slow intro) is another classic, with all of the now familiar WHITE LIES trademarks in place. Soaring, melodic, passionate vocals; driving, throbbing, thudding rhythms (An rather excellent Entwhistle-like bass riff detected!); crunchy biting guitar lines; full rich strings section complementing the keyboards. All of these come together so perfectly in this fantastically arranged track that probably is already a fan favorite!

And to summarize... This is my album of the year-so far!

Eric Clapton & Steve Winwood: Live From Madison Square Garden

DVD Disc 1: The Concert

1: Had To Cry Today
2: Them Changes
3: Forever man
4: Sleeping In The Ground
5: Presence Of The Lord
6: Glad
7: Well All Right
8: Double Trouble
9: Pearly Queen
10: Tell The Truth
11: No Name, No Face, No Number
12: After Midnight
13: Split Decision
14: Rambling On My Mind
15: Georgia On My Mind
16: Little Wing
17: Voodoo Chile
18: Can't Find My Way Home
19: Dear Mr Fantasy
20: Cocaine

DVD Disc 2-Extras

1: The Road To Madison Square Garden. An exclusive documentary featuring new interviews with Eric and Steve, together with rare footage and photographs of Cream, Traffic and Blind Faith.
2: Rambling On My Mind. The final preparation for the three legendary performances highlighted by an acoustic soundtrack performance by Eric of the Robert Johnson standard "Rambling On My Mind"
3: Bonus. Madison Square Garden Performances of "Lowdown", "Kind Hearted Woman" and "Crossroads"

This re-pairing of two of rock musics most respected & revered musicians has been a long time coming, but for 3 nights late last year, their respective schedules had sufficient gaps to allow time for this reunion to finally take place-decades after their initial teaming up in Blind Faith-one of the first supergroups of the late sixties. Although Winwood did appear at Clapton's Crossroads guitar festival in 2007, the timing wasn't initially right for a proper organized reunion, but it did whet the appetites of both Clapton & Winwood to agree to sit down & work out just when their timing would allow more time for a tour.

And thank bloody god these two get along! Unlike the often tenuous & tempestuous relationship that EC has with the other 2/3rds of Cream (Jack Bruce & Ginger Baker) his relationship with Steve Winwood was always much healthier by comparison-musically as well as personally! This point is made because it is readily apparent that Clapton & Winwood just feed off each magnificently-their playing is totally in sync with both-the demands of the music-and the stylistic differences between each other. But the key reasons why this particular concert is so much fun to watch is the passion, energy, enthusiasm & sheer joy these two grizzled gods display so effortlessly. They are having a ball feeding off each other without doubt, so it makes you wonder just why it didn't happen sooner! Presumably they felt this way as well, because checking out their respective websites, they are teaming up again for a full tour proper. And more fans will be able to appreciate this great opportunity in person.

But, this being the digital age, thank god for DVD (and Blu-Ray!). This for me, has being one of the best things about DVD, the fact that so many musical acts are now recorded for posterity via this wonderful medium. And its not just the newer acts that have cashed on this, many older more established artists have found this option an attractive idea as well. This point is even more pertinent when you factor in that many of these musicians from rocks past are getting older-and dying. So, if you can't attend the concert in person, the next best thing is to buy a DVD of the tour. And probably you'll have a better seat-and viewpoint as well! But the really cool thing is that you can replay this concert again, and again, and...again!

I suspect I'll be replaying this DVD more than a few times in the near future...

RED CLIFF

Historical Epics. I am a huge fan of this genre of movies. There's something totally enthralling about seeing a major historical event made into a motion picture. The magnificent & vast landscapes, the complex labyrinth of interlocking stories between the various protagonists, the epic journeys undertaken, the rivalry, the loves, the losses. The intense & often massive battles between warring nations/kingdoms. The betrayals, the cruel twists of fate & circumstance. The hero's journey. These aspects are just some of the familiar strands that are evident in John Woo's latest film. Initially a 2 part release in his native mainland China (Total running time 5 hours!), the still lengthy (140 minutes) international version does deliver the 'goods' as such.

The weak Han Emperor Xian allows (Rather persuaded very strongly) his scheming prime minister Cao Cao (Zhang Fengyi) to lead his overwhelmingly massive army southwards to crush the 'rebel' warlords Sun Quan & Liu Bei once and for all. But without really doing his homework properly, he makes that old chestnut of - underestimating your foe - to his eventual downfall. He doesn't count on the strategies of his main counterparts Viceroy Zhou Yu (Tony Leung) & his clever strategist Lu Su (Takeshi Kineshiro) in being able to build any sort of credible opposition against his mighty army.

To say the battle scenes that ensue are spectacular is a major understatement. No-one does epic battles like the Chinese filmmakers do with such utter flair, virtuosity & brilliance. Woo displays all his trademark visual signatures with gusto. Swords, spears, arrows, flaming fireballs, cannons, thundering horses appear in their thousands! Trust me, you'll probably have never seen such massed displays of vulgar raw military might like this film does. It is intense beyond belief...

Now having seen this epic, it does make me eager to watch the full versions on DVD at some point in the future. Yet again, the credit card will take another hammering...

2009 New Zealand International Film Festival

Phew! I'm buggered. I've just attended my my local film festival (www.nzff.co.nz) for the past 2 & 1/2 weeks and watched in that space of time, my new personal record of 40 movies! And, I've had a real blast, with only one real disappointment. The other 39 I would recommend very much! So, with that thought in mind, onto a review or two about what I've just seen...

Day 1 (Friday 10th July)

TREELESS MOUNTAIN (Korea)

This utterly sweet & poignant movie was the perfect intro to the festival! Focusing on a pair of children, sisters Bin-and younger sis Jin, this movie follows them from their seemingly protected world in the city, to a smaller town, then to the countryside as they get palmed off due to various circumstances. Its how they react to their new environments - and the people who populate them - that provide the real magic of this charming tale. At times this film is so completely natural, that you could swear your watching a documentary - not a feature movie. The two young actress playing sisters Jin & Bin are exceptional. Both perfectly natural in their respective roles. The environment they inhabit seems extremely real, as well as the situations they find themselves in. One of the best decisions the director made was to focus on the childrens point of view first and foremost. With all the adult roles taking a slight backseat, we can chart their journey with far more appreciation of how remarkable & resourceful kids can be left to fend for themselves. Its a point not lost at all in this period in time!

Irrespective of the minor detail that its a foreign language, subtitled movie, this movie is one that is a great pleasure to watch. You do become engaged with just how well these two sweet kids rise to the various challenges that they face in their journey of discovery about the wider unknown world that awaits them.

Easily, highly recommended to all discerning movie fans...

Young @ Heart

No, they wont fix you, they don't have schizophrenia, probably no purple haze either, they are in their golden years, but hey-they aren't on the road to nowhere either!

This is the story of a group of elderly men & women from Northampton, Massachusetts who first formed in 1982. They've toured the world, singing their unique brand of musical reinterpretations to sell-out audiences constantly. And it is so easy to see why this group has connected so well to so many people. They are just ordinary everyday people who just love to sing. But, the crucial difference with this bunch is what type of music they perform. Led by the relatively youthful Bob Cilman, he isn't content with them just performing oldtime standards exclusively. He decided that more challenging material might push them out of their safety zone & that they might actually enjoy singing more contemporary material occasionally. If only they knew just what songs he had in mind, they might not have been so quick to to say yes! So in come songs by the Rolling Stones, Talking heads, Sonic Youth, Outkast, Ramones to name but a few. The look on their faces as they are introduced to these new fangled things is priceless, and more than a challenge to say the least.

The movie follows the group rehearsing for a new show & tour in 2006, and the dogged efforts of Bob Cilman to get them to understand & perform the new tunes to a reasonable standard. It becomes rapidly obvious however, that he has got his work cut out for him in no uncertain terms. Two tunes that come in for the most scrutiny are james Browns' "I got you (I Feel Good)" & Allen Toussaints "Yes we can (we can can)" The continual hashing of these songs drives Cilman to utter despair at times, but the group persevere constantly, seemingly to no avail. You get the feeling that there is only so much that the group wants to learn, but they are not going to give up that easily!

In a large group of this size, its inevitable that a few will stand out from the rest. First up is the incorrigible flirt Eileen, who at a sprightly 96 yrs of age, has a wonderfully positive outlook on life. And definitely loves the attention in the movie from director Stephen Walker. Next into view are the doggedly determined guys: Bob Salvini, Fred Knittle who are being asked to perform a duet together of Coldplays "Fix You" Fred & Bobs' stories are very touching and undoubtedly, very amazing in their attitude to their fellow choir members. They don't want to let anyone down, least of all, themselves. What happens to them is both happy and sad, and safe to be said, extremely moving.

This movie is, hand on heart-the best thing I've seen all year. It has moved me like no other movie has done in a long while. I Laughed (Really laughed out loud!), I cried, I totally connected with this film much than I thought I would. It is absolutely unmissable.

Young @ Heart has only one aim really. To tell anyone that may care to watch that the most important thing in how you live your life is your attitude towards it.

Attitude is everything.

The Lost

Meet Ray Pye, a good boy who has an unhealthy fascination with....killing. He just wants to see what it feels like to kill a human being.

From the opening sequence where Crispian St Peters "Pied Piper" plays over a low camera shot of a of black booted person walking fast in the woods over autumn leaves, towards an unknown destination, you get a very ominous sense of dread that he's not not on a errand that has a positive purpose in mind. Indeed, this opening scene takes a few unexpected twists and turns. And, with that, we just need to know exactly who is this dark & menacing character? What the hell is his real motives that for the chaos he is about to bring to this sleepy town?

Ray is played with complete & utter conviction by an actor by the name of Mark Senter. Not a name I have seen previously, but if this performance is an indicator, then he is assured of a long career as a quality actor. Obviously, we will need to see him in other more varied roles before we judge him of any impending greatness. But, this is one hell of an intro! I've checked out on the IMDB and found that Marc Senter won a best actor award at the 2005 Screamfest. Totally worthy of such an award. Hopefully, it wont be his last either. Maybe if he could get a role in either a primetime TV series-or a blockbuster movie, his undoubted skills will be noticed by more people.

Thankfully though, he is not the only good thing in this movie. From the jittery girlfriend, the wary & subservient best friend, to the dogged cops, the new female employee at the motel owned by Ray's mom & a myriad of supporting roles, no-one puts a foot wrong. We care about all these characters as they become increasingly tangled in Rays web of destruction. There is nowhere to hide as Ray gets more and more psychotic. Then maybe, a brief respite of sorts as Ray meets a new girl in town. The mysterious Katherine is attracted to ladies man Ray, who is clearly smitten with this newbie. She is just as cool & charming as Ray is. Indeed she is maybe, just maybe-more than a match for him.

Then, after the honeymoon with Katherine ends too bluntly for the now obsessed Ray, he reverts back to the type of behavior he first exhibited at the start of the movie. But he's not a happy camper by any stretch of the imagination. No sir, he is now a man with a mission to fix everything that is wrong in his world, get out of his way fast-or suffer the dire consequences he has in mind. Hell hath no fury than a man infused with the belief that only he has the answer for the problems in front of him. And you just know there are going to be more than just fancy words spoken. Some pain is going to be delivered in the most sadistic way possible.

The final shocking end scenes are a masterclass in heightened tension, as the every volatile Ray becomes irreversibly engulfed by a rage that wont abate easily. This is at times, unbearably brutal to view. But, you cant take your eyes away from the screen. You need to know how its all going to pan out.

This festival movie is like my last post Shotgun Stories, another great example of the fantastic resurgence in the American Indie Movie scene.

The disturbing fact that this is based on a true story makes it that much more gutwrenching.

The Lost is completely compelling & an amazing debut for Marc Senter as the irredeemable pyschotic bad boy with no moral compass whatsoever. Don't miss this one. You wont forget Ray Pye easily...