Tuesday, January 20, 2015

"Jimi: All Is by My Side" is Well Worth a Watch.



Released in theaters in September 2013, the DVD released hit the public on January 13 and hip hopper Andr'e Benjamin nails the part of Jimi Hendrix.

"Jimi: All Is by My Side" earned a three star rating because of the acting. The choice of the actual Jimi Hendrix songs used in the movie was fantastic. If you want to hear his smash hits such as "Purple Haze" and "Hey Joe," this is not the movie for you, but if you like his hard blues tunes, it's for you. The movie is about a year in in the life of 60s rock 'n' roller Jimi Hendrix; 1966-1967.



As I learned in both of my screen writing classes, no movie biography is required to adhere to any truths of the actual life of the person or people in the story. Yes it's true Jimi Hendrix was an iconic rock 'n' roll guitarist who also sang in the three piece band, The Jimi Hendrix Experience.

The Washington Post movie review as well as the movie itself claims Linda Keith, portrayed by Imogen Poots was the sole motivator of Hendrix's pursuit to get serious about making a name for himself, maybe so. (http://www.washingtonpost.com/goingoutguide/movies/jimi-all-is-by-my-side-movie-review-behind-the-music-with-hendrix-as-a-star-is-born/2014/09/25/f99f6b9a-4418-11e4-9a15-137aa0153527_story.html)

The movie is basically about Hendrix seeking his own sound while maintaining a career and dealing with narrow minded American perception of the many genres of music. When he gets to London he appreciates the freedoms of combining blues with 60s rock 'n' roll sounds.

Hayley Atwell (Kathy Etchingham) is the main woman in Hendrix's life who inspires love, jealously and illustrates the complications of being in a famed relationship. Ida, played by Ruth Negga introduces drugs into Hendrix's life and aides his wisdom and knowledge in the various gimmicks in life and political injustices that will never end on Earth. The two women provide a story everyone seems to feast on, love, lust and gossip.



The unsung heroes in "Jimi: All Is by My Side" include Kenny Aronoff, the actual drummer, Leland Sklar, the bassist and Waddy Wachtel who wailed on the guitar.

The Movie "Gone Girl" is A Hit With the Entertainment Senses.



The perception from the synopsises on the DVD jacket is just a glimpse of what "Gone Girl" is all about.

The movie was nothing what I imagined and pleasantly so. Yes the basics from the previews are true, Nick Dunne (Ben Affleck) has a wife that is suddenly and mysteriously gone, hence the title "Gone Girl" releseased on DVD January 13. As the story unravels, Dunne was not the best husband in the world, but was he involved in her disappearance and possible murder which the previews advertised?

It's really hard to write a summary of the story without giving away the whole story, but here's the gist, Amy Dunne, Nick's wife is adored by everyone that crosses her path and understandably so. Without a body, the police are reluctant to arrest Nick for the disappearance and possible murder of his wife which gets the general public in an out roar.

The story gets very interesting when the police learn that the house and money were all Amy's. The character Desi Collings played by Neil Patrick Harris sheds intricate details of the story as does the young woman Andie Fitzgerald. (Emily Ratajkowski) The details are so intriguing and gripping, they make this movie a must see in my eyes.

Screen writer Gillian Flynn who also wrote the book has a penchant for originality and this four and a half star thriller becomes a mind tease fit for any brain enticed by cerebral pleasure.