Wendy Case

Rock 'n' roll (suicide)

Could this be the best film ever about that unholy beast?

• By Wendy Case
For Steve “Lips” Ludlow and Robb Reiner of Toronto metal monsters Anvil, no amount of dashed career promises, failed record sales or hand-to-hand combat (these two like to manifest their “creative differences” physically) were going to keep them from the teenage dream. In 1974, the two made a pact to rock their way to the top — even if took the rest of their natural lives. Amazingly, it has. And the new documentary by band friend and fan Sacha Gervasi, follows the group from its basement beginnings through its crusade to release the 2007 album, This Is Thirteen.
• Tags: The Scene, Film

El Cantante

• By Wendy Case
Jennifer Lopez and husband Marc Anthony, who co-star in this biopic about the life of ’70s salsa king Hector Lavoe, never stop being JLo and Marc Anthony. It’s annoying, but that’s not the worst of it. El Cantante is basically a long (really long) music video broken up by flaccid, fleeting narrative and herky-jerky camerawork. To be fair, Lopez and Anthony have their moments: JLo, in the character of Lavoe’s longtime love interest Puchi, can be fierce, pouring on Latina fire when Lavoe leaves her character stranded at the altar. But it’s her famous ass that gives the film its standout performance.
• Tags: The Scene, Film

Suspiria

• By Wendy Case
Young American ballerina “Suzy,” played appealingly by Jessica Harper, travels to a fancy German ballet school only to discover that it’s a confusing, murderous, maggot-infested mess. Between her neurotic roommate, a cruel ballet teacher and a supremely metrosexual love interest — Suzy’s got her cute ’70s hands full. Throw in a coven of witches and you’ve pretty much got Valley of the Dolls meets House of Wax. But for all of its campy glory, Suspiria is not without a few chills — as well as a particularly disturbing dog attack.
• Tags: The Scene, Movie

Air superiority

New doc takes a serious look at an oddball competition

• By Wendy Case
First-time director Alexandra Lipsitz’ feature documentary Air Guitar Nation is surprisingly compelling. The film traces the efforts of American friends Kriston Rucker and Cedric Devitt who are determined to unearth the first American capable of shredding alongside the Europeans in Finland's annual air guitar championship.
• Tags: The Scene, Film

On your knees, boys!

• By Wendy Case
• Tags: City Slang, Music