Bandslam: Actually A Good Movie?
Wednesday, August 12th, 2009
Alright, so this weekend everyone’s probably going to see District 9 and rightly so, it looks like its going to be amazing. But, what if I told you that there was another little film that actually looks like a good time?
I’ll admit, Bandslam was not on my radar of movies to watch at any point this summer. I saw the poster, read the little preview blurb in Entertainment Weekly’s Summer Preview Issue and wrote it off as a Camp Rock wannabe. I mean, it had High School Musical’s Vanessa Hudgens in it! But then earlier this week, I went on Rotten Tomattoes and saw Banslam’s Tomato-Meter: 76%. Wait…what?
Yes, 76%. As of Thursday, Bandslam is getting better reviews than Funny People and is neck and neck with matching 500 Days of Summer AND Harry Potter. Now, I’ve never been one to just rely on a number, but then I started going through some of the reviews:
Variety: “And awkward, earnest, almost irresistible indie”
Hollywood Reporter: “This savvy, music-fuled high school comedy really rocks.”
Bandslam is getting dick in terms of marketing and even crtical attention; Rotten Tomatoes only had six reviews posted and I’ve yet to come across a movie news site that had even bothered to review it. But after reading some of the reviews and watching the trailer (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nAloQYjWmFI) I can honestly say that will be adding Bandslam to my must-see list this weekend; along with District 9 and Ponyo. You guys might want to do the same.
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How can you have three “must see” movies in a weekend? Are you really gonna go to the movies 3 times this weekend?
Why is that so crazy? It’s perfectly doable. Go see one on Friday, the next on Saturday and the third on Sunday. Easy and done. If you have the money to blow, then why not? I’ve had rare instances where the whole day is open to me and I have nothing better to do. So, I’ll walk down to the cinema, which is literally down the street (since I live in the city) and I’ll watch two movies in a row. It’s rare, but it happens.
I get in for free becuase I’m the film critic for my town’s local paper. Otherwsie I’d have a hell of a decsion to make this weekend lol. D9 looks great but im a total Myasaki nut
yeah, D9 and Ponyo sure. those are both must see. I’m gonn double feature ‘em. But Bandslam? Just because it’s a 76% at RT? I’d put bandslam a distant third behind those other two.
Is it a paid gig for the paper?
I was just coming here to post about this in John Hughes section on the Nick and Norah debacle, I saw Bandslam today, it’s what I wanted from Nick and Norah but didn’t get. It was sweet, charming and entertaining. I’ve gotta say that I am a High School Musical fan, the 3rd film really rocked it. But on the point of Bandslam, I found this film to be very enjoyable, the performances were nice (though Vanessa Hudgens might be a little miscast as the outsider, a girl that hot with the sparkling personality would be in with many crowds). It focused on music I actually liked and there was a nice (if a little bizarre) cameo at the end.
Here’s a question, is Lisa Kudrow the new Joan Cusack? She always pops up in films that I had no idea she was in, she is playing the responsible adult or the angry bride and she has the same annoying voice… was Joan Cusack the new Catherine O’Hara?
debacle?!
I think you mean epic discussion.
I meant what I said and I said what I meant… you know the rest
I would have watched D9 or Ponyo if they were out over here, we’ve had very slim choices lately, nothing that appealing (or cheap) has come out for a while
Hey man, You’re getting Doctor Parnassus before us; that’s pretty cool
actually this weekend I’m going to Movie-Con where Terry Gilliam is playing us the movie (I think it’s the whole film, not completely sure, if not it’s clips). But the fact that I get to meet a Python is awesome… I got Bandslam before you though, and for that, I’m very happy
Hey USA Today talked about it too! Talk about being ahead of the curve! http://content.usatoday.com/communities/popcandy/post/2009/08/when-good-films-get-tangled-in-bad-marketing/1?loc=interstitialskip