Brightlyme
i know i wasted 90 mins of my life.
Neive Bellamy
Excellent and certainly provocative... If nothing else, the film is a real conversation starter.
Lucia Ayala
It's simply great fun, a winsome film and an occasionally over-the-top luxury fantasy that never flags.
Superunknovvn
Let's get it over with right from the beginning: the only thing that "This Is Spinal Tap!" and "Hard Core Logo" have in common is the documentary set up. While Spinal Tap was a comedy that - as the name of the genre "mockumentary" suggests - mocked the heavy metal scene, "Hard Core Logo" is a character study that takes an honest look at a band and life on the road. Actually, the whole framework is rather unnecessary in this movie as it serves no real purpose and characters didn't act like they were in front of a camera (unlike say "The Office", where people behaved as if they were aware of being filmed). Besides, the pictures are shot too beautifully anyway for this to feel like a real documentary. That's not to say "Hard Core Logo" isn't realistic, though. The movie gives us a quite real impression of being in a punk band, caught between different agendas, personalities, power struggles and the sheer need to survive. This is why, apart from a few moments that will make you chuckle, "Hard Core Logo" isn't really trying to be funny, either. Just like real life the tragic moments outweigh the comedic ones by far. The acting is great and the soundtrack is accurate, two very important things to make a movie about punk rock work. Apart from maybe the drummer the band members aren't over-subscribed and you can really see guys like Joe Dick or Billy Talent playing in actual bands (guess what, Hugh Dillon actually was the singer of his own band, The Headstones). "Hard Core Logo" works on every level and is very entertaining to watch, too. There are quite a few details in the story hinted at rather subtly, which you're probably not going to get the first time around, so a second or third viewing is recommended.
balkanarama
It resembles "Spinal Tap" only in that it's about a fictitious rock band on its way down. This is a more ambitious movie, and its mood is much darker -- while it has its comic moments, it's not a film to watch when you're feeling down.This particular American viewer had no trouble with the Canadian references -- yes, we can tell Canadian cities apart and know exactly which Quebeckers the bassist was talking about. In fact, the Canadianness of the movie was part of its appeal, and I'm not just talking about the stunning scenery. I do have to admit overlooking the angle about Canadian musicians selling out to the American scene -- I was more attuned to the sellout on the personal rather than national level. Bands in the States lose musicians to L.A., too.At its core, this is a movie about friendship and betrayal, and in the end, betrayal wins. It's a hard, honest movie, not easy watching but worth the effort.(Parents, this one isn't for the kiddies -- lots of obscenity and some violence, though none of it is gratuitous to the story.)
miguelsanchez69
Really interesting film for anyone familiar with the hardcore music scene that deals with the problems and moral dilemmas of a reunited band. The problem is the movie is mismarketed as a comedy. Humor in the movie is quite present though dark and dry (though still very funny). This movie is actually quite a bit better than spinal tap. It's not mocking a bad band of a genre, but exploring the problems of the scene by looking at what's viewed to be a good one. The only similarity between this film and spinal tap is the narrative framework, which is that of a documentary, though in this film, that device becomes less obtrusive, and in all honesty could have been removed. Also, this movie has much more of a human heart than a film like spinal tap or fear of a black hat (another movie that got lumped into the "mockumentary" genre). The big problem I think is that this movie is represented as a comedy, and it's as dramatic as it is humorous. Terrific ending too. Recommended to those who enjoy dark comedies and punk rock.
Genevieve_X
Didn't know what to expect from this film, but it was recommended by a friend who I spent lots of time with in the Melbourne punk scene, so I thought it would be worth a shot. Usually films about the punk scene are so off the mark, that no matter whether they are good films or not, people are usually so insulted by the 'fakeness' of them all, that they are disregarded by punk-rock fans. However, this film really manages to capture the punk rock scene to a T! The characters are likeable and realistic, the music is authentic, and the plot-line is so close to the reality of touring it is eerie. The relationship between the two main characters, (singer and lead-guitarist - a relationship that is often tense in most bands) gives this film something more than if it had just relied on the 'road-movie' genre to keep it moving. I really loved this film!
