deproduction

This is a shallow film about a shallow (albeit likable) man, full of shallow references to events that would only be interesting to people who are already fans of the band. As a documentary filmmaker myself, I would've left 75% of this film on the cutting room floor. Did you know Iggy once saw John Wayne driving down the street in LA? ...Well, he *thinks* it was John Wayne... I wouldn't put that drivel in a god damn Facebook post, much less a documentary film. I have to believe there was some depth to be found in the life and lessons of Iggy and the Stooges, but its all wasted on Jarmusch. This is nothing but a vanity piece made by fans for fans. It will be an utterly forgotten film with zero relevance for the world beyond Iggy/Stooges fans. This isn't to say that the Stooges weren't a very relevant band. I am convinced they were. But that doesn't make for an interesting film, and its essentially the only message conveyed. I enjoyed looking at Iggy's face for over an hour, but after 30 minutes being impressed at how well that man has aged, despite a lifetime of abusing his body, there was nothing left to ponder. Better to spend your time on films that don't simply elevate celebrity, but dig into deeper issues, like the "Friends Forever" documentary about a pair of musicians who never achieve any fame, unintentionally illustrating that life is about the journey, not the destination. That film was made by an auteur, not a fanboy, who exposes the emptiness of pursuing fame, sex, drugs, and everything else that Iggy and the Stooges seemingly glorified. Unless you're in the mood for a shallow fluff piece, that would be a better use of your time.

This is as good as a film of this type gets. The easiest film to compare with Sicario is Traffic. Both were flawlessly acted and directed and revolve around the same subject-matter, though from different perspectives. I imagine Sicario is as clear, deep, and honest a view into the world of the Mexican/American drug trade and the USA's dysfunctional "war on drugs" as we can get. No simple good-guys or bad-guys. No master-plan. Just a bunch of flawed individuals and institutions doing the best they can to resist the ugly reality of the society we live in, where drugs are a symptom of larger problems that may never be resolved. The characters are magnetic and deep. The music is phenomenal and eerie. The story is brilliant and complex, and Benicio Del Toro is an absolute shoe-in for best supporting actor (again). Everyone else is equally good, but his role is a rare gem, and if he deserved it for his role in Traffic, he is a lock for his role in Sicario.

This is as good as a film of this type gets. The easiest film to compare with Sicario is Traffic. Both were flawlessly acted and directed and revolve around the same subject-matter, though from different perspectives. I imagine Sicario is as clear, deep, and honest a view into the world of the Mexican/American drug trade and the USA's dysfunctional "war on drugs" as we can get. No simple good-guys or bad-guys. No master-plan. Just a bunch of flawed individuals and institutions doing the best they can to resist the ugly reality of the society we live in, where drugs are a symptom of larger problems that may never be resolved. The characters are magnetic and deep. The music is phenomenal and eerie. The story is brilliant and complex, and Benicio Del Toro is an absolute shoe-in for best supporting actor (again). Its not just that he is so good (like all of the cast), but also that this character is the gem of the script. If he deserved the Oscar for Traffic, this role merits it even more.