Shut Up & Sing

I just saw this film last night at the Fort Lauderdale International Film Festival (FLIFF) This is one of the best, if not best, rock docs I have seen.

The three year journey that these three talented ladies have gone through is amazing. A stand up for yourself and your country movie if there ever was one. The production quality is A+ and I bought their new album today..the first one I ever did buy, just to say thank you to the chicks for standing their ground. The archival news footage and commentary from right wingers is too funny given what we all know now about the lies about Iraq and the dishonesty of the Bush administration. The theater was packed by the way and the audience erupted in applause several times during the film... I will be telling everyone about this film and I hope it gets into wide release. It needs to be seen.

I just saw this film at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) and wanted to spread the word right away.

This is a great documentary that will appeal to anyone, even if you don't like country music (which I don't). The screening was held at 9:30am on a Wednesday and the theatre was packed. The entire audience seemed to have a great time which added another level to the film. This is the type of movie that needs to be seen in the theatre to get the full experience.

Similar to Metalica: Some Kind of Monster, this film goes beyond the usual formulaic making of an album film, and into what happens when the real world intrudes into these insular lives.

When I went to this movie, I wondered whether it would be as funny as SPINAL TAP or as insightful as FAHRENHEIT 9/11. What really shocked me was that it was more exciting than both movies. The Dixie Chicks come across as smarter than Michael Moore, funnier, kinder, and sexier too!

Unlike Michael Moore, the Dixie Chicks are not angry or driven by rage. They don't need wacko conspiracy theories to bolster their position. This incredible true story mixes glamor, humor, great music and current events in a way that lets the facts speak for themselves. All you have to do is listen to George Bush talk and you understand Natalie's whole point of view without a word being said. But then you get to meet the Dixie Chicks themselves, and it's like love at first sight.

Watching the movie, you see three very beautiful women who love their families, their music, and each other. And you get the sense that Natalie Maines, for all her wholesome Sandra Dee looks (and her considerable sex appeal), is exactly the kind of strong-willed, independent minded hero that young people should be taught to admire. It's so refreshing to see that courage doesn't always mean fighting or shooting a gun! At times you really have to stop yourself and go -- hey, did she just say that?!? But in a good way. You see this dangerous radical snuggling into the cushions like a ten year old or lounging around like a trailer park diva, but then you listen to what she's saying and her courage is just overwhelming. And her wit is razor sharp! Watch the scene where she's teasing her manager and her band mates and she uses George Bush's "with us or against us" line to make them laugh and at the same time get her point across. No wonder she's the leader of this remarkable band!

But this isn't just Natalie's movie. If you watch Emily Robison, (she's the dark-eyed, quiet one, looks like Julia Roberts but more earthy and full of strength) it's impossible not to sense that while Natalie acts, Emily thinks. She's the introspective one, and the way the movie catches her thinking and analyzing makes for fascinating viewing. Even when she's in the midst of childbirth, you sense the way she steps back mentally to gain perspective and take stock of what it all means. She's also the one, I think, who is most willing to compromise and listen to other points of view. She's like Mr. Spock to Natalie's Captain Kirk, except both of them are wives and mothers, glamorous and nurturing, strong and feminine and they never for one moment let you forget it.

If I haven't said much about Martie McGuire in this review, it's only because she comes across as very shy and less inclined to put herself out there for the film process. But her playing and singing is really beautiful, and there's one scene at the very end of the movie that will just break your heart.

In the end, I have to say that this movie exceeded my expectations as entertainment, as art and journalism and as political commentary. I'm not a big country music fan, but I would definitely buy an album by the incredibly courageous and talented people who made this film.

I saw the film today, and it was every bit as good as I hoped it would be. Contrary to what some may think, the film is not about the Chicks whining about losing their freedom of speech. The primary focus is on the Chicks (and their manager) handling the backlash to Natalie's on-stage comment and trying to get their career back on track without the support of country radio. The film shows considerable heated discussion between the Chicks and their manager about handling their problems, and it's a side of musicians we rarely get to see. Considering that the film shows these arguments, and shows the Chicks without makeup, I don't think anyone could classify this as a vanity project.

Of course, if you hate the Dixie Chicks or love Dubya, you'll hate this film. I saw one woman walk out after one of Natalie's Bush insults, but it was the best moment of the film for me. The film also shows some of the media coverage of the Chicks backlash, including the ever-reliable Bill O'Reilly saying that the Chicks "should be slapped around." What a classy guy.

In short, I loved the film and I plan to see it again.

because I don't much like country music.

I am a big fan of the first amendment, however, and have thrown a few $$$ set aside for my music budget towards the Chicks.

Whether you agree with what they said or not, it is an American value to speak your mind, and a greater American value to defend the rights of others who speak their minds as well. That value is never so brilliantly displayed as when used to defend those with whom you disagree.

God (and that's MY concept of God, not yours) bless the first amendment, and more power to the Dixie Chicks.

Watch this movie. Let it warm your heart, or set a fire in your mind. That's what truly free speech will do for you.