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The Dictator

A disappointing, often repulsive and mean-spirited mess of a film with seemingly only one real criterion on its agenda: to shock and offend.

The Woman In Black

Packed with atmosphere, this old-fashioned but deftly told ghost story delivers ample chills and thrills.

Careless Love

Sidestepping a more extreme take on prostitution, this is a quietly impressive portrait of a young woman caught in a tragic situation.

Empire Of Silver

Its backdrop is a rich and fascinating one, but the film is let down by a screenplay and direction that fails to register on a personal level.

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All Tomorrow's Parties (Film)

by Cara Nash | June 20, 2011 14:47 | Edited June 20, 2011 14:49

While it may skimp on a unifying narrative, this brilliantly and irresistibly captures the atmosphere of this lauded music festival.

Potentially the hippest musical festival around, the UK's All Tomorrow's Parties was founded in 1999 as an alternative to the larger, more commercially focused festivals flourishing at the time and still today. Taking place at a British seaside venue where performers camp alongside fans, the festival's line-up is selected by a different artist each year, with previous curators including the likes of Mogwai, Vincent Gallo, Thurston Moore, Pavement and Belle and Sebastian.

 

All Tomorrow's Parties attempts to document the indie festival's ten-year history, and in the spirit of the event's DIY aesthetic, much of the film's footage has been shot by concert-goers over the years. It's all been assembled by Jonathan Caouette (Tarnation), who applies an almost maniacal energy to the editing process, often splitting the screen and rapidly shifting from scene to scene, rarely letting the camera rest on one moment for too long. While this can become a little wearying, it brilliantly conveys the immediate experience of attending this event, where the atmosphere proves just as important as watching the acts.

 

Despite the often flashy editing, the insight into this lauded festival is absolutely irresistible, albeit way too brief. Highlights include Iggy Pop delivering an absolutely cracking version of "I Wanna Be Your Dog", Sonic Youth fretting over guitar tuning backstage and minutes later pulverising an enraptured crowd, and Grizzly Bear playing a sublime acoustic set as they stroll down the beach, crowds in tow.

 

With only snatches of performances shared, this isn't your standard rock doco, but rather a dizzying mosaic of this unique festival experience as a whole. While it may skimp on a unifying narrative, All Tomorrow's Parties succeeds in capturing those spine-tingling, hair-raising moments that remind us why we see live music in the first place, and how when it's good, nothing else compares.