Overlooked Classics: The Devil and Daniel Johnston

This beautiful documentary by Jeff Feuerzeig focuses on the much missed cult singer songwriter and artist Daniel Johnston, a sensitive and thoughtful portrait of a troubled, gifted soul. Although the director takes a linear, somewhat conventional approach to Johnston’s life, he was absolutely unique, whether drawing comics and painting, or creating his beautiful, brittle music.Continue reading “Overlooked Classics: The Devil and Daniel Johnston”

We Need To Talk About Lisa

I watched Girl, Interrupted for about the fifth time the other evening, having seen Leah Shelton’s brilliant show Batshit. (My review of it is up on Fest magazine). I was wondering if it still held up, having not watched for a while. It’s good, if flawed : James Mangold directs brilliantly, but the narration andContinue reading “We Need To Talk About Lisa”

Pills, Grunge and Gen X- Prozac Nation At Nearly Thirty

There were of course notorious books before this, like ‘Go Ask Alice’ by Anonymous, a searing account of abuse and drugs set around the sixties counterculture, and seemingly a true story. There was ‘Valley of the Dolls’ (sex,drugs, hippies -but fictional) Then there was Pamela Des Barres and her groupie memoir, ‘I’m With the Band’.Continue reading “Pills, Grunge and Gen X- Prozac Nation At Nearly Thirty”