fantard

It starts off alright, providing some backstory to the people being interviewed. But, from the outset, seeing the rather extraordinary measures they go to to "safely" interview the people -- effectively isolating them in a room with a camera and, seemingly, conveying the questions via microphone -- the sense of absurdity already hangs heavy.

Following some piteous tales detailing the overreactive measures taken to curb NYC's corona outbreaks of crica March 2020, and the emotional and non-mutually exclusive fiscal toll it takes on workers in the appertaining industry, the film ends up too mired in "COVID" fear porn; which entirely detracted from the what piece sold itself as initially; and increasingly so, as the film progressed.

It is difficult to recommend this, despite the "grass roots" perspective on the subject matter; given that, at the time of writing, we have been aurally, visually, and psychologically assailed by "COVID" insanity, non-stop, 24/7; and this film ultimately only serves to further compound this mind-altering corona catatonia. 4/10.

I watched a movie called "THE WAR OF THE WORLDS (2021)", that sports the same poster as this film (Alien Conquest), and, among many notable nonentity 'actors' (*term used ironically), starred Tom Sizemore... Yet, said once-serviceable actor -- cast in classics like Reservoir Dogs (1992) and Heat (1995) -- who is now making Steven Seagal look like he's exiting this existential plane gracefully, is no where to be found in that film's IMDb roll call... Very confusing.

Notwithstanding, the sweaty, uncomfortable-looking, sickly... drugged (?!) Mr. Sizemore was outright cringe-inducing to witness lurch through this first semester film student assignment tier "manure picture". I'm just not sure what's going on with Mr. Sizemore -- other than his wealth-defying, deathly appearance, combined with his seeming drug addict's level of desperation for work / money, indicates that an immediate intervention is needed. I know Bruce Willis is also going through a similar end-of-life crisis... So, it seems to me that this disorder (?) is endemic to the industry, when it comes to its has-been stars. Whatever the case, this kind of public self-immolation is unpleasant for all concerned -- especially the viewer. Please, stop.

Now, as for the 'film' (*term used sarcastically) itself, as alluded to, is essentially what one would expect from an ex-Eastern Bloc schlock: Playstation 2 CGI effects; attempts at acting that redefine said verb to be an epithet; and a story / script that is as meaningless as a review of something so undeservëd of the time it takes to compile a critique.

2/10: Only worth it if one has a deep-seated hatred for Tom Sizemore -- i.e., for the Schadenfreude derived from watching a man in the throes filmic suicide.

A by-the-numbers, sometimes opinionated documentation of the goings on at the infamous 1999 Woodstock event: a well-known, festival that was created in the late 1960s, as a way for youths' to "rage against the machine" through music; as well as the drug fuelled love-in it has often been wistfully (and selectively) recounted as.

This analysis is a relatively balanced account... Albeit, as implied by the review title, tainted by the now nauseating bent of American documentary-makers to twist themselves into knots to try and paint every historical event with a racially tarred brush -- which comes off as especially cynical in this feature. In addition, the divisive rhetoric along the lines of sex were at times, to a lesser degree, also irksome. Thankfully, these instances only rear their capacious heads a few times during the 105-minute rumination, and are not a deal-breakers as such; nor even for those sensitive to such toxic, political issues.

For the viewer uninitiated with what transpired over those few, fateful days in July '99, they should find this vivisection enlightening, and even entertaining -- snippets of the acts are played throughout. For those who have opinions already formed regarding the dubious eventuations of what was meant as a celebration, and instead turned into something resembling a Bacchanalian assault orgy (perhaps appropriately enough, given the locale -- Rome, New York), may not find anything new presented here. Even so, it's still worth a watch. 7/10.