District 9

District 9 (2009) dir. Neill Blomkamp
Starring: Sharlto Copley, David James, Vanessa Haywood

**1/2

After the death of the Jackson/Blomkamp adaptation of Halo, director Neill Blomkamp quickly dove into 'District 9', an expansion on his 2005 short film ‘Alive in Joburg’ – a youtube sensation for cultist scifi fanboy junkies.

Like Joburg, this near future revisionist world is introduced like a documentary, featuring interviews with fake experts recounting the day, in 1982, when an alien ship entered our atmosphere and parked itself overtop of Johannesburg South Africa. The aliens inside the ship, which looked like humanoid prawns, were corralled and ghettoized in an area called District 9. Twenty-eight years later, the district, now a shantytown filled all sorts of illegal and sordid behaviour, is to be moved to the outskirts of town.

In charge of moving the creatures, all of whom speak a Star Wars-type language but understand English, is a pencil-pushing dweep named Wikus Van De Merwe (Sharlto Copley). During the raid, Wirkus becomes exposed to some illicit alien liquid which starts having unruly effects on his body. When Wirkus becomes the target of the government for study, suddenly he finds himself on the run and working with the aliens in hopes of reversing his evolving biological condition. Wirkus bonds with one of the aliens thus forming a unique companionship of male bonding.

If “District 9” were made three years ago in 2006, the mockumentary/realist aesthetic convention would have made a much greater impact. But “Cloverfield”, “Rec”, and even a whole video game ad campaign with the same faux documentary style, makes “District 9” feels like old news. Even the concept of aliens living with humans on earth, like marginalized second class citizens has been done before in “Alien Nation”. And even the imagery of the spaceship hovering over Johanesburg has been played out.

What makes “District 9” deserving of our attention is Neil Blomkamp’s bold visual designs and muscular action sensibilities, which actually bring to mind a younger James Cameron. The third act introduction of the robotic creature which Wirkus uses to fight off the enemies is built up and revealed with the same type of cinematic awesomenews as Ripley’s final confrontation in 'Aliens'.

Unfortunately as with “Cloverfield”, the mockumentary technique is an annoying distraction. While Matt Reeves was consistent in his approach Blomkamp moves back and forth inexplicably between documentary and traditional storytelling. Gradually the camera ceases to become part of the story and the mockumentary is discarded. And so I couldn't help think why we had to endure an hour of a mockumentary instead of just watching the story played out like a real dramatic film.

Wirkus is a typical Peter Jackson protagonist, a doofus, played over the top by Sharlto, with matted down hair, and an unironic moustache. Somewhere before shooting Blomkamp probably nixed he pocketprotector. Copley is thoroughly annoying for two thirds of the picture, until he finally loses his false skin of cliché to become a real character we feel like investing our time in.

With the transformation of Copley from button pushing follower to an active character with goals the film finally clicks into gear. This is when the Neil Blomkamp, whose short films and astoundingly robust commercials excited us all, comes to life. Losing the crutch of the mockumentary Blomkamp is finally allowed to walk by himself, crafting a good 20mins of original and thrilling sci-fi entertainment we had been waiting for. It’s one long awesome action sequence full of massive guns, bodies exploding and all sorts of creative heavy machinery.

It's all a little too late though. The stylistic crutches and narrative familiarity overrides Blomkamp's visual acuity, rending 'District 9" a film more to admire than to enjoy.

This Is Spinal Tap

This is Spinal Tap (1984) dir. Rob Reiner
Starring: Christopher Guest, Michael McKean, Harry Shearer

****

I doubt the four creators of Spinal Tap (Reiner, Guest, McKean, Shearer) would have predicted the staying power of this little movie. Yet, 25 years later, the comedic force of Tap continues unabated. Evidence of the breadth of comedic material available from this concept includes, numerous reunifications tours, music albums which were released years after the film, occasional cameo appearances at rock festivals, award shows etc.

“This is Spinal Tap” was remarkable for its ability to laser in on a very specific subject – the career trajectory of many 60's/70's bands as well as the documentary form itself, and specifically, the 'rock documentary'. Stylistically the film uses Led Zeppelin’s “The Song Remains the Same” as their template. Perhaps even positing, in an extreme situation, what could have happened to Zeppelin if they had stuck around through the 80’s – a washed-up sad parody of themselves, unable to see the forest for the trees.

Though Reiner serves as director, the films made by Guest later in the 90’s suggest the comic and visual style in “Spinal Tap” is more collaborative than what his credit would suggest. You know the story… with an invisible improvised/naturalistic style Guest, McKean and Shearer inhabit the skins of Nigel Tufnel (lead guitarist), David St. Hubbins (lead singer) and Derek Smalls (bassist), the washed-up 70’s hard rock band Spinal Tap. Using the language of a traditional documentary – stock footage, interviews and fly-on-the-wall cinema verite, we watch as the band lose their dignity as they attempt to release their latest album on a record label that no longer wants them to an audience that is virtually non-existant.

In a series of wonderfully deadpan comic situations we watch the naïve and portentous bandmates fail miserably at everything they do - from their disastrous album signing, to their Stonehenge stage production snafu to their much-argued album cover which ends up being ‘all black’. As things go downhill, the strain and pressure of their increasing self-awareness causes the band to split up thus threatening to erase their 30 year friendship.

The backstory created for the band, told to us in interviews filled with wonderful comic subtext, references the minute details of rock lore such as the Beatles' beginnings in the ‘skiffle’ movement, Led Zeppelin’s first incarnation as a pre-psychedelic folk band the New Yardbirds, and the devolving artistic creativity of many other bands toward hideous sexism and role-playing heavy metal. Rob Reiner (aka Marti DiBergi) as documentarian does not come out unscathed either. His pretentious and stagey first person introduction to camera is hilarious, poking fun at manufactured television documentary specials. DiBergi's naval hat, his ‘director’s beard’ and his unncessary reaction shots during the interviews suggest the powerful but pompous ego stroke of Hollywood filmmakers.

“Spinal Tap” wasn’t the first mock documentary – Albert Brooks and Woody Allen laid some of that groundwork prior to ‘Tap’ – but the film sustains (like Nigel’s Les Paul guitar) because of its wonderful attention to character. It’s very clever. As we marvel in the deadpan absurdities of the behaviour of these idiotic characters, without realizing it, Reiner’s crafting a surprisingly emotional and profound study of friendship. More than just a story of has-been rockers, by the time Nigel and David reconnect their band "This is Spinal Tap” reveals itself as a story of lifelong friendship which breaks apart and then is mended with forgiveness.

Spinal Tap's continued cultural relevance is remarkable - starting as a TV sketch in 1979, expanded into a full feature in 1984, which then grew into it's own alternate world of characters and new stories which evolved over the next 25 years. As evidence of the comic legs of the concept, the Blu-Ray and DVD even features a full length, in-character audio commentary of the band commenting on their film, which is just as funny as the actual movie.

"This is Spinal Tap" is available on Blu-Ray from MGM Home Entertainment

FINISHING THE GAME

Finishing the Game (2007) dir. Justin Lin
Starring: Roger Fan, Sung Kang, Joseph McQueen, Josh Diamond, Sam Bottoms

*

"Game of Death", starring Bruce Lee is one of Hollywood's most curious stories. Prior to shooting "Enter the Dragon" Lee had filmed a portion of "Game of Death", but when "Enter the Dragon" was offered to him, Lee left mid-production. Of course, Bruce Lee died after shooting "Enter the Dragon" and thus, "Game of Death" was never finished. But in 1978, Hollywood capitalized on the immense popularity of Bruce Lee and finished the film using only 11mins of original footage and filming new scenes with new actors and a stand-in for Lee.

Now Justin Lin ("Better Luck Tomorrow" and "Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift") has embellished this ridiculous but true story into a comic mockumentary dramatizing how the re-casting process for Bruce Lee could have gone. Unfortunately despite good intentions, the film falls flat and generates little, if any, laughs.

The film starts by introducing the performers who are vying for the coveted role. We get to know a bunch of off-the-wall pathetic characters via mock-interviews, mock verite footage and mock archival footage. There’s a white guy who thinks he’s Chinese, an egomaniac Bruce Lee competitor named Breeze Lou, a doctor turned kung-fu action star and many others.

Most of the attempted humour is derived from the dead-pan patheticness of their self importance. None of the characters realize the depravity of attempting to ride the coattails of a dead celebrity. Other than the deadpan device, the situations are a series of gags which fail to hit the mark. Early on a lengthy dialogue about who the ego-maniac casting agent and the hack director would fuck of the actors auditioning stops the already dull film dead in it's tracks. It never recovers.

Lin also attempts to generate humour from the over-exposure tacky 70’s kitsch. But timing is everything in comedy and Lin is way too late with his concept. Freeze frames, pastel colours, split screen transitions were used first and with much greater ironic effect in "Boogie Nights”. Even the faded and grainy faux-archival footage was already done by the Grindhouse films. If this film had been made before the recent Christopher Guest films, before "Boogie Nights" and before "Grindhouse", the film would have been innovative and original. Ironically, it just feels dated now.

It's a shame, because there's a interesting story to be told about the typecasting and lack of opportunity for Asian actors in Hollywood. Lin incorporates this as a thematic subplot, but behind the non-laughs, it's all lost.

"Finishing the Game" is available on DVD in Canada from Alliance Films.

THE 10 ESSENTIAL MOCKUMENTARIES

The Ten Essential Mockumentaries

Reviewing Scott Glosserman’s “Behind the Mask” had me thinking about the best mockumentaries. It’s a new genre, which gained prominence in the 80’s with the success of “This is Spinal Tap”. Perhaps the first attempt to use the technique of a falsified reality is Orson Welles’ famous radio broadcast of “War of the Worlds”. In film, the 1979 TV Movie parodying the Beatles, “The Rutles” can probably lay claim to the first ever traditional mockumentary. Here are the ten best:

10. Death of a President (2006) dir. Gabriel Range

Perhaps the most notorious of all these mock-docs, “Death of a President” premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival in 2006 to much hoopla. It was clever marketing ploy to announce the film as the acronym D.O.A.P. and then later reveal the real title, “Death of a President”. The U.K. film posits a hypothetical assassination of the actual serving President of the United States George W. Bush and documents the event as an unsolved mystery – a la the JFK conspiracy. Director Gabriel Range uses real archival footage of Bush, Cheney and others and cuts everything to create their false reality. If anything it shows how manipulative editing can be.

9. Forgotten Silver (1995) dir. Peter Jackson, Costa Botes

“Forgotten Silver” tells the story of Peter Jackson’s discovery of some lost film by renowned cinema pioneer Colin MacKenzie. Of course, there is no such person. But Jackson and co-director Costa Botes invent an elaborate history for the fake filmmaker. Mackenzie was said to have invented the close-up (by accident), the tracking shot, and the ‘talkie’. Jackson obviously had some fun recreating Mackenzie’s turn of the century film clips in the style of the early cinema. The deadpan of Jackson and all the interviewees involved, including Sam Neill are so convincing if you didn’t know the history of cinema you could almost believe it as true.

8. Behind the Mask: The Rise of Leslie Vernon (2006) dir. Scott Glosserman

Ever wonder what Jason Vorhees does when he’s not killing or stalking innocent victims? Does he eat, sleep? Does he get tired? “Behind the Mask” answers all these questions in a little-known but clever horror mockumentary that deconstructs the slasher genre with pinpoint accuracy. The mockumentary genre builds on the groundwork of genre deconstruction from the “Scream” series and adds its own genre-fanboy intelligence to it. It’s never received a theatrical release, but it’s available on DVD from Anchor Bay.

7. Hard Core Logo (1996) dir. Bruce McDonald

Quentin Tarantino famously supported this film. In fact, he almost cast lead actor Hugh Dillon as Robert De Niro’s character in “Jackie Brown”. Bruce McDonald’s dissection of rock and roll road movies has punk attitude and tragic irony. Hugh Dillon plays Joe Dick who reunites his band Hard Core Logo for a raucous cross-Canada tour. Like “Spinal Tap” the film is verite style but played completely straight, and for the first time in the genre a compelling drama is created from a fictionalized reality.

6. Zelig (1983) dir. Woody Allen

There was a time when Woody Allen was one of the most innovative directors around. In 1983 he conceived a character named Leonard Zelig who can transform his appearance to blend in with the people around him. Unlike “Spinal Tap’s” cinema verite style Allen’s mock-doc used a traditional archival approach. He seamlessly blends himself into stock footage – appearing beside Herbert Hoover, Ernest Hemingway and a hilarious scene with Adolf Hitler. Perhaps Allen got the idea from the famous “March of the Times” montage at the opening of “Citizen Kane.”

5. Fubar (2003) dir. Michael Dowse

This has a soft spot for me. Canadians don’t do many things well in cinema, but mockumentaries is certainly one of them. Michael Dowse’s low budget ode to skid metal-heads is one of the funniest mock-docs of all time. Paul Spence and David Lawrence play Dean and Terry, two Canadian hosers who listen to heavy metal, drink a lot of beer, destroy property and stay stupid shit. The film moves into black absurd comedy when Terry develops testicular cancer and earns an unexpected heart as contrast to its maniacal nihlism.

4. Man Bites Dog (1992) dir. Remy Belvaux

“Man Bites Dog” could be the most absurd and certainly the blackest of all these films. It depicts a documentary crew following around, verite-style, a serial killer as he stalks, kills, and disposes of the bodies of a series of victims. The film is probably best summed up with the scene where he describes how he ballasts a body before dumping it in the water. The film moves into another gear in the third act when a rival film crew meets up with a rival killer with violent consequences. It’s a must see.

3. Waiting for Guffman (1997)/Best in Show (2000) dir. Christopher Guest

All of Christopher Guest’s post-Spinal Tap films could go on this list, since he is the unrivaled ‘master’ of the genre. “Waiting For Guffman” and "Best in Show" represents the best of his style. Both films move beyond the “Spinal Tap” style and tell a story about characters, community, and mileu without relying on the gimmick of the genre. Few of these films do.

2. The Blair Witch Project (1999) dir. Eduardo Sanchez, Daniel Myrick

The hype and marketing of “The Blair Witch Project” was its own success story. But the filmmaking skill of Sanchez and Myrick should not be overlooked. They gave the cameras to the actors themselves to film, and had to direct them without traditional methods of setups, rehearsals etc. It was truly experimental filmmaking where the process informed the content on screen. If you weren’t throwing up from the shaky camera, you were probably scared shitless.

1. This is Spinal Tap (1984) dir. Rob Reiner

Easily the most influential and most often referenced mockumentary of all. Christopher Guest, Michael McKean and Harry Shearer play an over the hill rock band in the 80’s trying to sustain fame and respectability in a new era of music. From the amplifier that goes to 11 to getting lost in the bowels of Cleveland arena before a concert, in cinema verite style we get a fly-on-the-wall look at this pathetic but adorable power trio. The in-character audio commentary from Nigel Tufnel, David St. Hubbins and Derek Smalls on the DVD is as good as the film. Check it out.

BEHIND THE MASK: THE RISE OF LESLIE VERNON

Behind the Mask: The Rise of Leslie Vernon (2006) dir. Steve Glosserman
Starring: Nathan Baesal, Angela Goethels, Robert Englund, Scott Wilson, Zelda Rubenstein

***

Ever wonder what Jason Vorhees does when he’s not killing or stalking innocent victims? Does he eat, sleep? Does he get tired? “Behind the Mask” answers all these questions in a clever horror mockumentary that deconstructs the slasher genre like no other.

The horror film, in general, is arguably the most played out of genres in film. It’s increasingly difficult to find originality in horror since it’s far and wide the most oversaturated of all genres. But it also has the most loyal and dedicated fan base - few films other than porn can sell its product solely on its genre or, say, the DVD cover.

In the world of post-modern self-referential cinema “Behind the Mask” is one of the most self-aware and intelligent films of its kind. The set up is intriguing. A film crew follows a serial killer who aspires to be the next Michael Myers, Jason Vorhees or Freddy Krueger. We watch as he explains to camera his aspirations, goals, and plan of attack in achieving ‘superstar’ status of masked killers. The film pretends that these famous movie villains are real and that the events in “Halloween”, “Friday the 13th” and “Nightmare on Elm Street” actually happened.

We watch as Leslie Vernon (Nathan Baesal) breaks down the horror film genre into an art form of psychotic murder. The humour is derived from the absurdity of the concept. If you’ve ever thought about the ‘reality’ of slasher films and how killers move from A to B and all the logistics and preparation that must be involved in killing victims in the night, in quiet, breaking into houses, waiting silently for the right moment and bringing maximum fear to one’s victim then this is the movie for you. For example, how can a killer kill a bunch of babysitters, hide them and have his final victim find them all during their last frightful runaround? Our fictional killer Leslie Vernon has thought of it all and explains it the audience like a behind-the-scene ‘making of a mass murder’.

It’s safe to say writer/director Scott Glosserman has seen his fair share of horror films. If this concept sounds like another version of “Scream”, you’re right, but the mockumentary genre adds another dimension of reality to Kevin Williamson and Wes Craven’s work. In many ways the film is scarier than “Scream”, because it’s played as if it’s real - like “The Blair Witch Project”. And in the ‘mockumentary’ genre the film also owes a lot to the great satire “Man Bites Dog” – a hilarious Belgian film about a documentary crew following the actions crazed killer.

For two thirds the film establishes some interesting characters. Leslie Vernon, played by Nathan Baesal is a likeable affable guy. Like a funny fratboy or something – someone who is psychotic but also intelligent and learned. The documentary filmmakers, notably the director Taylor Gantry (Angele Goethals) are naïve and thinks she is creating art. Eventually she realizes her responsibility in being complicit to Leslie’s murderous actions. There’s the venerable Robert Englund who plays the Dr. Loomis-type character – the old man who hunts Leslie Vernon down. In fact, he’s character’s name is Doc Halloran (from “The Shining”).

The film falls into predictability toward the end – much like the final act of “Adaptation” – but not before Glosserman spins the slasher genre on its head and allows us to see what a character like Michael Myers must do on his downtime.

Buy it here: Behind the Mask - The Rise of Leslie Vernon

DEATH OF A PRESIDENT

Death of a President (2006) dir. Gabriel Range

**1/2

“Death of a President” is a hypothetical documentary about the assassination of George W. Bush. I wouldn’t qualify it as a mockumentary, certainly not in the Spinal Tap tradition, DOAP is in a league all its own. We’re used to seeing fake documentaries as comedies, and that’s why the gimmick works so well – it plays off the deadpan seriousness of a documentary which informs the comedy. With DOAP, the fact that it’s played straight and completely realistic is the reason why it doesn’t work…

The film pretends to have been made in 2008. The events start in Oct 19, 2007 during a Presidential visit to Chicago. George W. is in town to make an economic speech as well as reinforce his position on terrorism. A large group of protestors have gathered outside to demonstrate against the usual shopping list anti-Bush agenda items. The gang outside are rougher and more violent than usual. One man manages to break the barricade and run up and touch the President’s car. One of the secret service agents refers to the act as an alarming breech of security. As a result everyone’s guard is up.

Bush makes his speech and as he’s leaving the hotel, gunshots ring out. The President is hit. He escapes in his motorcade, but it’s too late, President Bush is dead. Of course, Dick Cheney is sworn in as President (yikes!), and he immediately starts to agitate Syria, whom he’s had a vendetta against for years. The interviewees with the agents and investigators describe the evidence and multiple leads they followed during the investigation. The investigation becomes an arm of the Cheney political agenda. The American people need closure and someone has to be accountable. One Muslim woman interviewed says when she heard the news she prayed the shooter was not a Muslim. Indeed, a American Muslim with suspected Al Qaeda ties is arrested.

The documentary techniques are impeccable as the filmmaker's almost seamlessly blends stock footage, recreated footage, real speeches and fake interviews. There’s even a few Errol Morris-type sequences – slo-mo macro close-up bullets falling to the ground. On a technical level it’s groundbreaking, and in the realm of Orson Welles’ “War of the Worlds” radio broadcast.

But as a piece of entertaining cinema there’s a fundamental flaw which I could never get past. It’s a big cheat and almost too perfect. A good documentary always has a bit of luck on its side, ie. getting access to a good story, being at the right place at the right time, finding the right stock footage etc. But since DOAP is fictional the filmmakers could create anything they wanted to make it compelling. The fundamental value of a documentary is that it is true. Without the truth, it’s just a 'whatif'. And I just couldn't figure out the fundamental purpose of dramatizing the film as a documentary. According to the (fake) final credits, the Muslim man charged with the murder is still on death row despite evidence and a confession that proves he’s innocent. So perhaps the film is a warning against the temptation to rush to judgment and make the incident a political tool, though the Arar case would certainly make a more compelling film.

DOAP is a marvel from a technical standpoint and interesting mock-doc experiment, let’s just hope it doesn’t catch on.

On DVD April 3rd. Buy it here: Death of a President

HARD CORE LOGO

Hard Core Logo (1996) dir. Bruce McDonald
Starring: Hugh Dillon, Callum Keith Rennie

***1/2

One of Canada’s best films, “Hard Core Logo,” is also one of the quintessential rock films. Set up as a mockumentary, the film could easily have played as a straight drama and been just as compelling.

Hard Core Logo is the name of a fictional punk band from the early 80’s – contemporaries of the Ramones (in fact, Joey Ramone even makes an appearance). They are aged and past their prime, but Joe Dick (Hugh Dillon) the lead singer and self-proclaimed band leader reunites the band together for a reunion tour.

The introduction to the band and its members are typical in-your-face hardcore punk style. They all have great punk monikers like Joe Dick, Billy Tallent (Callum Keith Rennie), John Oxenburger (John Pyper-Ferguson) and Pipefitter (Bernie Coulson). NOTE: The real band “Billy Talent” took their name from this film, and removed an “L”. It’s the shear willpower of their charismatic leader that brings them back together. The oil and water of the band are Joe and Billy. Billy has an offer from a bigger band named Jenifur to play with them after the tour. Each personality is as strong as the other, as Joe explains, “Billy wants models and limos, I’ll settle for hookers and cabs”. Its great line and sums up the two characters perfectly.

On the road, as we expect, we’re exposed to a host of crazy tour-bus punk antics. There’s no covering the Canadianness here, the band travels across the Rockies and Prairies – Vancouver to Edmonton to Regina and Winnipeg. It’s a bumpy ride. After some groupies steal the band’s money, Dick takes the blame and the downfall starts. Dick and the band eventually meet their idol Bucky Haight (a very good Julian Ritchings) who turns out to be a precious asshole. Billy continues to be a thorn in Joe’s side (ie. like the Mick Jones/Joe Strummer battles) as his threats to leave the band for Jenifur continue. Billy has more going for him than Joe. Joe’s life is the band, and the band is not a band without Billy. The math is easy - Joe’s situation is dire and it depresses him. In their final concert, Billy and Joe have a physical fight on stage, which breaks up the band permanently.

At the final moments in the film, we’re put into Joe’s shoes and we’re allowed to see his pain and utter dejection at the state of his life. He’s like a wounded bird, unable to fly, heartbroken and crippled without Billy. The final shot is a shocker – but wouldn’t it be hardcore with a happy ending, would it? Enjoy.

Buy it here: Hard Core Logo

FUBAR

Fubar (2002) dir. Michael Dowse
Starring; Paul Spence and David Lawrence

****

If you’re a real Canadian, and love Canada, and accept who you really are deep down inside, you owe it to yourself to see “FUBAR. It’s an instant classic and more Canadian than the Trailer Park Boys, Bob and Doug McKenzie, or the Kids in the Hall. Terry and Dean embody the hockey-loving, beer-swilling, yet sensitive and unassuming qualities of all Canadians. They’re also complete idiots who manage to capture our hearts and make us want to cheer for them.

FUBAR is a mockumentary about two headbanger skids who refuse to grow up. A camera crew follows around 20-somethings Terry (David Lawrence) and Dean (Paul Spence) as they go about their regular lives, which involves drinking beer, playing road hockey, and listening to heavy metal. They decide to throw a party for their friend Troy (whom they call “Tron”), their former party ringleader, who has since settled down. Tron doesn’t show up, which sends the Terry and Dean into a drunken tailspin. They proceed to get heavily drunk and destroy lots of public property.

Later we learn Terry has developed testicular cancer, which cause the two to take a nostalgic camping trip and relive the memories of the past. On the journey they connect with the director of the film, a pretentious artsy/yuppy filmmaker. They get wasted and bond, like brothers. Another deadly accident moves the film into hilarious black comedy. Too funny to even describe. Note: the visit to the filmmaker’s parents’ house is a classic scene.

FUBAR ranks up there with “Spinal Tap” and “The Office” as one of the best-ever mockumentaries. Terry Cahill’s rendition of “Rock’n’Roll Is My Guitar” rivals David Brent’s “Free Love Highway” for cringe-inducing hilarity.

Michael Dowse, the director, is one of Canada’s most promising stars. His next film, “It’s All Gone Pete Tong”, although much different, is as good. And he apparently is going to camera soon on a Brian Grazer-produced film with Topher Grace. Good on him. Giv’r and enjoy.