Tuesday, January 1, 2013

Hardcore Logo, Hard Core Logo 2

There have been countless movies made about the rock and roll lifestyle, both the good and the bad, but few have captured the scene with as much honesty and humor as this classic movie from director Bruce McDonald. It’s a quasi-documentary film following a Canadian punk band called Hard Core Logo as they try to capitalize on a planned benefit show to hit the road and recapture the magic they had when they were an up and coming punk band. There are plenty of Spinal Tap level moments in the movie, most of which feel like setups just for a cheap laugh, but there’s also a lot of heart and soul in the performances on and off stage that raise it to the level of art; Hugh Dillon and Callum Keith Rennie capture lightning in a bottle with their performances as banc leaders Joe Dick and Billy Talent. The sequel, made 14 years later, is a pale imitation about a manic, drug-fueled lead singer with a punk band that’s convinced she’s been possessed by the spirit of the late Joe Dick.

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