On Saturday, April 6, 2013 I attended the highly-anticipated World Premiere of Lonely Boy at the Palm Beach International Film Festival in Palm Beach County, Florida. The screening was held at the Frank Theatres CineBowl & Grille in Delray Beach. I also attended its second festival screening on Wednesday, April 10 at Muvico Parisian at CityPlace in West Palm Beach. The film was a selection in the Narrative Feature Competition.

A couple of years ago, I wanted to review a gripping movie I saw at the Toronto International Film Festival. I loved this enigmatic indie in which mysterious, unseen forces threaten to tear apart a young couple even before their relationship has a chance to blossom. However, not much more could be said about this odd story without posting spoilers, and I’m a stickler for not revealing too much information.

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On Saturday, March 9, 2013 I attended a gala screening of Prince Avalanche at the SXSW Film Festival in Austin, Texas. The sold-out event took place in the historic 1200-seat Paramount Theatre. The film was a selection in the Festival Favorites section.

Prince Avalanche premiered at the just-concluded Sundance Film Festival. While I was there in Park City, this was one of a handful of “must-see” titles I was not able to fit into my schedule. It then debuted overseas in competition for the Golden Bear at the Berlin International Film Festival, where David Gordon Green won the Silver Bear for Best Director. As soon as it was announced that Prince Avalanche would be coming to SXSW I made sure nothing would stand in my way. I’m glad I did.

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On Wednesday, March 13, 2013 I attended the gala North American Premiere of Maladies at the SXSW Film Festival in Austin, Texas. The sold-out screening was held at the historic Stateside Theatre. The film was a selection in the Visions section.

A renowned multimedia artist, Maladies writer/director Carter was tapped by James Franco, a fan of his paintings, to bring his own creative visions to life. The first, 2009′s Erased James Franco, was a film that featured the actor re-creating scenes from his movies and television shows. Franco now stars in Maladies, Carter’s second feature, with an all-star, award-winning cast including Catherine Keener, Fallon Goodson, David Strathairn, and Alan Cumming.

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On Sunday, March 10, 2013 I attended the gala World Premiere of Plus One at the SXSW Film Festival in Austin, Texas. The screening took place at the legendary Alamo Ritz. The film was a selection in the Midnighters section.

Award-winning director Dennis Iliadis, who burst onto the scene in 2004 with the controversial Hardcore and followed up with the 2009 remake of Last House on the Left, threw the delighted audience for a loop with this Midnighters selection. It would be difficult to categorize Plus One as traditional horror, although it has its share of gore. A copious amount of skin and debauchery might also earn it the “teen sex comedy” label but that would be equally inadequate. Iliadis’ story, developed for the screen by writer Bill Gullo, is a genre hybrid that combines the best of both — along with a touch of sci-fi, paranormal, and romance, to boot. Risky? Sure. Bold? Absolutely. Does it work? Surprisingly, yes, in a big way.

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On Tuesday, March 12, 2013 I attended the gala World Premiere of Medora at the SXSW Film Festival in Austin, Texas. The screening took place at the legendary Alamo Ritz. The film was a selection in the Documentary Spotlight section.

There are essentially two kinds of documentaries. The first documents an incident you may have heard of but uncovers facts that are new to you. The second turns you on to a story you probably knew nothing about, hopefully moving you in ways unimagined. This heartfelt feature from directors Andrew Cohn and Davy Rothbart is a triumphant example of the latter.

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On Wednesday, March 13, 2013 I attended a gala screening of Sound City at the SXSW Film Festival in Austin, Texas. The sold-out screening was held at the historic 1200-seat Paramount Theatre. The documentary was a selection in the Special Events section.

First, some personal thoughts. Like many — including you, perhaps — the music of Nirvana captivated me in the late 1980s and early 1990s. That Seattle band, led by Kurt Cobain on lead vocals and guitar, Krist Novoselic on bass, and (from 1990 on) Dave Grohl on drums and backing vocals, inspired many young people to pick up instruments and form groups of their own. Albums like the number one Billboard chart-topper Nevermind, released September 24, 1991, featuring the classic anthem Smells Like Teen Spirit, were staples of American rock radio and helped define a generation. And I was lucky enough to be one of the people playing those songs for the listening public, as a DJ on WMMR, the biggest radio station in the country’s fourth largest media market and one of the leading rock radio stations in America at that time. But it wasn’t just a job. I was a fan, too, and continued to follow the remaining band members’ music, as many of us did, after the tragic death of Cobain in 1994.

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On Sunday, March 10, 2013, I attended the highly-anticipated gala World Premiere of Downloaded at the SXSW Film Festival in Austin, Texas. The event took place in the historic 1200-seat Paramount Theatre. The feature was a selection in the Documentary Spotlight section.

One doesn’t need in-depth knowledge of the music industry to be a film journalist and appreciate rock docs…but it helps. Prior to this stage in my life I spent over 20 years as a rock radio DJ in the country’s fourth largest market. During that period and afterward, I was a band manager, concert promoter, and record producer. So my experience in that world is actually much greater than my relatively new, just under a decade-long career as a film festival and independent film reporter.

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