Coachella
Coachella
| 09 May 2006 (USA)
Coachella Trailers

Filmmaker Drew Thomas brings California's popular Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival to the screen with a different kind of musical documentary that not only showcases performances by some of the hottest acts to take the stage, but offers interviews with such musical icons as Beck, Joshua Homme, Mos Def, and Perry Farrell as well. From English icon Morrissey's performance at the inaugural Coachella Festival back in 1999 to Canadian indie rockers the Arcade Fire's electric 2005 set, the musical acts featured here run the gamut from hip-hop to alternative and virtually everything in between. Other artists featured include the Pixies, the Flaming Lips, Kool Keith, Radiohead, Saul Williams, and Squarepusher.

Reviews
anitradenise

i was lucky enough to see this film Saturday at midnight here in Jacksonville, Florida. The San Marco Theatre is good for things like this. This was such a grand concert film, because it showed a slice of life in the community type gathering of a 3-day show. You could almost smell the unwashed skin and hair of tent-sleeping concert goers. Ah, to be there to experience the art and all the different types of expression that one could ever imagine. My absolute favorite part was Wayne Coyne from The Flaming Lips being 'birthed' from the big space bubble. That and 'Yoshimi battles the pink robots'... loved it! I so wished i had been there among the punk-pop-dance-trance-rock-indie enthusiasts.. because like most people in my generation, our likes fall somewhere in between all of them. Don't you agree?

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Sea_Dragon

What a terrific movie! I had no idea what I was about to see when I walked into the theater, and just sat in awe for the entire duration. Yes, the message the filmmakers shove down our throat is silly and redundant, and the cut-aways from the performances taints them rather then enhances them, but it is awesome to see so many acts truly rock out. Iggy rocked out. Morrisey rocked out. The Chemical Brother and The Mars Volta really rocked out. The Polyphonic Spree (who I had never heard of and will never forget) ROCKED IT OUT! This movie is filled with the essence of rock and roll. While it does make you feel a little like poser sitting through some of the interviews about the philosophy of the festival, it is a blast to see so many bands going for it. The Pixies reunion was amazing! Belle and Sebastian, a band I don't normally care for rocked it out. There are not enough words for all the amazing performances. If you like rock, and need a refresher in what good Rock and Roll is sounding like today, I think this film is an amazing start. If you're just going to see the chart toppers like Red Hot Chili Peppers (who rocked), Prodigy (who rocked), or Radiohead (who rocked), you're stupid and need to see this movie. Rock & Roll!

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resistance4ever

This movie shows the diversity of the festival. If you like different kinds of music unlike the guy above then you will like the movie. It gave an atmosphere that made you not want to leave. The concerts were mostly the last song of the artists set so you felt like you were right there. My favorite set was actually prodigy and I'm not even a prodigy fan. The energy that they brought was unbelievable. There were a lot of interesting interviews that show you all sides of the music industry. If your a person who goes to a festival to see one show then you would not like it, but I'm buying it as soon as it comes out and I suggest you see it before you judge it.

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skapoko

I went into this movie only expecting to see a couple good performances (which i did see a few) and beyond that I had no idea what to expect. Beyond 4 or 5 performances this movie is drivel. I sat there with my head barely above water during multiple redundant interviews about how the festival is this escape from the turmoil of politics, from hate, and especially the festival brings everyone together. I don't know if the filmmakers know how hollow their message is, and all this stuff about equality and love is totally ridiculous because they only interview white hippie kids. How about... a documentary about coachella could give accounts of DIFFERENT peoples experiences at the festival and what it means to them. I mean how "equal" and "fair" is a festival that costs 200+ just for the ticket, forget about travel and lodging. I do thank the filmmakers for the arcade fire, fischerspooner, white stripes and flaming lips performances. They were really fun to watch. There should have been more music and less repetitive commentary. Did i say there were repetitive interviews and redundant commentary? Because there was quite a bit of that.I have a stale taste in my mouth.

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