Review # 169: Danielson: A Family Movie
Tonight the guy had a suprise Christmas present for me. I had no idea what it was, and I had my defenses up when I found out it involved GOING somewhere. Imagine my suprise when we rolled up to the theater and BAM! Danielson was playing! How the hell does this guy know me so well?
What can I say, I love the Danielson Familie and their incarnations. This movie explores the history of the band focusing mainly on the lead man Daniel Smith. The rest of the family are sort of studio musicians for the music he writes. While they have their lives doing other stuff in addition to the music, he has his life of making music or art. The archival footage starts as early as Daniel’s art school thesis performance with his brothers and sisters, before the first album was recorded. Many of the family members have their own narratives that each give a different perspective of their musical endeavors.
If you are a fan of the Danielsons, whether it’s because you like good music or because they seem to be popular with the hipsters and you will like them while you’re being told to, you really ought to see this movie. It’s not in wide release, unfortunately. In fact I didn’t even know it was playing here in Seattle. So you may have to wait for it to come out on video. I thought I was going to have to.
The movie has a subtitle: Make a Joyful Noise HERE. It could have been: Struggling in a Sea of Douchebags. The pure honesty and happiness of the Smith family highlights how inane and stupid everyone around them is. Including that fuckhead Sefjan Stevens. Yes, of Illinois and all that. He was in the band touring and whatnot for quite a bit. Then he played solo and blew up. Daniel Smith, meanwhile is too God-y for mainstream and not God-y enough for christians. There are some “man on the street” interviews about the band and everyone’s all like “They’re weird, but I like them. They’re scary. I don’t get it. Are they christian? I like it, but I’m not into Jesus,” etc. Everyone seemed afraid to say that IT WAS GOOD MUSIC! Then there are some Sefjan audience interviews and everyone basicaly jerks off onto his face. (I’m sure the familie would disaprove of my harsh words toward their friend.)
So, this movie ruled and I wish the Smith familie the best.