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Memorable, crazy movie

Am i the only one who thinks........Average?

A terrific literary drama and character piece that shows how the process of creating art can be seen differently by those doing it and those looking at it from the outside.

All of these films share one commonality, that being a kind of emotional center that humanizes a cast of monsters.

One of the many good things documentaries can do is make you aware of a person, a movement, a moment that you somehow overlooked, and help you realize just how important and how wonderful that person (or art form or whatever) was and/or is. So it was for me with "The Punk Singer". Not growing up a big punk fan, I missed out on Kathleen Hanna and Bikini Kill, and the Riot Grrrl movement. My loss. This angry, joyful, tough, articulate, crazy, sexy, insightful, funny, political artist was a major force in feminism and social politics, and if I came late to the party I'm grateful to the film for making the introduction now. The film can be uneven – some (not all) of the talking head interviews with others aren't very interesting - when compared to the performance footage of Hannah, or her ability to analyze her work and it's meaning in her own interviews – but I ended up inspired by the woman and the artist, and inspiration these days is in short supply.

The Punk SingerThe key to empowering women is to tell'em men are into empowered woman.Or, you could do as this documentary denotes and front a punk band.From her humble beginnings as a spoken-word poet, Kathleen Hanna has confronted audiences with feminist issues.However, it wasn't until she learned that she could reach a wider audience through music that Hanna's unique voice was finally heard.Through her bands Bikini Kill, Le Tigre, The Julie Ruin, and her outspoken contributions to 'zines, Hanna pioneered the Riot Grrl movement.Entrenched in the '90s music scene, she also influenced Kurt Cobain and Sonic Youth. But in 2005 her successful singing career ended under a cloud of secrecy. Insightful and engaging, The Punk Singer is a rousing portrait of an activist and artist few know, but many should respect.Furthermore, feminism and punk rock have a lot in common: piercings, hair dye and no mainstream acceptance.Green Lightvidiotreviews.blogspot.ca

Firstly, let me say this: I agree that Kathleen Hanna played a very important role in feminist history and I respect her for that. Get down with your bad Riot Grrrl self! However, please, for the love of whomever you find sacred, please get some perspective!I am very sorry that she is suffering from what is revealed at the end of this film. I am, I truly am. I have not walked a mile in her shoes but I can only assume that her journey through her health issues have been a nightmare.Here's my problem with the film: it's such an exercise in navel-gazing and delusion, at times it's almost painful to watch. If she would have just OWNED the fact that she's married to a Beastie Boy and has access to care and treatment that most normal people do not, I would have found her story more tolerable. And let's not forget that this is supposed to be an empowered feminist, yet when she talks of her stripper past (which I am NOT judging her for), she says, "It was the only decent paying job I could get." I call B.S. on that! Honey, just own it! You wanted to strip for the money - no big deal. But please don't make it out like it was the ONLY job you could get. Puh-leeeeze! We are basically the same age and while she's a heck of a lot cuter than I ever was and looked better in a bikini than I ever did, I found a way to have a decent paying job where I didn't remove my clothes (my choice). I wanted to love this movie. But I did not. I did however love all the old 90s footage and some fun interviews with the likes of Kim Gordon and Tavi Gevinson.

Kathleen Hanna, the talented lead of a 90's punk band makes waves appealing to a niche audience of punk rock fans that admire or agree with a feminist stance. No, stop...it wasn't the music (aside from her)turning people off - it was because the group is admittedly horrible and unapologetic about it. I'm not invested in this film, nor have I ever heard of them. I just find it odd that Kathleen scrawls "Incest" on her chest before live shows and then bemoans the consequence when people think she suffered from it. (go figure).This was during the 90's? What serious systemic anti-feminist movements were occurring? She goes on to state her boyfriend made jokes around inequality. So she dates him on the sly for years.I would never sexualize this woman. I don't need to, to make her and the band to become irrelevant.