Watch Another State of Mind For Free

This is a must-see and one of the best documentaries - and films - of this year.

All that we are seeing on the screen is happening with real people, real action sequences in the background, forcing the eye to watch as if we were there.

Not sure how, but this is easily one of the best movies all summer. Multiple levels of funny, never takes itself seriously, super colorful, and creative.

The movie is surprisingly subdued in its pacing, its characterizations, and its go-for-broke sensibilities.

Probably the best documentary on punk rock that I have personally seen. "The Decline of Western Civilization" is more entertaining and has better music in it, but this feels more authenticate and deals with some interesting realities that that film does not confront. The setup is a North American tour set up by Youth Brigade for themselves and Social Distortion. It's a real D.I.Y. effort with Youth Brigade buying an old school bus and putting up the money and making the arrangements. A lot of the youthful idealism of punk rock is faithfully captured ... the shows are all "all ages" shows, the bands stay in communal houses in cities they visit, and nobody is in it for the money ... or at least they don't think they are. The movie also captures what happens when youthful idealism runs full steam into real life. The bus breaks down, they don't get paid for shows, and pretty soon nobody is getting paid anything, and band members and roadies start deserting the tour. The tour is essentially called off in DC where the bus fails completely and Social Distortion jump ship. Fascinating stuff from an "early days of punk rock" perspective (especially for Canadians since the tour goes through Canada first ... Calgary, Winnipeg and Montreal are highlighted), but interesting even for those not interested in punk per se.

I saw this movie tonight for the first time since 1985, when I caught it on Night Flight. Seeing it 28 years later, I was amazed how much of it I was still able to recall, but more than that, how much the perception of Punk has changed since the 80's. Having a shaved head or pink hair does not raise an eyebrow today, you even see kids with those kind of hair styles, tattoos and body modifications, who aren't into punk, or aware of where those styles originated from. A number of times in the Movie, you have various punks mention how people harass them for their appearance, and it was so true, back then it took a lot of guts to walk around like that. This movie brought back a lot of memories of being a teenage punk, how it was almost like belonging to a secret society that most people had no idea existed. I also like how un-PC punks were back then, unlike today's army of whiners. I wonder what became of some of the people in the Film? Like Marcel or that gorgeous death rocker Valerie ? In all it's a very interesting time capsule of a time that will always be dear to me.

This documentary follows members of the bands Social Distortion and Youth Brigade on an ill-fated tour across the U.S. and Canada. They fix up an old school bus that has seen better days, pack up all the band members and roadies, and set out on a tight budget. The farther they go, the more strained things get - Social Distorion almost breaks up because the going got to rough for 'em ('cept for Mike Ness, bless 'im) and the bus breaks down and they just can't go on, so they stay with Minor Threat for a couple of days and then pack it in. Lots of interviews with real punks, lots of concert footage with some *excellent* music (all three bands are great) and shows that even though the tour was a failure overall, people can still do things on their own with limited funds if their hearts are really in it and they can maintain unity. Some scenes are funny, some are kind of scary (those Canadian punks were kinda feral), and a sense of desperation builds... but it's always real and always true. Don't miss a chance to see this one - I've watched it probably a hundred times and don't mind if I see it a hundred more.

Any fan of Social Distortion or Youth Brigade must see this. Documents the tour and lives of the band members and roadies. Great live footage and commentary.