For a band that’s been filling arenas for thirty years, a proper Rush documentary has been a long time coming. Blame it on the band’s supposed lack of “general appeal”. Adored by intellectual heshers and aspiring shredmeisters, reviled by professional journalists and ignored by the rock mainstream, you have to admit: they did it their way. Somehow, three brainy, unprepossessing, somewhat geeky Canadians with an intact sense of humor managed to become, as bassist and vocalist Geddy Lee puts it, “the most popular cult band in the world.” Even a non-fan like my friend Richard, who claims never to have heard one of their songs in its entirety, was still able to look at the cover of this DVD and say, “That guy has a lot of chorus on his guitar, that guy has a really high voice, and that guy’s a really good drummer.” They don’t lack mainstream awareness, just mainstream appreciation. But Beyond The Lighted Stage puts them into a context where hopefully even those left cold by 15/8 time signatures can appreciate them as artists, unconventional, unwavering in their conviction. more ›

Just out from Shout! Factory is a reissue of a classic midnight movie that doesn't feature Jimmy Page ascending into ancient castles. As part of a series of films produced by B-movie king Roger Corman, Rock "n" Roll High School hits the shelves this week. The cult classic didn’t start life as a punk rock vehicle - the script was written under the working title of “Disco High.” more ›

There was a great deal of buzz when word first broke that acclaimed filmmaker Spike Lee would be making a documentary about Lakers' guard Kobe Bryant. On paper, a prominent director known for his love of the game of basketball giving audiences a rare look inside the life of one of the greatest players on the planet sounded like a slam dunk. Unfortunately, ESPN Films' Kobe Doin' Work was not that at all. more ›

If $75 is too rich for your blood to see the Wu-Tang Clan tonight at the House of Blues, and most likely it is, consider the recently relesed Wu: The Story of the Wu-Tang Clan DVD as a much cheaper alternative to getting your fix of the 36 Chambers. more ›