MENTAL COMBAT

EVERYTHING IS ILLUMINATED
Directed by Liev Schrieber.

Dope flick. Quirky & fascinating. Elijah Wood's character is a collector of things relating to his Jewish immigrant family. One day he gets intrigued by a photograph that was in possession of his recently deceased grandfather, so he decides to go to the Ukraine to investigate the meaning behind the image. There he meets his 'translator' Alex. A goofy looking hip hop loving, Kangol & Adidas wearing nutjob, played brilliantly by musician Eugene Hutz of the NY based gypsy punk rock group, Gogol Bordello. Though it's Alex's grandfather who is the more eccentric, with his dog Sammy Davis Jnr Jnr not far behind. So it starts off as a lite version of an Emir Kusturica film, but then slows the pace down to some more serious overtones, yet it all rolls out beautifully with some stunning visuals, brilliant casting & a message that is as deep as it is wondrous. It's based on a best selling novel from Jonathan Safran Foer. Considering that the book is apparently 600 pages & spans 200 years, the actor/director Liev Schreiber thought it best to focus on just one aspect of the novel. So people who haven’t read the book will be impressed, while those who have will be peeved at this aspect. It was a joy to watch & the music was also great. Lots of weird Ukrainian rock & folk stuff. Oh & a Pete Miser track?? Did I mention that there is even a b-boy scene with a female dwarf as the deejay? Yep, it’s that kind of a film.

• Everything is Illuminated website


PETE MISER
The criminally slept on Portland born/Brooklyn based b-boy/graffiti writer/producer/emcee/deejay Chinese heritaged Pete Miser has his song So Sensitive included in the film, though a film dialogue & scratch filled instrumental track with The Con Artists is the one included on the actual soundtrack. He recently won a heat in some MTV band comp. Check for his excellent albums, Camouflage is Relative & Radio Free Brooklyn. Save me yammering on about him just check his website for loads of info, videos & news. He's done it all, yet people still don't realise he's been involved with about 6 albums, the early ones with his crew 5 Fingers of Funk. Find them.

• Pete Miser website

• MP3: The CON ARTISTS ft. Pete Miser - Ya Tokay
From the soundtrack, Everything is Illuminated.
• MP3: PETE MISER - Scent of a Robot
From the album, Camouflage is Relative.