Neil Young Journeys

First Hit:  I loved watching my favorite singer/songwriter in his element.

I’ve probably stated this before, but I will here again. I’m grateful to have been introduced to the music of Buffalo Springfield back in 1966. I saw them once at the Whiskey A Go Go.

Then the weird guy playing guitar touched my soul by writing Mr. Soul recorded in 1967. I admired his songs so much that I learned to play just about everyone of them - my way.

As he would always do, he took a right turn and became a solo artist with occasional forays with other groups and musicians. In Journeys we get a glimpse of the solo Young and his memories. We travel from his home town of Omemee, Ontario Canada to Massey Hall in Toronto.

In 1970 Neil did a solo concert in Massey Hall which is a classic. The concert in this film which is its base, is 41 years after that original concert. In this one Neil is all electric, solo with much of the material coming from his album Le Noise sprinkled with the occasional older hit like Down By The River and an extremely moving Ohio.

Camera work is up-close and personal with cameras even on the microphone. Yes we see a lot of Neil’s mouth and there is spit on the lens for half the “Hitchhiker” but it only adds to the realism Demme is looking for. 

Overall, it is the music and Neil’s rye humor (eating road tar produced his love of cars) that makes this a wonderful film for Young’s fans.

Neil is still fresh and amazing in his ability to create interesting music while being over 71 years old. Jonathan Demme, in his third time at filming Neil, is on target and creates a wonderful experience.

Overall:  I left the theater very happy.

Neil Young Trunk Show

First Hit: Loved watching Neil do what Neil does, play and sing what he wants.

Sitting in the theater ready to watch my most favorite singer songwriter is always a joy.

Sometimes I’ve gone to one of his films and have been the only person in the whole joint, but this weekend there were other fans like me.

There also was a special treat because Pegi, Ben, and Amber Young were sitting in the theater as well. The film is basically a concert film, with a little backstage stuff. As with everything Neil does, you don’t know what you’re going to get until he delivers it.

There are some memorable plaintive acoustical songs (“Oh Lonesome Me”), well known rockers (“Cinnamon Girl” and “Like a Hurricane”) and some long winded “No Hidden Path” from Chrome Dreams II. 

All in all I couldn’t stop tapping my feet, bobbin my head and mouthing the words to most all the songs.

Jonathan Demme used high definition cameras and roving views to capture Neil at his best; reaching for the high notes, moving like a wayward dinosaur, and playing guitar like only he can; delicately, furiously, and ferociously.

Overall: Simply sat back and enjoyed the visual and sound extravaganza.

CSNY: Deja Vu

First Hit: This is a must see film. It is very powerful, honest, unafraid, and very well done.

This isn’t just a film about the “Freedom of Speech” concert tour; it is a film asking the question: Isn’t anyone else outraged at our government’s involvement in the Iraq War?

Neil Young had written and recorded an album called “Living With War”. He wrote and recorded it in a matter of days, not months.

The album came from his outrage at seeing an article about our great medical technology advancement on hospital planes, but what Young saw was hurt soldiers, and asking why are they hurt? In addition to this article, Neil got tired of watching the constant destruction showing up on the nightly news about our involvement in Iraq and wondering why we were involved in yet another war.

Mike Cerre a reporter, who has been embedded with troops in Vietnam and Iraq, became embedded in the tour to witnessed and report on all the ups and downs.

The film shows interviews of irate people who walk out of the concert because “the bloated hippie millionaires” don’t need to bring politics into their beautiful harmonies as well as interviews with people who were in support of the show.

Ironic that people who hated the show, loved the earlier protest songs (like For What It’s Worth, Ohio, and Military Madness) but didn’t like the current protest songs calling for the impeachment of Bush.

There are film clips throughout the decade of the four of them together and in their earlier respective groups (Byrds, Hollies, Buffalo Springfield) along with interviews from different periods of time. There is an interesting clip of Neil being interviewed by Stephen Colbert who says “why doesn’t someone else have this war (to protest)?”

Neil chimes up and says, I waited for the younger generation to be outraged and stand up, "in fact I waited until I was 60.” Neil also shows the intimate story of a mother who lost a son in Iraq and a story of Josh Hisle who has been to Iraq as a soldier and is featured on one of the songs he wrote there.

Bernard Shakey (Neil) directs and edits the film with a wonderful evenhandedness. He shows the warts, the jewels and everything in-between. He isn’t afraid to show the people who dislike the concert and the reviews that are less than flattering. He also shows the vulnerabilities of the group, their friendship, and the power of art in speaking of a particular truth. There are also wonderful segments about Veterans who are being affected by our government’s lack of effort to help.

Overall: This is a wonderful film with texture, a point to make, laughter, openness, music, joy, and sorrow. I recommend it to everyone, regardless of your point of view. As Neil states in a quote from an interview with Metrolife Music: “Are we forever going to be throwing fireballs at each other like we have for the past 2,000 years? It’s like we eat, we sleep, and we war.”