Rating: Summary: A Must See for all!!!!!!!! Review: I watched this as an angst-ridden 16-yr-old in 1990. It blew my mind. And made me realize my life wasn't THAT bad. Anyone who loves punk should definitely pick this up. Its a classic. Anyone who was ever an angst-ridden teen should pick this up.
Rating: Summary: THE GOD OF ALL PUNK FILMS Review: if you like punk music it is an awsome soundtrack... It is an awsome movie to (for the time period).
Rating: Summary: Suburbia, the one and only. Review: In my opinion, Suburbia (1983) is probaly one of the best movies I have ever seen. This movie is one of the only movies out there that really and truly captures the origional Idea of the punk rock scen. I think one of the things that makes it really geat is the fact that it shows (realisticly) some of the every-day problems that kids experience growing up, which were, and (in some cases) still are integral to the punk rock scen and its audience. This is one of only a few movies left on the market to depict this scen the way it really was. Over all, I would say that if your'e someone who prefers the one, and only first-wave punk scen, then this is the movie to get.
Rating: Summary: Though I love "Suburbia" it could have been a lot better. Review: In truth, I can only really reccomend this movie to real fans of punk rock or Penelope Spheeris ("The Decline of Western Civilization", etc.). Others may not understand it so well. If you like punk rock, you'll have fun with this - the concert scenes are a HUGE bonus. It is a nice little "coming of age" tale, though, and is, dare I say, heartwarming in some scenes.
The movie "SLC Punk" (1999) borrows a lot from this movie but is a lot better made. They are interesting to compare, and you could make a nice punk rock movie night out of the two titles. I'm not saying one is better than the other, just try comparing them. Oh, and they both have phenomenal soundtracks (again, if you like punk, try them, they have a lot of classics on them).
I have had this movie for several years now on VHS - I got it for Christmas when I was younger from my Dad. My friend told me about it, and I was really excited to see it because it was supposed to depict life in the early 80's for a group of punks in California. I, being the little rebellious punk girl trying to relive the 80's LOVED the movie despite its many flaws.
The movie starts by focusing on Ethan and his life in a broken-home. After he runs away he is taken in by a group of rowdy punk rockers at their "suburban-hell" squatter house which is in an abandoned neighborhood. They treat Ethan well and respect him, and soon he brings his younger brother to live with the group so he can have a life away from the chaos their alcoholic mother creats. Then the movie begins to focus on the group as a whole and a new girl who arrives and falls in love with one of the group's members. T.R. ("The Rejected") begin having conflict with the local "law enforcement" and citizens because they believe T.R. is dangerous. You'll have to see the movie to find out how it ends.
Some scenes are very funny (Such as harassing the local yocals at the market - "Happy Easter!" and asking a housewife at a garage sale if she's "got any vibrators?" - the look on her face is PRICELESS!), touching, and sad (I cried at a few points), and look out for a young Flea from the Red Hot Chilli Peppers as a member of the gang. Like I said, the concert scenes are a DEFINATE PLUS - D.I. perform "Richard Hung Himself", T.S.O.L. perform "Darker My Love", and the early Vandals play "Pat Brown" in a very humorous live set.
To be honest, though, it is not well made, does not stand the test of time, and the acting leaves a lot to be desired, and also some of the things seem very unbelievable and outrageous today, but it has a special place in my heart because this is a movie that I grew up with in the punk rock scene. I gave it four stars because, if you are a fan of punk rock, you will enjoy this movie even with it's campy acting. It's fun.
Rating: Summary: #1 punk movie Review: It was 1986 when I first saw this movie, and I was hooked. Penelope Spheeris does an amazing job bringing each character to life. Being a suberban punk, after watching this movie helped me realize what a hard life really was. There is such a strong sense of unity throughout the whole movie between characters, nothing seems staged its all real and easy to relate to. The plot is strong throughout the whole movie. Great apperances by D.I. and TSOL. The story fallows a group of friends just trying to survive in Suberbia. Through Garage hopping, fights, shows, rough times and death this group of Totally Rejected kids stick together, share everything they have and show what true punk is all about. This film is a must see for everyone a punker or not. It reasures punk kids that they are apart of something bigger, and shows what real friends, unity and loyalty is all about. Spheeris did an excellent job, I reccomend this movie to everyone, always have, always will.
Rating: Summary: suburbia finally available Review: it's been a long time but finally a peice of my youth has been re-issued and is available for generations to come. This movie dealt with some very touchy issues including the struggle between generations and social groups. i'm glad someone finally made this title available to me again.
Rating: Summary: suburbia Review: its way better than slc punk... if want realism then watch this movie..it also has a kickass soundtrack. flea was REALLY young when he did this flick.. i reccomend it..now watch it and burn down hot topic..
Rating: Summary: Later Days Review: Me and my sister were in love with Suburbia when we saw it in the mid 80's. We grew up in NY, but we felt for some reason as though we belonged in California. It's great to see Suburbia again after all these years with commentary by director Penelope Spheeris to boot.Penelope Spheeris used real kids as opposed to seasoned actors. As a result, the movie has a genuine punk rock vibe, although the acting is nothing to write home about. Listening to the director's commentary, one learns the ins and outs of how and why certain aspects of the film occur. She took a lot of events taking place at that time and incorporated them into the script, such as the wild dogs in the beginning of the movie. One thing that I am kinda bummed out about is how she seems to be a bit embarassed by the movie. She almost makes excuses at times. Yes, the scene in which the two men shoot the wild dogs is a bit hard to stomach and we all know that that type of scene would never make it into a movie today. But that is one of the aspects that I love about Suburbia. It's a low budget, honest, straight out of the 80's movie. Penelope Spheeris should be 100% proud of it. The music and live concert footage is great. D.I. and TSOL, to name a couple, provide a great soundtrack. I've recommended Suburbia to many people over the past 16+ years and will continue to do so.
Rating: Summary: PUNK ROCK WILL NEVER DIE Review: Ok, this is going to sound cheezy. But i have never saw the movie before, and want to really bad but cant find it where i live.......... My friend saw it and thought it rawked...... Im taking his word for it......... The only thing i know is pUnK rAwKs..................... Its my life ....................... ne thing having to deal with pUnK rAwK is going to rAwK........................
Rating: Summary: Punker Than YOU! Review: Sad fact people: this is the most punk rock movie that will EVER be made. Y'see, as bad as this film was, y'know, the bad acting, the horrible dialogue, the predictable plot, the fact that it was so bad makes it punk! *LOL* A total DIY independent movie which shows punk as it was in the early 80s in Los Angeles. (Although one fellow viewer once mentioned that if a show at that time in that place was ever shut down because some chick got her clothes ripped off, there would have been a riot...probably true!) The actors were all amatuers, and most likely they were all real punks and/or street kids with absolutely NO film experience to speak of, and the director did little or nothing before this film. So, why four stars if it was so crappy? Because of what the film was about! Predictability aside, this movie captures the essence of Punk. Not just "punk rock" mind you. If you're just lookin' for the "rock" part of punk, go throw on a Blink 182 or Sum 41 (whats with the numbers by the way?) album, 'cause thats as close as you're gonna get! Punk was, is, and always will be a way of life. The scene may be all but dead in this country right now, (thanks to the afore-mentioned bands killing the very essense of the the movement) but to those who understand what it is and why it was will always follow it. Its not a philosophy, its a way of life. And it can't be explained on paper, or even in film for that matter. It has to be experienced...wether you're a poor kid from nothing, kickikng ass in the pit, or a suburban brat, sick of everyone's B.S. around you and just hoping you find something better to connect with, Punk is a way of life that speaks louder than the music it comes with! This movie, along with some of the British and American documentaries, is the closest thing I've ever seen to capturing that feeling of what we've decided to call Punk. The characters, what little we know about them, they're music, the people who are against them, and the fact that they only have each other, and aren't willing to give that up for nothing, are the very things that has kept the Punk scene alive all these years, despite the so-called "posers," etc., butting they're ugly lil heads in trying to claim it as they're own. Wether you're a punk, or a skinhead, or even, since the 90s anyway, a goth, hardcore kid, grunge-type druggie person (you know what i mean!), if you get this movie, then chances are you don't need some silly review to help you undertstand why this film was so important. To the rest of you out there...you're on your own. Good luck.
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