Jello Biafra Movies

This documentary follows director Kevin Booth as he investigates the world of illegal drugs, from street-corner dealers to high level kingpins, from narcotics officers to powerful judges. Appraoching his subject matter with a skeptical eye, Booth questions the effectiveness of the drug war, and the motives of those who continue to fuel it from all ends. Through research and investigation, Booth asserts that there might well be just as much greed, crime, and corruption on either side of the narcotics battle, as the drug war is steeped in issues of race and class. ~ Cammila Albertson, All Movie Guide

Formed by two childhood friends from San Pedro, CA, D. Boon and Mike Watt, the Minutemen were at once one of the key bands in the Southern California hardcore punk scene of the '80s and a group who flew in the face of all rules, including those of punk rock. Named in part because their early songs usually lasted 60 seconds or less, the Minutemen were a band who stripped their music down to the bone -- short songs with minimal solos and wiry structures -- but at the same time found ways to integrate elements of funk, jazz, and world music into their bubbling aural bouillabaisse. Despite the stark frameworks of their music, no one could argue that the Minutemen couldn't play -- bassist Watt and drummer George Hurley were one of the most potent rhythm sections in underground music, and Boon's guitar work marked the place where Jimi Hendrix and Captain Beefheart's influences met. While many punk bands bellowed harsh political rants, the Minutemen offered pithy but intelligent discourse on the world around them, focusing on how larger issues impacted ordinary folks in a way few people in rock ever managed. And the Minutemen's "econo" philosophy took D.I.Y. to a new level, as they set out to show by example how even the most cash-strapped musicians could bring their music to the people. (Their best album, Double Nickels on the Dime, was a two-record set recorded for less than 2,000 dollars.) The band were critical favorites on the cusp of a new level of popularity following a tour opening for R.E.M. when their career was stopped in its tracks by the tragic death of Boon in a car wreck in late 1985. We Jam Econo: The Story of the Minutemen is a documentary which tells the full story of this unusual and influential group, featuring performance footage of the Minutemen on stage, extensive interviews with Watt and Hurley, and contributions from friends and family members. Interview subjects include Thurston Moore, Ian MacKaye, Flea, Henry Rollins, Keith Morris, Greg Ginn, and many more. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide

Death & Texas mixes humor and drama in order to tell the story of a football player who ends up on death row. However, when his team begins to lose without him there is a movement to get him released. ~ Perry Seibert, All Movie Guide

During the infamous World Trade Organization protests in Seattle in November 1999, TV viewers around the world were treated to explosive footage of small bands of would-be anarchists smashing Starbucks windows and engaging in confrontations with the police. Trade Off, Shaya Mercer's documentary about the protests, gives audiences an alternate and well-balanced view of what happened. Most importantly, Mercer chooses to focus on the months of planning that proceeded the protests, shedding light on the diversity and intelligence of the organizers behind the event. College students, Teamster boss Jim Hoffa, representatives of French farmers' unions, and documentary filmmaker Michael Moore are all given screen time, as are the Seattle citizens who question the protests, and the police who nervously prepare to come face to face with rioters. As a kind of epilogue to the action, the smaller but no less passionate WTO protests that occurred the following April are shown, leaving viewers with the sense that Mercer is intent on giving us the message that this is an issue that will not simply evaporate. ~ Rebecca Flint Marx, All Movie Guide

This musical performance video includes songs like"Suicidal," "Guns, Booze and Sex," and includes special guest Jello Biafra as he plays "We've Got to Get Out of This Place." ~ All Movie Guide

In this high-energy satire of the music biz, Ivan Alexov (John Cusack) and Josh Tager (Tim Robbins) lose their jobs as security guards, and they decide to start their own video production company. Their first gigs are less than inspiring, including a rappin' commercial for a chicken-and-waffle place, a living will, and a right-wing Presidential-hopeful's (Clu Gulager) gala dinner. Eventually, they get to direct a heavy-metal music video which becomes a huge surprise success. But now the politician needs to get back a private videotape from the boys, and the Secret Service is put on their trail. This chaotic romp has cameos from more music celebs than you can shake a tape reel at, as well as a hopping little soundtrack by Fishbone. This is also the film that introduced a conservative folksinger/politician character who later got his own movie, Bob Roberts. ~ John Voorhees, All Movie Guide