One Sentence: Art imitating life that imitates art.
Rated: R
Running Time: 87 Minutes
Release Date: On DVD Now
Nudity: None
This documentary is nominated for Best Doc Of The Year so if you are going to play the fantasy Oscar's better pay attention to this one.
I feel like I have an edge with this documentary that most do not, Shepard Fairey, Banksy, Buffmonster, Angry Woebots and so many more are household names to me. I have pieces from some of these artists in my house right now, I have been following graffiti and it's transition into street art and now into commercial products for about 15 years and it is very interesting. I say I have an edge with this documentary, because all of the events that happened in this documentary I have already known about in some form or another, so the ability to put aside the hoax nonsense and look at this movie critically allows me to have a nicer time dealing with the message of this movie, which is a lot harder to look at when you accept Mr. Brainwash as a real person.
Exit Through The Gift Shop is a hard look at everything in the art world, and in our real world and asks what are the rules, who broke them, why didn't we do the same thing, and if we didn't we can act like we are principled enough to be discouraging about it. If you care about the rules, this movie makes your jaw drop and ears bleed with the confusion of seeing those rules being torn down right around you. That there are people that might break those rules. Who aren't even aware they exist or if they do, they don't give a damn about them. However those rules, that just got stomped on, were taught by those before us, who were breaking something else to make what they wanted to happen.
If the above is confusing, I understand, and I agree, even now I do not know how I feel about Mr. Brainwash and his "art." However I do have a toy designed by buffmoster on a shelf that cost me 20 bucks, I have a shirt with Shepard Fairey's Obama image on it and I am aware that when he appeared on The Colbert Report and stenciled OBEY on the old Colbert portrait, that the value of that image went up about $20,000 dollars in a matter of seconds.
Mr. Brainwash's Oscar Piece unveiled last week.
Exit Through The Gift Shop is the perfect look at everything we hold dear and asks how far gone are we. The movies that are nominated for Oscar's most of the time make very little money. The money makers make Avatar. Is it shocking, is it sad, is it smart, is it art? This is the truly wonderful thing about Exit Through The Gift Shop and at least makes this documentary art if nothing else, because it presents you will something and makes you ask yourself these questions. I highly recommend this movie to anyone, especially those that are into Art of any type. It is an entertaining and wonderful look at everything around you and how people will go for what they want.
