('I'm Still Here' Graffiti on Grand Ave.)I really enjoyed 'I'm Still Here.' I think Roger Ebert said it best so I'll just quote him "If Joaquin Phoenix is acting, it's the best acting he's ever done." Initially I think it started as a pre-planned thing then as time progressed and Joaquin got deeper and deeper in it he lost his dome and actually became that 'character.' When I was watching the movie I was struck by this feeling of familiarity, after thinking about it I realized it reminded me alot of the Bob Dylan documentary 'Don't Look Back.' They both investigate celebrity and the leads seem to be playing heightened versions of themselves. Both come off as self-centered and irritating. I think Casey Affleck and Joaquin Phoenix watched 'Don't Look Back' and decided to do an updated actor version with the same 'fuck you' attitude. Mocking the idea of celebrity while totally indulging in it by making a movie investigating it. What's interesting is that scenes from 'Don't Look Back' were transcribed and used in the movie 'I'm Not There' which had a bunch of different people play Bob Dylan. 'I'm Not There' of course is an inverted version of 'I'm Still Here.' Casey Affleck came out today and said that it was a hoax. He also repeatedly said it wasn't. At this point it's subjective. The truth of if it was fake or not doesn't matter and at this point can't be verified. So what if Casey says it was a hoax at this point, maybe he's embarrassed or the movie didn't do as well as he thought so he's trying a different marketing strategy. What matters is the movie going experience. Go see it. What do you think? Also see 'Don't Look Back.' I have a copy if you want to borrow it. If you watch 'Don't Look Back' and 'I'm Still Here' back to back you'll think
Joaquin Phoenix is channeling 1965 Bob Dylan.
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