recommended

A Brilliant Conflict

Your blood may run cold, but you now find yourself pinioned to the story.

Each character in this movie — down to the smallest one — is an individual rather than a type, prone to spontaneous changes of mood and sometimes amusing outbursts of pettiness or ill humor.

This seems a journey never to be end, upon this train the people I envy, dancing laughing singing in urbans and in wild and in desert.

This is a fantastic music documentary. If you ever have seen and loved Festival Express you will love this too! For the next generation of music lovers who missed out on the 60's & 70's life on the road. It is not to involved in he drug and drinking culture as Festival but more concentrated on the traveling and music they all play together and with other they meet on the way through their travels. Live concerts and private sessions on the train are very interesting and entertaining. They travel from California to New Orleans and show the landscapes along the way and a few stops. Concerts are played individual and all bands mixed. Kind of cool to see this type of once in a lifetime show documented for all to see! Shot on film gives it an authentic real feel doc. I wasn't even a big fan of these bands but now I am : )

I was more than entertained by the performances and "documentary" style of the movie. I felt as though I had an opportunity to not only enjoy the amazing talent of the bands, but was able to see a little bit of the people behind the music. I am an OCMS fan and have been for years. It was great that they had the chance to travel around with each other and perform to so many fans along the way. Honestly, the movie could have been even longer and I would have stayed glued to the TV. I was also impressed with the Electric Zeros as I had not had a chance to experience their music, but they were great too.All in all the film showed how humble and amazing Old Crow Medicine Show, Mumford and Sons and Edward Sharpe & The Electric Zeroes are as musicians, artists and people. I will enjoy watching this film for many years to come and hope that there is a soundtrack with all of the music forthcoming as well!!!

Acting half as a musical documentary and half as a series of live music videos, Big Easy Express shows the tour of Old Crow Medicine Show, Edward Sharp and the Magnetic Zero's and Mumford & Sons journey across the US on a train in which they have all to themselves. To say that the film is shot beautifully would be an understatement, candid as if the members of the bands don't even realize they are there at all. Director Emmet Malloy use of black and white, coffee stained filters, and scenes of the classically beautiful American mid west landscape and the old rusty train and contrasts them with the various modern cities they visit, perfectly encapsulates the contemporary folk sound of each of the bands.Perhaps the films only flaw, if you can even call it that, is that there's too much music. By that I mean in the one hour length of the movie there are probably more than a dozen songs played. What I'm getting at is that there is far too little interviews and insight into the musicians themselves, and when it is done it feels kinda forced. Although as I continue to think about the movie, that's what also makes the movie great and unique in a way. As the movie goes on each of the members grow on you, you begin to realize that they are actually very different types of people but always smile as they play a song and it seems like they have been playing with each other for decades. The insights which are lost in the lack of interviews are gained in a much more definite and poignant way through the minute details you pick up as you practically live the journey with them.More than anything the film is a showcase of some of the best contemporary folk/bluegrass/acoustic music of our time. Whether its Alex Ebert's voice, Marcus Mumford's charm or Jade Castrinos quirkiness, this is a truly great film which stays true to the music, the performers and their performances.