Kingslaay Still water does not need to be a real band for a person to get wrapped up in the times and vibes of the film. The setting, band rivalries, complexities and great music make this a great journey. One could even imagine the Beatles or the Stones having this type of film journey made about them. William Miller goes along for the ride of his life and experiences all the band's life has to offer. The performances are great and Penny Lane was a great piece in the puzzle. There are some great scenes and some okay scenes but overall a decent film. 7.5/10

Paul J. Nemecek Almost Famous is the story of a fifteen-year old boy who becomes a writer for Rolling Stone magazine. This may seem like a pretty farfetched premise, but this film is, in part, the story of writer-director Cameron Crowe who was the youngest writer Rolling Stone ever had. The film, set in the early 70's, is a coming-of-age film about independence, maturation, principles, and compromise.Newcomer Patrick Fugit plays William Miller, the 15-year old who stumbles into the opportunity of a lifetime when the editor of Rolling Stone asks him to do a story on Stillwater, an up-and-coming band. Along the way William meets Penny Lane (Kate Hudson) who describes herself as a band-aide. In the most predictable development in the plot, William falls in love with Penny while Penny falls in love with lead guitarist Russell (played by Billy Crudup). As the story unfolds, William is thrown into the world that Janis Joplin described with the anthem "drugs, sex, and rock and roll."While William is clearly a babe in the woods (and a lamb among wolves), as he struggles to find his way we discover that he is the only person on the scene with a functioning moral compass. William does lose his way at points, but in many ways he becomes the moral center of the Stillwater entourage. Frances McDormand--the Oscar-winning actress who plays William's mother--provides some of the more charming moments in the film. She is the anchor that keeps William connected and grounded. She is also over-the-edge with anxiety and occasionally lectures various members of the Stillwater entourage.In Crowe's previous blockbuster, Jerry Maguire, Crowe gave us a vivid portrait of a sports agent who had become jaded and wanted to recapture some of the innocence he had lost. The moral dimensions and ethical dilemmas are similar here, but in Almost Famous the portrait is of the innocent before the fall. For this kind of portrayal, casting is critical, and newcomer Fugit does not disappoint. Perhaps because this is his first major role it is easy for him to show us the wide-eyed wonder and fear of the émigré from Eden who becomes a babe in Babylon.It is the depiction of Babylon that gets this film its R rating. But the message at the core of the film is G through and through. When William finds his way he finds his voice, and challenges the shallowness and superficiality of the lives of those around him. In so doing, he calls them to a more authentic form of existence, and some of the lives he has touched begin to change for the better. This film has many of the common features of coming-of-age films, but excellent writing, a unique plot line, and excellent performances put this one a bit above the rest.

kenysg So this movie has sort of a cool story but I think it is missing something like there are lot of characters that for me shouldn't be there or their presence doesn't really affects the movie. Like the mom.. I mean, yea, she sorta gives the movie "something" but I mean her role could've been played by someone else that wasn't that... freak. I didn't see her character very useful and I can't find the relationship about that the sister and the mother stopped talking to each other and the boys life. I mean the movie is all about this boy and the other people are just part of it in many ways but not all of them as important as I'd like them to be. It has a weird sense of humour and some kind of "really? bro?" scenes that makes the movie a bit hard to process. Like everything is so easy and hard at the same time and it's a bit hard to go with it.

Benedikt Dunse lmost famous is a movie that is ,from my point of view, definitely worth watching because it really gives people a look into the culture of rock and roll and also provides a deep message about friendship and trust in the end. The mostly autobiographical film follows a band and even has a someone who has not lived during the time you can really get a good feeling and the movie gives a very good illustration of the time. Personally I liked the music used in the different kinds of scenes and perfectly synchronized to the story. It perfectly underlines the emotions in the story and helps understanding the characters. The movie also had a lot of interesting shots and transition which I really liked because I never got bored watching this movie. The deep message about the culture of Rock and about the whole lifestyle was very interesting to me. I really liked that the movie is autobiographical because it helps understanding the characters and makes the audience able to develop a connection to them. Also what really appeared to me in the movie was the different kinds of lighting or colors. The stage and the parties were more likely darker and mysterious but whenever interesting conversation and important talks occurred the movie cleared up and this also underlined the story. In my opinion the story of a movie can be great in theory but if the director of film doesn't do a good job creating the right atmosphere the film would still be bad and not as interesting as Almost Famous. All in all I think this film did a very good job in expressing and illustrating the time. It also is a stand out film for having a great story and great music or visuals. Furthermore it delivers a good message and I would recommend it all day.