Doug Pray

For anyone who has either made a grab for the remote control whenever one of those annoying advertisements appear on television,this film may (or may not)interest you. Behind those thirty,or sixty second exercises in video bombast,there are the persons who are responsible (or guilty)for putting them there in the first place. Documentary film maker Doug Pray (Hype,Red Diaper Baby,etc.)directs this informative (and at times,very funny) open window on the talking heads who are behind all of this wretched excess. In a space of 89 minutes,we see the likes of Liz Dolan (a former marketing chief at Nike,who reveals the creepy origins of their catch phrase,"Just Do It"),Dan Wieden,Jeff Goodby,and especially the outspoken George Lois, among others,speak their individual minds on the ins & outs of the advertising business (so now you know who's photograph to toss darts at). In addition to television & radio ads,we also get to know about other aspects of the advertising game (billboards,which I generally consider,for the most part,an eye sore,not to mention magazines & newspapers,etc.). Don't get me wrong---I know that products need to get the word out,but they could be done a bit more tactfully (I've always considered European advertising's approach of a whisper gets more attention than a shout--just watch some of the television advertisements that appear on European television the next time you're over there). This is a documentary that is easy to like, dealing with a subject that some (most?) of us love to hate. Not rated by the MPAA,but contains strong language. Maybe not a good choice for little tykes that are learning to talk (you probably would not want them to blurt out some of the stuff that tumbles out of the mouth of George Lois in mixed company) Watch Movies Online for Free on 10StarMovies.

A feature-length documentary about graffiti culture as told through the experiences of six well-known graffiti writers and a graffiti buffer. Watch Movies Online for Free on 10StarMovies.

In the language of hip-hop, the MC raps on top of the beats. The DJ--or turntablist--supplies the beats. Doug Pray's lively documentary is a tribute to these unsung heroes of the "scratch." His approach is neither dry nor academic and is designed as much for the masters of the form as for the fans. Pray was also behind Hype!, which focused on the Seattle scene in the 1980s and 1990s. In his 2002 follow-up, he travels as far back as the 1970s (DJ Kool Herc, Afrika Bambaataa) and roams the U.S. from New York (Gang Starr's DJ Premier) to the Bay Area (DJ Shadow, Q-Bert). After watching the film and grooving to the beat, you're likely to wonder if there's a soundtrack to accompany it. Fortunately, there is--Bill Laswell, producer of Herbie Hancock's seminal "Rockit," is behind a compilation featuring many of the same artists celebrated in Scratch. --Kathleen C. Fennessy Watch Movies Online for Free on 10StarMovies.

The world of grunge. This documentary examines the Seattle scene as it became the focus of a merging of punk rock, heavy metal, and innovation. Building from the grass roots, self-promoted and self-recorded until break-out success of bands like Nirvana brought the record industry to the Pacific Northwest, a phenomenon was born. More than just an examination of the music, this is a look at how this artistic movement became a societal and fashion trend with a major effect on American culture. Watch Movies Online for Free on 10StarMovies.