Black Lips: Kids Like You & Me

This engaging documentary covers four weeks in the life of a rock band from Georgia called the Black Lips. While the band itself is decent although not extraordinary, there's nothing ordinary about what's covered here: the quartet of Atlanta musicians just happen to be touring the Middle East in 2011, at the early peak of the Arab Spring in Egypt (shortly before Hosni Mubarak was ousted from the presidency) and as events in Syria are beginning to teeter toward disaster. Producer-director Bill Cody follows the Black Lips as they not only play in those countries—as well as Lebanon, Jordan, Iraq, the United Arab Emirates, and Cyprus—but also try to understand tumultuous events and serve as goodwill ambassadors despite rising anti-U.S. sentiment. Touring with a Lebanese band called Lazzy Lung, the Black Lips make a joyful noise and get people dancing, dealing along the way with media attention and difficult questions about values as best they can. While the concert footage is satisfying, the film's greatest strength is its street-level view of rapidly changing circumstances in Cairo and Alexandria, especially a remarkable scene in Tahrir Square with artists and others enjoying a new sense of freedom. DVD extras include bonus footage of an earlier tour and an MTV appearance. Highly recommended. (T. Keogh)