Lefsetz and Navarro Agree: U23D Must Be Seen

I was blown away by U2's new concert film, U2 3D. If you're interested in music, technology, or movies (and who isn't?), it's worth making an effort to see this while it's still in theaters. Producer John Modell told me they might release it for 3D monitor, but the effect will be nowhere near as powerful as the in-theater experience.

Bob Lefsetz of the Lefsetz Letter and Dave Navarro of Jane's Addiction Dan Navarro agree. From Lefsetz's latest email, here's a bit of what each had to say about the film (showtimes).

Bob Lefsetz:

I don't give a shit if you like U2 or not, you owe it to yourself tocheck this movie out. Because this is the closest thing to the liveexperience other than being there. Hell, I'd rather pay ten bucks tosee this movie than sit in the upper deck in the soccer stadium the gigtakes place in. And I'd like to tell you it's about being so close toBono, being within touching distance of the band, but more importantit's about feeling a part of something, of rock and roll. My absolutefavorite moments were when they situated us at the back of the pit,
with those in front of us thrusting their hands in the air. I felt thepulse, the sweat, the vibe, the MUSIC!

Remember whenmusic wasn't sold out? When it was its own rarified element, not partof sporting events? That's what this show/movie is like. You feellike you're with your brethren, and that the rest of the world justdoes not matter...

I cannot hype this movie enough. This is not Andy Warhol's 3D, youpositively feel like you're there. Is this the future of rock and rollshows? I don't know, but even if this is "In Rainbows", a one timestunt, don't let it pass you by. The only place you can see it is atyour local theatre. Make the trip. You'll tell every living soulabout it. You won't come down for days. It's just like going to theshow, in some ways even BETTER!

Dan Navarro:

The film, the concert, the effects, the spectacle, all were nothingshort of mindblowing. It's a totally immersive experience that isunlike anything I've ever seen. I've done like 1500 shows in the past20 years, so a concert is hardly what it used to be for me, and I stillgot chills. I mean, it felt like I was fucking IN U2, not justwatching them.

The IMAX and 3D formats are ultimately gimmicks, and they're as muchthe stars of the show as the band is. This ain't no Michael JacksonCaptain EO. It's the first concert movie I've seen that made me feelboth the hugeness of the sea of humanity at a stadium show, and theimmediacy of being soooooo close to the action. The 3D is sensational– no red/blue glasses that make it so hard to settle into a 3D visualfor very long, but rather some kind of polarized lens number that madethe effect get natural pretty quick.

Bono is in your FACE. The Edge is in your face, Adam Clayton,
well, yeah, like I said, in your bloody FACE! You circle all aroundLarry Mullen, then above him and behind, and you're smack in the middleof it all, then, whoosh, you're in the audience, then back, then out onthe thrust stages, then back staring down Bono again. Man, it's busy,
but you stay with it, while your perspective never rests. The imagesare huge, and you feel like you could touch them. You practically can.