CrawlerChunky In truth, there is barely enough story here to make a film.

Bluebell Alcock Ok... Let's be honest. It cannot be the best movie but is quite enjoyable. The movie has the potential to develop a great plot for future movies

Rio Hayward All of these films share one commonality, that being a kind of emotional center that humanizes a cast of monsters.

Sarita Rafferty There are moments that feel comical, some horrific, and some downright inspiring but the tonal shifts hardly matter as the end results come to a film that's perfect for this time.

Roland E. Zwick "Air Guitar Nation" is probably the best documentary ever made about a non-subject. Air Guitar, for those unfamiliar with the term, is the art of playing heavy metal guitar sans the actual guitar. It's what every spastic, tone-deaf teenager with dreams of one day becoming the next Jimi Hendrix has done in the privacy of his own bedroom since the late 1960's. Who could ever have imagined that a whole subculture and cottage industry would one day spring up around an activity that most of us probably never admitted to doing even to our closest buddies?Yet, that is exactly what has happened, and in its rise to semi-"respectability," Air Guitar has gathered unto itself a bevy of impassioned, hardcore fans who see nothing crazy in cheering on a wannabe guitarist as he mimics the moves of actual music-making immortals like Jeff Beck, Jimmy Page and Eric Clapton on stage. Indeed, the Air Guitar movement even boasts its own roster of revered icons and pioneers and has established well-attended competitions on the local, national and international level as a means of showcasing its finest talents and garnering itself some much-needed publicity. The movie follows two of the key figures in the field, C-Diddy and Bjorn Turoque - each with his own very different hard rocker persona - as they head to the 2003 Air Guitar championship held in Oulu, Finland.The basic charm of "Air Guitar Nation" lies in its ability to acknowledge the silliness of the whole concept while, at the same time, evincing a genuine, heartfelt affection for both the activity and those who participate in it. Indeed, far more time is spent getting to know the "musicians" as people than in watching them actually perform. What is most striking about the young men is just how reserved, shy and self-effacing they are by nature until they take to the stage and simply cut loose with all their wild gesticulations and antics at the behest of the adoring crowd. It is then that they become truly transformed, so much so that even the most cynical scoffer may find himself caught up in the spirit of the moment, sweating out the contest's ultimate outcome right along with the participants. The men also face their inexplicable status as celebrities with a clear-eyed rationality, not taking themselves or their accomplishments all that seriously (their satirical names alone reflect that playful spirit), a fact that makes the whole thing at least palatable for those who still may not quite "get it" even after the closing credits have rolled on by.

somf About 10 minutes into this film a big grin came across my face and it never left. That would be my entire review were it not for the fact that there is a ten line minimum and I have only written three. It is a shame that there is an R rating to this film because other than a couple of f bombs and a naked guy grabbing himself for about ten seconds on stage (which I believe is cheating because you really should not use props), but other than those two scenes this is a film that kids would love as well. The air guitar championships take place in Finland and they have a message of peace that Scandinavians relay very nicely. You just like everyone involved in this film. I was not expecting to enjoy it nearly as much as I did. Highly recommended.

hibishop I saw this film at SilverDocs 2006, AFI/Discovery Channel Documentary Film Festival in Silver Spring, MD. I was initially hesitant to see this movie, because seriously, how good can a film called "Air Guitar Nation" be? In actuality, I was surprisingly entertained and amazed by this engaging film.Unlike some documentaries that seem rushed or incomplete, "Air Guitar Nation" is a finished work. The film begins by introducing a score of wholly unique and zany, yet ultimately very human competitors into the world of air guitar. Though comical at first glance, the competitors rise above the visual silliness of strumming air to let their personalities warm the hearts of the audience.By the end of the film, I was rooting whole-heartedly for all the competitors as they battled for the World Air Guitar Championship. I walked out of the theater with the sounds of great music in my head and a newfound respect for air guitar in general. And once at home, I blew the dust off my own air guitar and jammed out a few solos!

leggomyego6 the most fun i've had in a movie theater, ever. incredibly well made, but truth be told i could tape cell phone cameras to my hyperactive dogs and throw tennis balls around a room with these guys in it and the resulting footage would be Oscar-worthy. also, after the screening i saw of it, the director and three of the protagonists (bjorn turoque and the two American guys who created the US National Air Guitar Championships) answered questions from the crowd and did nothing but further my newfound love for this beautiful, hilarious art form. if this movie gets the distribution deal it deserves and comes within a hundred miles of you, go see it. if you need a reason to restore your faith in humanity amidst all the depressing stuff that's happening in the world, find your way to air guitar nation. you'll thank yourself forever.