Render: Spanning Time With Ani DiFranco

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Ani DiFranco

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For any Ani purists out there--this is a must have. (Just like you gotta have every one her CDs--even the ones you don't quite get) Even if you're only an occasional fan, I still think you'll like this. You won't watch it over and over, cause hey--it really is mostly just a music video. It's familiar ground for those who've been to her concerts. If you turn it up loud enough and turn off your lights--you'll feel like you're there. Much like Living in Clip though, there are those little insights in between the music that make this a new experience. That's really what I bought it for--and I wasn't disappointed. (that and a live version of Dilate!) One thing that really grabbed me was my own little "lesson learned." I have to admit, prior to watching this I never really quite agreed with those who said "don't sing along." I always figured that my singing along was my way of expressing how much I really admired Ani's talent for complex, fascinating and touching lyrics. The explanation she gives here though--it's changed my mind. These kind of moments are sprinkled throughout. Ok--that's all I'm going to say--I could sit here and describe every little perfect moment--but I prefer to treat this like a movie; thus I don't want to ruin the ending for you. Enjoy.

Although I consider myself a fan of her music, I found this DVD to have done a disservice to Ani DiFranco. The picture is often not synchronized with the sound, and the erratic editing, poorly done video effects, inter-cutting of home movies, and chronically skewed camera angles serve only as an obstruction to the performances and interviews. These techniques might have added to the film had they been used sparingly, but serve here only as a constant annoyance. She is credited as co-director, so perhaps she should have entrusted the film solely to a more experienced filmmaker?