rock 'n' reel

by INGRID RANDOJA

This year's NXNE film component gets stronger, kicking off with the crowd-pleasing Plaster Caster and including a rare 15th-anniversary screening of the cult film Heavy Metal Parking Film, which captures the parking-lot antics before a Judas Priest concert. Here's the lowdown on some of the flicks.

NXNE FILM FESTIVAL Thursday-Saturday (June 6-8) at the Bloor Cinema (506 Bloor West) and John Spotton Cinema (150 John). Free with NXNE wristband, some limited seats available at the door for non-wristband viewers. See Rep Cinema listings, page 102, for complete schedule. 416-863-6963. www.nxne.com

Penis envy

PLASTER CASTER D: Jessica Villines, Thursday (June 6), 7 pm, at the Bloor. Rating: NNN

Cynthia Plaster Caster is a rock and roll legend, a fan who shows her appreciation for singers and musicians by making plaster casts of their erect penises. She's been around since the 60s (she cast Jimi Hendrix's impressive member), and this documentary catches up with the goofy groupie/artist who still chases after rock cock. The difference now is that a gallery wants to exhibit her collection as art.

Is it art? Nah, but it is physical proof that rock stars' egos are usually larger than their tackle, and it's amazing how many men will go through the painful and often humiliating experience to be immortalized by this sweet oddball.

Pipe dream

DREAM MACHINE D: Su Rynard, Friday (June 7), 5:30 pm, at the John Spotton. Rating: NNN

Local filmmaker Su Rynard follows aspiring singer Roberta Michele through a fascinating two-year period during which she's signed by Sony Music Canada, cuts a CD, makes a video, is finally launched and peddled to radio stations and ends up opening for singer Amanda Marshall. I've never heard of her, which is the whole point of this documentary: the chances of making it in the music biz are tiny even if you are talented, and Michele is. The problem is, she's fed raw into the mouth of the music marketing juggernaut. It's a miracle if anyone survives that ordeal emotionally and creatively intact. Local music and media execs will undoubtedly be packing this screening to get a glimpse of themselves.

Open shutter

nANTON CORBIJN: NO STILL LIFE D: Dirk Jan Roeleven, Friday (June 7), 5:30 pm, at the John Spotton. Rating: NNNN

Dutch photographer Anton Corbijn has done as much to create the image of bands like U2 and Depeche Mode as have the bands themselves. He's an amazing photographer whose devotion to composition usually means his rock 'n' roll subjects are placed within huge or daunting landscapes, which irks their egos but makes them look great. He's a perfectionist, he drives magazine art directors crazy by insisting that he must choose the photos for publication himself and yet there's no question that he's the man you'd want shooting your CD cover.