Set around the 2003 Annual Air Guitar World Championship Contest, and in particular around the first-time American participants, Air Guitar Nation plays like a tournament movie, pitting two opponents against each other, the "favorite" C-Diddy and the "relentless challenger" Björn Türoque.Don't be deterred by the overall silliness (which everyone acknowledges) and gives this documentary a chance. It's a joy to watch, from the inventive structure to the obvious fun the contestants have taking on their "rock star" personas. No these dudes aren't really like that, they're taking on a role! And having a blast doing it too! Air Guitar Nation certainly isn't a must-watch but it's a very nice watch. Very original and a lot of fun. A refreshing documentary which doesn't take itself seriously and doesn't tackle a serious matter either.

How is it possible to take such an interesting premise such as "Air Guitar" and have it come out so dull and boring? Clearly, the choices made by the director and producers on what to show and what not to show was a big factor. In addition, the American characters were weak, and I didn't care whether they won or lost. C-Diddy seems like a nice guy, but completely lacked charisma. But he was great compared to Bjorn Turoque, an incredibly obnoxious and self-centered slacker. Before the competition, Bjorn meets the Austrian champs, and later says to the camera, "these guys don't like me." Well of course they don't like you...you're a jerk!

In a genre that has been over-inundated with highly political and overly depressing fare for the past several years, a documentary like "Air Guitar Nation" is a welcome change, albeit one you might not likely talk about with others. "Air Guitar Nation" does for the peculiar rocker nerd what "Spellbound" did for the quiet word nerd. It raises them above expectation and stereotype, at least to a point.For those completely out of the loop, air guitar is many things. Perhaps it is what dorks who can't play guitar do when listening to power chord heavy rock music, or perhaps it is a performance art in the family of pantomime or lip synching, or perhaps even the purist completely anti-corporate art form that exists. Fashion photographer Alexandra Lipsitz, whose main credits stem from Bravo's "Project Runway", has assembled a film about the first ever Air Guitar Championships in the United States which drew an unexpected huge crowd in downtown New York in 2003. After the National Champion was crowned, it was off to the International event in Finland where things are taken very seriously."Air Guitar Nation" is a well-made documentary that presents an unbiased look at an often misunderstood subculture that may rekindle rock and roll passion in it's audience as well as embarrassment for watching something about a bunch of adults (men and women, by the way) pretending to play invisible instruments.

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.