Documentaries are practically littering the streets these days, so to have one hold my attention is a tough job. Having it be about a cool dude I once met, who also makes music I enjoy, definitely helps keep me engaged. Maximum Summer is about Ben Epstein, from The Max Levine Ensemble, and his ability to fun harder than any person alive. He put himself in the hospital due to how much fun he insisted on having. And I don’t mean beer-soaked party fun—I mean pool parties, roller coaters, writing a song every day for thirty days, and constantly looking for another cool thing to do. The film loosely chronicles one particular summer, but it also covers the DIY DC scene and some super early footage of The Max Levine Ensemble. Interviews with friends and footage of Ben pushing the fun to the nth degree coat the rest of these ninety minutes. If you read this synopsis and thought you wanted to watch it, you’ll like it. I mean, it held my attention and I can’t be bothered to finish anythi… –Donna Ramone (Brat Cave Productions, 1216 Pinecrest Cir., Silver Spring, MD, 20910, [email protected])