Edward Bates

Edward Bates has had his fingerprints on some wild corners of the film world, honestly. You might’ve caught his name rolling by in the credits of The Last Time I Committed Suicide back in ‘97—which, by the way, is one of those gritty, offbeat flicks that doesn’t care if you’re comfortable. It’s inspired by a letter from Neal Cassady to Jack Kerouac, so yeah, there’s a whole Beat Generation thing going on. You get these chaotic, raw vibes—the story bounces around, hopping between past and present, with Thomas Jane playing this restless soul chasing after meaning, freedom, and probably a little self-destruction. Keanu Reeves pops up, too, just adding to that ‘90s indie energy. Then, skip ahead a few years to Kingdom Come (2001). Now, this one’s totally different—think family drama but with a sharp comedic edge. The film kicks off with a funeral, but don’t expect some slow, mournful crawl; it’s a messy, hilarious reunion of relatives who can barely stand each other. There’s bickering, old wounds, and just enough absurdity to keep things from getting too heavy. The cast is stacked—Whoopi Goldberg, LL Cool J, Jada Pinkett Smith—and the script juggles some serious stuff under all the jokes. And then there’s Electric Daisy Carnival Experience from 2011. Complete left turn, right? This one chucks you headfirst into the madness of the EDC music festival—lasers, neon, and enough bass to rattle your bones. It’s more than just a concert doc; it tries to bottle up the chaos and euphoria of a massive rave, following DJs, dancers, and the wild crowd all night. Bates jumps from gritty drama to family comedy to EDM spectacle like it’s nothing. Not your average filmography, that’s for sure.