“A tale of strange obsession, squandered wealth, uncertain love and animatronic, guitar-playing bears, ‘The Rock-afire Explosion’ is something of a minor miracle, packed with heart-on-sleeve pathos and moments of unexpected, heartwrenching beauty.”

“it’s a pretty marvelous celebration of passion and fun, especially if you love docs about obsessive fans”

“In The Rock-afire Explosion, director Brett Whitcomb chronicles the rise and fall of Rock-afire and, I'm telling you, it's utterly fascinating.”

“Director Brett Whitcomb could have easily taken a condescending attitude toward Thrash and the other Rock-afire enthusiasts, but instead he presents the material in a nonjudgmental fashion that makes The Rock-afire Explosion surprisingly moving at times.”

“Filmmakers, Brett Whitcomb and Bradford Thomason, deserve props for pulling this footage together with such an intelligent, keen eye for detail and real emotion”

“How the Rock-afire Explosion, a faded kiddie-restaurant's band of animatronic animals, blew up on YouTube”

“The new Rock-afire Explosion clips deliver an entertaining mix of nostalgia, humor and irony that are key ingredients in the making of a viral internet hit.”

“Move over Martin Scorsese’s ‘The Last Waltz’, The Mayles Brothers’ ‘Gimme Shelter’ and D.A. Pennebaker’s ‘Don’t Look Back’, because what will undoubtedly be he greatest Rock Doc of all time is finally upon us.”

“This is a wonderful, enlightening, and affectionate documentary providing a sugar-shocked exploration of a distant memory kept alive by a faithful few.”

“Brett Whitcomb and Bradford Thomason's documentary is surprisingly reverent, a universal story about the quixotic battle to hold on to childhood.”

“Turns out there's life yet in Showbiz Pizza's animatronic band, the Rock-afire Explosion”

“This might be the only movie that will rival This is Spinal Tap as the most bizarre rockumentary ever.”

“...the documentary film I've been waiting my whole life for...”

“The Rock-afire Explosion is an exultant and celebratory documentary of people finding happiness in strange places. It's the story of bringing the band back together for one more show”

“A new documentary is the talk of the Internet, and anyone who was either a child of the 1980s or the parent of a youngster of those times might want to check it out for a hefty dose of nostalgia.”

“I didn't expect to be moved watching this, but when it comes to the story of this beloved family business, you cannot help but to be.”

“The documentary epitomizes what it was like for a kid to go to Showbiz—the food, the games, and most intriguingly, the sophisticated animatronics band that put on full shows, moving, singing, and playing their own instruments.”

“This is a surprisingly moving documentary, with an extremely effective music score. There is a sequence toward the end where Fechtner gives a tour of the now abandoned warehouse where his designers, fired decades before, created the characters, that is just heartbreaking.”