Tag: Documentary

SLIFF 2014 Review – THE WINDING STREAM

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THE WINDING STREAM screens as part of the 23rd Annual Whitaker St. Louis International Film Festival on Saturday, November 15 at 5:30 PM at  The Stage at KDHX. Get ticket information here

In the history of recorded American country music (or as they liked to call it then, “Old Time-y Music”) one of the pioneers was AP (Alvin Pleasant) Carter, who along with wife Sara and her sister Maybelle, were the original Carter Family. Beth Harrington’s fascinating documentary feature film traces their still ongoing legacy that began in the 1920’s in the back hills of Virgina. The film talks with many modern-day members of the clan who share their memories and take viewers to the often barely still-standing homestead where the music was created. We follow the trio to Bristol Virginia where several of AP’s tunes were committed to old 78 records which flew off store shelves. An early hit was Sara’s rendition of “Single Girl/Married Girl” a sisterhood anthem far ahead of its time. Their popularity exploded with the advent of unregulated (by the US FCC) border radio in the early thirties. The story of radio station XERA and its powerful signal that blanketed much of the States is a compelling tale worthy of another feature. We hear of AP’s constant travels in search of songs (often aided by African-American musician Lesley Riddle) and how lonely Sara fell for his cousin, nearly breaking up the act. Luckily Maybelle provided a second generation with daughters Anita, Helen, and June, who later married Johnny Cash beginning another generation of performers. Harrington makes excellent use of archival footage (Technicolor film footage along with TV kinescopes), family photos (Maybelle loved hippies!), and those scratchy, but still toe-tappin’ records. There are interviews why most of the principals (including great quotes from the late “Man in Black”) and new recreations of classic melodies by many contemporaries, from George Jones to Sheryl Crow. This is an overflowing treasure trove of entertainment, even some energetic ‘high-steppin'”.

Harrington keeps the movie flowing at a wonderful, brisk pace, knowing just when to cut away to another delightful piece of prized film or audio. The choice to animate some of the old photos almost distracts as they resemble Terry Gilliam’s Python clip art work, but thankfully it’s not overdone. This is a film to dazzle music fans and film goers, as several songs were featured predominately in the superb soundtrack for O BROTHER, WHERE ART THOU. If THE WINDING STREAM doesn’t have you humming and swaying along to the beat, better have someone check your pulse. What a sweet slice of Americana!

 

Fantastic Fest 2014: KUNG FU ELLIOT – The Review

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KUNG FU ELLIOT is not what it first sets out to become. In fact, by the end, you’ll find out — once more — that truth is sometimes stranger than fiction. From the very beginning of the film, it takes every fiber of your being to resist the inclination of writing it off as another mockumentary. Oh, this is just another take on what they started with This is Spinal Tap some three decades ago. Wrong. What you are about to watch is actually a documentary, and perhaps, one of the most compelling, honest and revealing of the year… even though, ironically, the film is so heavily rooted in deception.

Filmmakers Matthew Baukman and Jaret Belliveau set out to document the life of a somewhat peculiar but fascinating character they discovered by chance. Elliot “White Lightning” Scott, the self-proclaimed “first action star of Canada” is an amateur low-budget filmmaker from the neighbor up north. He is beginning production on his third film, titled BLOOD FIGHT, when the filmmakers begin their journey with Elliot and his girlfriend Linda, who also produces Elliot’s films, and his best friend who also acts in his films. What they discover over the course of filming, a revelation that is slowly riveting as it is hilarious, is that things are not as they appear in Elliot’s life.

KUNG FU ELLIOT is as much, if not arguably more of a comedy than a drama, despite its non-fiction origins. Audiences will certainly empathize with Linda, Elliot’s unbelievably patient and tolerable partner, as she puts up with his day dreams of fame and complete lack of financial and practical worth as a member of society. On top of paying all the bills, providing food, clothes and shelter for Elliot, Linda also bankrolls his films and literally every other aspect of his life. She even forks out for him to attend acupuncture school and travel to China with his class to study abroad, where we learn that his narcissistic ego knows no borders.

Whether disbelief replaces disgust with mockery and laughter, or you just plain develop a seething hatred of the film’s central character, one thing is for sure about KUNG FU ELLIOT… you’re not going to like him very much. After watching the film with my wife, the first words out of her mouth upon recovering from the shock, were to say “I f*cking hate this guy!” Strong words from someone who has never met him in person, but it perfectly conveys my point. Elliot does not carry himself as someone who purposely goes out of his way to be a douche bag, he just is and fails to realize the truth of his existence in the world.

What is truly heartbreaking about the film, you know, in the solemn moments between rolling in laughter on the floor and shaking your head, wondering if what you just saw really, actually happened in real life, what’s truly heartbreaking is that everyone else in the film, all the others in his life — at least the few he has in his life — are counting on him to make good on these pipe dreams of which he seems truly, honestly convinced will come true. Elliot plays these decent, albeit eccentric, human beings in a way that they buy into it hook, line and sinker, perhaps because Elliot himself has taken his own bait, or so it seems.

KUNG FU ELLIOT is a film that’s easy to get lost within the surface qualities, making the unexpected conclusion of the film even more shocking. Not only has he played his partner and friends, but he’s player the filmmakers and the audience as well. If you recall the documentary CATFISH (2010) then you understand the underlying deceptive quality of the story, minus the technology of the internet. The primary difference here is that KUNG FU ELLIOT oozes with authenticity, whereas CATFISH always had this sense of integral doubt of authenticity that lurked around every corner of the film. KUNG FU ELLIOT wears its deception on its sleeve, we just don’t realize it until Elliot rolls down his sleeves.

KUNG FU ELLIOT is making appearances at Film Festivals worldwide.

Overall Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

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VIDEO GAMES: THE MOVIE – The Review

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It’s another one of those full disclosure moments for me as a reviewer. I am not a hardcore gamer. Do I enjoy video games? In general, yes. Do I get excited when new games get released? No, not really. Do I play video games more than 1-2 hours a week? Not even close. I spend too much time watching movies to be a true gamer. However, I do still have an appreciation for the pixelated pastime.

Being a child of the 80s, I grew up giving my NES and SNES a hardy workout. That’s Nintendo Entertainment System and Super NES, for those who have been hiding under a rock for the last 30 years. I never owned an Atari, although I did secretly cherish my Commodore, the Radio Shack Atari knock-off system. Hey, I too could play Pitfall, amongst other classics, with that system!

While most of my minimal game time is spent nostalgically tapping the old NES controller buttons on my vintage games like Castlevania, I’m dually aware of the unmistakable parallel between cinema and digital gaming. Granted, its a stretch to make that connection with the old Atari games, but even then we had crossover examples like the infamous E.T. Atari game whose blockbuster failure is epic in itself.

The beauty of a film like VIDEO GAMES: THE MOVIE [from here out referred to as VGTM] is that it brings the people who know what the hell they’re taking about together to provide a comprehensive history of the digital gaming culture and tells the relatively young yet richly textured tale of the hobby’s meteoric rise in a way that is fun and interesting and doesn’t suck.

Written and directed by Jeremy Snead and co-produced by actor/filmmaker Zach Braff, VGTM has an energy and contemporary approach that is befitting of the subject matter. Where other documentaries on this general topic have focused on a specific niche of the trade, VGTM strives to tell the whole story as it currently stands, concisely but without dragging it out too long and becoming a failed Ken Burns-scale trainwreck. [No offense to Ken Burns, but no one can make a compelling documentary of great length like he does, so why even try?]

Snead begins the film by getting our techno adrenaline flowing, encouraging us to get excited about reliving our early days of geekdom planted in front of a TV screen punching buttons for hours as little blocky characters run and jump at our command. Only after he has us hooked, does he delve into the fascinating history of game development and ultimately the endless and ongoing evolution of gaming. Surprisingly, the 100-minute running time is successful at covering the entirety of the overall story without dwelling on any one area too long. Granted, there is much detail left on the virtual cutting room floor, but VGTM is not trying to be the Encyclopedia Britannica of video game documentaries.

VGTM has two target audiences in mind, so far as I can surmise. First, we have the hardcore gamers who inherently will appreciate the novelty of this film, much of which will likely not be anything they do not already store within they’re bags of plenty. My apologies, but that reference may or may not be properly placed, but I am a geek that spans multiple genres. Anyway, the second target audience would be those not yet familiar, or not yet educated, as to the history and making of the very entertainment they spend so much time taking for granted these days.

Allow me to illustrate. When I first acquired my retro console that plays both NES and SNES games, my two boys had no clue what they were watching me wire into my TV. At the innocent young ages of 9 and 6, they watched in wonder and then were mesmerized to discover the joy found in playing things such as Super Mario Bros and Excite Bike, to name just a couple. Instantly, I created two new retro enthusiasts, but they never actually lived the history. So, VGTM is a technological testament, a recorded history for future generations.

What power lies in this realization, that young people already accustomed to the advanced graphics and high-speed game play of systems like Sony’s Playstation and Xbox can still find amazement and wonder in playing the original Nintendo games? VGTM latches onto this sense of wonder, spanning genres across the globe, from the days of hanging out in arcades to hosting LAN parties with friends to stadium-filling gaming events on the scale of an NFL Superbowl. Do you remember THE WIZARD, starring Fred Savage? That kinda sh*t actually happened in real life! If you remember this, be careful. You’re showing your age.

Snead intertwines insightful and poignant interviews from industry juggernauts, early groundbreaking developers and current icons and celebrities who hold the video game in great regards in their own lives outside of their own stardom. VGTM includes interviews with the likes of Zach Braff, Wil Wheaton and Donald Faison, to name a few, and is narrated by Sean Astin. Many viewers may not recognize the early developers who appear in the film, but do not discount these moments as they reveal monumental pieces of the larger picture that need not be forgotten.

VIDEO GAMES: THE MOVIE is but a slice of the overwhelming pie, but this mere dip of our finger into the filling is packed with fun and flavor. From Pong to Pac Man, from Zelda to Call of Duty, there is an entire world outside our own that lives just within that glass box, but rarely have we seen beneath the surface into its heart. This film is the key to a greater appreciation of the art, craft and culture of digital gaming.

VIDEO GAMES: THE MOVIE is available Video On Demand on July 15th, 2014 and hits theaters on July 18th, 2014

Overall Rating: 3.5 out of 5 Stars

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LIFE ITSELF – The Review

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The 2014 march of outstanding documentaries about artists continues on with the best of the impressive group of feature films. But this artist’s means of expression are not the brush as in TIM”S VERMEER or still photography as seen in FINDING VIVIAN MAIER or cinema itself (along with many superb illustrators) in JODOWORSKY’S DUNE. Nope, this artist’s (and after viewing this film, that title is not up for debate) means of expression were words with typewriters, computer keyboards, and his own voice utilized instead of brushes on canvas or cameras. The subject of Steve James’s (HOOP DREAMS, THE INTERRUPTERS) new feature documentary is celebrated, Pulitzer Prize-winning film critic Roger Ebert. He had been a fixture on TV screens for decades, discussing and debating current movies usually with Gene Siskel, so you may think that you know everything about good ole’ “Uncle Rog”. But though he left the “aisle seat” over a year ago, this new work shows us that as enthralling as the films he wrote about since the late 1960’s, many of them couldn’t match the heartbreak, triumphs and wonders of LIFE ITSELF.

The first shot of the film is a glorious view of that palace of entertainment delights, the Chicago Theatre on State Street, its long expansive marquee lit in tribute to the Windy City staple. Director Steve James takes us back several months as he begins the documentary (based on the autobiography) with Ebert back in the hospital after another health crisis. Because of their friendship Ebert and his wife Chaz have given James intimate access to their lives. Health problems had plagued him for over a decade when complications from papillary thyroid cancer necessitated the removal of his lower jaw, robbing him of the ability to eat, drink, and speak. I recalled his long leave of absence from his TV show and his return with a full hour on Oprah Winfrey’s popular syndicated daytime show. Her crews were not permitted to film Ebert having lunch, but no restraints are on James here. The scene of him taking nourishment may upset viewers, but the film’s subject takes it in stride, smiling, joking, and giving that famous “thumbs up”. As Bette Davis suposedly remarked, “Growing old is not for sissies”, and as is vividly shown, neither is illness. Always grinning, this bit of trouble won’t keep him down (just watch his eyes sparkle as he plots an unapproved trip to the cinema).

But this is not just a film filled with doctors and hospitals. James double back to the beginning with photos of the young lad from Urbana and quotes from Ebert’s book read in a warm, folksy manner by actor Stephen Stanton (often mimicking Ebert’s old vocal mannerisms). We’re then introduced to the first of Ebert’s three great loves, the newspaper. You’d think dark, blue newsprint ink was running through his veins. His big childhood heroes were not the sportsmen or cowboys but the wise-cracking reporters of THE FRONT PAGE (he called the sound of the printing presses “romantic”). A stint as one of the youngest editors of the University of Illinois daily newspaper the Illini lead to a job in the big leagues with the Chicago Sun Times. James gives us terrific interviews with former colleagues who wax nostalgic about grabbing “scoops” and bringing in stories under the wire. And then there’s the stories that occurred after the paper was “put to bed”, of endless hours at seedy, colorful watering holes. The downfall of many newshounds almost took Ebert as we learn in his own words, and from pals, of his struggle with the bottle and his long journey to sobriety (he had only gone public about this a few years ago). During his travails he never lost his affection for the fifth estate and wrote for his beloved Sun Times to the very end (actually several pieces were posted after his passing).

It was at his Sun Times job that the road to his second great love began. As the film relates, Ebert’s film reviewing career started as a lucky fluke. The position opened up and he got the assignment. The newsman took to the cinema gig immediately and became the first reviewer to win the Pulitzer in 1975. Before the big prize, he even scored a screen credit as the writer of Russ Meyer’s campy cult flick BEYOND THE VALLEY OF THE DOLLS in 1970 ( the two continued to team up over the years). Local TV soon came calling (we see a dull, dry Ebert with a “deer-in-headlights” look introducing Ingmar Bergman flicks on the Chicago PBS station). One of those PBS execs had the bright idea of mounting a film review show that would pair him with his rival from the big Chicago Tribune paper, Gene Siskel. James treats us to the stilted uncomfortable footage from that initial pilot. The two maintained a professional, not personal, relationship as they competed for movie news and interviews. We see the outtakes from a session recording show promos with the two insulting and nitpicking at each other like schoolyard enemies. We learn that Ebert wanted to be in control, but Siskel was the wild card, the free radical in the TV mix (one of their old show producers called Gene “Roger’s ‘wasically wabbit'”). But something about the duo clicked with the public (I’ve always thought they had a comedy team visual dynamic similar to Laurel & Hardy or Abbott & Costello) in a way that copycat critic pairings never did. The late night shows came calling and we’re treated to highlights from their many stints on the coach with Johnny Carson (including the infamous Chevy Chase show). And thanks to interviews with former staff members of the TV show and the revealing Marlene Siskel (Gene’s widow) we see how the annoyance slowly became akin to brotherly love (Ebert had no siblings). It’s a complex fascinating relationship that James adroitly explores.

And then there was Chaz, the last great love of Ebert’s life and the film’s vibrant energy. When I lived in Chicago many decades ago, stories careened around town concerning this unlikely Casanova (yup, Uncle Rog was a “playa'”). Thus the wedding of the two in 1992 came as a surprise (a most pleasant one for Siskel, it seems). Chaz brought children (and grandchildren) into the marriage, much to Roger’s delight. Home video vacation footage shows a beaming Ebert leading Chaz and the kids on all manner of adventures in far-off cultures. Several of the now adult kids share stories of how Ebert introduced them to new worlds of art and literature. And thankfully he had her by his side when illness struck. In the camera interviews, Chaz is a fiercely protective partner in her startlingly candid recounts of his struggles and setbacks. But as tender as she could be with him, we get a taste of the tough task-master, who will not tolerate Ebert giving in to frailty (“No! Roger no! Get up from that chair! Now!”). Also their mixed-race coupling is recounted with great humor. Anyone would be very fortunate to have a strong, brave woman like Chaz in their lives. Without her the world may have been denied the last dozen years of Ebert’s remarkable work. To paraphrase the old big band standard, “Love found him just in time”.

To give a sense of the subject’s seventy years, James doesn’t cover a few things in the film like Ebert’s eloquent defense of Justin Lin’s BETTER LUCK TOMORROW, his concern over the influence of 3D and video games, or even his attempt with Chaz to return to public TV in 2011 with the ill-fated “Ebert Presents: At The Movies”. But included are controversies he generated with other critics who charged that the TV shows oversimplified, even “dumbed-down” film criticism. And that Ebert was compromised by having friendships with actors and film makers. Several of said artists are interviewed here including James himself, Errol Morris (he insists the TV show saved his film GATES OF HEAVEN, Werner Herzog, and a very compelling Martin Scorsese (one of the film’s producers), who relates how Ebert and Siskel threw him an emotional lifeline in the mid 1980’s. Even if you rarely agreed with him on films, this bio-doc will have you wishing you could read Ebert’s thoughts on new works like BOYHOOD or THE GRAND BUDAPEST HOTEL. Steve James has made a remarkable film about a remarkable man. It’s a heart-wrenching love story, a witty tale of news hounds, a glitzy jaunt through “Tinsel Town”, mixed together with great warmth, skill, and affection. LIFE ITSELF is a glorious life-affirming, life-celebrating achievement. Recalling his old show sign off, I hope the balcony is not closed to the ultimate movie lover, so he can sit back, enjoy the show once more and joyfully raise that famous thumb.

5 Out of 5

LIFE ITSELF opens everywhere and screens exclusively in the St. Louis area at Landmark’s Plaza Frontenac Cinemas

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BOUND BY FLESH – The Review

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Where once it was the centerpiece of mainstream entertainment in the Midwest, nowadays the circus sideshow is gradually returning to the public eye as a subcultural curiosity after years of negative publicity and a rise in television, films and digital media. A major contributing factor of this growing subculture is the desire by some to acknowledge and promote an awareness and understanding of this nearly forgotten and often misunderstood part of our American history.

Writer and director Leslie Zemeckis‘s BOUND BY FLESH is a film that takes great price in doing its part in resurrecting the titillating and often taboo facts and folklore of the freak show. This documentary focuses on the lives of two fascinating girls, Daisy and Violet Hilton, also known as The Hilton Sisters. On the surface, and as always primarily publicized, Daisy and Violet had one overwhelming unusual trait… they are Siamese twins, conjoined by a ribbon of flesh on their backsides, so to speak.

Born to a mother with mental and emotional issues, to put it kindly, the Hilton sisters were essentially sold into the circus at a very young age. Throughout a life of emotional abuse, neglect and social isolation outside of when they performed, the Hilton sisters would become cash cows for their guardians/parents while having little to no exposure and freedom to the public or outside world on their own behalf. At this point, you may be asking why such a film would ever be enjoyable to watch, but wait… there’s more.

BOUND BY FLESH doesn’t just tell the Hilton sisters’ story, it tells the whole story. We learn about those closest to them, both good and bad, those they loved and the many struggles they went through. Despite all of this, the Hilton sisters maintained a mostly positive, forward-thinking and optimistic attitude toward life. Have you ever heard of such an uplifting, inspiring story of someone being given lemons and making lemon vinegar? I know. I may have lost you there. Let me explain.

With all the crap the Hilton sisters endured, with all the greed and cruelty that surrounded them, even with their charmingly — if not naive — innocence and resilience, in the end I cannot promise that everything works out in their favor. Its an unfortunate fact of life, but one that must be represented. That’s the world we live in and that’s an important element to what makes this such an engaging film.

Zemeckis does not bombard the viewer with flashy graphics or intense imagery. She doesn’t get experimental with form, but remains true to the classically functional style of non-fiction storytelling. Much in the same way so many of Ken Burns’ timeless documentaries have captured a segment of our American cultural past, BOUND BY FLESH takes two characters from that larger book and utilizes their stories to depict a much larger picture. Where many reality TV attempts have been made to revitalize the genre of the weird and bizarre, Zemeckis manages to embrace the strange while highlighting the humanity. This is not an easy thing to accomplish.

BOUND BY FLESH succeeds by combining a plethora of research, candid but revelatory interviews with past promoters, historians and a few people who were close to the sisters, some amazing photographs and even some old sound bites into one cohesive 90-minute motion picture exhibit of museum quality. From beginning to end, I found myself thoroughly mesmerized, not in that rubber-necking look at the crazy stuff way, but in a mindset of amazement. I found myself utterly shocked at the way these two girls were treated, even into their womanhood, yet awestruck by their willingness to endure and their drive to learn and grow and expand their talents and their art as performers.

BOUND BY FLESH opens in select theaters on June 27th, 2014.

Overall Rating: 4 out of 5 Stars

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WHITEY: UNITED STATES OF AMERICA VS. JAMES J. BULGER – The Review

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It’s been quite a while since we’ve had a decent real-life career criminal to ogle over in the media. It seems the days of Al Capone, Dillinger and Bonnie & Clyde have long since passed. Since then, we’ve had plenty of fictional films to fill in the void, but even THE GODFATHER and SCARFACE stop short of the infamous “based on a true story” appeal that gets us truly salivating.

WHITEY: UNITES STATES OF AMERICA VS. JAMES J. BULGER is a film that perhaps attempts to fill this void. This is not the story of the rise of a criminal empire, but the complicated and calculated decline of a lone wolf. This film indirectly chronicles the trial of James J. Bulger, a ruthless criminal loose cannon who ruled Boston with an iron first for some three decades. I say indirectly, because the film deals more directly with the emotional and legal aftermath of Bulger’s past actions.

In all fairness, WHITEY is not a dramatic film intended to entertain viewers, but rather a documentary intended to educate and raise questions. However, I could not help but feel trapped within a Bermuda Triangle of conspiracy theories and finger-pointing. As a documentary, I hope for a more engaging story that captures my attention through human experience and factual revelation. Instead, WHITEY ends up feeling like a 120-minute block of 24-hour cable news programming.

Director Joe Berlinger is best-known for his PARADISE LOST trilogy of documentaries, arguably one of the more monumental pieces of non-fiction filmmaking. Personally, I feel — not all — but a small portion of that is due to the hot button content and that BROTHER’S KEEPER is his most accomplished film, thus far. WHITEY never seems to establish a connection with the viewer. The two men we feel the most empathy for are given relatively minimal screen time in comparison to the film at large. Stephen Rakes, a man terrorized and extorted by Bulger, a man whose livelihood was taken and whose family was threatened — allegedly — by Bulger, ends up the ultimate victim.

For me, the priorities in WHITEY seem to be slightly misguided, focused more on the sensationalist nature of the story than the human element and the facts. Then again, this is a relatively recent story, fresh in our collective minds. This is a hot bed of media interest, now with Johnny Depp beginning production on a feature film about the criminal. In some sense, I feel the documentary suffers from having jumped on the bandwagon too soon. Had Berlinger allowed the topic to simmer and settle for a few years, allowing emotions to subside and minds to regain some objectivity, it could have made for a much more compelling piece of cinema.

Clearly, there is a sense of urgency built into Berlinger’s work. Documentary filmmaking, to some great extent, relies on the filmmaker’s ability to move at a moment’s notice and seize opportunities as they occur. After all, this is real life, not scripted tales that can be shot and re-shot until you get just the right take. With the PARADISE LOST trilogy, there was an even greater sense of urgency as these films were, in part, an effort to help support a case to free these three young men from death sentences for crimes of which they were wrongfully accused.

WHITEY has some strong moments, especially later in the film as we continue to follow Steve Davis, the brother of victim Debra Davis and regular friend in circumstances with Stephen Rakes. On the flip side, the brutal honesty and complete lack of remorse shown in interviews by Bulger collaborator Kevin Weeks is both repulsive and fascinating. I could not help but give the man credit for knowing, without compromise, what he was and not apologizing for that, but still feeling this was an unforgivably terribly human being.

In the end, once I managed to get there, I found myself somewhat informed but mostly exhausted after having waded through two hours of slowly paced, unfocused filmmaking. I am a patient man when it comes to viewing films. It is truly rare for me to have that tell-tale moment when you look at your watch during a film, but this occurred a couple of times in the second half of the film. Had this been strictly a cable television special, which is how it felt, I would be less critical, but as a feature-length film, I fear WHITEY: UNITED STATES OF AMERICA VS. JAMES J. BULGER is equally long and insignificant as its title.

WHITEY: UNITED STATES OF AMERICA VS. JAMES J. BULGER opens in theaters and Video On Demand on Friday, June 27th, 2014.

Opens in Los Angeles Friday, July 11th at Laemmle’s Royal in West L.A.

Overall Rating: 2.5 out of 5 Stars

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FINDING VIVIAN MAIER – The Review

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It’s documentary time again, film fans! Now stop that groaning this instant! As you are well aware (if you’re a regular visitor to this site) docs aren’t dry, dull homework. They can be more entertaining than many fiction films and big studio blockbusters. And they can incorporate other film genres like this year’s Best Documentary Oscar winner 20 FEET FROM STARDOM which was a musical doc. Opening today is FINDING VIVIAN MAIER which is an art/mystery/doc hybrid, much as another recent Oscar winner, SEARCHING FOR SUGARMAN,  which was a musical mystery. Not familiar with the work of Ms. Maier? In the last few years she has been lauded as one of the great street photographers whose work equals the great Diane Arbus. But here’s why she’s just be recognized now. Maier spent most of her life working as a nanny or a maid, first in New York City, and later in the suburbs of Chicago. The film tells how the beginnings of her fame really started with an auction as a young man was looking for vintage Windy City shots for a project.

That man is the film’s co-writer and director John Maloof who made the winning bid on a box of old photo negatives. Although none of the images suited his project, he was stunned by the beauty of the work. Eventually he purchased more negatives that were sold to others at the auction. Maloof found letters and receipts that connected him to a former employer of Maier who was about to toss out the contents of her storage locker. After rescuing the boxes from a dumpster fate, Maloof went through the thousands of negatives in color and black and white snapped from the 1940’s through the 1970’s along with several 16mm and 8mm home movies. Of course in addition there were clothes, souvenirs, and dozens of audio cassettes. Maloof contacted several museums and galleries about printing from the negs, but was politely brushed off. And so he turned to the world-wide web and posted some of the photos to his blog. The response was staggering and soon he put together a show of prints at the Chicago Cultural Center, which drew a huge adoring audience. But Maloof wanted to know more about Maier and begins interviewing the many families she worked for (including many adults she had helped raise). His research takes him across the country and across the pond to Europe as he tries to trace her roots and “find” this gifted artist.

Maloof and collaborator Charlie Siskel make this journey a compelling tale. They keep the film moving at a brisk clip and elicit wonderful responses from their interview subjects. Maier’s charges and bosses have endless stories about this eccentric woman, but many still remain blithely unaware of her background, including a major TV celebrity. It seems that Maier kept her past hidden away much like her photo work. This may be best heard on an exchange between her and one of the kids recorded on an audio cassette (” So, tell us your name, child.” “But, what’s your name?” “I am the ‘mystery woman’!”). In one segment, even a state worker is frustrated when going through old census forms about the Maier family. Eventually the funny anecdotes give way to a portrait of a dark-natured soul. The “pack-rat” gives way to a obssessive hoarder. One of her charges even reveals incidents of abuse. The film is an excellent investigation of a woman thought to be just a simple-minded laborer and care-giver, but who is now known world-wide for her artistic endeavours. And in several shots, mixed up with the beautiful and grotesque, is the woman herself, reflected in mirrors and store fronts, usually wide-eyed, concentrating, observing and recording life all around her. We may not fully understand Maier by the film’s end, but we’re haunted by those unforgettable images of those captured ghosts from the distant past. I hope cinema and art fans find this fascinating film.

4.5 Out of 5

FINDING VIVIAN MAIER opens everywhere and screens exclusively in the St. Louis area at Landmark’s Plaza Frontenac Cinemas

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THE TSUNAMI AND THE CHERRY BLOSSOM – The Review

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Three short years ago, a devastating earthquake shook Japan and a massive tsunami followed, wiping out all signs of civilization in its path. Lives were lost and property was destroyed. As with any natural disaster, the damage is immense and recovery is a long, slow and emotional process. THE TSUNAMI AND THE CHERRY BLOSSOM, directed by the talented young non-fiction filmmaker Lucy Walker, chronicles the efforts by survivors of the tsunami to rebuild what was taken from them as it coincides with the beginning of the cherry blossom season.

The opening four minutes of THE TSUNAMI AND THE THE CHERRY BLOSSOM consists of one, continuous shot of the massive wave bulldozing over the land, moving in closer and closer to onlookers as they watch from atop a nearby high hill. This footage, presumably taken on someone’s camera phone, offers an unflinching depiction of the destruction, as well as an audio insight to the emotion and heartbreak of those most closely associated with the disaster and the pain it has produced. It’s a long, arduous four minutes to endure.

From here, Walker cuts to some beautiful close shots of cherry blossoms radiating in the sunlight, inter-cut with someone painting in watercolor. An extreme juxtaposition, to be sure, and a stunning metaphor for the subject of the film. Walker collaborated with Richard Melville Hall, better known as Moby, who wrote and performed the moving score for the film, which further enhances the film’s dichotomy of beauty and destruction. This becomes apparent as the film transitions from stories of death and loss into recovery efforts occurring at the start of cherry blossom season. In Japan, the cherry blossom (“sakura”) symbolizes the harbinger of spring. Rebirth ad renewal.

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THE TSUNAMI AND THE CHERRY BLOSSOM manages to capture a great deal within its limited 39-minute running time. As if the fickle force of nature had not created enough misery on its own, perhaps best depicted by one survivor’s account of some 70% of a nearby school’s students bodies found washed up miles away, the worst hit areas are also dangerously near the Fukashima nuclear power plant that was severely damaged by the earthquake, which caused the tsunami, which in turn led to radiated water leaking from the power plant. Not only must survivors struggle to rebuild and cope with loss, they must also deal with a locally annihilated economy and the potential for health issues caused by leaking radiation.

Walker brilliantly illustrates the wonderful hope and wisdom of the survivors, most vividly through their connection with a massive, sprawling cherry tree said to be over a thousand years old. We’re given a fascinating glimpse into the Japanese philosophy of life, spirit and our connection with nature. Perhaps it’s not the natural world that is changing, so much as our relationship with it and our ability to adapt and cope with its ever-changing moods. I found myself in awe of so many survivors interviewed for this film. Their strength and willingness to embrace these harsh realities with an openness to making the best of the worst is just mind-boggling.

The film, despite the spectacle of bigger than life events and the beauty of nature at its finest, never loses focus on its heart. The Japanese people and the amazing culture that so often seems so foreign to western life. The most heartbreaking moment in the film is a scene depicting so many lives lost, shots of closely spaced graves, each marked only with a plain wooden stake a sign and a number. The numbers grow into the hundreds as the camera pans and the film cuts from shot to shot, then into the thousands. Even with this, the survivors persist in conveying their sense of vitality and resilience in life. A truly beautiful story of humanity told masterfully by Lucy Walker in a beautifully shot and compassionate work of cinema.

Overall Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

The 39-minute documentary short released through iTunes on March 11th, 2014, the 3-year anniversary of the tragic natural disaster.

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DINOTASIA – The Blu Review

The Movie –

The dinosaur has been a fascination with myself, like with so many both young and old. Such magnificent, yet enigmatic beasts that can only be imagined by those uneducated in the paleontological studies, the experts themselves cannot agree and are constantly finding themselves rewriting the textbooks on a species of creature hundreds of thousands, even millions of years prior to our very existence. This alone, on its very surface, is enough to call me thoroughly captivated.

Steven Spielberg first captured and capitalized on the possibilities of what I may call dino-tainment in 1993 with JURASSIC PARK. Even today, some nearly 20 years later, the film holds up spectacularly to the test of time. However, its the dinosaur itself whom truly stands the ultimate test of time. From cartoons and TV shows, children’s toys and public broadcasting specials, from the absolutely absurd to the most numbing narratives, dinosaurs never went extinct in our minds.

Filmmakers David Krentz and Erik Nelson bring new life to the dino-doc with DINOTASIA, a feature-length film with a brief running time of 83-minutes. In fact, this is not truly a “documentary” in the purist’s standard. No, this film is far to flamboyant for that. However, there are elements of the genre clearly at play, overshadowed perhaps by the quirkiness, the tongue-in-cheek glibness and the unmistakably poetic prose narration from legendary filmmaker Werner Herzog.

Fully computer-animated, DINOTASIA is presented in chapters, sort of like how Tarantino presented PULP FICTION. The film is more a collection of vignettes that play to a common theme, rather than one, continuously flowing linear narrative. The time frame of DINOTASIA spans entire eras of dinosaur history, from the Triassic to the cretaceous, no period was spared. The individual stories range from the cute and charming to the risque to the violent. This is a story of survival, of birth and death, of daily life… done in a way more appealing to our modern sense of dramatic engagement than to one of scientific authenticity.

DINOTASIA makes clear early on that it means not to educate us so much as to entertain, but some minimal level of dino-knowledge can be gleaned from this film. Certainly, the more humanistic characteristics, the humorous anecdotes and escapades on display, these are meant for our pure enjoyment. To this, I confess they are hit and miss, but to find such a film presenting itself in a documentary fashion, but doing so with a sense of humor is refreshing. Have you ever pondered the experience of a dinosaur unexpectedly tripping off a prehistoric psychedelic mushroom? Look no further.

Violence was a fact of life for dinosaurs. DINOTASIA takes this to heart. Carnivores abound, especially in the skin of Tyrannosaurus Rex, whom makes multiple appearances. To those who still believe the T-Rex is king of all dinosaurs, prepare to be surprised. Sure, the big T dishes out his share of carnage, but takes it in the arm himself a few times as well. (wink, wink — that’s an inside joke) For the little ones, DINOTASIA is an acceptable enough film, with parental guidance, but parents beware of a fair amount of dino-on-dino violence of a graphic nature.

Artistically and technically speaking, the animation and design is commendable. Not nearly as accomplished as the effects in JURASSIC PARK (which, lest you forget, were greatly non-animated) but a vast improvement over so many stop-motion animated sci-fi/fantasy films and documentaries from the ’80s. In terms of the colors and attention to detail, I found myself somewhat mesmerized by the care taken, especially when one considers this anti-documentary is still based on hard science, including some relatively new and groundbreaking paleontological discoveries made since the earlier days of dinosaurs’ big screen debut.

Finally, I must give props to the peculiarity of Werner Herzog’s presence in DINOTASIA. For those who have seen Herzog’s fascinating documentary CAVE OF FORGOTTEN DREAMS, his narration is a character on its own merit, lending his oddly lyrical cadence to such a subject only add to its uniquely kitsch quality. An early fan of this project, Herzog joined long-time collaborator Erik Nelson as the narrating voice for the film. Always a treat, occasionally perplexing, Herzog seemingly can do no wrong, whether he makes sense to you or not.

On one final note regarding the overall allure of DINOTASIA… imagine watching the 1991 TV series DINOSAURS, but done as CGI instead of puppets and men in suits, and produced for HBO instead of network television… and, the dinosaurs don’t speak. Imagine this, and once you stop laughing, you may be close to what you can expect from DINOTASIA… a daring, nonsensical, surprisingly non-fictional faux documentary film.

The Extras –

The extra features on this disc are fairly minimal. There is one deleted scene, which deals with dinosaur mating rites, which is interesting and mildly humorous. In addition, there is a hand-drawn version of the final story with is worth a look. The behind-the-scenes segments of the extra features may appeal to those intrigued by the highly technical process of modern animation, but there is little in this portion of the blu-ray to hold the average viewer’s attention.

  • Deleted Scenes
  • Extended Scenes
  • Behind-the-Scenes Animator Clips

Overall Rating: 3 out of 5 stars

Video Resolution: 1080p
Aspect Ratio: 1.78:1
Running Time: 83 minutes + extras
Audio: English – 5.1 Surround / Stereo
Subtitles: None.

Flat Iron Film Company brings DINOTASIA to DVD and Blu-Ray on Tuesday, November 6th, 2012.

THE AMBASSADOR – The Blu Review

The Movie –

Watch any number of political thrillers or espionage films and you’ve undoubtedly seen more than a few ambassadors portrayed on screen, but when it comes to real life, how much do we really know about these appointed figures who seem to be untouchable? I can imagine at some point, this very same thought went through the head of Danish journalist Mads Brugger. Whatever his motivation, the journalist turned filmmaker turned his investigative eyes and ears toward the connection between ambassadorship to the Central African Republic (CAR) and the lucrative smuggling of blood diamonds out of the country.

The term “blood diamonds” refers to diamonds that have been illegally exported from war-torn countries without authorization. If you’ve seen Edward Zwick’s 2006 film BLOOD DIAMOND, then you may have a sensationalized idea of what goes on in this region of Africa. What Brugger does is to take the viewer into the heart of the CAR first-hand, to witness for themselves what Hollywood can only dramatize for entertainment. Here’s the catch… Mads Brugger is a tall, lanky, pale-skinned, red-haired, white European voluntarily entering into one of the most dangerous regions of Africa, posing as the Liberian ambassador to CAR and a businessman seeking to open a match factory in the country. This, of course, is all 100% false and by doing so puts his life in great peril… all for the purpose of hopefully constructing a documentary that reveals the darker side of the diamond trade and it’s affiliation to European ambassadors.

The $64,000 question: Does Mads pull it off? Let’s break this down into two categories; the entertainment factor and the informational/educational factor. Imagine, if you will, you look like Conan O’Brien shaved bald and you’re in the heart of “blood diamond” territory pretending to be a wealthy businessman seeking ambassadorship. Where do you start? Mads takes the viewer on the jaw-dropping, often awkwardly humorous five-cent tour of this process of enlisting an “agent” to acquire for you a position as ambassador with the necessary paperwork by way of bribes to government officials. Hilarious, right? In fact, it is, but its also incredibly frustrating. The film is entertaining, yes, but more importantly, the film opens the flood gates of exposure to a world we’ve only been able to speculate on, until now.

THE AMBASSADOR is like watching Sacha Baron Cohen’s BRUNO (minus the sexual references) and THE DICTATOR mashed up into one movie that tells a true story. At times, the film is almost difficult to believe, but the remainder of the film is proof unto its own validity. Apparently, some have questioned whether THE AMBASSADOR is staged, but after seeing the film twice now, I’ve concluded for myself that Brugger’s film is sincere. Each viewer will have to make this call on their own, as I cannot expect you to take my word on the matter. Another element of the film viewers may find oddly alluring is the uncanny similarity Brugger’s narration has to the like of Werner Herzog’s documentaries.

How did he do it? Brugger — the businessman — employs a “press photographer” to follow and record his business dealings for the benefit of his investors. This, of course, is actually Johan Stahl Winthereik, his cinematographer. The third member of Brugger’s tiny entourage is a woman he passes off as his executive assistant. For the more volatile scenes requiring creative recording, Brugger’s team uses pinhole cameras hidden in his clothes or in wall fixtures, whatever it takes to capture the kind of audio/video footage that makes this film so damning for those involved. I know that fear can make a person do things previously unfathomable, but how Brugger is able to keep his cool so convincingly throughout the film is amazing. Even the moments when he seems nervous or uncomfortable, he comes off as just another businessman upset about a deal possibly going south. I would love to have Brugger’s constitution.

THE AMBASSADOR will have viewers wondering many things, but at the top of that list is the question, “How can this happen, and how does it continue to happen?” Hopefully, Brugger’s documentary will be the catalyst for change, the tipping point at which progress in the region is made toward peace and an end to corruption inflicted by African leaders and backed by certain European governments.

The Extras –

THE AMBASSADOR blu-ray includes the theatrical trailer for the film, as well as a 16-page booklet. The cherry on top, however, is the audio commentary by director Mads Brugger. In his own words, this is Brugger’s first audio commentary and this shows. His delivery is dry, but highly informative. Once you’ve seen the film, I adamantly express the necessity to re-watch the film — immediately, if possible — with the audio commentary engaged.

This is essential because Brugger gives so much more information than is available through the film on its own. Even the tiniest of details about his experience and the process of making the film offer a deeper insight into the experiment as a whole. I say experiment, because this gonzo-style of journalistic documentary filmmaking has never really been done on this level. While the audio commentary lacks the usual supply of humorous anecdotes, it offers an impeccable supply of first-hand knowledge that adds priceless value to the viewing experience.

Overall Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Video Codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Video Resolution: 1080p
Aspect Ratio: 1.78:1
Audio: English – Dolby Digital 2.0 (192kbps)
Subtitles: English

  • Single 25GB Blu-ray Disc
  • Digital copy (as download)
  • 16-Page Booklet

Image Entertainment and Drafthouse Films bring THE AMBASSADOR to DVD and Blu-Ray on Tuesday, October 23rd, 2012.