Focus!

Cameraman: The Life and Work of Jack Cardiff (2010)
Dir - Craig McCall

Caught this doc on its last day on Netflix Instant. A pretty middle-of-the-road life's tale but has some very interesting comments and stories from the subject in interviews conducted before his death. The scenes from his previous work are wonderful. Still, I find myself baffled that the same man who lensed films like Black Narcissus and The Red Shoes would go on to Rambo: First Blood Part II.

Do You Believe in Magic?

Becoming Santa (2011)
Dir - Jeff Meyers

Glad that Hulu had this new doc available in time for the Christmas movie watching season. We follow a man who decides to become a Santa in attempt to recreate the magic of the season he no longer feels. This is something I can completely relate to as all of the fun and excitement of the holidays just isn't there for me anymore. Through this doc you get to see someone help create that magical feeling in children and ultimately in himself. Surprisingly touching and always fun.

Rough Stuff

I Think We're Alone Now (2008)
Dir - Sean Donnelly

Waited longer than most of my friends to see this but thanks to Netflix Instant I can now add it to the watched list. This doc is just over an hour long and never has such a short film made me feel so close to puking so much. The interactions between the two Tiffany stalkers/"best friends" is so hard to watch. This doesn't even count how far it gets when they actually are around Tiffany. GAH! Both of our main subjects, Jeff and Kelly, are simultaneously heartbreaking, annoying and a tad frightening. Can't really say that I "like" this film, but it is really interesting and is more about the subjects' issues than the pop star they obsess over.

Zombie Preparedness Doc

Zombies: A Living History (2011)
Dir - David V. Nicholson

Even though this was made for the History Channel I'm still counting this, as it's feature length. This isn't really about zombies in literature, movies or pop culture but how they could really happen and what to do in that case. Kind of like a filmed crash course of The Zombie Survival Guide - and author Max Brooks is involved. Pretty interesting.

Drug Child fo' Real

Party Monster: The Shockumentary (1998)
Dir - Fenton Bailey & Randy Barbato

A few years before they made the feature film with Macaulay Culkin and Seth Green the filmmakers did a documentary on Michael Alig. This is a very interesting look at the club kid life in NYC. It's way too short but it was made for an hourlong piece for a premium channel, so what do you expect. Very interesting and a must see any fan of the later film.

What's the Deal with...

I Am Comic (2010)
Dir - Jordan Brady

Had heard of this stand-up doc before and noticed that it's on Netflix Instant so gave it a whirl. Pretty funny but nothing really new for fans of comedy. Some pretty painful moments of watching a guy bomb on stage.

Difference of Opinion

La Rabbia (1963) aka The Anger
Dir - Pier Paolo Pasolini & Giovanni Guareschi

This is an odd documentary where from the early 60s by two Italian filmmakers who tackle the question "why are our lives characterized by discontent, anguish and fear?" from their own viewpoint. Pasolini is more left and Guareschi is staunchly rightwing making for some interesting but frustrating times. No new footage was shot, the two directors cut together newsreel footage with their own narration being read as it shows. Great technique and interesting concept but gets a tad boring at times and my limited knowledge of Italian/European post-war figures, at least by sight, doesn't help.

Full review coming soon on Freakin' Awesome Network.com

Wrongfully Accused

The Thin Blue Line (1988)
Dir - Errol Morris

This was my first glimpse into Errol Morris' work and now I can't wait to see more! A very interesting documentary that will make you both sad and infuriate you over the way this case was handled. As a citizen of Dallas I can only shake my head and hope these officers and court officials have been reprimanded.

The Collectors

Herb & Dorothy (2008)
Dir - Megumi Sasaki

Had this in my Netflix Instant queue for quite some time and finally watched it because streaming ends this weekend. Great look at an elderly couple in New York who have spent their lives collecting art for the love of art on their meager salaries as a postal worker and librarian (both now retired). A few minimalist/conceptual artists are interviewed and many great pieces are shown. I don't personally like every bit of minimalist/conceptual art I see but I like Herb & Dorothy and what they do.

Speechless

Baraka (1992)
Dir - Ron Fricke

Holy high resolution Batman! I heard good things about this doc and they were all true. An hour-and-a-half with no dialog but shots from all over the world in a style similar to the recently popular Planet Earth series and the like. The locations and people are fascinating but what is more impressive is the look. It will leave you breathless for sure! It was shot around 20 years ago on 65mm (projected on 70mm) and looked beautiful then but when they set out for the Blu-Ray transfer they did something very special. Each frame from the original 65mm negative was scanned at 8K (the highest possible resolution) which took about three weeks and 30 terabytes of storage - and that was before the HD conversion! This is the demo disc for your HD set-up and after renting I must now buy it so I can have this gorgeous film in my collection.

Wow.

It's A Whole Different Beast

Let America Laugh (2003)
Dir - David Cross & Lance Bangs

This is not a stand-up DVD, though there is stand-up within. Mostly this is an hour an a half of what happens behind-the-scenes on one of David Cross' tours. Very funny at times and others so cringeworthy embarrassing that it's hard to watch. I play in a very small, local band and have to deal with odd, drunk people quite a bit but I can't imagine it on the scale he has to tolerate. There is a scripted wraparound story that is kind of hit or miss, but still worth your 90 minutes.

Funny Stuff, Innit?

Behind the Britcoms: From Script to Screen (2010)
Dir - Bill Young

This is something I had on the DVR from a few weeks ago when it debuted on PBS. It seems that the Dallas affiliate, KERA, took the reins to make this look at some of the classic British sitcoms, many of which I used to watch every Sunday night on channel 13. There are some interesting bits of info here and great clips from shows like Are You Being Served?, Vicar of Dibley, Keeping Up Appearances, Fawlty Towers and more. I would love to see a second installment where they cover more of the modern UK shows that have become such worldwide hits and see how the process has changed over the years and the effect of America's remake hungry practices.

Bandits

Inside Job (2010)
Dir - Charles Ferguson

Was interested to see this after it won Best Doc at the Oscars and it played out a lot like I figured. I learned a bit but kept finding myself getting distracted while watching. Mainly because bile was rising in my throat at the amount of money these crooks have and how nothing is being done. Sigh. Really enjoyed his interview segments but felt the very end wrap-up was a tad cheesy.

Stop the Violence

The Interrupters (2011)
Dir - Steve James
DIFF

My last film of DIFF 2011. I'd be sadder but I'm so elated that I don't have to see the damn pre-show reel again that it's almost unbearable.

This is my first Steve James film. No, I've never seen Hoop Dreams. I don't care for sports so watching a documentary all about basketball never really sounded appealing. However, I will definitely be checking out more of his work after seeing this wonderful documentary. It runs around two-and-a-half hours but never gets boring. Very serious and heartbreaking, though there are a few moments of laughter which is good when you are surrounded by such sadness. These people in the Ceasefire program are doing a good thing and really putting their necks on the line to try and stop the violence in Chicago. A great tale that I hope millions get to see.

Education is Key

Zero Percent (2010)
Dir - Tim Skousen
DIFF

This doc follows a few of the inmates in Sing Sing maximum security prison as they try to earn a college degree. State funding has been stripped away from higher education to those incarcerated so a group, Hudson Link, works with Mercy College and private donations to help those behind bars better themselves so they are ready to become a more productive member of society upon release. Most long term prisoners will soon return to the big house within a couple years of parole but that has not been the case with the over 200 who have graduated from this program. Helping to broaden their minds is not a hopeless cause like some would believe but have given these men hope and a real shot at a second chance.

Elmo Loves You

Being Elmo: A Puppeteer's Journey (2011)
Dir - Constance Marks
DIFF

LOVED this! I was never a huge Elmo fan, he a was a little after my Sesame Street time and I'm a diehard Grover fanatic, but this sheds a light on the man behind the muppet and Elmo's deserved role in the hearts of children the world over. Inspiring, touching, funny and heartwarming.

Is Print Media Dead?

Page One: A Year Inside The New York Times (2011)
Dir - Andrew Rossi
DIFF

I'm not a newspaper subscriber, nor have I ever been, but I have read many a black and white over the years. Most of the time I read my news online but the fact that all of these print media outlets are going under is really sad. I do love tangible things - books, magazines, DVDs/Blus - so another experience going away reminds me how close we are to most all physical media disappearing. This film takes you into the newsroom and you see what The New York Times is doing right in this world of new media in order to stay relevant. There are sad times, good times and many laugh out loud moments. Times reporter David Carr is hysterical and I want more of him!

What is Art?

Exit Through the Gift Shop (2010)

Dir - Banksy 

I did really enjoy this film, I really did. Since last night I've been having a fun time mulling over everything I saw and coming to my own conclusions on the reality. But... 

I think I hurt my overall appreciation of the film because I waited so long to watch. Too many little things were spilled and they hype was great. Overhype really sucks. I do love watching trailers but sometimes I really would rather go into most every movie completely blind. 

A few more things about the film but there will be SPOILERS BELOW!

Dictating what people perceive as art is not my job. It's pretty subjective. I find beauty and am moved by stuff others would call trash. Not to mention I have no extensive training/knowledge in the fine art world. Street art is, sometimes, very beautiful and/or powerful. Most everything I've seen of Banksy's is fantastic. But the work that Thierry, aka Mr. Brainwash, does just kind of pisses me off. It's a big rip-off of Warhol in my opinion, but that's not even the worst part about it. How the hell can he call it "his art" if he doesn't make any of it? Sure, he comes up with some of the overall design idea but he doesn't make the end product, one of his hired artists does. They are the ones who should be recognized for the hard part, not Thierry! Anyone can have great ideas for drawings, paintings, sculptures and more, but what separates them from artists is the gift and talent to translate those mental images into something physical. 

Of course, this could all be considered part of the point of the whole film. The art world is full of BS and fakes. The masses will buy what they see getting all the attention and hype. Hell, that's why the whole thing is called Exit Through the Gift Shop. I'm not sure how "real" Mr. Brainwash is, but if he is it makes me want to stab. At least if you're going to do something that's been done before, do it your damn self. 

On a side note - Thierry's trailer for "his film" about street art, which he shows to Banksy, looked pretty cool. Yeah, it's wildly experimental but I really think it speaks a lot to the attention span of the art world and the fleeting glances some street art actually gets on the walls where it's given life. Not sure why Banksy was so opposed to that form of artistic expression. Maybe that's just more of the oddness about the film that we're supposed to think about after the fact. 

Crystal Lake Memories

His Name Was Jason (2009)
Dir - Daniel Farrands

Now that I've seen the docs covering the series of Michael Meyers and Freddy Krueger I had to give Jason Voorhees his due. While this look at the entire series is not bad it has been hurt severely by the fact that I watched Never Sleep Again (Freddy doc made by the same people) first. Their second outing was so much more in depth and well done that it makes this look rather amateurish. Not a waste of time by any means but just as good is Peter Bracke's book Crystal Lake Memories.

"I Fucked Up the Word Rear"

Winnebago Man (2009)
Dir - Ben Steinbauer

This doc is based on a reel of outtakes from an industrial film shoot for Winnebago in 1989 that has become quite internet famous over the years. I wasn't sure this was going to be all that interesting or if it might, somehow, make me feel bad for laughing so hard at this clip numerous times. Happily I report it is great, a little heartwarming and helps you learn about a man gone mad that can make you laugh anytime you're feeling down. I feel your pain Jack.