Fun, human and ultimately deeply touching documentary
923842
Fun, human and ultimately deeply touching documentary about Zeno Mountain Farms  a group that makes independent films mixing physically and mentally disabled performers with able-bodied actors.  This year they're making a comic western called Bulletproof Jackson.

The documentary avoids the obvious traps of mawkishness and over-sentimentality by focusing on the challenged actors themselves with open eyes and heart, with humor, and without resorting to pushing buttons.  The film never denies that this summer spent film-making is only a brief respite from the struggles these folks face, and that they will spend their lives dealing with both the challenges of their own limitations, and of a society that turns away from them instead of asking them to take part.  Thats why the included discussions of human, earthy issues, like love and sex are so great.  This isn't about treating these actors as saints or other, but about realizing that trapped behind whatever walls they face are people with the same wants, needs, strengths and weaknesses, as the so-called able-bodied.

We get to know a whole bunch of folks in the films brief 80 minute length, but we focus most on AJ, an extremely bright and charismatic young man suffering from cerebral palsy.  He is tremendously articulate about his own life and future.  Heres a man with talent and brains, who is trapped living at home with his mother, and who is unlikely to ever be able to truly be on his own.  We see how much this chance to travel and have a moment to himself in the spotlight means to him, and yet the film (and the man) won't deny the bittersweetness that this respite is only temporary, and he will return to where he started from when the film is done.  (And, as AJ himself says, he knows hell never be a movie star, but what about those roles that might call for someone with his condition?  Its one of the areas where diversity in films and TV most lags, and without much reason.).

Both the film and its people defy and transcend the expectations one might have going in.
2685332
This is a must watch film.  It touched me at the very core of my being.  You think it's going to be about Craigslist, but it's really about our humanity... the actions that connect us at the deepest levels.  I was moved to tears more than once while viewing this powerful documentary.  Beyond how I felt while watching this film, it has inspired me to reach out to others in important ways.  This documentary has already opened new doors in my life.  Only an impressive film can do that.
1068998
"Without A Home" is a rare gem of a documentary.  At once personal, topical, sincere, pressing, and heartfelt.  Rachel oozes empathy for a topic, for a people, that are often disregarded and left out in the cold - both literally and figuratively.  If you've ever wondered about the panhandler on the corner... if you've ever dropped coins in a styrofoam cup... please watch this movie and share it with someone you care about!
4614085
Bill Cunningham New York is a richly colorful study of a man who has been a cemented presence in the streets, sidewalks, and corridors of Manhattan's social and fashion world for nearly fifty years.

Watching and listening to Bill Cuningham recount life stories among, and with, a perfectly staged gallery of friends, fans, and favorite photographic subjects, many of whom are no less memorable in their own right, creates an unusual envy of his seemingly higher than imaginable sense of contentment with what his life and career has been almost from start to finish.

He's a remarkable, but very simple and pared down individual who has found a way, quite accidentally perhaps, to grow on everyone who has known him.

Director Richard Press stays connected to Cunningham through the film in ways that allow us to see a life retrospectively and in current space without barely noticing the passage of time. Almost as if we are watching an archival figure visiting from history just to entertain us for awhile.

In one of the later moments of the film, after Press asks two pointed and personal questions of Cunningham, we witness a man who finally loosens an emotional screw of his inner soul. What we then hear, and see on camera is a unique, and rare reckoning of a man realizing that he is comprised of both the utter simplicity of drive and enthusiasm to being connected to his work, and the complexity of guessing what else there might have been.

That moment, and all that precede it form an entertaining, and ultimately deeply touching portrait.
4482514
After watching this excellent biography of Rush, I now realize the extent of the camaraderie that has kept them together through thick and thin. I was also provided with insights into their characters that I was not fully aware of, adding yet another facet to a group that I thought I knew inside and out.

The care and attention that went into making this film is nothing short of spectacular; the sound quality is excellent and the interviews with the band members were generally insightful.  Of the three members, I found myself relating to Neil Peart the most, and no, I don't regard him as a sourpuss because he values his privacy.  His lyrics have been an inspiration ever since I started listening to the group, and his drumming is, well, mind-blowing. Come to think of it, I might pick up his book Ghost Rider, which chronicles the road he traveled (literally and figuratively) while recovering from the tragic loss of his wife and child.

The film is laid out chronologically and nicely illustrates the changes that their music went through decade after decade. At the beginning, there is some cool footage of Alex Lifeson having a passionate discussion with his parents recorded sometime in the early 1970s- it paints a nice picture of an idealistic and principled young man. The film then progresses through their career, and the viewer is treated to live performances, excellent insights from producer Terry Brown, and tidbits on the recording process. Overall, the emphasis was on the 1970s material, and to a lesser extent the synth-heavy albums of the 1980s. My general impression was that the albums from the 1990s, 2000s, and 2010s were somewhat glossed over, with the exception of Vapor Trails, which was the big comeback for Neil.

There are also interviews with various musicians (Kiss, Uriah Heep, Max Webster, Dream Theater, Metallica, Smashing Pumpkins, Rage Against the Machine, Foo Fighters, Sebastian Bach, Tool, Nine Inch Nails) and actors (Jack Black). Although I found the commentaries from the musicians and actors useless - OK, I will admit that Gene Simmons [Kiss] was pretty funny and the guy from Uriah Heep cracked me up-some of the interviewees did give you an idea of the broad spectrum of younger musicians that Rush influenced and continue to influence.

The overall vibe that I got from the film was that the guys in Rush care very much for each other and are sympathetic to the needs of each; this became especially apparent when the personal losses of Neil Peart are discussed.  I also got the sense that while excellent musicians, they were very much down to earth; there are no huge egos on display here and Neil can almost be self-effacing at times. One other thing that I found refreshing was that there was not an emphasis on drug/alcohol use.  Although the use of alcohol is briefly mentioned, there was too much going on in a typical Rush piece for them to go on stage with their senses dulled. As such, drug use does not play a role in the story of Rush.

All in all, this is one of the finest rock biographies I have ever watched and brought back some great memories of watching them in concert circa 1980-1981.  It focuses on the facts and the music; there is no drama, no ridiculous "arty" imagery, and no hysterical interviewers. Above all else though, this biography was just plain fun. So much fun in fact, that I have watched it well over ten times.
3784742
This is a terrific film that will be enjoyed by all who truly love their country. There are less than 25 people as of this point who have had anything under four stars to give this wonderful documentary however as a shopper I know that even one negative review can prevent me from purchasing something.

All of the negative reviews should be ignored, this is a movie that no matter your ideology will be incredibly thought-provoking and make you think. What I feel the majority of the negative reviewers are forgetting is that this is a documentary not a candidate running for president not a dictator wanting to take over not even someone talking to you on the street. How they can feel so threatened and enraged by a documentary is both astounding and laughable.

This is a movie that will truly make you remember why you love your country and make you question why so many within it hate it. I highly recommend both the movie and the book, if you are looking for entertainment and quick facts to use against the Wikipedia educated idiot then watch this documentary now; if you are looking for an in-depth analysis and more focused source of information read the book. I recommend learning from both.

I truly hope that you will watch this documentary and enjoy it as I have
282939
Enigmatic and deliberately hypocritical, this is not a typical documentary film.

Taking cues more from video art than journalism, the film is structured thematically and is more complex than a linear historical survey. The editing cleverly compiles interviews with the originators of No Wave, newer bands, and Sonic Youth (the bridge between) into a sort of a dialogue of confession and criticism. The director doesn't conceal the fact that the cuts in editing pervert time, which appropriately comments on the medium of documentary film itself.

Shot in NY homes and streets rather than studios, Kill Your Idols meditates on the notion of nostalgia, time, scene, and music history. The film is unique for the ability to display the intentions of art through the musicians' view whether they sound dignified or not. It's clever and cocky and insightful. There are connections and contradictions. There are no pre-chewed short cuts. The film won't tell you what to think, but it will make you do so.

(The hour+ of special features on the DVD are very worth mentioning and include a lengthy, great featurette.)
1808407
i love this! strongman is quite simply a great movie. It's a true documentary, faithful to the tradition of the first documentary filmmakers.  Thus, Strongman comes with no preconceived agenda. Rather, with a seemingly infinite patience and tenacity that matches his subject's, Zach Levy records one man's life as it happens, letting Stan's story unfold. And as we watch, increasingly enthralled, we see that we are watching a quest story, in which a seemingly ordinary and likable guy with a unique but totally unvalued gift continues, with stubborn integrity, on the lonely road of striving  to perfect that gift. Stan's always aware of the ever present possibility  that the world will never recognize his achievement. In the process, what emerges too is an moving exploration of what it means to be a strong guy in our society, holding up not only a truck  but a chaotic family. Finally, i'm pretty sure that such a sensitive filmmaker must have seen the connection between his film (will it be seen and its gifts recognized?) and Stan's brave trajectory.
3436196
This is a film everyone can enjoy, with pathos, humor, betrayal, and redemption--in essence, it's full of humanity.  Very well done, with a stellarr cst, I can watch it over and over.
268738
The Machine Which Makes Everything Disappear is truly a profound document of a specific time in the country of Georgia. Tinatin Gurchiani sets up a situation where people aged 15 through 25 (with some exceptions) arrive at a location to be part of this documentary, then she let's them talk and several times follows them back into their lives. There is no specific order to events. (This has bothered a few reviewers but not me.) This is certainly not a tourist documentary nor even a sociological examination. Yet I would also say that you can learn a great deal about Georgia by watching this film. But in reality her approach is poetic. She will just hold the camera still (occasionally I thought about Paradjanov or Tarkovsky) and simply show you a wall, a tree, a road, a village and most importantly faces. She made me want to know these truly human people in the midst of their difficulties.

Tinatin Gurchiani has made a documentary that is not only about life in Georgia, about hopes and dreams and about the wall these aspirations run into, particularly in her country. Yet is ultimately about life itself. It is about the way we often simply find ourselves stalled, delayed, waiting, sometimes even crushed and yet we are still moving, still hoping, still searching for meaning.
1279589
"This Time" is that rare documentary that really make you care about its subjects, (three singing acts as well as the manager of one of the singers) and you are immersed in their individual worlds as they navigate their careers, make ends meet, all the while searching ever hopefully for the elusive goal of musical success - it's a beautifully edited film, and the music itself is terrific as well.  The standout for me personally  is the wildly talented singer-songwriter Bobby Belfry; a sparkling and much-beloved fixture on the New York cabaret scene, but the stories of the women are equally gripping and quite moving.  Get your hands on this movie today - you won't regret it!
2148628
The documentary film maker, Kenneth Carlson, succeeds in building his comedy of manners toward a dramatic conclusion.  This documentary is a comedy in the sense "Go Tigers" has a happy ending, the main characters' situations in life improve throughout the film and the film is generally sunny though there are dark undercurrents to life in the city of Massillon, Ohio.

"Go Tigers" is not about the game of football, it is about the effect of the game on a small town.  Massillon is barely a city and its ~30,000 people maintain a high school football stadium for 15,000+ people with a professional quality field and sports plant.  The Massillon High School is a football factory and the film follows three players and selected family members through an undefeated season.

There are some fantastic sequences of football that overshadow current U of A play because these boys are so consistently good. The game sequences gloss over the details of play, showing over the top fans, the band, parents of the central characters, cutting in and out to fantastic plays.  That is why I say it is not "about" football because, while the score board and play boards are shown there is minimal coverage of rules, technique, field position or strategy.

Locker room half time pep talks are given center stage.  The locker room scenes feature pointless rants and strings of obscenity by the players interspersed by level headed coaching and inspirational sermons by all Massillon's denominations.  The team always comes out energized by this motivation.

Massillon is NOT a wealthy city, so a theme is "where does the money come from"?  The choices made by citizens are a plot thread that runs through the lives of three players and their families.  You'll need to see the film if you want to know more.

I will say, the strength and conditioning coach is an awesome, professional caliber athlete.  There is an all too brief walk on part by an opposing team's mascots who are fall down laughing funny.

The film covers town darkness, but not with a great deal of emphasis.  For example, the live tiger cub mascot mauls a small child in front of his mother.  The film maker is not blatant about the subtle points that are made about Massillon.

My one criticism of "Go Tigers" is that this film is 20 minutes too long.  It lingers over several football games in way too much detail, but at the same time not enough.  The games are covered in a superficial way without enough reference to play to make the games interesting.  Excited fans don't move the plot forward and you see them over and over and over and....
786929
This is a must-see film for anyone that wants to learn more about the impact of plastics on our environment and in our bodies!  Many documentaries like this are boring, too long, and only paint a dismal future.  BagIt, on the other hand, is entertaining, funny, engaging, and leaves the viewer inspired to take action!  I've watched the film several times and notice and learn something new each time.  It's a wonderful, accessible story and I highly recommend it.
4391302
"The Unknown Peter Sellers" is a fascinating documentary about the great comedic actor.  This film is produced, written, and directed by John Scheinfeld and David Leaf.  The filmmakers incorporate clips from Sellers' film and television work, as well as interviews with a number of individuals: biographer and film critic Alexander Walker, Sellers' "Being There" co-star Shirley MacLaine, Monty Python's Michael Palin, director Richard Lester, and more.  MacLaine's memories of Sellers are particularly mesmerizing.

The documentary provides a general overview on the brilliant Seller's personal life and career.  The film covers his family background, his extensive career in radio comedy, his television work, and the ups and downs of his career in theatrical films.  We get insight into how Sellers developed the character of Inspector Clouseau, and learn what happened behind-the-scenes of his triple role in the classic "Dr. Strangelove."  Also covered are Sellers' TV commercials and his artistic triumph in "Being There."

As the title indicates, this documentary emphasizes Sellers' lesser-known artistic achievements.  The filmmakers cover television programs and films that I had never heard of, and include a sampling of clips from this remarkable body of "unknown" work.  This material includes such oddities as a 1964 TV film, written by Rod Serling, entitled "Carol for Another Christmas."  The narrator notes that this film aired once and "vanished"; included is a fascinating clip showing Sellers in character as a frighteningly intense cult leader.

The DVD includes some intriguing special features.  I especially enjoyed Sellers' TV commercials for Barclay's Bank and TWA Airlines; in these ads the versatile Sellers gets to play some colorful characters, such as a hilarious Italian swinger.  There is also a fun behind-the-scenes featurette about the making of the TWA ads.  Another extra is an engrossing 1971 TV interview with Sellers.  He talks about working on TV, the characters he portrayed in his radio career, and more.  This interview offers a funny and touching view of Sellers; it's especially fun to watch him clowning and causing the interviewer to laugh.  The DVD also includes a filmography of Sellers' work.

I have admired Sellers' work since I was a child, and this superb documentary left me admiring this great talent even more.  He truly was a one-of-a-kind performing artist whose best work remains as entertaining and as relevant as ever.  This documentary is the perfect companion to the award-winning biographical drama "The Life and Death of Peter Sellers," in which Geoffrey Rush brilliantly plays Sellers.
1791163
I don't normally watch shows on engineering, but since nothing interesting was on TV, I turned "Super Bridge" on. I'm glad I did. This is a powerful documentary on many levels. I would never have guessed that a show on building a bridge in middle America could be so riveting. One of the reasons is that the film-maker adds the human element in to the mix--a aspect often overlooked in similar documentaries. You begin to care about the well-being of both those that are building the bridge and the people that need it so desperately. On a deeper level, Super Bridge turns the subject of erecting a bridge into the stuff of myth. There are powerful underlying psychological, sociological, and religious themes in the film. The show embodies the themes of human struggle and triumph and especially the inevitable cycle of death, rebirth... and death. Any talented film-maker can chronicle an engineering feat, but it takes a true artist to turn  the subject into a narrative of the human condition.
As Super Bridge pointed out, the triumph of the completed bridge must be tinged with sadness-it will eventually decay and turn to rubble, even as the proceeding bridge did. The pride of human accomplishment is certainly merited-the bridge is a masterpiece of form and function. However, as with any human endeavor, hubris is not allowed.
I've seen the show twice and I'm going to get the tape of this film to show to friends. Though I don't remember it, I went over the old bridge more then once as a child. I hope to return to the new one as an adult.
1169347
I am not a fan of documentaries... but this is the one exception to the rule. Unlike most documentaries, however, this has a narrative which is not only gripping (even though we all know the ending) but an emotional, moving experience. The footage used is breath taking, Brian Eno's score is ethereal. I can simply not praise this movie enough.

Also, Criterion's Blu Ray looks fantastic and is loaded with extras (including two other very intriguing documentaries). A top-notch release.
1177299
A sweet and entertaining film about the 35 year history of a lovable punk band.  And if that sounds full of contradictions, welcome to the odd world of The Mekons, who started in the late 1970s as art student punks who knew almost nothing about music, only to slowly integrate folk music, American country and western and other influences in with their slowly but steadily growing musicianship, and their passionate politics.

Theyve never gotten rich or famous, but they have put out a treasure trove of recordings full of love of music and crazily mixed up musical ideas.  These are people who are in it for the joy of playing, touring, and communicating with their passionate if limited audience, not money or adoration.  And if they're well into middle age and still traveling around in a shabby van, that doesnt seem to stop them from enjoying the adventure and still loving the music.  In fact, the film makes the argument that the lack of  success and its trappings may be what has kept them together and kept them going:  Friends making music for friends.

Theyre also an intelligent, articulate, funny and likable lot, full of self-deprecating humor about themselves and their accomplishments in a way we rarely think of rock musicians.  I didn't really know the Mekons before seeing this film.  Now I like them and want to really get to know their music.  Thats a pretty good endorsement of a rock-documentary.