Special Self-Congratulatory Post!

I'm dedicating this blog post to some stuff I've done recently. I've managed to accomplish a few creative things in spite of the daily grind, the plumbers invading my apartment, and the subsequent waterfall spewing forth from behind my kitchen cupboards (pipes can explode, apparently). I'm going to take a moment to relax with a cup of tea and congratulate myself. I'm going to, as the kids say, celebrate like it's my birthday. But not my real birthdays. Because those depress me.

First of all, a new issue of filmCAN is out and three of my Hot Docs reviews are included. FilmCAN keeps getting better with each new issue. Great interviews with intriguing film makers, reviews, and essays from knowledgeable fans who really know and love the movies. Check out their pod casts and exclusive digital downloads. There's a lot of great stuff on the site and I'm proud to be part of their team.

Secondly, a few months ago I finished a large web project for a client. The site is for an illustrator, calligrapher, and visual artist named Michele Nidenoff. Michele's work has appeared in numerous magazines and children's books (as well as on my office wall). Together we came up with a layout that would showcase her artwork in a clean, intuitive and simple design. I'm particularly proud of the "thumbnail / large image with caption" function that I implemented. It had me stumped at first but through a whole lotta CSS wrangling I figured out how to make this deceptively "easy" function work perfectly. I am very happy with the final site as well as the chance to help this wonderful artist and her growing business.


So I guess I should stop patting myself on the back now (it makes it really hard to type). I'll be posting a new review soon and, as always, I value your comments. If you need a website designer / media critic / person with an unusually damp kitchen you know who to call.

Ever hear of this Joss Whedon guy?

So I am simultaneously proving and disproving my geek cred by recommending a podcast by Joss Whedon. If you are a true geek, you've been following his series Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog since it debuted on July 15th. If you're not a geek than you are very lost and have stumbled upon a site dedicated to documentaries, video games, and, to a lesser extent, pez dispensers. So I'm guessing you're not even reading this sentence and have already scuttled off to something cool like a blog dedicated to celebrity gossip or a tattoo enthusiast bulletin board.

For those of you still here (hey thanks!), I am extending a hearty endorsement of Joss Wheadon and his low budget enterprise. Right now DHSAB is a video series available for download on iTunes. It costs a few bucks per 12 to 15 minute episode and there are three episodes in total. Here's the important-so-I'm-using-bold part: the series is only available on iTunes until July 29. After that, it'll be pulled to build interest in the forthcoming DVD. I'd recommend you download the series and buy the DVD, because the DVD is going to have plenty of cra-zay extras like a musical commentary track. What? Exactly.



The series stars Neil Patrick Harris, Felicia Day and Nathan Fillion. The script is intentionally campy and fun, with the winning mix of drama and sarcastic humour that made Whedon's other shows cult classics. Also, it's a freaking musical, and the actors do an amazing job with some really good, catchy material.

So will Dr. Horrible win the girl of his dreams? Will Bad Horse (the Thoroughbred of Sin) accept his application to the Evil League of Evil? Will Nathan Fillion flex his muscles in that tight little T-shirt? The only way to find out is to watch...

Grey Gardens - Review

Looking back only a month ago, it seems impossible that I knew nothing about Big Edie, Little Edie, and the crumbling grandeur of a Hamptons estate called Grey Gardens. Although I graduated from film school no one had ever told me about this documentary. You know how I found out about it? Gilmore Girls. That's right. The show where women chatter endlessly about boys, clothes, food they like to eat, and obscure pop culture. Take that University education! Since I first watched Grey Gardens I've become a bit obsessed with all things Edie. This film has quite the cult following with everyone from drag queens to film snobs. The web is full of articles about the Beal women, info on the subsequent "Grey Gardens" Broadway musical and upcoming scripted film (shot on Toronto Island!). I'm breathless with all sorts of things to say about this doc. Good thing I'm typing.

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Grey Gardens
(USA, Directed by David Maysles, Albert Maysles, Ellen Hovde, Muffie Meyer)

Grey Gardens is an eminently watchable and effective examination of mother and daughter "Big" Edie and "Little" Edie Bouvier Beals. Once the purebred beauties of a privileged and educated upper class, the women (at ages 78 and 56) are now ostracized from their families and peers, living in poverty among the decay of their East Hamptons estate. Big Edie is the aunt of none other than Jackie Kennedy. Wed into an important family, she was a wife and mother who longed for a singing career after her marriage dissolved. Little Edie was a beautiful model and dancer who didn't want to settle into the trappings of her father's strict rules. They were rebels who refused a gilded cage in search of lives of their own making. The Beal women paid for their rebellion in emotional co-dependence, poverty and isolation. They fought a constant battle with each other - Big Edie holding her daughter to her, Little Edie resentful but unwilling to break free - but they essentially lived as they wanted.

The Maysles brothers do their subjects a great service by remaining unobtrusive and politely non-judgmental of the Beals. David and Albert Maysles (the only seen crew) observe and sometimes communicate directly with the women, but for the most part their responses are expressed non-verbally with spontaneous camera zooms or silently held shots. Their patience is rewarded with intimate access to the women and their entangled relationship. All the usual editorial embellishments of documentary are absent (voice over, musical cues, slow motion). The verite style can become tedious with lesser film makers, or lesser subjects, but here the mix between unedited life and implied greater meaning is beautifully balanced.


Artistry of the film makers aside, how could you not be fascinated by these women? Big Edie runs the house from her filthy, cat infested bedroom (she leaves the second floor of the house only once in the film). She sings, offers pieces of advice and criticism and yells out commands to her daughter in a lilting, girlish voice. Little Edie, who shares her mother's bedroom, is often found on the terrace, among the overgrown gardens, or in the attic feeding the raccoons. Dressed in head scarves and high heels, Little Edie is a grown up demented Debutante. She speaks directly to the camera and alternates between coquettish prancing, conspiratorial whispers, and the indignant observations of a "staunch character". Not stupid, and not quite crazy, both women provide many moments of dark and strange humour. I felt able to laugh without feeling guilty; a distinction I credit to the unapologetic strength of the subjects. Big Edie's singing voice can break your heart, but you don't feel sorry for her. Even when you see old photographs of the women in their glory days of beauty, wealth and influence, the effect is not depressing. The Beal women are authentic eccentrics. They live as they want, and there is a freedom in that that permeates the obvious economic and social deficiencies of their lives.



So if you can't tell, I really recommend this film. There are long segments where the women bicker, and I'm not going to promise that every moment is going to hold you at rapt attention. But the greater story of these women, and their isolated lives (broken only by a few notable visitors) is well worth the visit. Criterion Collection released an excellent DVD of the film plus bonus materials. Before the feature film is released do yourself a favour and try to see this fantastic documentary. 5 out of 5

Song Sung Blue - Review

Well, Hot Docs is over but my reviews keep coming. I'm off to Las Vegas in a few days so I'm going to keep this preamble short. Concordantly, Hot Docs was great this year but I didn't feel like I really enjoyed it as much as years past. This might have something to do with a deadline at work, or the tragic lack of popcorn at most of the venues I attended. I was very happy, however, to attend the Song Sung Blue screening. I really liked this movie, and not just because I have a deep and embarrassing love for Neil Diamond.

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Song Sung Blue
(USA, Directed by Greg Kohs)

Who knew a film about a Neil Diamond impersonator would be so fraught with pathos and tragedy? I went into the screening expecting to have a few laughs and maybe gain some insight into the competitive world of tribute artists. I didn't expect the sympathy I came to feel for Mike Sardina, his wife Claire, and their family. Based on what I saw, Song Sung Blue was one of the strongest films to screen at this year's Hot Docs. Much like the song in the title, the film stays in your head long after the credits roll.

Of course, Mike and Claire Sardina are pretty unforgettable people. Stationed in Milwaukee, they eked out a living at bars and parties as the duo "Lightning and Thunder". Mike (Lightning), was a completely committed Neil Diamond impersonator and musician in his own right, and Claire (Thunder) provided backup vocals and stole the spotlight with her strong Patsy Cline covers. They were in love with performing and the promise of fame. They had fans who followed them over the years and across the Midwest. On stage, they were an entertaining mix of enthusiasm and corn ball dramatics.

Off stage, however, the Sardina family were unravelling at the seams. Although obviously in love, Mike and Claire went through a bizarre accident that left Claire dependant on painkillers and in a deep depression. As she went so did the family, and the intimate access granted to the film makers (supplemented by home videos) gives a front row seat to the resulting dysfunction.


Without giving anything else away, there is a redemption, of sorts, for the family. Through all the hardships Lightning and Thunder remain committed to their music and to each other. This is a strangely epic story told on a very small, almost suffocatingly close scale. It's an exploration of family dynamics, personal struggle, and even the American dream. It’s a surreal and often strange journey, but one that leaves the viewer with more than just old pop songs to contemplate. 4.5 out of 5.

Kids + Money, Emoticons - Review

Okay, I'm making up for lost time here. It's like an episode of Star Trek where the past will keep moving faster and faster until it finally meets with the present. And eventually I'll be writing about films before I've even watched them. And then the fabric of space and time will wrinkle and we'll have to send Data into the resulting wormhole. God's speed you lovable android!

That's not going to segue into the docs I'm talking about so.... here's some reviews!

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Kids + Money
(USA, Directed by Lauren Greenfield)

This short film screened before Emoticons on an "all about teenagers" double bill. Much like its succinct title, it focuses mainly on wealthy 12 to 16 year olds in LA, and the way they spend their parent's money. This is a very rich (oh the puns!) and fertile ground for a documentary film. It strikes a definite chord with the audience, especially when you consider the average doc watcher is probably a working class hipster or socially conscious hippie. There is something wonderfully scandalous about a twelve year old owning a $3,000 book bag, and I think the audience really enjoyed their righteous indignation. The sheer materialistic lust exhibited by these rich young things would make Paris Hilton blush. Perhaps appearances have always meant the most to us during our teenage years, but Kids + Money gives us a peek at a much grander level of decadence and greed.

To counterbalance the rich kids, the film also profiles kids from middle class and economically depressed families. These kids are working to help their families survive, but they are not immune to the allure of wealth. In the interviews with one teenage boy in particular, sitting in the back yard of his run down apartment, the film says something almost profound. Here is a boy who is smart and driven, but focused almost entirely of maintaining an image of wealth. He lives a lie, and his envy of the truly wealthy taints everything he does. He would like to stop caring but says that "money really does make the world go round". There is an undeniable truth to that statement. It's easy to criticize kids for being materialistic, shallow, and easily influenced, but they are only following society's lead. Our whole economy is based on consumption and teenagers were practically invented by retailers.

Kids + Money was very enjoyable and quite thought provoking. I appreciated the simple visual style of the interviews and the tight editing. Director Lauren Greenfield let her subjects speak for themselves without interjecting her own views of consumer culture. It's up to us to change our values and the role money has in our children's lives. It's a simple message, but one that's easily forgotten. 4.5 out of 5

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Emoticons
(Netherlands, Directed by Heddy Honigmann)

Emoticons is an hour long film that takes a look at how isolated teenage girls use the Internet. Social networking sites link girls who are bullied, misunderstood, depressed or ignored, so that they can communicate with each other. They play online games, chat, and use web cams to keep tabs on each other's lives. Some of the girls find real friends who give them the support they may lack at home or school. Others use the internet for autonomous advice and entertainment. In all cases, the internet provides an escape from difficult and sometimes painful reality.

Director Heddy Honigmann uses web cams to conduct her interviews, and this is my first criticism of the film. Not only is watching people on a computer visually boring, there is something almost creepy about Honigmann, a grown woman always partially in shadow, using chat rooms to coax her young subjects into telling us why they're lonely. The director has no malicious intent, but nonetheless it play a little close to the description of the internet predator we keep telling kids to beware. What if the director had been a man? Is it okay for teenagers to chat with each other but not, necessarily, to adults (or perhaps it is the absence of adults that sends teens to the internet in the first place)? To be fair, Honigmann also uses traditional in person interview techniques with her subjects, often giving us insight into the teen's social and family situations. In these segments, however, the cinematography remains flat and uninteresting.

The subjects of the film are varied in their particular situations but they share hardships any teenager could recognize. The desire for acceptance while feeling alienated and awkward are universal teenage experiences. The fact that now teens connect over the internet is a valid point, but not very surprising. I don't want to give the impression that I did not relate to some of these kids, or that I was insensitive to their problems. I was just too aware of what I was supposed to feel, with the film giving emotional cues as obvious as a tearful email and slow motion hug. Also, some subjects were forced through to not very satisfying conclusions, while other teens were dropped from the narrative without reason. In the end Emoticons felt as distant to me as, well, an internet chat room. 2.5 out of 5

Anvil! The Story of Anvil - Review

There comes a time in any rock star/blogger's life when they must pick up the pieces of their battered music career/no career and continue to pursue their dreams. I'm a full six days late in starting my Hot Docs blog. The reasons for my tardiness run the gauntlet from "not enough time" to "too much work" to "I'll write a review after I finish this very important sudoku". But I will not give up. Like the metal band Anvil I will not be dissuaded by my age, unpopularity, and the obvious futility of my goals. I will fight another day. ROCK ON!

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Anvil! The Story of Anvil
(Canada, Directed by Sacha Gervasi)

Hot Docs 2008 opened with a pair of films. One was the somber and very well reviewed "Air India 182" about the 1985 airplane bombing tragedy. The other was a film about a largely forgotten hard rock band from Toronto called "Anvil! The Story of Anvil". I choose to attend Anvil, because I'm the type of person who likes my opening night films underscored by wailing guitars. Under the strange dreamy ceiling of fake leaves and giant trees in the Winter Garden Theatre, a packed house laughed, cheered and even cried along with the true story of Anvil. Even if you never wanted to be a rock god, there is something quite touching in this story of every day dudes who never give up on their dreams. The guys in Anvil have jobs, but not careers. They refuse sensible hair cuts. They are making barely enough money to survive until their music takes off. And they've been doing this for over thirty years. Inadvisable? Yes. Inspirational? Surprisingly, yes.

Anvil centres around founding Anvil members Steve “Lips” Kudlow and Robb Reiner - best buddies since they were teenagers - and their odyssey to recapture the brief success Anvil enjoyed in the early 80s. The film opens with famous musicians like Slash and Lars Ulrich opining on the importance of Anvil to heavy metal, and theories on why the band never made it (Lars thinks it may be because of the whole "Canadian thing"). Cut to Toronto, present day, and the lads of Anvil have grown into greying delivery men and construction workers. They play gigs on weekends and continue to record albums, but the crowds to see them perform are neither numerous nor consistent. The band mates' long suffering families continue to support their loved ones, but Anvil's future is bleak. Hard rock is a young man's game, and Anvil's members are way past their marketable prime. Everything seems destined to finally, perhaps mercifully, decline until an email from a fan suggests the possibility of a European tour. With little to go on but a wing and a prayer, Anvil packs up their gear and heads to Europe.

Photo of rock's real deal? Or worst Crocs ad ever?

From this point on, the film is a roller coaster ride of huge expectations and crushing defeat. The European tour in particular is alternatively hilarious and heart breaking. Clashing egos, bad tour managers, skipped payments and empty venues test the band's mettle. Reconciliations, appreciative fans, and good rocking out give the band strength. Even when they are yelling and throwing tantrums, the members of Anvil are likable. Perhaps this is because we believe that they simply do not know better. Lips, especially, reminds me of a muppet - part Animal, part hoser - who remains eternally optimistic in the face of huge, crushing obstacles. Eventually the band records a new CD, and even rekindles a bit of the old fan support. Will Anvil succeed? Well, the story is still being written. At the screening I attended the band was there and they were quick to tell us we could buy a CD in the lobby.

Visually, the film is very well shot and the editing is strong. Concert footage features plenty of song snippets but thankfully cuts out much of the loudest head banging. The film's director, Sacha Gervasi, was actually a roadie with Anvil on one of their early tours. He obviously has affection for his film's subjects, but he never makes the uninitiated feel left out. This is not a geeky inside story that will only appeal to metal heads. The larger questions in the film - questions about personal fulfillment, fame, respect and selfish needs - can apply to anyone in any walk of life. We've all felt the desire to shake off our nine to five jobs and become the person we dreamed about when we were teenagers. To paraphrase The Big Lebowski, I'm glad Anvil is out there, rocking it out for the rest of us. 4 out of 5

** Extra name dropping bonus feature. Film critic and TV personality Geoff Pevere came into our office last week. We were chatting, Geoff and I, about the Hot Docs festival and he brought up Anvil. He was quite enthusiastic about the film, and made favourable comparisons to Spinal Tap (mocumentary, I know) and the Metallica doc "Some Kind of Monster". I think you can take it from me, Geoff Pevere's buddy, that he would also recommend you see this film.**

Killing me won’t bring back your Honey! Reflections on a Nicolas Cage Movie Night

There are many stars in Hollywood. Some actors are emotional powerhouses that deliver poignant and affecting performances. Others send hearts aflutter with charm, charisma and good looks. Yet another actor is Nicolas Cage. Recently, we decided to dedicate an evening to the recent works of Mr. Cage with a triple bill of National Treasure, The Wicker Man, and Ghost Rider. When the lights went down we were hoping for a passable evening of entertainment. When the lights came up six hours later we emerged slightly bewildered but forever changed by the awesome appeal of this man and his ridiculous films. Here are some quick reviews...

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National Treasure - In this fun adventure Nicholas Cage plays a suave (?) and brilliant (?!) history buff who is trying to prove his family’s good name, steal the Declaration of Independence, and also find a giant room stuffed with treasure. He woos a strangely Nordic girlfriend, mentors an improbably hot computer geek, and learns to accept weirdo dad Jon Voight. In other movies, the “treasure” sought at the beginning of the film would transform into a metaphor about the immaterial elements that give our lives meaning. Cage would start out trying to find a bunch of money, but would learn through a series of revelations that the real treasure is the love of his family, or learning to help others, or some crap like that. In this movie, the treasure is literally a giant room full of gold and Cage learns absolutely nothing. It's awesome.


Best Nicholas Cage Quote: I just really thought I was gonna find the treasure.
State of Nicholas Cage's Hair: Kind of mesmerising. Receding hairline present not only on the top of his head, but also above the ears. It's what I like to call the "lobotomy haircut".

Look over there! Treasure!

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The Wicker Man: Oh, how I wanted to see this movie. I read a hilarious review on the Onion AV Club, and it really had me psyched. When I read that the plot basically devolves to Cage in a bear suit, running around and punching random women in the face, I realised I had to own a copy of this DVD for future prosperity. As with anything so anticipated, the actuality was a little disappointing. Sure, Nicolas Cage starts at an emotionally tense point and then becomes steadily, and hilariously, more agitated until he's just screaming every single one of his lines. Sure, there's a creepy island full of stoic women who practice a Goddess-centric religion that may or may not include human sacrifice. But personally, I felt there was too much build up of an incomprehensible plot, and too little kicking bar maids through walls. It is a weirdly entertaining movie. Not scary, but creepy. Not good, but almost so bad it's good... Okay, it's good.

The ladies of Summersisle don't want to bee friends. Get it? BEE?!

Best Nicolas Cage Quote: "How'd it get burned? How'd it get burned?! HOW'D IT GET BURNED, HOW'D IT GET BURNED, HOW'D IT GET BURNED?!" Also see the title of this article, the infamous "KILLING ME WON'T BRING BACK YOUR GODDAMNED HONEY!". This was followed in the film with "AAAAHHH! MY LEGS!! AAAHHHGGG!" Intrigued? Yeah, I know you are.
State of Nicolas Cage's Hair: I was too distracted by "THE BEES! OH GOD THEY'RE IN MY EYES!" to notice his hair.

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Ghost Rider: Nicolas Cage is really in his crazy ass element in this comic book flick. He plays a guy who sold his soul to the devil when he was young and impossibly good looking. When the kid becomes older (and transforms into Cage), he becomes a flaming skull of justice - the Ghost Rider - who has to drive around the city on his hell spawn bike and use a chain lasso to capture escaped demons from hell who... oh, never mind. It's not really important. What's important is that Cage gave his character special quirky attributes like a love of the Carpenters (still creepy after all these years), and a penchant for eating jelly beans out of a martini glass. Now that there is some fancy character development. Bonus points also go for featuring Peter Fonda as the devil, and Sam Elliot as a grizzled cemetery caretaker. I love Sam Elliot but he really needs to keep up with the facial hair. He grows a beard up to his eyeballs.



Best Nicolas Cage Quote: He may have my soul, but he doesn't have my spirit.
State of Nicolas Cage's Hair: Pretty nice! The rug / weave / unholy alliance between forehead and bangs that Cage sports has a nice younger look. I have to say, I was impressed. Also, there's a scene where he's not wearing a shirt that must be noted because, honestly, the guy has muscles you never thought possible. Oh God. I'm crushing on Nicolas Cage.

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So I think that's about all I want to write about Nicolas Cage. Ever. I would recommend all of these films, especially grouped together with home-made pizza, spirited drinks, and a desire to have a few good laughs. They are not necessarily good films, but they are entertaining. And sometimes that's all you want on a cold winter night.

The King of Kong: A Fistful of Quarters Review

All right, so I have two, well, actually three documentaries that I've seen recently that I should review. I saw the first almost two months ago, and I've had very good intentions to finish the review ever since. But it's Christmas time and I'm giddy with Yuletide glee, so I'm going to skip those other docs and review the best one first. The awesome one. The one that makes me think reindeer can fly and elves can be dentists. I'm reviewing King of Kong: A Fistful of Quarters.

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The King of Kong: A Fistful of Quarters
(USA, Directed by Seth Gordon)


King of Kong is the kind of documentary that most people will enjoy, a select few will find pointless, and some will absolutely love with the devotion of a plumber out to save his princess from a rampaging, barrel throwing ape. It centres around two men and the classic 1981 arcade game, Donkey Kong. One of the men is reigning Donkey Kong champ, entrepreneur, and feathered hair aficionado Billy Mitchell. The other is all around nice guy, family man and dedicated competitor Steve Wiebe whose arcade skillz threaten to usurp the DK crown. Watching from the sidelines at arcade tournaments across America are a host of nerdy, OCD riddled video game champs. Billy is their king, but Steve is winning over the crowd. One has novelty neckties while the other teaches high school science. They are both men who place a inordinate amount of self esteem into being the one, true, Donkey Kong champion.

So begins, and ends, the surface plot of King of Kong. It's about the men who compete to master a video game most kids today can only reference in association with MarioKart. It's about many grown men (and at least one plucky woman) who meet in huddled, underground and (one can only guess), slightly stinky arcades to beat their chests and prove who has the biggest joystick. In short, a few people may find the documentary trite, and the subjects pathetic. Those people need to lighten up and embrace the geek within. There is so much humour, humility, and honest emotion in this film it is almost impossible not to be drawn into the battle.

Things Billy Mitchell Enjoys: hot sauce, dark and lustrous hair, kicking your ass at any video game from the 80s
Billy is a classic alpha nerd. He won moderate fame, fortune, and a wife with very large breasts by spending thousands of hours making Pac Man eat dots. He used his early reputation as the supreme arcade champ to build a hot sauce and restaurant business. His ego is huge, ridiculous, and completely intact until Steve sends in a tape of him beating the world DK high score on a console he keeps in his garage. Following this believed impossible act, Billy descends into refusal, avoidance, and (possibly) cheating to preserve his reputation. Steve, on the other hand, is battling his own demons of unfulfilled potential, latent obsessive tendencies and a family who loves him but wishes he would just come out of the garage more often. It's easy to say Billy is the villain and Steve is the hero, but there is only one hero in Donkey Kong; Mario. And, to a lesser extent, the Princess. Where was I going with this? I forget.

My point is that King of Kong has all the elements of a classic story of epic struggle, and so makes for a fascinating film even if you've never played a video game in your life. There is the complex psyches of the warriors, the mix of awe, jealousy and resentment from the lesser competitors, the politics of the referee who must decide the victor, and the heartbreak of disappointment when dreams fall short. I cried with Steve when he was denied his initial high score, and I know I'm not the only person in that theatre who shed tears. I laughed many, many, many times and I am definitely not alone in that camp either. King of Kong, so help me, will make you actually care about video games and the people who play them.

You have to admit, the kid's got game. Referee Walter Day checks out Steve's progress with the barrels and the fireballs and the angry, angry monkey.
Director Seth Gordon is unobtrusive but complete in his footage. There is a particularly nice segment detailing Steve's compulsions from drumming, to football, to making detailed diagrams of DK stages. It is one of the most illustrative representations of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder I've ever seen. And the musical score is ironic, hilarious, and dead on cue. When you hear Leonard Cohen start to growl about how everybody knows the good guys lost, you will be amazed by how well it fits this film. The plot is on the sprawling side, and the editing suffers with a few loose threads of promising gamers who never get to finish their story. There is also the problem of the coda to the film being printed words instead of actual footage an invested audience would love to see. Still, even with these problems I'm giving The King of Kong: A Fistful of Quarters 5 out of 5. It should really be a 4.5, but I'm a complete nerd so I'm giving it some extra love.

The Eyes of Tammy Faye Review

Oh dear. It has been a very long time since I wrote a review. This was supposed to be a topical review to tie in with the death of Tammy Faye Messner, who passed after to a long battle with cancer on July 20th. I was sad to hear Tammy Faye had died but I wasn't sure why I cared. Would I miss her camp appeal? Her appearances on The Surreal Life? I didn't know much about her ministry with Jim Bakker, but I knew she was at the centre of the controversy that painted televangelists as greedy and corrupt scam artists. Was Frank Zappa right? Did Jesus think Tammy Faye was a jerk? With so many vague impressions of Tammy Faye in my head, I figured the best idea was to rent the 2000 documentary "The Eyes of Tammy Faye".

The Eyes of Tammy Faye
(USA, Directed by Fenton Bailey and Randy Barbato)

Tammy Faye was many things to many people. Starting life as a country girl, she married Jim Bakker and worked incredibly hard to bring their brand of cheery Christianity to the masses. She rose to the heights of fame, influence and hero worship, then fell the great distance to laughing stock. She wore too much make up and talked in a falsetto voice. She was a distant mother who became addicted to pain killers. Eventually, she found redemption in a second marriage, the acceptance of her new fans, and a calculated return to the spotlight. Was Tammy Faye everything she appeared to be? Was it an act or was she, at the heart, who we saw on TV?

The Eyes of Tammy Faye premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in 2000 to a widely enthusiastic response. At the time, the defunct position on Tammy Faye (and indeed most millionaire evangelists), was disgust and a desire for sweet, vengeful comeuppance. All of Tammy Faye's mascara coloured tears could not sway popular opinion that she deserved humiliation, yet many people changed their minds after seeing this film. The documentary presents Tammy Faye as a big hearted, emotional, and at worst naive woman. She is extravagant and self centred, but also honest in her desire to embrace everyone in true Christian fellowship. Specifically, filmmakers Fenton Bailey and Randy Barbato present Tammy Faye as a defender of the homosexual community. As a very early advocate for AIDS awareness, Tammy Faye embraced HIV positive patients when very few (inside or outside the evangelical world) would do so. Drag queen extrodinarre Rupaul narrates the film, emphasising the correlation the directors wanted to stress between Tammy Faye and her adoring, and now largely homosexual, fan base.

Tammy Faye herself appears unwaveringly strong in her convictions. She really does want you to know that God loves you. Her ability to look directly in the camera and simply emote is quite mesmerising. In older footage from her shows with Jim Bakker, Tammy Faye weeps and sings and praises the Lord for hours a day and you cannot help but be impressed with her showmanship. With the exception of some funny scenes where she's hepped up on painkillers and wandering off set, Tammy Faye gave her audience everything she had to give. Off set, and in the confines of her present day home, she presents the same larger than life persona. The voice, the clothes, the mascara - everything is the same. The directors are keen to push the camp value of their subject, whither its her collection of creepy (and omnipresent) dolls, to her expansive makeup bag. Tammy Faye as spectacle is completely entwined with Tammy Faye as person. If it was all an act I doubt even Tammy Faye could tell the difference anymore.

The Eyes of Tammy Faye is an example of a mass appeal documentary. The puppets that present different acts in Tammy Faye's life are clever but outstay their welcome. Repetition and heavy use of source footage also give the film a somewhat amateur effect. I found the sequence of Tammy Faye at the huge, and completely deserted, Heritage USA theme park to be some of the most effective scenes in the film. I had no idea the Bakkers had built, and lost, so much. It is positively eerie to see where pride and money can lead. I wished the film had spent more time here than on yet another scene of Tammy Faye's long red fingernails typing out a letter. Perhaps I cannot criticise the film for not following my personal interests, but it felt like The Eyes of Tammy Faye shunned higher discourse for campy thrills. Ultimately, the film proves to be as colourful, but about as deep, as Tammy Faye's makeup.
3.5 out of 5.

** You can check out photographs of Heritage USA past, present and possibly future at this site.

Citizen Sam Review

Citizen Sam
(Canada, directed by Joe Moulins)

Citizen Sam is a verite style documentary about quadriplegic Mayoral candidate Sam Sullivan and his bid to become mayor of Vancouver, BC. The film follows Sullivan's whole campaign journey from unsteady start, to frustrating setbacks, to victorious conclusion. In another director's hands Sullivan's disability may have been the basis of a sugary, violin scored, "underdog does good" story. Thankfully, neither Joe Moulins' direction nor Sam Sullivan's character allows the film to devolve into sentimental tripe. Sam Sullivan is first and foremost a politician with a fiery determination to win an election. He has right wing views and an almost Machiavellian glee about vanquishing his enemies. He is smart about whom he courts (speaking Cantonese and Mandarin really helps), and he glad hands and follows the interview circuit with the best of them. I admired the film's ability to be both keen political observation and developed character study. Sam Sullivan is not your average politician in more ways than one.

"I like the fact that people underestimate me. They pat me on the head and then I rip their throat out." - Sam Sullivan, Mayor with an attitude

The realities of Sullivan's disability are not ignored, nor are they always comfortable to watch. Brushing his teeth, dressing for work, even taking a bath all become intimate scenes from Sullivan's life that the camera records with patient passivity. The film avoids any spoken comment on Sullivan's disability in favour of showing its role in how Sullivan performs day to day tasks. This objectivity makes the disability understood without feeling manipulative or preachy. Over all the bumps along the campaign trail Sullivan also keeps a video diary. In his entries we see a side of politics rarely revealed as Sullivan speaks honestly about his struggles with panic, anger, frustration and simple lack of confidence. It's fascinating to watch a politician speak openly about the lure and danger of power. The film perhaps does a disservice to Sullivan's political opponent Jim Green, who spends much of the film ducking out of interviews and avoiding eye contact. After the screening, director Joe Moulins said that Green was not a bad guy, but rather had the unenviable task of attacking "the guy in the chair". It also doesn't help that Green looks like some kind of 1930s mob boss. Still, Citizen Sam would have been a stronger political study if they had offered an interview with Green to balance the political representation.

Citizen Sam is an inspiring film, and I mean that sincerely and without my usual sarcasm. I didn't feel sorry for Sam Sullivan and I'm not even sure I would vote for him. I did, however, find the love between him and his partner emotionally resonant and affecting. I found Sam Sullivan's determination and drive admirable, and his emotional conflicts honest. The last segment of the film will stay with me long after the screening, and needless to say it made me very proud to be a Canadian. The film is simply but effectively directed, with accolades to editor Carmen Pollard who transformed hundreds of hours of footage into a smartly paced political story with effective highs and lows. Citizen Sam is an NFB production. It will be airing on the CBC and I would highly recommend it. 4.5 out of 5

Village of Socks Review

Village of Socks
(Romania/Germany, directed by Ileana Stanculescu)

Every year at Hot Docs I see a film or two from another part of the world. Sure, I like North American films as much as the next girl, but you don't feel like you've truly appreciated a documentary festival until you've seen a slice of life from somewhere far away. This year (2007), Hot Docs focused their "International" titles on Central and Eastern Europe. Village of Socks, a slow moving observational documentary about the remote Transylvanian village of Viscri fits the bill.

If you like films about cows walking through muddy streets, starkly beautiful hillsides or watching women knit then do I have a movie for you. Village of Socks explores a remote town where economic recession and inclusion in the European Union has left residents unable to modernize and without sustainable income. Enter a German musician who moves into the town and sets up a sock knitting business. Everyday all the women and girls in the village pull out their wool (sheared from their own sheep) and knit clothing to sell at the local tourist gift shop and in stores across Europe. As the women knit they trade barbs about proper stitch count, useless husbands, and the nagging problem of late paycheques. Director Ileana Stanculescu keeps a very patient camera on all the members of the community. From unemployed husbands and lost sons, abrasive nurses and a German woman who exalts the beauty of the region, Stanculescu is complete enough in her representation you feel like you have lived in the village yourself.

Village of Socks is definitely not for everyone but it does reward the viewer who can settle down and watch one camera interviews and logical but slow paced editing. Sometimes Stanculescu overestimates her footage and holds scenes for longer than the audience enjoys (prompting greater than average incidents of watch checking during the screening). The larger topics of female empowerment and globalization are the elephants in the room and never addressed directly. After some documentaries where I was told what the think and feel with the obvious cues of a newscast, I appreciate Village of Socks for its simplicity and quiet beauty. It didn't rock my world, but who goes to a film called "Village of Socks" expecting to be blown out of their seat? 3 out of 5

**I just realized I could have fit in something about "knocking my socks off" but I guess I'll spare you the bad pun. "Sock it to me", and prodigious use of the word "darn" would have also worked. Good thing I don't have time to rewrite this review.

A Walk Into the Sea: Danny Williams And The Warhol Factory Review

Ah, Hot Docs is over. So sad to say goodbye to another year. I'll talk more about my general reactions to this year's festival in a near future post but for now I have to get back to business. Six more films to review and I'm woefully behind!

A Walk Into The Sea: Danny Williams And The Warhol Factory
(2007, directed by Esther B Robinson)

Danny Williams is virtually unknown today, even among those who are familiar with Andy Warhol and his factory of artists and influential friends. A Walk Into the Sea's director, Esther B Robinson, is Williams' niece. At the heart of the film is a search by Robinson to uncover her uncle's films and piece together a narrative about who Williams was and what happened before he mysteriously disappeared in 1966. Through sheer tenacity, Robinson scores interviews with key Factory members like Brigid Berlin and Billy Name. The interviews are mostly interesting as everyone has a different version of events; sometimes the subjects disagree with each other because they never paid much attention to Williams quietly toiling in the film suites or shooting movies around the factory. Sometimes they were too busy trying to win favour with Warhol to notice the nice man who didn't demand attention. Sometimes the subjects cannot remember simply because they were doing too many drugs. In any case it can be a treat to watch them reminisce. Recollections from artists, family members and Warhol historians form the basis for the detective story. Although we meet many eccentric and creative characters along the way, the larger question of Danny Williams remains unsolved.

Danny Williams and the Bolex Camera he Borrowed from Andy Warhol
Any real information about Williams' personality and work arises from his recently discovered short experimental films. The black and white films (shot and edited in Warhol's Bolex camera) reveal all the main players of the Warhol factory through strobe lighting effects, flash editing, and high contrast, haunting images of smiles and grimaces. The short films of Danny Williams are really the reason to watch this documentary, and Robinson wisely includes one in its entirety. Williams was undoubtedly a master of lighting effects (he also did the stage lighting for Velvet Underground concerts), and his position as a Factory outsider and perhaps spurned lover of Andy Warhol permeates his silent images. Robinson, perhaps influenced by her uncle, also tries her hand at experimental film making but her style becomes demanding and ineffective at times. It's a very fine line between experimental visuals that challenge the viewer to think and react, and turning the "atmosphere" dial to eleven. Unfortunately, the film becomes laboured and repetitive as it follows the Danny Williams story to a vague conclusion. This film is recommended for those interested in experimental film making, photography or Andy Warhol. For anyone else, the long journey may not be worth the effort. 3.5 out of 5.

Dreamworld & My Second Life Reviews

I could not resist the late night, gamer double bill of "Dreamworld" and "My Second Life". I've never played Second Life but I have spent more than a few nerdy hours in the World of Warcraft and the Sims. I understand the allure of an avatar and the excitement of joining an online community. Whereas WoW and Sims have, to some extent, game values and goals, Second Life is completely open-ended and a full "metaverse" unto itself. It was because of personal interest and curiosity that I struggled to stay awake through the midnight screenings. I think the effort was worth it. Here are my two short reviews for two short films.

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Dreamworld

Patrick and Danielle are a Dutch couple who spend most of their evenings inside their box suburban home, sitting in computer carols, and living a fantasy through the massive online game "Second Life". The narrative follows the essentially sad attempt by Patrick to live beyond the game and meet some of his virtual girlfriends in the real world. After Patrick travels to America what follows is confusing, awkward and sometimes quite funny. There is a discussion on a motel bed between director Jorien Van Nes and Patrick, especially, that is one of the strangest interactions I've seen in a long time. While Patrick and Van Nes speak in Dutch, Patrick's two female "friends" giggle beside him, not understanding a word. The film's real life sequences are more surreal than the game, and the camera lingers on the pauses and awkwardness without becoming intrusive. Economical editing keeps the events in motion, while the simple visuals still manage to express the isolation of the characters as well as their complete immersion into the Second Life universe. Dreamworld is ultimately neither a sad film nor a particularly dramatic short, but it does say something about the human need for connection and reciprocated love. 4 out of 5.

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My Second Life

My Second Life is billed as the world's first documentary shot entirely within the Second Life metaverse. Director Douglas Gayeton used carefully choreographed shots and voice over to create a narrative about a man named Molotov Alva who transcends his corporal body and enters the world of Second Life in search of its creator. Is this truly, as the summary states, a "documentary within a documentary, a high concept confounding of realities"? It's an experiment, and as someone who's tried to put together rudimentary narratives from other video games, I can attest that this short film represents hours and hours of work. The visuals are really quite well done and the many realms of Second Life are impressive. Alva's exploration of the game uncovers a village of animal avatars (or "furries"), an island where woman are voluntarily playing slaves, and a lovely snowy town where everyone dresses and acts like it's Elizabethan times. These places are the true (although virtual) elements of the film. The story, however, and the dialogue between characters remains very scripted and stiff in their repeated philosophical yearnings to "meet the creator". Especially pretentious is the use of quotations that presume to guide our vapid hero along the road to understanding. I might suggest this film to people particularly interested in video game culture, but even at 35 minutes it requires patience to stay interested. Maybe after six hours of screening docs I was too tired for an existential journey, but even with the truly interesting setting, My Second Life pondered too heavily and postulated too seriously for me to recommend. 2 out of 5.

Molotov Alva is ready with his camera in My Second Life

***Almost all the films I've watched at Hot Docs had the director in attendance for post screening Q&A and Douglas Gayeton, director of Second Life, was no exception. As his own summary notes, Second Life "challenges the definitions of documentary and reality", and is "a film certain to generate fervent debate." When you script a narrative and direct the actions in a video game, someone is bound to ask you how you can categorise this as documentary. When someone asked that very question, Mr. Gayeton took the microphone, paused, and defiantly stated "Because it's true". Then he gave this little "f___ off" shrug and passed the mic back to the moderator without further explanation. That was kind of awesome. Even better, I would have cheered if he had said "Because it's true", then held the microphone out and dropped it like in a rap battle and stormed off the stage (if you don't know what I mean just trust me that it would have been great). When someone later asked him "no, REALLY, how is this a documentary?", Mr. Gayeton accused us of being naive if we didn't know documentaries were edited and scripted. I admire that the director stood up for his work and did not grovel at the feet of public opinion, even if I didn't like his movie.***

Manufacturing Dissent Review

Back again, just in time for your late morning "clicking and frowning so I look like I'm doing work" web surfing. Here's my thoughts on the critical doc about Michael Moore, Manufacturing Dissent.

Manufacturing Dissent
(Canada/Australia 2007, directed by Debbie Melnyk & Rick Caine)

Michael Moore is undoubtedly a polarising figure, even for us here in Canada who are not directly involved in American politics. Canadian directors Rick Caine and Debbie Melnyk begin their documentary claiming to be fans of Moore who want an interview with the larger than life figure. There are some questions, you see, about his methods and some accusations of outright lies. Although she doth protest, Melnyk's voice over gives away from almost the first moment that the innocent act is simply a narrative structure for what will be damning arguments against Moore and his films. I do not doubt much of the evidence raised by this film, however I was disappointed from the outset that Melnyk decided to push an ignorance of Moore that she obviously did not have by the end of her research. It's fine to learn things as you go in a documentary, but they should change your outlook and approach. When you hit the "oh shucks, I'm just an innocent Canadian" note one too many times it just feels like manipulation.

Caine and Melnyk follow Moore around the United States on his "Slacker Rebellion" campus tour. In public Moore proves to be a good showman, loud and obnoxious, as he gets the student body fired up about voting and hating President Bush. Interviews with Moore's old friends, business associates and critics greatly expands the discussion. For me these were the most entertaining and illuminating parts of the film. Moore's unique mix of media mogul / tyrannical boss / everyday slob gives plenty of good ammo for funny quips and recollections. Paranoid megalomaniac or tireless crusader? Perhaps Moore is both. The film also makes good use of Moore's inability to confront criticism. Moore makes lame excuse after lame excuse as to why he cannot do an interview with Melnyk, and then finally has his cronies kick the director out of a talk he is giving about free speech. The irony is perfect. For a man who spends a large amount of his on-screen time hounding his subjects and berating them into one sided arguments, Moore obviously has trouble under the scrutiny of the camera's critical eye.

Although I had difficulties with the essential tone of the film, the evidence presented of Moore's half truths and lies is still compelling. Footage cut out of context, hidden interviews, and plain old made up events are uncovered in Moore's entire body of work. For documentary fans the idea of selective editing is part and parcel to what we expect. Liberties are always taken to make real life more convenient to the story, and more interesting to the viewer. There is a line, however, between liberties and lies. I would have greater respect for "Manufacturing Dissent" if the film makers had chosen to be direct in their accusations. When they have a chance to confront Moore face to face they nod blankly and hide behind their polite Canadian personas. They use a method of accusation, clip that appears to support accusation, and final word to structure their entire argument. In the end, they use the same methods as Moore to win audience approval and limit the amount we will question. While Manufacturing Dissent was undoubtedly well intentioned, the film was weakened by manipulative direction that undermined the strong (but relatively few) concrete examples they had of Moore's deceptions. 3 out of 5

Last Call at the Gladstone Hotel Review

Hooo boy, I'm getting a little tired of popcorn. Yesterday I saw three sets of movies, all in a row and all at the Bloor. From 5:50pm to 1:30am all activity consisted of waiting in line, buying snacks, and sitting on my butt for 2 plus hours. Rinse and repeat. My lower back is still complaining about crappy seats with not enough cushion (Bloor seats are so inferior to Royal). Tonight we take a breather and hang out at home. I think I'll avoid popcorn. Here's my review of "Last Call at the Gladstone Hotel".

Last Call at The Gladstone Hotel
(Canada, directed by Derreck Roemer & Neil Graham)

The stately corner facade of the Gladstone Hotel is a Toronto landmark. For better or for worse, Toronto's oldest continuously operational hotel has reflected the times and people who slept within its walls. Once it housed businessmen and upper class tourists, then like its Parkdale surroundings it declined and became a flop house and permanent residence for those living below the poverty line. Now, it has seen a transformation once again to unique art centre and boutique hotel. Amazingly, film makers Neil Graham and Derrek Roemer were there to capture this most recent transformation over the last five years and document how the residents of the Gladstone, as well as the hotel itself, changed almost completely. The larger question of gentrification, and the displacement of lower income neighbourhoods, remains at the heart of the film. The Gladstone serves as a microcosm for what is happening in urban centres around the world. Who is to blame when people can no longer afford their rent? Is it better to save a building or preserve a home? The film wisely offers no easy answers.

Directors Graham and Roemer were regular patrons of the Hotel Bar. They were filming in the late 90s when the Gladstone was a popular choice for locals who sought live music, cheap beer and a waiting staff "who weren't thinking about their acting careers". A shared appreciation of the hotel was the starting point for the duo to cultivate relationships with hotel staff and residents. Trust was earned and the casual camerawork reflects the sometimes unplanned conversations that were captured. Over the years the old owners had to sell, deals were made, and renovations on the building began. Then dramatically renovations stopped, business partnerships collapsed, and staff complained that the building was literally falling down on top of them. Through it all the camera recorded the heartbreak, anger and excitement from everyone involved. The film appeals as a terrific piece of drama. It draws you into individual lives and the struggle to survive. The long periods of time when little happens are condensed and the pace remains constant. This is not the most polished film, however, with both audio and picture quality sometimes on the rough side of verite.

In the end, a new day dawns for the Gladstone Hotel. It is bittersweet but the issues are too complex for anything but a mixed resolution. The future of the Gladstone, Parkdale and all of Toronto are left to the forces of economic evolution and human compassion. Who knows what changes the Gladstone will see in the next hundred years. 4 out of 5

Helvetica Review

Well, I'm out the door to another documentary. No time to stay and chat, but I wanted to post a review of the first Hot Docs screening I saw last night - Helvetica. True to my prediction, it was honestly the most entertaining film I've ever seen about a font. Take that Times New Roman!

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Helvetica
(UK 2007, directed by Gary Hustwit)

Who knew a documentary about a popular font would be so engaging? Everyone from artists and designers to average web users will find something fascinating in director Gary Hustwit’s first film. From the early history of the font, to Helvetica’s eventual dominance, the documentary confidently follows its narrow lead to expand on the bigger picture. After I saw the film I spent the rest of the evening playing a game of “spot the font”. There was Helvetica in all its round, approachable blandness directing me to the subway, or telling me about how to save on my phone bill, or where to put my garbage. Helvetica is all around us, and like a secret conspiracy uncovered, awareness of it changes the way you see the world.

The strength of the film lies in the passion of the type designers who praise or abhor the ubiquitous font. The men and women interviewed are very entertaining in a geeky eccentric sort of way. Some love the clean even strokes of Helvetica because it is the perfect representation of post WWII modern design. As one designer notes, it was a delicious cold drink of water after the arid dessert of 1950’s multi-font cornball visuals. Other just as impassioned designers scorn the use of Helvetica by big corporations and governments because its neutrality makes even dangerous messages palatable to the mass population. One woman puts it simply that when she started designing, Helvetica was the font of the government and therefore the font of the Vietnam war. It’s hard not to get a bit of a shiver after hearing these arguments and seeing The Gap, for instance, selling us “love” (written in Helvetica of course) with our jeans. Helvetica is the safe, familiar voice advertisers, government agencies and individual people use when they want everyone to listen.

Montages of busy city streets, clothing, IRS tax forms and everything in between really drives home the use of Helvetica in how we interpret the words we read. In general Hustwit keeps the pace brisk but some interviews go on a bit too long, and the history lesson on how Helvetica developed slows into a lecture. Excellent use of abstract rock music plays well with the images, and the cinematography owes a debt to the clean, high definition compositions of Luke Geissbuhler. The wider implications of Helvetica, and all fonts, is left for the viewer to contemplate after the credits end and we go back into the modern cluttered landscape. Helvetica remains after fifty years the most popular, accepted and utilised medium of written communication. If the medium is the message what does Helvetica say about us?
4 out of 5

A Bit of the Old Ultra Violence: My Thoughts on 300

It’s a departure for me to talk about a fictional film, especially when I have an excellent documentary to review, but I feel 300 has sparked too much conversation to ignore. Since its huge opening last weekend people all over the internet are rising up against this fantastical, highly violent tale. I’m not going to review the plot (what’s to say? 300 Spartans hold off thousands of Persians between a rock and a hard place), but I feel compelled to give my impressions. I was eagerly anticipating this movie when I saw it with a bunch of hyped up fanboys on opening night. I was not disappointed.

First off let me say that yes, it is not a good idea to bring your child to see 300. Do not let your adolescent or even young teenager see 300. That R rating comes with solid reason. The film is very graphically brutal and offers an unapologetic pro-war and pro-violence stance. The audience is meant to cheer on the Spartan soldiers and relish their every decapitation and spear impalement. This is a morally ambiguous film in the vein of Clockwork Orange or Sin City. We know the men on screen are brutal monsters, but oh such fun watching them kill! These films expect a certain amount of age and maturity from their audience. 300 also puts all the violence squarely in another time, another place, and a completely computer fabricated world. It’s sort of like an anime, expect the fifteen year old girl has been replaced with King Leonidas (Gerard Butler) and his hoard of sexy, nearly naked men... I believe I’ve stumbled upon why I liked this film so much more than anime.

Rupaul, I mean Xerxes, attempts to seduce King Leonidas with his massage skills and superfluous face piercings

The film has sparked a plethora of theories about its deeper meanings. One of the most quoted is that 300 is actually an allegory for the American war in Iraq. I admit it’s fun to extrapolate a film’s plot to modern events, but why must this be a literal translation of America? Who are the Americans anyway - the small loyal band of Spartans or the invading Persians? Arguments surrounding this theory devolve into bipartisan rhetoric: are you a pro-war neocon or a bleeding heart liberal? Why must I be either one to enjoy or reject this movie? Other people love to point out that the film is glorifying a brutal militaristic state and by extension fascism. I believe the Spartans were fascist in historical fact or at the very least violently nationalistic. As a kid I read a lot of books on Greek myths (with a name like Cassandra the interest develops early). This is a movie based on a myth from a civilisation that lived a long time ago. The brutality displayed in the film never exceed what was described in the written stories. Sometimes, no matter what your political beliefs, a Spartan is just a Spartan.

King Leonidas is quite the manly man what with the cape and the screaming and the arrows sticking out of him

The rest of the outrage surrounding this film focuses on the physical attributes of the Spartans (one word - hot) versus the ugly monstrosity of the Persians. It’s true the Persians are all multiethnic uglies and the Spartans are tall, bronzed white men who enjoy walking around with their considerable ab muscles fully engaged. As Anson remarked (rather bitterly), it must be exhausting walking and talking while holding your abs so rigid. The film also does a really bang up job of slowing down the violence for all the good bits. When you slow down a man throwing a spear through another man are you glorifying violence? Yes. You’re also mimicking every illustration, carving and artistic depiction I’ve ever seen of ancient Greek warriors. I was in the Louvre only a month ago and I can tell you that none of the Greek statues had beer guts.

Spartan soldiers engage in the Greek warrior stance of "Sucking It In"

In response to all these reasons why 300 is fascist, or racist, or pro-war I would ask that audiences remember the context of the film. We learn that the narrator of the entire story was a Spartan soldier sent to rouse the troops to continue the war against the Persians. It makes sense that in this soldier’s version of events the Spartans would look like gods and the enemies like monsters. It also makes sense that every kill, every murderous act would be lovingly observed and the “glory” of fighting for Sparta would be held in the highest regard. I think you can have a lot of fun with 300 if you approach it as a thinking adult (who, admittedly, enjoys campy dialogue and video game visual aesthetics). The film can work as an example of propaganda or even a satire of fascism. It also works as homoerotic (or in my case straight woman erotic) titillation in the grand old tradition. Mostly, however, it works as good time at the movies entertainment. Sometimes a bit of the old ultra violence is just what the doctor ordered.

So I liked 300 enough to give it 4 almost-naked Spartan soldiers out of 5. What did you think?

An Unreasonable Man

Today An Unreasonable Man is out in limited release. I saw this doc about three months ago and wrote a review that was posted on the FilmCAN website (an excellent site by the way - it concentrates on independent Canadian film - bookmark it. Bookmark it now!). Anyway, the review is a bit stiff, but in general I hope you get a sense that this documentary on Ralph Nader is really eye-opening. I walked into the film with only limited knowledge of Nader but walked out with a whole new understanding and appreciation for who he is and what he is trying to do. I question some of his methods but I'm inspired that there are people like Nader trying to change American politics. I would definitely recommend this film, even for the poli-sci majors out there who already have their Nader arguments firmly in place. With a run time of three hours, the film is interesting (and sometimes funny) enough to keep your attention.

So read the review below, if you want, and try to see the movie now that it's in theatres. I'm going to write again soon, but I'm busy right now with a totally unexpected trip to Paris that I'll be taking next week. Yeah, you read that right. PARIS. Way to go IBM and their policy of sending engineers "on site". Also, bravo to the mooching wives who get a free hotel room in one of the most beautiful cities on Earth. It's almost enough to make me want to throw out my Mac and get a PC. Almost.

An Unreasonable Man
(Directed by Henriette Mantel & Stephan Skrovan)

Who is Ralph Nader? If you were like me, you thought of him as that slightly wacky but naïve U.S. presidential candidate who meant well but stole votes from the Democratic Party and ultimately helped pave the way for two terms of George W. Bush. Of course, no recent American election is that easy to explain, and Ralph Nader’s political ambitions have been largely misunderstood. This film aims to reintroduce Nader to the public and impress upon us that he has always been a tireless crusader for democracy and public safety. From Nader’s early days going up against General Motors, to the young "Nader's Raiders” who fought unregulated corporations, the scope and importance of Nader’s work make him a fascinating historical subject.

There is, of course, some pro Nader bias in parts of the film (swelling music is cued to give the needed oomph to some of his speeches), but An Unreasonable Man thankfully never submits to full-out Michael Moore-style leftist propaganda. Instead the film maintains a general detachment with plenty of historical context , and follows the democratic advice Nader gave to filmmakers Mantel and Skrovan to make sure they talked to his critics. By and large, the film offers a respectable amount of time to those who consider Nader more of a trouble maker than a patriot. Although we can thank Nader for seat belts and airbags, his obsession to make a “sick” democracy healthy again has alienated some of his biggest supporters.

An Unreasonable Man is thought provoking and cohesive, even with its three hour running time. 4 out of 5.

Jesus Camp

I’m back! I had a horrible, HORRIBLE stomach flu. Long story short, I threw up about twenty times and wished I were dead. Then slowly I got better and managed to finish the Jesus Camp documentary review I started last week. So finally, here’s my take on a little doc that’s been getting quite a bit of press recently. I was happy to see this film (and meet the film makers) at the Hot Docs screening last Wednesday. It’s a controversial little flick so let me know what you think. I’m going to go back to drinking lots of fluids now. Peace out.


Jesus Camp
(Directed by Heidi Ewing & Rachel Grady)

Jesus Camp is a shock doc that not only confirms tentative fears about the right wing fundamentalist Christian movement in America, it creates whole new nightmare scenarios you never imagined. The film follows the Evangelical church, in particular children’s pastor Becky Fischer and the brood of tykes that eagerly partake in her “Kids on Fire” summer camp in Devil’s Lake(!), North Dakota. Becky is a fervent believer that children form the backbone of “God’s army” and they must be trained from a young age to be leaders for future generations of soldiers. There is an intensely creepy innocence to Pastor Fischer’s description of her camp, and why the children who are “so close to God, so open” are the perfect fodder for indoctrination into the church’s intolerant and ultimately uneducated views. It is one thing to argue evolution, but quite another to think global warming is a welcome sign of God’s coming apocalypse. As one mom tells her home schooled son (who learns from Evangelical appointed text books), “just think that science can’t prove anything. Everything is God”.

Directed by Heidi Ewing and Rachel Grady (whose first film was the excellent "The Boys of Baraka") Jesus Camp is guilty of bias. There is clever sound editing afoot that lets you know when the big bad Christians are on screen, and the voice of dissension in the film, a left leaning southern DJ, does get the last word. It’s hard to know, however, how the filmmakers could have presented their footage much differently. It’s almost like we don’t want to believe people would put a cardboard cut-out of President Bush at the front of their church and ask people to pray to it. We certainly might not want to see young children speaking in tongues, pass