 |
| Bill Cunningham New York |
Welcome to our class blog everybody! For this - your first post - please spend a bit of time looking through all of the amazing documentaries available on Netflix Instant. Find 5 feature-length (approximately 75 minutes or over) docs you'd like to watch this semester, and choose 1 of the 5 to watch this week. We'll be posting a list of Netflix Instant docs we recommend you watch on to our Moodle class page soon, but first we want you to explore the site and tell us what you think.
In your comments to this post, please including the following:
- The names of the 5 docs you chose (and a brief reason why you chose each one)
- A logline of 1-2 sentences describing the doc you chose to watch this week
- 1-2 paragraphs explaining what you did and/or did not like about your chosen film and why
Please remember to write your response in a separate document and then cut and paste it into the comments section of this post. Sometimes longer comments get cut off here, in which case you might have to post your thoughts in two parts.
Finally, your comments must appear on this blog by no later than Wednesday morning, September 11th at 9 am (24 hours before class), so get going! I'm super excited to see which films you choose and to hear your thoughts about them. Enjoy watching and writing, and we'll talk more about the assignment when I see you bright and early Thursday morning!
Serena Fath
ReplyDeleteWeek #1
The docs I would like to watch this semester: 56 Up, Park Avenue, Jiro Dreams of Sushi, Detropia, The Invisible War, and Bill Cunningham New York.
This week, I chose to watch 56 Up. It is a British documentary that tracks the lives of 14 people over the course of 49 years. Starting in 1964 when they were all 7 year old school children, the filmmakers interview them every seven years about general things to see how their lives are going.
I enjoyed many things about this film. It is a novel idea that obviously took a lot of dedication to make. It was a little disorienting at first to see cuts between a seven year old talking about how girls are icky to the 14 year old talking about their first girlfriend to the 21 year old talking about marriage to the 28 year old talking about divorce. Watching them age and watching the film technology develop was really cool. I also liked how the filmmakers used no “Voice of God” in their showcasing process. They let the subjects speak for themselves. They kept track of every subject's story and asked questions that were in dialogue with one another form one year to the next. I also liked how the editing of the film overlapped once in a while-- audio of the 56 year old would play over visual footage of the 14 year old. It was almost as the subjects were talking to themselves at different points in time. Another interesting point was that most of the subjects were annoyed with the film at one point or another for various reasons. Whether because they thought it painted them in a bad light, or because the public opinion of them was low, or the fact that they would never be as famous for whatever pursuit they were passionate about as they were famous for being a part of this project.
There were also a few things that I think the filmmakers could have done better. At times, the film seemed to drag on and on and if I wasn't watching this for class I'm not sure whether or not I would have finished watching the whole thing on my own. I understand they were trying to fit so much into two and a half hours, but I think different editing choices could have been made to keep me more interested. This was strange though, because many of the subjects voiced that they were often annoyed in the editing of the film because they only took a tiny snippet of what they were saying at that was that. I would agree with what one of the subjects said though, this project was less of an exploration of individuals and more of an exploration of life and aging in general. No matter how cute they were at 21, they were all wrinkly at 56. All except for one ended up getting married, and almost all of them were married more than once. They almost all had children and they almost all wished they had worked harder in school so their lives would be easier now, at 56. If it were me designing this film project, the subject pool would have been a bit different. All of the subjects except for one were white and they were all born into the working class of the same British town. I think it would have been more interesting if more races and classes from different places would have been tracked. Also, I couldn't help but notice that more of the subjects were male than female. I would have either designed the subjects to be equally male and female or all female.
Some recommendations of docs I have really enjoyed watching on Netflix in the past: The Queen of Versailles, Miss Representation, The House I Live In, Meet the Fokkens, Exit Through The Giftshop, This Film Is Not Yet Rated, and Freakonomics.
Boyd Chambliss
ReplyDeleteWeek #1
The documentaries I chose to watch this semester are: Reincarnated, 911: In Plane Site, Big Rig, The Other F Word, and 30 for 30: You Don't Know Bo. I want to watch Reincarnated because I curious as to why Snoop Dogg went from being a big time thug rapper to being a loving and caring reggae artist. I want to watch 911: In Plane Site because I am interested in the events that happened on 9/11/01. I wanted to watch Big Rig because I love life on the road and have always wanted to know what a trucker's life was like. The Other F Word seems like an interesting film to me because it's about punk rockers who have no respect for authority raising their kids. Finally, I want to watch the 30 for 30: You Don't Know Bo because I love sports and Bo Jackson is an incredible athlete that played both professional baseball and football.
This week I chose to watch Big Rig. I thoroughly enjoyed this film because I love films that take place on the road. As a kid I took many road trips with my family and this film did a great job of capturing the sights and sounds of life on the road. The stories told be each driver were awesome. The drivers would go in depth about what they love and hate about their job and how they deal with their home life while they're on the road. One of my favorite parts of the film was when one driver talked about a place called Bella's. Bella's is a gentlemen's club that takes care of a drivers needs. At Bella's they feed the drivers, give them a room to sleep in, and provide a hooker for them to have sex with. It's a shady business but it takes care of both the driver and the hooker. As for the technical pats of the film, the story was great, editing was smooth, transitions worked well, and the music was very fitting. Overall I enjoyed this film more than I hated it.
There were very few things I didn't like about this film. One of the things that could have been improved was the cinematography. It was a little shaky in the scenes where the trucker was driving. Also some of the truckers stories were cut short. For example, there were many drivers that the film crew followed home and interviewed the families but there were some that were just interview and answered questions. Their story didn't really unfold. Besides these things, the film was awesome.
Zane Thomas
ReplyDeleteWeek 1
This week I choose the documentaries; Eminem AKA, Loose Change 9/11, Fab 5, Religulous, and There's No Place Like Home. Eminem AKA because being from Detroit and growing up listening to Eminem and actually have been to some of the places he used to perform when younger I would like to see the story. Loose Change 9/11 looks really interesting and the fact that there are so many details kept out of main stream media fascinates me. Fab 5 because this scandal rocked the University of Michigan and has kept their program down for years since. Religulous looks very entertaining, and Bill Maher is a great character in my eyes. There's No Place Like Home is more about the history of a sport and how it started.
I ended up watching Eminem AKA and thought it was very well done. Most documentaries about people have the actual person sitting there telling their own story, and while I think some great info can be obtained this way this doc took his family and friends and made the story. To me this gives it a really authentic feel and a very personal one. His mother, grandmother and his friends that helped push him to stardom really open up and tell stories from a different prospective. It makes you feel like you have been watching Marshall grow just as long as they have. They really focused on his personal life and what it did to him as a person and a rapper. The doc starts by telling a family story from before Marshall was even born, which made it even more personal to the watcher. Also seeing what created his alter egos (Marshall, Eminem and Slim Shady) you really get to understand this man and his life that otherwise you wouldn't. You get to understand the anger, and the love and where Eminem comes from.
If I had to change one thing about it, I would liked to have seen interviews of people he battled against, or even had Dre in it since he gave Em his big chance.
Nick Albaracin1
DeleteWEEK 1
I decided to pick the following Docs to watch: The Jeffrey Dahmer Files, The Other F Word, Hungry for Change, Eminem AKA, and 911: in plane sight.
I wanted to watch the Jeffrey Dahmer Files because I am always curious aboput serial killers and their back stories so I thought it would be interesting.
I wanted to see The Other F Word because the concept of the doc was very cool to me, about punk rock fathers taking care of their children, sounded like it would be emotional and funny.
I was interested in Hungry For Change because I always want to know about what goes into America's food.
I am an Eminem fan so of course I'd love to see the true facts behind his rise to fame as a white rapper.
And lastly I wanted to see 911 in Plane Sight because it's the time of the anniversary and 911 always seemed fishy to me and posed a lot of questions as to whether or not our government was involved.
I chose to watch 911: In Plane Sight. David VonKleist examines and interprets the ins and outs of the 911 attacks and holds back no questions to the mysteries of it.
I loved how the Doc was just with this one curious man who probes actual footage from the attacks and desperately tries to answer the questions we've all been asking. I liked this one because it went into so much depth it actually scared me how much some things didn't add up on that terrible day. Even though it was him addressing us through the camera and news footage most of the time, I was never bored.
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteHey it’s Toni. Week 1
ReplyDeleteHere are the five documentaries I chose:
1. The Queen of Versailles. I chose this one because you mentioned it in class and it seemed like you enjoyed it. Because of that I thought I’d give it a go.
2. Bully. My roommate who is also a film major, told me she randomly watched this one-day and found it “thought provoking.”
3. 180ยบ South: I’m actually a really outdoors kind of person. In the summer I live at a camp. Adventure and nature documentaries are something I find entertaining. This one stuck out to me because of that.
4. American Mystic. This is a film about a man who follows people from different religions. Being a Jesus freak I’m curious about this one.
5. Cropsey. I really like documentaries that keep you on the edge of your seat and this one seems like it would. It’s about a legend that becomes reality when kids go missing.
I chose to watch The Queen of Versailles. The Siegel’s time-share business fortune showers the family with whatever they could ever want until it all goes down the drain in the 2008 financial fall.
I was roped into this film right from the beginning. For me I’m more critical of documentaries for some reason. They have to convince me early on to keep watching otherwise I’ll quickly move to the next. I enjoyed the feel or this film. I liked the poke-fun aspect of it. The makers never flat out make fun of the family but by the background music, and the irony of certain shots implies that they are making fun of them. Still I thought they did it in a tasteful way. I thought that the filmmakers caught the story at a really good time. They had no idea that the collapse was going to happen and watching that unfold made the story. The only thing I didn’t like was that the end felt a bit long. I still liked it and I would still recommend it to other viewers.
Authenticity wise I felt the filmmakers did a good job. The family didn’t come off in the best way but still in a truthful way. The characters seemed to be represented fairy. I think if they watched it back they would be okay with the film. The family always was aware of what was being filmed and what they were saying for the shooting of the film. Opposed to the cameramen sneaking around to get shots. Overall, this film comes off authentic to me.
- Craigslist Joe
ReplyDeleteI love things that test the power of community; community is very important to me. The main character in this doc must depend on the American community for his survival for one month. I hope Craigslist Joe shows that through the chaotic and changing times in our society, people still have the desire to reach out and take care of one another.
- Miss Representation
A few different people have directed me to this film. I’ve been told that I’ll love it but it’ll make me very angry, haha. Anger is passion so I’m willing to take on that challenge. I’m not sure if I would be labeled a feminist (the term alone I believe is sexist towards men) but I do have some intense thoughts and views when it comes to women in the media. I’m looking forward to the anger passion.
- Loose Change 9/11: An American Coup
It’s safe to say I have a difficult time trusting our government. I may not be educated well enough to make that statement, but something doesn’t sit right with me. I love questioning and opening my mind to other possibilities we are told not to look into. They tell us what they want us to know, and I don’t accept that. I have a feeling this doc would definitely make me think.
- Wake Up
This doc is about a man who wakes up one day and can suddenly see angels, demons and ghosts. This kind of stuff intrigues the hell out of me. Exploring those things that are unknown and unexplainable – constantly questioning. I also love character driven docs so this one is a double win.
- 56 and Up
This doc sounds incredibly interesting because something like this hasn't been done before. I am really excited to see it.
The documentary Miss Representation is about the struggles of sexism women must face when entering roles of leadership.
ReplyDeleteThis documentary was wonderful. It's easy to be told that we as Americans are equal; it's not against the law for any of us to take leadership, but Miss Representation showed me how difficult it is for a woman to achieve a leadership role and then have respect while doing it. It's difficult for me to write about this in a traditional "classroom essay format" so forgive me when I begin to ignore all laws for proper writing edict. Basically, this doc has me infuriated. Women have been working for decades and decades to show that we are 100% capable to do anything a man can do. It's unbelievable that there is still such little respect. This doc showed a multitude of clips from the news, men talking about Hillary Clinton or Sarah Palin. Not a single one of them addressing their political views, but commenting on their looks in a derogatory manner or suggesting that these women remind them of their "nagging first wife." It's disgusting that women aren't taken seriously in this country. If a woman leader becomes emotional over a situation she suddenly "can't handle the position." Yet if a male became emotional in a situation, he would be looked at as a wonderful leader with a great passion for his people. It's bullshit. Sorry for my ranting, but it is truly ridiculous the gender labels we have in this country - on both women and men. Let me just say that I have a definite respect for the male gender. I am not a "man-hater" and I believe there are many incorrect gender labels for you guys as well. It all sucks.
Miss Representation also brought up a very practical theory about why women are stuck in this disrespected light. Images of half naked women are blasted everywhere in our media. Literally everywhere. Women are so easily viewed as objects. I know this is a tired subject, but no one can deny this. And it's not only men who put women in those positions. Women choose to allow themselves to be in those positions. It's easy to say "I support you. Do anything you want with your body," but in the end do you think it may be setting us back? I have always been strongly against the exploitation of women and I can't help but shake my head at those who allow it upon themselves. Makes me very sad. But anyway, overall this documentary was very powerful. As far as authenticity goes it was entirely believable. This is a topic that is everywhere in our society, constantly being shown through the endless types of media. It's not hard to convince something that is in such plain site. Another thing I really enjoyed about Miss Representation was how they approached the matter. This doc was narrated by a woman who also gave us some insight to her personal life - it began like a character driven doc. But as it continued, many other techniques were brought in to play. Archival footage of different news and talk shows were used, interviews of young teens (both boys and girls), specialist interviews, statistics and interviews with women who are or once were in a leadership role. The way they tied all of these different elements together worked very well for me. As a student in the doc field, I respect that and I hope to be able to emulate their style some day.
The first movie I’ve selected is Beauty is Embarrassing. After watching documentaries like Exit Through the Gift Shop, I’ve developed a strong interest in various art forms, and the spectacular personalities of said artists. The second is Senna, a film about a famous formula one driver. It caught my attention initially because of the mass praise it has gotten from other film fanatics. Racing isn’t usually my thing, but this film definitely looks intriguing. The third doc. I chose is Objectified. It honestly just kind of jumped out at me, and I think it will be cool to analyze how modern technology affects us every day without us thinking about it. The fourth documentary I’ve selected is Beautiful Losers. Much like Beauty is Embarrassing, I’m drawn to this film because it will be interesting to see how underground artists affected mainstream art in the 1990’s, even though they were largely unknown. The final doc. I have picked is Urbanized. I think it looks particularly interesting because it dives deeply into the places where we actually live. It will be amazing to see why urban environments are designed like they are.
ReplyDeleteThe documentary I chose to watch this week was Senna. This documentary is about a formula one racer who put his life on the line every day, even more so than most other racers because he was open to taking as many risks on the track as possible; because of this fact he made a lot of enemies. The documentary also highlights his life outside racing, and shows the impact he has on both his family, and his native country of Brazil.
I loved this film so much because although it was made completely of past footage, it kept you on the edge of your seat. The interviews were spectacular, and dead on. There were fast paced action shots, emotional close ups, an amazing score, and just amazing sound mixing in general.
The film almost could have been a narrative story because the shots were so personal. During the racing scenes in particular you feel as if they are current events. As the interviews talk about how intense they are, an extreme close up will show the eyes of the racer bringing out heaps of adrenaline. Each scene is action packed, and leaves the viewer craving more.
This documentary was very truthful to its source, and followed the story of Ayrton Senna very strictly. I was convinced because the entire film is shot using footage from the time period. Not only did I become very familiar with the character, but the sound bites, and footage was used so well that I felt as if I knew him on a personal level.
Tommy Lyons: Week 1
ReplyDeleteThe five films I plan to watch are:
Usain Bolt: The Fastest Man Alive
Hungry for Change
Zeitgeist: The Movie
The Science of Sex Appeal
National Geographic: Inside North Korea
I chose these films for various reasons. Usain Bolt is a top contending Olympic runner, so I am hoping to learn from his running style/training. I also run. As I mentioned before, I am also interested in making my own documentaries about food, so Hungry for Change seems like a good doc. to further my knowledge on the subject. I remember hearing about Zeitgeist a long time ago, but never watched the complete documentary. It seems to have very logical ideas regarding religion and government. As a human being, the Science of Sex Appeal seems very relatable. I almost want to watch it to see if I display the things they talk about. Lastly, North Korea is a country I know very little about, yet am told to fear. I hope this documentary will further my knowledge of what is really going on over there.
This week’s film: Serving Life
Logline: Prisoners facing mainly life sentences are given a chance to redeem themselves by caring for other terminally ill prisoners facing life sentences.
This film was amazing. People often think of prisoners as terrible beings that have no care for others, but this documentary explores the other side of the spectrum. Not only does it show us the care and compassion these prisoners have while caring for the terminally ill, but it also shows their understanding of their mistakes. 3 prisoners are chosen to join the self-staffed hospice at the Louisiana State Penitentiary. They explain their crimes and why they think they would make good mentors for the ill. Even at the beginning of the film, these criminals don’t fit the monstrous view most people give them. Throughout their time with the patients, the prisoners show nothing but patience, love, and compassion, while helping them eat, drink, bathe, get dressed, and even survive. The only things that seem to separate these inmates from nurses is the bars keeping them from society. Honestly, if there weren’t reoccurring captions stating their names and sentences, I would’ve forgotten that they had ever killed, robbed, or sold someone drugs. The main thing I got from this documentary was the reoccurring theme that people make mistakes. Sometimes their mistakes are so bad that they have to live with them for the rest of their lives, but that doesn’t mean that they no longer feel love, pain, fear, or excitement.
In regards to truth, this film is as real as it gets. I don’t think there is an untruthful bias in any way. It is clearly presented that these criminals committed terrible crimes, putting them where they are/will be for the rest of their lives. Both the narration and actions of the inmates volunteering their time show the film’s truth. I strongly recommend watching it!
5 Documentaries that I Want to See:
ReplyDelete1. TABLOID (2010) Errol Morris
I am very intrigued by the explanation "A former beauty queen whose good looks hide a genius IQ and a criminal disposition...," which in itself grasps attention. Especially an American audience, whose opinions of beauty queens are vast and highly expressed. I would love to see how the audience interprets this piece.
2. MONICA & DAVID (2009) Alexander Codina
The love of a down syndrome couple being portrayed via film would be a true a testament to the ethics clauses of documentaries. I would like to be able to determine how the director may have envisioned this piece and unveil how it it was finally cut. This documentary seems mildly controversial.
3. LIFE 2.0 (2009) Jason Spingam-Koff
Alternate lifestyles in the form of online virtuality as a reality is a contemporary topic in the forms of how people in the 21st century live their lives. It is a bit of an epidemic, in my humble opinion. This can depict so many dilemmas, humor, and even tragedy.
4. BEAUTY IS EMBARRASSING (2012) Neil Berkley
Another stimulating art documentary, as far as art documentaries are concerned . With the success of "Exit Through The Gift Shop," there will definitely be high expectation and biased ideals of how this should be portrayed. Expectations will remain prominent in such a topic to set itself apart from the other "art" docs. Also to expect high expectations as a reference to this type of documentary is the proclaimed "Beautiful Losers!"
5. TALIHINA SKY: THE STORY OF HE KINGS OF LEON (2011) Stephen C. Mitchell
My love for music and bands remains near and dear to my heart. I enjoy Kings of Leon and the talent they stand behind, so a portrayal of a band's journey intrigues me. Hoping for highly stimulating visuals and great audio. This would be the perfect complement to entice me to purchase my Kings of Leon ticket for October 2013 in Chicago.
If I could share a documentary with my class, it would be "The Other F Word." "The Other F Word" explores the value of fatherhood for the famous punk-rock and extreme sports stars of our times and their dilemmas of balancing their rockstar lives and family.
"The Other F Word" is an honest testament of the semi-glamorous lives of punk-rock and extreme sports stars and the effects their glamourous live have on their families. The testimonials are genuine and the use of archival footage and music clips enable audiences to empathize with our rebellious rebels. The stars truly embody truth of parental struggles, much like they embody rebel angst within their music.
There is not much to dislike. There were some transitional loopholes that could have been smoothed out by way of connecting each artists' story. However, it flowed so well in the punk=rock regime, that it was so truly captivating. Thumbs up!
1) Inside the US Secret Service *This Week*
ReplyDeleteWith unparalleled access to one of the world's most protective and enigmatic government organizations, National Geographic takes you to a place few outsiders have been: inside the United States Secret Service.
This documentary is pretty straight forward with its title. It offers an in-depth examination of the United States Secret Service and how the organization operates. I decided to watch this because it was created by one of my favorite producers, Peter Schnall, who has also produced unprecedented government access documentaries for National Geographic about Air Force One, Marine one, and many other subjects.
I found the documentary to be very interesting as it examines the inner workings of an organization that known world wide, yet lives up to its "secret" name. This doc was released in 2004 so it has a lot of post 9/11 influence, however it is still about 9 years old in its entirety. I would imagine that there are many new practices and technologies that the secret service use today which would be equally as interesting to learn about, One of my favorite parts of this doc was the section on agent training, specifically in driving tactics. All in all, I would not consider this to be a "must see" documentary, however for someone like me who is very interested in the subject, it was very cool. With the Secret Service being such a highly classified organization, I do have to wonder if there are any dishonesties in this project or even if it was created to mislead any potential terrorists. Obviously, there had to be a lot of lying by omission as the filmmaker could not reveal top secret information that would jeopardize the president or our nations security.
2) 56 Up
Since 1964, director Michael Apted has documented the fates of a group of Britons, questioning them every seven years about their lives and beliefs. Apted's subjects are now 56 years old, and provide perspectives that are frequently surprising.
After having heard about this documentary project every semester since my first year of film school (but never even knowing the title), I was very excited to finally place a name with it. I greatly anticipate observing how this project has grown over time both in the character's stories and from a technological stand point.
3) Eminem AKA
Follow Eminem's rise to fame in this documentary that recounts the groundbreaking rapper's early years growing up in Detroit, featuring interviews with family and friends, footage from an early rap battle and more.
I chose to watch this documentary because I love underdog stories. Eminem created an entirely new movement that changed hiphop which is one of my favorite musical genres. After I watch this documentary, I am also going to rewatch 8 Mile and see how the two compare. Another reason I plan to watch this doc is because I am a huge fan of Eminem's new single "Berzerk, which was relased on aug 26 of tis year and seems to have haevy influence from the Beasty Boys.
4) Bully
ReplyDeleteExploring the subject of school bullying from a personal angle, this eye-opening documentary tracks the stories of five different families whose children are struggling to defend themselves on a near-daily basis.
I'll be honest about this one...not to sound heartless, but I did not choose this doc because of it's subject matter. I choose this because I remember it causing a media uproar which means the filmmakers had to have done something right. I hope to learn a lot about the actual documentary process here and possibly adapt a few techniques from it for my own projects.
5) Exit Through The Gift Shop
Filmmaker Thierry Guetta's project to chronicle the underground world of street art takes a fascinating twist when he meets elusive stencil artist Banksy, who turns the project around to film Guetta while he reinvents himself as a street artist.
This is another documentary that I am going to watch based on heavy recommendation. I've been hearing about this project for a long time and always knew that I have to be missing out on something, so I look forward to finally seeing what all the fuss is about. Additionally, I have always been interested in learning more about Bansky as an artist and as an entrepreneur, so hopefully this doc will help me fulfill that.
The five films I choose this week were Whore’s Glory, A Wink and A Smile; Paris is Burning, Using, and Primitive London.
ReplyDeleteWhore’s Glory After watching a brief clip of this film I was intrigued by the angle the director took by telling the story of women who aren’t as shameful as everyone thinks of there profession. One insert from the film was from one of the johns selecting women for purchase who states, “ I come here to buy a little piece of happiness”.
A Wink and A Smile explores the world of burlesque dancing which I’ve became interested in recently over the past few months of it’s artistic value and moral challenging obstacles it takes on it’s participates.
Paris is Burning is intriguing all types of levels the urban community that is focuses on to the fashion the language that the characters use had me ready to what was it all about.
Using, I was curious to the roll change of two users becoming dealers seemed to be something different and a story I was interested in watching.
Primitive London curious to the lifestyle of the Mods and the typical life of a rocker at this period of time.
Paris is Burning focuses on the culture of minority drag queen in New York City during the 80’s and 90’s.
I watched Paris is Burning this week. I loved everything about it. This secret society isn’t as tight shut as it was in the 90’s but it is something that isn’t as openly talked about today. More and more people have come out with this simple drag queen lifestyle and balls are becoming more and popular. I was pleased to see some of its origins in this film. How and why this culture was created. Everything from the over the top fashion to the unique talk the characters spoke had me glued to the screen. Also the issues of minority, AIDS, homosexuality, style and expression are touched and provide a foundation of truth behind some of these stories we are audience to.
Ashley Rogers
Doc list- Juan Rangel
ReplyDeleteThe interrupters- being from Chicago and having been an intercity youth at some point, I can really get in tune with the message they are trying to bring up with the cease fire program and the difficulties they inter counter along the way.
The Anderson monarchs - having worked with the Chicago fire soccer foundation and their PLAYS program which is a sports program for intercity youth that is suppose to not only help them with soccer but also academically and as individuals, I got interested in their cause.
Camp victory Afghanistan- a close friend just recently returned from a tour in Afghanistan as an MP. Their objective while over there was what this documentary is about so it definitely caught my interest.
Hell bound? - As a practicing catholic I find myself asking the question of the existence of heaven or hell. This doc hits it on spot examining the existence of hell.
Hecho en Mexico- being Mexican myself this documentary was interesting to watch and kind of see the meaning behind many of the questions of what being Mexican is through the eyes of many people in the film. I also thought about the documentary called Viva Mexico by sergei Eisenstein which offered a dramatic view of religion culture and society.
The documentary I watched was "Hecho en Mexico" and it was about Mexican culture and the meaning of being Mexican. The Doc is told through the eyes of many prolific Mexican artist, musicians, philanthropist, locals, natives, and professors. The story is told in parts that pertain to a question that is related to what is Mexican culture. Definitely loved the on going musical fusion that they did with the musicians and the poets. Id says that about more than half of the whole documentary is told through the different musical mash-ups and poets reciting pieces. What I didn’t like about the documentary was that I felt it didn’t have like a journey to the story; it was just different questions that were brought up but nothing to really show structure or a timeline.
Doc List...
ReplyDeleteThis week I watched Side by Side, Hot Coffee and Waiting for Superman.
Side by Side was fantastic, it's a doc directed by Keanue Reeves (wtf how do you spell his name). It shows the evolution of film from making movies on films to digital. Today we ONLY make movies on digital in the industry, the use of film has died. So this doc explores film makers ideas and views on the use of digital. My favorite idea that I took away from this film was the fact that film last forever, it does not decompose but digital on the other hand does NOT. All of these films we are making today that are digital will one day vanish and be forgot. But movies at were filmed on actually will be the only archival footage we have.
Hot Coffee was alright. It was a social change doc about how large corporations hide law suits from the public in order to keep their image and to hide the dangers of the company. The doc starts with the story of the old lady that sued, and won, McDonalds for having too hot coffee, coffee that was 180 degrees that gave her third degree burns. This doc then goes into great detail of laws that have been made and defeated over the past few years that help corporations pay as little as they can to people that are hurt by their products. It was very interesting and made me ever more pissed a large corporations but the doc was like a boring Micheal Moore film, didn't really keep my attention.
WAITING FOR SUPERMAN was excellent. I finally got to watch it and I could not agree more with everything said in it. It also made me realize that the small school I went to was SO much better than what most kids in the U.S get today. I can also relate to how poor our education is compared to the rest of the world, I believe our generation is just fucking stupid. We know NOTHING compared too other top developing countries. It is SO sad that we were once the leader in education 40 years ago but today we are on the bottom. This doc discusses how bad teacher unions are for students, and all of these horrible laws that protect teachers. It basically shows how our education system is SO broken and our future is doomed because of it. I highly recommend this doc!
Andrew Puisis 9/11/2013
ReplyDeleteDocumentaries I'd Like to Watch This Semester
1. Indie Game - The Movie - Honestly, I randomly saw this movie on Netflix and the film cover made me feel super nostalgic. It has an NES controller, which is what I used to play as a child in the 90's. The movie got some pretty good reviews, I occasionally enjoy video games, and the trailer looked super interesting. It had a lot of eye candy and I like eye candy.
2. Marley - Wow, I've wanted to see this film for quite sometime now since it hit Netflix. I absolutely love Bob Marley, because it was all I would listen to as a child in the car on the way to school and at home. His lyrics and music is legendary and timeless, which makes me want to explore his life a bit more so I know how he became a great musician.
3. Jiro Dreams of Sushi - Honestly, this one looks pretty boring to me, but I do know that it received some great reviews and it is also a film my brother enjoyed. He's been urging me to watch it for a while now. I am willing to give it a shot, because I like to be pleasantly surprised from time to time.
4. Into The Abyss - I really enjoy Werner Herzog and his work and I also remember this being on the doc list last semester. I believe I attempted watching it, but I only got through a small portion of the beginning and I remember being sucked into the film. I definitely want to give it another go and finish it up.
5. Cave of Forgotten Dreams - Again, another Herzog film! I truly enjoy his work and I've heard many good things about this film. This was another one I started last year, but I do remember being very bored. I want to give it another shot this time.
Log line: Indie Game, The Movie takes you on an up and down rollercoaster journey of a few small time video game developers attempting to make a breakthrough in the industry.
I saw Indie Game: The Movie and I really enjoyed the entire doc. I enjoyed it because I felt like I was one of the video game developers, working all through the night to hit that deadline. I wanted these small time guys to succeed, because you can see they put everything on the line for their career in game development. I enjoyed it because these are the people we aspire to be someday even though we may not be getting into game development. I aspire to be someone who's so passionate about the work and will do anything to succeed. I also enjoyed seeing the perspective of a more successful Indie video game developer and how he feels about how people view his game. They take their work very personally and you can see they are almost insulted if someone isn't understanding and playing the game as it was intended to be in the eyes of the developer. That was something that really grabbed my attention. The film felt very much authentic to me. Again, I really felt the struggle that these men were going through when trying to hit the deadlines and while waiting for their release on Xbox Live. The filmed displayed this through the characters and the narrative. The designers were literally glued to the computer screens throughout the majority of the film. They get angry at times, they cried, and then they were very much happy at times. It felt very real to me and didn't have the vibe that the film was all forced and was meticulously directed and pieced together. All in all, it was really well done and I was entertained the entire length of the film.
Here are the five docs I have chosen to watch for this class as well as their IMDB summaries:
ReplyDeleteI have chosen all of these docs due to my interest in the environment and recommendations from friends and family.
Happy (75 min)
Combining real-life stories from people around the world with powerful interviews with leading scientists in happiness research, HAPPY explores the secrets behind our most valued emotion.
Zeitgeist (116 min)
Mythology and belief in society today, presenting uncommon perspectives of common cultural issues.
Cool It
A documentary that takes an alternative approach to dealing with the global warming crisis.
Mansome
A documentary that explores the question: In the age of manscaping, metrosexuals, and grooming products galore - what does it mean to be a man?
Grizzly Man
A devastating and heartrending take on grizzly bear activists Timothy Treadwell and Amie Huguenard, who were killed in October of 2003 while living among grizzlies in Alaska.
The doc I watched this week was Happy. This film exceeded my expectations, for I thought everyone knew what makes them happy and didn’t know what more I could learn. This documentary goes beyond simply what makes people happy by showing you detailed events in people's lives that show rather than tell why they are happy. I also thought the experts were used appropriately throughout to give a good balance of research and examples from personal lives. These experts also made the opinions of the film more credible.
I am already an outwardly emotional person, but this film struck a chord and I found myself getting choked up at certain stages. I am curious as to how the creator found his subjects, because their stories are so interestingly unique. It was especially fascinating to learn about lives in other countries and to see the diversity and drastic differences. After seeing this movie I definitely want to visit countries like Denmark, noted the happiest country in the world, and Bhutan where they try to achieve a higher “gross national happiness” versus GDP. I have noticed a common theme throughout the film and that’s all happy people have close, supportive family and friends. I enjoyed watching this documentary and will recommend it to those looking for an interesting psychological interpretation of happiness.
1. Promised Land- A film that combines two things that I love surfing and culture. A look at Israel from a surfers perspective
ReplyDelete2. Exit Through The Gift Shop- I've wanted to see this film for a very long time, I love what Banksy does. I've had it on my list for a very long time, sadly I always forget about it
3. Catfish- This as a very intriguing piece that takes a look at a new trend in our culture. This is a crazy look at what is going on today
4. Inside Job- A look at the group that screwed all of us, who wouldn't want to see who to give the middle finger to. I've had this on my list for quite a while to as well
5. The Crash Reel- A look at Kevin Pearce before and after his near fatal accident.
I chose to watch The Crash Reel this weekend. I loved the film from the beginning. I remember watching Kevin Pearce and his up and coming career, and then his big accident. This film drew me to it right away I was very curious into the whole story and to where he was now. It turned out to be a lot better then I had intended. It was great story of passion, love, family and perseverance
Isis Jenkins
ReplyDeleteBombay Beach/First Circle/Brother’s Keeper/ Dark Days/How to Survive a Plague
I’m interested in all of these documentaries. The underlying thread that relates all of them is that these aren’t necessarily cinematic stores of the under-dogs but a slight glimpse into America’s fantasy worlds. However dysfunctional and or crude, these lovely glimpses aren’t accessible to the majority of Americans and these struggles are dismissed as primary fragments of the “American” experience.
First Circle follows families with children in the foster system.
Brother’s Keepers is about an illiterate farmer is accused of his brothers death because he was sleeping the in same bed with him when he died.
How to Survive A Plague is another AIDS doc but no one gets sick of them especially people who are nostalgic about a time period they weren’t even alive for. Regardless, Surviving a Plague shows the efforts of the Treatment Action Group in the beginning stages of the AIDS epidemic.
Dark Days shines the lens on the homeless community in a big city ad somewhat calls to mind This Side of Brightness by Colum McCann.
Bombay Beach, which I watched was about a community of individuals oblivious overt social burdens and who are living in an area that will probably never see the “glory days” again. It follows three male characters of varying ages, and chronicles their particular situation throughout the film as well as how they ended up in Bombay Beach. It was pretty consistent with the male subjects and the occasional dead animal shot but I would have liked it if there was a middle aged male as well. Other than that I liked the cinematography and that camera was just there and didn't interfere but the subjects were comfortable enough that the camera was there. No talking heads here as well, which I don't really mind if they're there or not.
As far as validity the characters and their stories seemed believable. There were however these little moments between segments that seemed staged and in turn made me question some other parts of the film.
180 degrees South
ReplyDeleteThis adventure documentary follows travelers & their life journeys. Jeff Johnson and his buddies explore in Patagonia, South America in all its beauty.
I met someone who knew one the guys making this film. She offered me to go there & be part of it. I wasn't ready for such an adventure but of course now I have to see it.
American Teacher
Explores the struggles of being a teacher in America & focus' on four exceptional teachers from around the country.
I want to know more about this career and the affect the low pay has on teachers.
Urbanized.
The strategies behind urban design all around the world.
Architecture & design is very interesting to me. I'm hoping that's what this documentary is about.
(A)Sexual
In a sex obsessed culture, asexuals, people who experience no sexual attraction, struggle to find themselves.
I do believe our culture is way too focused on sex & all things of the sort. I'm curious about that community of asexuals that I don't know anything about.
A Normal Life
This political documentary looks into the laws of medical marijuana and the controversy around the federal government still calling cannabis a dangerous narcotic.
The fact that marijuana is still illegal and people are getting arrested for it confuses & strongly bothers me. Any film talking about this rediculousness I want to see.
I watched 180 Degrees South & I was inspired by their stories of how they live their lives & how they want to be one with nature. The end was amazing. After watching them climb an ice mountain and reluctantly giving up 100 feet before the peak, the crew show how important our relationship with nature is in to know who we are and maintain a prosperous living. I was unsure at one point if they had a film crew climb up the mountain with them or if one of them was holding the camera & setting up the tripod. Also some conversations that were had seemed a bit staged. When we meet the beautiful native Chilean who they have just met I'm skeptical of the realness of those shots, if they really were real improvised moments in time.
BENJI directed by Coodie and Chike - This doc explores the life of a teenage basketball player in the city of Chicago who was killed on the South Side in the 1980's.
ReplyDeleteWOODY ALLEN directed by Robert B. Weide - This documentary is about the very funny and successful film writer and directer Woody Allen.
DARK DAYS directed by Marc Singer - This documentary is about the homeless who lived in the underground of New York City in the mid 90's and documented by an English man.
MAMA AFRICA directed by Mika Kaurismaki is a documentary about singer Miriam Makeba and her associations with the Black Panther Party and the United Nations.
FELA KUTI: MUSIC IS A WEAPON directed by Jean Jacques is a documentary about the world famous Nigerian Musician FELA and his view of Africa and the government.
The film that I decided to view was the one on FELA. This was an amazing documentation of a brave artist whose music was transgressive. His music Afro Beat which he formed challenged the people to stand up against the corrupt Nigerian government. He was a seminal artist whose work went on to influence a myriad of musicians including his sons Femi and Seun Kuti. The film served as a sign post for me and has lead me to new discoveries.
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDelete