Film Junk » Documentary http://www.filmjunk.com Blog and Podcast Thu, 09 Feb 2012 22:09:56 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 en Undefeated Trailer: Real-Life Friday Night Lights http://www.filmjunk.com/2012/02/06/undefeated-trailer-real-life-friday-night-lights/ http://www.filmjunk.com/2012/02/06/undefeated-trailer-real-life-friday-night-lights/#comments Mon, 06 Feb 2012 19:01:34 +0000 Sean http://www.filmjunk.com/?p=70694 Since everyone here in North America still has football on the mind, it seems like as good a time as any to post the official trailer for the upcoming high school football documentary Undefeated (not to be confused with the similarly-titled Sarah Palin film The Undefeated). The movie generated a lot of strong buzz at TIFF last year and has since managed to drum up an Academy Award nomination. Although sports docs usually tend to get overlooked at the Oscars (Hoop Dreams, anyone?), this one is distributed by The Weinstein Company, which means it might actually have a shot at winning. The movie follows The Manassas Tigers, an inner-city high school football team in Memphis, Tennessee that has been consistently destroyed by its opponents, partially because most of its star players either end up dead or in jail. However, coach Bill Courtney took over the team in 2004 and slowly started to turn things around, with the goal of winning the first playoff game in the school’s 110-year history. Underdog sports stories may be a dime a dozen, but they are slightly less common in non-fiction form and I've heard that this one packs an emotional wallop. I have to admit, the trailer alone gave me chills. Undefeated hits select theatres on Feb. 17th; check out the trailer after the jump and see what you think.

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]]> Since everyone here in North America still has football on the mind, it seems like as good a time as any to post the official trailer for the upcoming high school football documentary Undefeated (not to be confused with the similarly-titled Sarah Palin film The Undefeated). The movie generated a lot of strong buzz at TIFF last year and has since managed to drum up an Academy Award nomination. Although sports docs usually tend to get overlooked at the Oscars (Hoop Dreams, anyone?), this one is distributed by The Weinstein Company, which means it might actually have a shot at winning. The movie follows The Manassas Tigers, an inner-city high school football team in Memphis, Tennessee that has been consistently destroyed by its opponents, partially because most of its star players either end up dead or in jail. However, coach Bill Courtney took over the team in 2004 and slowly started to turn things around, with the goal of winning the first playoff game in the school’s 110-year history. Underdog sports stories may be a dime a dozen, but they are slightly less common in non-fiction form and I've heard that this one packs an emotional wallop. I have to admit, the trailer alone gave me chills. Undefeated hits select theatres on Feb. 17th; check out the trailer after the jump and see what you think.

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]]> http://www.filmjunk.com/2012/02/06/undefeated-trailer-real-life-friday-night-lights/feed/ Sundance 2012: Bones Brigade: An Autobiography Review http://www.filmjunk.com/2012/01/27/sundance-2012-bones-brigade-an-autobiography-review/ http://www.filmjunk.com/2012/01/27/sundance-2012-bones-brigade-an-autobiography-review/#comments Fri, 27 Jan 2012 22:28:15 +0000 Josh http://www.filmjunk.com/?p=70157 In his break-out documentary, Dogtown and Z Boys, director Stacy Peralta told us the story of how he and his friends turned skateboarding from a goofy novelty for dorks and children into an extreme sport. Now, with Bones Brigade: An Autobiography, Peralta shows us how the next generation of skaters (that he personally scouted, coached, and sponsored) turned skateboarding into a worldwide phenomenon. Prepare yourselves for 90 minutes of fluorescent t-shirts and Flock of Seagulls haircuts. Like most historical docs, Bones Brigade is driven by talking heads and archival footage, but there is such an incredible array of amazing archival footage here, much of it from Peralta's own personal collection, that the film is never dull. What is surprising about the footage, most of it culled from old VHS tapes, is the athletic and technical level the Bones Brigade skaters were at so early on. These guys, particularly Rodney Mullen and Tony Hawk, were often doing tricks that wouldn't be popularized until nearly a decade later. It is truly incredible how influential they guys were on the world of skateboarding. From the most fundamental skateboarding tricks, to the first-ever skate videos, to a keen eye toward marketing that made skateboarding into a viable business, most of what we know as skateboarding today can be traced back to Peralta and his crew. As Bones Brigade team member Lance Mountain says in the film, "We pioneered the way to make money at skateboarding." Despite their success, these guys weren't at all cynical. They didn't party their money away. They weren't interested in the fame. For each of them, skateboarding represented a way out of the tough circumstances that they were raised in. A destitute immigrant kid, born with scoliosis, named Steve Cabellero. A rich white kid, socially stunted by emotionally abusive parents, named Rodney Mullen. A scrawny nerd who was bullied relentlessly, even by other skateboarders, named Tony Hawk. All of them skateboarding prodigies. For nostalgia geeks, like myself, who grew up with Powell/Peralta posters on my wall and a board under my feet, the film is both a trip down memory lane and a surprisingly different point of view as to exactly what went down all those years ago. But, for outsiders, the film is a tale of losers who banded together and went out to create something new that they could be winners at. Peralta, himself, was the guiding force in all of this, a key figure without whom none of it would have happened. And so, while this film is sure to be labeled a vanity project by some, there is really nobody better to tell this story than Stacy Peralta. Now, I will say that the film doesn't have quite as stylish a look as some of Peralta's other films. Part of that is simply because the history lesson animations, 2D graphic photos, and beautiful Super 8 footage of Riding Giants and Dogtown and Z Boys just isn't necessary here. All of that is replaced by the aforementioned bad VHS footage, and so there is an obvious switch in aesthetic. It's not a problem for the film, and Peralta definitely embraces the look of the time (the film actually starts with a title card that reads "This movie takes place in the 80s"), but it does have the unfortunate overall effect of feeling less polished than Peralta's previous work. And the film does have a few problems. The two lowest points of the film are a largely un-motivated weepy montage that features Peralta and Cabellero sniffling about how good they had it (I overheard one festival-goer say that they never want to see a director crying in his own movie again) and the unneeded outsider opinions chiming-in to tell us why these guys were so great (especially egregious were appearances from people like Ben Harper and Fred Durst--who cares what they think?). For some, this will be just another skateboarding movie, but for me, Bones Brigade is an instant classic. Peralta brings a lot of love for his team and the sport of skateboarding to the table. He raised these kids, though he was still a kid himself, and skateboarding was his whole life. Peralta's passion is palpable and his hand as a director is always present. There is more than enough nostalgia here to satisfy any child of the '80s (I involuntarily yelped at the mention of Gleaming the Cube) but there is plenty for newcomers as well. Whether you want to dig into the compelling emotional backstories of Lance Mountain, Rodney Mullen, and Tony Hawk or just figure out where the heck pop culture staples such as The X Games and Tony Hawk's Boom Boom Huck Jam originated, Bones Brigade: An Autobiography is worth a watch. -- Josh You can check out my interview with Stacy Peralta from Sundance 2012, coming up on a future episode of The Documentary Blog Podcast.

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]]> In his break-out documentary, Dogtown and Z Boys, director Stacy Peralta told us the story of how he and his friends turned skateboarding from a goofy novelty for dorks and children into an extreme sport. Now, with Bones Brigade: An Autobiography, Peralta shows us how the next generation of skaters (that he personally scouted, coached, and sponsored) turned skateboarding into a worldwide phenomenon. Prepare yourselves for 90 minutes of fluorescent t-shirts and Flock of Seagulls haircuts. Like most historical docs, Bones Brigade is driven by talking heads and archival footage, but there is such an incredible array of amazing archival footage here, much of it from Peralta's own personal collection, that the film is never dull. What is surprising about the footage, most of it culled from old VHS tapes, is the athletic and technical level the Bones Brigade skaters were at so early on. These guys, particularly Rodney Mullen and Tony Hawk, were often doing tricks that wouldn't be popularized until nearly a decade later. It is truly incredible how influential they guys were on the world of skateboarding. From the most fundamental skateboarding tricks, to the first-ever skate videos, to a keen eye toward marketing that made skateboarding into a viable business, most of what we know as skateboarding today can be traced back to Peralta and his crew. As Bones Brigade team member Lance Mountain says in the film, "We pioneered the way to make money at skateboarding." Despite their success, these guys weren't at all cynical. They didn't party their money away. They weren't interested in the fame. For each of them, skateboarding represented a way out of the tough circumstances that they were raised in. A destitute immigrant kid, born with scoliosis, named Steve Cabellero. A rich white kid, socially stunted by emotionally abusive parents, named Rodney Mullen. A scrawny nerd who was bullied relentlessly, even by other skateboarders, named Tony Hawk. All of them skateboarding prodigies. For nostalgia geeks, like myself, who grew up with Powell/Peralta posters on my wall and a board under my feet, the film is both a trip down memory lane and a surprisingly different point of view as to exactly what went down all those years ago. But, for outsiders, the film is a tale of losers who banded together and went out to create something new that they could be winners at. Peralta, himself, was the guiding force in all of this, a key figure without whom none of it would have happened. And so, while this film is sure to be labeled a vanity project by some, there is really nobody better to tell this story than Stacy Peralta. Now, I will say that the film doesn't have quite as stylish a look as some of Peralta's other films. Part of that is simply because the history lesson animations, 2D graphic photos, and beautiful Super 8 footage of Riding Giants and Dogtown and Z Boys just isn't necessary here. All of that is replaced by the aforementioned bad VHS footage, and so there is an obvious switch in aesthetic. It's not a problem for the film, and Peralta definitely embraces the look of the time (the film actually starts with a title card that reads "This movie takes place in the 80s"), but it does have the unfortunate overall effect of feeling less polished than Peralta's previous work. And the film does have a few problems. The two lowest points of the film are a largely un-motivated weepy montage that features Peralta and Cabellero sniffling about how good they had it (I overheard one festival-goer say that they never want to see a director crying in his own movie again) and the unneeded outsider opinions chiming-in to tell us why these guys were so great (especially egregious were appearances from people like Ben Harper and Fred Durst--who cares what they think?). For some, this will be just another skateboarding movie, but for me, Bones Brigade is an instant classic. Peralta brings a lot of love for his team and the sport of skateboarding to the table. He raised these kids, though he was still a kid himself, and skateboarding was his whole life. Peralta's passion is palpable and his hand as a director is always present. There is more than enough nostalgia here to satisfy any child of the '80s (I involuntarily yelped at the mention of Gleaming the Cube) but there is plenty for newcomers as well. Whether you want to dig into the compelling emotional backstories of Lance Mountain, Rodney Mullen, and Tony Hawk or just figure out where the heck pop culture staples such as The X Games and Tony Hawk's Boom Boom Huck Jam originated, Bones Brigade: An Autobiography is worth a watch. -- Josh You can check out my interview with Stacy Peralta from Sundance 2012, coming up on a future episode of The Documentary Blog Podcast.

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]]> http://www.filmjunk.com/2012/01/27/sundance-2012-bones-brigade-an-autobiography-review/feed/ Side by Side Trailer: Keanu Reeves Examines the War Between Film and Digital Video http://www.filmjunk.com/2012/01/20/side-by-side-trailer-keanu-reeves-examines-the-war-between-film-and-digital-video/ http://www.filmjunk.com/2012/01/20/side-by-side-trailer-keanu-reeves-examines-the-war-between-film-and-digital-video/#comments Fri, 20 Jan 2012 18:33:48 +0000 Jay C. http://www.filmjunk.com/?p=69833 Okay, this looks awesome. I’m sure eyebrows might raise at the thought of a Keanu Reeves-produced documentary, but this subject matter is pretty irresistible to me. The film is called Side by Side: The Science, Art and Impact of Digital Cinema (directed by Christopher Kenneally) and it looks at the war between digital and analog filmmaking. Pretty relevant stuff considering the recent announcement that the Eastman Kodak Company has just filed for bankruptcy protection. Even though the digital revolution seems inevitable, there are a handful of filmmakers who refuse to go down without a fight, insisting that we’re acting too fast by replacing a tried and true format (film) with a technology (digital) that at this point, simply doesn’t compare in terms of the quality if the image. Here’s the synopsis:
The documentary investigates the history, process and workflow of both digital and photochemical film creation. We show what artists and filmmakers have been able to accomplish with both film and digital and how their needs and innovations have helped push filmmaking in new directions. Interviews with directors, cinematographers, colorists, scientists, engineers and artists reveal their experiences and feelings about working with film and digital–where we are now, how we got here and what the future may bring.
I have to say that I absolutely love Wally Pfister. His work is amazing and he’s refreshingly honest and outspoken about his stance on digital filmmaking (and his apparent hatred of 3D). Still, I think there are interesting arguments to be made on both sides, which is what makes this film so interesting. David Lynch, James Cameron, George Lucas and Steven Soderbergh all chime in as supporters of digital filmmaking. Each side has its share of supporters. As for docs, it seems film is even less relevant as it’s truly rare to see a non-fiction film shot on 16mm nowadays. I know I’m always excited when I hear about docs shot on film, but I guess it’s just too expensive when considering the digital alternative. It’s a truly a shame. You can find more info on Side by Side here: facebook.com/sidebysidethemovie sidebysidethemovie.com twitter.com/sidebysidemovie Originally posted on The Documentary Blog.

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]]> Okay, this looks awesome. I’m sure eyebrows might raise at the thought of a Keanu Reeves-produced documentary, but this subject matter is pretty irresistible to me. The film is called Side by Side: The Science, Art and Impact of Digital Cinema (directed by Christopher Kenneally) and it looks at the war between digital and analog filmmaking. Pretty relevant stuff considering the recent announcement that the Eastman Kodak Company has just filed for bankruptcy protection. Even though the digital revolution seems inevitable, there are a handful of filmmakers who refuse to go down without a fight, insisting that we’re acting too fast by replacing a tried and true format (film) with a technology (digital) that at this point, simply doesn’t compare in terms of the quality if the image. Here’s the synopsis:
The documentary investigates the history, process and workflow of both digital and photochemical film creation. We show what artists and filmmakers have been able to accomplish with both film and digital and how their needs and innovations have helped push filmmaking in new directions. Interviews with directors, cinematographers, colorists, scientists, engineers and artists reveal their experiences and feelings about working with film and digital–where we are now, how we got here and what the future may bring.
I have to say that I absolutely love Wally Pfister. His work is amazing and he’s refreshingly honest and outspoken about his stance on digital filmmaking (and his apparent hatred of 3D). Still, I think there are interesting arguments to be made on both sides, which is what makes this film so interesting. David Lynch, James Cameron, George Lucas and Steven Soderbergh all chime in as supporters of digital filmmaking. Each side has its share of supporters. As for docs, it seems film is even less relevant as it’s truly rare to see a non-fiction film shot on 16mm nowadays. I know I’m always excited when I hear about docs shot on film, but I guess it’s just too expensive when considering the digital alternative. It’s a truly a shame. You can find more info on Side by Side here: facebook.com/sidebysidethemovie sidebysidethemovie.com twitter.com/sidebysidemovie Originally posted on The Documentary Blog.

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]]> http://www.filmjunk.com/2012/01/20/side-by-side-trailer-keanu-reeves-examines-the-war-between-film-and-digital-video/feed/ Peter Jackson’s West of Memphis Trailer http://www.filmjunk.com/2012/01/13/peter-jacksons-west-of-memphis-trailer/ http://www.filmjunk.com/2012/01/13/peter-jacksons-west-of-memphis-trailer/#comments Fri, 13 Jan 2012 20:50:47 +0000 Sean http://www.filmjunk.com/?p=69556 Just one day after the premiere of Paradise Lost 3: Purgatory on HBO, Peter Jackson has unveiled the official trailer for his very own documentary on the West Memphis Three... because after watching that, who wouldn't want to see yet another feature-length doc on the subject? (I'm only being partially sarcastic.) The movie is directed by Amy Berg (Deliver Us From Evil) and produced by Jackson and his partner Fran Walsh, who funded a significant portion of the WM3's defense. While that's obviously an awesome thing for them to do, the release of this film does feel a little bit like they are trying to recoup the cost of the investigation. And maybe that's okay. The real question here is whether or not West of Memphis will bring anything new to the table in terms of information and/or storytelling. We know there probably won't be any Metallica on the soundtrack, so that's already one strike against it! Seriously though, it could be interesting to see the material handled by a different filmmaking team, I just wonder if people might be a little burnt out on the West Memphis Three by now. West of Memphis will premiere at the Sundance Film Festival next weekend, but there's no word yet on when the rest of us will get to see it. Check out the trailer after the jump and see what you think.

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]]> Just one day after the premiere of Paradise Lost 3: Purgatory on HBO, Peter Jackson has unveiled the official trailer for his very own documentary on the West Memphis Three... because after watching that, who wouldn't want to see yet another feature-length doc on the subject? (I'm only being partially sarcastic.) The movie is directed by Amy Berg (Deliver Us From Evil) and produced by Jackson and his partner Fran Walsh, who funded a significant portion of the WM3's defense. While that's obviously an awesome thing for them to do, the release of this film does feel a little bit like they are trying to recoup the cost of the investigation. And maybe that's okay. The real question here is whether or not West of Memphis will bring anything new to the table in terms of information and/or storytelling. We know there probably won't be any Metallica on the soundtrack, so that's already one strike against it! Seriously though, it could be interesting to see the material handled by a different filmmaking team, I just wonder if people might be a little burnt out on the West Memphis Three by now. West of Memphis will premiere at the Sundance Film Festival next weekend, but there's no word yet on when the rest of us will get to see it. Check out the trailer after the jump and see what you think.

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]]> http://www.filmjunk.com/2012/01/13/peter-jacksons-west-of-memphis-trailer/feed/ Comic Book Men Trailer: Kevin Smith’s AMC Reality Series http://www.filmjunk.com/2012/01/04/comic-book-men-trailer-kevin-smiths-amc-reality-series/ http://www.filmjunk.com/2012/01/04/comic-book-men-trailer-kevin-smiths-amc-reality-series/#comments Wed, 04 Jan 2012 14:06:07 +0000 Sean http://www.filmjunk.com/?p=69075 As part of his quest to eventually quit the movie industry, last year we heard that Kevin Smith was in the process of pitching a reality series that takes place at his Red Bank, New Jersey comic book store, Jay & Silent Bob's Secret Stash. AMC ordered a pilot, and eventually picked up the show for six one-hour episodes. Now it appears that the series has an official title, release date, and a couple of TV spots as well. Described by Smith as "Pawn Stars for fanboys," the title they have apparently decided on is Comic Book Men... which is pretty terrible if you ask me. What was wrong with the original working title of Secret Stash? Anyway, AMC seems to have high hopes for it as the show will premiere on February 12th, directly following an episode of The Walking Dead. Are you looking forward to Comic Book Men? Check out the first two TV spots after the jump and see what you think.

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]]> As part of his quest to eventually quit the movie industry, last year we heard that Kevin Smith was in the process of pitching a reality series that takes place at his Red Bank, New Jersey comic book store, Jay & Silent Bob's Secret Stash. AMC ordered a pilot, and eventually picked up the show for six one-hour episodes. Now it appears that the series has an official title, release date, and a couple of TV spots as well. Described by Smith as "Pawn Stars for fanboys," the title they have apparently decided on is Comic Book Men... which is pretty terrible if you ask me. What was wrong with the original working title of Secret Stash? Anyway, AMC seems to have high hopes for it as the show will premiere on February 12th, directly following an episode of The Walking Dead. Are you looking forward to Comic Book Men? Check out the first two TV spots after the jump and see what you think.

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]]> http://www.filmjunk.com/2012/01/04/comic-book-men-trailer-kevin-smiths-amc-reality-series/feed/ Indie Game: The Movie Trailer http://www.filmjunk.com/2011/12/07/indie-game-the-movie-trailer/ http://www.filmjunk.com/2011/12/07/indie-game-the-movie-trailer/#comments Wed, 07 Dec 2011 23:26:51 +0000 Jay C. http://www.filmjunk.com/?p=67906 As someone who worked in the video game industry for three years or so (and is still friends with a lot of people who continue to work on games), I always thought that a documentary on the making of a video game would be pretty interesting. Having experienced it first hand, I can attest to the long hours and stress that goes into creating a product that attempts to bring art, storytelling, and technology together in a fresh and exciting way. Canadian filmmakers James Swirsky and Lisanne Pajot’s decided to document this process in their film Indie Game: The Movie, which looks at the journey of the indie video game developer. Here’s the synopsis:
Indie Game: The Movie is a feature documentary about video games, their creators and the craft. The film follows the dramatic journeys of video game developers as they create and release their games to the world. The film tells the emotional story of friends Edmund McMillen & Tommy Refenes, as they craft their first Xbox game: “Super Meat Boy”. It follows Phil Fish, the creator of the highly-anticipated game: “FEZ”. After 4 years of working in near solitude, Phil reveals his opus to the public for the first time. And, the film tells the surprising story of one of the highest-rated video games of all time:”Braid”. The film is about making video games, but at its core, it’s about the creative process, and exposing yourself through your work.
I’m not a huge gamer myself, but I’m often blown away by the creativity that goes into some of these smaller games in regards to design and art direction. I’m very curious to get an inside look at the creation of these smaller games and compare it to my own experience in the industry. As for the film itself, it looks to be very well shot and appropriately energetic. I know a lot of people who will be excited to check this one out, including myself. Indie Game: The Movie premieres at the 2012 Sundance Film Festival and you can pre-order the DVD over at the films official website. Originally posted on The Documentary Blog

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]]> As someone who worked in the video game industry for three years or so (and is still friends with a lot of people who continue to work on games), I always thought that a documentary on the making of a video game would be pretty interesting. Having experienced it first hand, I can attest to the long hours and stress that goes into creating a product that attempts to bring art, storytelling, and technology together in a fresh and exciting way. Canadian filmmakers James Swirsky and Lisanne Pajot’s decided to document this process in their film Indie Game: The Movie, which looks at the journey of the indie video game developer. Here’s the synopsis:
Indie Game: The Movie is a feature documentary about video games, their creators and the craft. The film follows the dramatic journeys of video game developers as they create and release their games to the world. The film tells the emotional story of friends Edmund McMillen & Tommy Refenes, as they craft their first Xbox game: “Super Meat Boy”. It follows Phil Fish, the creator of the highly-anticipated game: “FEZ”. After 4 years of working in near solitude, Phil reveals his opus to the public for the first time. And, the film tells the surprising story of one of the highest-rated video games of all time:”Braid”. The film is about making video games, but at its core, it’s about the creative process, and exposing yourself through your work.
I’m not a huge gamer myself, but I’m often blown away by the creativity that goes into some of these smaller games in regards to design and art direction. I’m very curious to get an inside look at the creation of these smaller games and compare it to my own experience in the industry. As for the film itself, it looks to be very well shot and appropriately energetic. I know a lot of people who will be excited to check this one out, including myself. Indie Game: The Movie premieres at the 2012 Sundance Film Festival and you can pre-order the DVD over at the films official website. Originally posted on The Documentary Blog

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]]> http://www.filmjunk.com/2011/12/07/indie-game-the-movie-trailer/feed/ Ridley Scott and Kevin MacDonald’s Life in a Day Now Playing on YouTube for Free http://www.filmjunk.com/2011/11/01/ridley-scott-and-kevin-macdonalds-life-in-a-day-now-playing-on-youtube-for-free/ http://www.filmjunk.com/2011/11/01/ridley-scott-and-kevin-macdonalds-life-in-a-day-now-playing-on-youtube-for-free/#comments Tue, 01 Nov 2011 17:37:53 +0000 Sean http://www.filmjunk.com/?p=65977 It was conceived on YouTube, born on YouTube, and now it has returned to live on YouTube indefinitely. Ridley Scott and Kevin MacDonald's crowdsourced documentary Life in a Day brought together footage submitted by thousands of people from around the world as they went about their lives on July 24th, 2010. The filmmakers pored through 80,000 hours of video to find just 90 minutes that would somehow tell a story about life on this planet. The resulting film premiered at Sundance in January and streamed to YouTube at the same time. Now you can watch it in its entirety for free with subtitles in 25 different languages. So what are you waiting for? Check out the entire film embedded after the jump!

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]]> It was conceived on YouTube, born on YouTube, and now it has returned to live on YouTube indefinitely. Ridley Scott and Kevin MacDonald's crowdsourced documentary Life in a Day brought together footage submitted by thousands of people from around the world as they went about their lives on July 24th, 2010. The filmmakers pored through 80,000 hours of video to find just 90 minutes that would somehow tell a story about life on this planet. The resulting film premiered at Sundance in January and streamed to YouTube at the same time. Now you can watch it in its entirety for free with subtitles in 25 different languages. So what are you waiting for? Check out the entire film embedded after the jump!

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]]> http://www.filmjunk.com/2011/11/01/ridley-scott-and-kevin-macdonalds-life-in-a-day-now-playing-on-youtube-for-free/feed/ Werner Herzog’s Into the Abyss Trailer http://www.filmjunk.com/2011/10/27/werner-herzogs-into-the-abyss-trailer/ http://www.filmjunk.com/2011/10/27/werner-herzogs-into-the-abyss-trailer/#comments Thu, 27 Oct 2011 17:49:09 +0000 Sean http://www.filmjunk.com/?p=65777 Werner Herzog's latest documentary made for a pretty heavy double bill with Paradise Lost 3 at this year's Toronto International Film Festival. Into the Abyss: A Tale of Life, A Tale of Death explores the death penalty as seen through the eyes of the various parties involved in a triple homicide in Conroe, Texas. One of the killers, Michael Perry, is on death row, while the other (Jason Burkett) is currently serving out a life sentence. Herzog makes it very clear that he doesn't agree with the death penalty, but the movie still remains relatively even-handed. The story is a powerful one and he treats it with the respect it deserves, even if he does chase down certain details that few other directors would take an interest in. The movie was funded by Investigation Discovery, which is where it will air after it gets a theatrical release this year courtesy of IFC Films. Into the Abyss hits theatres on November 11th; check out the trailer after the jump.

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]]> Werner Herzog's latest documentary made for a pretty heavy double bill with Paradise Lost 3 at this year's Toronto International Film Festival. Into the Abyss: A Tale of Life, A Tale of Death explores the death penalty as seen through the eyes of the various parties involved in a triple homicide in Conroe, Texas. One of the killers, Michael Perry, is on death row, while the other (Jason Burkett) is currently serving out a life sentence. Herzog makes it very clear that he doesn't agree with the death penalty, but the movie still remains relatively even-handed. The story is a powerful one and he treats it with the respect it deserves, even if he does chase down certain details that few other directors would take an interest in. The movie was funded by Investigation Discovery, which is where it will air after it gets a theatrical release this year courtesy of IFC Films. Into the Abyss hits theatres on November 11th; check out the trailer after the jump.

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]]> http://www.filmjunk.com/2011/10/27/werner-herzogs-into-the-abyss-trailer/feed/ The Captains DVD Review http://www.filmjunk.com/2011/10/24/the-captains-dvd-review/ http://www.filmjunk.com/2011/10/24/the-captains-dvd-review/#comments Mon, 24 Oct 2011 19:36:59 +0000 Reed http://www.filmjunk.com/?p=65579 The Captains is a documentary made for fans of Star Trek. It features interviews with the actors who starred as starship captains in the Star Trek franchise. What makes this Star Trek documentary unique is that it was written and directed by William Shatner, the second actor to play a starship captain. (Shatner replaced the first actor as captain, Jeffrey Hunter, who starred in only the pilot episode of Star Trek. Hunter has gone on to the final frontier, and so was not contacted for an interview.) Also the interviews were conducted by Shatner, who appears on-screen with his interviewees. On viewing this documentary, it soon becomes apparent that its focus is not on Star Trek, but rather on Shatner himself. I confess. I am a lapsed Trekkie. I suppose my faith waivered because I was disappointed in Star Trek (2009). Perhaps I couldn't let go of the fact that William Shatner was no longer Captain Kirk. I grew up with the original series, and William Shatner will always be my favourite captain. For many males including myself, Shatner's Captain Kirk was the embodiment of masculinity: he commanded the respect of those being led by him; he fearlessly encountered the unknown; and he attracted females wherever he travelled. None of the later captains for whatever reasons were able to highlight these characteristics in the way Shatner did in my mind. Even when there was a conscious attempt to emulate these original characteristics in the last Star Trek series to date with Scott Bakula's Captain Archer, the general public did not seem to take notice. Every Star Trek fan has his own favourite captain, though, so interviewing all of them seems like the best way to appeal to as many people as possible. The documentary opens with Shatner being greeted on a runway tarmac by Steve Ridolfi who is the President of Bombardier Business Aircraft, Bombardier Aerospace Inc. (Note that in the "making of" documentary on the DVD, he is misidentified as Pierre Beaudoin who is President and Chief Executive Officer of Bombardier Inc. and also the Director of Bombardier Aerospace Inc.) Bombardier, not Priceline, provided a business Global aircraft for Shatner and the Canadian film crew to fly to the various cities in which the actors were situated at the time of filming. Coincidentally, Bombardier is based in Shatner's hometown of Montreal, Quebec, Canada. (Shatner is the guest speaker at Bombardier Aerospace's 15th Safety Standdown this year.) Ridolfi is filmed telling Shatner how Captain Kirk and Star Trek inspired him to get into aeronautical engineering. I'm sure Shatner hears this all the time, especially when he interviewed scientists for his book, "I'm Working on That," and in the documentary, "How William Shatner Changed the World." But conveniently, this incident will be referenced by Shatner at the end of the documentary when he discusses an epiphany with Patrick Stewart. There is an effort made to vary the settings in which the actors are interviewed, taking advantage of the various locales. An effort is also made to visually introduce each of the actors in a unique way depending on the location. The most inventive is probably the introduction of Kate Mulgrew in New York which is done by surprising her on the street with Shatner hidden inside a large cardboard box. Multiple HD cameras were used, and sometimes rapid editing is used. The background piano music lends an air of classiness to the interviews. People who have watched Shatner's Raw Nerve television interview series will be familiar with Shatner's interviewing style. It can be intimate at times, and occasionally, Shatner inadvertently interrupts someone's train of thought in an answer. Since this documentary edits the actors' answers together, the flow is rather smooth. Still, Shatner's interview with Avery Brooks is the most bizarre through no fault of Shatner's, I presume. To be fair, perhaps Brooks thought the questions were annoying. I think Shatner makes the interview work because he goes along with Brooks' antic of answering questions by playing jazz piano. I think this is the first time that I've ever seen Shatner actually try to sing. The improvised vocal duets that he does with Brooks are hypnotic. In Shatner's encounter with Chris Pine, Shatner mentions that he enjoyed Pine's performance in Unstoppable. I still don't know if Shatner has watched Chris Pine in Star Trek (2009). It's like Shatner is wearing a badge of honour in not having bothered to watch it. Shatner's interview with Kate Mulgrew is the most emotional with Shatner getting Mulgrew to admit that it's impossible for a woman to be successful at both motherhood in real-life and being a starship captain on television. Shatner has a friendly camaraderie with Scott Bakula, and is shown teaching him how to ride a horse. It is no surprise that Shatner seems most at ease with Patrick Stewart with whom he worked on a Star Trek movie. One thing I find annoying in all Star Trek documentaries is the use of clips from the Star Trek television series and movies. I suppose these might be helpful for people who haven't seen everything like I have, but to me, it's just filler. This documentary occasionally shows a clip here and there, and they're not overly intrusive. (There is a strange use of a clip run backwards of Voyager going into warp.) For Star Trek fans hoping to see other Star Trek actors, there are short interview segments with Jonathan Frakes, Robert Picardo, Nana Visitor, Rene Auberjonois, Connor Trinneer, and Jeri Ryan. It's funny to see Shatner greet each woman who has been in Star Trek as "the most beautiful woman in Star Trek." So that's how Captain Kirk was able to land so many human and alien babes. In the past, Shatner has gone undercover at Star Trek conventions wearing a gorilla mask. In this documentary, he is filmed casually strolling through a Star Trek convention while the camera catches the surprised reactions of Trekkies. It's fun to see Shatner quietly sneak into a group of Trekkies in costume being photographed. I suppose that at his age, Shatner commands such respect that he doesn't need an entourage protecting him, but his bodyguards are undoubtedly off-screen and nearby. Although it's fun to see this convention footage including the requisite Trekkie interviews, one has to wonder if Shatner didn't think there was enough interest in the actor interviews to support the entire documentary. Or maybe he knows what Trekkies want to see. There is also a section where he interviews a fellow Canadian actor, Christopher Plummer, who did not portray a starship captain, but rather a Klingon general. Plummer's inclusion in this documentary has more to do with his time with Shatner at the Stratford Festival where they performed in Shakespeare's plays. The actor interviews are edited so all the actors are introduced within the first half an hour. Their responses are grouped around specific lines of questioning that reflect Shatner's life and concerns. For example, each actor in turn discusses how they got into acting and this leads to Shatner telling about his early experience of how he made audience members cry as a kid acting in a play about the Holocaust. So does interviewing the actors who have portrayed starship captains provide any enlightenment as to what it takes to be a starship captain in Star Trek? Stage experience is common to all the actors, but this isn't much of a revelation. There is also a discussion of how being the star of a television series affects family life due to the long hours. I don't think Shatner knows much about the other Star Trek series, and I don't think he spent much time reading about the actors he interviewed. He is shown reading a research folder on one of the jet trips, but I imagine he was hoping to find insight during the actual interviews. You might think to portray an effective leader that having experience as a leader in real life might help. But this is not addressed. Unfortunately, I don't think Shatner was successful at uncovering new ground. There is nary a mention of one French-Canadian actress, Genevieve Bujold, who was hired as the Star Trek captain on Star Trek Voyager, but who lasted only a week before she quit due to the long hours. It is doubtful she would have consented to be interviewed, but it would have been interesting to hear her speak as I don't believe she has ever talked publicly about her time with Star Trek. At this point in his life, Shatner confesses that he has been in denial about Star Trek and Captain Kirk's popularity and influence. He has been insecure all his life. Knowing that he had an authorized biography written in 1979 seems to confirm this. He probably thought that at age 48, he wouldn't accomplish much more in life. (On the contrary, Shatner detractors might see this as an act of hubris in thinking that he would have much to say at that point in his life.) I have read much about Shatner and the other actors, and there is not much revealed that I was not already aware of through other sources. But it is fun seeing the actors on screen and seemingly enjoying Shatner's company. There are a few short video clips of early Shatner that I've never seen before. As I mentioned earlier, Shatner does have an epiphany at the end of the documentary, and whether genuine or not (it's hard to tell when Shatner is being sincere), it is kind of heartwarming to hear, especially if Shatner as Captain Kirk is a "hero" of yours. Promotional materials have listed this documentary at 120 minutes, but my DVD version is 96 minutes. There is undoubtedly much unused footage, but the only extras on the DVD are the trailer and an 11 minute "making of" documentary. I doubt that someone not familiar with Star Trek would enjoy this documentary, although there is the interesting element of discovering what preoccupies the mind of someone famous in the twilight years of his life. If you're only a casual fan of Shatner, then you might be disappointed. It probably goes without saying, but if you're a fan of William Shatner, then you'll enjoy watching this documentary. And if you ever get a chance to audition for the role of a starship captain in a Star Trek television series, then I highly recommend you watch this documentary first. -- Reed

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]]> The Captains is a documentary made for fans of Star Trek. It features interviews with the actors who starred as starship captains in the Star Trek franchise. What makes this Star Trek documentary unique is that it was written and directed by William Shatner, the second actor to play a starship captain. (Shatner replaced the first actor as captain, Jeffrey Hunter, who starred in only the pilot episode of Star Trek. Hunter has gone on to the final frontier, and so was not contacted for an interview.) Also the interviews were conducted by Shatner, who appears on-screen with his interviewees. On viewing this documentary, it soon becomes apparent that its focus is not on Star Trek, but rather on Shatner himself. I confess. I am a lapsed Trekkie. I suppose my faith waivered because I was disappointed in Star Trek (2009). Perhaps I couldn't let go of the fact that William Shatner was no longer Captain Kirk. I grew up with the original series, and William Shatner will always be my favourite captain. For many males including myself, Shatner's Captain Kirk was the embodiment of masculinity: he commanded the respect of those being led by him; he fearlessly encountered the unknown; and he attracted females wherever he travelled. None of the later captains for whatever reasons were able to highlight these characteristics in the way Shatner did in my mind. Even when there was a conscious attempt to emulate these original characteristics in the last Star Trek series to date with Scott Bakula's Captain Archer, the general public did not seem to take notice. Every Star Trek fan has his own favourite captain, though, so interviewing all of them seems like the best way to appeal to as many people as possible. The documentary opens with Shatner being greeted on a runway tarmac by Steve Ridolfi who is the President of Bombardier Business Aircraft, Bombardier Aerospace Inc. (Note that in the "making of" documentary on the DVD, he is misidentified as Pierre Beaudoin who is President and Chief Executive Officer of Bombardier Inc. and also the Director of Bombardier Aerospace Inc.) Bombardier, not Priceline, provided a business Global aircraft for Shatner and the Canadian film crew to fly to the various cities in which the actors were situated at the time of filming. Coincidentally, Bombardier is based in Shatner's hometown of Montreal, Quebec, Canada. (Shatner is the guest speaker at Bombardier Aerospace's 15th Safety Standdown this year.) Ridolfi is filmed telling Shatner how Captain Kirk and Star Trek inspired him to get into aeronautical engineering. I'm sure Shatner hears this all the time, especially when he interviewed scientists for his book, "I'm Working on That," and in the documentary, "How William Shatner Changed the World." But conveniently, this incident will be referenced by Shatner at the end of the documentary when he discusses an epiphany with Patrick Stewart. There is an effort made to vary the settings in which the actors are interviewed, taking advantage of the various locales. An effort is also made to visually introduce each of the actors in a unique way depending on the location. The most inventive is probably the introduction of Kate Mulgrew in New York which is done by surprising her on the street with Shatner hidden inside a large cardboard box. Multiple HD cameras were used, and sometimes rapid editing is used. The background piano music lends an air of classiness to the interviews. People who have watched Shatner's Raw Nerve television interview series will be familiar with Shatner's interviewing style. It can be intimate at times, and occasionally, Shatner inadvertently interrupts someone's train of thought in an answer. Since this documentary edits the actors' answers together, the flow is rather smooth. Still, Shatner's interview with Avery Brooks is the most bizarre through no fault of Shatner's, I presume. To be fair, perhaps Brooks thought the questions were annoying. I think Shatner makes the interview work because he goes along with Brooks' antic of answering questions by playing jazz piano. I think this is the first time that I've ever seen Shatner actually try to sing. The improvised vocal duets that he does with Brooks are hypnotic. In Shatner's encounter with Chris Pine, Shatner mentions that he enjoyed Pine's performance in Unstoppable. I still don't know if Shatner has watched Chris Pine in Star Trek (2009). It's like Shatner is wearing a badge of honour in not having bothered to watch it. Shatner's interview with Kate Mulgrew is the most emotional with Shatner getting Mulgrew to admit that it's impossible for a woman to be successful at both motherhood in real-life and being a starship captain on television. Shatner has a friendly camaraderie with Scott Bakula, and is shown teaching him how to ride a horse. It is no surprise that Shatner seems most at ease with Patrick Stewart with whom he worked on a Star Trek movie. One thing I find annoying in all Star Trek documentaries is the use of clips from the Star Trek television series and movies. I suppose these might be helpful for people who haven't seen everything like I have, but to me, it's just filler. This documentary occasionally shows a clip here and there, and they're not overly intrusive. (There is a strange use of a clip run backwards of Voyager going into warp.) For Star Trek fans hoping to see other Star Trek actors, there are short interview segments with Jonathan Frakes, Robert Picardo, Nana Visitor, Rene Auberjonois, Connor Trinneer, and Jeri Ryan. It's funny to see Shatner greet each woman who has been in Star Trek as "the most beautiful woman in Star Trek." So that's how Captain Kirk was able to land so many human and alien babes. In the past, Shatner has gone undercover at Star Trek conventions wearing a gorilla mask. In this documentary, he is filmed casually strolling through a Star Trek convention while the camera catches the surprised reactions of Trekkies. It's fun to see Shatner quietly sneak into a group of Trekkies in costume being photographed. I suppose that at his age, Shatner commands such respect that he doesn't need an entourage protecting him, but his bodyguards are undoubtedly off-screen and nearby. Although it's fun to see this convention footage including the requisite Trekkie interviews, one has to wonder if Shatner didn't think there was enough interest in the actor interviews to support the entire documentary. Or maybe he knows what Trekkies want to see. There is also a section where he interviews a fellow Canadian actor, Christopher Plummer, who did not portray a starship captain, but rather a Klingon general. Plummer's inclusion in this documentary has more to do with his time with Shatner at the Stratford Festival where they performed in Shakespeare's plays. The actor interviews are edited so all the actors are introduced within the first half an hour. Their responses are grouped around specific lines of questioning that reflect Shatner's life and concerns. For example, each actor in turn discusses how they got into acting and this leads to Shatner telling about his early experience of how he made audience members cry as a kid acting in a play about the Holocaust. So does interviewing the actors who have portrayed starship captains provide any enlightenment as to what it takes to be a starship captain in Star Trek? Stage experience is common to all the actors, but this isn't much of a revelation. There is also a discussion of how being the star of a television series affects family life due to the long hours. I don't think Shatner knows much about the other Star Trek series, and I don't think he spent much time reading about the actors he interviewed. He is shown reading a research folder on one of the jet trips, but I imagine he was hoping to find insight during the actual interviews. You might think to portray an effective leader that having experience as a leader in real life might help. But this is not addressed. Unfortunately, I don't think Shatner was successful at uncovering new ground. There is nary a mention of one French-Canadian actress, Genevieve Bujold, who was hired as the Star Trek captain on Star Trek Voyager, but who lasted only a week before she quit due to the long hours. It is doubtful she would have consented to be interviewed, but it would have been interesting to hear her speak as I don't believe she has ever talked publicly about her time with Star Trek. At this point in his life, Shatner confesses that he has been in denial about Star Trek and Captain Kirk's popularity and influence. He has been insecure all his life. Knowing that he had an authorized biography written in 1979 seems to confirm this. He probably thought that at age 48, he wouldn't accomplish much more in life. (On the contrary, Shatner detractors might see this as an act of hubris in thinking that he would have much to say at that point in his life.) I have read much about Shatner and the other actors, and there is not much revealed that I was not already aware of through other sources. But it is fun seeing the actors on screen and seemingly enjoying Shatner's company. There are a few short video clips of early Shatner that I've never seen before. As I mentioned earlier, Shatner does have an epiphany at the end of the documentary, and whether genuine or not (it's hard to tell when Shatner is being sincere), it is kind of heartwarming to hear, especially if Shatner as Captain Kirk is a "hero" of yours. Promotional materials have listed this documentary at 120 minutes, but my DVD version is 96 minutes. There is undoubtedly much unused footage, but the only extras on the DVD are the trailer and an 11 minute "making of" documentary. I doubt that someone not familiar with Star Trek would enjoy this documentary, although there is the interesting element of discovering what preoccupies the mind of someone famous in the twilight years of his life. If you're only a casual fan of Shatner, then you might be disappointed. It probably goes without saying, but if you're a fan of William Shatner, then you'll enjoy watching this documentary. And if you ever get a chance to audition for the role of a starship captain in a Star Trek television series, then I highly recommend you watch this documentary first. -- Reed

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]]> http://www.filmjunk.com/2011/10/24/the-captains-dvd-review/feed/ Fantastic Fest 2011: Comic-Con Episode Four: A Fan’s Hope Review http://www.filmjunk.com/2011/09/30/fantastic-fest-2011-comic-con-episode-four-a-fans-hope-review/ http://www.filmjunk.com/2011/09/30/fantastic-fest-2011-comic-con-episode-four-a-fans-hope-review/#comments Fri, 30 Sep 2011 16:47:39 +0000 Shannon http://www.filmjunk.com/?p=64436 Fantastic Fest 2011 featured Morgan Spurlock’s new documentary Comic-Con Episode Four:  A Fan’s Hope as one of its closing night films.  It seems like a risky venture to try to chronicle an event that has swelled to over 125,000 participants in recent years, but Spurlock wisely chooses to humanize the film by following a handful of fans and participants. The result is a surprisingly touching and funny film. If you’ve grown tired of Spurlock (who seemed to be everywhere a few years ago), never fear. He does not appear in the film, so unlike Michael Moore’s films, this one is truly about the people it features, not the celebrity filmmaker. Briefly, Comic-Con Episode Four introduces us to a few central characters: a young man orchestrating a marriage proposal at a Kevin Smith panel, two men pinning their dreams on their art portfolios, a costume designer, and the grizzled owner of Mile High Comics, the largest purveyor of comic books in the world. The movie begins by giving us a little insight into the true roots of the festival as a place for comic book fans to gather. As most of us now know, the festival has shifted to a pop-culture phenomenon, while comic books and their collectors have been relegated to second-class citizens. As an early interviewee laments, “now it is all people who have never even read a comic book, or people who have never left their mother’s basements.” Spurlock (who is also credited as writer, along with Joss Whedon and Jeremy Chilnick) intersperses these personal stories with brief interviews of people explaining what they love about Comic Con. It’s a virtual who’s who of geek culture - Stan Lee, Joss Whedon, Edgar Wright, Seth Rogen, Matt Fraction, Harry Knowles, Kevin Smith and dozens more. Things jump around enough to keep the movie zipping along, and it’s a quick watch. The film is punctuated with a lot of humor, particularly from Mile High owner Chuck Rozanski with his bone-dry pearls of wisdom. However, there are many parts tinged with sadness. Rozanski’s brutal fight to survive in a dying business and the complete commercialization of a once pure event, along with one of the illustrators gently and consistently getting shot down by talent scouts are quite moving, as is the nerd’s proposal. I was quite surprised to find myself tearing up on more than one occasion, and I know that I wasn’t alone. This documentary won’t save the world, but it is a nice diversion. There is something exhilarating about the enthusiasm and sheer joy of the participants; it’s the antithesis of the complacency that plagues our society. - Shannon

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]]> Fantastic Fest 2011 featured Morgan Spurlock’s new documentary Comic-Con Episode Four:  A Fan’s Hope as one of its closing night films.  It seems like a risky venture to try to chronicle an event that has swelled to over 125,000 participants in recent years, but Spurlock wisely chooses to humanize the film by following a handful of fans and participants. The result is a surprisingly touching and funny film. If you’ve grown tired of Spurlock (who seemed to be everywhere a few years ago), never fear. He does not appear in the film, so unlike Michael Moore’s films, this one is truly about the people it features, not the celebrity filmmaker. Briefly, Comic-Con Episode Four introduces us to a few central characters: a young man orchestrating a marriage proposal at a Kevin Smith panel, two men pinning their dreams on their art portfolios, a costume designer, and the grizzled owner of Mile High Comics, the largest purveyor of comic books in the world. The movie begins by giving us a little insight into the true roots of the festival as a place for comic book fans to gather. As most of us now know, the festival has shifted to a pop-culture phenomenon, while comic books and their collectors have been relegated to second-class citizens. As an early interviewee laments, “now it is all people who have never even read a comic book, or people who have never left their mother’s basements.” Spurlock (who is also credited as writer, along with Joss Whedon and Jeremy Chilnick) intersperses these personal stories with brief interviews of people explaining what they love about Comic Con. It’s a virtual who’s who of geek culture - Stan Lee, Joss Whedon, Edgar Wright, Seth Rogen, Matt Fraction, Harry Knowles, Kevin Smith and dozens more. Things jump around enough to keep the movie zipping along, and it’s a quick watch. The film is punctuated with a lot of humor, particularly from Mile High owner Chuck Rozanski with his bone-dry pearls of wisdom. However, there are many parts tinged with sadness. Rozanski’s brutal fight to survive in a dying business and the complete commercialization of a once pure event, along with one of the illustrators gently and consistently getting shot down by talent scouts are quite moving, as is the nerd’s proposal. I was quite surprised to find myself tearing up on more than one occasion, and I know that I wasn’t alone. This documentary won’t save the world, but it is a nice diversion. There is something exhilarating about the enthusiasm and sheer joy of the participants; it’s the antithesis of the complacency that plagues our society. - Shannon

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]]> http://www.filmjunk.com/2011/09/30/fantastic-fest-2011-comic-con-episode-four-a-fans-hope-review/feed/ Beauty Day Premieres on HBO Canada Tonight at 10 pm http://www.filmjunk.com/2011/09/19/beauty-day-premieres-on-hbo-canada-tonight-at-10-pm/ http://www.filmjunk.com/2011/09/19/beauty-day-premieres-on-hbo-canada-tonight-at-10-pm/#comments Mon, 19 Sep 2011 17:22:09 +0000 Sean http://www.filmjunk.com/?p=63790 Hey guys, I just wanted to post a quick reminder for anyone living in Canada that Jay's documentary Beauty Day will be premiering in HD on HBO Canada tonight at 10 pm. If you can't catch it tonight, it will be available via The Movie Network On Demand starting tomorrow, and it will also be re-airing at various times throughout the next few weeks. It will also be playing at the Dark Bridges Film Festival in Saskatoon on October 1st with Cap'n Video himself in attendance. I know there are a lot of people outside of Canada who still haven't had a chance to see it, and hopefully we will be able to get it into your eyeballs soon. The DVD and Blu-ray are in the works as we speak, and the movie will also be playing at the Zurich Film Festival in Switzerland this coming weekend (Jay will be at most of the screenings). In the meantime, spread the word to your Canadian friends and tell them to set their PVRs tonight. Check out the full airing schedule for Beauty Day, and for more info visit the film's official site.

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]]> Hey guys, I just wanted to post a quick reminder for anyone living in Canada that Jay's documentary Beauty Day will be premiering in HD on HBO Canada tonight at 10 pm. If you can't catch it tonight, it will be available via The Movie Network On Demand starting tomorrow, and it will also be re-airing at various times throughout the next few weeks. It will also be playing at the Dark Bridges Film Festival in Saskatoon on October 1st with Cap'n Video himself in attendance. I know there are a lot of people outside of Canada who still haven't had a chance to see it, and hopefully we will be able to get it into your eyeballs soon. The DVD and Blu-ray are in the works as we speak, and the movie will also be playing at the Zurich Film Festival in Switzerland this coming weekend (Jay will be at most of the screenings). In the meantime, spread the word to your Canadian friends and tell them to set their PVRs tonight. Check out the full airing schedule for Beauty Day, and for more info visit the film's official site.

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]]> http://www.filmjunk.com/2011/09/19/beauty-day-premieres-on-hbo-canada-tonight-at-10-pm/feed/ TIFF 2011: Paradise Lost 3: Purgatory Review http://www.filmjunk.com/2011/09/15/tiff-2011-paradise-lost-3-purgatory-review/ http://www.filmjunk.com/2011/09/15/tiff-2011-paradise-lost-3-purgatory-review/#comments Thu, 15 Sep 2011 16:21:05 +0000 Sean http://www.filmjunk.com/?p=63575 Back in 1995, documentary filmmakers Joe Berlinger and Bruce Sinofsky flew down to West Memphis, Arkansas, to cover a murder trial that they thought would represent the callousness of today's youth and the total deterioration of American values. Three teenagers had apparently decided to kill and decapitate three eight-year old boys on a whim. What they found, however, was something entirely different: a small town witch hunt, an incompetent justice system and mass hysteria. Despite a complete lack of physical evidence, Damien Echols, Jason Baldwin and Jessie Miskelly were convicted and thrown behind bars before they could scarcely comprehend what had happened to them. The resulting documentary Paradise Lost: The Child Murders at Robin Hood Hills was a landmark film, not just because it told a story that was both gripping and shocking, but also because it started a movement. That movement, in part, led to Paradise Lost 2: Revelations, a sequel that focused on the battle to free the West Memphis Three (as they have since been labeled) and also raised suspicions about the possible involvement of the father of one of the murdered boys, John Mark Byers. Alas, a decade after the release of that film, they were all still serving life sentences, one of them on death row. Which brings us to Paradise Lost 3: Purgatory. The third film in the series focuses on a plethora of new evidence that has been unearthed to potentially prove their innocence, and it also checks in with these people ten years later. In some ways, a lot has changed. Everyone seems to have a lot less hair for one thing, but it also seems that people have generally mellowed out. Damien and John Mark Byers have made amends, and the West Memphis Three have learned to accept their situation and make the best of it. Does time really heal all wounds? The movie once again opens with ominous Metallica guitar riffs and swooping aerial shots of West Memphis, and then proceeds to attempt to summarize events from the previous two films. Although you could probably do an endless series of films about these characters and it would never get old, there is an incredible amount of recapping that eventually becomes necessary in order to keep new viewers up to speed. At first it feels that we will never get to any new material, but it slowly rekindles the feeling of outrage as we see all of the ridiculous decisions that were made along the way. The majority of the film is concerned with presenting the evidence that has been gathered by new experts who were hired by the WM3 Legal Defense Fund. They have obtained new DNA evidence that wasn't available with the technology they had at the time of the trial that does not link any of the West Memphis Three to the crime scene. Lorri Davis, a long time campaigner and now Damien's wife, is among those who were instrumental in pushing for the evidence to be presented in court. Despite a statute allowing for post-conviction DNA testing, however, the request is initially denied due to a questionable interpretation of the law. The DNA testing does reveal a new potential suspect, and even though the courts are not interested in hearing about it, the film indulges this possibility for a while. Compared with the previous film, however, the evidence is not as strong and the suspect is not nearly as riveting on screen as the fire and brimstone of John Mark Byers. The big problem with reviewing this movie, of course, is that the cut shown at TIFF was essentially unfinished. As most people know by now, the West Memphis Three were finally released last month with ten-year suspended sentences. The details of the deal they made and their re-introduction to the real world after 18 years in prison are not covered by the film. I guess this is what happens when your movie is pushing for change -- it can potentially rewrite the very story it is documenting. This is obviously a good thing, but it means the filmmakers are one step behind. Although Paradise Lost 3 is perhaps the tightest and most well-made of the three films thus far, it is a little less compelling content-wise, particularly if you've seen the first two films. The new ending will make it stronger and more satisfying to be sure, but it remains to be seen how much material they might leave for a possible fourth film. As it stands, Paradise Lost 3 serves as a solid conclusion to what is an amazing non-fiction trilogy. However, if a fourth film were to become a reality, it could end up being the non-essential middle chapter of an otherwise epic story. Only time will tell. -- Sean

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]]> Back in 1995, documentary filmmakers Joe Berlinger and Bruce Sinofsky flew down to West Memphis, Arkansas, to cover a murder trial that they thought would represent the callousness of today's youth and the total deterioration of American values. Three teenagers had apparently decided to kill and decapitate three eight-year old boys on a whim. What they found, however, was something entirely different: a small town witch hunt, an incompetent justice system and mass hysteria. Despite a complete lack of physical evidence, Damien Echols, Jason Baldwin and Jessie Miskelly were convicted and thrown behind bars before they could scarcely comprehend what had happened to them. The resulting documentary Paradise Lost: The Child Murders at Robin Hood Hills was a landmark film, not just because it told a story that was both gripping and shocking, but also because it started a movement. That movement, in part, led to Paradise Lost 2: Revelations, a sequel that focused on the battle to free the West Memphis Three (as they have since been labeled) and also raised suspicions about the possible involvement of the father of one of the murdered boys, John Mark Byers. Alas, a decade after the release of that film, they were all still serving life sentences, one of them on death row. Which brings us to Paradise Lost 3: Purgatory. The third film in the series focuses on a plethora of new evidence that has been unearthed to potentially prove their innocence, and it also checks in with these people ten years later. In some ways, a lot has changed. Everyone seems to have a lot less hair for one thing, but it also seems that people have generally mellowed out. Damien and John Mark Byers have made amends, and the West Memphis Three have learned to accept their situation and make the best of it. Does time really heal all wounds? The movie once again opens with ominous Metallica guitar riffs and swooping aerial shots of West Memphis, and then proceeds to attempt to summarize events from the previous two films. Although you could probably do an endless series of films about these characters and it would never get old, there is an incredible amount of recapping that eventually becomes necessary in order to keep new viewers up to speed. At first it feels that we will never get to any new material, but it slowly rekindles the feeling of outrage as we see all of the ridiculous decisions that were made along the way. The majority of the film is concerned with presenting the evidence that has been gathered by new experts who were hired by the WM3 Legal Defense Fund. They have obtained new DNA evidence that wasn't available with the technology they had at the time of the trial that does not link any of the West Memphis Three to the crime scene. Lorri Davis, a long time campaigner and now Damien's wife, is among those who were instrumental in pushing for the evidence to be presented in court. Despite a statute allowing for post-conviction DNA testing, however, the request is initially denied due to a questionable interpretation of the law. The DNA testing does reveal a new potential suspect, and even though the courts are not interested in hearing about it, the film indulges this possibility for a while. Compared with the previous film, however, the evidence is not as strong and the suspect is not nearly as riveting on screen as the fire and brimstone of John Mark Byers. The big problem with reviewing this movie, of course, is that the cut shown at TIFF was essentially unfinished. As most people know by now, the West Memphis Three were finally released last month with ten-year suspended sentences. The details of the deal they made and their re-introduction to the real world after 18 years in prison are not covered by the film. I guess this is what happens when your movie is pushing for change -- it can potentially rewrite the very story it is documenting. This is obviously a good thing, but it means the filmmakers are one step behind. Although Paradise Lost 3 is perhaps the tightest and most well-made of the three films thus far, it is a little less compelling content-wise, particularly if you've seen the first two films. The new ending will make it stronger and more satisfying to be sure, but it remains to be seen how much material they might leave for a possible fourth film. As it stands, Paradise Lost 3 serves as a solid conclusion to what is an amazing non-fiction trilogy. However, if a fourth film were to become a reality, it could end up being the non-essential middle chapter of an otherwise epic story. Only time will tell. -- Sean

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