joshua hoover – Page 11

Way late review: Project Nim

If the story of a chimp raised by humans told in Project Nim sounds vaguely familiar to the blockbuster Rise of the Planet of the Apes, there’s a good reason for that. The screenwriters for Rise were well aware of Nim, the chimp whom scientists wanted to see if they could teach sign language as he was raised like a human. Spoiler: Project Nim does not end with an ape uprising that culminates in one terrific battle on the Golden Gate bridge.

Why some people are willing participants in documentaries, at times offering unbelievable access into their lives, can be mind boggling. Project Nim has no shortage of those who baffle with their willingness to document their involvement in the pseudo-science they practiced on Nim – Nim Chimpsky if we want to get formal.

Nim was removed forcefully from his mother at a tender age by scientist Herbert Terrace and handed over to one of Terrace’s students, Stephanie LaFarge, who was to raise Nim in her upper class Manhattan home as one of her children and teach him sign language. Never mind the fact that LaFarge didn’t have any knowledge of chimpanzees or know sign language. Things get better for entertainment purposes from there for us the viewers but much worse for Nim. LaFarge’s husband does not like the chimp, the feeling is mutual. We learn of raids on the husband’s bookshelves when no one is looking and nips on the fingers when dad tries to make nice with his newly adopted “son”. LaFarge not only doesn’t know much about raising chimpanzees, she also doesn’t seem to know much about discipline, as she shows little to no discipline to a spoiled ape in the making. She also doesn’t have much common sense as she gives Nim beer to drink and joints to smoke. I’m not a zoologist but I’m pretty sure you’re not supposed to give animals either of those substances.

Nim learns sign language and wastes no time using it to manipulate the humans in his life. Meanwhile, the scientist (Terrace) who started this mad experiment takes a mostly hands off approach. His closest moments with Nim are when there is a photo shoot or PR win to be had, otherwise it’s made clear that he has little interest in being fully engaged.

Inevitably Nim turns into an aggressive adolescent ape who acts out against his handlers. He’s a wild animal who has been raised like a child with little restraints. Those involved seem shocked as they retell events that include Nim nearly tearing one side of a handler’s cheek off. Even in these moments Nim uses sign language to his advantage. He signs “sorry” and takes off. Whether he is sorry for his actions or he’s learned a system he knows how to game is hard to tell – he’s an ape after all. One thing becomes clear though, the chimp has more brains than the humans surrounding him.

The latter half of Nim’s life is spent traveling from home to home until he finally ends up in an ape sanctuary. Unlike Caesar, Nim doesn’t learn the ropes and eventually lead an ape rebellion. He settles in for a lonely existence as an ape who is not like his peers yet can never be considered a pet.

Unlike the director’s previous documentary, Man on Wire, James Marsh doesn’t push the genre to new heights. He instead lets those involved tell the story through candid interviews, mixing in at times fascinating archival footage. The end result is a strong narrative with less engaging character development. If only Nim could talk. One can only imagine what he’d have to say.

Final thought: Is that one of the most hideous looking DVD covers of all time?

[xrr rating=4/5 label=” “]

This post is part of my Way late reviews. Read more reviews here.

[youtube width=”640″ height=”360″]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yxQap9AAPOs[/youtube]

Way late review: The Ides of March

George Clooney’s The Ides of March is a political thriller that attempts to thrill with the revelation that human beings are not inherently good. Not much of a revelation and not much of a thriller. Ides of March attempts to make grandiose gestures set to menacing music and shadowy backdrops but ultimately ends up being a fairly straightforward tale of political corruption running its course.

Like many films starring George Clooney (many of which I like quite a bit), the character is George Clooney, except this time he’s a top presidential candidate, Mike Morris. Not a hard sell for a culture obsessed with celebrities and has previously elected a former actor into the White House. The allusions to a different kind of candidate are hard to miss as posters with Clooney’s face closely resemble those of Obama in the 2008 US campaign. Instead of pandering to religious beliefs, Morris stands behind his flavor of atheism and reason. His promised initiatives are ambitious. When tempted to waiver on his convictions in order to gain critical votes, this candidate won’t budge. He makes it clear that there are lines that can’t be crossed – until they can.

Ryan Gosling plays Stephen Meyers, a relatively young but experienced press spokesperson for presidential candidate Mike Morris (George Clooney). The challenge for Meyers and the rest of the campaign staff is winning a tight race between their man and Arkansas Senator Ted Pullman (Michael Mantell). Everything seems to hinge on wrapping up the endorsement of North Carolina Senator Franklin Thompson (Jeffrey Wright). The price for this endorsement is giving Thompson a prized cabinet seat. Morris won’t do it but apparently his competition will. With that news, Pullman’s campaign manager Tom Duffy (Paul Giamatti) goes in for the kill. He invites Meyers to lunch to talk about joining the other team. Meyers complies and from there things get further complicated, with numerous plot spoilers throughout.

Not a bad movie by any means, Ides of March is stacked with talented actors who, for the most part, give fine performances. The problem is that the movie takes a while to get going and then once it hits its stride the twists and turns that make up this political thriller aren’t quite as thrilling as Clooney the director seems to think they are. What is left is an above average film stacked with talent.

[xrr rating=3/5 label=” “]

This post is part of my Way late reviews. Read more reviews here.

[youtube width=”640″ height=”360″]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uha0XfGBdMw[/youtube]

True/False Film Fest 2012: Sunday

All good things come to an end and I ended my three days at True/False 2012 in Columbia, MO intentionally early. The docs I was most interested in seeing were later in the afternoon and most of them I believe I’ll be able to catch later this year as they either have distribution or soon will.

That said, my experience at True/False was a great one. The festival is extremely well run which makes everything that much more enjoyable. Kudos to all the volunteers who were both behind the scenes and front and center. They’re dedication to the event made it a great one. Everything ran so incredibly smooth.

A pleasant surprise with the fest was the music performed by various bands from all over the country before each movie started. The music was solid and made time fly. It makes me wonder if movie theaters could learn a lesson here. Maybe instead of blasting people with ads, you go with music videos from local bands or lesser known artists who want to publicize their latest release? Sure, it might seem like advertising in a way but it’s far more enjoyable than the drivel that I’ve seen the past few years that proceeds most theatrical screenings.

I’d like to go the festival again next year and have my wife join me. I think she’d enjoy it. It’s a year away so we’ll see. I’d consider going Thursday through Sunday next year, as I think that would allow more opportunities to see some of the films and not feel the crunch of one immediately after the other. Plus, I’d like to attend some of the other panels/workshops next year that I didn’t get a chance to attend this time around.

True/False Film Fest 2012: Saturday

Day two of the festival for me. A very ambitious day, as I picked five movies to watch. That’s the most I could fit in for today. I wanted to stay for maybe only one or two movies on Sunday so I could get back home at a reasonable time which meant Saturday was going to be a marathon. I’ve heard of people who do 5+ movies per day at other film fests and they do this for 5+ days. I can’t imagine. While today wasn’t bad, I wouldn’t want to watch five movies in one day very often. The brain can only process so much before the films all start to blur together.

Besides being filled with movies, my day was also filled with a bit of sadness as I said farewell to my trusty companion, a Samsung Tracfone, who died a sudden death. I knew its life was nearly over when he went through the washing machine late last year. The little guy made a miraculous recovery that wasn’t meant to last forever. I’ve since replaced him with his cousin, another, even cheaper Samsung model. Being in Columbia (MO…but still), buying a burner phone and desperately seeking out internet so I can setup the phone with the packaging spread out all over the car didn’t look suspicious at all. If I disappear one day soon you’ll know why – “they” got me.

I didn’t mention this yesterday but I’ve been staying for the Q&A sessions with the filmmakers after each screening. I’ve found this to be well worth suffering through the occasional pretentious comments clumsily disguised as questions from the audience. I would be a nervous wreck if I were these directors, many of whom are getting reactions from a crowd for their film for the first time. They’ve all been incredibly gracious and insightful. I recommend spending the 15-20 minutes after the film for the Q&A.

Now onto the movies I saw…

Only the Young

Confession time. Only the Young was the one movie out of the ten I picked to see at True/False that I was least enthusiastic about. The writeup on it was intriguing enough to get me to commit to it as one of my selections but I feared it might be nothing more than a reality TV show in documentary clothing about spoiled southern California youth that wouldn’t rise above navel gazing. I was wrong, though the first five minutes had me concerned. Once we settle into the lives of the three main teenagers the movie is so sincere it’s hard to find fault. It doesn’t hurt that it’s also beautifully shot, the music is filled with a unique selection of soul music, and the kids are all around pretty amazing. Contrast this doc with another I saw at the festival Friday that had a teen at the center of its story, Me @ the Zoo, and it’s hard not to feel some extra redeeming value in Only the Young. A fantastic film that is neck in neck with The Imposter for me so far at the festival. And unlike Me @ the Zoo, this is one that kids should and can definitely watch.
[xrr rating=5/5 label=” “]

Searching for Sugar Man

I can’t say a lot about this film without ruining it. The mystery is what happened to singer-songwriter Sixto Diaz Rodriguez who recorded two albums, never went anywhere in the US but became a big hit in South Africa (think South African Elvis). Rumors in South Africa were that Rodriguez committed suicide on stage in a variety of gruesome manners, the worst being that he hit lit himself on fire. That is the setup for this doc and it is a well told story whose only serious problem is a certain subject who makes for a very difficult interview. Director Malik Bendjelloul does his best to work around this and does an admirable job. The story is so well told it’s amazing to learn that the director almost didn’t finish the film due to a lack of funding. He did much of the remaining work on his own, on his laptop, including editing and some animation. Impressive.
[xrr rating=4.5/5 label=” “]

The Queen of Versailles

In The Queen of Versailles Jacquie and David Siegel have a BHAG (big hairy audacious goal, for those not in the loop on the Jim Collins/Tom Peters dialect). They want to build their dream home – a ninety thousand foot extravagant monster unlike any other in the world. Jacquie was a former beauty queen and is on her second marriage with David, a rich time share developer. The two have seven of their own kids plus one of Jacquie’s nieces. Things can’t seem to get more surreal from there but somehow they do. Pictures adorn the Siegel household that have David as a king and Jacquie as a goddess and many others that are just as over the top not to mention absurd. Mix in a timeshare business and obscene amounts of greed and it’s hard to imagine this movie stirring up a sliver of empathy, yet it does. There are a lot of interesting characters and sub-plots to follow and at times the film suffers when it breaks away from the story of David and Jacquie. The film is too long as a result. That said, there are some incredible moments captured on screen. Moments that are hard to believe the Siegels would be happy to see on the big screen, but there they are. The Queen of Versailles is definitely a commentary on at least one part of the meltdown in 2008 and succeeds in portraying it through a couple who are oddly out of this world yet somehow also down-to-earth.
[xrr rating=4/5 label=” “]

Comic-Con Episode IV: A Fan’s Hope

I picked Morgan Spurlock’s latest flick not because I’m a huge fan of his but because I thought Comic-Con Episode IV: A Fan’s Hope could be a lot of fun to watch with a large group of people. I wasn’t disappointed. The room was full of fans of all things Comic-Con. Whenever a favorite hero appeared on screen (Joss Whedon, Stan Lee, Kevin Smith, etc.) cheering broke out. Applause and cheers also came during several moments in the film where the main subjects achieve their stated goal. Laughs were also plentiful. Does all this make for a great doc? Not great, but good. The production value is extremely high. This was likely due to Spurlock’s 150 or so people working on the film, which included 24+ film crews at the convention filming at the same time. We learned during the Q&A, which Spurlock attended, that there have been numerous people trying to get documentaries made about Comic-Con but the show promoters have denied permission until this film. The film chooses several people to follow to the geek mecca in San Diego. These people represent different aspects of the show including aspiring artists, collectors, old-school comic book fans/sellers, and couples who find love connections at the convention. Interspersed throughout are interviews with various celebrities and fans all set to an Apple ad like white background. The style works for the film since it has a high gloss factor to it, including highly stylized comic book animatied transitions and a super hero movie soundtrack. I had a lot of fun watching the film with everyone and it was a nice bonus for Spurlock and two of the film’s main characters to make it for the Q&A.
[xrr rating=3.5/5 label=” “]

I can’t say much about the fifth doc I saw since it was a secret screening and the policy at the fest is you can’t write up anything about it. They do this so they can show films that would otherwise not be shown due to restrictions other festivals have on exclusivity to premieres. To some of the larger festivals, your movie is tainted if it’s been shown before. True/False secret screenings get around this restriction by never promoting the movie by name or too many specific details.

True/False Film Fest 2012: Friday

Last year I heard about the True False Film Festival in Columbia, MO. The timing wasn’t right for me so I didn’t attend. I was determined to make it this year. I’ve never attended a film festival before now. The location is close enough, the price is fair and the films are all documentaries which is just fine with me.

The drive to Columbia was about four hours for me. I stayed at the Wingate hotel, which I mention only because I find it helpful to know where people stay at when they go to events like this. After getting a first room that smelled like Don Draper and crew had spent the night there puffing on their Lucky Strikes, I was given a satisfactory room. Nothing special but I got it for $50 a night thanks to an early Priceline booking. I’m happy I got it back in the fall when I did. This hotel and nearly every other in the area is said to be booked solid this weekend.

Gorilla playing accordion — This gorilla was playing all Friday evening.

The festival is about a five minute drive from the hotel. As I made my way there I had to laugh at the Honda Civic in front of me sporting a “save the earth” bumper sticker spewing smoke like a coal burning locomotive. I parked in one of the nearby decks which are apparently free if you stay past 6pm. The gates were wide open when I left. I hope that’s how it’s supposed to work because I didn’t see anywhere to pay the 50 cents per hour I was told I’d have to pay.

Once you’re parked everything is within easy walking distance. There is no shortage of restaurants and there should be no fear of having to run from one end of the earth to the other to make your next film.

There are seven theaters spread around the area. Some are in event halls, others in churches and two in an actual theater. My first experience was with a small theater (Little Rag Tag) and a large event hall (The Blue Note). Both were good viewing experiences. Sound and picture quality were solid. My only complaint was The Blue Note had seats made for people under five and a half feet tall.

I ended up seeing three films on Friday. I bought a “Simple Pass” which entitles you to reserve up to 10 films and also allows you to get in the “Q” line for films you don’t have tickets for in hopes of grabbing an early number that will give you entrance if there are seats remaining about 10 minutes before the film starts. My first film on Friday didn’t start until 7pm but I wanted to see if I could get into one at 5pm. I was number 24 in the “Q” for Herman’s House. Numbers 1-26 were called. Nice. An even better bonus is that it stopped raining right before I parked the car which made for a much nicer experience waiting in line outside.

My reviews of the films will be intentionally short. I’m jotting down general thoughts and providing links to more details where possible.

Herman’s House

Herman’s House is the story about a man locked up in solitary confinement for the past forty years and an artist (Jackie Sumell) who designs the man’s dream home. Solitary confinement for forty years. That is pretty insane. Yet that is the reality for Herman Wallace who is in those conditions because he was convicted of murdering a prison guard. One of the more interesting challenges for a director I’ve seen in a while is the fact that we’re never able to see Herman, as the director was unable to get permission from the state. Thankfully Herman has a lively voice and a quick wit about him that comes through clearly over the many phone calls we hear him talking through. The film isn’t as much an activist film as it is a narrative mostly focused on the relationship between Herman and Jackie. The editing could be tighter overall as there are far too many scenes that are explained with title screens and the story drifts a bit at times. An overall solid film that deserves credit for not going the activist route but instead tries to tell a story to make its point.
[xrr rating=3.5/5 label=” “]

The Imposter

A near perfect film. Beautifully shot. Memorable characters. Twists that still have me thinking about them. The Imposter tells the story of a 13 year old Texan boy who goes missing and is reported found in Spain a few years later. To say much more is to spoil the surprise. If you only see one documentary from 2012, I’m going to say you have to make it The Imposter. Yes, it’s that good.
[xrr rating=5/5 label=” “]

Me @ The Zoo

Digital gnosticism. Celebrity obsession. Gender identity. Hatred. Love. Narcissism. Internet phenomenas. All are on full display in Me @ The Zoo, a film that follows YouTube sensation Chris Crocker through the insanity that is his life – online. Made up of mostly existing material from the internet (of wild degrees of quality) and traditional media, the task of putting together a coherent story is a tough one. The filmmakers mostly pull it off, though the film feels about 15 minutes too long. If there weren’t so much inappropriate material for kids, I would say Me @ The Zoo would make a terrific film to discuss with teens and pre-teens. There are so many relevant topics touched on that it’s a goldmine for thought provoking dialog.
[xrr rating=3.5/5 label=” “]

Way late review: Floored

After watching Floored, a documentary about old-school traders on Chicago’s exchange floors, I wonder (once again) if there is much difference between gambling and trading commodities.

One can’t help but notice the subjects of the film, struggling to adapt to the new ways of doing business (computer vs. in-person trades), resemble professional poker players. They wear odd clothes to distinguish themselves on the floor. They are driven by the thrill of making major money in a split second. They thrive in a high stress environment where reading faces and feeling the vibe of the room can be just as important as the math behind it all. Telling these men that their livelihoods is now going to a world dominated by computers is like telling a pro poker player all the money is in online poker. With that one revelation their worlds get flipped upside down. And that reality is the one that Floored examines in its last act. Along the way are fascinating characters, stories, and insights into a world that most of us never get to see, nor will we in the case of the manic days of trading on the floor.

Being a fan of Michael Lewis’ Liar’s Poker, where he tells his story of working at Salomon Brothers in the ’80s, made me particularly interested in watching Floored once I discovered it thanks to Netflix’s recommendation. I was not disappointed. A relatively short film (77 minutes), it wastes no time getting into the insanity of trading floors, including a brief but helpful explanation of what all those crazies yelling at each other in the middle of a pit do. Unbeknown to me, many of those in the pit put up their own money in the trades. That fact alone leads to some intense pressure.

Let there be no doubt, the love of money drives these guys. They are every bit materialistic as they are thrill seekers. Regrets are not expressed by the sadness of losing oneself in insatiable greed or the loss of fellow traders to suicide. No, regrets from these men are often about not staying ahead of the game, either by adapting to the change to computer trading or missing out on some great trades.

Stories of fights after trading hours breaking out include one where two traders take it out to the parking lot. After trading a few blows, one of the traders swings while the other ducks and the punch lands through the window of a car. The trader with a bloody, glass filled hand asks the other for a ride to the hospital. The request for a ride is refused. Mind you, the trader telling this story (the one who refused to give a ride) is eccentric to say the least. We meet him at his house where he shows off an endless display of taxidermy animals he’s killed over the years. Bonus points for putting some of them on wheels, including a giraffe. While giving a tour of the place, this former floor trader states that it’s not any fun if you can’t get killed. I think he was referring to hunting wild animals, but I think his motto applied to his approach to trading.

There is little sympathy in the end for those who find themselves on the way out as a new crew takes their place in the form of analysts, computer scientists, and mathematicians. The game is being played by better players. Too bad that same game is one where most of us are blindly invested.

[xrr rating=5/5 label=” “]

This post is part of my Way late reviews. Read more reviews here.

[youtube width=”640″ height=”360″]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1nz7hMvBJeg[/youtube]

Way late review: Higher Ground

Daring to tackle a subject that seems to be ever harder for even a small Hollywood film to cover as each day passes, Higher Ground paints a heartfelt and honest picture of one woman’s journey in and through and eventually out of the Christian faith.

Corinne (Vera Farmiga) is a young girl at what appears to be some sort of Bible vacation school. The pastor presses the young children in front of him for a decision to invite Jesus into their hearts. It’s a tactic that would likely make Charles Finney beam in pride and John Calvin weep. After surveying the kids around her, Corinne raises her hand in response to the pastor’s plea. Thus begins Corinne’s journey of faith.

Higher Ground is a rare film that doesn’t attempt to belittle the Christian faith nor does it try to gloss over the sins and peculiarities of those who hold to that faith. In place of cynicism we get a view of Corinne’s life and the impact Christianity has had. As a teen, Corinne is the quiet writer contrasted with her sister who is more of the wild child. Somewhat surprisingly, Corinne falls for a wannabe rock star, Ethan (Joshua Leonard), and soon after gets pregnant then married. Their life is one of instability, as Ethan pursues his rock n’ roll dream while Corinne attempts to care for their child. All that changes once the two are in an accident that lands the band’s van in a lake. Mom, dad and baby all make it out alive. Ethan determines this is a miracle from God and begins digging into the Bible. It’s not long before Ethan and Corinne are baptized in a river. Enter the Jesus people stage, one filled with church service in the outdoors, a charismatic twinged faith, and lots of groovy clothes. Again, this seems to be a fairly accurate portrayal of this movement within the Christian faith at the time.

The movie makes a misstep when it attempts to add humor with the Christian married couples’ attempts at grappling with sex in their marriages. Where most of the movie has an authentic feel, these scenes feel like cheats for laughs. They come dangerously close to not laughing at the situations but laughing at those in the situations.

Almost as important to her as her faith in Jesus is Corinne’s friendship with Annika (Dagmara Dominczyk), an adventurous soul who fascinates Corinne. The two friends share a number of memorable moments together as they both learn more about life, faith, and how the two intersect.

A heartbreaking turn of events happens that tests Corinne’s faith. It is at this point in the film we see a clear divergence between Corinne and the rest of her church, including her husband and kids. Corinne finds less and less comfort in a sovereign God who allows terrible things to happen to seemingly good people. This spiral of doubt and sorrow leads to Corinne’s falling out of her faith and marriage. It’s at this point I fully expected the film to teach us how Corinne finds true fulfillment at last as a woman freed from the bondage of Christianity. Instead, we get a glimpse of one who feels free to do what she pleases yet finds little joy. She discovers the allure of greener pastures can often be a mirage.

There is a scene towards the end of the film where Corinne reconnects, if only for a brief moment, with her ex-husband around the kitchen table in celebration of their child’s birthday. It’s not a big scene with sweeping music which makes it even more impactful.

The film’s ending falls into a bit of a trap by making it crystal clear where Corinne is at in relation to her faith. Instead of letting viewers grasp that this is a near middle aged woman with likely many more years left to live and more story to play out, we’re left with a stump speech of sorts. Christian films, those that often are made to evangelize, get raked over the coals for using this often clumsy technique and Higher Ground is not immune to the critique. The difference being that instead of preaching a message, Corinne tells us where she is at in terms of faith in God. It leaves an overall solid film on an off note.

Vera Farmiga succeeds in not only carrying the load of this film based on real life memoirs of Carolyn S. Briggs, she also directed it as a first time effort behind the camera. I admire her attempt to tackle a subject that is not a popular one in her circles and generally handling it with great care, never taking the easy route of cynically portraying her characters while also not hiding their struggles and faults.

[xrr rating=4/5 label=” “]

This post is part of my Way late reviews. Read more reviews here.

[youtube width=”640″ height=”360″]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IRpFKwJHQ7g[/youtube]

Way late review: Beauty Day

Before Youtube and before Johnny Knoxville and his crew there was Ralph Zavadil, aka Cap’n Video. A local access cable show in St. Catharines, Ontario, Cap’n Video existed in obscurity until Zavadil’s alter ego attempted one too many dangerous stunts. And it is that stunt, a botched plunge into a covered pool off a shaky ladder, which opens the documentary Beauty Day.

Not being a fan of watching people put themselves through bizarre, dangerous and often times disgusting stunts, I was hesitant to watch a documentary about one of the early pioneers of the genre that now dominates the web and fills far too many TV channels. Much to my surprise, Beauty Day is far more than a story about Cap’n Video. It is a well told story of a character you wouldn’t believe existed in real life, proving the old adage that truth is stranger than fiction.

Zavadil nearly loses his life after the pool plunge stunt. Had it not been for a neighbor hearing the crash, Cap’n Video would have been in the next day’s obits. While I would assume these antics are done purely for the attention they might gain, the film portrays a more nuanced motivation. Cap’n Video was Zavadil’s attempt to live life to its fullest, albeit in his own odd way. The show and its title character were his way of acting out creatively, escaping a dead end job at the local factory.

Interesting characters make or break any film, documentaries are no exception. But what puts Beauty Day over the top are director Jay Cheel’s choices of music, editing, and cinematography. Very little of the documentary is typical of the genre. Opening with the stunt that ended Zavadil’s show and nearly ended his life is bold. Even the opening title sequence is noticeably different, as it is bright blue with bold white typography. And the use of video grids early on is a great way to further entrench the viewer with the vibe of the Cap’n Video show of old while establishing the unique aesthetics of the documentary itself. Even talking head interviews are interesting, as the first one to show on screen is Ralph with his alien looking light helmet on his head talking about the accident while smoking and drinking. The use of 2:35 aspect ratio for everything but clips from the television show adds to the cinematic feel.

The challenge I’ve noticed character studies like Beauty Day have is they’re never quite sure how deep to go into the story of the character. Sometimes the director tries to dive in deeper and is rejected (see Bill Cunningham, New York), other times the director gets the access to go deeper but fails at painting a complete picture (e.g. Buck) of the subject’s life. Beauty Day succeeds at giving a much fuller picture of Zavadil’s life story while still maintaining a connection to the show that gave him minor celebrity status.

There is a richness to the narrative. We learn about a man who survived cancer as a child and then went on to produce a one-man stunt show which almost led to his death. We see the parallels of a former girlfriend’s experience on the motorcycle racing circuit with that of Zavadil’s life, the revelation of a daughter he didn’t realize he had until later on in life, and witness an attempt to create a 20th anniversary Cap’n Video.

Beauty Day is refreshingly honest. There is a nervous energy about Ralph Zavadil that is hard to not get wrapped up in. At the same time, Ralph is human and the film never tries to hide that. It would be easy to portray him as a misunderstood genius of self-destructive stunts or a troubled soul we should feel sorry for, but instead we get a look at the good, the bad and the stuff that falls somewhere in-between. And all of this is done with a sense of humor and unique style that adds up to a fine film.

[xrr rating=5/5 label=” “]

This post is part of my Way late reviews. Read more reviews here.

[vimeo width=”520″ height=”280″]http://vimeo.com/20169506[/vimeo]

Way late review: The Smurfs

The Smurfs Blu-ray burning garbage

[xrr rating=0/5 label=” “]

This post is part of my Way late reviews. Read more reviews here.

Way late review: Contagion

Sterile. That is the first word that comes to mind when describing Steven Soderbergh’s Contagion, which is strange considering the film centers on a killer disease that threatens to finish off all of mankind. Maybe the paradox of a cold and calculated film about a disgusting and deadly disease is intentional. Outbreak it is not.

There is no time to waste. The first victims of the disease are shown traveling as they begin to show signs of not feeling well. Every item touched by one of these characters in these scenes is front and center. In case we weren’t already aware, it doesn’t take much effort to transfer many forms of sickness to one another, Soderbergh hammers home that point.

Beth Emhoff (Gwyneth Paltrow), one of the first victims of the disease, arrives home after a business trip in Hong Kong and dies shortly after her arrival. Things unravel from there with multiple angles of the story examined, much like Soderbergh’s Traffic. There are stories within the larger narrative but none of the stories overtake that narrative. Unlike Traffic, there isn’t a heightened sense of drama or emotion. The reality of the disease spreading, the fight to find the cause and cure, those trying to find the truth behind what is going on is handled in a matter of fact way, not unlike a documentary. The only time there feels like a message is being preached (ala Traffic’s (one cringe worthy) scene between Topher Grace and Michael Douglas) is when Jude Law’s blogger/independent journalist Alan Krumwiede is played for the straight up huckster and tin hat wearing crowd his character is meant to represent. It’s forgivable, if only because Law’s character brings so much energy to the screen.

Never completely satisfying as a drama or thriller, Contagion finds its sweet spot somewhere in between genres. And though it never connects on a deep emotional level, the end result is a well done film that tells a believable story about a scenario none of us wishes to experience.

[xrr rating=4/5 label=” “]

This post is part of my Way late reviews. Read more reviews here.

[youtube width=”640″ height=”360″]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UwNMGdWyjcc[/youtube]