Resident Evil: Extinction

Use the Force Alice.  But damnit.  Don't introduce a large cast of characters then kill them all right away.  The pacing of the film is quick, but yet again all I feel is "transition film".  The large cast is introduced, given cursory discovery, the summarily executed, and we're left with a small core no bigger than previous films.  It seems like a waste when more time could have been spent developing the characters that were going to live.

Besides that, my other complaint was with the cinematography.  Why does every close-up shot of Alice appear to be airbrushed?  In one scene as the camera cuts out and back in, the make-up goes one, the make-up comes off.  Repeat repeat.  It's very disconcerting and completely unnecessary.  Milla Jovovich is very pretty with and because of her flaws and all.  There's no need to so crudely hide them.

The next film will be available on Netflix soon.  We'll see where this goes.

Resident Evil: Extinction
2007, 95 minutes, directed by Russel Mulcahy

A Christmas Story

I'm not sure why I watched this Christmas morning, while eating breakfast and opening gifts at my in-laws' house.  I first discovered this film in college; it was a favorite of my freshman roommate and his friends while they were quite drunk.  It's a good story, with some memorable quotes, but it seems barely elevated to a level worthy of a 24-hour television marathon.

A Christmas Story
1983, 94 minutes, directed by Bob Clark

It's a Wonderful Life

My family has watched this every Christmas Eve for 20-odd years.  In the recent past (read, as often as possible) I've been away due to commitments with my wife's family.  This year I was back in time to watch most of it.

It's not that it's a bad film; indeed, it's a truly wonderful movie with fantastic casting, terrific acting, and a solid script.  Sure there are things that seem out of place today, but for its time it pushed boundaries.  (How dare the film end without the bad guy being caught?!?)  I've just seen it Too Many Times.

It's a Wonderful Life
1946, 130 minutes, directed by Frank Capra

Resident Evil: Apocalypse

Meh.  All I could think was "transition film".  The introduced Sienna Guillory as Jill, complete with kick-ass action and a custom outfit (presumably from the games), only to have her quickly take the back seat to a more-awesome more-ass-kicking Milla Jovovich as Alice.  I can only assume this was to ensure that, were Ms. Jovovish to bail on the series, the next sequel could retain some semblance of continuity.

Stay tuned; the next sequel is coming up in my Netflix queue.

Resident Evil: Apocalypse
2004, 98 minutes, directed by Alexander Witt

TRON: Legacy

Is it everything I imagined?  No, of course not.  This is someone else's vision of the Tron universe, not mine.  That's to be expected.  What I'm not happy about is the conclusion.  I wanted something definitive, making this the best possible two films in the series.  If it takes 20 years to make another sequel, so be it.  Instead Disney left open the possibility for a quick sequel, something in innately detest.

TRON: Legacy
2010, 127 minutes, directed by Joseph Kosinski

Now I see why Olivia Wilde left House.  Trivia fact: I've named my priest Tron in any computer RPG for the last 20 years; it was also the name of my first prominent GURPS character in high school.

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1

There's little left of the light-hearted Hogwarts scenes that dominated the first few films.  This is very dark, and very sad - as it must be.

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1
2010, 146 minutes, directed by David Yates

Resident Evil

Having no history with the game series, I don't mind any discontinuities or breaks from lore that might disturb long-time fans.  Furthermore, I can tolerate the budget allocation typical of survival horror.  What I dislike, though, is poor casting - with several characters just plain wrong for their role - and Michelle Rodriguez cast solely for her ability to roll her eyes up into her head.

Still, the rest of the series awaits...

Resident Evil
2002, 101 minutes, directed by Paul Anderson

28 Weeks Later

I really wanted to like this.  The first film was a notably different take on zombies, and I thought a sequel could further explore the premise.

Instead the writers decided to use heavy-handed oafs from the U.S. military to do stereotypical, stupid, blundering U.S. military things, while the protagonists are slowly picked off one by one.  What a waste.

28 Weeks Later
2007, 99 minutes, directed by Juan Carlos Fresnadillo

Gamer

I'm not sure I approve of all the casting choices, but as a violent action film it hits all its marks.

Gamer
2009, 95 minutes, directed by Mark Neveldine and Brian Taylor

Urchin

The director of this film spent too much effort on the opening credits, and not enough on acting, dialog, and sound editing.  Premise aside, the rest is just nonsensical.  I can watch low-grade film.  I can watch low-budget film.  I won't watch this again.

Urchin
2007, 108 minutes, directed by John Harlacher

Legion

You know, this wasn't all that bad.  Sure, the religious stuff is over the top, but that's part of the premise.  Yes, the special effects budget was too low - a few big monsters but most just shambling extras - but the action is decent, the story consistent, the acting okay.

If you watch B grade action, check it out.

Legion
2010, 100 minutes, directed by Scott Charles Stewart

The Color of Magic (Part Two) "The Light Fantastic"

Much more of the second-half of this film involves scenes filled with darkness and impending red doom, but Rincewind and Twoflower make their way to their destinies.

Overall this was a good translation of the stories.  As funny, no, but as a new way to discover (or rediscover) Terry Pratchett, it works well.

The Color of Magic (Part Two) "The Light Fantastic"
2006, 95 minutes, directed by Vadim Jean

Princess of Mars

I've stayed away from the John Carter novel series, because, to put it frankly, it seems a little cheesy.  That said, no sci fi film is too cheesy for me, and thus here I am.

This straight-to-video classic details John Carter's first adventures on Mars, here updated to be a planet in a nearby star system, where he's sent by the CIA after suffering mortal wounds in Afghanistan.  The rest of the film, though, feels straight out of the 1950s, with rubber suits, bad acting, and broken plots.  It's about as I expected.

Princess of Mars
2009, 93 minutes, directed by Mark Atkins

The Color of Magic (Part One)

Written humor rarely translates well to the screen.  Usually it requires a narrator, and narrator humor just falls flat.  That said, this is an adequate retelling of the story, and the actor selections - with the exception of Rincewind - are superb.  (I never picture Rincewind to be that old; a ragged imcompetent fop in his 30s is closer to my image.)

As a British production, the use of rubber over CGI is noticeable but fine, given that low-budget CGI looks much worse than a low-budget gorilla suit.

I'll watch part two in a few days and finish my review.

The Color of Magic (Part One)
2008, 101 minutes, directed by Vadim Jean

Ink

This film strives to tell what it feels is an important story through imagery, art, and imagination.  It's high-concept premise is simple: what if dreams are not of our own making, but introduced by outsiders?  Good and bad forces strive to inject happy dreams and nightmares, while battling out unseen in our rooms and on the streets.  In this case, a young girl's spirit kidnapped by a third party - Ink - who wants to sell her for acceptance with the nightmare-givers, while the girl's physical form languishes in a coma.

It reminds me of several other "high fantasy" films I've seen recently - most notably Pan's Labrynth and The Fountain (both from Fantastic Fest 2006, before I started this blog).  The Fountain, in particular, gripped me in a way that few films do, in that its story fit with my own struggles.  Ink, like Pan's Labrynth, doesn't relate as well, and so the message is diluted.  Still, it is an enjoyable film for the story and imagery.

Ink
2009,  107 minutes, directed by Jamin Winans

Retroactive

I tend to enjoy time travel films.  There are many possibilities for mechanics, scenario, and cast, so almost every film offers something different.  This film portrays time travel as of the mind, not the body (except for video tape), so those sent back have knowledge of future events but little time to act, given that it only works for 20 minutes or so.

Karen, the hero of the film, is the primary traveler, as she attempts to prevent villain Frank from killing (at various times) his wife, her lover, the cop, the store clerk, and the happy family.  As a psychologist with the Chicago police, she's perfectly suited to manipulate time and Frank to achieve the desired goal.

Except the script just ruins it.  James Belushi as Frank, the Texas redneck with a trigger temper, a degrading opinion of every minority group (especially women and Hispanics), and a gun in his belt, is so over the top as the be unbelievable.  But the biggest problem is Karen.  She's supposed to be a native Texan returning home after losing some hostages in a standoff.  As the story progresses, she loses her midwest stride and devolves more and more into a Texas redneck herself.  It's totally inappropriate for the character, and really distracts from the story.

Let's see if I can find a better time travel film to watch next.

Retroactive
1997, 91 minutes, directed by Louis Morneau

Æon Flux

I never really watched Æon Flux on television, even though it aired when I was in college and MTV was regularly playing on the common room TV.  That said, I'm familiar enough to know that the series existed, and lasted more than three or four episodes.

Sadly, this film really, really feels like they had to cram an entire series into an hour and a half.  Start to finish the pacing is just too fast.  Maybe if I didn't know it was an adaptation I'd be more comfortable with it, but I kept feeling that all these characters have bigger stories to tell that were shoved under the carpet so the arc could play out on screen.

Æon Flux
2005, 93 minutes, directed by Karyn Kusama

Surrogates

In an idealistic / dystopian future (your pick) no one ventures from their house again, choosing instead to roam with their mind through lab-grown bodies called avatars.  No, wait, through nanite-controlled convicts.  No, that's not right.  It's through humanoid robots called surrogates.

It was a good film.  I don't have any complaints.  There's no hiding behind a mask.  Not forever.

Surrogates
2009, 89 minutes, directed by Jonathan Mostow

Epoch

This one starts out fine as far as low-budget sci-fi goes, with a solid hook, decent characters, reasonable dialog.  As it builds it keeps getting better.  But I sense that the original author struggled with an ending.  Sadly, it feels like it just ends.  I think they could have done so much more.

Epoch
2001, 96 minutes, directed by Matt Codd

While looking up the release date, I just noticed that there is a sequel.  I'll see if it picks things up and provides a more suitable ending.

Sphere

This sci-fi adventure consists of a Series of Unfortunate Coincidences, and while the characters fall in the they-should-talk-to-each-other-but-instead-keep-secrets school of stupid people.  The ending tries to justify it all, but it just falls short.

Sphere
1998, 134 minutes, directed by Barry Levinson

The Man from Earth

Netflix brought my attention to this independent science fiction film.  With no budget but a varied, dynamic cast, the film is a pure intellectual exercise.  The story is set entirely at the home of John Oldman, a young professor who unexpectedly resigns and plans to move away.  When his colleagues surprise him with a going-away party, he decides to share with them his history - as a man who has lived, unaging, for 14,000 years.

The story advances through the revolving dialog, as well as by the arrival of a late guest - a psychology professor called in to assess John's mental state.  There are some plot holes, mainly "proof" that should exist but is never mentioned, but overall it's a solid story.

The Man from Earth
2007, 89 minutes, directed by Richard Schenkman

Cool World

I think I saw part of this film in the early 90s.  That said, I certainly didn't remember it being so raunchy.  Honestly there were few redeeming qualities at all: bad acting, bad dialog, weak plot, poor stitching of life acting and animation.

Cool World
1992, 102 minutes, directed by Ralph Bakshi

H.H. Holmes: America's First Serial Killer

Our recent trip to Chicago for Lollapalooza (my first to the city) included a visit to the Art Institute of Chicago and an architectural boat tour, as we tried to pack in some tourist activities around the music festival and my unexplained vertigo.

My wife had recently read The Devil in the White City, and so naturally the history of Chicago included mention of H. H. Holmes.  It was a fortunate coincidence, then, when our search for a film to stream on Netflix led to H.H. Holmes: America's First Serial Killer.

The film does a good job of telling the story, though I'm not a fan of reenactments, especially when filmed with cheesy camera effects.  That said, the number of images of the Castle and Holmes himself seemed very small, and they did a good job to keep the visuals interesting given so little source material.

H.H. Holmes: America's First Serial Killer
2004, 64 minutes, directed by John Borowski

Ocean's Twelve

I didn't care for this Netflix offering nearly as much as its predecessor.  I was looking for the Big Congruence of events to be amazed at how it all fit together.  Instead, it seemed like a Series of Discordant Events as they jumped from heist to heist and attempt to attempt.  It lacked a polish I expect from this sort of film; editing let me down.

The sequel is next in queue.  We'll see if that one fares any better.

Ocean's Twelve
2004,   125 minutes, directed by Steven Soderbergh

Live Free or Die Hard

This week's Netflix special is 2007's Live Free or Die Hard.  I liked the first movie quite a bit, and I remember being somewhat let down by the second and distinctly disappointed in the third.  I didn't think the fourth film, set and released some 12 years after the third, was worth a trip to the theater.  Honestly, I was right.

I can watch a shoot 'em up, if the shooting is good.  I can watch a big explosion film, if the explosions are good.  I can watch an action comedy, if the action's good or the comedy makes sense.  Big story arcs don't have to be perfect, but basic plot points just need to make sense.  Where did the cars come from that filled the side of the tunnel with the helicopter hovering just overhead?  Why does BMW vehicle assist work when the cell phone network is down?  Why is Bruce Willis' dialog just so plain awful, and his joy at each kill somewhat creepy?  And when did we get to the point that they have to dub in the curse words?

Let this series return fallow.  It's done.

Live Free or Die Hard
2007, 129 minutes (unrated version), directed by Len Wiseman

Artois the Goat

Dutifully, I've noted and commented upon each film I've seen since September 2007.  This process helps me remember what I saw, what I thought, what I liked, before it's overwhelmed by others' opinions or just fades away.

This is the first repeat film in that time, which I first reviewed after seeing its world premiere in March 2009 at SXSW.  The story speaks so closely to my heart and my desires that I had to see it again, this time sharing the experience with my wife.  She's been down lately following surgery, and I thought it would help lift her as well.  I believe it has.  This Austin-made independent film is available on Netflix; if you need inspiration, seek it out.

Artrois the Goat
2009, 96 minutes, directed by Cliff & Kyle Bogart

The Expendables

Yes, it's exactly what you think it will be.

The Expendables
2010, 103 minutes, directed by Sylvester Stallone

Inception

I enjoyed this film.  I really did.  But it was difficult to get as into it as I normally would.  The stacking layers of misdirection have to be constantly juggled, and I always had the feeling that, at the top, there was yet another layer between me and the screen.  It made the whole thing feel feel a little fake.

Inception
2010, 148 minutes, directed by Christopher Nolan

The A-Team

The concept was good, the story ok, the action prevalent.  But it just never rose to the level of awesomeness I hoped for.  Am I glad I saw it?  Sure.  It was just missing something.

The A-Team
2010, 117 minutes, directed by Joe Carnahan

Shoot 'Em Up

The plot is weak, the characters shallow, the action implausible.  But with a name like Shoot 'Em Up, I didn't expect much beyond lots and lots of death by bullet.  I got just what I expected.

Shoot 'Em Up
2007, 86 minutes, directed by Michael Davis

Iron Man 2

I had mixed feelings about the first Iron Man film.  Sure it was flashy, and there's something fresh in a superhero who unabashedly admits his identity to the world.  But I knew this second film was leading somewhere (namely, to the Avengers movie), and films with intentionally unresolved plot elements are frustrating.

Sure enough, this was a bridge film in every sense.  Picking up shortly after the first film ends, it has the hero grappling with the newly-found fame and controversy of his hero identity, while suffering the usual personal setbacks in his health and social life.  A bad guy is introduced to instigate action and be dealt with, while a larger nemesis goes free*.  Meanwhile half the characters just appear from nowhere, unless you happen to have sat through the credits of the first film like I did

If I were to sit down for a weekend and watch the entire Avengers cycle, this would be a decent, flashy connection between the first film and the celebrity-packed sequel.  Alas, as that sequel as yet does not exist, it just fell short.

Scarlett Johansson seemed - wrong - for her role, somehow.  I just didn't work for me.  And I'm disappointed Gwyneth Paltrow didn't maintain her hair red as it was in the first film.

Iron Man 2
2010, 124 minutes, directed by Jon Favreau

* well, he lives

Kick-Ass

I barely missed the world premiere of this at SXSW, with my wife and I ten people back in line when they cut it off at the impressively-large Paramount.  (We instead saw the enjoyable Erasing David.)  I understand it rocked with a theater of enthusiasts, both there and at a pre-screening at last December's Butt-Numb-A-Thon.  Alas, I've been relegated to an opening-night screening at the not-so-cool Alamo Drafthouse Lake Creek, a corporate-owned theater about as far into the Texas suburbs as you can be and still be in Austin.

To enjoy this film, you have to turn off your higher brain and just enjoy the kick-ass action, and that works best in an audience able to do the same.  It's less comfortable when you're surrounded by parents unable to grasp the meaning of a R rating.  (At one point, in response to some dialog by the 13-year-old co-star, the young boy in the seat next to me leans over to his mom and asks, "What does c*&% mean?")  I think most of the audience hated it, and unfortunately that dragged it down.  See it with friends near a college or somewhere else that everyone will get it.

Kick-Ass
2010, 117 minutes, directed by Matthew Vaughn

Electra Luxx

I don't like leaving a theater during a film, until it is absolutely over and the MPAA rating is on the screen.  So missing the last thirty minutes of this film due to a projector failure has been gnawing at me, despite my earlier poor review of the first half.  With the SXSW music festival in full swing, I had the opportunity to get out of downtown and close out the film fest with another screening, this time as the Alamo South Lamar.

All in all, the stupid one-liners are funny ("I'm pregnant."  "Is it yours?"), but the overall plot is too disjointed and fumbly, just poorly executed.  It feels rough and unedited, and never reaches the level of cult awesome that it seeks.

Electra Luxx
2010, directed by Sebastian Gutierrez

Four Lions

"Why make a comedy about terrorism?"  Well, what could enrage a terrorist more than being laughed at?  Hilarious in its stupidity, this British film somehow works.

Four Lions
2010, 101 minutes, directed by Christopher Morris

Higanjima

I thought this would either be a Japanese splatterfest, or Japanese action film.  What I got was a host of whiny Japanese teenagers, with occasional bouts of awesome tempered by dollops of stupid.  I was disappointed.

Higanjima
2010, 122 minutes, directed by Taw-gyun Kim

Brotherhood

This films pulls out every cliche about stupid frat boys making increasingly dumber and dumber mistakes, until it all crashes down.  Every one of them deserves to be neutered.

Brotherhood
2010, 81 minutes, directed by Will Canon

When You're Strange - A Film About the Doors

Narrated by Johnny Depp, with all video from the 1960s and 1970s, this film is the definitive Jim Morrison documentary a must-see for any Doors fan.

"If the doors of perception were changed, everything would appear as it is: infinite."
"Obediance is suicide."

In attendance was the Doors' guitarist, Robby Krieger, whose first song he ever wrote - "Light My Fire" - spent three weeks at #1 on Billboard's chart.  As he described Jim, he was "always trying the hardest to crash his car or jump out of a window or something."

When You're Strange - A Film About the Doors
2009, 90 minutes, directed by Tom DiCillo

The People vs. George Lucas

Love him or hate him, or loved him now hate him, George Lucas' work has touched the lives of most of you.  This documentary explores the hype and build up of the Star Wars fan base through the troubling Special Edition and the crash after The Phantom Menace.  Lucas has become his own biggest fan, and for many people his revisions and extensions are destroying cherished memories.


And just think - in 1987 Lucas testified before Congress that the colorization of older films could ruin them by taking them out of their native context.  And then a decade later he takes the bell-bottoms and cheesy hair of A New Hope and combines it with cheesier SE graphics, vowing to never again release the "incomplete" original version.

During the pre-film introduction, the director shared breaking news that Lucas was planning a Saturday-morning Jedi Babies cartoon.  Lucas couldn't have timed it better.

This was a pretty funny documentary from the standpoint of someone who is very familiar with the roller-coaster of emotion as a Star Wars fan.

The People vs. George Lucas
2010, directed by Alexandre O. Philippe

Cargo

There seems to be just one a year, and here it is: a true unabashed science fiction film for 2010.  If you liked Gattaca, if you loved Moon, find a way to see this.

Cargo
2009, 120 minutes, directed by Ivan Engler and Ralph Etter

Outcast

This Irish/Scottish occult film is trying to imply a mysticism much larger than the film, but as often occurs, they do so by intentionally confusing the audience.  And then there's a directorial mistake that gives away part of the big mystery early in the film.  Still, the story is sound and it would make a solid rental.

Outcast
2010, 93 minutes, directed by Colm McCarthy

I'll note what I think was the big mistake in a comment.

Harry Brown

It's Gran Torino x Dirty Harry as Harry Brown (Michael Caine) loses first his wife (to illness) then his only friend (to a mugging).  With all ties to humanity gone, Harry takes payback entertainment to its finest as he fights social decay.  If you can, I recommend seeing this one on the big screen.


Harry Brown
2009, 103 minutes, directed by Daniel Barber

Tucker and Dale vs. Evil

Two Appalachian men head out to the woods to fix up their newly-bought vacation cabin.  Why do all these college kids keep killing themselves on the propery?

This is a great film.  Funny, original, with a healthy supplement of gore and spewing fake blood.

"I should'a known that if a guy like me talked to a girl like you, some one would end up dead." - Dale

Tucker and Dale vs. Evil
2009, 88 minutes, directed by Eli Craig

Electra Luxx

This large-cast discordant drama was meandering aimlessly through its script, when the Paramount camera decided it had had enough and ended things prematurely, giving a sizable burst of patrons the chance to scurry from the theater.  I give credit to the director for filling in so well at such an unexpected disaster, turning a stall session into a Q&A and sharing far more than most directors can or will about past and future productions.

Does the ending tie it all together in some Guy Ritchie-style narrative?  If SXSW adds a second screening at a reasonable time, I'll give it a second chance.  Otherwise, I may never know.

Electra Luxx
2010, directed by Sebastian Gutierrez

All pictures taken by and copyright Digren of Movie Digs.

 The Paramount premiere, before the relationship soured

Director Sebastian Gutierrez makes the most of his abrupt Q&A as star Carla Gugino looks on

Co-stars Emmanuelle Chriqui and Malin Akerman of Electra Luxx

Carla Gugino, Emmanuelle Chriqui, Malin Akerman, and Emma Bell

The Happy Poet

Camera in hand, I was almost roped into taking the official premiere pictures for this film, until the SXSW photographer finally arrived.

I was very grateful to see this as a premiere.  With the director's introduction, it was clear that he's Just That Way.  I fear without that disclaimer I'd get the impression that he was deadpanning the whole film, something that would detract from its honesty.  Fortunately he's not, and it is, and I wholly enjoyed it.  And it was never cringe-worthy!

The Happy Poet
2010, directed by Paul Gordon

Cast of The Happy Poet pose before the premiere

"Just remember I'm the happy Poet, motherfucker, not you."

L

Liz Fisher of The Happy Poet at the Q&A

Monsters

Unlike most reviews you'll probably read, I didn't think this film was Cloverfield 2.0.  It could have been, but the director did an admiral job taking his film in a different direction.  I'm intrigued by the production style, with the entire film done as ad-lib with an almost entirely extras cast, based on a rough paragraph outline per scene.  (Indeed, as the credits rolled, I thought they were a temporary version as only the two lead actors are credited.)  Don't let the sci fi fool you; this is a love story set in post-apocalypse Mexico.  The fitting conclusion was the announcement by star Whitney Able that she was engaged to co-star Scoot McNairy.  (Alas, I didn't have my camera, though I'll rectify that tomorrow.)  I'd see this again.

Monsters
2010, 97 minutes, directed by Gareth Edwards

Cyrus

I saw this film based solely on my faith in the Duplass brothers, having seen and liked the Puffy Chair when it showed at SXSW several years ago.  And while their latest film has strong points most noticeably Marisa Tomei's wonderful performance, the bulk of the film was dominated by the type of creepy uncomfortable comedy that makes me shield my eyes from the screen.  That finally ends as the plot switches to a tit-for-tat rivalry of affection, but then it simply ends with a wholly abrupt and insufficient serious resolution.

I'm nonplussed.

Cyrus
2010, 92 minutes, directed by Jay and Mark Duplass

Micmacs à tire-larigot

Per the director, "micmacs" means "shenanigans", and there's not a better way to describe the film.  This is a cliche-filled whimsical romp through the world of the down-and-out, centered around Bazil, a poor soul who lost his father to a land mine in the war, and much later was shot in the head, costing him his home and job and leaving him destitute on the street.  He learns the manufacturer of both implements of destruction, and when the opportunity arises, leads an ingenious troupe in fitting revenge.  I think I've seen this film three times before in various forms, but it was a pleasant way to spend an evening.

Micmacs à tire-larigot
2009, 105 minutes, directed by Jean-Pierre Jeunet

Marwencol

In April 2000, Mark Hogancamp was attacked by five individuals outside a bar.  The damage was severe, both physically and mentally, with brain damage that left him unable to work, almost completely wiped of memories, forced to learn who he was again.  He found that he wasn't the same person any more, and while in some ways it wasn't bad - like his newly-found aversion to alcohol - his trauma left him unable to draw as he could before, cutting off his creative outlet.  He worried that they had taken his imagination, too.

After two years his publicly-funded therapy was cut off as well.  To compensate, he devised his own methods, centered around a 1/6th scale Belgian village called Marwencol.  Set in World War II, his village and its stories were his therapy, letting him calm himself, improve the dexterity of his shaking hand, and giving him an emotional escape.  He takes his work one step further, though, by intricately detailing his world and photographing the stories as they progress.  Years later his work is discovered, and his amazingly-genuine images are proclaimed as art.  Is he ready for this step in his recovery?  Is it recovery at all?

I found this documentary enthralling.  The thematic style of the documentary portions are woven with the narrative of Marwencol, leading up to his debut as a artist at a New York gallery.  The story was solid from start to finish, with solid editing, and it never dips into pity in any way.  I was truly inspired.  Check this one out.

Marwencol
2010, 83 minutes, directed by Jeff Malmberg

The director left a secret film showing Mark's reactions to the movie and the pros and cons of traveling to SXSW to see it.  While it's still available check it out at http://www.marwencol.com/sxsw.

The White Stripes: Under Great White Northern Lights

Usually a music documentary tries to delve deeper into the history or emotions or interactions of the artists.  This one does none of the above, sticking straight to the official story line for a band of admittedly occasional interest, the White Stripes.  (Disclaimer: I only like a few songs, such as 'We're Going to Be Friends' and 'Icky Thump'.)

Moreover, lack of documentary content on this tour of the Canada, timed to correspond to the band's tenth anniversary, is shored up by including what felt like an hour of live concert footage, set at an uncomfortable volume compared to the much quieter interviews.  (Actually, I'm amazed I can call the interviews "quiet", as the consist entirely of Jack White talking in his stream-of-consciousness fashion while Meg is rarely able or willing to get a word in.)

Maybe I already knew enough about Jack, but I was hoping to see a little more about what brought Meg to music.  Regardless, I got nothing of what I was looking for.

The White Stripes: Under Great White Northern Lights
2009, 93 minutes, directed by Emmett Malloy

Erasing David

It's SXSW again, and while we had every intent to skip this year due to whatevers, a pair of badges landed in our laps earlier this morning.  After a flurry of organizing it up and amazingly being denied at the Paramount for the opening night film, my wife and I ended up at the cozy little Hideout for the U.S. Premiere of this British documentary.

Filmmaker David Bond, having been notified that his government lost information about him and his daughter, starts to wonder just exactly what part of his life is out there to be discovered.  Each piece of information shared with the government or a business becomes part of a collection, one that when compiled can reveal far more than desired.  Putting this to the test, he chooses to disappear for 30 days.  Meanwhile, he has hired two private investigators to track him down, starting with only his name and face.  Can he last the month, or is there already far too much out there waiting to be found?

The film jumps between David alone on the run, his investigators as they gather up his life and try to predict his moves, and interviews and research on privacy conducted before the adventure began.  I thought it was a well-edited, solid documentary, very well suited for the blend of film and interactive content that is the first weekend of SXSW.  Privacy has become a choice of how much you are willing to reveal to get the services you desire.

Erasing David
2009, directed by David Bond and Melinda McDougall

Edit 3/22/10: It's rather hilarious that this story came out just a week later:
http://abcnews.go.com/International/facebook-finds-mafia-boss/story?id=10124958

Sherlock Holmes

It's always difficult to portray the analytical on screen.  Do you do the Grand Revelation ala Criminal Intent?  Research montage like CSI?  Or do you embrace special effects to see the inner thoughts of your hero?  Ahh, screw it.  Let's just make an action film.

Sherlock Holmes
2009, 128 minutes, directed by Guy Ritchie