DOCUMENTARY ROUND-UP 2022

2/26/23 - A House Made of Splinters (2022) - 7/10

A wrenching and engrossing glimpse into the lives of those entrenched in an Ukranian pseudo-interim orphanage. It’s a moving voyeuristic view on painful moments in the lives of these children just wanting love and safety. They do a tremendous job of entrenching the camera within the confines and catching lived-in adversity. An exceptional portrait of childhood and misfortune, but with the inlay of hope.

2/22/23 - All That Breathes (2022) - 8/10

Stunning visuals. Engrossing shots of up close life; literally.

This isn’t a “nature” documentary but a “natural” one. It smartly weaves human hardships and endeavors within the greater web of the wildlife in and around the city. Amazingly captured in a way that transports with empathy.

2/22/23 - Navalny (2022) - 7/10

An interesting expose of Putin’s greatest rival, focusing on his personality and his survival from assassination attempts. It feels like a call out to the rest of the world, visualizing the political knife edge that is present for those outside the Kremlin. It’s quite extraordinary when it focuses on the investigation of his poisoning. Thrilling stuff there. I could have used some more deeper impressions of who he is as a person and a politician, but it is strong with what it does.

1/??/23 - Nothing Lasts Forever (2022) - 5/10

A meandering at times but fruitful expose into the diamond industry and the concept of engagement rings, “fake” diamonds, and those behind the scenes pulling the strings on it all. It’s interesting.

1/19/23 - Bad Axe (2022) - 7/10

The story got to me and tugged on my heart works. Deserves to be seen.

1/18/23 - Fire of Love (2022) - 6-/10

Interesting but not as powerful as I had anticipated. This tale of volcanologist wasn’t as fiery as I hoped, perhaps a bit scientifically antiseptic.

1/14/23 - Missing 411: The U.F.O. Connection (2022) - 4/10

David Paulides goes a bit further out on a limb with this one tying some of his questionable-at-times research into aliens. Interesting stories but it takes some leaps.

1/13/23 - The Hatchet Wielding Hitchiker (2023) - 5/10

The tale of the viral internet sensation was fascinating and fun. Loses its way when it tries to pull into Conclusions Depot, but solid enough.

1/13/23 - The Place Rules (2022) - 6/10

Right after I finished this some troubling accusations came out about the filmmaker/star, which soured this feature for me. Sensationalizing and somewhat manipulative but it entertained in a somewhat trashy & memey fashion.

12/27/22 - All the Beauty and the Bloodshed (2022) - 7+/8-/10

A touching “guts open for all to see” exploration of Nan’s life and career, focusing on her fight against the Sackler family, who are chiefly responsible for the opioid epidemic. The director and editor use the varied pieces of her life and her work to explore the coalesced themes ever present: a battle against conformity, the tensions of sexuality and their pressing against societal barriers, the structural machine that propagates loss of life/liberty/happiness (stigmatizing sex work, artistic expression, alternative sexualities & lifestyles and drug addiction - often times to the point of abetting the deaths surrounding these), and the struggle of those brave few below against the powerful above.

It is endearing and nimble, weaving her work & her past alongside her battle now. I may have been a little under awed based on the hype out of festivals, but it was still powerful and finely crafted with a significant story to tell.

12/21/22 - Moonage Daydream (2022) - 7/10

Less a documentary and more of an audio-visual safari through the work and soul of the amazing virtuoso. It’s an artistic Bowie experience that I loved, but I am a HUUUUGE Bowie fan.

10/9/22 - Framing Agnes (2022) - 6/10

A mix of examing the now and the then in a meta narrative about an historic trans woman, the others involved in a UCLA study, and the actors portraying them. When it sings, it shines, but its not as cohesive or consistent to be great.

7/21/22 - Hunting Bigfoot (2021) - 5/10

A generally intriguing peek into a Bigfoot believer who has exiled himself on the fringes of normal society. It has a paranormal flavor, but the meal is all too deeply human.

6/10/22 - A Tear in the Sky (2022) - 3-/10

Another Caroline Cory vehicle about aliens, this time with William Shatner as the side-kick. I guess because he was on a show that was in space and had aliens in it, he is an authority. Well let me be your authority: skip this.

5/19/22 - Cyber Hell: Exposing an Internet Horror (2022) - 6-/10

Interesting.

4/1/22 - Trust No One: The Hunt for the Crypto King (2022) - 6/10

Compelling citizen sleuth work entrenched in a subject most people don’t really get at the edges of the digital fringe. It’s last third weakens the whole but still enjoyable.

3/17/22 - You Can’t Kill Meme (2021) - 4/10

I had hopes for this one but it felt a touch amateurish and disinclined with true exploration. It seems to lose its way in the weeds of keyboard mysticism and spellbound character oddities. Pleasing more as a concept than a final film product.

2/13/22 - The Tinder Swindler (2022) - 7/10

This is a gutting portrait of a sociopath and those poor women lost in his lies. Craftily laid out and highly engaging. An adventure of empathy and righteous vengeance. A wild ride that certainly captures you and takes you for a tour of the underbelly of humanity.