15 Mini Reviews by Doc This Reviews

It has been a while since I last wrote, more due to life changes than a lack of content worth watching. Truth be told, I have taken on a new job, moved from NYC to Detroit, and am currently editing projects for the Detroit Pistons. Needless to say, that has kept me busy. Nonetheless, Netflix continues to be good to me, and I have managed to work through a solid list of great films. Below are a few mini synopses.

• The Queen of Versailles
  
  These guys hit documentary gold.  This was a crew that started watching one of the richest families in the world in hopes of creating what seemed to start out to be an MTV Real World meets The Wives of Jersey Shore.  But the catastrophe of the collapsing banking and real-estate market comes crashing down in the midst of their project, and as the film progresses, the unfolding of the economic downfall during the Bush era drives their film into an interesting unfolding of riches to rags and adds a great deal of value to the overall piece.  Interesting from beginning to end and worth watching.  Overall 7.5 out of 10.

• Enjoying a PBS series on NYC called New York (Episodes 1 - 8).  I am on episode 6.  It starts to get good around the end of episode 4 and onward.  The earlier episodes just don't have the film archive to complement the historical story, so it struggles, but great history and well told.  Overall 6.5 out of 10.

• 180 South: Nice, dreamy, a bit cliché at times, with the close being a premeditated story to help assist the image of Patagonia and their South American national park project.  With the criticism goes the fact that I have watched it numerous times and purchased copies for my father and friends to enjoy.  Overall, 7 out of 10.

• Objectified:  Interesting perspective on how designers design, furthered by a message of how they wish they designed.  Seems a copy of the doc Helvetica's style without the level of sustained interest and high-quality editorial storytelling.  It's filled with tons of great beauty shots of symbols, shapes, and designs to be expected from top designers and appropriate to the culture.  Overall 6.5 out of 10.

• Planet Earth, the series by Discovery...not a lot to tell on this, as I think anyone and everyone knows its name and its quality.  If not, just Google it, but great for notes on shooting natural environments. Overall 7.5 out of 10

• Sicko:  What can I say? Moore has never been so marginalized in his attempt to keep his audience.  If you're informed enough, you can pick out the parts that are of value, but in general, it's a horribly one-sided story that follows his usual thread of one-sided propaganda sold as 'good journalism.' I do like the end, though, and it is mildly discouraging how backward a system, when dissected into small parts, can seem.  I was a Moore fan around the time of Bowling for Columbine, but have since lost faith in his process, which is often sensational propaganda sold as journalism. Overall 5.5 out of 10.

• Michael Moore Hates America: It's a low-budget piece that isn't horribly well-made, but if you have ever watched a Michael Moore film or enjoyed his perspective.  Then it is worth taking a look at the underdeveloped but valid perspective of someone from the other side. Overall, 6 out of 10.

• *Gasland:  Oh my, this reality is scary and even more shortly after watching I stood by helplessly as this type of drilling, 'Fracking' took place across the road from my parents' house in Michigan...how lovely.  The H2O state (Great Lakes State) gets the gift of the worst thing to happen in drilling since we stuck the needle in our vein for energy.  Overall, 8 out of 10.

• Urbanized:  Very dry from a story perspective, very interesting from a global development perspective.  Great for a 101 course on cities.  6 of 10 on entertainment, but 8.5 of 10 on education level.  Overall, 7 out of 10.

• *Deep Water: Top-shelf storytelling and uncovering of archived footage to put together an epic telling of a story that would rarely be anywhere but in a book.  Global sailing, competition, death, and uncovering a mystery.  A great combo and a must-see!  Overall 9.5 out of 10.

• Herb and Dorthy:  A lovely concept poorly told.  Take a rare couple of New York art collectors living in art-stuffed quarters with classic collections from amazing art shows over the past 40-plus years, and in my eyes, you have documentary gold...that is, if you gather, organize, and assemble correctly.  Then do some fun stuff in the editing bay, and pow, you got it, but they missed it.  In any case, don't take it off the shelf; it is worth considering for a watch, but keep your expectations in check.  Overall 7 of 10.

• Capitalism: A Love Story...read my review on Moore for Sicko and add it here with the doc title.  But I did watch it and learned something... Overall, 6 out of 10.

• *Burden of Dreams (a documentary covering the making of Fitzcarraldo): This is a classic and unquestionably better than the film, but it makes watching the film more enjoyable.  Pick it up on a Saturday afternoon and learn just how dedicated filmmaker Werner Herzog is to his craft.  Can someone sign me up for his next film?  Overall 8.5 out of 10.

• Radio Bikini:  Interesting telling of A-bomb testing on Bikini Island post WWII and the unfolding of its effects on the environment and people involved.  Great archive, interesting facts, and scary truths of what we did with reckless care to what we knew. Worth your time.  Overall, 8 out of 10.

• Slasher: Good, Bad, and Ugly... It's a crazy car salesman, and if you like character studies, then pick it up and hold your breath.  Won't tell you to watch it, won't stop from doing so... Overall 7 out of 10.

• The Girl Next Door:  Good behind-the-scenes look at how strange porn really is when you see just how it is made...it's not overly graphic, but review at your own risk.  Overall 6.5 out of 10.

That's what I got for this review of DOC THIS.  Hey, let me know what you like and discover your own discoveries in the comments below.  And please pass it around!!