So this found footage film, slipped by me. But when I came across it on streaming, I figured I would dig in. Once again, the phrase found footage doesn’t help to sell this one. It’s actually designed, production-wise to look like a well-made true crime documentary. The details to make it feel like a doc…
Tag: documentary
Lake Mungo (2008) – Joel Anderson
I’ve wanted to see Lake Mungo for awhile. When I first heard about this found footage style film, I was immediately intrigued. And honestly, it’s not so much found footage. It’s put together like a documentary, and there’s no real shaky cam. And it’s by turns haunting, surprising, and with a hefty emotional impact. In…
Never Cry Wolf (1983) – Carroll Ballard
Charles Martin Smith plays Farley Mowat, in Carroll Ballard’s adaptation of Mowat’s classic novel, Never Cry Wolf. A book that actually changed the way we viewed wolves. Mowat is a government researcher, and he’s got his assignment. Head north, like way north, and dig into the ahem menace that wolves pose to the environment, particularly…
TIFF 25: The Balloonists dir. John Dower
John Dower delivers a fascinating and occasionally tense documentary that follows the journey of Bertrand Piccard and Brian Jones as they circumnavigate the globe in a hot-air balloon. Never before accomplished the pair take the Orbiter 3, leaving behind their wives and loved ones for a trip they may not come back from. As other…
Clerks (1994) – Kevin Smith
I remember when Clerks came to VHS. I was working at a video store and it resonated with everyone of us. It was like someone had taken our lives and put it on the screen. We as a crew identified so much with the film that we’d printed up labels with our names on it…
TIFF 25: Whistle dir. Christopher Nelius
Whistle is a light-hearted documentary from Christopher Nelius filled with delightfully eccentric characters. It takes behind the scenes of the Masters of Musical Whistling competition. An event that draws people from around the globe to a three day showdown of talent. Each day has a different category, Classical, With the Band and Self Accompaniment, and…
TIFF 25: Orwell – 2+2=5 dir. Raoul Peck
Damian Lewis narrates text by George Orwell, as director Raoul Peck profoundly demonstrates that we as a society, and a planet, are living smack dab in the middle of Orwell’s 1984. Intercutting with the various adaptations of 1984 and Animal Farm, Peck includes documentary and news footage charting the new rise of fascism, authoritarianism, and…
Stargate SG-1 (2004) – Heroes: Part 1, and Part 2
Saul Rubinek guest stars as a documentary filmmaker, Emmett Bregman, who has come to Stargate Command to finally document the staff and project that so few on the planet know about. Heroes: Part 1 first aired on 13 February, 2004 and was written by Robert C. Cooper. As Emmett chats with all the members of…
Northern Exposure (1992) – Nothing’s Perfect, and Heroes
Chris (John Corbett) is in love, although there are complications in Nothing’s Perfect. Written by Diane Frolov and Andrew Schneider this episode was first broadcast on 12 October, 1992. He meets Amy (Wendel Meldrum) after he kills her dog by accident with his truck. They definitely have a passion together, and despite his allergies for…
Northern Exposure (1992) – Our Tribe, and Things Become Extinct
Joel (Rob Morrow) is still trying to adapt to Cicely. One of the locals has paid his fee with a goat, and when he tries to return it, she offers to adopt him into the tribe. At Marilyn’s (Elaine Miles) urging he agrees, and things go badly from there. Our Tribe was written by David…
The Mind Reels 