Top 10: Documentaries

For this week's installment into the 'Top 10' canon, I'm taking a look at some of the best documentary features I've ever seen. Documentaries have a special ability to give their audiences a view at a real subject in the real world, and the best ones will still prove to be just as entertaining - and often times more informative - as their scripted counterparts.

My days of watching documentaries are relatively small as I've only recently (as in, the past few years) gotten into the habit of giving them a view. At the current moment, that will be reflected in this particular list. You'll notice that most of the inclusions are recent pictures, but that shouldn't deter you from giving any of them a view. And as with my other 'Top 10' lists, this one will be ever-changing based off the new films I see.

And so, without any further delay, here's a look at the top ten documentaries I have ever seen:


10. Zombie Girl: The Movie (2009)

Over the years, the making of a number of films has been chronicled through documentary features, but I'm not quite sure that any has taken on the task of displaying the directorial debut of a twelve-year-old girl. When Emily Hagins started working on her zombie flick, Pathogen, a crew of documentarians took interest and gave the world an insight into the making of her first feature-length venture. What results is an honest look at the world of independent filmmaking, and it's going to make you root for Hagins from start to finish.

9. Cropsey (2010)

Billed as a documentary that delves into the concepts of urban mythology, Cropsey ultimately proves to be a blend of the documentary, courtroom and horror genres. By taking the real-life events of missing children cases in Staten Island, filmmakers Barbara Brancaccio and Joshua Zeman create an always-engaging piece that's going to leave you wondering. It's going to haunt you for a while, and I think that was the film's intention all along.

8. Dear Zachary: A Letter to a Son About His Father (2008)

Speaking of films that are going to stay with you... Dear Zachary is one of the most emotionally exhausting films you are ever going to see. It tells the tragic story of one man's attempt to create a film for the infant son of his late best friend, who was murdered in cold blood. Although you always know it's a documentary, Dear Zachary is edited in a way that it almost seems like a dramatic thriller. What makes it so emotionally responsive is the fact that it is a true story. I'd dare anyone to try and watch this without shedding a tear or two.

7. Waking Sleeping Beauty (2010)

Many of my readers will know that I'm a bit of a Disney fanatic, and when given the opportunity to watch a documentary about Disney, you'll be sure I'll jump right in. Add the fact that this particular gem follows the brilliance of the Disney Animation "renaissance" period, which created films like The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast and The Lion King, and you've got yourself the makings of something that everyone in my generation is going to love and enjoy.

6. The King of Kong: A Fistful of Quarters (2007)

I've never been much of a video gamer, but I do tend to enjoy your classic arcade games. The King of Kong showcases a number of hardcore gamers attempting to stamp their name in the record books as the best of the original "Donkey Kong" arcade game. What makes this film so engaging is the fact that, despite it being a documentary, we're given a clear protagonist and antagonist. We know who we want to cheer for and who we want to root against, and that makes it all the more entertaining and emotionally powerful.

5. Exit Through the Gift Shop (2010)

One of the first documentaries I ever watched based off its critical merit, Exit Through the Gift Shop took me into a world I knew nothing about and made me care about it immensely. It tells a very interesting story about one man's dream to become one with the street artists around the world, and he manages to do so, even if it means bringing the art down to his own level. With a finale that's going to evoke a number of emotions, this one's definitely one to keep your eye on.

4. The People vs. George Lucas (2010)

Any fan of Star Wars is going to want to take a look at this particular endeavor. It managed to capture my own personal feelings about George Lucas and his take on the original films in comparison to the more recent prequel trilogy. We're seeing a very strong love-hate relationship from fans in relation to Lucas, and I think that these emotions carry quite well throughout the film. Once again, if you love Star Wars and you haven't seen The People vs. George Lucas, do yourself a favor and watch it right now.

3. Jesus Camp (2006)

Although this film was released in 2006, it took me a few years before I actually sat down and gave it a view. Having spent nearly eight years working with the teenage youth program at my own church, I was shocked to see just how differently some organizations and religions take their camps. Of all the films on this particular list, Jesus Camp might be one of the most horrific. It's going to leave you with a bad taste in your mouth, but I think that's just what the filmmakers intended. It's a hard watch, but in a way, it might be a necessary one.

2. The Bridge (2006)

When I re-watched this film last night, it spurred me to create this particular list. The subject of suicide is generally taboo and often times off-limits, but The Bridge handles it with the grace and respect it rightfully deserves. It's not an easy film to watch - you're going to see snippets of jumpers plunging to their deaths - but if you can stomach that, then the stories from family and friends should shed a lot of light on the emotions that people face when suicide enters their lives.

1. The Cove (2009)

Arguably the most angering and emotional documentary I've ever seen, The Cove details the story of a rag-tag group of activists attempting to shut down the dolphin slaughters in Taiji, Japan. To do this, they covertly set up a number of cameras in the cove where the slaughter takes place in order to show the world the atrocities that occur each year. All animal lovers beware: you see the slaughter in full, and that was the film's desire all along. The images may be horrifying, but they may be the only way to pull people into action in order to stop this annual act.


And that concludes my 'Top 10' list of the best documentaries I've ever seen. I hope you enjoyed it! Check back next Tuesday for the next list!

Movie Review: THE BRIDGE

THE BRIDGE

2006
R



"I don't know why people kill themselves. And yet, it's a small step to empathize... to say... well, because I think we all experience moments of despair."

-- Caroline Pressley

The Bridge is a 2006 documentary directed by Eric Steel that offers a rare insight into the taboo subject of suicide. In 2004, Steel and his crew set up a number of cameras around the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco, California in order to capture victims of suicide jumping to their deaths. After gaining over ten thousand hours of footage, the crew learned they had caught twenty-three of the reported twenty-four suicides that took place over the course of the year. In the aftermath, Steel and his fellow filmmakers chose to interview the family and friends of the victims in order to gain insight into both the minds of the deceased as well as their own perspectives on the tragic situation. 

Those of you who have been reading my reviews for quite some time may remember my original review of this film nearly two years ago. I had mixed feelings about the film, but ultimately found it to be a hauntingly brilliant look at the thoughts and emotions that come forth at the hands of a suicide. After watching it tonight for the second time, I am reaffirmed in my stance, and I continue to think that The Bridge is one of the greatest - as well as one of the bravest - documentaries ever brought to the silver screen.

I don't think I can get away with saying that yesterday's tragic death of director Tony Scott helped influence my decision to give this film another go-around. Since then, I've heard a lot of people, including some of my readers, question why Scott would choose to take his own life. I've made it no secret that I myself have struggled with depression and mental illness in the past, I can understand just how low a person needs to be to consider this option. Still, it can be mind-boggling for an individual who has never reached that level of despair. 

That's why I think The Bridge is both so beautiful and so important. Through the numerous interviews with family and friends - as well as one with a jump survivor - we as the audience experience the full range of imaginable emotions tied to losing a loved one to suicide. From anger to guilt to acceptance, each interviewee offers another piece of the puzzle. And yet, at the end of the day, the film does not offer any answers, but it never truly sets out to give them.

The Bridge is not a film you're going to enjoy. It's a heart-wrenching look at a very real subject, and it's definitely not for the faint of heart. However, I think the stories it tells are vital to raising awareness for problems such as mental illness. There's so many people in the world who don't understand the concept of depression, and sometimes, it takes a drastic measure for someone to start to think about it. That's not the way the world should be. When I first watched the film in 2010, my closest friend watched it simultaneously from about five hundred miles away, and after finishing the film, we had a chance to discuss it at length. In my previous review, I brought up a number of her comments, and I'd like to bring one back in this review, as I think it sums up my thoughts on the film perfectly: 

I don't think you're supposed to like [The Bridge], but I do think it was beautifully and tastefully done. As beautiful and as tasteful as you can get with suicide, at least.

I don't think I could agree more.

Movie Review Summary

Grade: A

Status: Must-See

Top 10 Films of 2006

The year is 2006, and a lot has happened in the movie world. To help take you back in time, here's a look back at some of the film-related events that took place:

Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes welcome their daughter, Suri, and Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie welcome their daughter, Shiloh.

Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest becomes the year's highest-grossing film, earning over $1.06 billion at the worldwide box office.
The Departed wins the Academy Award for Best Picture as well as three other awards, including Best Director for Martin Scorsese, marking the first time he won the award.

The world loses the likes of Chris Penn, Don Knotts, Bruno Kirby, Jack Palance, Robert Altman and Peter Boyle.

I've been able to see 79 films released in 2006, and from those, I've compiled my own top ten list. As one can imagine, some great films had to be left off the final list. Here's a look at some of the movies (listed alphabetically) that just missed the cut:

Blood Diamond
Little Children
Little Miss Sunshine
Notes on a Scandal
A Scanner Darkly

But enough about the runners-up; here's the list you've been waiting to see! Counting down from number ten to number one, I've listed each film and have given the principal cast list as well as if and how fared at the Academy Awards. Also, I've listed the film's rank on my "Best Films of All-Time" list, if applicable. So without any further delay, here's my top ten movies of 2006!

*****

10. Inside Man
Rated: R
Directed by: Spike Lee
Starring: Denzel Washington, Clive Owen, Jodie Foster, Christopher Plummer, Willem Dafoe, Chiwetel Ejiofor
***
This was actually the first Spike Lee joint I ever had the privilege of seeing, and what an introduction to his style! Centered around fantastic leading performances from Washington and Owen, this chess duel between these dynamic actors proves to be one of the best heist films I have ever seen. Also very good are Foster and Plummer in supporting roles, but the interplay between negotiator Washington and heist-man Owen offers the real meat of this film. Chalk full of interesting camera angles as well as a number of plot twists, Inside Man is not a film to be missed.

*****

9. Letters from Iwo Jima
Rated: R
Directed by: Clint Eastwood
Starring: Ken Watanabe, Kazunari Ninomiya
Academy Awards: 4 nominations, 1 win
***
The second part of Eastwood's Iwo Jima films, Letters from Iwo Jima tells the Japanese side of the battle on the island of Iwo Jima. Much better than the American-centric Flags of Our Fathers, Letters, which can be considered a foreign language film, found a way to show the American public a side of World War II Japanese soldiers that may not have ever been made available to the mass public. With an incredible performance by Ken Watanabe at the center, there's a lot to like about this relatively quiet and thoughtful war film.

*****

8. Hard Candy
Rated: R
Directed by: David Slade
Starring: Ellen Page, Patrick Wilson
***
Hard Candy is an independent film that tells of an older-than-her-age teenager who tracks down and torments a supposed pedophile and alleged child murderer. At times, the evil that Ellen Page brings to the screen is almost unbearable, and even though Wilson's character is the true scum in the film, we as the audience want to cheer for him against this monstrosity of a girl looking to exact a bit of vengeance. Because Page and Wilson are essentially the film's only characters, it's up to them to keep the film moving along, and they succeed wholeheartedly. As I said, it can be tough to watch at times, but there's something brilliant about this psychological thriller that cut me pretty deep.

*****

7. Brick
Rated: R
Directed by: Rian Johnson
Starring: Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Nora Zehetner, Lukas Haas, Noah Fleiss, Matt O'Leary, Emilie de Ravin, Richard Roundtree, Meagan Good
***
Another independent film, Brick is actually a bit of a genre bender as well. It takes the film noir format and changes the setting, placing in the midst of a high school drama that deals with drugs, lies and murder. When a teenager's ex-girlfriend is found dead, he decides to solve the mystery on his own, with a little bit of help from his friends. What he finds is a very deep and convoluted drug cartel run by the dredges of the school. We're getting a great performance from Gordon-Levitt, but it's really the screenplay that excels here, giving a good story as well as fantastic dialogue that perfectly fits the mold.

*****

6. The Prestige
Rated: PG-13
Directed by: Christopher Nolan
Starring: Hugh Jackman, Christian Bale, Michael Caine, Rebecca Hall, Scarlet Johansson, Andy Serkis, David Bowie
Academy Awards: 2 nominations
All-Time Ranking: 112
***
Nolan really outdid himself with this one, once again proving that he is capable of handling any type of storyline and making it into a fantastic film. Aided by great performances from Bale, Hall and Serkis, The Prestige tells the story of two dueling magicians who continually try to best one another with different variations of the same trick. Like the two magicians, the film itself delves into a bit of sleight of hand, offering twist after twist as we make our way to a truly jaw-dropping finale. Let's just say I was left relatively speechless after the first I saw this film, and it has continued to leave me staring in wonder at the closing credits.

*****

5. The Departed
Rated: R
Directed by: Martin Scorsese
Starring: Leonardo DiCaprio, Matt Damon, Jack Nicholson, Mark Wahlberg, Martin Sheen, Ray Winstone, Vera Farmiga, Alec Baldwin
Academy Awards: 5 nominations, 4 wins
All-Time Ranking: 109
***
The film that finally earned Scorsese his first Academy Award for Best Director is actually a remake of a 2002 Hong Kong film entitled Infernal Affairs. This film tells the story of two young men, each from opposite sides of the law, impersonating their enemy in order to infiltrate either the police force or the criminal lair, respectively. It's a who's-who cast of big-time actors, and each plays his or her par to the tee. Especially good are DiCaprio and Nicholson, and even Alec Baldwin surprises with a pitch-perfect bit part. It's a very good film that proves to be quite entertaining, and it's aided by a great and memorable score from Howard Shore.

*****

4. Jesus Camp
Rated: PG-13
Directed by: Heidi Ewing, Rachel Grady
Academy Awards: 1 nomination
All-Time Ranking: 108
***
I had heard about this film back when it first hit theaters, but it took me a little while to sit down and see it. Having come from a background of working with my church, this one hit me pretty hard considering how horrendous some of the events prove to be. Rather than working towards showing how good a strong faith in God can be, the leaders of the church shown in this film instead prefer to brainwash the children under their care into conservative morals and ideas. While I do not have a political preference, I do not think that brainwashing children is ever the right way to teach them, and this film proves to be a bit of a horror story for me. It's a tough watch, especially if you're religious, so be wary.

*****

3. The Bridge
Rated: R
Directed by: Eric Steel
All-Time Ranking: 44
***
I have to issue a word of caution for this film as it is definitely not for the feint of heart. This documentary depicts images of people jumping from the Golden Gate Bride in San Francisco in order to end their lives. Eric Steel filmed the bridge for a year and captured a number of these suicides. He then talked to friends and family of the deceased in order to understand their emotions and coping mechanisms. It's a beautiful, if harrowing, film, but be wary. This is as close to a tasteful snuff film as you're ever going to find, so know going in that you're in for some disturbing images.

*****

2. United 93
Rated: R
Directed by: Paul Greengrass
Starring: Trish Gates, David Alan Basche, Christian Clemenson, Cheyenne Jackson, Khalid Abdalla
Academy Awards: 2 nominations
All-Time Ranking: 43
***
We all remember what happened on September 11, 2001, as the events of the day reverberated all around the world. When Greengrass decided to make this film chronicling the men and women on the fateful flight that crashed in a Pennsylvania field, many speculated as to whether the film was coming too soon. Still, it offers an intense and profound look at what may have happened on board the flight, and it depicts the passengers as quite the heroic ensemble.

*****

1. Pan's Labyrinth (El laberinto del fauno)
Rated: R
Directed by: Guillermo del Toro
Starring: Ivana Baquero, Maribel Verdú, Sergi López, Doug Jones, Ariadna Gil
Academy Awards: 6 nominations, 3 wins
All-Time Ranking: 9
***
Arguably one of my favorite foreign language films of all time, Pan's Labyrinth can best be described as a "fairy tale for adults." While it delves into a series of fanciful adventures with our young heroine, there's a grittiness and a horror surrounding the events of the film that puts this beyond any child's realm. I've also found there to be a rather religious context in which the film can be taken, and for me personally, that only heightens the enjoyability of the film. It's a fantastic film all around, and I highly suggest you see it.