Movie Review: Cookie Queens

 

Michael's Movie Grade: C

An okay documentary. 

This documentary follows four girl scouts as the each try to reach a certain cookie selling goal that they set for themselves. 

The best thing about this documentary is the four main girl scouts themselves. They are all very likable and have a charm about them that comes through on camera. We can see a bit of ourselves in each of them and it is enjoyable to spend time with them. Ara is especially adorable and sweet. She was definitely a little scene stealer and there is a moment towards the end that is quite sweet and heartwarming. 

This was supposed to be a very uplifting movie that would make us cheer. However, perhaps I am too much of a cynical adult, but I found it anything but. This movie actually made me kind of hate the girl scouts as an organization. Being pushed to sell so many cookies at such a young age by a company that takes most of the profits seems wrong to me. The pressure obviously takes a real toll on them. Some of them are having their childhood's taken away for them by being pushed to do a job that would be this reviewer's personal hell (then again, I am an introvert). Meanwhile their parents (some who aren't well off financially) have to pay for any cookies their children can't sell. This movie briefly touches on these problems but refuses to truly delve into them. Instead, it just goes back to trying to be a feel-good family film. It is hard to feel uplifted when you are so angry at the reason these girls are setting these goals. It doesn't help that many of the so-called uplifting scenes, are so obviously staged. There were moments where the audience is being so obviously manipulated that they are put off rather than charmed. The above-mentioned scene with Ara is the only heartwarming scene that doesn't feel manipulative. It helps that that scene has little to do with the selling of cookies and instead focuses on the sweetness of one little girl. 

While the girls were charming and likable, I would have preferred a more honest and less cowardly documentary on the Girl Scouts. 

 

Movie Review: EPiC: Elvis Presley in Concert

 

Michael's Movie Grade: A+

A real treat for Elvis fans. 

This movie begins with a clip of Elvis stating that his story had never been told from his point of view. This film however is completely from Elvis' point of view. It consists of interview clips, concert footage and behind the scenes clips. Every second is full of pure bliss for Elvis fans. The musical performances are simply wonderful. The song selection itself is fantastic ranging from many of Elvis' biggest hits to covers of the likes of The Beatles, Bob Dylan and Three Dog Night to gospel standards. Not only this but the performances show Elvis at his best. His voice sounds truly wonderful and his stage presence is incredible making him just as much a joy to watch as he is to listen to. Putting this film in IMAX helps give us the feeling of being at a rock concert. The interview footage mostly features Elvis talking about what goes through his mind as he puts on a show giving us a greater emotional connection to the performances and the work that goes into being such a master showman. I can picture someone who has previously not been an Elvis fan become a fan after watching this film, which is the ultimate achievement for a movie like this.  

Yet it is not just the quality of the induvial parts but also the rarity of them that makes this special. Many of these clips are not familiar to even the most dedicated Elvis fans. This alone makes this an essential watch for any fan who feels they have seen all there is to see of Elvis. That the new footage is so good is just a bonus. 

One can complain about how safe this movie plays it, not ever really delving into Elvis' flaws. However, when a movie is this much of a joy to watch that is hardly a problem. 

I don't know if this will go down in film history along such great rock and roll movies as A Hard Day's Night (1964), The Last Waltz (1978) or Stop Making Sense (1984) but I wouldn't be surprised if it does. 

Movie Trailer: EPiC: Elvis Presley in Concert

Filming Disney's True-Life Adventures

Even those who criticize Walt Disney's True-Life Adventure films have to admit that the actual nature photography is simply incredible. As a nature lover, I greatly enjoy these films because of how great they capture the beauty of nature. 

Here is an article from a 1954 issue of American Cinematographer about the people who shot these films. If you have trouble reading any of the following pages, click on them and use your touch screen to zoom in. If you don't have a touch screen, click here. Note that sometimes the article will resume in the middle of these pages. 

Now enjoy the first of Walt Disney's True-Life Adventure films, a short film called Seal Island (1948). This short would win the Oscar for Live Action Short Film. 

The following is a review of Seal Island from the Motion Picture Daily. 

"'Seal Island' introduces a new Walt Disney series, 'True-Life Adventures,' the subjects of will 'delve deep into the most vital concerns of man and the universe which affects his fate and fortunes.' Although this three-reel production does not do precisely that, it most certainly depicts in thrilling details the fascinating life of Alaskan fur seals herded on the Pribilof Reefs of Seal Island in the Bering Sea. 

"There are few who will not be moved by the sweep of color, beauty and abundance of the rare plants and birds on the island, the impressive musical background and interesting cavortings of 100,000 seals which annually emerge from the sea each May, like clockwork and depart in mid-fall. A Disney production crew stayed on the island through a whole season, so we are told, to photograph the cycle of the seals, and the results of their patience and skill have produced an astonishing record of wildlife, most deserving of the Academy documentary award accorded it last month. Plaudits aplenty to cinematographer Alfred G. Milote, to Winston Hibler's interesting and entertaining narration, to James Algar's direction and to the musical arrangements by Oliver Wallace. Running time, 28 minutes." 

Here is Film Historian and Critic Leonard Maltin talking about the True-Life Adventures films. 



    

Bugs Bunny Superstar (1975)

Bugs Bunny Superstar marked the first Looney Tunes feature length movie. The movie itself was part documentary and part a compilation film. The movie consisted of interviews with such notable Looney Tunes directors as Friz Freleng, Tex Avery and especially Bob Clampett, vintage footage of the studio when they were making the classic cartoon shorts, narration by no less than Orson Welles and nine full cartoon shorts. The movie itself came about because of a filmmaker named Larry Jackson. Jackson felt that those these cartoons were popular on TV in the 1970's, they should be put back in movie theaters (where they played originally). Jackson originally played on simply making a retrospective of these cartoons but as the film developed it turned into the part documentary we now have. 

The cartoon shorts used in this movie are What's Cookin' Doc? (1944), The Wild Hare (1940), A Corny Concerto (1943), I Taw a Putty Tat (1948), Rhapsody Rabbit (1946), Walky Talky Hawky (1946), My Favorite Duck (1942), Hair-Raising Hare (1946) and The Old Grey Hare (1944), These are a wonderful selection of cartoon shorts. While there are a few obvious choices here and quite few less obvious choices, each cartoon is a winner and some of them even hold their own against the best Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies shorts. My Favorite Duck is one of my favorite Porky and Daffy pairings and one of the highlights of the movie. If this film only consisted of these cartoons, it would still be a joy to watch. 

The home movie footage of the animators at work and play are simply wonderful. They take up too brief of a time, but they are nicely employed, a lot of fun to watch and a treasure for classic cartoon fans. 

While every Looney Tunes fan will agree that the cartoons and the home movie footage are wonderful, the interviews are much more controversial. Friz Freleng and Tex Avery barely appear and don't get to say much, while Bob Clampett takes up nearly all the screen time where cartoons are not being shown. This is not accidental. On his blog historian Thad Komorowski states, "In order to secure Clampett’s participation and access to the Clampett estate’s unprecedented collection of Warner history, Jackson had to sign a contract that stipulated Clampett would host the documentary and also have approval over the final cut." Clampet himself was reluctant to speak about the other Looney Tunes directors. While he doesn't directly take credit for too much here (as he did in a 1969 interview with historian Michael Barrier), he does imply that he was the main force behind these cartoons. Tex Avery was not happy about what he felt was Bob Clampett taking credit for creating Bugs Bunny. Chuck Jones, who famously had a fued with Bob Clampett, feeling that the Clampett took too much credit was unhappy with the movie as a whole. It is perhaps no coincidence that when Jones directed The Bugs Bunny-Road Runner Movie (1979), Bugs would list a group of his "fathers" and Bob Clampett would not be included. Friz Freleng told Jackson not to worry about the feud saying that the two were always “squabbling like kids with sibling rivalry more or less since they were kids, and if the shoe had been on the other foot when you were making your film, Chuck would have probably done the same thing to Bob and give him the short end of the stick if he had the chance.” Frankly this film can feel at times too much like Bob Clampett: The Movie and one wishes that more time could have been spent discussing the other creators of these cartoons. The main problem with Bob Clampett's hosting though is that he doesn't really give much information about these cartoons. He gives a few of the better-known facts and never goes into much detail. This especially stands out today, when so many great books about classic cartoons have been written and much information is also readily available on the internet. This can make his hosting scenes seem very fluffy today (not helped by the obviously very low budget filmmaking). However, they are very pleasant fluff and have a real charm to them. 

Jackson wanted Robert McKimson, Mel Blanc and Chuck Jones to appear in the film. Robert McKimson turned this down as he didn't feel comfortable in front of a camera. Mel Blanc said that Clampett never reached out to him but that he would have declined as he was still frail from an auto accident fourteen years earlier. Clampett claimed to have talked to Jones secretary who said he was out of town that month. One wonders if any of them would have gotten much screentime or would have barely appeared in the final film the way Friz Freleng and Tex Avery did. 

The movie reached theaters on December 19, 1975, and received a mostly positive reception from critics and audiences. It would find itself on VHS in 1988. It would strangely enough air once on the Disney Channel in 1989. Even stranger is that the Disney Channel did not edit the blackface gag in I Taw a Putty Tat. 

Resources Used

Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies: A Complete Illustrated Guide to Warner Brothers Cartoons by Jerry Beck and Will Friedwald

https://www.whataboutthad.com/2012/11/28/bob-clampett-superstar/

https://www.combustiblecelluloid.com/classic/bugs_bunny_superstar.shtml

https://looneytunes.fandom.com/wiki/Bugs_Bunny:_Superstar

Movie Review: Becoming Led Zeppelin

 

Michael's Movie Grade: B

A really fun documentary about the early years of the famous rock band. 

The main reason to see this movie is the various concert clips from the band's early days. It is rare to see footage of the band this early in their career, making this a real treasure for rock and roll fans. It is also simply wonderful to see such a great band in their prime. There is never a bad time to listen to Led Zeppelin and their musical performances here are rock and roll music at its best. I am so glad this film got released in IMAX as this helped give us the feeling that we truly traveled back in time to experience a Led Zeppelin concert. For those of us who were born too late to experience Led Zeppelin (in their original lineup) in concert, this is the closest we will ever come and for that I am grateful this movie exists. This movie also benefits from being able to hear the story from the band members. Robert Plant, Jimmy Page and John Paul Jones all appear onscreen to discuss the early years of the band. There is even archival audio from John Bonham (who passed in 1980) talking about his years with the band. This allows us to feel like we are experiencing these years of discovery with them. 

What keeps this from being as great of a documentary as it should have been is that it is not especially informative. Those who are familiar with the band will not learn much from this film. Even newcomers will only learn the basics of the history of this band. 

Though this film could have been much more informative, the concert footage and presence of the original band members make this a sheer delight for rock and roll fans. 

Movie Review: From Ground Zero

 

Michael's Movie Grade: A

A difficult to watch but essential movie.

One of the saddest truths about war is that those fighting and those in power aren't the only people who suffer. Just ordinary citizens living their lives suffer too. This documentary focuses on those living in Gaza, while this current war is going on. Many of us not living in the middle east, especially those of us in the U.S. and other countries across the ocean, when we hear news about what is happening on the other side of the world, we feel emotional disconnected from it. After watching this film, it is hard to feel the same sort of emotional disconnect. This forces us to face that the harsh realities that we hear about are happening to real people, not much different than us. I left the theater feeling completely and emotionally drained with my heart aching for everyone living in the middle east while this war goes on. 

This movie is told in a brilliant way. This is a feature film that is created from 22 short films created by Palestinian filmmakers that are currently living through what is going on. These short films are based off their own personal stories. This creates a more personal feel to this movie that makes it even harder to ignore that these horrors are happening to real people. 

This is a movie that is challenging to watch and about midway through you will already be emotionally drained. Yet that is just what makes this an important film to watch for anyone. It makes one have to see that these harsh realities are happening to real people and therefore will make them care about what is going on.

Movie Review: Piece By Piece

 

Michael's Movie Grade: B

A delightful music documentary. 

Making a music documentary as an animated LEGO movie is certainly a creative idea and it pays off quite well here. Though this movie follows the career of hip-hop artist Pharrell, more than just a recounting of a career this film is a testament to the power of creativity and the importance of being yourself. Having the film told in a type of toy that stresses both individuality and creativity drives these points home all the more closely. Because of this the use of LEGOs does not come off as a gimmick but an integral part of the film. The use of LEGOs also allows for some creative visual filmmaking. I love the way, when talks about seeing the music as he listens, we get visual representations of what this looks like. Also, the way he connects various LEGO pieces together as he is trying to come up with new beats, is wonderfully clever. Admittedly though some of the little cartoon-y gags involving LEGOs can fall a little flat and few of them really got a laugh from me. 

Once you get past the LEGOs this is actually a really a pretty standard music documentary. It is hard to fit a whole artist's career into the length of one movie. Because of this, parts of this film can fell a little rushed and I doubt any diehard fans will learn much new about Pharrell. However, for those like me who only really know the songs and little else, this gives a great overview of who the man behind the songs is. I felt by the end of the film, I had a basic idea who of who he was as both and artist and a man. While I wish it could have gone into greater detail, it does its job very well. 

This is a really fun, interesting and creative music documentary. 

Movie Review: Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story

 

Michael's Movie Grade: A

A beautifully touching documentary on the great actor and person Cristopher Reeve. 

To me Chistopher Reeve will always be Superman and Superman: The Movie (1978) will always be the greatest superhero movie ever made. However, there is much more to Cristopher Reeve than having played the most iconic superhero in four movies. That is what this documentary explores. It especially looks at his life after his horseback riding accident that left him paralyzed. How at first this almost broke him and how it would eventually lead him to become a major activist for people with disabilities. While many documentaries would end with this ruining a promising career, Reeve was too strong of a man to even let this keep him down. The movie goes into depth about he remained a present force in the world, whether through his appearances at the Oscars and commercials, films made behind the camera (and even one in front), his drive to speak to political figures (of any party) about taking care of our disabled or The Christopher Reeve foundation which continues to help countless people with disabilities to this day. Yet this film does not come off as simply a fluff piece. It also takes a real human look at who Christopher Reeve was. It does not completely overlook his flaws, while still showing a highly sympathetic look at the man. In fact, with the flaws, we can see how after the accident he even matured quite a bit as a husband and a father. The most touching scenes in the movie are when his sons and daughter talk about him. During these scenes not only can we see how much they truly loved him (and still do), but we begin to feel a bit of that love for him ourselves. Also, incredibly touching are the scenes where the focus turns to his friendship with Robin Williams. This is truly a beautiful friendship that goes much deeper than two guys who simply liked to spend time with each other.

 The focus may not be on his acting career, but the moments dedicated to this (including of course about his role as Superman) are quite insightful and fun to listen to.     

This is a beautiful portrait of a great man.  

Movie Review: Look Into My Eyes

 

Michael's Movie Grade: A-

A very compelling documentary. 

Most films about psychics would either try to prove or disprove whether or not they can actually do what they say they can. However, director Lana Wilson has little interest in this. Instead, she is interested in people. Whether they truly have a psychic gift is nowhere near as important as who these people are. This is a deeply empathetic film. Even if you are a skeptic (like me), you will still find yourself connecting to these people on a personal level. While none of these psychics have the same story, there are certain similarities between all of them. They are all outcasts who don't quite fit into society. They all have their own anxieties and have something in their past that hurt them. However, their "abilities" have a way of helping them cope. One gets the idea that they are not only doing this to help their clients get through something but to help themselves make it through their pain as well. Yet sometimes their insecurities can reach even into their careers as psychics. They even admit themselves that they sometimes wonder if their abilities are real or if they are making stuff up. There are moments in this movie that make it seems like these abilities have to be real and there are others where it seems like these psychics are completely making stuff up. Yet the camera just sits and observes these scenes, and Wilson offers no commentary on them. This is the rare current documentary that never tells us what to think. People who are skeptics may look at these scenes completely different from those who are believers. There is no narrator or even subtitles telling us who these people are. The camera and the director just sit and observe. Yet this sheer honesty is what makes the film so fascinating. It is also why we are allowed to connect so deeply with these people, even as we may not share the same beliefs. 

This is a truly wonderful movie and must watch for fans of documentaries. I personally had little interest in the subject matter, yet found myself glued to the screen. 

Summer Concert Series: Oasis: Supersonic (2016)

 

Note: This film has been placed back in theaters briefly. Though I missed the movie when it first came out, I was able to be introduced to this documentary on the big screen, which is the best way to see it.

An excellent documentary about one of the most iconic rock bands of the 1990's. 

This movie takes a wonderful approach to the rock and roll documentary. Rather than having your typical narrator, this film has all of the offscreen talking done by the band, those they toured with and family members. The film also completely revolves around the first few years of the band, from their start to the height of their popularity. Both of these make this movie something truly special. Listening to the band tell us the story themselves is a wonderful idea. It helps make this film feel like something more up close and personal than the average rock-doc. As we watch this movie, we get to feel like we get to truly know who these people are. It also gives the film a real sense of honesty as none of their flaws are hidden from us. Their egos, the arguments between the two brothers at the front of the band and their tempers are all on full display here. Yet at the same time, this is far from a fully negative portrait of thew group. We also see that they are a band that truly appreciates their fans and goes out of their way to make sure that their audience gets the best they can give them. As such this becomes a complex portrait of not only major rock stars but also real human beings. At the same time, their music is often front and center. Listening to their music here, it is very easy to understand why they become so popular, it is truly wonderful. It is shown to its best effect here and this film is truly a treat for the ears. This movie uses many rarely seen (well before the film was released) live footage of the band in concert. These are true gems and help give one the idea of just what incredible shows this band put on at the height of their powers. I always feel that the best compliment that a music documentary can be given is that someone who is unfamiliar with the band, would become a fan after watching. With this delightful rock-doc, I can fully see this happening. 

 Mat Whitecross, this movie's director, has had a career that has revolved around rock and roll. His career began with an art film entitled 9 Songs (2004); a movie whose story revolves around nine different rock songs heard throughout. He also directed the Ian Duray biopic Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll (2010) and the rock-docs Scott Walker: 30 Century Man (2006) and Coldplay: A Head Full of Dreams (2018) as well as the Coldplay concert film, Live in São Paulo (2018). Away from movies, he has also directed music videos for Pink Floyd, Coldplay, Take That and The Rolling Stones.

Oasis: Supersonic is a wonderful treat for all rock and roll fans. 

Movie Review: The Commandant's Shadow

 

Michael's Movie Grade: A+

An incredibly powerful documentary. 

This movie follows the son and grandson of Rudolf Höss, the Commandant of the Auschwitz concentration camp. The son who actually lived next to the camp with his father as kid never knew what horrors were happening next door.  The grandson, a pastor of a Christian church in the U.S. has always had trouble coming to terms with the fact that he could be related to a real-life monster. We also see his daughter, who seems to be in complete denial as to how horrible of a person her father was, probably because if she faced it, it would simply be too much to bear. This is interspersed with texts being read from Rudolf Höss' autobiography. 

No matter how ready you think you may be for this movie, you can never be prepared for the sheer emotional impact this film will have on you. There is not a moment here that is pleasant to watch and there are times it becomes almost unbearable. However, that is exactly why it must be seen. After this, it is impossible to any longer simply view the holocaust as some words you read in a history book. It instead becomes all too real and all too hard to take. It makes us face the fact that those who were behind these atrocities, were people like the ones we meet every day. That there were kids who called these people, "dad." This also causes us to look at antisemitism and any form of prejudice and remind ourselves that we can never let this happen again. This is why we study history and why we need to not just view it as some words in a book. This movie makes us greatly uncomfortable and that is why it serves as a stark and important warning of what people are truly capable of. This is especially disturbing when we hear Rudolf Höss' words themselves. They are so cold and vivid, that it is startling to hear that a real-life human being wrote them. The scene where the son and grandson went to Auschwitz and saw the legacy of Rudolf Höss is powerful beyond anything words can describe. They are at a loss of words after seeing it and so are we. As the end credits to this film rolled, I found myself so overcome with emotion that I just sat and stared silently at the screen. It is rare when any film can have this kind of impact on you, but I this is one of the few.   

Though it may be difficult to sit through I believe that every single person in the world should see this movie. And I am so grateful to director Daniela Volker and everyone involved with this film. 

Movie Review: The Blue Angels

 

Michael's Movie Grade: B

A basic but visually stunning documentary. 

This movie was personally made for IMAX and on that big screen it looks absolutely amazing. This film is about the elite group of Navy flyers, The Blue Angels and the highlight of the movie is whenever we see them in the air, it is absolutely breathtaking. This is truly top-notch aerial cinematography that truly captures the excitement of what these incredible pilots do in a way that is completely cinematic. While this will still look great on a smaller screen on a big IMAX screen it is truly incredible. The amazing feats we see from the pilots is just as incredible as the cinematography. Even those who don't have much of an interest in aviation will be greatly impressed by what they are capable of. 

Besides the flying scenes, the rest of this movie is made of the pilots talking about their jobs. Much of what they say is quite interesting and they are fun to listen to. However, I couldn't help but wish that they would have gone into greater depth. This feels like very basic surface-level information about The Blue Angels. There are some truly interesting insights into the life of a Blue Angel brought up, but we only look at these briefly and don't get into anything below the surface. Instead, too much time is spent on various pilots simply saying the same things, making parts feel too repetitive and can even make the movie drag. Yet it is interesting when we get little glimpses into who these pilots are as people, which makes this documentary feel all the more relatable to us. 

While this may leave you wishing for more, it still is a very entertaining documentary with some great moments.        

Movie Review: They Shot the Piano Player

 

Michael's Movie Grade: B+

An excellent animated jazz docu-drama.

This film follows a writer, who goes to Brazil to research for a book he is writing about Brazilian samba-jazz. While writing this book he becomes fascinated by a pianist he has never heard of before, who he learns simply disappeared with no one knowing what happened. While this film offers various options for how this happened, we all know that is pure speculation. Yet it gives us a powerful and often disturbing look into part of South American history that will make many of us uncomfortable. This history lesson is giving in an extremely effective way and never feels like we are being lectured. Of course, as well as Brazilian history this movie also gives us a great look into the history of jazz music. This is very informative and fascinating, yet also perfectly accessible to those who are either casual jazz fans or don't know anything about the music. Much of this is told through actual interviews, which we hear the real audio from. These interviews are simply a joy to listen to and really help the story feel all the more personal to us. These interviews alone would be worth the price of admission. Naturally being a documentary about jazz, the music is also very important. Luckily the music is simply wonderful. It is such a delight to listen to this music and it is easy for us to understand why the subjects of the documentary are so passionate about it. 

This film does have its flaws though. One is casting Jeff Goldblum as the voice of the main character. While he does a good acting job, the voice we hear is so obviously the voice of Jeff Goldblum, that it can take us out of the movie and make this docu-drama feel less real to us. Another problem is that sometimes this movie will bring up interesting points and never explore them. There are moments where the film seems to allude to a connection between this music and Cinema's French New Wave. Yet the movie never truly explains what this connection is. While for cinephiles it is cool to see animated versions of scenes from such films as Breathless (1960) and The 400 Blows (1959), it is ultimately pointless and feels like it simply just pads out the runtime.   

While it is not perfect, this movie is a pure delight for both seasoned jazz fans and for newcomers to the genre. 

Movie Review: Route 60: The Biblical Highway

 

Michael's Movie Grade: A-

A simply wonderful documentary about the Holy Land. 

This movie follows former US Ambassador to Israel David Friedman and former US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo as the travel Israel seeing the Holy Land. In this film their trip takes them down Route 60, a road that leads them down some of the most important locations in scripture. If you are a person of faith and have never been to Israel, it is truly a life changing experience. While obviously seeing these sights on a movie screen can't compare to seeing them in person, there is still something that moves inside of you watching this movie. These sights help bring the stories many of us have heard all our lives further to life and I am glad this film is giving this opportunity to those who may not be able to travel there in person. The simply capturing of these places on film alone makes this movie worth going to. It is only enhanced by our two hosts. Both of them are very knowledgeable about scripture and offer us all the background information we need to fully understand and appreciate what we are looking at. It is also obvious that both of them are completely moved by seeing these biblical places come to life. The fact that one of them is Christian and the other one is Jewish also adds a lot to this film. It allows us to understand and appreciate what these places mean to both Christians and Jewish people as well as providing us two different and interesting perspectives. 

My only real complaint about this movie is the musical score. This score is often too loud, ill-fitting and distracting. However over the course of the movie, I found this flaw becoming less and less distracting. 

If you are Christian or Jewish (or even just interested in ancient history), this film is a pure delight. 

Chaplin's Art of Comedy (1966)

Part documentary and part compilation film, Chaplin's Art of Comedy is an interesting movie to watch today. While there is nothing here that would make this essential for a modern Chaplin fan, it is still an incredibly fun watch for any Chaplin fan.

This movie takes a look at the wonderful short films that Charlie Chaplin made for the Essanay Studio. The majority of the movie is made up of clips from these short films with narration over them. This narration was provided by Dave Anderson and was written by Samuel M. Sherman, who also produced this movie (he would go on to produce many cheaply made B horror movies and exploitation films). This narration gives some basic history of Chaplin's career, offers some critical insights and explains some of what is happening due to the movie not using the original intertitles. This narration works quite well, heavily because it lets Charlie Chaplin be the comedian and does not try to "enhance" Charlie's comedy by adding jokes, something that was all too common on showings of silent films in this era. Because of this it is never distracting or takes away from the action on screen. The history provided here is very basic and most of what is said is information that longtime Chaplin fans already know. However this information is wonderful for newcomers to hear and probably provided young movie audiences in the 1960's some important knowledge about this great comedian. The critical insight is very well put and intelligent but after so many decades of every moment of Charlie Chaplin's career being analyzed (some would say overanalyzed), there is little here that longtime Chaplin fans haven't heard before. I still do though enjoy hearing it in such an unpretentious tone. 

The clips here are truly wonderful. Sometimes we see nearly a whole short film and sometimes only a clip. However all of it is wonderful. Featured here are the films, The Tramp (1915), The Bank (1915), The Champion (1915), His New Job (1915), A Night Out (1915), A Night in the Show (1915), In the Park (1915), A Woman (1915) and Police (1916). That is a truly wonderful selection and it shows how much Charlie's Essanay era is underrated. The films of this era may not be talked about as much as the later feature films (as well as Charlie's shorts for Mutual) but watching this movie reminded me how much fun these shorts are. I found myself laughing out loud though much of this film and was enjoying these clips so much that I was sad when the movie ended. True today when all of Chaplin's Essanay shorts are widely available seeing them here may not be as special today as when this movie first appeared in theaters, but that doesn't mean that it isn't a blast to watch clips from these classic comedies. 

The opening of this film includes a crudely animated Charlie Chaplin over the credits, followed by a fairly lengthy introduction with narration over a series of generic images and clips of Hollywood. The narration is fine and can be fairly fun to listen to, but the images and clips feel random and don't really add much to the narration. They certainly don't compare to the wonderful short comedies which are to follow. 

When so much Chaplin is easily available to anyone willing to seek it out, a film like this no longer feels necessary or essential to a Chaplin fan. However this is still a very fun watch today. 

Movie Review: The God Man

 

Michael's Movie Grade: A

A very moving documentary on how God is still working in the world today. 

As this film starts director Darren Wilson states how he set out to make a movie about how Jesus still works in the world today and instead of having a set plan for the film, he instead let God lead the film wherever it needed to go. This can be felt throughout the movie. This film does not in any way feel like it was planned out but instead like it just naturally happened and then was filmed. This is the type of feeling that many documentaries try for but either have the effort seem too obvious or simply come off as a messy film. This movie however succeeds marvelously at this. Part of the reason for this is that the subject matter simply calls out for this type of filmmaking. Hearing about how God is still working in the world today, is nowhere near as effective or persuasive as actually seeing him work. Over the course of this movie, we see multiple times, God working in the lives of the people on screen and the effect is something that is truly touching and emotional. If you are a Christian this is the type of film that will help strengthen your faith and if you are not this is a film that might make you wonder if there is more to Christian beliefs than you previous thought. This movie also is something much more personal than most documentaries, as you can see how making this film, changed the filmmakers' lives. This can especially be seen in the scenes with the director's daughter. She was having a crisis of faith and falling away from God, when she agreed to help her dad with this movie. However over the course of making the picture, her faith was heavily strengthened and she rededicated her life to the Lord. This was a moving journey and through watching this film, you feel like you are experiencing this spiritual journey along with her and it makes this a very emotional film. This movie also features various theologians talking about why they believe Christianity is the truth. While this part of the movie feels much more like a conventional documentary, what they have to say is very intelligent and well thought out and well worded. 

This is a wonderful Chirstian documentary that I recommend whole heartedly. 

Movie Review: Patterns of Evidence: Journey to Mount Sinai II

 

Michael's Movie Grade: B+

A really interesting documentary on the search for the location of Mount Sinai (where Moses came down with the Ten Commandments).

What makes this movie really stand out from other documentaries is the fact that it keeps us intellectually engaged throughout the film. Since it is unknown which of these places (if any of them) was the biblical indication of Mt. Sinai, this movie does not offer an exact answer to this question. Not only this but the filmmaker doesn't share his opinions on them until the end of the film. We instead spend much of the time listening to knowledgeable people talk about why they do or don't believe one location is the actual location. Therefore, we hear the arguments for and against each location and make up our minds for ourselves. This creates a real engagement and interest in the film that lasts throughout the whole movie as we are listening carefully trying to figure it out for ourselves. This also makes us feel like we are part of the movie. Listening to the various knowledgeable people talk is very interesting. They go into great detail but never in a way that either feels inaccessible or talks down to the average person. The location filming is also fantastic and it is wonderful to see all these possibly historical sites we may never get to see otherwise. 

One big problem I have with this film happens to do with its framing and one way it tries to encourage audience involvement. This is that early in the movie a QR code appears on the screen and the audience is encouraged to scan it with their phones and use their to record keep track of their opinions on various aspects of the places visited in the movie. There is something about this idea that feel very uncinematic and seems to go against so much of what I love about the movie going experience. After various topics were discussed, the audience was given time to record their thoughts about these aspects while the director reviewed what was said about each of these topics. This simply made the movie slow down to a halt and cause the film to really drag in these parts. Needless to say, I was not a fan of this idea and I hope it is not employed in too many future films. 

Despite a very major fault, this movie was incredibly fascinating and a very thought-provoking documentary.

Silent Films on TCM for May 2023

 

Hello my friends. I am sure many of you reading this blog are like me fans of both TCM and silent films. Because of this here is a list of each silent film being shown on TCM this May. 

Monday May, 1st

Image Makers: The Adventures of America's Pioneer Cinematographers (2019) Director: Daniel Raim. (Documentary on silent film) 3:15pm Pacific. 6:15pm Eastern.

Laugh, Clown, Laugh (1928) Director: Herbert Brenon. Cast: Lon Chaney and Lorretta Young. 5pm Pacific. 8pm Eastern. 

Desert Nights (1929) Director: William Nigh. Starring John Gilbert and Ernest Torrance. 11:15pm Pacific. 2:15am Eastern. 

Wednesday May 3rd

When Knighthood Was in Flower (1922) Director: Robert G. Vignola. Starring Marion Davies and Forrest Stanley. 11pm Pacific. 2am Eastern.

Thursday May 4th

Too Many Kisses (1925) Director: Paul Salone. Starring Richard Dix and Frances Howard. 9:30am Pacific. 12:30pm Eastern. 

Sunday May 7th

Sky High (1922) Director: Lynn Reynolds. Starring Tom Mix and J. Farrell McDonald. 9:15pm Pacific. 12:15am Eastern. 

The Big Diamond Robbery (1929) Director: Eugene Forde. Starring Tom Mix and Kathryn McGuire. 10:15pm Pacific. 1:15am Eastern. 

Sunday May 14th

The First Degree (1923) Director: Edward Sedgwick. Starring Frank Mayo and Sylvia Breamer. 9:15pm Pacific. 12:15am Eastern. 

Too Many Kisses (1925) Director: Paul Salone. Starring Richard Dix and Frances Howard. 10:15pm Pacific. 1:15am Eastern.

Thursday May 18th

The Gold Rush (1925). Director: Charlie Chaplin. Starring Charlie Chaplin and Mack Swain. 5pm Pacific. 8pm Eastern.

Sunday May 21st

High and Dizzy (1920) Director: Hal Roach. Starring Harold Lloyd and Mildred Davis. 9pm Pacific. 12am Eastern. 

Billy Blazes Esq. (1919) Director: Hal Roach. Starring Harold Lloyd and Snub Pollard. 9:25pm Pacific. 12:25am Eastern. 

Ask Father (1919) Director: Hal Roach. Starring Harold Lloyd and Snub Pollard. 9:37pm Pacific. 12:37am Eastern.

An Eastern Westerner (1920) Director: Hal Roach. Starring Harold Lloyd and Mildred Davis. 9:50pm Pacific. 12:50am Eastern. 

Monday May 22nd


Image Makers: The Adventures of America's Pioneer Cinematographers (2019) Director: Daniel Raim. (Documentary on silent film) 9:15pm Pacific. 12:15am Eastern.

Sunday May 28th

The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse (1921) Director: Rex Ingram. Starring Rudolph Valentino and Alice Terry. 9pm Pacific. 12am Eastern. 


 

Movie Review: Little Richard: I Am Everything

 

Michael's Movie Grade: A-

A wonderful documentary on rock and roll icon, Little Richard. 

What I try to bring to reviewing any music documentary is to ask myself if I hadn't heard of the musician or band going into the movie, would I leave the theatre a fan of their music. While I have long loved the music of Little Richard, if that wasn't the case I would still have left this movie a fan. The most obvious reason for this is hearing the music itself. The songs featured in this film are truly fantastic. While one may argue that they are obvious song choices, they are still a joy to listen to. There is a reason these songs were such major hits and I definitely enjoyed listening to them here. The clips of him performing these songs live are also wonderful and you can easily see what a great live performer he was. This movie also does a great job of putting Little Richard's music into context of both the time period and Richard's career as a whole. This gives those who may take much of his great music for granted, a greater understanding of the importance of what he did and how revolutionary it was. While his music still remains good listening today, this adds a whole new level to one's appreciation of it.

Also while this movie may be in many ways an overview of the artist's career, it is also a wonderful look at just who the man was. Little Richard was a complicated man and one who was seemingly full of contradictions. He was a Christian, who spent much of his time spreading the word of God, but he also was a party animal who took part in wild orgies. He took what many people said about him in stride as if he didn't care what anyone said about him, but he also was very upset at not receiving the public recognition he deserved. This movie addresses these contradictions head on. As you watch this film you begin to understand more and more why he was the way he was. This look into who Little Richard was is made much more authentic due to the use of many interviews Little Richard did at many parts in his career. Because of this we often get to hear who Little Richard was from the mouth of Little Richard himself. There are even some very clever scenes where we see back to back ways that he contradicted himself in various interviews. This works especially well because there place in the movie helps us understand just why he gave contradictory answers. This creates a more complex and more fascinating look at the man himself. 

This is simply put a wonderful documentary that I recomend equally to long time fans and new comers.