Ordinary people who end up in extraordinary situations can produce fascinating results in films. And if a film does this well, you as a viewer can imagine that it could happen to you and it will make a film memorable. That’s something like A Simple Plan proved for example. Such a scenario also happens in The Fall of the American Empire, but is this also a good film? Continue reading
When I was in Greece last summer, I visited a beautiful bay surrounded by rocks about 15 meters high. Of course I wanted to enjoy the view and decided to climb it. Atually the word climbing is perhaps a little much, because nowhere did I have to hang on a ledge or look carefully at how I could get up. There were many flat pieces and certain sections almost looked like stairs. Once I was on top, I already had the feeling of being quite high and I could imagine the consequences of a fall. It is therefore difficult to imagine that someone climbs a mountain range, El Capitan in Yosemite Park, of 2307 meters high. Without a single form of security. However, that is what Alex Honnold had in mind and that has resulted in the documentary Free Solo. Continue reading
The first idea you might get when you see the poster for this documentary is that it is a film about skating. A topic about which interesting documentaries have been made (Dogtown and Z-Boys), but that’s not what Minding the Gap is. Bing Liu is a skater who, within his circle of friends, is the one who has enjoyed filming and editing everything from an early age. From the start of their teens, the boys spend every moment they can skating and therefore have a close bond. They grow up together, but as they age, the mutual dynamics begin to change. What starts as a skate film develops to more than that during the running time. A journey of discovery that is not only about finding your own purpose in life, but also dealing with the past and knowing how to handle that. Continue reading
Whether we realize it or not, from the moment we see someone for the first time we make assumptions about that person, both positively and negatively. We are unconsciously blind to aspects that do not fit with that image and can therefore draw completely wrong conclusions. That is the important idea behind Blindspotting and that results in a very powerful film. Continue reading
Relationships are complicated and people have secrets, even for those who have known them all their lives. There are situations or feelings that you keep to yourself and may never discuss or express in other ways. Frustration can swell up and eventually manifest itself in a shocking way. The same goes for the two brothers in Brothers’ Nest. Continue reading
The coming-of-age movie has many forms, they can be light and funny like The Way Way Back or more serious like American Honey. The Hate U Give also fits in the genre, but mixes this with events of police violence like Fruitvale Station or Blindspotting did, which results in a movie with a lot of feeling, strength and pain. Continue reading
In a sea of films, the waves can sometimes become so predictable that, while sailing, you hope for a wave that may have a different shape, such as square, so it stands out and gives you a new experience. Unfortunately the chance of this happening is extremely small, but as a film lover you hope to discover one. A film which gives you hope that there are still unique things to be found. Gräns (Border) is such a title. Continue reading
When a film opens with the text “Based on a true story”, the question is always how closely the real events have been followed and what has been dramatized. American Animals also opens with a similar text, but that text is soon adapted to “This is a true story”. As a viewer you immediately wonder what kind of film this will be, what can you expect when a filmmaker claims to tell the story as it is? Continue reading
For centuries we have been wondering if we are the only ones in the universe and in the last century the idea of Martians and UFOs began to appeal to the imagination thanks to various films, the events in Roswell and the mysterious “Area 51” army base. And although enough footage has been through the years which shows unidentified flying objects, there was never enough evidence that conclusively determined that we are no longer alone. Until an interview took place with Bob Lazar in the 1980s. A researcher who worked for the US Army just outside Area 51 for a few months had an almost unbelievable cliam: He has seen several flying saucers and was hired to investigate how the engine of such a saucer, which could generate a gravitational field, worked. An extremely fascinating story, but does that also result in a good documentary? Continue reading
Uwe Boll is probably one of the most hated directors ever. This German is now no longer behind the camera (he runs a number of restaurants), but his films have caused a lot of controversy through the years. When directing he was someone who did not avoid controversy and at one point even stood in the boxing ring against film critics after he had challenged them to fight or simply shut up about his films. In this documentary, director Sean Patrick Shaul looks at this man, his films and the people he worked with. Continue reading