It is far too easy to criticise documentaries of conventionality, as if the language of documentary wasn't an established and effective way of prioritising the documented over the documentation. Attica is a conventional documentary, formally it holds no surprises or divergences. In doing so, though, it elevates the subject matter and lets the story take … Continue reading Attica (Review)
Tag: documentary
Flee (Review)
There's no denying the ingenuity and noble intent of Flee. This mostly animated documentary tells the heartrending, and deeply human, story of a young man who had to flee Afghanistan. It is a beyond worthy story, a gripping one that touches on so many brilliant themes (including an excellent approach to the subject's homosexuality, and … Continue reading Flee (Review)
The Beatles: Get Back (Review)
The Peter Jackson led restoration of The Beatles' Get Back sessions (previously only released as part of the movie Let It Be) is not merely fascinating, it is a truly definitive work of unprecedented brilliance. It's impossible to not sound hyperbolic when describing it. It gives a privileged insight to an iconic moment of cultural … Continue reading The Beatles: Get Back (Review)
The Sparks Brothers (Review)
The entire purpose of Edgar Wright's documentary is to showcase Sparks to the world. Everybody involved here clearly thinks the band are superb, and that they deserve veneration and a wider listenership. I mean, there are even parts when Wright explains his film's purpose. These parts, well, they give it a TV documentary, or DVD … Continue reading The Sparks Brothers (Review)
Summer of Soul (Review)
Music festivals have always been about more than just the music. Questlove's beautifully curated documentary about the 1969 Harlem Cultural Festival understands this perfectly. This amazing film lets us experience the music and the atmosphere, but also effortlessly contextualises everything, selling the historic import and delving into the wider topics while still delivering one hell … Continue reading Summer of Soul (Review)
Collective (Review)
Occasionally, a documentary comes along that feels utterly vital: Collective is that documentary. This jaw dropping exploration of large scale corruption in the Romanian Health system (and connected systems) needs to be seen to be believed. It is a powerful and expertly constructed singular narrative about how the insufficient response to a tragedy - that … Continue reading Collective (Review)
The Mole Agent (Review)
At the heart of this documentary is a perceptive statement about the way the elderly are treated by wider society. It is a film that wants to highlight the isolation and loneliness that is burdened upon the older population, even by the well meaning. It is a thing we notice at an institutional level, but … Continue reading The Mole Agent (Review)
Crip Camp: A Disability Revolution (Review)
Though primarily an important documentary about the disabled community - and about disabled representation in general - this film is also a great document on the change that everyday people can achieve. The film morphs into something really inspiring and shows how revolutionary actions come from seemingly pedestrian origins. It is a portrait of potential, … Continue reading Crip Camp: A Disability Revolution (Review)
My Octopus Teacher (Review)
This stunningly filmed Netflix documentary starts out somewhat offputtingly. It seems to have no purpose beyond showing off some incredible underwater cameras and to facilitate a man's desire to spend a year swimming in a beautiful location. Luckily, this all soon makes sense and is subverted - and legitimised - in a beautiful way. Throughout … Continue reading My Octopus Teacher (Review)
Gunda (Review)
Where most nature documentaries focus on anthropomorphising their subjects, Gunda instead zoomorphises the viewer. This is a black and white documentary that purely observes. We watch farm animals (limited to pigs, chickens and cows) and there is no music or voiceover. It is just animals in their given environment. The shooting style is uniformly immersive, … Continue reading Gunda (Review)
Assorted Opinions 