Ever wonder what Al Bundy and the Asian guy from the Black Eyed Peas might have to say about Bruce Lee? You’ll find out in the all-new Spike TV produced (I’ve been informed this was NOT produced by Spike TV) feature documentary, ‘I Am Bruce Lee’. The trailer is cut together using only three elements: footage from Lee’s films, footage from a single Lee interview, and talking head interviews provided by celebrities/experts/athletes, some of whom occasionally perform karate moves during their interviews. I can’t say I’m the biggest Bruce Lee fan myself, so maybe I’m not the right person to judge, but this trailer felt pretty uninspired. The film looks like an attempt at mixing Senna with Not Quite Hollywood, but the scope seems fairly limited and the content fairly shallow. Let’s face it, this trailer is completely void of any sort of interesting insight or observations beyond some lifeless soundbites. Here’s one of my favourite quotes from the aforementioned Black Eyed Peas guy: “That’s the vibe that Bruce Lee taught me…is to always bring it.” Interesting. Some other great lines:

“He was like the Elvis of marshal arts.”
“The moves that he could do…when you were wondering if they would speed up the camera.”
“That’s some cool stuff right there.”

To be fair, it’s only natural for the trailer to force in as many celebrity faces saying as many uninspired, cliched things as possible. So here’s hoping the actual film isn’t as dumb or claustrophobic as this clip makes it out to be. ‘I Am Bruce Lee’ hits select theatres on February 9th and 15th only. For more information on where you can see it, visit the film’s official website.

Okay, this looks awesome. I’m sure eyebrows might raise at the thought of a Keanu Reeves produced documentary, but this subject matter is pretty irresistible to me. The film is called ‘Side by Side: The Science, Art and Impact of Digital Cinema’ (directed by Christopher Kenneally) and it looks at the war between digital and analog filmmaking. Pretty relevant stuff considering the recent announcement that the Eastman Kodak Company has just filed for bankruptcy protection. Even though the digital revolution seems inevitable, there are a handful of filmmakers who refuse to go down without a fight, insisting that we’re acting too fast by replacing a tried and true format (film) with a technology (digital) that at this point, simply doesn’t compare in terms of the quality if the image. Here’s the synopsis:

The documentary investigates the history, process and workflow of both digital and photochemical film creation. We show what artists and filmmakers have been able to accomplish with both film and digital and how their needs and innovations have helped push filmmaking in new directions. Interviews with directors, cinematographers, colorists, scientists, engineers and artists reveal their experiences and feelings about working with film and digital–where we are now, how we got here and what the future may bring.

I have to say that I absolutely love Wally Pfister. His work is amazing and he’s refreshingly honest and outspoken about his stance on digital filmmaking (and his apparent hatred of 3D). Still, I think there are interesting arguments to be made on both sides, which is what makes this film so interesting. David Lynch, James Cameron, George Lucas and Steven Sodebergh all chime in as supporters of digital filmmaking. Each side has its share of supporters. As for docs, it seems film is even less relevant as it’s truly rare to see a non-fiction film shot on 16mm nowadays. I know I’m always excited when I hear about docs shot on film, but I guess it’s just too expensive when considering the digital alternative. It’s a truly a shame.

You can find more info on Side by Side here:

facebook.com/sidebysidethemovie
sidebysidethemovie.com
twitter.com/sidebysidemovie

Everybody’s wondering what Amy Berg’s ‘West of Memphis’ could possibly add to a conversation that was started over 15 years ago with Joe Berlinger and Bruce Sinosfsky’s definitive ‘Paradise Lost’ series of films. The original HBO docs are responsible for bringing worldwide attention to the controversial ‘West Memphis Three’ case and many would argue, directly led to the release of Damien Echols, Jason Baldwin, and Jessie Miskelly. While there’s certainly still some story left to be mined, the first trailer for Berg’s take on this case seems to rehash much of what we’d previously learnt. Having said that, my curiosity is still piqued.

Produced by Peter Jackson and Fran Walsh (who also helped fund the WM3 defence team), ‘West of Memphis’ promises to unveil new information and exclusive interviews that were previously unavailable in the HBO docs. What’s strange to me is the fact that the documentary is produced by Damien Echols and his wife Lorri Davis. Maybe it’s easy to assume that Echols loyalty lies with Sinofsky and Berlinger, but I he has every right to tell his own story how he sees fit. I just can’t help but feel that the whole thing seems a bit superfluous and kind of awkward. It reminds me of the debate surrounding David Fincher’s version of ‘The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo’ (which I actually preferred over the original). Is this the first example of a non-fiction remake? The LONG four minute trailer doesn’t really provide any evidence that this film is necessary, but I’m open to giving it a look. ‘West of Memphis’ premieres this month at the 2012 Sundance Film Festival.

The benevolent Mike Sullivan, age 65, has been shooting an epic stop-motion robot sex film in his apartment for the last 10 years. Obsessed with constructing the miniature robot porn stars, his apartment now overflows with thousands of them.

Yes please. I would like to watch this now. Meaning of Robots is an official selection at this year’s Sundance Film Festival. This film looks to be a perfect cinematic soulmate with Jessica Yu’s fantastic 2004 doc ‘In the Realms of the Unreal’. Thanks to Kurt Halfyard for the heads up on this trailer. I really need to get to Sundance again sometime soon.

For those of you still waiting for Godfrey Reggio‘s ‘Qatsi Trilogy’ to hit blu ray, you might want to take some time to check out footage from his next film The Holy See (via Christopher Campbell at The Documentary Channel Blog) Details are scarce but it looks like the film is set to find a release in 2012 and is currently in post-production. They’re also looking for some potential backers. From their Vimeo page:

The film “holy see” is preparing to enter postproduction seeking the final funding needed. Financing can be in the form of participation, charitable contribution or distribution rights. For more information please contact info@holyseefilm.com.

Filmed entirely on the Red Camera, it looks to be another ‘tone poem’ which follows the aesthetic tradition established in Reggio’s previous work. He’s also teaming up with Philip Glass once again to create another unique, cinematic experience. Check out the two clips and keep an eye out for The Holy See, which should be available sometime next year.

With so many hybrid docs challenging the sensibilities of fans and filmmakers and blurring the lines of fiction/non-fiction storytelling, there’s an exciting sense of growth in the language of this particular brand cinema. I’m really enjoying all of the experimentation going on and look forward those films that have fun breaking the rules and indulge in the tropes of genre filmmaking. ‘Dreams of a Life’ looks to be another interesting fusion of fiction filmmaking techniques and non-fiction storytelling. Director Carol Morley mixes talking head interviews with re-enactments based on the diary entries of the main character. Here’s they synopsis:

Would anyone miss you? Nobody noticed when Joyce Vincent died in her bedsit above a shopping mall in North London in 2003. Her body wasn’t discovered for three years, surrounded by Christmas presents she had been wrapping, and with the TV still on. Newspaper reports offered few details of her life– not even a photograph.

Interweaving interviews with imagined scenes from Joyce’s life, Dreams of a Life is an imaginative, powerful, multilayered quest, and is not only a portrait of Joyce but a portrait of London in the eighties—the City, music, and race. It is a film about urban lives, contemporary life, and how, like Joyce, we are all different things to different people. It is about how little we may ever know each other, but nevertheless, how much we can love.

Apparently the film comes out today! Unfortunately, it’s only screening in the UK. I guess I’ll have to wait to hear about this one from my UK friends! Check out the film’s official website for screening dates and more info on the film. Very excited to see this.

As someone who worked in the video game industry for three years or so (and is still friends with a lot of people who continue to work on games), I always thought that a documentary on the making of a video game would be pretty interesting. Having experienced it first hand, I can attest to the long hours and stress that goes into creating a product that attempts to bring art, storytelling, and technology together in a fresh and exciting way. Canadian filmmakers James Swirsky and Lisanne Pajot’s decided to document this process in their film Indie Game: The Movie, which looks at the journey of the indie video game developer. Here’s the synopsis:

Indie Game: The Movie is a feature documentary about video games, their creators and the craft. The film follows the dramatic journeys of video game developers as they create and release their games to the world.

The film tells the emotional story of friends Edmund McMillen & Tommy Refenes, as they craft their first Xbox game: “Super Meat Boy”. It follows Phil Fish, the creator of the highly-anticipated game: “FEZ”. After 4 years of working in near solitude, Phil reveals his opus to the public for the first time. And, the film tells the surprising story of one of the highest-rated video games of all time:”Braid”.

The film is about making video games, but at its core, it’s about the creative process, and exposing yourself through your work.

I’m not a huge gamer myself, but I’m often blown away by the creativity that goes into some of these smaller games in regards to design and art direction. I’m very curious to get an inside look at the creation of these smaller games and compare it to my own experience in the industry. As for the film itself, it looks to be very well shot and appropriately energetic. I know a lot of people who will be excited to check this one out, including myself. Indie Game: The Movie premieres at the 2012 Sundance Film Festival and you can pre-order the DVD over at the films official website.

It’s been a while since we’ve had a giveaway around here so let’s get December started with an early X-mas present! Thanks to director Tyler Measom, we’re giving away a DVD copy of his award winning film Sons of Perdition. Some of you may remember the film and its director’s (Tyler and co-director Jennilyn Merten) from their appearance on episode #11 of The Documentary Blog podcast. The film looks at a group of teenage boys who are exiled from their polygamous Utah community and are forced to integrate into the real world. Seems like a great double bill with Lucy Walker’s The Devil’s Playground. Here’s the synopsis:

“Sons of Perdition” profiles a group of teenage boys who were banished from the polygamous Utah community led by controversial spiritual leader Warren Jeffs. By following the journey of a group of boys who must navigate the real world after being purposefully raised to be ignorant, the film shows a vivid picture of the power that Jeffs wields over his followers, and daily struggles faced by teens who can’t go back to their families, even if they want to do so.

Sons of Perdition received an R-rating due to its “adult language”, but this DVD edition of the film will feature an alternate “family friendly” audio track with all of the swearing removed (making Cleanflix’s job that much easier). If you’d like to enter to win a copy of Sons of Perdition on DVD, simply send me an email here with ‘PERDITION’ in the subject line. Be sure to include your full name and mailing address and I will announce the winner sometime next week. Good luck!

Be sure to check out the Sons of Perdition official website for more info on how to see/purchase this film.

Non-fiction fans have their fair share of surfing documentaries to choose from nowadays and sometimes it can be tough to weed out the good from the bad. I’ve never surfed in my life, but I’m certainly not against the idea of watching a great film on the subject. It’s just tough to find one that’s got a good story behind all of the glossy, slow-motion surfing footage. The trailer for director Adam Pesce’s Splinter looks to be about more than just the sport and has definitely caught my attention. It’s a unique story of indigenous surfing in Papua New Guinea and how it has affected the people of Vanimo Village. Here’s the synopsis:

Splinters is the first feature-length documentary film about the evolution of indigenous surfing in the developing nation of Papua New Guinea. In the 1980s an intrepid Australian pilot left behind a surfboard in the seaside village of Vanimo. Twenty years on, surfing is not only a pillar of village life but also a means to prestige. With no access to economic or educational advancement, let alone running water and power, village life is hermetic. A spot on the Papua New Guinea national surfing team is the way to see the wider world; the only way.

Splinters has been playing the festival circuit (it recently screened at IDFA) and SnagFilms has acquired film for VOD, digital and broadcast platforms. To find out how you can see Splinters, be sure to visit the film’s official website and ‘like’ the official Facebook page.

There’s nothing better than hitting up a rep cinema and watching one of your favourite movies on the big screen with an enthusiastic audience. Recently I had the pleasure of seeing Tom Holland’s original 1985 film Fright Night — a childhood favourite of mine — on the big screen with a large audience at the Toronto Underground Cinema, and it was a total blast. Now, that very theatre is featured in Morgan White’s documentary The Rep, which looks at the culture of rep cinemas and highlights some of the famous theatres — some active, some closed down — throughout North America. Here’s the synopsis:

The Rep follows the first year of business for Alex, Charlie, and Nigel as they try to make their theatre, The Toronto Underground Cinema, a success in the dying world of repertory cinema. The film also places the cinema in context to the larger world of rep. Featuring interviews with theatres such as Film Forum in NYC, The Alamo Drafthouse in Austin, and The New Beverly Cinema in L.A., and celebrities such as Kevin Smith, Edgar Wright, John Waters, Atom Egoyan, and George A. Romero, the world of repertory cinema will come alive as a vibrant and culturally significant medium that needs to be preserved.

Check out the trailer above and share some of your favourite rep screening experiences in the comments below! Also, be sure to check out Morgan’s web series of the same title, available for viewing at The Rep’s official website!

It’s been a while since we’ve highlighted a Kickstarter campaign here at The Documentary Blog, so I thought I would throw up a post in support of a film that looks like it has a lot of heart and could be a “tonne” (clever, right?) of fun to watch. Bending Steel is the story of Chris Schoeck, a Queens native training to become a professional strongman. Here’s the synopsis:

“Bending Steel” documents Chris’ personal journey, as a strongman in training, to find acceptance and fulfillment through his initiation in to a world of strength and showmanship. With the help of Chris Rider, his strongman trainer, Chris Schoeck follows his dream and attempts to join a coveted position amongst the great Oldetime Strongmen who performed for captivated audiences at Coney Island and around the world. Over the years the strongmen have faded from the spotlight and their legacy has been lost in time. To revitalize the art of performing strength feats, Chris is forced to face adversity and overcome his introverted nature in order to step out on the boardwalk for the first time and earn a place in history.

At this point the film is shot and the hundreds of hours of footage is in the process of being shaped into a feature film. Director Dave Carrol and co-producer/cinematographer Ryan Scafuro are hoping to raise $25,000 to go towards various key post-production services. As of this post, they’ve got 12 days to go and are at nearly the halfway point. Have a look at the trailer above and the Kickstarter video below and help support a potentially great film. You can do so by heading over to Kickstarter and donating some money in return for some great incentives! For more information on Bending Steel, visit the official website and Facebook page. Good luck guys!

I’m always a bit skeptical going in to documentaries about artists or musicians. On one hand, there are the films that are designed for fans of the artists work, focused solely on celebrating the creative output and providing educated perspectives from critics and peers. Then there are the artist bio’s that go above and beyond, examining the work but also telling a great story with conflict, drama, and great characters (see The Devil and Daniel Johnston, Crumb). Calvet falls in the latter category, focusing less on Jean Marc Calvet’s paintings and more on the turmoil he experienced that led him down a previously unexplored path as an artist at the age of 38.

Calvet tells the story of Jean Marc Calvet, a successful French painter with a tortured past. When we first meet him, he’s recounting a story to a group of students, explaining the meaning behind one of his paintings. He recalls the times he would rush his son off to school; precious moments that he took for granted. It’s been years since he’s seen his estranged son, and he has himself to blame. After abandoning his family for an opportunity to work as a bodyguard in the US, Jean Marc spirals down a dangerous path leading towards some hardcore drug use and a lot of wasted potential. Back then he would’ve never had thought he would become a great artist, but it took losing almost everything — including his own life — to experience a moment of inspiration that would change everything. After locking himself inside an apartment for nine months and binging on crack and alcohol, Calvet resigned that he would die there, alone. It was the discovery of a bucket of paint and a fit of rage that led to him covering the walls of the cul-de-sac with an array of abstract works of art. It was then that he discovered the perfect outlet for all of that pain and regret he’d been building up inside of him for all of those years. At the age of 38, he discovered his passion for art.

Calvet is a beautifully imagined film told in a cinematic and energetic fashion. Director Dominic Allan was fortunate to be blessed with such a vibrant, animated subject who’s utterly fearless on camera and completely willing to talk about anything and everything. Calvet’s abilities as a storyteller help put the audience in the moment, bringing a level of urgency to a tale that took place years ago. While the events leading up to his discovery of his love of art are retrospective, Calvet’s attempt to contact his son is an event covered in-the-moment in the final act of the film. It’s a great mini-mystery that’s built up throughout the body of the narrative, resulting in an overall sense of tension and anxiety that really had me pulled in to the story. It’s an interesting situation considering Calvet’s past and the change he’s made in his life. He’s a complex and deep character and it’s not as clear cut as just expecting that he has the right to jump back into his son’s life. He’s as aware of this as he struggles to write a letter to his boy, keeping his emotions and feelings in check, deciding against signing off as ‘Dad’. It makes for a pretty interesting internal struggle and a great element of drama in a film that could’ve aimed to simply showcase his work through the eyes of his critics and peers. To understand his art, all we really need to know is his story. Dominic Allan handles this with grace and respect and creates a dramatic, inspirational film that captures the essence of the art and the complexity of the artist Jean Marc Calvet. — Jay C.

Calvet screens at the DOC NYC festival on Saturday November 5th at 4:30pm and Monday, November 7th at 1:45pm at the IFC Centre in NYC. For more information, visit the film’s official website.

Be sure to check out Calvet’s official website for more information and receive updates by ‘liking’ the official Facebook Page.

Upcoming screenings of Calvet:

Thursday 24/11/2011 – 18.40
Cameo Picturehouse
EDINBURGH
http://www.picturehouses.co.uk/film/Calvet/
- Tickets on sale now online or by tel 0871 902 5723
- Q&A with Director

Friday 25/11/2011 – times TBC
Saturday 26/11/2011
Sunday 27/11/2011 – 17.00
Monday 28/11/2011
Cambridge Picturehouse
CAMBRIDGE
http://www.picturehouses.co.uk/cinema/Arts_Picturehouse_Cambridge/
- Tickets on sale from 21st November online or at box office 0871 902 5720
- Q&A with Director on Sunday afternoon only

Saturday 26/11/2011 – 16.00
Sunday 27/11/2011 – 16.00
Queen Film Theatre
BELFAST
http://www.queensfilmtheatre.com/films/calvet/
- Tickets on sale now online or at box office 028 9097 1097
- Q&A with Director (Saturday only) & Executive Producer

Sunday 04/12/2011 – 15.00 TBC
Electric Cinema, Portobello Road
LONDON
http://www.electriccinema.co.uk/
- Tickets on sale from 25th November online or at box office 020 7908 9696
- Q&A with Director

Tuesday 06/12/2011 – 18.00
FACT Picturehouse
LIVERPOOL
http://www.picturehouses.co.uk/film/Calvet/
- Tickets on sale now online or at box office 0871 902 5737
- Q&A with Director

Thursday 08/12/2011 – 20.30
The Tricycle
LONDON
http://www.tricycle.co.uk/current-programme-pages/cinema-program/cinema/calvet/
- Tickets on sale now online or at box office 020 7328 1000
- Q&A with Director

Monday 12/12/2011 – 20.30
Greenwich Picturehouse
LONDON
http://www.picturehouses.co.uk/film/Calvet/
- Tickets on sale now online or at box office 0871 902 5732
- Q&A with Director

Tuesday 13/12/2011 – 23.00
TV broadcast on MORE4
http://www.channel4.com/programmes/tags/more4