Review of Food Inc.
The film touches on a number of important topics: The industrialization of food, inhumane treatment of animals, overuse of corn, health risks of meat factories, environmental impact of food production, lack of government oversight, obesity, organic food, genetically engineered seeds. There is so much to cover that no one topic gets the thorough examination that it deserves. The filmmakers spend even less time on discussing possible solutions. Note to some enterprising producer: there is enough material here for a four or five part series.
Review of Encounters at the End of the World
This film is similar to what you might find on the Discovery Channel or National Geographic. It is perhaps a few notches above the typical documentary found on those channels thanks to some stunning visuals and an imaginative sound track.
Review of Cocaine Cowboys
This documentary is the first of two documentaries dealing with the early days of the cocaine trade. I actually saw the Cocaine Cowboys II documentary first. That film led me to this one. The two films work together because they cover different time periods. The second film is a natural extension of the first and includes some of the same characters.
Review of Man on Wire
Man on Wire tells the story of Philippe Petit and his successful wire-walking attempt across the two World Trade Center towers on August 7, 1974. The film uses a combination of archival footage and photos, recreations, and interviews with Philippe and his co-conspirators. I say co-conspirators because the crossing required some subterfuge among a number of individuals.
Review of American Teen
This is a great documentary. Just about everyone can find something or someone who they can identify with. I haven’t been to highschool in a few years, okay a few decades, but some things never change. And what’s true in highschool is also true out in the real world. The same personality traits developed in highschool can be found in any business environment.
Review of Gonzo: The Life and Work of Dr. Hunter S. Thompson
I have not read any of Hunter Thompson’s work. He was before my time. But this film gives a very rounded look at a unique individual with a unique voice. The film covers Hunter Thompson from the early sixties through his death by suicide in the mid seventies.