Posted on August 13th, 2008 by Zettel Film Reviewer
Tweet Riding Giants – Stacey Peralta What is your ultimate image of man in harmony with nature? Until man’s inventiveness contrives a way for him to fly with only the natural force of the wind to support him, Riding Giants offers perhaps the most compelling image to date: surfer Laird Hamilton riding waves as high […]
Filed under: 4 stars, Action, Documentary, General, Hollywood, Stacey Peralta | No Comments »
Posted on August 6th, 2008 by Zettel Film Reviewer
Tweet Man On Wire – James Marsh Perhaps absurdity defines us best as human beings. In the natural world we can see endless examples of organisation, planning, preparation; even in rudimentary form, the use of language. Dogs and Primates are credited with ‘selfless’ acts that in humans we would call altruistic. But when 23 year-old […]
Filed under: 5 stars, Documentary, Drama, General, Hollywood, James Marsh, Philosophical | No Comments »
Posted on August 3rd, 2008 by Zettel Film Reviewer
Tweet Standard Operating Procedure – Errol Morris Oscar-winning Director Errol Morris (Fog of War) turns his forensic camera on the evidence, the participants and the events in the scandal that was Abu Ghraib the American military prison in Iraq. The abuse, humiliation, torture and probably at least one murder of prisoners over a series of […]
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Posted on July 29th, 2008 by Zettel Film Reviewer
Tweet Farenheit 9/11 – Michael Moore Fahrenheit is a devastating, important film. It is passionate, partisan and manipulative; at times queasily so. But Moore knows his business: his treatment of the events of 9/11 is masterly; restricting himself to black screen for the impacts, then concentrating on human reactions. This way he evokes images indelibly […]
Filed under: 4 stars, Documentary, General, Hollywood, Michael Moore, Philosophical, Political | No Comments »
Posted on July 29th, 2008 by Zettel Film Reviewer
Tweet Notre Musique – Director Jean-Luc Godard If you love film – see this. If ideas engage you – see this. If you believe language and poetry embrace more than words – don’t miss this. Notre Musique shows a master film-maker on top of his game. Most people who know film, have a Godard movie […]
Filed under: 5 stars, Documentary, Europe/World cinema, Jean-Luc Godard, Philosophical, Political | No Comments »
Posted on July 27th, 2008 by Zettel Film Reviewer
Tweet What The Bleep Do We Know? – Directors: Arntz, Chasse, Vincente. (BBC Prize Review) Wind up a scientist – praise this movie! One distinguished writer on science has used terms like ‘atrocious, ‘junk’ and offers the view that if you know anything about science you will be violently ill after seeing it.’ Now you […]
Filed under: *BBC Prize Reviews*, 4 stars, Arntz/Chasse, Documentary, Philosophical, Political | No Comments »
Posted on July 26th, 2008 by Zettel Film Reviewer
Tweet The World Trade Centre – Oliver Stone Non-political? Give me a break. Oliver Stone should never have been let anywhere near this film. Not because of his supposed left wing political views, but because he has always been an exploitative film-maker. And sure enough, ‘World Trade Centre’ is manipulative, sentimental, patronising and exploitative. Parts […]
Filed under: 1 star, Action, Documentary, Drama, Hollywood, Oliver Stone, Philosophical, Political | No Comments »
Posted on July 25th, 2008 by Zettel Film Reviewer
Tweet The Corporation – Mark Achbar, Jennifer Abbot Question: should we regard a Corporation as an organisational shark or an organisational psychopath? It is the philosophical weakness, but documentary strength of The Corporation that it doesn’t tackle this central issue head on. It defines corporate behaviour as psychopathological at one point, but often throughout implies […]
Filed under: 4 stars, achbar/abbot/bakan, Documentary, M Achbar/J Bennet, Philosophical, Political | No Comments »