Doc a Day: Week Two

Week two is down. This week I watched one film that has to be one of the best documentaries I've ever seen. Since documentaries look to capture real life stories, the biggest obstacle they face is making the audience care and connect with the subject matter. And I saw a couple this week that I just couldn't connect with. 

Here's the next line up:

• TALES FROM THE SCRIPT
• MAN ON WIRE
• JUST LIKE BEING THERE
• SHUT UP LITTLE MAN
• I LIKE KILLING FLIES
• BEER WARS
• CODE OF THE WEST

Now onto my thoughts!

Fantastic Fest 2012 Review: THE GREATEST MOVIE EVER ROLLED

THE GREATEST MOVIE EVER ROLLED

Directed by: Ryan Polito

Starring: Doug Benson and Graham Elwood

Synopsis: Doug Benson decides to make a movie about going on tour to make money to make a movie about going on tour. 

DIFF 2012 Review- COMIC-CON EPISODE IV: A FAN'S HOPE

COMIC-CON EPISODE IV: A FAN'S HOPE

Directed by: Morgan Spurlock

Written by: Joss Whedon, Morgan Spurlock

Starring: Jessica Merizan, Skip Harvey, Stan Lee, Kevin Smith

Synopsis: A loving look at the pop culture juggernaut that occurs every summer in San Diego

DIFF review THE GREATEST MOVIE EVER SOLD- She said

Directed and Written by Morgan Spurlock

As Ralph Nader puts it, the only time we, the American people, are not being advertised to is in our sleep.  Everywhere we look there are advertisements for the next latest and greatest phone, food, vacation, clothing, make up, toy, car, drink...you name it.  Director Morgan Spurlock takes a look at the inside of world of advertising, or product placement, in movies.  Most of the time we probably don't notice it, but any name brand we see in a movie has paid millions to be there.  It's a multi-billion dollar business with so many ins and outs it's hard to even wrap your mind around if you're an outsider.  Spurlock takes on that challenge to show us that world.


The basis of his documentary is to make a documentary about getting advertisers to finance the documentary he's making.  Very cyclical and very Inception-like.  He's filming the movie while getting the money from companies to film the movie.  Nothing is off-limits to him.  When he eventually meets with potential advertisers, which in the Q&A after he said they called over 600 companies and only 15 called back (by the way, those are all in the movie), he's completely honest and open about what he's trying to do.  He's very tongue and cheek to his potential advertisers, but what's wonderful about the people he meets with is they totally get it.  They're not offended as long as they're not portrayed in a bad light, which if they sponsor the movie, of course, he assures them, they won't be. 


After he gets his 15 sponsors, the internal struggle begins within Spurlock.  He receives all of his contracts which have very specific stipulations: can't be seen wearing anything but our shoe/clothing, must be drinking this drink, and he can't ever bad mouth Germany (true statement).  He wonders how can he make the movie and stay true to himself without essentially pissing off his financiers.  If he follows everything they say and compromises what his original intention was, does that make him a sell-out?  And if he becomes a sell-out, doesn't that negate his whole purpose of making the documentary in the first place?  How do you make a movie like this without selling-out yourself?


At one point, Spurlock explores the world of just advertising outside the realm of movies.  He takes a trip to San Paulo where advertising has been outlawed (can you imagine New York City with no advertising?) and explores how shop owners get business.  He travels to a school district who is using banners on their sports fields and buses to help finance their district in the ever troubling world of education.  And, which is the most interesting aspect to me, he gets insight into a new way of making commercials.  Companies now have test subjects in MRI machines and flash different commercials for them to view, then records their sub-conscious brain activity, and uses that information for future spots.  So, if a majority of the test subjects sub-consciously really enjoyed sexual images, guess what the next wave of commercials feature?


Overall, GREATEST MOVIE is laugh out loud funny, smart, and engaging.  I don't think Spurlock means for us to think of advertising as evil; however, he means for us to become more aware of how much of it we see everyday everywhere we go.  However, there is a new trend he creates within the movie of showing commercials from his sponsers, which works with what his goal is, but if this trend starts with mainstream movies, and it's bad enough we suffer through commercials beforehand, I blame him. 

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Jonesy's Most Anticipated Movies for DIFF

As my cohort listed what he's looking forward to for the Dallas International Film Festival last week, I'd thought I take this time to tell you what I'm excited about.  (And yes, I'm excited for BEING ELMO as well).

POM WONDERFUL PRESENTS THE GREATEST MOVIE EVER SOLD

Director Morgan Spurlock explores the world of product placement, marketing and advertising. The film was fully financed through product placement from various brands, all of which are integrated transparently into the film. Spurlock exploits the phenomenon to new heights, with everything from branded pizza boxes and in-flight film promotions to branded-everything in-film. -- David Courier, Sundance FF

I love Morgan Spurlock.  I think he's funny, witty, and brave.  He's one of the most recognizable documentary film makers working today, which is impressive since most could probably only name one of his movies (SUPER SIZE ME).  Here Spurlock's documentary takes a look at getting a product to finance the film about getting a product to fiance a film.  How meta and fantastic!

MOST VALUABLE PLAYERS

Across the USA, high school sports are regularly lavished with funding, publicity and scholarships, while theater departments struggle to put on the school musical hoping for some recognition of their own. Helping to settle the score are the "Freddy Awards," a live television event that celebrates excellence in high school musical theater. Illustrating that arts education encourages the same teamwork, camaraderie and confidence as sports, MOST VALUABLE PLAYERS follows three theater troupes on their creative journeys to the elaborate award ceremony – the "Super Bowl" of high school musical theater.

Being in musical theatre in high school, I have a biased affinity for the art.  So, when I heard there was a whole documentary covering musical theatre and the Freddy Awards, I am there!  A lot of people who don't know what it takes to put on a show have a hard time appreciating the time, talent, and sometimes grueling work that rarely reaps any awards.  By mainstream standards, musical theatre is viewed as cheesy and full of jazz hands and smiles.  Hopefully MOST VALUABLE PLAYERS will bring to light the sweat, tears, and success of these students' hard work. 

 

PAGE ONE

Go inside a year in the world’s premiere news source during a time when the medium itself faces turmoil and possible demise. In an age where 24-hour cable news and Internet blogging dominate the informative landscape, how can traditional newspapers endure? Andrew Rossi’s all-access look into The New York Times combines investigative journalism of headline news with the drama of keeping the paper viable.

We all heard about the death of the newspaper, yet somehow, through the age of the Internet, many are still surviving.  This documentary takes a look at the most formidable papers, The New York Times, and follows the ins-and-outs for a year.  I'm excited to see how someone likes the Times handles the ever changing digital age because if they can't make it work, who could?

 

THE WARD
In a remote mental institution, a beautiful but troubled young woman finds herself trapped in a hellish nightmare.

 Sure, the setting of a mental institution with an attractive young woman seems a little cliche, but I have faith.  Plus, it's director John Carpenter's latest horror film... so need I really say more?  

Now, these are only my most anticipated.  I'm expecting to see close to twenty movies over the festival, and I'm even more excited to find the gems of the festival.  Keep an eye out for our coverage of all things DIFF for the next couple weeks.

The DALLAS International Film Festival will run March 31 – April 10, 2011. Passes and tickets are currently on sale: available via online (www.dallasfilm.org), phone (214.782.9168) and in person at the FAUXCADES Box Office: 5321 E. Mockingbird Lane, Ste 100, Dallas.

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