Hoop Dream (entire film available)
This film is constantly voted the best documentary of all time. It is available in full at Hulu in 420p HD. Cannot get better than that online.
The film remains relevant just like it did when it first came out. Two young basketball players struggle to fulfill a common dream which is to make to the NBA. The two kids have contrasting styles and personalities, each story could have made a great documentary in of itself. But together, the stories highlight the hi’s and lo’s of each story even better. Once in a lifetime kind of movie.
Cable
Seething with rage a woman dives headlong into a tower made of steel and cables to recover her three young daughters that have been abducted. Short movie by Rémi Gamiette.
Watch it. (Flash Video)
None of Us are Free: Burma
The None of Us are Free campaign, fronted by MTV, wants to “raise awareness about the hundreds of thousands of people that have suffered at the hands of the military regime in Eastern Burma.” The effort became even more relevant “due to this weekend’s cyclone that ravaged the area, killing thousands.”
Part of this campaign, is the short movie Burma, written by Carl Le Blond of creative agency Ogilvy & Mather, Amsterdam, and directed by Shilo Design.
Visit None of Us are Free.
Mato Atom’s Political Stingin’
Two politically charged works from Mato Atom.
Watch Champions (Remembering the New World Order)
Watch McCain: I’m Lovin’ it!
Garbage Man
A short cardboard horror story starring Rebecca De Unamuno and Mr. President George W. Bush in the title role.
Produced, shot and edited by James Edwards. Directed by Henry Naylor.
Watch it. (Flash Video)
Betty Marisol Garcia - Firecracker
An elegant and tender film about an American female soldier who has the difficult task of leaving her 7 year old daughter in the responsibility of her mother as she heads off to war. Too much responsibility can also tear families apart.
Maps
The 20th century from an absurd point of view, a lesson of our shameful history. A perfect 3D animation. From the beginning of the second World War this film leads you trough the history of power, money and wars related to them.
Directors: Andreas Thaulow, Thomas Øhlenshlæger.
Watch it. (Flash Video)
Standard Operating Procedure
Trailer for the new Errol Morris documentary on Abu Ghraib prison is riveting. BTW, as some of you might know, we have a category dedicated to the Errol Morris documentary style: recreations, meditative music, eloquent interviewees and detective work disguised as film research.
Bullet Proof Vest
The black & white cinematography beautifully highlights the harsh realities of a “lost generation.” As always, when you let kids ramble on, you get the most truthful assessment of what a situation feels like. This is a classic.
A History of Evil
Seems good in provoking reactions.
Animated Documentary-Mockumentary about Evil in western civilization from Ancient Greece to present day.
Fool Throttle
Created by Reelworks animators and directors Todd Hemker and Morgan Williams in an era of rampant road rage, Fool Throttle is a cautionary tale about how aggressive behavior on the road leads to a no-win situation.
Watch it in high res (MPEG-4) or low res (Flash Video)
Superman: The Musical
Based on a failed 1960s Broadway musical, the 1975 TV special was part of ABC’s attempt at broadcasting “edgy” entertainment in order to compete with NBC’s Saturday Night Live.
Watch snippet. (Flash Video)
Review of There Will Be Blood
Wow! Director Paul Thomas Anderson flexes some serious filmmaking muscle in this film. This is the Raging Bull of our times, less optimistic (imagine that), less character arc but they do share the same theme: a strong character who cannot escape from himself. In Raging Bull, the redemption or the self awareness comes, in There Will Be Blood, there is not even a hint of such notions.
The obvious checklist: great acting: check; best acting performance by Daniel Day Lewis: check; incredible detail to costumes and times: check; great supporting cast: check; great directing: check; great cinematography: check; fantastic editing: check; powerful story: check.
So all the great reviews you have read about this movie are true.
Here are some of my favorite moments from the film that you will not hear about:
- Daniel Plainview comes to a small farm to check out a family who are sitting on a valuable oil reserve and don’t know it. He shows up with his son pretending to be shooting quail. The family patriarch, Abel Sunday (played by David Willis) comes out to greet him. The scene is slow and awkward but real. Anderson and the actors weren’t simply recreating an awkward moment, they are recreating a moment from the early 1900’s (I can only guess, of course). David Willis is simply incredible, he manages to play a character without a brain, a simple minded man. Of all the great acting in the film, his performance manages to stand out.
- Another great piece of acting from David Willis is the close-up shot of him eating, right after Daniel Plainview has beaten up his son. At first, he seems to have taken a stand against Daniel but the following close-up of his son (played by a wonderful Paul Dano) indicates that he is actually standing up to his son. Willis manages to show his simple minded choice of ignoring the problem but all the while knowing what is at stake. Fantastic.
- When the baby strokes Daniel Plainview’s face on the train. Such an easy moment to indicate that he is going to father the child. Simple, no fancy shots of paper signing or whatever.
- The bowling alley in Plainview’s house is one of the best set pieces I have ever seen. Seriously, how cool is that. And Daniel chasing Paul around the back, it is playful. You forget how powerful those bowling pins can be. Which is wonderfully relevant to what happens next.
- The final line “I am finished” can be interpreted in so many different ways. From what is just happened to what will happen in the future to the actual movie.
- When Daniel talks about the peachtree dance hall and his brother can’t remember. My reaction to the information mimicked Daniel Day Lewis’.
One of the greatest movies of all time.
The Object
In which an airborne object (that makes nice sounds) disrupts a duo’s peaceful day hunting, bringing moments of happiness, and sorrow when it gets stolen…
Short movie by Leslie Ali, presented at Sundance 2008.
Watch it. (Quicktime)
via nozap and GreenCine Daily
NightFall
Once upon a time, somewhere in space, a dark lord falls in love with the Queen of a huge ringworld. He encircles her homeworld with his gigantic spacefleet and finally starts a direful attack.
A short movie by Valentin Schwind. Music by Ivelina Nedyalkova.
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