Category: Hot Docs
Hot Docs 2011: ‘Conan O’Brien Can’t Stop’ – the personal odyssey of a terribly funny man
Conan O’Brien Can’t Stop Directed by Rodman Flender 2011, USA, 89 mins. Conan O’Brien doesn’t just turn lemons into lemonade; he turns bile into ambrosia. Accordingly, this isn’t a documentary about his very public firing – although it does contain … [Read the Rest]
Hot Docs 2011: ‘Mothers of Bedford’
Mothers of Bedford Directed by Jenifer McShane 2011, USA, 93 mins. The title Mothers of Bedford belies the emotional expanse covered by the film. Though it is indeed mothers who are locked up in Bedford Hills Correctional Facility for Women, … [Read the Rest]
Hot Docs 2011: ‘Kumaré’
Kumaré Directed by Vikram Gandhi 2011, USA, 84 mins. After watching Kumaré, an old aphorism comes to mind: the best way to learn is to teach. When Vikram Gandhi set out to teach people that gurus and other religious teachers … [Read the Rest]
Hot Docs 2011: ‘Fightville’ – nothing short of incredible
Fightville Directed by Michael Tucker and Petra Epperlein 2011, USA, 85 mins. I am not a fan of mixed martial arts. It is not something that I know much about, nor something to which I have devoted much thought. Yet, … [Read the Rest]
Hot Docs 2011: ‘St-Henri, the 26th of August’
St-Henri, the 26th of August Directed by Shannon Walsh 2011, Canada, 86 mins. The people behind St-Henri, the 26th of August seem to be of the mind that even the ordinary can be extraordinary – a noble sentiment, to be … [Read the Rest]
Hot Docs 2011: ‘Mighty Jerome’
Mighty Jerome Directed by Charles Officer 2011, Canada, 83 mins. Harry Jerome is no longer a household name, but he was once one of Canada’s most famous athletes, owing to the fact that he was breaking track and field records … [Read the Rest]
Our Ten Most Anticipated Hot Docs Films
Hot Docs starts this Friday. It’s one of my favourite festivals – so much so that I’ve already posted a handful of reviews and I’ve got a few more in the works. This is what I’m most looking forward to … [Read the Rest]
Hot Docs 2011: ‘Beauty Day’ more than just a story about the original Jackass
Beauty Day Directed by Jay Cheel 2011, Canada Most of the best documentary films are about outsiders, about people and events that exist within our society but reside in a fringe culture that most of us are unaware of or … [Read the Rest]
Hot Docs 2011: ‘The Lumberfros’
The Lumberfros Directed by Stéphanie Lanthier 2011, Canada, 71 mins. If there is one thing the NFB does well, its showcasing parts of Canada and walks of life of which the rest of us are unaware. The Lumberfros neatly fits … [Read the Rest]
Hot Docs 2011: ‘The Chocolate Farmer’
The Chocalate Farmer Directed by Rohan Fernando 2011, Canada, 70 mins. The appeal of The Chocolate Farmer isn’t broad, but it certainly straddles a few niches. The eponymous farmer, Eladio Pop, is a Mayan in southern Belize who farms cacao … [Read the Rest]
Hot Docs 2011: ‘Bury the Hatchet’
Bury the Hatchet Directed by Aaron Walker 2011, USA, 86 mins. Bury the Hatchet’s box describes it as a portrait of three major Mardi Gras Indian Chiefs of New Orleans (Alfred Doucette, Monk Boudreaux, and Victor Harris), and whilst I’ll … [Read the Rest]
Hot Docs 2011: ‘Wiebo’s War’
Wiebo’s War Directed by David York 2011, Canada, 93 mins. Calls to action might make fashionable documentaries, but by instead painting a portrait of moral ambiguity and ugly truths, director David York has given us a superior one. Wiebo Ludwig … [Read the Rest]
Hot Docs 2011: Recessionize! For Fun and Profit! 15 Simple Steps!
Recessionize! For Fun and Profit Directed by Jamie Kastner 2011, Canada, 56 mins This film asks a simple question: how can you turn crisis into opportunity? Looking at the economic wreckage left after the ’08 bust, director Jamie Kastner realized … [Read the Rest]
Hot Doc 2010: Delaware
“It is difficult to walk into a film like 12th & Delaware without an opinion, but rest assured, wherever you stand on the issue, your opinion will be both respected and challenged – by the documentary’s subjects.” 12th & Delaware … [Read the Rest]
Hot Docs 2010: David Wants To Fly
SUFFOCATING RUBBER CLOWN SUIT OF NEGATIVITY – “Sieveking explores the TM phenomenon via his adoration for Lynch, and what starts off as a deeply annoying exercise in overdone idol worship turns into a pretty funny and highly-critical look at the … [Read the Rest]
