Blog About Contact
Film Bizness Round-Up

Incredibly heartening to see edgy/quirky films achieving a considerable amount of mainstream success over the last year or so, many of which are documentaries. Top 12 below, no special order; all killers!
---------------------------------------------------------------
CAPTURING THE FRIEDMANS
Heavy. Compelling. Insane.

Andrew Jarecki set out to make a clown documentary; Stephen King's 'It' & John Wayne Gacy should have warned him that behind the smile always watch out for the dark under-belly. The Friedmans dysfunctionally disintegrate right before your eyes after Arnold Friedman (Dad) & Jesse are charged with child sexual assault with no proof apart from circumstantial evidence of a porn mag stash.

What makes this modern-day witch-hunt so riveting is how the family were documented thru the whole ordeal by their own home-movie camera filming.

Funniest, weird quick moment is Grandma kvetching about a lawyer calling up on a Sunday during Passover dinner (!)

Still plenty of Friedman film-heat as Jesse fights strong.
---------------------------------------------------------------
MONSTER
Another dark one. This biopic on Aileen Wuornos (the highway hooker who killed 7 men in Florida during the 1980s) should be your hors d'oeuvre & Nick Broomfield's 'Aileen' the main-course. You won't want desert after watching the Broom-meister's gripping documentary on Aileen where he's granted her last interview, minutes before Death Row did its thing.
---------------------------------------------------------------
WONDERLAND
The only one I haven't seen yet (tomorrow!) but with great soundtrack & Val Kilmer playing Johnny The Wad - big up your c*ck!!!! Can't wait.
---------------------------------------------------------------
TOUCHING THE VOID
Harrowing true story of 2 climbers, Joe Simpson & Simon Yates whose 1985 perilous journey up the west face of Siula Grande hit serious life/death setbacks on their descent. Both men are tied to each other and when Simpson breaks his leg and falls over a ledge, Yates cuts the lifeline sending Simpson into a deep crevice -dohhhhh!!!

Surreal film moment no. xxxx when Simpson explains how, practically at death's door, Boney M's "Brown Girl In Ring" jumps into his head for no reason and he "f*cking hated that song"!
Delighted it won a BAFTA .
---------------------------------------------------------------
SPELLBOUND
Riveting documentary following 8 American youngsters who undergo serious gruelling Olympics-style training for the 1999 National Spelling Bee contest.
---------------------------------------------------------------
SPIRITED AWAY
Game over!! Yes, Finding Nemo and the like are all good but Hayao Miyazaki has given it the truly mind-blowing rinse!!! Respect for nabbing the Oscar too.
---------------------------------------------------------------
21 GRAMS
Sean Penn runs tings.
---------------------------------------------------------------
KILL BILL 2
So does Tarantino.
---------------------------------------------------------------
THE PASSION OF THE CHRIST
2 hours asserting that Monica Belluci is fit & takes on another mad film-role ('Irreversible' anyone?!!) and 2 hours of Christ getting totally mashed-up/pumelled/mullered/beaten/add your word here.

Also, love the fact that this Texan dude was so moved by the film, he confessed to murder.
---------------------------------------------------------------
AMERICAN SPLENDOR
Magnificent biographical docu-film about moody comic book writer/clerk, Harvey Pekar who adds USP by playing himself. Boy does Harv keep it real, check his blog!!! Awesome!
---------------------------------------------------------------
THE GOOD OLD NAUGHTY DAYS
Had to become a member of London's Other Cinema to check this as it's R18. I was told to read the rules too before joining whilst a finger emphasized Rule 17:

"No Member or guest shall be permitted to undertake any sexul act, either by themselves or with other people, on the premises at any time." OK, understood!

After waiting a day before being allowed to return, the screen showered the audience with short, surreal 1920's porn films which were pretty hard-core and when the dog got involved with a nun and priest, our reporter made his excuses and left.....
---------------------------------------------------------------
ETERNAL SUNSHINE OF THE SPOTLESS MIND
Michel Gondry hits celluloid jackpot; I've not read one bad review. Basic story - Joel (Jim Carrey) & Clementine's (Kate Winslet) relationship fails, both independently visit Lacuna Inc. who offer brainwashing to heal the pain.

Respect to Gondry yet again - during filming he un-nerved the cast by leaving the camera running in between takes - actors not sure when they were "on". Off on a train-spotting tangent, learn dis one:- Gondry created the "Bullit-Time" special effect in his 1996 Smirnoff ad. 'Smarienberg'. Spike Jonze paid homage to 'Smarienberg' in Being John Malkovich, the Matrix films 'borrowed' it and made a killing.

Gondry's genius is beautifully captured on DVD - buy it NOW if you haven't, buy it again for a friend, buy it once more for another friend, buy it for your kvetching Grandma etc.

Posted on May 06, 2004 at 05:47 PM

© 2005 Green Bandana Productions Ltd. Website design by Steve Mannion.
Recent Entries
::  BBC Radio 2: Song Stories "My Way" [Paul Anka]
::  Mixcloud: James Hyman & OJ Borg - Episode 4
::  Mixcloud: James Hyman & OJ Borg - Episode 3
::  JLH 2010 Showreel
::  Mixcloud: James Hyman & OJ Borg - Episode 2
Archives


Facebook
Linked In YouTube
YouTube YouTube
Flickr
IMDB Wikipedia
Amazon wishlist Discogs
The Rinse

James Hyman's Profile
James Hyman's Facebook Profile
Create your badge


Find out what's been played on The Rinse, Xfm 104.9
DJ
Production
Promotional photos and more
James Hyman & Audio Shrapnel's Mix CDs


Previous posts
::  February 2011
::  October 2010
::  July 2010
::  April 2010
::  March 2010
::  February 2010
::  January 2010
::  October 2009
::  September 2009
::  August 2009
::  July 2009
::  June 2009
::  May 2009
::  April 2009
::  March 2009
::  February 2009
::  January 2009
::  December 2008
::  November 2008
::  October 2008
::  September 2008
::  August 2008
::  July 2008
::  June 2008
::  May 2008
::  April 2008
::  March 2008
::  February 2008
::  January 2008
::  December 2007
::  November 2007
::  October 2007
::  September 2007
::  August 2007
::  July 2007
::  June 2007
::  May 2007
::  April 2007
::  March 2007
::  February 2007
::  January 2007
::  December 2006
::  November 2006
::  October 2006
::  September 2006
::  August 2006
::  July 2006
::  June 2006
::  May 2006
::  April 2006
::  March 2006
::  February 2006
::  January 2006
::  December 2005
::  November 2005
::  October 2005
::  September 2005
::  August 2005
::  July 2005
::  June 2005
::  May 2005
::  April 2005
::  March 2005
::  February 2005
::  January 2005
::  December 2004
::  November 2004
::  October 2004
::  September 2004
::  August 2004
::  July 2004
::  June 2004
::  May 2004
::  April 2004
::  March 2004
::  February 2004
::  December 2003
::  September 2003
::  August 2003
::  July 2003
::  June 2003