What do you think about when you hear the words “New Orleans”? Probably Jazz, Mardi Gras, Bourbon Street, and Voodoo. How about Indians? I know, me neither, but local tribes known as Mardi Gras Indians are a huge part of New Orlean’s cultural legacy. They have a long and sometimes sad history within Louisiana, they…
Life During Wartime: WE WERE HERE Plays Hot Docs
How does a community keep pushing forward, when the tendency is not to plan any further than one week away? Director David Weissman has a theory. “You don’t really have a choice. You’re there, it’s happening, and it becomes the new normal…After panic and terror of a crisis, once you realize that it’s not going…
Hot Docs Review: CONAN O’BRIEN CAN’T STOP
For many of us, finding an outlet for anger is difficult. I can only imagine that is has to be monumentally more difficult when the source of one’s anger played itself out in popular culture. Such was the well documented case for Conan O’Brien one year ago during his fallout with NBC. What happened next…
Midnight Radio: Life in Technicolor 2011 pt 2
I hope you’ve all been good little boys and girls this year, because today’s guest is the sort of cat who makes a list and checks it twice. Another documentarian is the guest for this episode. In times like this I haven’t met my guest before sitting down to chat, thus I’m not always entirely…
Local God: SUPERHEROES Plays Hot Docs
We’ve all heard stories of crimefighters like Superman, Spider-Man, Wonder Woman, and Captain America. But have you ever heard tales of the mysterious Master Legend? How about Mr. Extreme? I’d guess you probably haven’t, because they’re not characters created by artists at DC or Marvel – they are living breathing defenders of truth, justice, and…
Hot Docs Review: THE NATIONAL PARKS PROJECT
The omnibus is an interesting filmmaking format. It allows for many storytellers to provide their own take on a similar tale. Unfortunately the fatal flaw in the omnibus is that the viewer has to travel every peak and valley whether they want to or not, and while some peaks can be gloriously high, some valleys…
Hot Docs Review: RESURRECT DEAD – THE MYSTERY OF THE TOYNBEE TILES
When I think about the best docs I’ve seen, I find that they all land on a sweet spot for me as a viewer. The very best nonfiction films I’ve experienced unspool with a perfect blend of interesting subject matter and perfect execution. It’s not enough just to fascinate, or look pretty. To be truly…
