Hot Docs Review: BEATS, RHYMES & LIFE – THE TRAVELS OF A TRIBE CALLED QUEST

Perspective is a great thing. The passing of time allows us the opportunity to reach to a higher shelf, dust off something we haven’t experienced in several years, and try it out again almost as if it was the first time. Sometimes such moments can be disastrous, and you sadly discover something you thought was…

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…

Hot Docs Review: BATTLE FOR BROOKLYN

When I was a young sports fan, I considered stadiums and arenas to be cathedrals. They were places where communities of believers came to worship their heroes, and display a sort of civic pride. It wasn’t until I was older that I realized how much building these cathedrals affected me as a citizen. Once I…

Hot Docs Review: NO ENTRY, NO EXIT

There are few things in society that galvanize us more than sex offenders. Without fail, they spark talk of “lock-’em-up, lose-the-key”…they even ignite calls for capital punishment. Oddly, deciding how to punish them is the easy part: what gets tricky is figuring out what to do once they’ve served their punishment. NO ENTRY, NO EXIT…