Little Dieter Needs To Fly

Werner Herzog as a documentarian seeks out subjects within the extremes, whether that be their life, or their particular experience. Well with Dieter Dengler, who he later also made a feature dramatic version of his story with Rescue Dawn, he has really both. This with such an idiosyncratic man at the center of it, along with an almost unbelievable story of his escape in Vietnam against all odds. As typical for Herzog he grants such detail to such life, with his always fascinating perspective that is so often one of appreciation but also almost a strange fear in a way. This in examining what the extremes do bring to a man in this sort self-reflection, that is usually within the subtext of his films, however still found.
5/5

Burden of Dreams

Burden of Dreams follows famous filmmaker/documentarian Werner Herzog, though as the subject, as he makes his epic Fitzcarraldo. This with the same mad ambition as his protagonist of the fictional film he is making. Filmmaking can be a madness in its own right, later also shown with Heart of Darkness for Coppola/Apocalypse Now, but featured here as well in following a true eccentric, followed by insanity. In a way that is already more than enough. This as Herzog alone is endlessly fascinating, combined with the even madder Kinski, all the more fascinating, combined with the insanity of his endeavor all the greater.
5/5

F for Fake

F for Fake is latter day Welles in pure form, where as much as you can see the brilliance, there is also almost a hubris in the film making in a way. He we have Welles examine different tricksters he's interacted with by presenting his own story as well, where he has conned through life. The film itself is a con, as we get "a" truth, and in a way is brilliant in Welles in a way showing what the documentary form is, by creating that assumption of truth even as in the final act of the film openly admits he has lied to you. Welles overarching vision is something quite remarkable, though the film's presentation at times borders upon self-indulgence even if it is often with a striking purpose. Although Welles's later works aren't his best works, the genius of Welles is still quite evident, and that is the case here, which when at its best is profound, while at its worst, it is indulgent, however indulgence of an ambitious man.
4/5

Weiner

Although I find politics themselves fascinating, I often find political things quite dull or vexing. This as too often they drive towards dishonesty and lack of nuance for the sake of preaching towards the choir. Documentary I often dislike in particular, as documentaries can be the most dishonest form of filmmaking, in that the assumption is it is all true, but it isn't. This is so often the case with political documentaries where I will become frustrated when you can clearly seeing a filmmaker overlooking, creatively editing or not offering all the information a particular fact, lest it conflict with their political stance in some way. Weiner though is fantastic, as it is about politics but isn't political. Oh you get great insight in the nature of politics, and a particularly fascinating examination of a man who is his own worst enemy. The attempted resurrection, but really greater descent of Anthony Weiner is presented with such profound detail here, as we both see where he could have returned to the spotlight, just as we see the festering wounds that are his personal flaws that drive him further down. The filmmakers doing a particularly excellent job in not at all wasting their intimate point of view, while also capturing so well all those in and around him are also burdened by his deep personal flaws. It's what a great documentary can be, as we see a real story unfold in front of us, without a single forged moment.
5/5

Crumb

Crumb is an entry within the sub genre of the genre of documentaries which is the fringe biography. This one being about fittingly fringe underground comic book artist R. Crumb. As with any proper fringe biography it exposes its subject strange world and often makes it ground by merely giving the man a voice piece past his work. The film succeeds in terms of that type of fascination no matter how bizarre certain elements of Crumb's frame of mind will be. What it also succeeds with though is expanding this exposure a bit in terms of the specific world around Crumb including his family, specifically his brother who is his own tapestry of something else. It's a film that creates a real investigation within the unique sort of madness associated with a most specific fringe, however in a way that never feels too cloying or exploitative.
5/5

Stranger Things 3

Stranger Things 3 continues the story along with a few new introductions but still the general plot mechanics of the first season remaining in tack. This without really the mystery of the first season, but rather the nature of the second season which is almost procedural as our characters fight against some evil (D & D) inspired creature of the upside down. The major change in this one being the evil government force this time is represented by the Soviets, in a Red Dawnesque fashion, rather than a shadowy part of the U.S. government. In this we have a slightly ridiculous shift, in setup, with a Terminator inspired villain, and a giant Soviet secret lab below a mall. In fitting to 80's sequels I guess, the ante has been raised, the ridiculousness increased, and all with a sillier tone to boot. Within that you have the continued 80's references, which are still fun, a raised bit of technical prowess in the film's cinematography and effects (though I do wish they'd been true to 80's practicals at least somewhere), but what makes the series work are the characters once again. It's great just spending time and seeing them work the "strange thing". It is almost like the Thin Man series, where the plot matters less so, because the character interactions are so rich and fun. Each group is great fun to see interact together, with enough weight within it, the addition of Maya Hawke(who apparently doesn't fall far from the tree in terms of talent)'s Robin being a highlight. The nadir of the season then is where the interactions fall short, and that's one bit involving David Harbour's Chief Hopper who acts out of character as the stern straight man, to become a cartoonish overbearing dad. Thankfully this eventually is resolved, but it is easily the weakest aspect of the season. The reason the ridiculous plot works though, even as it is quite ridiculous at this point, is how honest the characters feel and how entertaining it is to spend time once again. The worst part of the series is when that falls short, which thankfully is only one instance. Honestly, how this season worked, they could keep the plot going to perhaps a completely ludicrous place, as long as they keep the characters so strongly intact as they did so this season.
4.5/5

King of Kong: A Fistful of Quarters

King of Kong is a testament to really film in general, in that you can make any story fascinating no matter what it is about. The film focuses on two men playing for the high score of Donkey Kong, that's it, and it couldn't be more entertaining. Now again this is in the whole lies of the documentary form, which I'm not going to get into again here. It is once more though this brilliant construction of a story, worthy of a fictional narrative (which in some ways it is), of a classic underdog story. We follow the outside average man Steve Wiebe as he tries to get his high score against the villainous Billy Mitchell, who seems to even dress to play the part of an villain of an 80's sports movie, who holds sway among the top brass of the video high score community known as Twin Galaxies. That all sounds potentially ridiculous, and perhaps it is, but what a compelling story it tells as the film not only crafts so well this rivalry of personalities through game playing, but also in its vibrant exploration of the world that surrounds that rather specific obsession. The film works as it really paints itself mostly with this broader stroke of the "inspirational sports movie" right down to the musical motifs it uses, however it does balance itself well by garnering enough substance within the pointed interviews, or in Billy Mitchell's case villainous monologues. Is this film all true, hardly, it is a crafted narrative just as a film is, however as a crafted narrative it is a wildly entertaining and interesting one.
5/5