Each of these films could have ended up on the "Best Of" list, but to make it easier for me, I thought I would give them their own list for once. So, without further ado, here are five documentaries that were very excellent last year, and that you should all check out if you get the chance. \
5. Janis: Little Girl Blue
Janis Joplin was always a vague presence in my life, mainly because my mum was a big fan of hers. But I never really listened to any of her music until quite recently when I listened to my mums copy of Pearl on vinyl. Her voice is one of the greatest sounds to come from this earth. This documentary is about Janis from her youth to her untimely death at the age of 27. It uses interviews with her former band mates to create a picture of a woman who wanted to live as large as she could, but who was ultimately destroyed by her own demons. It's a heartbreaking watch, but definitely worth it if you want to learn more about the queen of rock.
4. Dancer
This is a film that asks the question "Why do you pursue excellence?" Sergei Polunin was the star dancer at the Royal Ballet in London, until he suddenly quit in a fire of controversy. Director Steven Cantor traces Polunin's life from Ukraine, and how he got into dancing. It explores how Polunin became the greatest dancer that he could be to help his family, and how he almost had a break down when his parents divorced. I think it's one of the best explorations of why people pursue creative careers, and what happens when it might not be what you want to do with your life.
3. The First Monday in May
If you liked The September Issue, or Valentino: The Last Emperor, or are even only vaguely interested in fashion, then you will love this film. Following both Anna Wintour and Andrew Bolton, this film chronicles the creation of the 2015 exhibition "China: Through the Looking Glass" at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, culminating in the opening night gala. To say this film is fabulous is an understatement. This film is breathtaking. It not only showcases amazing fashion designs, but it looks at how people curate exhibitions and just how much work goes into every tiny detail. A must for both fashionista's and museum junkies.
2. Author: the JT LeRoy Story
During one of my sojourns through random Wikipedia pages, I came across the story of the JT LeRoy hoax, so I knew the basics about what happened going in to this film. But what this film does is look into how someone like JT managed to get big in the literary world from the perspective of the woman who created him. I don't really want to go into detail, because it is a pretty insane story. But I really enjoyed this film about how a couple of people managed to completely piss off the literary world by writing a book that everyone adored.
1. Tickled
Talk about insane stories. I really don't want to say anything about this film. The basic premise is that a New Zealand reporter finds out about 'competitive endurance tickling' and tries to uncover what he can about it. It gets weird from their. The twists and turns in this film are bordering on unbelievable, but they keep you hooked until everything is eventually discovered. If you liked The Imposter, then this is another film that will keep you guessing until after the final shot.
So, my best of list will be coming soon, hopefully within this week. Until then, I hope some of you check out these documentaries. I guarantee there is something for everyone.
No comments:
Post a Comment