10 Years With Hayao Miyazaki

Well we didn't end on a bad note, I'll say that at least.

This is a strange review for me, for the first time in almost a decade of writing these things never have I ever watched something in full on Facebook. Yeah it was kind of a bitch to find this whole 4 part mini-series documentary and to be honest I was having a hard time sitting through it all the way to write this thing. A curious enigma about this is the fact that it comes from NHK basically the japanese version of the BBC, and yet it's narrated in english, it has english subtitles, and there's no evidence to suggest it was created any other way before hand and they just slapped an english dub on top of the narration. I'm not saying it's impossible for japanese audiences to watch something in english but I've never really seen examples of it. Curiosities out of the way, let's get to the review. 4 parts, approximately 50 minutes apeice, chronicle stints of Miyazaki's career with the first two parts alone focusing on the making of Ponyo, then working in tandem with his son Goro on From Up On Poppy Hill, and finally ending with The Wind Rises. I have to get this out of the way right now and then we'll move on to positives but this english narration was terrible, a complete 180° from Never-Ending Man that feels completely unnecessary, slightly biased and putting way too much of an impression on the events rather than simply letting the audience view it, and truthfully has the writing style of a first grader trying to write their first story. It took so much away from it for me that it's easily going to be the lowest score of the week. And that pisses me off because seeing bits of new making of behind the scenes stuff for Ponyo and Poppy Hill was really neat despite it not going in that much detail which is strange considering the run time for each respective episode. Seeing Miyazaki's inspiration for the character of Ponyo, his tribulations with the animation, seeing the relationship with his son, further hammering the point home how hard it truly is to be creative with a deadline, all that stuff adds onto the experience of the previous documentaries I watched this week. Though admittedly if you've seen Never-Ending Man you can flat out skip episode four, I mean there is legit reused shots from that documentary here and everything. It has some interesting stuff at times, the score once again is actually really friggin' good, seeing Goro on his own project was a welcome change of pace, the addressing of the 2011 earthquake that struck Japan and how that affected production on Poppy Hill, it's not all a waste. However whether it's slight fatigue or the overall production and captured footage didn't do that much for me personally, this is an okay documentary that I think I can only recommend to die hard Miyazaki or Studio Ghibli fans. I knew Never-Ending Man wasn't gonna be beaten this week but I didn't expect it to go out on more of a whimper. I give it 2.5 stars, 7/10, and we got a little anime new release coming up very soon so all is not said and done yet.

Never-Ending Man

I know it's a documentary and everything but this is a contender for most inspiring works ever made.

An hour and ten minutes, you really cannot lose much over that as this extremely candid documentary chronicles the musings and work of Hayao Miyazaki after he officially retired from making animated feature films in an attempt to utilize CGI for a short film idea he had. I cannot explain the vast appeal this had for me and yet it completely reaffirms why not only art is made but why people commit to projects entirely out of passion alone. I may go on several tangents here but it's just the goddamn truth of the matter, animators are some of the most passionate and hardworking people on the face of this earth, you just HAVE to be if you step into this line of work! And I know it's kind of a meme in anime circles that Miyazaki is this depressed, exhausted, grumpy man but really look at this and there is a reason for it. He's an older man and coming to terms with it seeing friends and coworkers he's known for years passing away, he overworks and overthinks because he gives a damn about his work and wants it to be as good as it can be, he might seem stern and uncaring but that couldn't be farther from the case showcasing a love and passion for life as well as just the act of creating. I love love love how this documentary is presented, beautiful music, simple yet sometimes gorgeous shots, no voice over work, it doesn't even really have any kind of satisfactory ending but I don't give a shit. Documentaries are supposed to be brief looks into a certain figure or period of history, nothing more nothing less and that's what I get here. I've seen actually a good fair bit of behind the scenes footage and the process of animators in Japan and there's something so calming and enjoyable about it to me, I don't know if other people feel the same way but it has this style of production and ambience to it that strikes me in a certain way. Frankly that's just me and Japan as a country but it's just as present here. I will be real here, I can't draw even semi-competently so to see many people's craft in the works whether 2D or 3D is so damn cool to see! And to hear Miyazaki muse on his age, his work, and hilariously his reaction to AI art has so many nuggets of wisdom that can't be denied. And just for the hell of it I'll throw out one of mine as well, when longtime producer and friend of Miyazaki's Toshio Suzuki talks about the decline of 2D animation and CG taking the forefront my only response was, "Just because something new comes along doesn't mean you have to give up on what you're working on now.". And this documentary isn't just motivation for art people either, everyone has a passion for a field of work that could be anything and it gives you that little boost of energy and positive frame of mind. There are instances where this feels like a job instead of a passion project for me but I never lose sight of the reality of it all and I don't want anyone to be discouraged with their own work. I couldn't stress seeing this more if I tried, and I know it's probably just me but I adored this documentary to the moon and back. It's simple, it's short, it's sweet, I give it 4 stars and a sterling 10/10!

The Kingdom Of Dreams And Madness

Damn, that was good.

Yeah I can't explain what hit me this month but I wanted to watch some Studio Ghibli documentaries. Taking place in late 2012 this documentary focuses on Miyazaki taking up the production for The Wind Rises, a film I haven't seen yet but hopefully there will be time in the future to do so, while also showcasing a bit of history for the studio, a concurrent release for The Tale Of Princess Kaguya (also a film I haven't seen), and the tantum work of the animators. It's a leisurely paced documentary clocking in at 2 hours but if animation is your bag and even more so seeing how animation is made, it's worth watching! It's not entirely the main focus, it centers on Miyazaki and longtime business partner Toshio Suzuki working on the art side of the studio and the business side of the studio respectively just keeping up with the tasks at hand. That's kind of the beauty of a documentary there's no real drama or story to it, you can just view it and catch a glimpse of another time, another place, another life and some may say it's boring but it all comes down to what are you looking for. I just wanted to see the behind the scenes stuff at Studio Ghibli and witness Miyazaki in his element, and I got that but I also got more. I got some truly superb instances of cinematography, a beautiful score, a true sense of community and hard work from the talented as hell animators, and even some insight into Miyazaki's past during war time. The Wind Rises is all about a young man with a great love of airplanes who is conscripted to design a new fighter plane for the second world war, and that's not only a conflicted story but also a conflicted movie to make from a japanese point of view that's endlessly fascinating to see, and on top of all of that whether the influence of the Fukushima disaster that occured just a year before this documentary takes place had any conscious or unconscious effect on the story bears some insight from far more intelligent minds than my own. And just as the cherry on top of all of that hearing Miyazaki himself say this was the only film of his he cried at is kind of a testament to art in any medium and how deeply you can get attached to something even if you're the one who made it. I was sold already on seeing the movie but it's bumped up a bit on the Ghibli watchlist at this point. Hell seeing the animation team having an emotional breakdown finally seeing all that hard work up on the big screen got me in an emotional tizzy like you wouldn't believe, and further hammers that nail that is already embedded in the coffin of the fact that animation is a gruelling industry and that you have to have patience and love for what you do if you are in that field. Even somewhat innocuous details like Miyazaki's daily routine or peppered footage throughout of basically the studio's office cat doing cat stuff has great charm and certainly held my interest, but then again I'm the biggest goddamn mark for a cat you will ever meet in your life so I'm an easy sell. I don't know if it's just the cadence or the overall sort of style for lack of a better term about how people from Japan talk but it does something for me, there's actually quite a few lines from Miyazaki that struck me even in small ways, I mean Japan has had an indelible impression on my life since I was very very young but the appeal has never waned even after all this time. I very much enjoyed this brief look into a much loved studio that deserves the accolades it has, and I give it 3 stars, 8/10! And I'll see you tomorrow friends.

Rewind This

I don't even want to call this a documentary, it's so much more a retrospective.

I absolutely adore Rewind This, it might be the biggest love letter to VHS I've ever seen. Again it doesn't really dig into the history of how VHS came to be, what it accomplished, and how it faded, it certainly touches on those things but really it's this look at so many facets of that industry. 90 minutes with credits can't do it justice, so it's very much like here when we do lightning rounds. They touch on how JVC came up with the idea, the competition with Betamax tapes, how studios sold the rights to get films on tape, they even delve into the adult market and how pornos made an impact, they discuss cover art for the boxes, tape trading and bootlegging, how independent filmmaking got a big surge thanks to the video camera, among other topics. It's all done with a lot of love and positivity, the range of interviews solidifies this point alone, we see some familiar faces from Adjust Your Tracking, but we also see video store owners, recognizable names of the horror industry, a good few japanese actors and filmmakers, and more that makes it undeniably real and even at times heartfelt. I will say this little special started off with an iron fist to my solar plexus, we start off at a Trader's Village and I was like huh I've been to one of those before, and then the city of Grand Prairie Texas pops up and I was half expecting to see 9 year old me on camera at any moment, never has any piece of media quite hit that close to home for me! After that I was glued to the screen, and honestly the more I think about it the more genuine appreciation and affection I have for this retrospective grows. Everything is just worn on it's sleeve here, it's the most candid and somehow unbiasedly biased documentary I've seen. It's dirt simple in terms of production but it's the stories, the experiences, the emotions showcased here that grabs you! Sweet Jesus God, when they start talking about the then modern landscape of media and how physical media is being put by the wayside um...Nostradamus himself couldn't have called it better and if anything reinforces why I try my damndest to buy the things I love. I have, hand over my heart, more than 1,100 pieces of music on my phone's library but I still buy CDs. I actually have a bevy of streaming platforms but with certain films and shows I wholeheartedly buy them. I am a hardcover book kind of Dude, I won't even touch a digital book. Now granted admittedly I'm a jaded old man who loves his anachronisms that is plain to see, yet I feel anyone can grasp especially when watching this why people not only hold VHS so dearly but advocate to own something for life physically. I'm really blown away by this. Adjust Your Tracking was the extreme side of the VHS fan spectrum, whereas this is more mainstream and as stated above focuses on the many aspects of the format. I couldn't recommend it higher, and hypocritical though it is you can watch both these documentaries on Tubi for free but I would gladly slap down money for the VHS copy of this celebration of home video. 4 stars, 8.5/10! And next week we look at something that I was positive I've reviewed before and was amazed I didn't.

Adjust Your Tracking

Fun fact true fact, both this and my next review have been sitting in my Amazon cart since about 2016.

So to finally get to watch this is pretty neat, I mean anything with VHS is up my alley. But holy fuckaroli I thought I was dedicated to good old fashioned videotapes, until I saw this documentary and the maniacs presented therein. Now it's not really about the history or commercial impact VHS had on the world, it's more about the hardcore collectors and their undying passion for what many people even in 2012 when they were filming this damn thing would deem obsolete. It's a very simple and straightforward project where they just film these guys about their experiences, memories, and love for VHS which does rather prompt me to join in the fun myself and tell tales. Although my collection is sparse compared to theirs and my experience with videotapes is rather limited to that 1995 to 2005 era, so basically the tail end of it all I am a stalwart believer in physical media and have a soft spot for this material. If the statistic presented in this documentary is true, 45% of VHS showcases whether movie, show, or other has not made the leap to DVD or even Blu-Ray kinda proves why I refuse to say it's dead or useless. Do I have nostalgic ties to it? Of course I do. I got 3 or 4 banana boxes filled with tapes and still watch them from time to time! So I can easily understand and appreciate the folks shown here and their dedication, it's undeniably a niche documentary for a niche group but it's interesting to hear their stories and see how they've built a community with likeminded people. That was easily my favorite part near the end when you hear them talk about how fun and rewarding it is to seek and hunt films either solo or with friends at these hole in the wall shops or even at yard sales and stuff like that, I mean it's gratifying to hear from my point of view. When I first moved down to where I live now, those first couple of months, I was trying to seek out any video store I could and every single one no longer existed. It was a bummer man but it was always something I enjoyed, Blockbuster was pretty much it when I was far younger than I am now and to wander the aisles and rent something I never would have seen otherwise was special! I love bopping around used bookstores and looking at stuff, I do still on occasion pick up a VHS tape if it's something I love and want to have. I love my old shit, I can't help it and I shan't do anything to stop it. I think it's pretty groovy to see people want to preserve history in any form they can, and you can tell the folks interviewed have the love for it even if the movie sucks. It doesn't help I was familiar with some of the movie titles they were throwing around and hearing some of the prices of money they dropped on certain films made me just shake my head and sigh heavily, but fans exist of all types of media where they accept it all good, bad, or ugly. I can't hate that! For a barely 80 minute look into extreme collectors of magnetic home video entertainment it was a fun watch and I'm just happy I got to ramble about something I love. I give it 3 stars, 7.5/10!

Light & Magic

Are y- ARE YOU OUT OF YOUR MIND?!?!

I can't form coherent sentences right now, I'm too flabbergasted. Okay I mean clearly this documentary did something right in showcasing the albeit compressed history of ILM to get me in this frayed mindset, but what do you want me to say?? Cause I just sat for 6 hours watching the most impossible shit I have ever seen in my entire life. Break this down with me, we have a production company that was entirely funded independently, made up of a hodge podge of different special effects crew who are for all intents and purposes unknowns, set up in a warehouse in California, doing effects shots for a movie that from the words of the maker himself said that no studio could possibly ever do, and they gotta make Star Wars happen. This became the studio that I am 10,000% certain hasn't stopped working on a single project post 1976 and continues today as THE special effects company. This is fucking impossible. I am going to repeat that again louder for the back. This is fucking IMPOSSIBLE! How??? You'd think I would know that answer after watching a documentary with so much legit archive footage that I'm convinced there is a God because it shouldn't even exist, but I'm still just as bewildered and yet in awe of all the accomplishments Industrial Light & Magic has done. You just hear these stories from the mouths of the workers themselves of basically having to burn the book of special effects production and just write a new one from scratch, creating new techniques, having to build original equipment to implement said techniques, and then having to evolve both as they essentially changed the world of filmmaking as we know it. My mind just can't take that. Now obviously I knew some details because ohh I'm a nerd and I love watching documentaries on Star Wars, and was familiar with some of the crew on it like Dennis Muren, Phil Tippet, and Ken Ralston, but it was a drop of knowledge in comparison to this. And they do such a good job explaining it, I mean they don't go in immeasurable detail this is a mini-series not a class, and thank God they decided to make this documentary while all the big players in the founding of ILM are still kicking, they make it no secret they didn't have a damn clue how to make this all happen but they were persistent and imaginative enough to swerve around any problem. It's not super in depth, it focuses a good ⅓ on making Star Wars then treads water on some of the 80s projects like E.T. and Willow and wraps up around Phantom Menace, before they jump 20 years ahead to show what it's like now with Mando. What I really appreciated seeing with this is when they hit Jurassic Park and that shift occurs from practical effects to CG, it doesn't shy away from how that affected people. The complaint is a dime a dozen nowadays that CG is too prevalent, it's too shiny, where did practical effects go, and that frustration was felt with the actual model makers, prop makers, and stop motion animators even back then. I'm a firm believer in you need to have both to make it work, and to see all the advancements that computer technology has gained even in such a short time span as the early 1980s to the late 1990s is mindblowing to see. I think a lot of people have a preconception that oh you just hit three keys on a computer and wha-bam you got a CG environment or creature effect but it's harder than it looks nowadays, try imagining doing it when the playbook was only half written and was subject to change. You see the effort, and it's a lifechanging experience to watch this honestly if you have any affinity for special effects of any variety. I'd have a meltdown of Vesuvius proportions trying to figure out how to make Star Wars, and it is unnaturally easy to take special effects for granted but not for me anymore. It's gonna be different and humbling to have my 3,752nd rewatch of Star Wars I can tell you that much. I'm rambling I know, but there will never be enough words in either existence or quantity that can voice just how ludicrous this is. History is wild to say the least but this should have been inconcievable! I had to pause on the first episode, my hand covering my mouth, as I just leaned back in my recliner absolutely exasperated, trying to figure out how they thought of such an idea to get just one shot. Couldn't do it. Not that smart nor inventive. Completely wowed by this mini-series, I'd be a damn fool for giving it anything less than a 10/10. Frankly it deserves like a 12/10! A seven day free trial of Disney+ is worth it exclusively for this as far as I'm concerned. You have to see it, that's just it.

The Art Life

I reckon it's about that time.

Mainly sprung on by the fact I grabbed David's autobiography, I wanted to talk some more about his films. He didn't direct this one, it was a true passion project and started as a Kickstarter film that took some time to get done from three directors briefly chronicling David's life. Now when I say brief I mean brief like the underwear on my hips now, it ends around Eraserhead so you could argue it's not a complete documentary but even I can't say I hated it. Shot in the Hollywood Hills at David's home/workshop the film is a wellspring of pictures, home movies, and a gallery of his art while he recounts bits and pieces of his life. It's interesting stuff to look at, to hear, to experience especially if you don't know much about the man himself. Hell you don't hear a peep out of anyone else besides David except his sweet little daughter from time to time, and to hear right from the horse's mouth on his childhood, what got him into art and how that transferred to filmmaking, to these vignettes he tells is just what I expected. I'll admit there were certain things that struck me but not in an overly bad way just things I took notes on, primarily this is pretty much the example I point to henceforth if you want to see the most arty, avant garde, bordering on pretentious and maybe slips it's baby toe across that line cinematography and shot placement, simply look no further. I can't decide if it was intentional or not but it is sure to make an art house critic rumble with delight or perhaps seething disgust from their diaphragm. The other thing which I take more slight issue with, is they showcase a lot of David's drawings and paintings and if you've ever seen them you know it's very stark and very blunt. It's almost a smokescreen effect because I've seen enough behind the scenes stuff of Mr. Lynch and not only is he candid but he's got a lot of appreciation for life in all it's unique and quaint beauties, not to mention he's got a lot of love and an open mind to boot. So you'll forgive me if I take the usage of straight up serial killer music, this distrubing shrill soundscape to convey the point that a person is not mentally or emotionally well, in bad taste. It's genuinely the only thing I did objectively hate in this documentary, and if you've been here long enough you know I just don't like being negative about things. But you feel the way you feel, and you gotta make peace with that. But if that's as bad as it gets I think this biographical picture can skate by on a pretty good score. 3.5 stars, 8/10! Very much an appetizer before we delve in proper tomorrow with hopefully my first step into the world of Twin Peaks. 

Jodorowsky's Dune

I get it now.

Not a lot of people talk about Dune, barely anyone talks about the version that never was. In the early 1970s a director born in Chile had a revolutionary idea after making just two feature films to adapt Frank Herbert's Dune in a way that was deemed impossible by the zeitgeist's standards and this documentary created in 2013 filled the world in on this artistic endeavour. Now I heard slight rumblings of this version in the hype train for the 2021 Dune from a YouTube channel dubbed Grizzled Wizard and hearing about this project with the help of Pink Floyd, H.R. Giger, and the presence of Orson Welles himself my attention was grabbed! But I didn't even know this documentary existed on the HBO Max until about 3 days ago, and watching the formative process and happy accidents occur that got some steam in this now phantom train does make me understand why certain individuals hold this what could have been story with such tragedy. Granted I have no clue what in the blue skies of Arrakis this would have been like but the unmitigated passion and dedication this one man had to garner so many artistic and popular figures to make a science fiction film when at the time George Lucas was still scribbling drafts of a space opera in his bedroom and the prospect of any fantastical space movie being made was a pot dream, I can respect. He didn't want to make it faithful to the book, he didn't want to make it for profit's sake, he wanted to do it because he had a vision and a drive to see it done. It ain't everybody's batch of magic Kool-Aid and even my ass saw the unrealistic qualities of fashioning this monolith of a story, but the documentary is told with a lot of the burgeoning minds who were coming up with designs for this flick and they still believe they were onto something special here and hold pride in their work. And for a special clocking in at 90 minutes with credits, you really got nothing to lose if you want to see how even unmade art can still have an effect on the world. Do I agree with everything Jodorowsky said? No. Do I think the movie would have had a more troubled production than The Island Of Doctor Moreau with Marlon Brando and Val Kilmer? I'm willing to hedge my bets there! But at the end of the day even if it focuses on a shoulda woulda coulda idea, it's still fascinating to see a piece of cinematic history that has influenced a lot of movies even if itself wasn't burned on celluloid. I enjoyed it, found it interesting, and can indeed recommend. 3 stars, 7/10, and we got some down time before the next new movie so stay safe and have fun.

Haxan

Easily the strangest documentary I've ever seen.




Haxan also known as Witchcraft Through The Ages is a 1922 silent film made in Sweden not so much chronicling the history and changing ethos of witches and magic, but kind of a dive into more or less the oppression and tactics used to put accused witches on "trial" with some bits and ends of education on practices of witchcraft. And it's all done in a very surreal way, the film is split into 7 parts but the title cards a staple of silent cinema are written like the actual director is talking to us the audience, about how he found information and conveying it through the miracle of film. He even levels the fourth wall not once or twice, but thrice! Showing footage of one of his actresses legit submitting to thumbscrews and even cracking a joke about it, one of his actresses playing several roles in the last section of film which he himself disclosed, and one of his actresses confiding in him that they have seen the devil which was pretty potent to witness. It is undoubtedly an odd juxtaposition with the soundtrack being rather cheery and upbeat throughout, with notable examples being Danse Macabre and Moonlight Sonata, when clearly the subject material is a bit grim. Speaking of grim, the set design even when set on holy ground looks very eerie and I suppose rightfully so since the majority of the film takes place in the middle ages. You get some proper old timey education in this too, about how people viewed the Earth and stars, how people found evidence of witches which.....kinda seems like witchcraft to my eyes just sayin', how individuals who were pretty much trying to further the field of science were construed as practitioners of witchcraft, and my personal favorite back in the olden times to pretty much sign up for witchery and devil worship you had to kiss Satan's ass. Yeah. So if anyone calls you a kiss ass they firmly believe you consort with Lucifer. This has been another The More You Know. They still kinda fall in that notion that witches do witch stuff nekkid, this is because most books on witchcraft were written by men. Very sexually conflicted, church going, God fearing men so instead of asking the weird girl out for a date just torch her alive at the stake to purge those sexual urges. Be thankful for the decade you were born in people. The good news is the movie does not condone witch hunts or horrific torturing of women, but merely attempts to educate with an open more forward thinking mind and I'm honestly curious how well that went down in the early 20s. It's an imaginative sophisticated film in terms of special effects, the wraith like images of witches flying couldn't not have been the inspiration for the imagery of Night On Bald Mountain from Fantasia, all the costumes for the demons and Satan are obvious costumes but it still works very well in the movie, and can come off as creepy, there's even some proto-stop motion effects, talk about advanced. I'm fairly positive this is the pure bones of what people think the devil looks like, pointy ears, horns of ram and also protruding from the forehead, tongue constantly in a state of movement, all I was missing was a tail shot and he was played by the director too! So visuals are pretty strong even if not prevalent throughout, and while this is probably the longest silent film I've ever seen going for almost 2 hours, I view it as a piece of history which strangely is the purpose of the film in a way, so bravo for that. I know there is a sound version with narration and a jazz score which I believe hacks the movie down to just a bit over an hour, I didn't get my hands on that one so no notes there. Overall, it's a very interesting piece of cinema and history and while not scary it has something unique to bring to the table and no doubt shocked a good deal of people in 1922. I give it 3 stars, 7.5/10, new movie once more next time and not a horror either. Boooo!! Well, you can't win em' all. So hail Santa, oh f***ing hell I spelled it wrong nevermind, and have a lovely day.

Elvis The Comeback Special

Yeah man, that's the good stuff.

Regardless of if you're an Elvis fan or not, this is a pretty damn good live performance. Said to be the special that brought Elvis' career out of the gutter, this is a mighty performance that covers all the bases of his music. You get rock and roll, folk with some fine honky tonk sound, those love ballads that make every woman clay in his hands, and we even get the most energetic and awesome gospel music I've heard since The Blues Brothers. It starts off fairly elaborate, but most of it is shot very akin to if you've ever seen The Beatles music video of Hey Jude, small stage, band close by, surrounded by people. Obviously because it was just a TV special you're not gonna get this giant stage, 4 million lumens, and more than 100,000 folks in attendance, which I think works incredibly well in it's favor. Elvis feels incredibly comfy despite the sweltering heat of being in an all black leather outfit that Rob Halford would find familiar (wristbands included), taking the mickey out of himself and joking often, never afraid to not take himself too seriously and provide entertainment to lots of people. It was a trip seeing the girls in the fashion of that time still fawn over Elvis, and I liked the fact we saw some older people there too just proving that not everyone over the age of 40 deemed him a menace. The performances are strong, playing both songs I knew and didn't know with unparalleled amounts of energy and passion that most modern musicians could only dream of having. Yeah you can say oh he's just gyrating and getting everybody all riled up, but the power of his voice and need to just move to the groove of the beat says otherwise. Hell the only other singer I've seen get that into the music is Joe Cocker, may he rest in peace, it's very difficult to sit still watching this and I do speak from personal experience good buddy. It's a lot of fun and has good variety throughout in musical performance, solo on stage, band on stage, filmed set footage with backup dancers and vocalists, essentially a musical journey through montage, it keeps your interest to see what happens in the next song. Originally only 50 minutes when broadcasted in 1968, I got my hands on a copy clocking in at 75 minutes with one particular sequence that got cut due to censors of a song sequence in a brothel. It was the 60s, we had to wait almost 15 years for The Best Little Whorehouse In Texas to be burned onto celluloid. Though it does make me wonder how much footage got cut of just women grabbing this man, cause when I say the stage is small I mean the front row could reach him in arm's length. I doubt you'd see that nowadays. There's plenty of visuals and ideas that you can trace back to this special, a live performance of a band on a small stage playing to a small group of people, well that's MTV Unplugged. Leather wristbands and a leather outfit, setting the stage for metal, I even saw some brief headbanging. Utilizing sets and backup dancers like any musical movie. Taking some time to talk and joke between songs with no pressure to keep progressing the set, something you'd see just one year later with Woodstock. The influence is felt, and they did a good job production wise bringing everything together. It might be cheating reviewing this, cause how could I not give it a 10/10 but I do strongly urge people to give it a watch and enjoy the music presented. I've had worse wastes of barely over an hour in my lifetime, and I'm happy I saw this. 4 stars, 10/10, and it's new movie time yet again coming up next.

Return To Hogwarts

I would have sat for 5 hours watching this.

Big shock. I loved it. I'm so glad I watched it, I'm so glad they got everyone they could, and it is without question necessary viewing for all potterheads. It starts simply enough with some cute prelude to the documentary footage, as four chapters break down the 8 films with cast and crew discussing filming, the impact on the world, and most importantly the memories that were had. Now I know there's people out there howling their dislike based on "it's just nostalgia" but there is obviously some form of love and respect to this series to even begin with. They shoot on the real sets, the intercutting of movie footage, behind the scenes, and documentary footage is pretty good, and it's just fun and cute to see everyone back together. Obviously I can't recount every story and anecdote, but it does bring up stuff you wouldn't normally know and addresses facts of the production you may have forgot about. I spaced so hard on the fact that Emma Watson was going to leave the series halfway through, she was thinking about calling it a day and such a powder keg of a news story you think wouldn't have been forgotten. It's little nuggets like that which I loved so much cause you do hear it straight from the actor's mouth, they do reflect on it being 20 years since this franchise started and how it has affected them. There is an undying sense of love and family among the entire crew and cast, with the highlights of them being apparently Emma had a huge crush on Tom Felton and where has that been my entire life? That should have been in the movies, I'll make my own with Draco being a bad boy who can't voice his emotions clearly but he loves Hermoine, you'll love it. It'll be wild. Helena is off her f***ing rocker, I love her, I may or may not want the Daniel crush to be real, it's a thing of immense beauty and chaotic energy and I want you to acknowledge it. Jason Isaacs is still my love, my everything, he is (redacted), and forever will be in my heart. Of course it isn't all fun and unconditional love, they do reflect on these wonderful actors who are no longer with us. Richard Harris, John Hurt, Helen McCrory, Alan of course. And can I just say, hearing Jason and Tom talk about the most damn beautiful and perfect witch in the entire world, and seeing Tom break a little....that took my heart outside and pulverized it with a tenderizer. Like that was hard to watch. I mean we as fans were all devastated when Alan passed away, so how on earth did it feel for the people who worked closely with him for a decade? It would have been impossible to really craft a documentary around something this expansive with so much to talk about, it would have to be it's own series with a single episode dedicated to those we lost. And it was pretty tough seeing the behind the scenes stuff on the last day of shooting, I mean Jesus man Daniel had a full breakdown and I wasn't that far off from breaking myself. Personally speaking, as a 6 year old boy introduced to a land of magic and great characters, though I wasn't super hardcore into it did love it a lot and certainly as years have passed my appreciation has expanded greatly. It's gotten so many kids into reading, it's swept several generations in it's wake, and has forged a fandom the likes only to be rivaled by Star Wars and Lord Of The Rings. I mean that's pretty remarkable to say the sheer least. And they did it. The crazy bastards actually did it. They ended it with the line. You fu- how could you do this to me man? Whatever, 4 stars, 9/10.

The Decline Of Western Civilization: Part 3

I mean I know it's called the Decline but this is where the game truly changes and arguably ends.

It is shocking to see not just how punk culture has changed in almost 20 years, but the filmmaking and subject material too. This film deals solely with the homeless punk scene in L.A. and it does not pull any punches or makes light of the situation. It's a grim meathook reality that I genuinely shudder to think how it is now over in California, and the music scene is not touched on much, rightfully so I would say, you just can't make this stuff up and it is serious, it does need to have a spotlight directed at it, and talked about for no other reason than trying to help. I was a bit hesitant to review it because it didn't focus on the music scene but the music isn't the thing to look at, it's the culture. So we follow a good sized group of a fair bit of teens and a fair bit of people in their twenties as they try to live with no place to go and nothing to do. Punk changed significantly from the 70s to the 90s not just musically, I mean that was bound to happen as new music is introduced, metal stormed the world, grunge was the new thing, so of course punk music would evolve. But the style and attitude of the fans changed a lot, with colored hair in wild shapes, clothing, piercings, they seem way more mellowed out and socially aware fully knowing their standing in the world at that moment and also knowing damn well it's hard to change a situation. But they don't sugarcoat it, these kids do substance abuse, they panhandle to get some alcohol, they don't have homes to go to yet once more it's not all that black and white. Some were abused and thrown out into the streets, some didn't have parents period, they are isolated by society because of how they look, which on a sidebar I personally feel if a place doesn't hire you because you got a nose piercing, or a tatoo, or you got some mad punk hair, or awesome studded clothing, that is discriminatory and as your attorney I advise you to take that matter to tribunal. It's a hard thing to watch but goddamn it, it is happening way too much even today and I am happy all the profits from the film were donated to various charities for homeless people and abused kids. The world has a lot of f***ing problems in it that we're kinda taught to look the other way at. I can see why this collection of films were chosen to be archived and preserved for cultural and artistic significance, it just lays it out there and tells it how it is, and the filmmakers who worked on all three should be commended. I hate ending on a downer but when you're talking life through film, it's rarely a happy ending. 4 stars, 9/10, I do urge people to watch every one of them and hope you get as much as I did out of it. Thank you for joining me this week, till next time take care of yourselves and each other.

The Decline Of Western Civilization: Part 2

Now we're talking.

It almost kind of breaks my heart the film and director could only do metal bands in the Los Angeles part of the world cause man, heavy metal is global and it really started reaching to so many countries and was an institution by the time this documentary was filmed between 1986 and 1988. Same style as before but with more of an emphasis on band interviews I found, but seeing so many bands I'm familiar with was a real treat. I feel the lens is more showcasing the attitude and perseverance of more up and coming bands, the film spends a lot of time talking to them, what made them get into rock and roll, their experiences and thoughts on the music, what might possibly happen if they don't make it big, and I found it super entertaining and even compelling. Once again, very candid and honest from all the bands regardless if they're talking to Ozzy or Lizzy Borden, albeit it's very lighthearted and it does make you laugh. I feel that's almost a requirement for rock stars is to have a good sense of humor, because the whole thing of being a rockstar is kind of this power fantasy and you can't let it get to your head man. I do somewhat wish they talked to fans of heavy metal music as they did in Part 1, that's a plethora of material to use for a documentary all by itself but at the same time you kind of get the best of both worlds when you see these super young bands voice their passion and love for metal and will die trying to make it to the top. It's damn near inspirational, to where I caught myself thinking a few times "I could be in a band, I could perform, we got this man! We got this by the ass!" it gets you fired up and thinking you could achieve anything. People think oh heavy metal, it's very loud and mean and satanic and blah blah blah, honest to God there are some mighty nice folks who dig heavy metal and the performers themselves are real personable and appreciative of the fans. I can hear these guys tell stories and share their thoughts and feelings on music all bloody day, it just does that good a job immersing you in this community. Yes, you are gonna be hearing a bunch of very young men pressing hard on the topic of sex, I will not blame them. They are hormone fueled, late teens to early 20s guys who want to rock on, in the 80s, I will cut them some slack. And that brings me to a giant point that I appreciate so much about this, is it shows both sides of the coin, you see guys say hell yeah to sex and you see women all game for a bit of hey hey, you see some rockstars talk about being alcoholics and doing drugs and you see some who want no part of drugs and just want to do music, it's such a simple thing to show multiple facets of the same topic but I like they included that. I wasn't a headbanger or a metal head until about 2 years ago, and I know I still got tons more to learn and explore from the different styles, and I'm very happy I started listening in the first place. Again, not really expecting this film to convert people or make them more devoted to heavy metal music, it's just another portal of time to observe and get some entertainment out of it. 4 stars, 9.5/10! And Part 3 is coming your way tomorrow.

The Decline Of Western Civilization: Part 1

Very different material to work with on this show but sometimes you need to go out to the edge.

From the same in my consideration, brilliant woman who directed Wayne's World comes a documentary filmed between 1979 and 1980 delving into the Los Angeles punk rock scene, not so much as to get all philosophical and get to the meaning of the culture, community, and music but more just to showcase the community and music. It's a super loose documentary with no real beginning or end, intercutting footage of the bands performing, and brief off stage personal time asking them questions and the like, with a dash of interviewing the fans of punk music. It's super candid and doesn't shy away from any aspect, drugs and alcohol are talked about, it gets them cuss words and hateful shit in there, the moshing before it was called moshing and why people get into those scuffs, but it doesn't potray punk rockers or punk fans in a demonizing way. Hell some of them don't even fit the mental image of a punk, and some are very laid back, casual, nice to talk with, it shows them as people and not menaces to society. Now I will fully admit on record, I don't generally know much about punk rock despite my love and appreciation for all the subgenres of rock and roll. So I was more or less just an open minded witness to this sub community in all it's wild glory. But you better believe I was jamming to the music and really dug the hell out of some of the bands, primarily Black Flag and X both onstage and off stage, they just seemed like super nice folks who do not take themselves that seriously at all, and could play quite well. I'm not expecting anyone to fully understand the genre or even the people who enjoy it by watching this, but it's a very unique window into a time period over 50 years ago now to just see what it was like. It's almost very very difficult to critique documentaries, because what the hell are documentaries? To me, it's film footage on an event, a period of history, an individual, an environment. Whether it be nature documentaries by the BBC, or the CNN documentaries on the 60s through the 90s as they cover all aspects of that decade from entertainment to politics to fashion. So obviously this does indeed focus on punk rock, so now the question comes is it enjoyable and even a bit informative? I would say yeah, it does dig a tiny bit into why people enjoy punk rock, why they get into fights, what drives them, what are the bands like, it had my interest throughout. I will say the best parts of it was when the director was interviewing people outside of the bands, club owners, the fans themselves, because you get the best picture of that time and place in the world when you hear them discuss this type of music. It's not super flashy production wise either, the cameras have that unique grain and color saturation that only 70s cameras can give you, it moves very freely, there's not too much structure in the overall "story" of the thing. But I enjoyed it and I wouldn't mind broadening my brain into this genre though I think history showed punk went to the wayside fast once metal music kicked off good and hard. Which is what Part 2 will cover and we will discuss tomorrow. I give Part 1 a solid 3.5 stars, 8.5/10, and a firm recommendation.

Val

You don't need me to tell you anything. 10/10.

It was lovely. It was beautiful. It was eye opening in certain respects. In terms of documentaries, and documentaries of actors more specifically, it's one of the best. A literal scrapbook of videos detailing the life and acting career of Val Kilmer, and I got not one bad thing to say. The execution, directing, and editing is some of the best I've seen in a hot minute that movies wish they could have that kind of good editing. It's a terribly difficult thing to do to turn the camera on yourself, and spill your guts about your life and so much that happens in it, there's a lot of bad things to bring up but at the same time terrificly good things to remember, and it's handled with care and respect to the people involved least of all Val. As time goes by I learn more about him and the love has only grown since Batman Forever. Speaking of which the segment surrounding that film has if anything only improved, not devalued his performance in that movie with his sincerity about the shoot and everything production wise. It's barely over an hour and forty-five minutes so it's brief in terms of all his films but says volumes at the same time about the man himself which is the important thing. It presents his style, his thoughts, and personality every second and I couldn't have asked for anything better wrapping up this week. I really couldn't have. I'm not saying you have to see this, but at the same time I feel it's such a good film and very much worth talking about in some capacity that you should give it a go. This was a bit spur of the moment to have a Val Kilmer week but after that, I can safely say it was well worth it. 4 stars, 10/10, it was super nice and super sweet. Next week is when the real work starts, and October may just kill me but if I at least die at the last minute of the 31st I know at least I've had a pretty good life.

James May's Toy Stories

One more for the week.

This was a real blast to watch and a good throwback on top of it, the series was aired in 2009 and once again awfully short, 6 episodes each a little less than an hour. The concept of this show is unique to me, each episode covers a specific toy, some I've heard of and some I have not, as James May tries to achieve something grand and amazing with it. Like he uses Plasticine which is a bit like Play-Doh, to make a garden of flowers and trees. Or he makes an entire house, furniture and all, out of Lego. Sure I've seen shows that cover the history of toys, which this programme also does a bit of, but nothing on this scale. You get super invested in some episodes and all of them are worth watching, there's no skips to be found here. The production is spot on once more, obviously with a lot more help so James doesn't actually have to build a bridge out of Meccanno all by himself. It's a short sweet show, which I suppose can be said about all the programmes I've reviewed this week. It's mighty good stuff, each entertaining in their own right. I mean I got really swept up in the model train episode as he tried to break a world record, I wanted to see him succeed, and all over just these little trains. But that's the power of this show, you want to see this inventive and cool stuff work out. So that's why I fullheartedly say go for, give it a watch, you might enjoy it more than you think. I know there's specials here and there, but I wanted to focus solely on the only season. And good lord I just now realized we entered a new month, so what comes next? Hard to say with all the things going on in life and the world, but don't worry I'll have something good or bad to talk about. In the meantime, 4 stars, 8/10, have a good one everybody!

James May Our Man In Japan

I was going to review The Grand Tour, but television shows are always difficult to review with lack of time, television specials that are not on television but found on Amazon though...oh yes.

How to explain this corner of comedy to those who haven't watched british automotive programme's before? Well you are missing out but bottom line, it's great. Utter class. And this follows somewhat in that same vein but is a great first introduction to national treasure James May as he takes a filming crew from the northern to southern ends of Japan as he really takes in the culture and hilarity ensues. It's two of my favorite countries blending together, and is produced expertly though I suspect the crew was minimal. The special is split into 6 episodes each about an hour long, so really each third of the series takes place in a third of Japan, from the frozen north of Hokkaido, to the megalopolis of Osaka and Tokyo, to the southern island Shikoku with lots inbetween. It's a difficult show to describe but an incredibly easy one to experience and enjoy. It's not outright comedy but because the host is such a hilarious and brilliant man you will be laughing frequently. I was almost in tears at one point, and it was very difficult to breathe. So besides the 2 years of my life stolen by loss of oxygen, there's more to compliment. The footage is beautiful, I don't think I need to really say that, it's Japan, the day I stop calling it beautiful is the day this show ends. I love the variety of things shown and done in this series, so much it's hard to list it all, but it goes beyond just going to Tokyo and lolligagging about. They take snow dogs out for a run, perform archery, paint, write haiku, try lots of different cuisine, go to a comedy show, do a bit of not gambling, they even somehow bust out not one but two mech suits to play about with. It really does take in the full breadth of that country and shows a lot more than you would think. Wink wink, nudge nudge. And on that bombshell....it's an immensely humorous, fun adventure, with a unashamedly candid point of view at this strange wonderful country that I think you'll very much enjoy. 4 stars, I dare give it a 10/10, though I wanted so so many more episodes. Just give the trailer a watch to see if it strikes your fancy, and I will see you and Mr. May next time on a cooking show.

Hail To The King: 60 Years Of Destruction

After watching that new trailer so many times and rewatching some Godzilla films lately, this popped into my head and I really wanted to spread the word about it.

I think, and this seems pretty definitive, this is my favorite documentary ever. And I've seen my fair share, I've seen Woodstock, 101 Biography Channel presentations, many making of film documentaries but this one really hit a chord with me. It's told from the perspective of a podcaster Kyle Yount, hardcore kaiju fan and Godzilla connoisseur as he treks to Tokyo to see how the japanese population is celebrating the then 60th anniversary of Godzilla. 65 years now and still going damn strong. And I think the reason why this is my favorite documentary like ever is the fact that, it doesn't just state facts for the record. It isn't a seminar on how the 1954 movie came to be and the subsequent impact on culture throughout the decades this series has made. It has passion to it, it's done in a loose but still highly professional manner and showcases both fans and creators in nothing short of a loving, respectful, and engaging fashion. It's not trying to be anything else than what it is and show the dedication and immense love held by the fans of this genre, tokusatsu. And the amazing part is not only does he interview and spend time with fans in a restaurant, or talk with an independent film director, he somehow...I don't know how got to sit with Godzilla acting alumni and talk with them about their involvement and appreciation for the films. That, is incredible. I was seriously shocked when I first saw it and are still just stunned watching it now. And this was not an official documentary. This was fan funded, independent, limited number of cameras, but because of the participation of fans in the production it grew into more. It's such a strange example because you have so much Toho material here, on YouTube 100% free, and yet it isn't officialy made by a television or news company, though I'm sure Toho gave it a stamp of approval. That just never happens. But they do it admirably and shine a light on various bits of culture peppered throughout, and not just focus on the monsters. Hell it could be argued it's as much a love letter to super sentai as well as kaiju, there's some love to your Ultraman's and Kamen Rider's. It really is a celebration of the whole genre as much as this film series. It's very genuine, you can tell there's a lot of passion, a lot of commitment, a lot of enjoyment, and man you just can't beat that. I know documentaries have as much production as movies, Christ even more than movies but it still feels real and free of bullshit. Big thumbs up from me, 4 stars, 9/10! Whether you just like Godzilla or have more than just your toes dipped in the water, give this a watch. At just a smidge over an hour, you can't lose much.

Nightmares In Red White And Blue

What a day. What a lovely day!

YES!!! It's here, the most wonderful time of year! And what better occasion to actually talk about one of my favorite documentaries of all time, no joke I really do sit down and watch this at least once every single year. And I've seen really good documentaries on Friday The 13th, Nightmare On Elm Street, and I can't truly put my finger on why this one is such a instant classic for me. It follows the basic history of the horror genre from 1910 to 2009, seeing how the genre shaped and formed throughout each decade. I think the biggest reason I always come back to this is because of the guests, they really pulled all the stops cause you get John Carpenter, Joe Dante, friggin' Lance Henriksen narrates, Roger Corman the king himself, and good ol' Mr. Romero all are there among other dignified and quite intelligent guests. It's just so interesting to hear their stances on specific films and what horror meant to them as time went on. And in true horror style they don't shy away from anything, oh sure you see the blood and the nipples and the hoopblah, but it brings up real world shit and they show real world shit whereas other documentaries might not even bring it up. The collection of clips did elicit reactions from me whether from film or life, and it's a practical feast to the eyes seeing so many advertisments for horror movies and clips galore. But the film is not terribly in-depth and the production values while still good are on the lower end of the spectrum, and that honestly doesn't hurt it for me personally, credits and all it's about an hour and forty minutes so you certainly get ample time. To be honest the thought never once occured to me until I watched this for the first time, is the fact that horror movies are the most reflective and product of their times pieces of media ever. You get a real strong grasp on that time and place in the world and more importantly what scared it by watching a certain horror movie, Invasion Of The Body Snatchers sums up the 1950s, The Exorcist sums up the 70s, and so on. I was just watching a scary movie before but if you stop and think about it, pieces of the jigsaw start popping into place. It's just a wonderful documentary and you can watch it on Amazon Prime right now, it gets nothing but recommendations from me and I hope you have a real good time with it as well. 4 stars, 8/10! And I might just say screw it and give you a fun and family friendly movie to check out this Saturday, I mean this year is off enough as is so if you can't beat it join it.

The Legend Of Boggy Creek

Man it's great to finally see this.

Welcome to another week of movie reviews where this time we look at underrated cult films that deserve more attention, starting with one of the most famous examples. The Legend Of Boggy Creek is nothing short of a fascinating film, a strange mix of horror film and documentary footage centered around the real town of Fouke, Arkansas where stories are recounted by the real people who live there in that town of the strange creature that lives in the Sulphur River region. Filmed on a budget of about $100,000 the film grossed 20 million dollars in 1972 and through the years has kept a sturdy cult following through almost strictly word of mouth. The version I watched was a complete restoration done in 2018, and my God does it looks amazing. I highly praise the work done on this film, and while it still has the film grain of a 35mm film stock, the colors, the crisp focus, and the overall quality is a true treat though I have absolutely nothing against the original release. But the atmosphere that is built so deeply into the film in almost every way is complimented so well by the restoration, it gets very moody and firmly sets you in this small town. Fouke is a town of about 350 people and you get to know this little town well, spending most of it observing the gorgeous and yet slightly unsettling landscape of the bottom lands, and the movie does such a great job putting you in that time and place in the world. And I gotta say, for real town folk with zero acting experience I quite enjoyed every person we met, again it's this odd mix of real life people playing themselves in a movie that is this fiction/non-fiction film about bigfoot so really there's not much acting in the film. It presents itself as a recounting of various stories by the people tethered together by a narrator to form a cohesive story. It succeeds in my opinion, because it feels real enough with the camera footage and narration, but still feels like a movie with this guy in a fur suit that would put Peter Mayhew to shame and a few recreated stories that go on for a bit. Yet it has a strange power, you stick with it and want to know where this film is going, it doesn't perpetrate itself as a true story and that these things really happened but suggests that it possibly could be true. Hence the title of The Legend Of Boggy Creek. I thoroughly enjoyed this movie, the visuals are lovely, the music is so good I truthfully have a few tracks on my phone, the story proposed is a fun spooky one, and the director did a fine job creating this vision plus the narrator might just have the best voice I've heard for this sort of thing. I am so sorry Morgan Freeman, I still love your acting but this really gets you in the right frame of mind for a movie like this. The funny thing is Fouke is pretty dang close to my hometown, only a bit more than an hour and a half drive and I'd be interested to visit there just to see how much the town has changed in the subsequent 48 years. Regardless, this is a fine movie and I give it 4 stars, 7.5/10, so check it out and I'll be back with a lesser known film about a infamous murder case also made in the 1970s.