An uncritical though still fascinating documentary on the development and making of the original Star Wars trilogy, focusing on production problems with the first film. Plenty of detail here for fans. Though many of these stories have been often-told, they’re collected here in an engaging way. Fun for completists.
Category: Uncategorized
Stop Making Sense (1984, dir. Jonathan Demme)
Filmed record of Talking Heads live, from the 1983 Speaking in Tongues tour. Shot over four nights, this is perhaps the greatest single concert movie; a project designed by people with cinematic, musical, theatrical and gig awareness. Recommended, even if you don’t care for the Heads‘ nerd-art-funk.
Porndemic (2018, dir. Brendan Spookie Daly)
A documentary about AIDS/HIV and the ways in which the Los Angeles porn industry was affected by the issue over time, focusing on an outbreak among performers in 1998. A fascinating doc that’s simultaneously a thriller, an industry expose, a narrative history, a time capsule, and an apologia.
Leprechaun Returns (2018, dir. Steven Kostanski)
The building of a remote sorority house disturbs an ancient evil. OK sequel that ties directly back to the first in the long-running series. Plenty of kills, some splattery gore, and a couple of reasonable gags, even if there’s little here for series newbies.
Rolling Thunder Revue: A Bob Dylan Story by Martin Scorsese (2019, dir. Martin Scorsese)
A quasi-documentary (archive footage, plus new interviews and other – fabricated – material) about Bob Dylan’s 75-76 US tour. Splendid and slippery attempt to capture/deconstruct a party on wheels masterminded by a playful set of hosts: Dylan, then Scorsese.
Game of Thrones: The Last Watch (2019, dir. Jeanie Findlay)
A behind-the-scenes documentary on the making of the final series of HBO ratings juggernaut Game of Thrones. Excellent making-of doc, focusing both on the logistical challenges of big-budget TV, and of the relationships between the production and Belfast.
Halloween (2018, dir. David Gordon Green)
40 years later, Michael Myers escapes to track down Laurie Strode again. Decent-enough and respectful series reboot (ignoring all the sequels), albeit one which feels too restrained. Some awkward storytelling doesn’t help either, one lovely moment and one great child actor aside.
