Short review: Cave of Forgotten dreams

Director: Werner Herzog
(2011)

Considering the vast amount of critical acclaim he garners, my expectations for my first Werner Herzog documentary was reasonably high. Matching the supposed calibre of the director was the topic of the film, an examination of the oldest known cave drawings in the world.  While the cave itself-covered with calcium deposits and glorious paintings- is rather captivating, the rest of the doc isn’t. The beauty of the caves is soon abandoned for hideously dubbed scientists. Not that it matters as they mostly talk shit anyways, from one explaining how he searches for caves by smell (and how he’s president of a wine club?!) to another playing tunes on a replica flute. The film is stuffed with boring filler, right down to the 10 minute cave drawing montage we’ve already seen almost a dozen times. Should’ve been a 30 minute short instead of a full on film. Avoid.

Short review: Searching for Sugarman

Director: Malik Bendjelloul
(2012)

From the gorgeous opening vistas of a South African coastline, Searching for Sugarman sets itself up to be a very special kind of documentary. Its sublime blend of animation, perfect cinematography and ‘8mm’ footage bestow such a riveting visual display for a film of its genre. Its brilliance reaches beyond its aesthetic with the engrossing story of Rodriguez; the phenomenal 1970’s singer who disappeared after his album flopped stateside. It charts his apparent suicide to his popularity in South Africa where his songs became a cultural phenomenon. And in the final third, Searching for Sugarman falls apart. The filmmakers interview Rodriguez’ friends and bosses in the present day, building up to finding the fabled singer, only to reveal they found him 13 years prior, when he toured South Africa, throwing the entire film out of context. A stunning story wrecked by manipulative and deceitful design.

Short review: The imposter

Director: Bart Layton
(2012)

The Imposter is a documentary for those who don’t like documentaries, thanks to its excellent use of recreated scenes. The Imposter tells the story of Nicholas, a 13 year old boy who goes missing in 1993. He’s found 4 years later in Spain, complete with a different accent and a change in eye colour. Using interviews from the family of the victim and the FBI, director Bart Layton creates a truly memorable insight into the lives of those affected. Early on the film establishes that Nicholas has indeed been impersonated, and the culprit acts as our narrator as events head down a dark road. The film never feeds its audience one explanation, but offers conflicting viewpoints on who is actually telling the truth. Its lack of conclusive answers leaves a slightly sour aftertaste, but this merely reflects the reality of such an extraordinary situation.

Short review: Biggie and Tupac

Director: Nick Broomfield
(2002)

Nick Broomfield’s documentary on the murders of Tupac Shakur and Biggie Smalls is certainly an interesting one. Starting with an insight to the duo’s early years, it charts their friendship and fallout, with interviews from friends and family for both of these hip-hop legends. It covers some interesting theories about the killings, with culprits ranging from corrupt cops to gang bosses. However, the captivating subject matter is deflated by Broomfield’s monotone voiceover, dismantling the enjoyment of the documentary somewhat. His jump tactics to acquire interviews are also a little haphazard, making for interesting encounters which are simultaneously insightful and vague. Despite only lasting 108 minutes, this documentary seems to drag while feeling underdeveloped in certain areas. A prison interview with Deathrow Records Suge Knight marks a severely missed opportunity in this solid yet unspectacular documentary that doesn’t fulfil the potential of its topic.