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Moriarty’s Documentary Catch-Up! MAN ON WIRE! AMERICAN TEEN! I.O.U.S.A.! Which Is One Of The Year’s Best Films?!

first! by BatPsycho	Sep 6th, 2008 02:26:41 AM
i got nothing
Burstein by hike499	Sep 6th, 2008 02:33:51 AM
Yeah, I had intense problems with Burstein's "American Teen" as well. I just felt like the whole thing hit the beat of the state of "reality" in relations to kids/teens today. They are all raised on this Hills/Laguna beach, later-season Real World brand of reality where they essentially perform for the camera. I love moments in American Teen where Hannah is clearly depressed but we get these wonderful draggy shots of her sitting on a pier staring off into the middle distance. Profound, Nanette. I really loved "The Kid Stays in the Picture". What happened here?
Man On Wire really is incredible by blindambition238	Sep 6th, 2008 02:35:37 AM
It was the first time I've ever seen an audience tear up out of sheer awe and admiration of an (in)human feat. Not to mention the fact that the coup de grace of the entire film was told not through videos, but simple pictures and images that were carried by some simple editing, music, and sheer enthusiasm and emotions of the interview subjects.
I.O.U.S.A. by blackhole4140	Sep 6th, 2008 03:06:12 AM
Is scary stuff. Any American under 30 should be required to watch it.
Another fan of Man on Wire here... by Tom Whitaker	Sep 6th, 2008 06:38:01 AM
Even though the phrase 'performance art' sticks in the back of my throat a little, the film brought tears to my eyes. It was an incredible feat and but the film manages to show you that it was a beautiful one too, something I don't think I'd have necessarily felt without the back-story provided.
Man on Wire by T 1000 xp professional	Sep 6th, 2008 10:16:11 AM
has just become a must see
Having seen more and more of American Teen.. by WhinyNegativeBitch	Sep 6th, 2008 10:28:42 AM
...It seems as if they either tailored the documentary to fit a more stereotypical mould, or that they chose some rather boring people that would fit that mould, especially the arty chick, who comes across as wholely manufactured to appeal to emo kids. IOUSA sounded interesting from the get go, but definately something I would probably rather READ, but I'll give it a shot on rental, can't be any worse than an Inconveniant Truth, although you would think people would be far worked up over something as simple to control and fix as debt, as opposed to the environment. Man On Wire sounded dull as dishwater to me at first, but fucking hell its gotten nothing but great notices. I guess i'll be renting that as soon as it hits the shelves too.
Man On Wire and economic troubles by AdmiralNeck	Sep 6th, 2008 10:31:14 AM
IOUSA has yet to come out in the UK, but it sounds interesting and horribly depressing. If you're interested in the subject, One Market Under God by Thomas Frank and The Gods That Failed by Larry Elliott and Dan Atkinson are worth reading. If you don't mind thinking your world is about to end with foreclosures and eating mouldy bagels out of dumpsters. Man On Wire should be winning awards all year long, hopefully. In sad news, it's co-funded by the BBC as part of its Storyville strand, which is responsible for some of the best documentaries of the last few years. Every one I've seen has been amazing. It's the crown jewel in the BBC's crown. So what do they do? Cut funding so that it makes around 50% less films a year. It's a crying shame. I doubt the critical success of Man On Wire will even do anything to change that fact.
Plus by AdmiralNeck	Sep 6th, 2008 10:33:45 AM
Man On Wire looks amazing when digitally projected. Thank you Curzon Soho for embracing the 21st Century! It even looks crystal clear as tears streamed down my face at the end. Great, great filmmaking. Wisconsin Death Trip is amazing too. Didn't realise it was the same guy.
History and 56 Billion dollars by JackRabbitSlim	Sep 6th, 2008 10:50:24 AM
clue me into thinking Warren Buffet is right ... as he is about just about everything else (see internet collapse, shorting the dollar, etc etc) Suggesting he is at all Pollyannish about just about anything (the man is notoriously unemotional when it comes to stocks or just about anything else) is ... foolish.
American Teen=The Hills by LORDRANDO	Sep 6th, 2008 11:20:25 AM
You made a very important point. Once the audiences come to expect the same "reality" from the documentary form as they do from TV, thats the end of it. No truth. No revelation. Just "drama" I havent seen it but the trailer made me feel manipulated. Like, in the world I grew up in, no matter how hot the weird girl is, she is still the weird girl, and no jock would ever date her.
I enjoyed Man on Wire by Reelheed	Sep 6th, 2008 11:52:08 AM
Although I found the footage of the actual stunt a bit of a let down its worth seeing for the rest of the film. The sequence showing the construction of the world trade towers was really powerful. It still blows my mind to think that such a gigantic wonder of engineering and labour came to such a tradgic and sudden end. I'll certainly look out for the others - cheers Mori!
I want to see Man On Wire but... by Manatee	Sep 6th, 2008 12:38:15 PM
I get so sick of Type-A adrenalin junkies saying, "Look at me, look at me! I'm REALLY living life while the rest of you are just pretending!" If by attending this film I'm helping to celebrate that mindset, I refuse to do it. And I REALLY refuse to recognize this type of activity as "art." I've known a handful of people like this and, invariably, they are self-absorbed douchebags who live to lord their "accomplishments" over us mere mortals. We all get our jollies in different ways; stop looking down your nose at people who don't need to cheat death to get theirs.
Lordrando... by hike499	Sep 6th, 2008 12:45:43 PM
What is equally frustrating about the film is that the romance between the jock and Hannah (the weird/arty chick) is basically wholly manufactured by the filmmaker. I have read reports that the two people were urged to spend time together and their relationship was amplified for dramatic effect. Way too much manipulation for me...
Man On Wire = Best Film of the Year (SPOILERS!!!) by jgmamma0	Sep 6th, 2008 01:37:44 PM
If I see another film greater, as great, or even approaching the greatness of Man On Wire, I will be astonished. Right now, my top Films this Year would be 1) Man On Wire 2) Speed Racer 3) The Dark Knight 4) Wall-E 5) Tell No One ....I am struggling to put others on this list so far. Two more quick points on Man On Wire: SPOILERS!!!! 1) It may have one of the best sex scenes ever in the history of cinema...sex in all of its joy and transcendence... 2) The shot of Man On Wire that I think is the best footage in the entire film and perhaps this entire year is not the dramatic recreations or the photographs of the actual wire walking between the WTC towers. These were all well done and dramatically integrated as well as an Oliver Stone or Orson Welles could have done it. It is old color footage from the New York Tv news of the police sergeant being interviewed about the incident. The awe and the expression on his face felt like he had just seen the "hand of God" touch down on this little planet of ours. Incredible. If you are a true believer in the spirituality of movies, you owe it to yourself to see this movie. 1) I
True Believers in Spirituality of Movies, See This Movie!!!! by jgmamma0	Sep 6th, 2008 01:42:44 PM

MAN ON WIRE = One Hell Of A Movie by Mr. Nice Gaius	Sep 6th, 2008 02:38:20 PM
Truly one of the most moving and unique film experiences I've ever had. It's hard to put into words what was going through my mind as the film reached its apex. The only thing I could think of to say was "unbelievable". But that's just it, it IS believable - it's real and it happened. As someone who is deathly afraid of heights (despite the fact that I've gone skydiving...), I can honestly say there are 2 or 3 moments of genuine vertigo that I "suffered" while sitting rapt in my chair. And there were more than a few gasps from the theater crowd along the way. It's this visceral element that makes the film that much more enjoyable. MAN ON WIRE is definitely a film that captures a moment of true human transcendence. It also serves as a testament to one man's vision of the WTC - a much more beautiful one than the memory we were left with after 9/11. Funny...as I exited the theater, all misty-eyed, it was all I could do to keep from jumping up and shouting, "By Jove, he did it!!!" Moriarty - I've been telling everyone I know to try and see this film in a theater. Thanks for the review.
Yeah, MNG... by TheRealMoriarty	Sep 6th, 2008 02:51:48 PM
... one of the things that I find really moving about the film is that for the past seven years, when I think of the WTC, I think of one thing. Now, thanks to Marsh and Petit, I think of something else first, and the fact that they managed to somehow reclaim the WTC from horror and tragedy is the most powerful act any filmmaker's committed this year, in my opinion.
Moriarty - I couldn't agree more. by Mr. Nice Gaius	Sep 6th, 2008 03:20:26 PM
And it was something I realized when I began telling people about the movie. Suddenly, I was smiling while talking about the WTC. When was the last time that happened?! I really enjoyed the music used in the film, too. It was a great compliment to the visuals.
To heck with the other movies, Man on Wire talkbalk by Galactic	Sep 6th, 2008 08:17:09 PM
IOUSA is a vastly important film, but Man on Wire is the one that will have you believing in the human spirit again. We as a race can really do some amazing things, if we would just dare to go after our dreams, as cheesy as that sounds.

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Moriarty’s Documentary Catch-Up! MAN ON WIRE! AMERICAN TEEN! I.O.U.S.A.! Which Is One Of The Year’s Best Films?!

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