DVD Pick: Standard Operating Procedure

A picture may tell 1000 stories…

BY COLIN ENQUIST

Standard Operating Procedure is a documentary film about the photos taken in Abu Ghraib, the prison in Iraq which became great focus of the media in 2004 and the consequences from the actions of the troops involved. Directed by Errol Morris, who is considered one of the top directors of the documentary film community, whose 2003 documentary The Fog of War won an Academy Award for Best Documentary.

Morris interviews soldier prison guards from inside the now infamous prison to tell the story of what really happened. He uses re-enactments as well for key moments that have no photographic evidence. The real centerpiece of the film though is the actual photographs taken of all the disturbing events. We even get to observe footage shot by the prison guards during some disturbing events which is downright frightening.

It is very shocking, not only to see what is really happening, but exactly how the soldiers are reacting to what seems like a common place. I understand it is a different world over there but some things just evoke common sense. Most of these soldiers must be blind to the electrical signals in their brains telling them this is wrong.

This documentary proves how photos can be used to distract us of the real truth. Misdirecting us from what is really happening. This distraction, Morris uses himself, and that was my only problem with the documentary which was the choice to make the few people convicted actually seem like it was not there fault. Yes to some extent you do feel sorry for them, you should not though, as they are human beings and have to make choices for themselves, even if it puts them in jail for disobeying a direct order from a superior officer.

Morris’ intent was to show you how the cover-up of the story and he does a good job of that. Making this film like a filmmaker would go about making a big budget movie may have hurt the film even if it was used very eloquently. Morris pulls out all the stops, getting Danny Elfman to make the thunderous score, using the playing cards with Saddam Hussein and his henchmen (that was distributed to the troops in Iraq) as well as using “ghosts” to demonstrate us the invisible forces of the commanding officers letting the torturous events occur. It just seems to fake though, not showing us the dark, ugly nature of the prison itself.

This documentary is about photos that are alarming, surreal, bleak and down right wrong. To see the most infamous of the photos at the end stamped with either Criminal or Standard Operating Procedure across them left me breathless. Yes photos may tell 1000 stories, but they may only tell a part of the story. Factually the film accomplishes nothing, but Morris does question standard operating procedure and criminal punishment in the military, but maybe we can learn a lesson from it.

4 out of 5

DVD Pick: Man on Wire

A mesmerizing, suspenseful tale about stealing glory

BY COLIN ENQUIST

Man on Wire is the Academy Award winning documentary film directed by James Marsh. The film sets out to account Philippe Petit’s daring high wire walk, 1350 feet in the air, between the Twin Towers of New York’s World Trade Center. Based on Petit’s book, To Reach the Clouds, that has been re-released with the new title Man on Wire. Using re-enactments, present day interviews with all the participants, still photographs of the walk and rare footage from Petit’s home movies, Marsh crafts the tale into a suspense laden heist film.

Archival footage of Petit training is impressive, not only his feats, but showing his ability to focus on what he wants, to walk between the Twin Towers. Through this footage we see that Petit and his group of friends have managed to build a wire the exact length that will be required for his walk between the towers. As Petit takes his first steps, you can see it is eyes that walking on this wire is not good enough, in rehearsals he gets his friends to pull on the wire in unsystematic ways to recreate the strong wings that will thrash the wire when over 1300 feet in the air. Was it his sheer determination that causes him to stay on the wire, or his talented ability? In his mind, Petit knows, it is not impossible. His only problem now is getting on top of the towers.

Spending months, Petit and his co-conspirators prepared for the walk, casing the tower was only part of what was needed to be done. After they managed to figure all the ins and outs they went about acquiring forged IDs to walk into the building, only then could they smuggle the necessary equipment up to the top of the towers for Petit’s great endeavour. Dramatic recreations of each groups attempt to set the equipment up without being caught was enthralling and were benefited from having Petit re-tell the story like he was really still trapped under the tarp, hiding from security, waiting for his moment.

Petit is so passionate, with his English accent flaunting on screen, that if Marsh chose only to use interview footage it would still be an enthralling film. Now in his 50s, Petit still has the flair of a showman. It is intriguing to see what drove the man, how much focus was needed to complete his masterpiece as he walks, dances and plays on the wire for 45 minutes between the Twin Towers.

I can see why this film is the highest rated film ever on Rotten Tomatoes. The human drama this film creates if unexpectedly emotionally overwhelming. Unforeseen complications create heart pounding moments even though we already know how the story ends. Man on Wire catches the microscopic details essential to pulling off the caper and director James Marsh’s precise direction makes this film a thrilling 95 minutes.

5 out of 5

Iron Mike In Tears?

It didn't happen in the boxing ring!

Tyson is a documentary about the boxing legend Iron Mike. Directed (and financed) by Mike Tyson’s childhood friend James Toback this film uses a mixture of archival footage and original interviews, shedding some light on the life experiences of Mike Tyson.

The rise and fall of Tyson is essentially the story that is being told. We begin from the beginning of his meteoric rise in the boxing ranks only to quickly jump back to the real beginning of the young life of Mike Tyson. Toback used a unique way to open the documentary, showing multiple angles of Tyson talking to the camera but all telling a different part of his life. This disjointed direction worked wonderfully to portray what Tyson himself called his multiple personality and how he switches between each of them. The only problem was Toback kept using this technique after he already accomplished what he set out to do with the multiple Tyson’s on screen. Subtitles were almost required at times to sift through this disjointed direction.

Well there was not really any opposition to dispute what Tyson said as he is the only one who talks throughout the entire film aside from the odd stock footage of one of his many managers or wives. Generally though he seemed honest about how he felt for each situation. The viewer should take what they need from the film though as no attempt is made to create a bias for Tyson from distracting us with opposing vantage points. Tyson shows us his raw emotion, choking back tears at times, making you feel some sympathy for him.

If you are a boxing fan, sports fan, or just a Mike Tyson fan then this documentary should be worth your time. You may not enjoy Tyson so much if you aren’t a fan of those three little items though. It tells a lot about his character and shows his determination as he was growing (and how he still is). To see some of the footage of him in the ring is almost worth the admission itself.

3 out of 5
Colin Enquist

Foreign Feature: Waltz with Bashir (2008)

Israeli film is unlike anything you've seen!

BY EMIL TIEDEMANN

Director, writer and co-producer Ari Folman (Made in Israel) tells the true story of his lost memories from the Lebanon War of 1982, in the form of an Israeli animated "documentary" feature film, giving it a comic-like feel.

Waltz with Bashir (Sony Pictures Classics), which is designed as a message of anti-war, premiered at the Cannes Film Festival in May 2008, and went onto win a Golden Globe Award (Best Foreign Language Film), an NSFC Award (Best Film), and an IDA Award (Feature Documentary), as well as earning an Oscar nod as Best Foreign Film (lost to Japan's Departures).

Folman was a 19-year-old infantry soldier in the Israeli Defense Forces during the 1982 war, and it's only a few years ago that he realized he could not remember anything from that period in his life, following a bar visit from a friend and fellow soldier. From that night on the nightmare of the battle slowly came back to him.

"A memoir, a history lesson, a combat picture, a piece of investigative journalism and an altogether amazing film" (A.O. Scott, New York Times)

The 86-minute film, which was made for just $2 million, features both actual and fictional characters, and uses various types of music to convey its story, including classical and '80s. The film was launched on Christmas Day 2008, as only the second Israeli animated feature to ever reach theatres. Below is the film's trailer, and for more info on Waltz with Bashir, click here. To purchase the film, click here.

SiM Trailers: The Cove

Director: Louie Psihoyos
Writer: Mark Monroe
Cast: N/A
Distributors: Roadside Attractions
Running Time: 90 minutes
Release Date: Spring 2009

Synopsis: In the 1960's, Richard O'Barry was the world’s leading authority on dolphin training, working on the set of the popular television program Flipper. Day in and day out, O'Barry kept the dolphins working and television audiences smiling. But one day, that all came to a tragic end. THE COVE, directed by former National Geographic photographer Louie Psihoyos, tells the amazing true story of how Psihoyos, O'Barry and an elite team of activists, filmmakers and freedivers embarked on a covert mission to penetrate a hidden cove in Japan, shining light on a dark and deadly secret. The mysteries they uncovered were only the tip of the iceberg. Filming was done secretly during 2007 using underwater microphones and high-definition cameras disguised as rocks

DVD Pick: Flow (For Love of Water)

Water is the new oil in newcomer Salina's alarming documentary

BY EMIL TIEDEMANN

I suppose that most folks who go to the movies might think that a documentary about the state of the world's water supplies would be trivial when there's a couple of lengthy wars currently underway, in the midst of a global recession. But director Irena Salina (Ghost Bird: The Life and Art of Judith Deim) throws another log on the fire with her panic-ridden look into the world's most precious resource: water.

According to some of the experts that Salina (and producer Steven Starr) interviews for Flow, there's a lot that we don't know when it comes to the H2O affair, and it looks as though governments around the world want to keep it that way. Salina explores the toxic pollutants that end up in the drinking water of not only the Third World nations, but right in our own backyards as well. Pollutants that, in some cases, even end up in the highly unregulated bottled water we spend billions of our dollars on every year.

But it's the privitazation of the "blue gold" that warrants the real fear behind the limited supply the Earth sustains, and it's that same issue that carries the bulk of Flow. Major interntaional corporations--such as Suez, Vivendi, and Thames Water--are putting their flags into the freshwater supplies all over the globe, staking claim in property that defies ownership, and then distributing it back to the citizens on a for-profit basis.

Take a look at what the Nestle brand did when it decided to erect a pump site in Michigan, drilling into the homegrown spring waters and then bottling it for sale, tax-free! Similar cases have arose in other places by other conglomerates, but the World Bank takes the cake when it comes to immoral behaviour, as it lends billions of dollars to poor countries, and then takes control of national matters when those same countries are unable to reimburse. This was a tragic reality for the citizens of Bolivia, for example, who had no say when their government privitized their water stock at the demands of the World Bank, who threatened to refuse funds to the impoverished country.

Large companies like Suez also require colossal dams in order to trap and store the world's stockpile of freshwater--only 3% of the planet's aqua is fresh--which in turn ruins ecosystems and displaces literally tens of millions of people all over the world, most notably in destitute Asian territories.

Intriguing and informative as Flow may be, Salina is still new to her craft, a vulnerability that shows itself from time to time. Much of its 84 minutes are made up of continuous scenes of water flowing in all matters (from kitchen taps to frozen streams), and although it fits in undeniably with the subject matter, it's unnecessary and almost tacky. But she rectifies herself with the closing credits, debreifing us on the potential that surrounds solutions to these problems, ending on a good note rather than on the dire atmosphere the film established early on.

Salina guides us through the outrage and the terror, the frustration and inhumanity behind another inconvenient truth that is perpetually affecting the whole planet. The water shortage isn't just an exaggerated rumour, and it's not a matter that only the future generations will have to deal with. It's a global issue that is happening RIGHT NOW, and it's scarier than any weapon of mass destruction, because it is the closest thing to the apocalyptic fantasies of all those science fiction writers who wrote of the end of the line for mankind.

The filmmakers of Flow encourage everyone to check out their online community, where you can "take action" by signing up to the FreeFlo social network or sign a petition to add Article 31 ("establishing access to clean water as a fundamental human right") to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. At flowthefilm.com you also have access to numerous organizations that support similar efforts.

3/5 stars

SiM Trailer: Tyson

Director: James Toback (Bugsy screenplay)

Stars: Mike Tyson (himself)

Distributed By: Sony Pictures Classics

Due Date: April 24, 2009

Synopsis: A film crew follows infamous boxing legend Mike Tyson around and explores the heavyweight's inner demons in this 90-minute documentary, produced by Nicholas Jarecki (The Outsider). Director Toback tells Tyson's story from childhood to his rise and fall in the sports world, using archive footage, interviews, and photos to piece it all together, showcasing a "startling complex, fully-rounded human being" (apple.com). Tyson first screened during last year's Cannes Film Festival.