A personal journal of film and documentary reviews, and reviews of anything else that intrigues me.
Multi-media Presentations, North American Films
SCG News, “The Odessa Massacre – What REALLY Happened” (StormCloudsGathering, 12 May 2014) It’s only 11 minutes long but this short documentary on the Odessa Trade…
Australian and New Zealand Films
Amiel Courtin-Wilson, “Bastardy” (2010) Several years in the making due to its subject’s predilection for stealing money to feed a heroin addiction and doing long stints…
Andrey Karaulov, “Fascism As It Is” (2014) Looking hastily made, this documentary is a snapshot of the chaotic situation in Ukraine after the massacre of left-wing…
Mark Devries, “Speciesism: the Movie” (2013) As home movies go, few possibly extend very far into the realms of journeys of self-discovery and self-awakening as this…
Northern European Films, Russian and Soviet Films
Alexander Gaponenko, “Aliens” (2014) In August 1991, the Soviet Union broke up after a failed coup d’état and 15 new countries arose from its remains. Latvia…
Errol Morris, “The Thin Blue Line” (1988) Originally intended to be a documentary about another person who appears briefly in the film, “The Thin Blue Line”…
Rob Ager, “The War on Bugs” (2012) Researched, written, edited and narrated by Rob Ager, this documentary examines the themes of the science fiction film “Starship…
Middle Eastern Films, Russian and Soviet Films
“The Syrian Diary” (Rossiya 24, 2013) Made for Russian television, this documentary follows Rossiya 24 reporter Anastasia Popova and a Syrian army unit she is attached…
German and German-language Films, Middle Eastern Films
Herbert Ostwald, “Wild Iran” (2011) This documentary follows the Iranian-German wildlife photographer and environmentalist Benny Rebel on a 6-week journey across Iran taking photographs and videos…
Australian and New Zealand Films
Julia Redmond and Rhian Skirving, “Change My Race” (2013) This SBS production is a disturbing enquiry into a new trend known as “deracialisation” in which young…