The Bloor Cinema (Photo by Christopher Paulin)

It’s the end of an era for the historic Bloor Cinema, and the beginning of an exciting new chapter for the Annex rep theatre. Earlier today, Hot Docs announced that it has entered into a joint venture with Blue Ice Film to manage and program the theatre beginning this Fall. The group also plans to revitalize the space by making much needed upgrades to the Bloor’s technical equipment; that means new projectors, a new sound system, new seating and more. A major overhaul of the lobby and the façade are also in the works.

Given the status of Hot Docs as one of the world’s largest documentary film festivals, it should come as no surprise that theatre plans to screen primarily documentary films when it re-opens. Hot Docs has called the Bloor Cinema home for more than 12 years, so in addition to regular doc programming they will continue to host their annual festival and Doc Soup screenings at the venue. The cinema will continue to play host to other festivals as well; fans of Toronto After Dark will be relieved to know that the horror festivals will continue to call the Bloor home for the time being.

Hot Docs’ executive director Chris McDonald calls the revitalization “a remarkable opportunity”, citing independent theatres like the Bloor as an integral part of Toronto’s film culture.

It is a relief to see the cinema in the hands of devoted film-lovers like Hot Docs and not in the clutches of hungry developers eager to replace Annex landmarks with discount stores and condos. This can only be a good thing for cinema in Toronto, we are very excited to see what Hot Docs has planned for the space.

Hot Docs will be consulting with industry stakeholders and the public on their proposed changes to the theatre. Anyone interested in providing feedback should contact feedback@hotdocs.ca.

Read the full press release here.

Bruce Wayne may not have laser vision or super speed, but he does have a force much more potent than any cackling villain can handle. Suspension of belief. In a real world, with accountable gravity, lack of paranormally enriched radiation and the existential crisis of life without a structural narrative, superheroes and vigilantes are far less common than in the realm of comic books. Then again, so are the problems they are typically forced to deal with. In Superheroes, Michael Barnett introduces to a gallery of men and women in North America who take it upon themselves to don masks and capes, lurking the streets for criminals to thwart, or, perhaps just tourists to pose for. But in a subculture that is so much more showmanship than substance, Barnett’s film begins to stumble on almost identical faults.

Displaying a wide range of results and an even wider range of delusion, Superheroes skips along the USA to spots from New York to Orlando that have seemingly attracted like-minded Captain America hopefuls. Mr. Xtreme, a Power Rangers buff smothered in stickers and sports equipment, spends most of his time as a dreamer, patrolling with little incident and with more stories about how ‘cool things could be.’ A group of actively training New York youths are a little bit more pro-active, though admittedly still off target, as they patrol late-night streets with mock-sting operations, baiting predators to attack the female member of the troupe. One Master Legend stands out, not because he’s getting the job done, in fact he’s the furthest off the mark, but he’s the only one under the impression he possesses actual superhuman abilities. He never displays these powers during his adventures, explaining his plight to laughing locals and drinking beer out of the back of his van. Very rarely do you see or even hear mention of successful triumphs against evil, though the most righteous, and thankfully common tactic, is hand delivering care packages and help to the less fortunate. It’s easy to get wrapped up in judging the actions of the subject matter, but what’s really under the knife here is the film itself.

They say that the presence of a photographer has an effect on the subject, but imagine if that subject wore a zebra striped mask and an emblem on their chest. The whole time you get the sensation of a performance underway. Even if Barnett wasn’t encouraging them to make their case as it were, he also wasn’t changing the tide much to siphon more earnest footage. For example, we’re receiving a lot of lines I’m certain these cloaked folks have riddled off before, and Barnett brings us along for a ride divisively constructed by the subjects themselves. Of all of them, the most humble profile is Mr. Xtreme, who’s living condition is a cluttered apartment. Xtreme is too portly for his own custom outfit and fails at a karate tournament he invites the crew to watch.

A question that is never answered, and thus means that it was probably never asked, is why dress up at all? As hypocritical as it is to have Stan Lee voice his concern for these misguided samaritans (the man had his own reality show where he had costumed contestants attempt to out-hero one another) he also brought up the only example of a real-world hero who made sense. According to Stan the Man, one Captain Sticky took to the roads in a glamorously decorated Lincoln using the attention garnered from dressing with a cape to point the spotlight at corrupted landlords and fraudulent practices. Sticky’s approach was decisive, strategic, direct and sound, a lot of things those featured in the film are not.

When Superheroes isn’t trying to excuse the subject, it’s doing the opposite, reaffirming a sad stereotype you were already walking in with. Barnett seemed to stroll into this matter expecting the documentary to create itself, and to a point it does, but with a lot of focus on the glamorization of the production itself bundled with an easy and mildly concerning subject matter, you’re left feeling like you’re missing a whole lot. Like Superman taking down a common thug, the solution for Barnett must have just seemed too easy.

The National Parks Project documentary is about two hours long. Two things will result from this: 1) If you see it in a theatre, your ass and legs will hurt by the time it’s over; and 2) If you see it in a city, you will emerge from the film incredibly restless after seeing thirteen of this country’s prettiest places.

Honouring Parks Canada’s centennial, three producers rounded up thirteen directors and three musicians for a national park in each province. The goal was to have the musicians create soundtracks based on how they were affected by the nature and experience of being in the national park. What was confusing though was who really dictated each film? Was it the filmmaker or the musicians? There’s a mix of short films that feature music heavily, while others barely have any music in them at all. The former tended to be the much more beautiful pieces, especially if you could see the musicians in action – unfortunately, most of the docs barely show them.

Gwaii Haanas, British Columbia leads us in with gorgeous underwater shots and lonely forest coastlines. It seems like there was much more effort put into this doc than most of the others, it features a lot of interesting camera angles and details that set it apart. Though its musicians – Sarah Harmer, Bry Webb and Jim Guthrie – are barely shown, the music they create is chilling, perfectly matching the scenery. Starting off the doc with this short film made it hard for the other films to live up.

Waterton Lakes, Alberta shows us Laura Barrett, Cadence Weapon and Mark Hamilton as they experience the native people’s history and become one with the bones left behind. Their incredibly different musical styles come together in this blend of kalimba, ukulele, soft vocals and rapping. This is another visually impressive short as well, from zooming shots of the natives to soaring shots of the park.

Gros Morne, Newfoundland, known for its epic scenery, is doubly epic due to the presence of Melissa Auf der Maur; the bassist is shown wielding her axe while poised perfectly on a top of a cliff as the sun sets. It’s a chilling moment as her bass reverberates into the horizon. Casey Mecija shines as a leading lady for New Brunswick, as her and the rest of the team take the film into fictional territory to the tune of the eerily cute song “Mystic Morning.”

Some shorts just don’t live up, though. Bruce Peninsula, Ontario seems like it was recorded on a VHS camera, and they just seem to shoot trees as a car drives through the park. It goes off kilter with random commentary about the internet, in six vague chapters. Wapusk, Manitoba has the musicians talk about how they write music, which is interesting, but doesn’t flow with the rest of the doc. The filmmaker even uses colourful objects placed through the park to prove the point of ideas coming together, but somehow it brought the Teletubbies to mind for me. Cape Breton Highlands, Nova Scotia focuses on the people of the town more than anything else. Nahanni, Yukon barely gives us any music from Shad, Olga Goreas and Jace Lasek, choosing instead to end the film on a visual note.

I could keep going, but seeing this film is much more important than just reading about it. Seeing these peaceful and somber places of Canada, where hardly anyone is around is such an experience just to watch. Imagine how it must have been for those who worked on the films? So many talented people took part in this project. I’m still overwhelmed by the entire thing, trying to take it all in. Besides the great filmmakers, Paul Aucoin must also get a huge mention for his work recording and mixing most of the music on site. Even though a lot of the music can begin to sound the same after a while (especially because of the similar sounding reverb-y guitars that are used to show the pensive, somewhat anxious areas), I’ll definitely be getting my mitts on the soundtrack. Some of these songs are chilling and if it can continually bring up this kind of imagery, I’m all for it.

The National Parks Project is now on DVD and will have a showing on May 19 at the Royal Cinema with a heap of performances by the musical participants. You can find more details here.

Come May 19 as well, you’ll be able to watch the short films on the project’s intense website, NationalParkProject.ca. And if you head there now you can toggle between each park, listen to the music, check out who’s involved where and much more, although I’d say if you listen to much of the music before seeing the films, it might take away from the experience. However, I would say it’s useful for acquainting yourself with the talent involved in each film, as that information isn’t shown during each short.

It’s been about six months since Conan O’Brien took back the night with his talk show on TBS, but any fan of his or at least anyone still interested in what happened while he was off the air will want to see this documentary.

The film begins by explaining the controversy surrounding O’Brien’s ouster from NBC that favoured Jay Leno and the resulting ban from television, radio and the internet for six months. From there it chronicles the planning and execution of the Legally Prohibited from Being Funny on Television Tour and Conan’s energies throughout it.

As my film companion Lindsay from Broken Pencil pointed out before it started, would Can’t Stop be about how Conan can’t stop working, or how he can’t turn off the funny? Turns out, it’s a little bit of both. The doc really tries to show Conan’s vulnerabilities during his down-time: his need to be in front of an audience, his stresses about actually being in front of an audience and as the tour winds down, everyone going past exhausted into slightly insane. It becomes evident that the root of most of Conan’s jokes (at least in this doc) comes from that classic gut feeling of self-deprecation. Conan cracks plenty of jokes that demean or draws attention to himself – “Paparrazzi!!” he shouts as a plane flies over him signing an autograph.

But that kind of thing is obvious, and this is getting too serious. Can’t Stop brings laughs every minute, whether it’s the tall guy, sidekick Andy Richter’s trained one liners, assistant Sona Movsesian’s unassuming funny business or the ridiculousness of certain fans. Sequences of quick editing helped, too. When Conan talks about something it will snap to an example. There are a handful of celebrity encounters as well, the funniest probably being with Jack McBrayer (Kenneth from 30 Rock) when he visits Conan backstage with Jon Hamm at one of the shows. Conan proceeds to make a ton of jabs at him about being “a hick,” and he just takes it.

I don’t want to give too much away, that would be an incredible buzz kill if I subtracted from your potential laughter. If you’re a fan of Conan, see this doc. It’s like a backstage pass to not only his sold out tour but to those six months where forced incognito turned into dark circles under eyes and some really funny moments.

This year’s Hot Docs Canadian International Documentary Festival kicks off today and runs through May 8. For nearly twenty years Hot Docs has showcased the best in documentary film from around the world, and 2011 is no different. Featuring over 200 films in total, picking which films are worth seeing is a tall order for even the most seasoned fest-vet.

With that in mind, allow us to present the second part (part one here) of our Hot Docs coverage – A selection of documentaries that may just pique your interest. Be sure to check back over the next week or so for our full reviews.

The Hollywood Complex

Welcome to the land of the horrifyingly precocious! Television pilot season in Hollywood is a time when thousands of aspiring child actors and their families descend upon Tinsel Town. These children come from all over the world for a shot at stardom; some are legitimate young talents, while others are the victims of stage parents grasping vicariously at unfulfilled dreams. The film documents a fascinating and often disturbing world where children, sometimes as young as three, are objectified and treated more as products than people.

The film follows several families as they travel from audition to audition hoping to find that big break for their wannabe child star. What’s most striking about the film is just how far some families are willing to go in the pursuit of their children’s success; from the huge expenses incurred for agents, head shots, acting classes and accommodation, to the strained relationships between spouses living thousands of kilometres apart. The sacrifices made these parents and their children might be crazy by any standard, but whether it’s delusional hope or genuine talent driving these people, you’ve got to admire their tenacity. The Hollywood Complex is both a charming and funny family drama and a sobering examination of the entertainment business. - Will Perkins

The Redemption of General Butt Naked

Although the film sounds like a fun afternoon for the kids, the title actually refers to Liberian preacher Joshua Blahyi, who is more commonly known by his rebel leader moniker General Butt Naked. The General commanded the Butt Naked Brigade, a group of child soldiers who believed they were protected by magical powers and therefore did not need protection from bullets – not even clothes – and acquired a reputation as crazed, homicidal mercenaries responsible for thousands of deaths.

The film begins with the General’s return to Liberia after a ten year absence. He is now called Joshua, has been converted to Christianity, and often preaches forgiveness for one’s enemies. While some do not believe such a man could change, he makes some grand gestures by helping members of his former brigade to kick their drug habits and welcomes the chance to testify at a public hearing that could find him guilty of war crimes.

The film follows six years of Joshua’s life as he tries to settle his young family in a country that he hurt so badly. The film offers a unique perspective as stories of madmen are not usually told by the madman them self. In this film, Joshua’s brutal honesty and acceptance of his past allows us to hear his story in his own words. – Brian Crosby

See the trailer for The Redemption of General Butt Naked here.

A Rubberband is an Unlikely Instrument

Director Matt Boyd’s fly-on-the-wall doc about Brooklyn based musician, artist and eccentric Walter Baker is a strange little film. What makes it strange is that it’s a feature length documentary where not that much happens. It’s not that Rubberband is an uneventful film, it’s that viewers may expect more from a film about a character like Baker. The concerns of Baker and his family are entirely familiar and ordinary: making ends meet, dealing with marital problems and midlife crises, family tensions arising from disagreements over religion and politics, etc. It’s easy for viewers to sympathize with these issues, and yet, Baker is a very difficult person to like.

The film’s subject is a wonderful multi-instrumentalist (the rubberband is an unlikely instrument!) and composer, but it’s never entirely clear what it is that Baker does for a living. We know that his wife is a poet, however the only way to describe Baker would be to call him a self-absorbed, aging hipster who is equal parts romantic and cynic. How can an audience sympathize with a man who spends more time ruminating on his problems than actually solving them? Boyd’s film is a melancholy character study of a man who just can’t seem to find his place in the world, and at times doesn’t seem to want to. - Will Perkins

See the trailer for A Rubberband is an Unlikely Instrument here.

National Parks Project

The National Parks Project is a collection of thirteen short films set in each province and territory of Canada. The films use video landscape photography and music in an attempt to emphasize the character and history of a national park. Each one is envisioned by a different director including Project Grizzly director Peter Lynch and Antanarjuat director Zacharias Kunuk with music by folks such as Sarah Harper and Sam Roberts.

The Project is less a documentary and more a series of art films. The strength is in the visuals, which are nice, but in this post-Planet Earth era, it is hard to impress. There are no stories or characters to follow although some of the shorts do feature people and make use of poetic dialogue. The project might have been stronger if it had a different identity, perhaps not being classified as ‘a documentary’. The individual films seem more suited for a screening at an art gallery than as a singular film. - Brian Crosby

See the trailer for The National Parks Project here.

I have no intro for this piece. You see, the Hot Docs Film Festival, showcasing the best in the world of documentary filmmaking, is bigger than ever this year with over 200 movies being screened of the course of 11 days. I have seen about 60 of them in the past three weeks and reviewed most of them for another site. I understand that the choices are overwhelming this year, but here I am to briefly give all you fine Dork Shelf readers my top five picks of the festival and five other films that are in smaller categories of competition that you shouldn’t overlook.

Top Picks:

Wiebo’s War (Canadian Spectrum) – A stunningly stark portrait of what could make a man turn to terrorism, Weibo’s War follows accused Alberta oil pipeline bomber and Christian evangelical Wiebo Ludwig in his deeply personal fights against what really are injustices that have been committed against his family. The picture of a man who could be pushed to far are reinforced by the fact that director David York lived with Ludwig and was granted access to some deeply personal home movies shot by the family. No matter what you might think of the man, his religion, or his methods, it is very clear to any viewer that something is certainly rotten in Denmark. Fair warning, however, some of the depictions of what happens after a gas leak are not for the squeamish or faint of heart.

Beauty Day (Canadian Spectrum) – Three years before Jackass went on the air, Niagara area resident Ralph Zavadil was doing his own idiotic stunts for viewers of public access television. After his most famous stunt goes awry and becomes a television sensation, Ralph’s story is just beginning. Director Jay Cheel might have stumbled onto one of the best documentary subjects in years. Ralph is both wiser for having lived a rough life, yet unrepentant and looking to get back into the filmmaking aspect of things one final time. Full of belly laughs and more heart than a Care Bears convention, there is no more entertaining film at HotDocs this year. It is also one of the best films of the year overall.

Hell and Back Again (Special Presentation) – Director Dennis Danfung, a photojournalist, creates a film that would have made his colleague the late Tim Hetherington proud. Hell and Back Again follows the life of a young American soldier both on the ground in Afghanistan and back home after being shot through the hip and in need of lots of physical and psychological therapy. This is unlike any film made on the conflict in Afghanistan and unlike any war film you have ever seen before. What this young man is going through at home is just as scary as anything going on in the middle of a war zone. The film doesn’t try to make any easy answers. It simply exists and is far more cinematic than it sounds. It might be the best edited film of the year in any genre.

Family Portrait in Black and White (Canadian Spectrum) – A movie about a foster family with 18 kids might sound like a snoozer, but this film is one of the most complex pieces of filmmaking I have seen in years. It is the story of Olga, a woman who is raising 18 foster kids in a substandard home in the Ukraine. 16 of those kids are black or mixed race and live in a country where neo-Nazi rallies are routine. Every person in this film is totally fleshed out and no one is quite what they seem. An interesting look not only at racism and families, but hording and the nature of forgiveness. Give it a chance. I am willing to bet you will like it.

Being Elmo: A Puppeteer’s Journey (Special Presentation) – There isn’t much in the way of dramatic tension on display in this film about how puppeteer Kevin Clash became the voice and actor behind one of the most beloved Muppets of all time. But it is a movie about the Muppets. And there is a large section of the film dealing with Labyrinth and The Dark Crystal. It’s nerd credit is secured several times over. And it’s just a ton of fun.

Best of the Rest:

Becoming Santa (Workers of the World) – This might be the first documentary with an outside shot of being a film families could enjoy year after year. The story of a man who has lost the holiday spirit and decides to become Santa Claus for a year is surprisingly insightful and consistently funny. It might seem weird watching a Christmas film at the end of August/beginning of May, but see it now and avoid the rush.

Bob and the Monster (Next) – The story of the early 90s LA punk scene and the horrors of drug addiction are both front and centre in the story of former Thelonious Monster lead singer turned Celebrity Rehab counselor Bob Forrest. The film blends archival footage, current interviews with musical heavyweights like Anthony Keidis and Courtney Love, and some really great stop motion animation to create one of the best stories of redemption in years.

The Redemption of General Butt Naked (World Showcase) – Cutsey title aside, General Butt Naked was a bad man. Joshua Blahyi was the head of one of the most notorious and unothodox killing squads during Liberia’s long running civil war and was responsible both directly and indirectly for the deaths of 20,000 people by his own approximation. Before the end of the war, however, he devoted his life the Christ and set out on a journey of asking for forgiveness from all that he had wronged or cause suffering to. Blahyi is an interesting character no matter what you might think of his “salvation,” but it the film is definitely entertaining and will leave you with a lot to talk about.

Superheroes (World Showcase) – The idea of making a documentary about real life superheroes that patrol American city streets in the name of justice sounds like a novelty, but director Michael Barnett has created a surprisingly dark film about the subject. Some of these people are far from saints and others are just so inept and misguided that you genuinely worry for them. All of them suffer from some psychological trauma that has led them to this point whether they admit it or not. Definitely not what I expected, and probably not what you would be expecting either.

Boy Cheerleaders (International Spectrum) – This film about a squad of, you guessed it, boy cheerleaders (aged 8-14) is precious, funny, and profane all at the same time. Filled with some extraordinary young men from a run down South Leeds estate with some big dreams, we follow the DAZL Diamonds as they make their way from TV shows to botched practices as they gear up to become the first all male cheer squad to win the UK nationals. Heartwarming without being pandering, this is feels like a proper follow up to Billy Elliot, only with strong single mothers instead of disapproving fathers. A great film to take your mother to since it’s final showing is on mother’s day.

This year’s Hot Docs Canadian International Documentary Festival kicks off tomorrow and runs through May 8. For nearly twenty years Hot Docs has showcased the best in documentary film from around the world, and 2011 is no different. Featuring over 200 films in total, picking which films are worth seeing is a tall order for even the most seasoned fest-vet.

With that in mind, allow us to present the first part of our Hot Docs coverage – A selection of documentaries that may just pique your interest. Be sure to check back over the next week or so for our full reviews.

Beauty Day

Ralph Zavadil is is a man who lives on impulses. It’s an subconscious force we all juggle with but for Zavadil his method has taken a life all it’s own. A literal persona, Cap’n Video predates Jackass, Dudesons and even Tom Green, it turns out that the roots of absurd, intense televised shenanigans were planted in St. Catherines of all places. The Cap’n would document spur of the moment stunts around his neighborhood, some with greater success than others, one in particular leaving him with a broken neck and global infamy. Beauty Day looks at a man after that, a man who had an early fallout with conformity, living with a storage room full of tapes and a wardrobe full of clothes that remind you of Pogs, who’s documented so much of his life on video and is ready to do it all again in a heartbeat. - Zack Kotzer

See the trailer for Beauty Day here.

Screenings: Friday Apr 29 6:45 p.m. at Isabel Bader Theatre; Saturday, May 7 4:15 p.m. at Isabel Bader Theatre.

Who Took the Bomp? Le Tigre on Tour

Named after the first line sung on the debut, self-titled album, Who Took the Bomp? follows NYC trio Le Tigre in 2004 into 2005 while they tour for their third album, This Island, through four continents and 10 countries. The band (who have been on hiatus since 2007) known for their LGBT and feminist rights activism is Kathleen Hanna, Johanna Fateman and JD Samson. They asked a friend to capture the tour and what we get is a mixed bag of backstage hilarity, notable performances and a lot of commentary on issues through interesting interviews with the band members. We’re shown the warm relationships between the three women through quirky on-stage dance moves, a funny fake work-out video, hotel banter and times when they meet uber-masculine bands Slipknot and Hatebreed. The performances are stitched together from numerous shows, making for interesting viewpoints and illustrating how on their game they were. What starts out as a simple look into touring turns into tackling issues of homophobia, fandom, riot grrrl history and feminism, showing how strong Hanna, Fateman and Samson are and the backgrounds they come from. If you’re not familiar with the group, you’ll be a fan after watching this documentary. - Jessica Lewis

See a clip from Who Took the Bomp? Le Tigre on Tour here.

Screenings: Wednesday, May 4 at 7 p.m. at the Royal Cinema; Thursday, May 5 at 11:45 p.m. at the Bloor Cinema; Friday, May 6 at 9:30 p.m. at TIFF Bell Lightbox 3

The Extraordinary Ordinary Life of Jose Gonzalez

No stranger to the festival circuit of the last year, this documentary delves into the mind of the melancholy Swedish-Argentinan acoustic guitarist Jose Gonzalez. The beautiful film lets us watch him as he records his 2007 album In Our Nature, tours the world and contemplates his life and way of living. Not your ordinary music documentary, it dabbles in animating his family history and brainstorms, as well as fictionalizing certain events in his life. Most of the film has subtitles as Gonzalez usually speaks in Swedish or Spanish. The most fascinating parts of the film are when he seems to be quietly thinking to himself, usually about science or his work ethics. “Hello, hello. Sometimes I wonder why I’m so slow. Why does it take me forever to write a song?” or “What happens to your brain when you play melancholy songs all the time?” What may read here as oh-god-that-sounds-emo is heart-wrenching as Gonzalez explains how he tries to battle his inner critic. For a talented musician who seems to enjoy staying away from the spotlight, this documentary lets his dedicated fans and interested viewers in on new territory. - Jessica Lewis

See the trailer for The Extraordinary Ordinary Life of Jose Gonzalez here.

Screenings: Saturday, April 30 at 10 p.m. at TIFF Bell Lightbox 3; Monday, May 2 at 7 p.m. at The Royal Cinema.

Boy Cheerleaders

Prepare to have your heartstrings tugged by the Dazl Diamonds, a boys cheerleading team from South Leeds, UK. The BBC documentary focuses on the team’s road to the national cheerleading championships (where they compete against 13 girls teams) and the struggles of a few of the team’s members with their families or school. Disappointingly, the documentary doesn’t show us the school’s reaction to a team of young boys cheerleading or delve very deep into how the boys feel about it. It’s great to see that things are more progressive, but admittedly this could be a huge pull into watching the documentary, and it falls short. Even so, seeing the boys work through their speed bumps is powerful, especially with the pushes from their wound-up but dedicated coach Ian Rodley. Harvey is the shining star – “I’m getting the feeling I’m becoming Billy Elliott” – and his team, coach and mother (the latter begrudgingly) see it as they help him in the path of his goal to be a dancer. The mothers of the three boys showcased are film gold as well, as they were once troubled young women, even in jail, but they’re very emotional about their boys having a better future, pom poms and all. - Jessica Lewis

See the trailer for Boy Cheerleaders here.

Screenings: Friday, April 29 at 9 p.m. at Cumberland 2; Sunday, May 1 at 4:30 p.m. at TIFF Bell Lightbox 3; Sunday, May 8 at 6:45 p.m. at Isabel Bader Theatre.

Superheroes

While Batman and Spider-Man have lived promising lives as vigilantes, crime and punishment in the real world tends to be a bit more complicated than simply stopping the bad guy. Nevermind in masks and capes. But that hasn’t discouraged a series of individuals across America from taking up the mantle of costumed crime fighter, taking to the streets in theatrical uniform to end evil in the forms that they see fit. With a myriad of methods and an even vaster range of delusion, these self-branded heroes seek to snuff out misery even if it means smudging the law themselves. Or drinking beer out of the back of their van while posing for pictures. - Zack Kotzer

See the trailer for Superheroes here.

Screenings: Monday May 2 9:00 p.m. at Bloor Cinema; Wednesday, May 4 4:00 p.m. at TIFF Bell Lightbox 2; Sunday, May 8 7:00 p.m.
The Royal Cinema.

A Simple Rhythm

“Rhythm gives things a sense of predictability,” says Charles Spearin, a musician in Broken Social Scene and Do Make Say Think, and known for his album The Happiness Project, for which he found music in his neighbors’ voices and put instrumentation to it. Spearin is one of the focal points of this Toronto-made documentary, a look at the structure of human and natural beats. Taken through pulse, light, music and the synchronicity of falling into step with someone, we’re presented facts and opinions by Spearin and other interviewees: math professor Steven H. Strogatz, director of the Global Consciousness Project Roger Nelson, professor Caroline Palmer and nurse Menaka Ponnambalam. A lot of the film is pretty imagery focusing in and out on nature. Sometimes it can feel a little obvious (look at the rhythm of water falling off this icicle!), but this is a well done version of something everyone must ponder once in a while. It doesn’t really have a big question or a big answer besides “how do we find what the beat is?” which actually provides a great platform to Spearin to play on. This is more of a gathered observation, which might leave you in a quizzical state. Spearin’s part is the most fascinating and his compositions along with other musicians add another layer of beauty. - Jessica Lewis

See the trailer for A Simple Rhythm here.

Screenings: Friday, Apr 29 at 7 p.m. at the Royal Cinema; Saturday, May 7 at 6:30 p.m. at Cumberland 3; Sunday, May 8 at 3:45 p.m. at the ROM theatre.

Celebrities have their picture taken on an almost constant basis. Often by fans, sometimes by professionals, but only occasionally by certain photographers who have a knack for showing a side of the celebrity that is never seen on camera, often they can capture the loneliness that comes from lack of anonymity. For rock stars in particular, that photographer is Anton Corbijn. Shadow Play: The Making of Anton Corbijn centres the biography of the famed artist around the making of his first feature film, Control. For nearly thirty years, Corbijn has been photographing such bands as Joy Division, U2, Nirvana, and Coldplay, as well as directing music videos. In fact, as one of the first photographers to capture Joy Division, he was seen as the perfect choice for directing the film. This documentary is not your typical biopic, although it does discuss Corbijn’s childhood briefly, and his reasons for moving to the United Kingdom from his native Holland.

Perhaps it is because of the age of the artists, but there was a definite trend at Hot Docs this year of artists who began their work in the early 1980s, are now close to or in their fifties, have enough work for a documentary to examine, and are still considered relevant, or have been recently rediscovered. Certainly, Anton Corbijn has been a name that most music fans know (he is to music photography what Annie Liebovitz is to film photography.) His work sets itself apart by being rather dark, sparse, and minimalist; in other words, I doubt you will see him working with Britney Spears or Taylor Swift anytime soon. Interviews with artists such as Bono and Chris Martin of Coldplay reveal that the reason musicians like working with Corbijn is that his minimalist style tends to bring out a part of their soul, even a part that does not come through in their music. Corbijn also tends to work almost exclusively in black and white (and still uses film as opposed to digital.) Orson Welles once said that black and white should always be used in film, as it forces the viewer to pay attention to the performance. The subject cannot hide behind a flashy costume or heavy makeup. Color tends to distract in moving and still pictures; in black and white, we look for what is behind someone’s eyes. And in capturing all these various musicians, Corbijn captures himself as well. Black and white means shades of gray, and Cobijn is found in these shades. Corbijn’s few failures and difficulties, such as the (at the time, unbroadcast) U2 video for “One”, are examined, but overall it is clear that for director Josh Whiteman this film is a labor of love. Not that Corbijn doesn’t deserve it; his relaxed nature comes through readily in the doc, showing why so many musicians love to be photographed by him.

The Magnetic Fields are an eclectic but fairly obscure American indie rock band that has been recording for nearly twenty years. While not a household name, they have a fairly devoted following, and many musicians, such as Peter Gabriel, count leader Stephin Merritt as one of the great contemporary American songwriters. In Strange Powers: Stephin Merritt and the Magnetic Fields, directors Kerthy Fix and Gail O’Hara follow the band for 10 years to get an understanding of Merritt and his songwriting technique, how the band makes their music, and the relationship between Merritt and his longtime collaborator and manager, Claudia Gonson. Generally, any documentary about an artist is either going to be a labour of love or an exposé. This film certainly falls into the former category, particularly considering the time and care used to make it. Fix and O’Hara are given intimate access to Merritt’s creative process. They film him as he writes song lyrics, and as he goes through his mountains of notebooks of used and rejected songs; they get close-ups of Merritt and Gonson are they rehearse and playfully argue over intro beats and timing, and the strange beauty of a folk-rock band that includes the cello as a major instrument. And not just cellos: frog-callers, tin cans on strings, and other homemade instruments make their way into the Magnetic Fields sound.

Merritt has often been referred to as a curmudgeon, which may be true, but if so, that is part of what makes his music critically acclaimed. Several years ago, Merritt was accused of being a racist, first for not including enough songs by black artists on his 100 favourite songs of the 20th century, the by allegedly referring to Disney’s Song of the South as a brilliant film (a clip was shown of this statement, in which Merritt, while admitting to loving the song “Zippity Doo Dah”, quite clearly has no love for the film.) But the film, in its long-term involvement with Merritt, is asking artistic questions: how much can we relate a person’s art to their personality? Are Merritt’s songs analogous to his life, or are they beautiful imaginings? Should we always equate an artist’s personality with their work? Can we dislike the person and still love their work? And is it possible for artists such as Merritt and Gonson to work together for so long without breaking up? Though perhaps the lack of a romantic component in their relationship helps. In filming Merritt over such a long period of time, some barriers to his misanthropic ways come down, but some don’t. But most artists are better with a little mystery surrounding them.

New York City has seen its share of artistic revolutions, though any kind of positive revolution might have seemed impossible in the late 1970s and early 1980s. The city was crippled by massive debt with no help from the federal government, and whole neighbourhoods were urban war zones as countless buildings were left abandoned or left to decay. Those who dared reside in areas such as the Lower East Side took their life into their hands just leaving their apartments. But out of this came the No Wave film movement, documented in Celine Danhier’s Blank City, an exploration of the films and filmmakers who managed to create a cultural revolution, one Super 8 film at a time. Artists such as Jim Jarmusch, Beth B, Debbie Harry, John Lurie, Amos Poe and Susan Seidelman share their stories of strange and exciting years of poverty and creativity, and how in many ways the poverty fueled that creativity. They shared equipment, skills, and worked on each others’ films, found venues to exhibit them, all the while living in cockroach-infested apartments for $200 a month (an incredible price for NYC). At this time, cities did not require films to pay for filming permits, so the directors shot anywhere, anytime, and worked around public and traffic issues. They found abandoned building to shoot in, scavenged for set pieces, or sometimes didn’t use any set pieces at all.

These filmmakers were in many ways picking up where Hollywood independent film left off when it moved on to high concept blockbusters. It was also before the late 1980s push to financially justify the work, which turned the art and cinema scene in New York into a more commercial arena. Unlike later film and art movements, this one was called “No Wave” for a reason. While the work was linked by the people, the attitudes, themes and aesthetics were different. Each helped each other along their own path, This hand-to-hand style of filmmaking was also the route of Danhier’s investigation; as she found one subject to interview, they would give her the next contact, and so on. Despite the influence it had on American independent cinema, many of these artists have not had much attention, perhaps because they were subsumed by bull market of late 1980s art scene (populated by artists such as Jean Michel Basquiat, once a part of the No Wave scene until he began to make money). The film is brilliantly edited, cutting between interviews, clips from the films, and archival footage of clubs and parties. The aesthetics reflect the strange world she is examining. Danhier finds a connection between the No Wave revolution and today’s increasingly accessibility of technology and broadcasting. All the No Wave artists needed was a cheap camera, some friends to perform, and a cheap venue to screen. Today we have relatively affordable cameras, and YouTube.  Certainly, New York is no longer cheap, as with most major cities; but modern technology perhaps can permit a new kind of No Wave revolution.

Before the days of iPods, televisions, and even radio or mass print publications, humans entertained themselves and each other by telling stories. In small groups around campfires, communities would tell each other the stories of their past and present. Fastforward to the 21st century, and Argentinean filmmaker Daniel Burmeister seems to have resurrescted this spirit. In The Peddler, directors Eduardo de la Serna, Lucas Marcheggiano, and Adriana Yurcovich follow Burmeister, who makes his living traveling from town to town in Argentina, offering to make a film using locals as actors and the town as a set. All he asks is that the town gives him food and lodging; he makes money from ticket sales and selling copies of the film.

The documentary watches him make one of these films over a month in a village in Cordoba. Burmeister is likely the most inventive do-it-yourself, grassroots filmmaker working today. Armed with a camera, a script, and incredible ingenuity, Burmeister selects the locations, is willing to climb trees to make the perfect set, and holds his car together with glue as he follows his passion to make movies and unite communities. The films he makes would be considered of the B-movie variety, but that’s not to say they aren’t good, and that the enthusiasm of the participants makes up for whatever the low-tech feel doesn’t provide. But then, there is something to be said for low-tech films; when you have little or no money, you are forced to be inventive, (as in Robert Rodriguez’s El Mariachi) and can often end up with a more interesting film. The villagers cannot help but be swept up in that ambition, and the audience with them. The joy the community receives from participation and viewing would seem to make up for the lack of glamour. Burmeister is certainly a larger-than-life character, if not in his demeanor than in the scope of his ambition. Documentaries that focus on a single person and their job can often end up being either dull, if the person is not camera-friendly, or too intense, if the focus is too tight. The directors keep Burmeister in focus, but also his interactions with the community and the effect he has on them, as though he is a strange lightening rod for their energy. In the film, Burmeister says that he often finds many villagers he meets don’t appreciate themselves, and part of his job is to help them do just that. Burmeister is using a contemporary art to bring art back to its roots: the expression of community, by the community.

Every filmmaker dreams of meeting their favourite director. So when aspiring filmmaker David Sieveking had the opportunity, he begins his film David Wants to Fly with a trip to the United States to hear David Lynch speak about his passion for Transcendental Meditation, a movement founded by the Maharishi Mahesh Yogi—who also inspired, among others, The Beatles and Donovan. Sieveking is granted an interview with Lynch, who encourages him to try meditation for himself, as a means for personal success. Sieveking follows this advice and it seems to work for a bit: he does get financing for his film script, but then his girlfriend moves away to New York. And as Sieveking delves deeper into the Transcendental Meditation organization after the death of the Maharishi, he witnesses an ugly power struggle in the upper echelons of the movement and begins to see TM as a corrupt business and quite possibly a scam. At first, Sieveking is given almost complete access to the organization and the Rajas, or “executives”; as soon as he starts asking questions, they try to stop his film. The film is an odd and yet engaging combination of personal discovery and doc investigation. Sieveking is the main character in this story, as well as the director; this is often a recipe for a bad doc, but Sieveking uses the technique to his advantage.

As Sieveking first follows the path of transcendental meditation, he muses on the changes in his mental state, travels to India to film the Maharishi’s funeral, and contemplates the seeming success of his new spiritual path. But as his doubts grow, many questions arise: What do we do when our mentors lose status in our eyes? If transcendental meditation apparently has helped so many people, and claims to promote world peace, why are their encampments surrounded by barbed wire and heavily guarded? Why did the Transcendental Meditation organization ask for donations of millions of dollars to build a city for 10,000 yogis to pray, when it is only occupied by less than a dozen? And why are so many former practitioners afraid to show their faces to the camera when they tell their stories of mental breakdowns and financial ruin as a result of TM?  However, instead of a serious perspective, the film becomes a black comedy. Sieveking’s path of truth and “enlightenment” is so strangely punctuated with humor, pathos, and grandmothers hidden behind curtains that it is as much a play on Lynch’s own filmmaking development as it is an exploration of TM. Sieveking discovers through a brain scan that the mantra he was given does little to help his brain, and he and his girlfriend permanently part ways. None of this seems to deeply bother Sieveking; by combining his own journey with this strange exploration of his favourite filmmaker’s aesthetic and spiritual practice, he has made a unique and highly enjoyable documentary.