Second Sight (2008, Director: Alison McAlpine): Through the wit and charm of near-80 Donald Angus MacLean, filmmaker Alison McAlpine explores the oral tradition in northern Scotland on the Isle of Skye. Donald “Angie” is quite a character, an entertaining rogue with an eye for the ladies and an ear for a good story. A former preacher, Donald drives around the town in his red car (his name written across the trunk), his dog in the passenger seat, visiting a few of the island’s even more entertaining characters. These residents reveal their stories of premonitions, spectres and ghost cars. Their ability to see what is unseen, known as second sight, is set against the hills, moors and mist that make up the island. However, these are not simply ghost stories—at least, that’s what the residents would have you believe. They tell their tales in earnest, retelling them as if what they witnessed happened only hours earlier. McAlpine certainly captures the overall eeriness of the subject while at the same time framing the beautiful landscape that is Scotland north. With a few laughs along the way, Second Sight will make you think twice about the things you cannot see.
Official site of the film
(9/10)
Tagged as:
#hotdocs08,
scotland
Steypa (2007, Directors: Markús Thór Andrésson and Ragnheidur Gestsdóttir): I’m not a contemporary art connoisseur by any means, but my reason for choosing Steypa was simple. It’s about Iceland. My husband and I are travelling to the island country in September this year for the Reykjavik International Film Festival, so any chance I get to see the Icelandic culture and environment, I jump.
Steypa is an enjoyable film. The film’s title has two meanings. Steypa is the word for concrete, as in the material used in construction. It also can be used to refer to something that is weird, different or unusual. And looking at the contemporary art scene in Iceland, weird, different or unusual is certainly fitting. The directors focus on seven artists, following them as they choose their materials, display their art in galleries and work on their creations. Amid the quirky pieces of art, however, I found myself more amused and charmed by the artists themselves. Or rather, at their Icelandic sense of humour (if you’ve seen films by Icelander Robert Douglas, you’ll know what I mean). One artist fills Fanta bottles with Pepsi, but admits that he is actually using Coke. “It’s cheaper,” he says. Another steals plant clippings from a seniors’ apartment, noting that no one will really notice if they’re missing.
Even though I would not actually hang any of the artists’ work in my apartment, I appreciate their focus and integrity to their art. There is no limit to their resourcefulness and creativity.
The one criticism I have is that even though each artist is always titled (through a rather snazzy bit of rainbow-coloured animation), I found it rather confusing to remember which artist was which. Barring that, Steypa really is true to a North American meaning of concrete: solid, but with a little weird thrown in.
Trailer
(7/10)
Tagged as:
#hotdocs08,
art,
iceland
Echoes of Home (Heimatklänge) (Director: Stefan Schwietert, Switzerland/Germany, 2007): You might think a documentary about yodeling — wait, yodeling? Yes, you read right — may induce yawning from an audience, but Echoes of Home proves the contrary. It investigates yodeling through the eyes (and vocal cords) of three Swiss musicians: Christian Zehnder, Erika Stucky and Noldi Alder. In some way I was prepared for an 81-minute version of the Lonely Goatherd song from The Sound of Music, a fun song, albeit Richard Rodgers’ “musicalized” take on the Swiss tradition. But what I got was a beautiful film about the traditional yodeling as expressed by Noldi (part of the famous Alder family) and the more contemporary sounds of Christian and Erika. Their voices mimicked seagulls at the shore or the chugging of a locomotive or a baby’s cry. It sounded odd at first, but I grew accustomed to the wordless, harmonious notes.
Schwietert captures these musicians in various settings, whether in front of an audience, on the mountains, in the kitchen or in a pub. They need no concert hall, only a quiet space — a void — to create sound.
Although about 10 minutes too long (there were several points around the 70-minute mark where it could have ended), the film certainly warrants a look – and a listen. And if the harmonious sounds are too much, just mute the DVD and enjoy the scenery.
Official site for the film
(9/10)
Tagged as:
#hotdocs07,
music,
switzerland
Editor’s Note: In addition to Jay and myself, from time to time we’d like to feature some guest reviewers who can help us cover even more films than we can on our own. Brooke Smith is a professional journalist and movie buff, and best of all, she’s my wife. Hopefully, I can convince her to post a few more of her reviews.
The Bodybuilder and I (Director: Bryan Friedman, Canada, 2007): I was looking forward to this documentary as I have been known to do a few bench presses at the gym. But bodybuilding was simply the backdrop for this very personal journey for a son and father.
Bill Friedman had been a bad husband, a workaholic and an absent father. But after a second divorce and a bout of depression, he quit his job at the law firm, headed to the gym and started pumping iron. In fact, he became a competitive bodybuilder.
Knowing this information from reading the synopsis gave me a bias. I didn’t like Bill. He was obnoxious, gruff and…well, let’s just say I felt for his son, director Bryan Friedman. I took Bryan’s side against an absent father who never had time for his kids, who was only looking out for number one, perhaps someone who didn’t deserve a son.
Yet, at a turning point in the film, when Bryan and Bill discuss the past, I realize that it takes two people to create animosity. Bryan has to let go of his anger. Ah, Bryan, get over it. Stop whining and blaming your dad for your problems.
As father and son journeyed to self-discovery, I journeyed with them. And I think that’s what makes the film very strong. Their feelings come right off the screen. The all-business dad and the woe-is-me son are human. And in between more comedic sections: Bill practicing his routine (for the bodybuilding competition), tanning or trying on his costume, the relationship is starting to develop through the bodybuilding, the sweat and the inevitable tears.
The father/son message comes through: although you can’t make up for lost time, life is too short to hold grudges. Forgive and forget and start anew. And that’s what Bryan and Bill are doing.
(9/10)
UPDATE: The film was awarded Best Canadian Feature Documentary at the Hot Docs Awards ceremony held on April 27. Congratulations to director Bryan Friedman and everyone involved in the film.
Tagged as:
#hotdocs07,
family,
fathers-and-sons
