2008 Summer Documentaries

Summer of 2008 was a unique season where many of the current contenders for the Academy Awards in the documentary category had their meager run in theaters before catapulting to Academy grounds. So if you would be so kind and turn back the clock to days of warmer weather and and less clothing, I will show you that there are more meaningful alternatives to your summer diet of action flicks and comic books movies. Overall, documentaries have more substance and possibly better stories and characters. If you haven't seen these docs yet, then put them on your Netflix queue or try a local art house theater, some may still be playing.

Surfwise:

For fans of surfing, adventurers, and anyone in general who wants to realize their dream in life. This film is not only filled with great waves and coastal locations, but it also has the philosophies of Dr. Dorian Paskowitz who takes his wife and nine kids on a surfing trip void of everyday life's demands. The kids are removed from school and are home-schooled by Dorian, their father. Although on paper, Dorian's idealistic view of life free of societal connections is often pictured as romantic, in reality it turns out much more gray than black and white. My initial reaction to the Paskowitz family life of surfing was one of envy, but then when Dorian's teachings started to resemble other infamous countercultures and revolutionaries. Surfwise is definitely more than a surfing movie; it's a movie that makes you contemplate the flow of society and your own life's philosophies.


Bigger, Faster, Stronger:
Christopher Bell examines America's obsession with being bigger, faster, and stronger than any other nation, specifically in connection with using steroids or other performance enhancing drugs. Is this all because of America's blind determination to win and beat all the competition? The controversy behind Barry Bonds and other athletes are addressed head on in this film and it even stars Barry, the King of Homers himself.




Am Limit:
A German film featuring two brothers who both love to mountain climb decide to try and break the speed record for climbing a peak and the peak they choose is El Capitan at the Yosemite National Park. The filmmaker follows them right up El Capitan as they climb and captures some breathtaking and frightening footage of two brothers who risk it all for a record. This sure sounds like Bigger, Faster, Stronger, with the exception that its Germany joining in on the fun of body-building/sports competition mania.







Encounters at the End of the World:
Director, Werner Herzog makes another documentary about the extremes, but this time it is a location rather than a particularly insane individual. He travels to the Antarctic community of McMurdo Station, headquarters of the National Science Foundation. The film juxtaposes nature's force and extreme power with human nature in those kind of situations. Encounters at the End of the World is nominated for the Academy Award: Best Documentary Feature.


Roman Polanski: Wanted and Desired:
An in-depth investigation into the shocking and controversial case of Roman Polanski, the film director, and his incident of having sexual intercourse with a minor. The film is mostly made up of interviews and old footage from the trial. It also answers the question where is Roman Polanski today and what is he doing since the trial and after being exiled from America. Roman Polanski: Wanted and Desired competed at Sundance 2008 prior to its wider release.







American Teen:
A hit at Sundance, this documentary is a daily account of five teenager's lives: a jock, a popular girl, a heartthrob, an artsy girl, and a geek in a rural Indiana town. It documents their senior year in high-school as they experience all the oddities and awkward phases of teenage life. The Sundance audiences raved about it being not only an honest portrayal of teenage life in a small town, but also a hilarious view into all the nuances of teenagers. Also it is one of the highest rated documentaries by critics in all of 2008.






Man on Wire:
This film chronicles the young, French, tight rope walker who is captivated by the World Trade Center towers. He joins up with a team of supporters who help him begin the first step toward his goal: planning the elaborate stunt - crossing the towers on a tight rope with nothing underneath him and no safety harness. Their plan takes on qualities like a robbery plan and the execution of that plan becomes exceedingly more difficult than the plan itself. Winner of the Grand Jury Prize for documentary at Sundance 2008 and nominated for the Academy Award: Best Documentary Feature, Man on Wire is as electrifying in its reception as it is in the film.


These 7 documentaries represent only a handful of documentaries that were received more recognition or exposure than other less fortunate ones, so keep your eyes open for others that may help you balance your movie watching diet, so you don't gain the extra pounds on the blockbuster hits. As they say, moderation in all things. The same exists for movies, so try mixing in a few of these docs into your afternoon power run.