Doc NYC, as the name suggests, is a documentary film
festival happening November 8th thru 15th in
Manhattan. At the SVA theater (a Tribeca Film Fest mainstay, in Chelsea) and the IFC Center (where I basically live), to be precise. I’d
launch into an impassioned spiel about how much I love this fest, but truth be
told, I’ve actually never attended Doc NYC.
I’m poised to change that starting this year, and in a big
way. I’ve just bought tickets to 17 movies that are screening there (plus a few
shorts I presume). Crazy doc lady? You say that like that like it’s a bad thing.
Anyway, I’m one thousand percent positive this festival’s
gonna rule, and not just because the popcorn at the IFC Center is basically my
version of crack. It’s that Thom Powers
guy – the one who founded and runs the festival along with his wife RaphaelaNeihausen. I trust his taste since I’ve
been enjoying the doc slate he programs at the Toronto International Film
Festival for many years.
I’ve been seeing docs all year long, so I’ve got a leg up on
this festival. Here, then, is my list of
films that I can heartily recommend.
(CAVEAT: I haven’t seen West of Memphis or Ethel, but based on
buzz from past festivals, these films should also be on your radar.)
Artifact
This follows Jared Leto’s band 30 Seconds to Mars as they
record a new album while being sued by their record label for a staggering 30
million dollars. It’s not a perfect film
by any means, but it is of particular interest to anyone who wants to stare
into that guy’s gorgeous, gorgeous eyes for two hours, or anyone who has even a
basic interest in what happens behind the scenes in the music industry. The biggest reason to see this film, though,
is that it offers something sort of rare for a documentary film – a truly
unique theatrical experience.
Moviegoers generally know that watching a horror movie or a comedy is a
lot more fun in a big crowd, but it’s widely accepted that most documentaries
can be enjoyed just as much on your iPad as in a packed multiplex. Not so with Artifact. It was positively delightful to watch this
one surrounded by 30 Seconds to Mars devotees who cheered for the first solid
minute and snickered at seemingly innocuous lines that must be inside jokes. If
you’re at all inclined to see this, make a point to see it at the opening night
of Doc NYC.
Of all the subgenres of documentary film out there,
competition films and docs about senior citizens are high up there on the charm
scale. Ping Pong is a funny,
lighthearted combination of those. There’s
an international Over 80’s Table Tennis championship to be won. You’ll meet a
host of characters from around the globe as they vie for the top spot in their
age bracket. If you need to take a break
from serious topics, you could do a lot worse than this, which is sure to bring
a smile to your face if not a twinge of the inadequacy of your own fitness
routine.
This is the story of Radioman, a NYC personality – one of
those people you always see and think huh, what’s his deal? This guy loves
movies. Particularly, movie sets. He has gained a reputation with top Hollywood
actors and directors as the guy who was as common to see around a movie set as
a boom mike or the craft services table – so much so that they started giving
him walk-on roles. This film won’t change your life, and you may leave it with
more questions about this guy than answers, but you’ll chuckle along the way.
Mainly it’s fun to watch as huge star after huge star shows up in the
documentary to talk about their love for the guy. And this will go over particularly well here
since the film is chock full of NYC sights.
I’ve seen quite a few outstanding personal documentaries
lately and this one’s no exception. The
film starts off on a very small scale – one woman’s quest to learn more about
her father who left when she was a small child. From there, the viewer gets a
front seat to this journey as she discovers more about the man she barely
knew. I was mostly surprised by the
universality here. Sure, most of us couldn’t say our Alabama-raised dad missed
our formative years on account of his gallivanting around the globe as a
flamenco guitarist, leaving in his wake more than one splintered family, and
even inspiring a line in a famous pop song.
But - learning to love someone despite of their shortcomings?
Reconciling that good can come from bad?
These are the types of lessons that shine through in the film and allow
it to resonate with audiences. I’ve been
pulling for this little movie since Sundance and I absolutely recommend it.
Part rock biography, part inspiring survival story, solid
heart. Jason Becker was a guitar prodigy
from an early age, and his supportive and loving family nurtured his talent
throughout his childhood, which paid off big time when his dream came true and
he was selected to play with David Lee Roth on tour and record an album with
him. Those dreams were cut short by a
diagnosis of Lou Gehrig’s disease at the age of 22. Who could have imagined that staring at a
future of rapid decline and paralysis, Jason Becker’s creative aspirations were
far from over? You won’t meet a more
determined man. His story provides of
the most striking, yet humble, kind and unassuming examples of unending triumph
over adversity that you’ll see in any film – fiction or non-fiction. Loved it,
loved it, loved it. 
If you can only see one movie at Doc NYC… um, try harder. See more! There are so many good
ones to see!
But okay, seriously.
If you need to place a priority on which film is absolutely unmissable?
Don’t worry, I’ve got you covered – this is the movie, right here.
Not only does it make my top three docs of 2012 list but it
will surely end up on my top ten films of the year. There were rainbows doing
cartwheels through fireworks in my brain when I watched this freaking
movie. I knew exactly zero about the
subject before I sat down to watch, so I had no predisposition to the film at
all. But it truly blew me away – both the
fascinating man they profile as well as the expertise they apply in crafting
his story.
If you want to know more about why I loved this movie, feel free to read the gushing review I posted of it after I saw it at TIFF.
__________
And so, New Yorkers, go forth and buy tickets! It’s time to
take full advantage of what your city is offering you. DOC NYC is the kind of
event that makes you proud to live here – so don’t just nod at the poster as
you run past the IFC Center on your way down to the F train and think “wouldn’t
that be fun.” Go online, book some tickets, and treat yourself to some really
great docs.
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