Are we a product of our environments, our upbringings? Or are we held captive by our genes—simply a result of the genetic markers in our DNA? It’s one of the key questions of human existence, and the question that this documentary by Tim Wardle addresses…at least obliquely.
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I hadn’t heard much about this film, and I was skeptical—rotoscopic animation always seems a bit “gimmicky” to me. I shouldn’t have been. This is one of the best films I’ve seen all year. It is, at various moments, tense, hopeful, uplifting, and heartbreakingly sad. Continue reading
Wow. I sat down to watch this a little angry at my new neighbors (renters) for building a bonfire so close to the house, and with a nasty headache from the resultant smoke wafting its way through my windows (via the AC units). That’s always a bad time to watch a movie, especially if you want to give it a fair shot. But I knew within 15 minutes that this was one of my favorite movies of the year, and after half an hour, I thought it might be one of my favorites, period. Continue reading
I don’t really know what to make of this film, honestly. I found myself absorbed in it, but I think I would be hard pressed to recommend it to the general viewer, or even explain WHY I was so absorbed. It feels like a documentary, but also like a scripted film. There are no “characters,” per se. All those in the film appear as themselves, but at the same time, they seem to behave so naturally, as though they aren’t even aware of the presence of the camera. If they’re acting, they’re as good as any actor out there. It gives the film this amazing ring of honesty and purity, with no intrusion by the director, which lately seems rare among documentaries. Continue reading
Can one man truly make a difference? After watching this film, I think your answer has to be “yes.” It’s about Stanislav Petrov. What? You’ve never heard of him?! Well, don’t worry; unless you’re a student of Cold War history, you probably wouldn’t have. But take my word for it—many of us are here today thanks to a single decision made by this man. A single, incredible, almost inconceivable decision. Continue reading
Who Cares What You Think? 