One step ahead (2013)

Documentaries is not my favorite species of film. One has to drag me seeing one of them, as it happened this time. Well, I was glad I saw this one for numerous reasons.

• The fact that in real life, there are people who can win over a rotten political establishment. It is not fiction, it is reality!!!

• The fact that people at the age of Yiannis Boutaris, a winemaker, who did so many things in his life, have the desire and the energy to offer so much more for the common good

are two things that really stand-out to impress the spectator, especially if he/she knows what goes on in Greece.

From the artistic point of view, it was impressive the way the past was interwoven with the future, the presentation of the main character and the presentation of the mechanisms of politics.

This is a really enjoyable documentary that despite its length (126 min) is watched without getting one tired. It is a film that really feels we are going ‘one step ahead‘.

My rating: 09/10

 

Gore Vidal: The United States of Amnesia (2013)

“Gore Vidal: The United States of Amnesia” is a documentary that really opens your appetite to learn more about Gore Vidal, his work, United States, its history through his novels, his point of view for religion.

It displays an impressive personality in a non-tiring fashion. It is particularly interesting,  if one likes to know a different point of view about almost every aspect of life.

My rating: 08/10

Woody Allen: A Documentary (2012)

Apart from a very short period of time (something like less than a year) I am a big Woody Allen fan. I’ve seen almost all his films. So, when the documentary was released in a film festival, I thought: “but I know the guy inside-out, watching it should be a waste of time!”. Big mistake! This is an excellent film worthy of its subject.

It is very interesting to see how Woody Allen started, as a person that was extremely uncomfortable with a live audience and became the director he is now. How things in his childhood affected his obsessions, ideas, beliefs. The way people who worked with him speak about their collaboration. The way he sees his work, life, love and of course death!

It is such a pleasure to see a man at his age to have such clarity, soberness and maturity about all aspects of his life and work.

He is really amazing as is this film that shows the man behind the work done. If you like his movies do not miss it. If you don’t, well, you may learn something in another level 🙂

My rating: 09/10 (Ok, I said I am a fan!!!)

Garbage in the Garden of Eden (2012)

Garbage in the Garden of Eden of Fatih Akin is one of the best documentaries I have ever seen. Apart from the obvious qualities one expects from this movie species (well documented facts, a spherical approach to the subject with different views etc) there are some unique qualities.
It feels a lot like a usual movie. The photography, the beauty of the place, the people filmed, the way scenes follow one another, all of that plus the love of the people for the village radiate a totally different atmosphere from a typical documentary.
Then it manages to display so eloquently the shortsightedness, non-accountability and indifference of the people responsible for the creation of the garbage dump next to this paradise.

Why do such things happen? Because Camburnu is not the only place and Turkey is not the only country with such cases.

It is certain that if the people taking the decisions for the creation of the dump in Camburnu

• had their home in that village or
• were accountable for their actions, regarding the preservation of the environment, the health of the people leaving near by

the dump would not be there.

It is also probable that if the same people had loved nature since they were kids, understood its beauty and power it has over our lives, they would have thought a lot more before creating this mess.

A unique film you should not miss.
My rating:  9/10