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Murder on a Sunday Morning (Jean-Xavier de Lestrade, 2001)
Eye-opening, extremely personal documentary depiction of a Jacksonville, Florida murder, the "investigation", arrest, "confession", and trial of the 15-year-old accused murderer, Brenton Butler. The victim was 65-year-old white tourist Mary Ann Stephens who was shot in the head for her purse, and the only eyewitness, her husband, identifies Brenton as the shooter, even though the only thing which matches Brenton to Mr. Stephens' description of the killer is that Brenton is a black male. Also, Brenton is apparently the only person picked up by the police and that was just because he was seen in the area a few hours after the shooting. The police do no investigative work and have no forensic evidence or a weapon, but within the day, the boy has bruises on his cheek and chest and the police have his signed confession.
Brenton is lucky in one thing though; his public defenders believe him and can see (as all viewers will) that his case is a mockery of justice. The strength of this Oscar winner is the way the filmmakers are allowed so much access into all the key players' lives. We see scenes of the murder victim, some between Brenton and his family in jail, much of the trial, interviews with the defense attorneys, etc. It's almost as if you're eavesdropping, so it's a unique insight into the justice system, and I'm quite astonished how much we do see and how much foresight the filmmakers had in first getting involved and getting so many permissions to video everything.
Jonestown: The Life and Death of Peoples Temple (Stanley Nelson, 2006)
Another documentary with some home movie and audio footage which adds to the eeriness of Jim Jones' life story and the stories of the 909 victims (and a few survivors) of the "mass suicide" at his compound in Guyana in 1978. The film details Jones' early life where one of his favorite things to do was have funerals for pets. His father was an unemployed alcoholic, so his mom supported the family. However, the young man found himself to have a way with words and he was a magnetic public speaker who preached a message of integration and socialism. With money he earned selling monkeys, he founded his church, People's Temple, in Indiana, but eventually moved his flock to the the northern California town of Ukiah. He bought a fleet of buses and began a crosscountry tour where he brought his message to the poor masses, and thus, his flock grew larger and larger.
Eventually Jones becomes famous and is even appointed as Chairman of the San Francisco Housing Commission. However, some ex-members of his church make some official complaints, including some of child abuse/molestation, so Jones and his congregation evacuate to Guyana where they make their own self-supporting commune/church. All of this is shown through footage from news programs or home movies, and it's intercut with interviews of the victims' survivors. The scenes of the final 24 hours of Jonestown are the freakiest because an intense love-in turns into a psycho shootout involving U.S. Congressman Leo Ryan and his entourage, who are there to document the reality of Jonestown, and then it escalates to the death by cyanide or gunshot wound of over 900 members. The film is well-done, yet obviously painful to watch.
Eye-opening, extremely personal documentary depiction of a Jacksonville, Florida murder, the "investigation", arrest, "confession", and trial of the 15-year-old accused murderer, Brenton Butler. The victim was 65-year-old white tourist Mary Ann Stephens who was shot in the head for her purse, and the only eyewitness, her husband, identifies Brenton as the shooter, even though the only thing which matches Brenton to Mr. Stephens' description of the killer is that Brenton is a black male. Also, Brenton is apparently the only person picked up by the police and that was just because he was seen in the area a few hours after the shooting. The police do no investigative work and have no forensic evidence or a weapon, but within the day, the boy has bruises on his cheek and chest and the police have his signed confession.
Brenton is lucky in one thing though; his public defenders believe him and can see (as all viewers will) that his case is a mockery of justice. The strength of this Oscar winner is the way the filmmakers are allowed so much access into all the key players' lives. We see scenes of the murder victim, some between Brenton and his family in jail, much of the trial, interviews with the defense attorneys, etc. It's almost as if you're eavesdropping, so it's a unique insight into the justice system, and I'm quite astonished how much we do see and how much foresight the filmmakers had in first getting involved and getting so many permissions to video everything.
Jonestown: The Life and Death of Peoples Temple (Stanley Nelson, 2006)
Another documentary with some home movie and audio footage which adds to the eeriness of Jim Jones' life story and the stories of the 909 victims (and a few survivors) of the "mass suicide" at his compound in Guyana in 1978. The film details Jones' early life where one of his favorite things to do was have funerals for pets. His father was an unemployed alcoholic, so his mom supported the family. However, the young man found himself to have a way with words and he was a magnetic public speaker who preached a message of integration and socialism. With money he earned selling monkeys, he founded his church, People's Temple, in Indiana, but eventually moved his flock to the the northern California town of Ukiah. He bought a fleet of buses and began a crosscountry tour where he brought his message to the poor masses, and thus, his flock grew larger and larger.
Eventually Jones becomes famous and is even appointed as Chairman of the San Francisco Housing Commission. However, some ex-members of his church make some official complaints, including some of child abuse/molestation, so Jones and his congregation evacuate to Guyana where they make their own self-supporting commune/church. All of this is shown through footage from news programs or home movies, and it's intercut with interviews of the victims' survivors. The scenes of the final 24 hours of Jonestown are the freakiest because an intense love-in turns into a psycho shootout involving U.S. Congressman Leo Ryan and his entourage, who are there to document the reality of Jonestown, and then it escalates to the death by cyanide or gunshot wound of over 900 members. The film is well-done, yet obviously painful to watch.
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It's what you learn after you know it all that counts. - John Wooden
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It's what you learn after you know it all that counts. - John Wooden
My IMDb page
Last edited by mark f; 05-20-08 at 09:45 PM.
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Jesus of Montreal - Denys Arcand
Very good film, god awful transfer. The colours and lighting are terrible, at times I couldn't even see the faces of the main actors. I'd be pretty pissed if I'd actually payed for it. :\
Thankfully the story and acting make up for it. I've already mentioned before that I have a soft spot for films about theater, despite not being a fan of it, and this one too has some magical moments, particularly during the play itself. I also loved how it flirted with heresy but never quite crossed over. It gave me a feeling that both conservative and liberal believers could watch it and not be offended.
Thanks to Holds for recommending it. Let's hope Criterion picks it up and does a proper job of it, this film certainly deserves it.
Very good film, god awful transfer. The colours and lighting are terrible, at times I couldn't even see the faces of the main actors. I'd be pretty pissed if I'd actually payed for it. :\
Thankfully the story and acting make up for it. I've already mentioned before that I have a soft spot for films about theater, despite not being a fan of it, and this one too has some magical moments, particularly during the play itself. I also loved how it flirted with heresy but never quite crossed over. It gave me a feeling that both conservative and liberal believers could watch it and not be offended.
Thanks to Holds for recommending it. Let's hope Criterion picks it up and does a proper job of it, this film certainly deserves it.
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Last edited by adidasss; 05-20-08 at 09:16 PM.
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Hard Candy
This was a film that at times was extremely uncomfortable to watch. A very good thriller with some excellent performances from Patrick Wilson and Ellen Page.
This was a film that at times was extremely uncomfortable to watch. A very good thriller with some excellent performances from Patrick Wilson and Ellen Page.
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If God had wanted me otherwise, He would have created me otherwise.
Johann von Goethe
If God had wanted me otherwise, He would have created me otherwise.
Johann von Goethe
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The copy I've watched has no problems with the transfer at all. 
Last edited by adidasss; 05-21-08 at 08:31 AM.
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What did you think of Juno, JRS?
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What did you think of Juno, JRS?
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Kiss Kiss, Bang Bang - Hilarious. People who liked Robert Downey Jr. in Iron Man, and are old enough to watch an R rated film, should see this. I laughed for the entire time.
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"You, me, everyone...we are all made of star stuff." - Neil Degrasse Tyson
https://shawnsmovienight.blogspot.com/
"You, me, everyone...we are all made of star stuff." - Neil Degrasse Tyson
https://shawnsmovienight.blogspot.com/
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One of the best pictures of 2007. Ellen Page and Michael Cera were excellent together. Emotional at some points, and a good lighthearted comedy. I can go on raving about this film...I really loved it. Saw it 6 times in the theater and own the blu-ray. I put Juno on my top ten list.
Agreed. I have watched it numerous times, as well. Great stuff.
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National Treasure 2: Book of Secrets
Pretty decent, I thought it was a pretty fun little movie.
Pretty decent, I thought it was a pretty fun little movie.
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We are both the source of the problem and the solution, yet we do not see ourselves in this light...
We are both the source of the problem and the solution, yet we do not see ourselves in this light...
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Waitress - just bought it on dvd after many months of waiting, beautiful film, the kind i think id like to make if i was a director. Adrienne Shelly, RIP, wrote, directed and played Dawn had a great vision for the film.
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