DATELINE: July 22, 2010
At PMD-For-Hire HQ (My Kitchen Table)
Curating films for the very first time — I can’t breathe! Can you?
Stimulating night of docs last night (all suggestions were courtesy of IndieFlix). And without further ado, I’ll jump right into the mix knowing how you’re pressed for time:
KOKOYAKYU (2006, Hulu, feature documentary, runtime: 53:51, director: Kenneth Eng):
Here you have it! Japanese high school baseball at its best. Kokyakyu depicts the journey of two Osaka-area high school squads as they vie for placement in Japan’s illustrious Koshien tournament held at the conclusion of every Japanese scholastic year in front of a packed stadium of 50,000 deliriously-cheering, screaming, dancing, clapping Tokyo fans. One of over 4,000 national high school teams is the winner. This was the first doc in a long time that not only taught me something I didn’t already know, but grabbed hold of my emotions and didn’t let go for an hour! Several scenes throughout were so raw, so utterly real, they drew tears. If you don’t weep at least a couple of times, then — my friend — you must be the android Data.
What I loved the most about this film? Personally, I remain in the thrall of the Japanese. Always have been, always will be. But I’m also in mortal fear of these people. How regimented they are. How hierarchical they remain. How unswerving Nippon tends to always be throughout the ages. It explains much about their history and their recent national accomplishments, and points to where their society’s headed along the road. I was truly moved, as I promise you’ll be.
APPOINTMENT IN VANCOUVER (2009, Hulu, short documentary, runtime: 33:03, director: Anna Christopher):
This is the short, yet poignant, chronicle of 4-time US Winter Olympian Casey Puckett‘s would-be gold-medal comeback to become the only 5-time Winter Sports Olympican in history, competing in a new Olympic event — Ski-Cross — which Puckett has dominated since 2004. And at the age of 37, no less! Director Christopher follows Puckett through the thick and thin of his arduous rehabilitation following serious knee and shoulder surgeries, with plenty of interview cutaways of Puckett’s ex-wife, his several US Olympic teammates, and his ski students and mentors. Shot mostly on location in Colorado and Vancouver, Canada, this is a genuine tale of raw inspiration. Hot tip: Christopher gains exclusive access to Puckett’s story mainly because her brother Jason, is one of Puckett’s ski students.
What I loved most about this film? Plain and simple: Puckett’s journey throughout is one of overcoming the odds at his relatively “advanced” age. He battles injury, loneliness, the naysaying, a rough and tumble array of battling competitors up on the slopes, and still emerges swinging — and winning, to boot! Not to mention how Puckett’s a total camera ham with charisma up the yin-yang. He’s outspoken and observant in a way most young athletes aren’t, all attributable to his age, experience, and the tribulations he’s faced over his almost-two decade long career. I’m predicting Puckett will be at the Sochi 2014 Games, and you heard it here first!
SPLIT: A DIVIDED AMERICA (2008, Hulu, feature documentary, runtime: 1h20m25s, director: Kelly Nyks):
A film for the truly politically-engaged, Split wrangles with the persistent — dare I say, germane — cleft in US national politics; the famous red states/blue states divide. Nyks boldly hits the asphalt in a van filled up with his intrepid skeleton crew to ask Joe and Jane Public across the United States’ great continental divide what this “split” actually means to them. You’ll be surprised to hear several of these interviewees’ answers, with cameo gonzos by some of the pundit-sphere’s most prominent commentators — from both the media and academic spheres. Don’t expect to “olé” your way through this picture, folks: it’ll going to demand all your cognitive faculties just to absorb what’s happening on-screen. And believe me, you’ll be happy you powered down Twitter feed or your Blackberry for the ride. Quality intelligent provocative filmic fare. And say that five times fast! Exactly what the US docusphere is known for.
What I loved most about this film? Anyone who does something as positively zany as hitting the road with a cargo hold of gear, several wingmen, a daily thermos of coffee, and a jug of moonshine — not to mention being armed with a red-hot brilliant idea — deserves mega-grades in my book! I learned so much about what’s really happening behind all that political rhetorical claptrap and their attached attack ads, lessons which will remain with me long after my view. I suspect you’ll have a similar reaction, if you’re anything like me. aND Make time for this film, friends! Split isn’t something to take lightly.
