The film travels around the globe chronicling the dire state of our access to and supply of water. It starts in Las Vegas with its Water Commissioner telling us that in 5 years they will be out of water. Lake Mead cannot keep up with demand and there is nothing that can be done. They are seriously considering a billion-dollar pipeline to steal the water from a smaller town across the state possibly turning it into a desert – too bad for the people who live there! Moving on to the Central Valley of California, where 25% of America’s food is grown, farmers are outraged that there is now a shortage of water for their crops, partially a result of saving an endangered fish upstream, but that particular little fish is key to a fisheries ecosystem that employs a whole different set of stakeholders. What we have considered to be an inexhaustible supply is simply not! Climate change has made it so that snow pack is not to be counted on any longer to replenish watersheds. And we are using water frivolously all over the place.

The film moves on to what is in the water we are drinking. We consume unregulated bottled water thinking it is safer than the regulated water from our taps. But we are also drinking a soup of excreted pharmaceuticals and have no way of knowing what a number industries are adding to our water that cannot be filtered out. Cue Erin Brockovich who arrives to talk about the poisons that are still showing up in wells all around the country. She keeps telling us that the EPA is broke and that we can’t wait for them to fix it. One scene where she goes back to the community made famous in the Erin Brockovich film is starkly tragic. Despite the publicity of that blockbuster, these people are still living with horribly toxic water and waiting for help. I can’t go into all the angles the movie hits on the water issue, but it is exhaustive and really sobering.

But don’t be scared away from seeing this excellent documentary. Last Call At The Oasis is beautifully shot, has a great soundtrack, and the main interviewees are extremely engaging, sometimes even funny. Besides Erin Brockovich, there are a handful of scientists who take you through some serious science in a very understandable way. But at the end of the day, they offer no solutions. Our aquifers can’t keep up with demand. Conservation won’t save Southern California. And desalination is very expensive with an enormous carbon footprint. I think this film is really a call for some great innovators and visionaries to get to work. So put down your water bottle. Turn off your sprinklers. And go see this movie!

Using archival footage and a ton of interviews, the film paints a portrait that goes far beyond the pot-smoking reggae musician most people see him as. Born to a black teenage mother and much older white father in Jamaica, Marley grew up not only poor but also as an outcast because of his mixed-race background. But it was clear at an early age, he knew not only how to play music but how to market it — from delivering records around town on a bicycle to sometimes intimidating DJs to make sure The Wailers music got played on Jamaican radio. It is also clear that Marley knew the political power of his music in Jamaica — power that ended up getting him shot in 1976.

But the movie doesn’t just document his rise to fame, it’s an examination of the man behind the myth — warts and all. The fact that he fathered eleven children with seven different women isn’t whitewashed. Both his wife and his longtime girlfriend are interviewed for the movie. His kids speak openly about their father’s competitive nature and the fact that other parents wouldn’t let their kids play with them because their parents were just smoking and playing music all the time. It also tells the story of the last months of Marley’s life — how he kept on performing despite that fact that his body was riddled with cancer, and a final attempt at treatment at a holistic clinic in Germany. The film gives us a full picture of a man who became a legend and left us far too soon.

Marley is playing in select cities around the country, but it is also available On Demand and to stream on Facebook. Coming in at two and a half hours, I’d recommend viewing at home. That way you can pause to go get munchies whenever you need to.

The Cave of Chauvet-Pont-d’Arc in southern Freance was only discovered in 1994, as these things happen, by chance. It had been sealed by a rockslide tens of thousands of years ago and walking inside is a glimpse into life when men and wooly mammoths shared the world. As most 3D movies these days seem to be using the technology as a gimmick, here it is integral to your experience of this cavern with its stalactites and stalagmites, its jutting walls and various textures. And the paintings themselves are just plain marvelous! That people who were hunting mammoths with spears and competing with Neanderthals for primacy in the world had time and the inclination to draw such beautiful animals on the walls of a cave is astounding. And these drawings are not rudimentary scribbles but the work of true artists. The horses are amazingly elegant and the lions, scary.

Herzog and his film crew were only allowed into the cave for a very short time and were limited to standing on a protective walkway, but despite or perhaps because of the restrictions, they are able to give you the feeling of attending a very exclusive show in an ancient art gallery. Archeologists and various other experts weigh in on the caves and some of their secrets. We learn that a six foot tall man’s hand prints adorn both the entrance and a wall at the back of the caves and we know they are the same hand because he has a misshapen pinkie. Their descriptions of the world these primeval artists inhabited is at times surprising and totally enthralling.

At the end of the movie, I had a head full of questions. Who were these proto-Picassos? Why did they paint? Where else are there undiscovered galleries of ancient forgotten art? And why are there no depictions of other humans? Cave of Forgotten Dreams is a rare film experience that I cannot imagine anyone not being moved by. I’d recommend it to all who would like to step back in time to the beginning of human art and just maybe get a glimpse of our creative inception. Damn, I wish there were time machines!

Dumbstruck

The doc follows the journeys of five ventriloquists: Dylan, a 13-year-old “vent” whose father is less than supportive. At first, I was inclined to hate the dad – until I realized that Dylan was delusional about his skills as a ventriloquist; Kim, a former beauty queen who dreams of a career on the cruise-ship circuit; Dan, a guy who’s actually found success on cruise ships – mostly because he is talented – but may lose his marriage to his career; Terry (Fator), who shot to fame and fortune thanks to America’s Got Talent; and Wilma, a six-foot-five oddball who turns to the vent community for support when her own family keeps their distance (perhaps because she’s really weird).

The film opens and closes with scenes from the annual Vent Haven convention in Ft. Mitchell, Kentucky – the ventriloquism capital of the world! Who knew?! I suspect that Dumbstruck is trying to do for the quirky ventriloquist community what Wordplay did for crossword puzzle geeks and Mad Hot Ballroom did for young ballroom dancers. But the stories never quite track and the characters aren’t likeable enough – or talented enough (except for Terry and Dan) – to draw you in, or make you care.

It did, however, make me crave reruns of the classic television comedy Soap, which featured master ventriloquist Jay Johnson as Chuck – and his sidekick, Bob. Now that was funny stuff… (seriously).

Spurlock is a kinder, gentler Michael Moore, which probably explains how he was able to convince companies to participate in the documentary despite its very transparent premise. Pom Wonderful (which resembles Hawaiian Punch for adults, but costs a lot more) poured out a million bucks for top billing in the title, thus the Pom Wonderful Presents: The Greatest Movie Ever Sold and frankly, they’re probably quite happy with the return on their investment. Kudos for their inclination to get in on the joke and reap the benefits of the buzz – but that doesn’t quite excuse the absurdity of it all. A million bucks aint exactly chump change to the susceptible, cash-strapped masses that represent the bulls-eye of the target demographic.

The documentary is entertaining and thought-provoking as it simultaneously mocks and exposes some of Hollywood’s worst-kept secrets about trade-outs and sponsorships in the entertainment industry. I’ve worked on a bunch of news and reality shows over the years that have had to sacrifice content in order to fulfill contracts that were negotiated by folks in ad sales and marketing. And I gotta tell ya – it sucks when you have to leave good ‘story’ on the cutting room floor so you can squeeze in the obligatory speech from a boring insurance rep who’s handing a $10,000 check to some newlyweds, or yet another shot of Chandon champagne being poured into a glass! But I digress… (though it is an issue that’s never really addressed in the doc and should be).

Spurlock negotiated final-cut approval for himself, so he didn’t have to sacrifice as much as the average producer might. Still, he does get the point across, and that’s a good thing. Hopefully it will generate some healthy debate about where to draw the line(s). Now take a swig of Pom Wonderful… and discuss.

I Am

Shadyac decided to make the documentary after suffering post-concussion syndrome in an accident and realizing that there was more to life – and his role in it – than money, power and privilege. I applaud the epiphany, but I just couldn’t empathize with a guy whose idea of sacrifice is trading in his mansion in Beverly Hills for a trailer park in Malibu and commuting to work on his bike – riding along the Pacific Coast Highway to teach classes at the beachfront Pepperdine University. (I’ve seen those “mobile home parks” and would gladly take up residence there!)

The film is ultimately more about Shadyac’s personal catharsis than saving the world. Personally, I don’t need to hear a bunch of really smart people  (who most Americans wouldn’t be able to pick out of a line-up – except for maybe Desmund Tutu) tell me there’s scientific evidence that wealth doesn’t equal happiness and that the world would be a better place if we all just got along.

I Am is the type of movie that will likely only be seen by curious industry insiders and people already sympathetic to doing their part, however small, to make a difference in the world. Ultimately, it’s missing the cohesive message, empathetic characters, or call to action that makes for a good documentary. It almost gets there in the last ten minutes, but by then, it’s too little too late. So save yourself 76 minutes and use them instead to recycle, pay it forward, smile, play nice, and hold the door for strangers.

The movie basically explains Bieber’s rise to fame – from a cute Canadian boy with a series of amateur videos on YouTube to an international sensation who can sell out Madison Square Garden in 22 minutes. It shows how Justin was raised by a teenage mother (and her parents), “discovered” by a steadfast young record exec, and mentored by R&B star Usher – all the while staying relatively grounded for a 16 year old with millions of obsessive fans. It’s hard not to like the kid and his seemingly well-meaning entourage who seek to protect their protégé – and reward his loyal following – in the midst of a grueling tour.

The structure of the documentary works against the movie to some degree by counting down to a grand performance at the Garden. Ten days can feel really long in celluloid time. But overall, the music keeps you engaged. The movie also features special appearances by the likes of Usher, Boyz II Men, Jaden Smith, and the rage-against-the-Disney-machine that made her a star… Miley Cyrus.  One can only hope that Justin doesn’t follow in her footsteps! Time will tell.

Having now seen Never Say Never (with my target demo tag-along and her gal pals), I finally understand the Bieber effect and the signature hair flip.  The kid’s not the greatest singer in the world, but he is definitely the real package deal, with acting, singing, dancing, drumming, strumming and keyboard chops. It’ll be interesting to see where he is 5,10, 20 years from now. If he stays true to his present course, the kid could definitely go places. I’m rooting for him.

p.s. There’s no reason – as far as I could see- to pay extra for the 3D version. And while I’m not suggesting this movie is for everybody, if you’ve got a Bieber fan in your life, consider going along for the ride. You might just end up with a low-grade Bieber Fever yourself.

In 2007, journalist/filmmakers Sebastian Junger and Tim Hetherington spent 15 months on assignment for Vanity Fair, embedded with the Second Platoon, B Company, 2nd Battalion, 503rd Infantry Regiment of the 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team in Afghanistan’s Korengal Valley aka “the deadliest place on Earth.” Restrepo is the intimate documentary that chronicles the soldiers’ lives from their giddy plane ride over to their trip home.

The film is conspicuously free of political judgment. These guys are here to do a job. And in this case the job is to build a staging ground for the battles that need to be waged in this no-man’s-land. But it isn’t all heroics and battles, as you see in most war films. What strikes you is that these men are surrounded by an unseen enemy that may shoot at them from their hidden redoubt at any time, and yet they build their camp and come in at night to joke around and dance together to disco music.

The men name the camp Restrepo after a fallen comrade, and the specter of death is ever present. They have firefights with their invisible enemy on a regular basis, but it only punctuates the boredom. There are scenes of them meeting with locals and trying to root out the bad guys, but it is difficult to know who is good and bad here. And there are instances where they make fatal mistakes and innocents are collateral damage. You get the feeling that our guys are nearly flying blind, but they are so earnest and so young and you just know they are doing the best they can.

There are interviews with the men cut in throughout the film that were shot after they made it home. Most of the guys have not and may never get over the experience. The film also includes a battle scene where one of the men is killed that is just plain heartbreaking.

Restrepo is probably the closest to being in a war that many of us will get (I hope), but it gives you a very raw first hand look at what we ask of our young men in uniform (there are no women in this platoon.) It won the Grand Jury Prize at Sundance and is nominated for the 2011 Academy Award. It isn’t any easy film to watch, but it should be seen by all.

From there Josh sets out to see what is going on in the rest of the country with this technology. Fracking is short for hydraulic fracturing and is the main method that gas companies us to extract natural gas worldwide. Basically, they drill a hole up to 20,000 ft deep and then pump water and lots of chemicals into it to fracture the rock and force the gas to the surface. Sounds benign, but as Josh discovers there are a multitude of problems for the people and animals living around these sites. Their water is contaminated beyond saving by the chemicals used in the drilling. They have lots of serious health problems that the gas companies refuse to admit any culpability for. There are toxic clouds emanating from the tanks on the sites.

A large part of the film is Josh on the road around the US, in Colorado, Wyoming, Utah and Texas. Here he meets family after family who have had their lives and livelihoods destroyed by natural gas drilling either on their land or close enough to despoil their air and water.

In addition, Josh talks with scientists, politicians and industry experts to find out why this is going on. You can guess who has what kinds of answers. Money talks and we find that government regulations don’t apply here; in fact, hydraulic fracturing was exempted from the Safe Drinking Water Act in the Bush-Cheney Energy Policy Act of 2005.

Gasland is most definitely activist film making. But it is also a very effective personal quest documentary that should be seen by everyone who thinks that natural gas is clean. The Natural Gas guys are lobbying hard to make sure that it doesn’t win the Academy Award it is nominated for. It is out on DVD. So rent or buy it now, before the gas company comes with the lease for your land.

What an oddly involving documentary! Exit Through the Gift Shop begins with a simple story. A Frenchman living in Los Angeles named Thierry Guetta loves to shoot video of everything he sees, shooting his life, family, friends and anyone who will let him. He discovers the culture of street art and begins documenting it first in France, then LA and then around the world. He follows lesser-known artists, ducking the cops late into the night, then hooks up with Shepard Fairey and finally the most intriguing of all street artists, London-based Banksy.

Seeing what and how these guys do what they do is fascinating and many including Banksy are only shown in shadowy hoods to protect their anonymity. (Not so for publicity loving Shepard Fairey.) But the most interesting part comes later. Having become buds with hot property Banksy, Thierry attends his star-studded show in Los Angeles, where his art sells for millions.

Suddenly all his footage of street artists is an attractive commodity and Thierry is finally convinced to cut a documentary. Unfortunately, he ends up with something that his hero Banksy deems unwatchable. So Banksy sends him back to LA to “do some art” while Banksy himself takes over the doc. Little does he know that Thierry who has never “done art” before will take him seriously. Or that the LA art scene will buy it.

Exit Through the Gift Shop is frequently funny and at times Thierry’s cluelessness is baffling, though he does get the last laugh. I was really happy to have been introduced to the art of Banksy, but the film leaves you questioning what is really behind the hype in the art world. Even if you aren’t an art lover, see it. It is the strangest rags to riches tale you’ll see any time soon.

(Note: There is a lot of talk that the entire film is an elaborate hoax dreamt up by Banksy. Time will tell. Or not.)

And just for fun here are a few of the artists you’ll see in the film.