Showing posts with label documentary. Show all posts
Showing posts with label documentary. Show all posts

Friday, February 28, 2014

30 for 30: The Price of Gold (2014)


30 for 30 is an ESPN series that plays out like documentaries; sports related of course. Fittingly it aired just in time for the 2014 Winter Olympics. This "episode" focuses on the most talked about scandal in sports history: the over-hyped mess of the Nancy Kerrigan/Tonya Harding saga.

This production is a strange one. It's intriguing to watch if you remember the hype when it originally happened, but if you only know their names through pop culture and don't really understand any details, this documentary is not a good representation. I imagine it's partly due to the fact that Tonya Harding agreed to be interviewed for this while Nancy Kerrigan declined; which means they could only use archived footage. They do however use the archived footage to make it seem as though Kerrigan was being interviewed for this show; which further portrays Kerrigan in a darker light. The editing is heavily in Harding's favor and they clearly attempt to downplay and excuse her behavior.

Another portion that this film glosses over is the more damning issue of figure skating judges, but I suppose that needs its own documentary.

They do give details that I never knew and the quick updates of the major players is oddly fascinating. The one thing this film is missing is a SHRINK! They have the commentators, the former olympians, the media, and even the prosecutor, but no psychologist to analyze Harding's behavior. A psychologist would have filled in the gaps and made this film more fulfilling to watch.



http://www.imdb.com/title/tt3417870/?ref_=ttexrv_exrv_tt

Sunday, July 21, 2013

Dangerous Companions (2005)


A wonderfully heartfelt and simply happy documentary that I highly recommend. Dangerous Companions is an incredible story about a man named Kevin Richardson who trains and cares for the wild animals at a game reserve near Johannesburg, South Africa. It is a rosy depiction of his life and relationship with the animals at the reserve.

They do a very good job at introducing the animals. You get to know the personalities of each animal pretty well. After a particular segment of one of the animals, you think that one is your favorite until you see another. You end up loving all of them and all their quirky traits.

The narrator Nick Boraine is clear, concise, and has a soothing yet energetic voice. The writing is perfect. The story is very easy to follow. You are never confused about which animal goes where and who or what or why. It's simple and effective.

There are a few sad moments but overall it's uplifting and surprisingly filled with many funny parts.

Dangerous Companions: 8.5
                 with distinction: highly underrated.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2462542/?ref_=rvi_tt