It's also time for Hot Docs 2010. For movie-goers it's a time to reflect on essentially every aspect of reality, with a wide range of documentary films from around the world. I have been lucky enough to be given a pass for my birthday this year (I brought it up for a reason, you know!), which gets you a ticket to each late-night screening in addition to ten anytime tickets.
So here is my list, in no particular order, of what to spend those 10 tickets on, as well as the late-night movies for good measure. You can read longer descriptions and show times/places by clicking here.
BHUTTO. This is an international premiere about Benazir Bhutto, former PM of Pakistan. Apparently it is a "bold" bio, so hopefully there will be quite a bit on her final months before her assassination.
KINGS OF PASTRY. As some people may know, I absolutely love watching pretty much any food related programing on television. Kings of Pastry follows sixteen chefs competing for the Meilleur de Ouvrier de France. It's like Top Chef but French and with more sugar.
DISH: Women, Waitressing & the Art of Service. Again with the food, but this goes much deeper to look at gender roles in eateries/drinkeries around the world. I'm sure there will be some fun "customers did this" type stories, as well.
THE STORY OF FURIOUS PETE. Food related, ish. Pete, now a bit of a YouTube celeb, went from anorexia to competitive eater. 'Nuf said.
LAND. Take burnt-out baby-boomers, Sandinistas, ex-lefty capitalist developers, and watch them duke it out over a Nicaraguan seaside town. Obviously the local residents will get involved as well. Sounds like an interesting watch.
CZECH DREAM. Hot Docs has a category of movies called "Ripping Reality" which are doc essentials. I'm proud to say I have seen three of the ones listed, but haven't seen this one. Czech Dream is an exploration of consumerism through an ad campaign for a fake product. I think this will be interesting because the post-communist aspect.
DARWIN'S NIGHTMARE. Another doc essential I have yet to see, this movie is a look at how globalization reduced a country to ruin. I want to see this because I think that's a really general statement and want to know what they are talking about!
CANDYMAN: The David Klein Story. David Klein is apparently the man who invented Jelly Belly, and yet he is not even mentioned in the company's official history. Why? I guess we'll just have to watch and see. Oh also, Weird Al Yankovic is in the film.
OUR HOUSE. This movie sounds so intense I just have to see it. Radical Christian squatters operating an unlicensed (aka illegal) shelter for ex-cons and addicts in an abandoned Brooklyn warehouse.
ROUGH AUNTIES. Kim Longinotto is being recognized by Hot Docs 2010 for outstanding achievement, and thus there are plenty of her movies to choose from. This is my selection, although "Hold Me Tight, Let Me Go" may or may not take its spot. Depends on scheduling since they both look really interesting.
The late-night shows are the following:
- Tarnation
- 1991 The Year Punk Broke
- Tallhotblond
- The Parking Lot Movie
- The People vs. George Lucas
- Sex Magic, Manifesting Maya
- We Don't Care About Music Anyway
- Strange Powers: Stephin Merritt and the Magnetic Fields
- I'm Dangerous with Love
Out of every single movie I have listed here there is one that I truly cannot wait to watch. This movie will be one of the single most important films of 2010. This movie will be nothing short of awesome. Mainly because it's about Star Wars. The People vs. George Lucas is essentially Star Wars fans (obviously those who love the original three) who pay tribute to the ultimate trilogy, and somehow become entangled with Mr. Lucas aka Mr. Copyright Holder himself. I can't wait!
By the way, if you still haven't seen the most epic amazingly fantastic review of Episode One- you're missing out!
Anyway, those are my 2010 Hot Docs picks. Thoughts? What are you looking forward to?
