Knight at HOME at the Movies
A Trio of Documentaries

I love that the documentary format has become another wildly popular genre in movie theatres.  Here are three terrific recent
examples just arriving on DVD.
After the riveting Twist of Faith, documentary filmmaker Kirby Dick had the hot idea of
taking on the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA) – the deeply entrenched, ultra
secret group that gives movies their ratings among other activities.  The result,
This
Film Is Not Yet Rated is both a searing, frustrating account of the group’s history and
secret activities and an amusing attempt by Dick abetted by a detective to learn the
identities of the current crop of film raters.

The film is of particular interest to gays and lesbians as its practically a given that films
with heavy GLBT content will get harsher treatment than their straight counterparts and to
make this point, Dick interviews several prominent GLBT filmmakers (John Waters-
Kimberly Pierce, etc.) on the subject.  IFC has now released this compelling and
entertaining documentary in an edition that includes deleted scenes, a Q&A with Dick and
a commentary track by him as well.  Even without a preview copy that included the special
features, I’m still highly recommending you add this one to your NetFlix cue.  Even without
the extras, this was
a movie worth seeing again.  Note to IFC:  Next time please send a
screener that includes the special features so I can discuss those in-depth (thank you)!


Next up is the hard hitting
Jesus Camp from Magnolia.  Given the subject matter, a look
at children being raised as Evangelical Christians, it’s no surprise that the film has caused
an enormous groundswell of opinions – both pro and con – and that the camp featured in
the movie has been “temporarily” closed.  The film (which is in the Documentary category
at this year's Oscars) focuses on the by now infamous Becky Fischer, a Pentecostal
preacher who seemingly won’t be fulfilled until her little charges aka Warriors for God have
converted as many of the great unwashed as possible.  If it means that she must whip
these kids into an emotional frenzy – bordering on emotional abuse – so be it!  It will
come as no secret that Fischer and other instructors don’t hesitate to politicize every
gathering – even bringing out a cardboard cutout of Dubya at one point so the kids can
worship their soon to be Fallen Idol.

The movie focuses on three standout kids who seem to eat, sleep, and breathe the
Evangelical party line and by the end they just about break your heart because one can
see either the years of therapy ahead or a life fraught with the duality of ignorance and
anger that leads to violence – all in the name of God, natch.  The parents all seem so
proud of these faith loving, science hating kids one doesn’t know whether to throw up or
recoil in horror and I’d have liked to have seen more background on the adults – where
do these people come from?!  

The film features a framing device with a liberal Christian talk show host that breaks up
the structure (and an on-air confrontation with Fischer reeks of stage management) but it
also has the good luck of ending with footage of Ted Haggard, the now defrocked leader
of one of the group’s largest sects, thanks to his alleged motel trysts/crystal meth binges
with a gay hustler.  The disc includes a number of deleted scenes – including one chiller
that should have stayed in the film in which a born again witch talks about infiltrating
every profession with these Zombies for God in order for them to take over the world –
just before the Last Days (though it's safe to say that typical gay and lesbian professions
will probably be excluded).  There’s also a director commentary track.


After those two I needed something to clean the mental palate and nothing served better
than
The Sound of Rio: Brasileirinho, on DVD from Milan Records.  It’s a rapturous
homage to Brazil’s oldest form of music, Choro, which combines European musical
traditions with Afro-Brazilian rhythms and the melancholy of native Brazilian Indian music.  
Choro first came out of Rio de Janeiro in the late 19th century.  This 90 minute travelogue
through that area by documentarian Mika Kaurismaki focuses on current practitioners of
Choro, out of which samba and bossa nova both came.  This easy going film, with its
colorful locations and gorgeous music also shows how indigenous music is to Brazilian
culture – it’s taken very, very seriously and throughout the film it’s apparent that there’s
always time to stop and listen as the musicians begin to play.  Naturally,
the soundtrack,
also on Milan, is the perfect musical aperitif for this warm little movie.  The disc includes
bonus performance footage and interviews with director Kaurismaki and others.  
Moro no
Brasil, a previous effort from the director, focusing on the myriad of musical styles
practiced in Brazil, is also worth checking out.