Moose Mess' Fake-umentary Flops

'The Undefeated' was defeated! The premier opened up to a nearly empty room in the OC and another theaters didn't do well at all.

And to add more gasoline to the fire, the critics tore it up:

It's amateurishly bad: The Palin documentary "makes no pretense of being anything more than a full-length commercial endorsement of her character and accomplishments," says Robert Levin at The Atlantic. It's just too bad the director, conservative Stephen Bannon, isn't a better filmmaker. He beats every talking point to a pulp, "with earsplitting soundtrack flourishes, aggressive montage, and an overall state of high anxiety." The film's biggest problem isn't its "hagiographic leanings." It's the "simple fact that its director needs to go back to film school."
"Sarah Palin's The Undefeated: Bad propaganda, worse filmmaking"

And quite boring: "The first hour of The Undefeated, scrupulously attentive to Palin's rise through state politics, is pretty rough going, a turgid primer in Alaska's pipeline management and oil, gas and, yes, milk subsidies," says Richard Corliss at TIME. What could have been a compelling film about Palin's place in the political landscape, and the establishment's handling of her, is marred by Bannon's clumsy, yawn-inducing attempt at propaganda. The movie might lead "even the most ardent conservatives to emulate their idol's tenure as governor and walk out halfway through."
"The Undefeated: Her holiness Sarah Palin"

And very thin on new material: This film is little more than "a string of encomiums against a backdrop of frantically edited archival material," says Todd McCarthy at The Hollywood Reporter. 

Yeah, this heifer ain't running for president.

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Documentary Dilemma

This guest post is a contribution from Robert over at His Eyes Were Watching Movies. Check him out if you will.

                   

Unfortunately, many of even the most avid cinephiles seem to overlook documentaries, especially if they don't get nominated for the Oscar. It is certainly understandable - we go to the movies to escape reality, not to be confronted with it! However, there are lots of documentaries from the past few years that, despite being overlooked by the Academy, are worth a look. Not only might they educate you, but they're often extremely entertaining. Here are a few recommendations, all having to do with forms of artistic expression...

       

Touch the Sound: A Sound Journey With Evelyn Glennie (2004)

Evelyn Glennie is a Scottish percussionist who, incidentally, is deaf. In "Touch the Sound", we get an intimate and fascinating portrait of Glennie that is 10% biography, 90% music video. Glennie's avant-garde percussion music is hypnotic and the brilliantly edited film melds it with surrounding sounds to create an immersive web of sound. A beautiful and enchanting film that may just get you hooked on Evelyn Glennie's music (as it did for me!).

            

Mad Hot Ballroom (2005)

This spicy documentary tells the story of the kids of several New York City elementary schools as they learn ballroom dancing and train to compete in a city-wide competition. As we learn the back stories of some of the kids, many of whom are underprivileged, we realize more and more how much this goal means to them and how dance, like all art, can change lives.

         

My Kid Could Paint That (2007)

This documentary is perfect for anyone who is interested in modern art, detective stories, scandals, hoaxes, or prodigious children. The film starts as a simple profile of Marla Olmstead, a girl famous for her monumental works of modern art. However, as the filmmaker gets more and more intimate with the family, and Marla's father is accused of making the art himself, the film takes a surprising turn that keeps you guessing. This engrossing doc is full of surprises! It's also probably the only documentary I've ever watched twice.

                

So there you have it - give these films a shot and don't be afraid of documentaries. You never know what new knowledge you may find!

                

Editor's Note: How many have I seen...zero. I know Hatter recently wrapped up covering some docs, but what was the last documentary YOU saw? Ever seen on these? What's your favourite? Sound off below?