WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO SEE?

Bill Cunningham New York

Happy Thanksgiving everybody! For this special holiday post - and considering we won't be having class this Wednesday - please spend some extra time looking through all of the amazing documentaries available on Netflix Instant and choose 5 feature-length docs on the site you still haven't seen but would like to.

• List the names of the 5 docs you chose, and provide a brief reason why you chose each one.
• Choose 1 of your 5 docs to watch and analyze this week
• Provide a logline of 1-2 sentences describing the doc you chose to watch
• Write at least 2-3 paragraphs explaining what you did and/or did not like about your chosen film and why 

Remember to support your critical view of the film you chose by referencing some of the general concepts we've been discussing throughout the semester (Authority; Evidence; Authenticity; Ethics & Responsibility), as well as the way the film used its aesthetics (Editing; Cinematography; Sound & Music; Graphics & Animations; Voiceover) to support the story being told - narratively, thematically and otherwise.

You have a bit more time than usual to complete this post, so I expect your comments to be particularly thorough, thoughtful and specific. And please remember to post them on this blog and on Moodle no later than Tuesday morning, December 2nd at 9am (24 hours before our next class).

I'm super excited to see which films you choose and to hear your thoughts about them. Enjoy watching and writing, have a delicious Thanksgiving - and we'll talk more about the assignment when I see you on Wednesday, December 3rd!

VIRUNGA

I was going to have you watch an animated documentary this week, and although I really do love the beauty and imagination behind acclaimed filmmaker Michel Gondry's Is the Man Who Is Tall Happy? (which I recommend you watch at least 10 minutes of on Netflix Instant), I don't think the film's clever and lively visuals are capable of supporting the conversation that serves as its backbone. Still, it's worth checking out so do it (even briefly) if you can.

Also, I have to confess I was wrong about Netflix buying just one documentary for this year's awards season. They bought two, and the one I want you to watch and post about this week (which I think is better than E-Team) was just released on Netflix Instant five days ago. It's called Virunga, and you can watch it here.

Yesterday, both Virunga and E-Team received Best Production and Best Cinematography nominations from Cinema Eye, a super respected non-fiction filmmaking organization. Virunga earned a nomination for the top prize - Best Non-Fiction Feature (along with Life Itself!) - as well.

For this week's post, critically analyze Virunga referencing some of the concepts and aesthetics we've been talking about throughout the semester. And if you can swing it, please let me know how this film compares (and contrasts) to the one we saw last week. Did you like it better than E-Team? Why/why not?

By this point, you know what to do, you know how to do it well, and you know when it needs to be done here and on Moodle - by Tuesday at 9am of course.

Until then, enjoy Virunga, and I'll look forward to reading what you wrote and talking about it more about it with you next Wednesday!

E-TEAM

For this week's post, please watch E-Team on Netflix Instant - a film which premiered at the 2014 Sundance Film Festival, went on to win the best cinematography award there, and then was exclusively picked up by Netflix in the hopes that it will garner an Oscar nomination at the end of this year (like their acquisition The Square did last year).

Write whatever you'd like in your post, but please be sure to address as specifically as possible what you think of the cinematography work - highlighting at least one moment or scene from the film that supports your critical assertion in the process.

Is the film ethical? Are the filmmakers being responsible in the way they portray those who are suffering in war-torn countries? Most critics (like this one at the Washington Post) really loved the film, but others (like this one at the NY Times) did not. Who do you agree with? What do you think?

I hope you enjoy E-Team, and I'll look forward to reading what you post here and on Moodle - by 9am on Tuesday of course!