Chasing Time. Directed by Sarah Keo and Jeff Orlowski-Yang
After bringing some of the first and most striking visual evidence of our changing planet to the fore through the groundbreaking study of melting glaciers, photographer James Balog returns to Iceland to close the last chapter of his life’s work.
Chasing Time sadly feels like another climate change documentary where climate activists scream how we must stop climate change but propose no solutions to how. It is a personal pet peeve I have with these documentaries and sadly this peeve plagued my viewing of Chasing Time. The film’s gorgeous cinematography and important message about climate change and age sadly can’t save this shallow documentary. If you are going to make a documentary about climate change and scream about how it needs to be stopped at least take the time to educate the audience on how it can be reversed. Don’t just scream at the clouds like this documentary does.
My Rating: C
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Love Machina: Directed by Peter Sillen
Futurists Martine and Bina Rothblatt commission an advanced humanoid AI named Bina48 to transfer Bina’s consciousness from a human to a robot in an attempt to continue their once-in-a-galaxy love affair for the rest of time.
Love Machina is unintentionally one of the most disturbing documentaries I have seen in my life. It feels like a brainwashing video that cults will show to recruit new members. Love Machina follows two bored billionaires trying to achieve immortality by creating an AI version of themselves. Yes, you read that correctly, and trust me it gets worse. The two subjects have the most blatantly obvious fake-nice personalities you can imagine and make for an incredibly painful viewing experience as the two constantly express their profound love for one another and their quest to achieve immortality, whether through AI or cryogenics. This is unintentionally unsettling and disturbing. It felt like I was watching a horror movie. If the documentary had focused on the computer wizards behind Bina48, would have been somewhat interesting, albeit creepy. But sadly this documentary focuses on the billionaires funding the project and their personal lives, rather than the tech bros making it happen. So please skip this documentary and save yourself from the pain of it.
My Rating: D
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Porcelain War: Directed by Brendan Belloma and Slava Leontyev
Under roaring fighter jets and missile strikes, Ukrainian artists Slava, Anya, and Andrey choose to stay behind and fight, contending with the soldiers they have become. Defiantly finding beauty amid destruction, they show that although it’s easy to make people afraid, it’s hard to destroy their passion for living.
Porcelain War is an essential documentary highlighting the plights and struggles of civilians in Ukraine during Putin’s unjustified invasion of the country. It is a perfect illustration of civilians having to take up arms to defend their country from a tyrannical dictator and the moral reckoning that comes with it. One moment you are fighting in the trenches dropping bombs from drones and the next you are cooking dinner and making art with your wife is an interesting juxtaposition highlighting the plights of civilian soldiers. However, with that stated, I was left yearning for more after the documentary ended. The documentary feels limited in scope and I can’t put my finger on why. It’s well made and the footage is incredible, but it felt like it was forcing sentimentality on me when it didn’t need to. Overall, an important documentary, but I was left wanting more.
My Rating: B-
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Rainier: A Beery Odyssey, Directed by Isaac Olsen
Crack open a cold one with the epic story of Rainier Beer and the world-famous 1970s advertising campaign—designed by a small, up-and-coming agency with everything to prove—that put the Seattle-based brewing company on the map.
As someone who did not grow up in the Pacific Northwest, I did not know a single thing about Rainier Beer. Within moments of my arrival, I was plastered with advertisements about the brewer, from its funny and unique commercials to the iconic red R on every street, it is hard not to see the importance of this beer in the Pacific Northwest. Even though the beer is like every other fast-food beer like Budweiser and Bud Light, its unique marketing campaign back in the 1970s through the 1990s made it an iconic staple of the region. Rainier: A Beer Odyssey is not about the beer but about the team behind the perfect marketing campaign. Within the opening minutes, the documentary highlights the ingenuities of these short-film advertisements. From the creative team behind them to the absurdity of them, it is hard not to acknowledge the profound impact these advertisements had on the region. If you are from the PNW, this documentary is essential.
My Rating; A-
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Merchant Ivory: Directed by Stephen Soucy
Merchant Ivory is the longest-running partnership in the history of cinema. As a film production entity, Merchant Ivory was founded in 1961 by producer Ismail Merchant (1936–2005) and director James Ivory (b. 1928). Merchant and Ivory were life and business partners from 1961 until Merchant’s death in 2005. During their time together they made 43 films.
I am going to make a little confession. When I first read the title of this documentary, I thought it was going to be about Ivory merchants and the criminal world of selling ivory. But later when I read the synopsis, I could not have been more wrong. Merchant Ivory is about the production company of the same name and the relationship between the two founders Ismail Merchant and James Ivory that spans nearly half a century. If you are unfamiliar with this production company like I was, this documentary is an excellent introduction. It gives a wonderful overview of their project and the experiences that the cast and crew had during filming. However, this overview is also the documentary greatest weakness as it feels very surface level with its subject matter. The documentary doesn’t dive too deeply into their relationship and just feels like a summary. So if you are unfamiliar with Merchant Ivory, then this is a great introduction, but if you are well versed with them, then this documentary is nothing new for you.
My Rating: B
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Sono Lino: Directed by Jecob Patrick
If you live in the Pacific Northwest, you’ve seen the work of Lino Tagliapietra, one of the world’s greatest glass blowers. Now facing the end of his career, learn the history of this Italian master, his luminous protégés, his time working in Seattle, and how his legacy will live on.
Lino Tagliapietra is one of the most influential glassblowers of recent history and if you live in the Pacific Northwest, then you will see his artwork everywhere. So as someone who was not familiar with his work to see an engaging, even sometimes thrilling documentary about a legend in his industry coming to terms with his age, yet still pushing through to make his art is powerful and uplifting. The documentary is surprisingly exhilarating through breathtaking visuals and an amazing soundtrack. It is a perfect documentary to honor a legend in the industry.
My Rating: A-
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Black Box Diaries: Directed by Shiori Ito
Journalist Shiori Itō embarks on a courageous investigation of her own sexual assault in an improbable attempt to prosecute her high-profile offender. Her quest becomes a landmark case in Japan, exposing the country’s outdated judicial and societal systems.
Black Box Dairies is a powerful documentary that tragically highlights the struggles of sexual assault victims in Japan’s patriarchal judicial system. Shiori Ito is courageous and powerful as she documents and shares her investigation into her sexual assault to get justice. To watch her stand her ground and face a system that is trying to silence her and other victims of sexual assault is powerful and moving. Yet the documentary is also tragic, as it has to highlight the struggles of sexual assault survivors to be taken seriously by police and to get justice from a screwed judicial system. It is an important documentary that should hopefully bring change to the justice system and bring justice to victims of sexual assault.
My Rating: A
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