2 documentaries...

Finally got to a couple of documentaries in my Netflix project (watching down to 5 in the "queue" before adding anything else.) Both of these movies came highly recommended. I'd say that one was better than I expected and the other left a little to be desired.

MAN ON WIRE
This one had me interested from the first trailer. To me, this film operate on a whole different level than just documentary. Of course, it's an engaging story, but that's not what surprised me.

As I watched it, I was struck by the power of reminiscence. I was amazed to see all of these auxiliary players - these men and women who were (for better or worse) sucked into one man's charm - reliving this experience. Some laughing at the most dangerous of situations, some weeping as if he was still on the wire. The movie said a lot about those shared experiences that somehow reside deep within us yet dwell close enough to the surface to rise up at the slightest provocation.

If I had stars to give, I'd give this movie all of them. No regrets! Check it out!


THE DEVIL AND DANIEL JOHNSTON
I first heard about this film from David Runnels. I wasn't sure of Daniel Johnston's place in the timeline of music, but his story did end up overlapping my musical experience. In fact, Johnston's return to the spotlight was prompted in part by an old t-shirt that was worn by Kurt Cobain as he rose to iconic status in my generation.

While the documentary was very interesting, the overall premise was a challenge. With a film dedicated to highlighting one man's "brilliant" songwriting as evidenced by expert testimony interviews, I think my inability to value Johnston's off-key, a-rhythmic songs hurt my viewing experience. It's a sad tale...there's very little hope in it. As always, I was left feeling much more sympathetic to the parents in this movie than the actual stars of it.

It's interesting, but I think this one is really built for more dedicated documentary watchers who can appreciate the movie regardless of musical preferences.

If you've seen either one, I'd love to know your thoughts.