Self-indulgence: Excessive indulgence of one’s own appetites and desires. Self-satisfying: Giving satisfaction to one’s self. Self-serving:… Okay, you get the point.
No matter what you call it (self-whatever) when it comes to crafting a documentary where the main character is also the filmmaker such as The Queen Has No Name and 5 Weddings And A Felony, critisicims of over-indulging are bound to arise. But, so what. I mean, why must there be such negative connotations associated with the definition(s) above?
Recent filmmakers such as Gasper Noe (Enter The Void), Terrance Mallick (Tree of Life), and Werner Herzog (Cave of Forgotten Dreams) have all been accused of over indulging as well, and lets face it, these guys are probably guilty of these self-serving crimes, but does that mean their films should be judged to have less merit than any other? The short answer, no.
I go to the theatre to be entertained, be it strictly for audio/visual purposes, cerebral, or one of guilty pleasures. If I am able to enjoy a feature-length film made entirely out of laboriously edited footage from some self-obsessed filmmaker, then why should I care if it’s self-indulgent? Ultimately it boils down to the question of was I entertained or not. In this case, yes, these films were entertaining, regardless of them both being films in which the directors turn the camera on themselves.
Now that I got that off my chest, on to the reviews…
The Queen Has No Name
Just about anyone can make their own documentary from gathered up collections of home movies, but only a skilled craftsman – or craftswoman just to keep it PC – can manipulate years of footage to create a story of cinematic proportions.
Honing his always present camera on his family, Director Tomer Heymann was able to capture a portrait of the modern Israeli family seldom seen in non-fiction. Heymann explores a slew of themes such as his homosexuality, Israeli politics, family unity, and displacement, with some of the most effecting moments arising when the camera is focused on his mother. In the end what we have here is a captivating testament to the art of editing and a film well worth your 85 minutes.
5 Weddings And A Felony
Ultimately this is a romantic comedy/coming-of-age film that succeeds in spite of its protagonists’ unconscious attempts to make it fail. In documenting his life over the course of attending 5 of his friends’ weddings Josh Freed unabashedly displays all of his insecurities and neroticisms much to the benefit of the viewer. If Woody Allen was ever to make a documentary I would imagine it being something along the lines as this. Unlike Heymann’s film (see above) which was heavily manipulated with Nicholas Roegesqe style editing for a more cinematic appeal, watching Freed’s film feels more voyeuristic and okay, amateurish. Nevertheless, with both films I was entertained throughout. watching filmmaking?
If you’re looking for some good documentaries at this year’s SFJFF, look no further than these two. Both of these films should be well worth your time, if that is you don’t mind cinema of the self-serving, over-indulgent and self-satisfying (redundant?) kind.
Showtimes for The Queen Has No Crown:
Wednesday, July 27 – 9:00pm (Castro Theatre)
Saturday, July 30 – 1:45pm (Roda Theatre – Berkeley)
Saturday, Aug 7 – 4:15pm (Oshman Family JCC -Palo Alto)
Showtimes for 5 Weddings And A Felony:
Saturday, July 30 – 8:55pm (JCC – San Francisco)
Sunday, July 31 – 8:45pm (Roda Theatre – Berkeley)
