I don't like energy drinks. But they sure no how to bankroll an awesome short film about trials riding. Epecuén is the latest (and maybe greatest) film by Danny MacAskill and Dave Sowerby, and as I have previously written about this pairing there is no need to do so again. Just watch it now.
In this post-environmental age where we currently park ourselves, the concept of 'sustainability' has become attached to most industrial and cultural enterprises. Unfortunately (despite its universal beneficiaries), the term has become somewhat overused; a result significantly attributed to the proliferation of greenwash advertising and environmental gentrification more generally. Sustainability has now become a colloquialism, a throw around term, a sarcastic remark you make about a friend's veggie patch, bicycle or solar panels. Short and sweet, Off the Grid in Ontario provides a minuscule glimpse of what life without electricity is all about...at least for the Ontario subjects featured in the film anyway. It reminds the viewer that there are people who are still riding off the coattails of Rio's 1992 Earth Summit; the event which brought sustainable development to the eyes of many. At just over two and a half minutes, this ethnographic piece is perfectly timed for the jaded brains of the post-environmental era.
Off the Grid in Ontario is available on Vimeo & Youtube
If you have stumbled across Movie Bob in your online ventures, there's no doubt he has already graffiti-tagged awesomeness on the inner chasm of your consciousness. With Great Power is but one of a strong catalogue of excellent online lectures which utilises the acute lens of popular culture to explore the world today. In this particular installment, Bob investigates the transformation of mainstream culture in the past 30 years, taking aim at the rise of the the nerd and the proliferation of the internet. Geek culture has been normalised, according to Bob. But rather than spreading the tale of oppression so emblematic of the nerd/jock dichotomy, this new mainstream culture has simply maintained the underpinning morals of abuse which have historically characterised power.
Garret Harkawik explores the world of incorruptible faith through a biographic analysis of Robert Fitzpatrick; an engineer who carries an undeniable belief that the world will end on May 21st 2011. Standing alive and well in 2014 permits the audience to approach We Will Forget in the same way we approach Funniest Home Videos; with a blood thirsty desire to watch another fall. However, unlike FHV, the finale of this film leaves you with a rather different set of emotions, causing reflection not on the part of Robert Fitzpatrick and his incorrect assumptions, but on the treatment bestowed to him by a society which he was attempting to help.
Environmental activism in the contemporary political context seems to be divided, with corporate and policy based movements viewed as far more productive in influencing change than the militant actions made popular in the 60s and by 'environmental terrorists' such as the Earth Liberation Front. As both a result of these interior perceptions and the wealth of media coverage associated with environmental activism, those associated with the militant movement have been systematically labelled as 'nutters'. Among Giants is a video ethnography of tree sitters; those people who have made their home atop of California redwoods in an attempt to prevent the destruction of them at the hands of the United States timber industry. The film is littered with cinematic landscape shots and little dialogue, perhaps purposefully to induce a sense of shared isolation between the subject and the audience. Despite the subject matter and excellence of the shoot, the strongest quality of Among Giants is its ability to maintain a sense of neutrality, thus promoting anthropology without brainwashing.
Matthew Bate introduces the viewer to the geopolitics of sneaker throwing in what is truly a remarkable piece of analysis. It is not simply our common interest in the topic or the enormous effort evidenced in the field work which makes The Mystery of the Flying Kicksgreat, but the variety of minds which fill the dialogue and the methods used to portray the stories and opinions. I feel this film needs no further analysis, as it is indeed an example of how education leading into the future (be it within a 'significant' topic or not) needs to be communicated.
The Mystery of the Flying Kicks is available on: Vimeo & Youtube
In a period of Western civilization when success seems to be synonymous with happiness, and winning is everything, directors Dani Resines and Roger Gomez remind the viewer that such a state of mind is an unfortunate accretion with 'maturity'. Using a combination of interviews with children well seasoned in failure, and parents who have seen 271 goals scored against their kids in one season, L'Equip Petit takes every 'cute' peanut butter commercial ever made about children, throws them down the slippery slide, and anoints itself the new ruler of the playground.
