Top Five Snowpocalypse Movies

(c) Katy Jones

Beware the DC Snowpacalypse! We’re buried under snow over here! 30 inches this weekend with another 6-12 inches scheduled to hit on Tuesday. The federal government is closed, and with it most businesses. (Fortunately, most bars are still open – so there is hope in sight!)

This is the perfect weekend to sit inside and watch movies and to remind oneself that while snow can be irritating, it can also be part of some pretty movies.

Top Five Snowpocalypse Documentaries

1. March of the Penguins
This is one of those movies I will watch over and over again. This is a great story with great challenges, and beautiful scenery. I know, I know, anthropomorphizing animals bad. Whatev. This movie is awesome. Luc Jacquet followed the lives of Emperor penguins in Antarctica for a year, producing an amazing touching documentary about the beauty of childbirth, love, and birds in one of the most forbidding, frightening, and deadly environments on earth. Anthropomorphizing or not – beautiful footage plus Morgan Freeman’s narration makes this one of the few love stories I actually enjoy. (P.S. Oscar winner)

2. Planet Earth – Ice Worlds
This lavishly shot documentary series really set a new bar for blue-chip natural history filmmaking. It is breathtaking to watch. In this six part series that spans the globe, the episode “Ice Worlds” focuses on those amazing animals that find ways to survive in frozen worlds.

3. The Endurance
I actually saw this in theaters years ago and loved it, but I rarely hear people take about it these days. A history-based feature doc. Wow. This doc covers the story of the Shackleton expedition of 1914. If you aren’t familiar with it – their ship, the Endurance, gets stranded and crushed in Antarctica, forcing the band of explorers to find new ways to survive in a completely unexplored icy wilderness. Through creative means, they explored, took pictures, footage, AND came back. An excellent testament to the human spirit. Also, well-researched with great story-telling.

4. Winged Migration
This movie isn’t technically about an icy world – but it’s about birds fleeing it. With no narration, none, zip, this amazing film follows the migration of birds as winter comes calling. I saw this one in theaters, and held my breath most of the time. This movie gets you as close as humanly (viewerly) possible to flight. These days watching on a Blue Ray has got to be one equally amazing experience. (P.S. Oscar nominee – guess Oscar likes birds)

5.Extreme Ice
National Geographic photographer James Balog uses time-lapse photography to track the disappearance of the extreme ice of the great ice packs in the world. Massive ice, a planet in danger, risky photojournalism, and beautiful scenery. All in one NOVA-sized package.

FILM REVIEW: Bigger, Stronger, Faster

Bigger, Stronger, Faster movie poster

FILM: Bigger, Stronger, Faster *The Side Effect of Being American
FILMMAKER: Chris Bell
FILM REVIEWER: Katy Jones

Dude, this one totally rocks.

This amazingly huge dude pumps iron at Gold’s Gym and wonders if he should do something else with his life – like steroids. I mean, of course, why not? Everyone else is doing it. Well, not me. But like everyone in his family, all of his heroes, every upstanding American he knows, you know, all of those people are doing it.

So to find the answer about what he should do, he talks to everyone on both sides. His family, his congressman, and his heroes. The thing is the anti-steroid group comes off like dirtbags. So they don’t really help their argument that steroids are bad. That being said, the folks who actually do steroids don’t generally seem like they are having a happy lovely life as a result. So they don’t really help their argument that steroids are good. (Well, except that HIV-positive guy who uses steroids so he doesn’t waste away – that guy definitely seems like he’s having a happier life). Arnold Schwarzenegger not withstanding, it seems that most people who use steroids aren’t really going out and achieving fame. They’re just hoping to be awesome at the thing they love – power lifting, wrestling, bodybuilding…or track, bicycling, baseball. And when everyone in the playing field is using steroids, you kind of have to use just to keep going.

And that’s where it gets all back to America. We like to be the best at stuff. Our expectations for perfection are to insane and unrealistic. This is really the point of the movie. Steroids is sort of the lens by which our culture gets a critique. We idolize insane superheroes and stick figures and then in our weird sado-masochistic way we punish people for trying to achieve these ideals. As a society we legally allow what we know to be really harmful chemicals – cigarettes, alcohol, trans fat, but criminalize chemicals like steroids because they “might” be harmful. We people “losers” when they try their best to abide by the rules and still can’t win, and “criminals” or “cheats” when they use chemical enhancement.

And so there’s no answer in this film – are steroids good or bad? Like most things in life – it’s gray. It’s gray with lots of pro-America theme songs, movies, and dudes with good families who care a lot about having a good life. It’s pretty much awesome. The movie that is. I’m probably not going to try steroids. But you should really watch this movie. It’s entertaining and thought-provoking. Well-edited, well-told, and well-researched. Winner.

Five out of Five cheers.

–Katy

Doc&aDrink Resolutions 2010

Greetings and Salutations in the New Year and I hope the winter is treating you right.

Becky and I have taken a little breather from Doca&aDrink the past month or so to spend some time with our families, recover from illness (her) and injury (me), and talk about the directions we want this little blog to take in the year to come. Keeping this blog is even more fun than we thought it would be when we first started, and we’re looking to do some new things in the New Year.

Thought I’d share with you our goals for the New Year….

1. At least one new blog post every week.

2. Once a month we’ll report on an event – a film festival, a beer tasting, a night out at the movie. There’s a ton of Doc&aDrink related activities across D.C. to enjoy and we’d love to help get the readers involved.

3. Increase comments by 20%. That means we need our readers to get involved! Let us know what you think and what posts you enjoy.

4. Restructure the blog to improve aesthetics, make it easier to post, and include better photography on the site.

This is definitely more work than we realized at first, but we’re committed – so hold onto your hats everyone!

Happy New Year!

–Katy

Doc review: Why are you eating what you are eating?

FILM: Food Inc.

DIRECTOR: Robert Kenner

REVIEWER: B. Beamer

SUMMARY :  “In Food, Inc., filmmaker Robert Kenner lifts the veil on our nation’s food industry, exposing the highly mechanized underbelly that has been hidden from the American consumer with the consent of our government’s regulatory agencies, USDA and FDA. Our nation’s food supply is now controlled by a handful of corporations that often put profit ahead of consumer health, the livelihood of the American farmer, the safety of workers and our own environment. We have bigger-breasted chickens, the perfect pork chop, herbicide-resistant soybean seeds, even tomatoes that won’t go bad, but we also have new strains of E. coli—the harmful bacteria that causes illness for an estimated 73,000 Americans annually. We are riddled with widespread obesity, particularly among children, and an epidemic level of diabetes among adults.”

More Movie …..

My reaction to this documentary was similar to how many are affected by a placebo.  It hit “home”  right away and then fell away from my thoughts just as fast as it had entered.  Immediately following the film viewing,  I made a personal pact to buy from local farmers and visit a local farmer’s market.  But,  I was quick to find myself eating at McDonald’s during a road trip over the holidays and I still  haven’t bought anything from a local farmer – yet.  My excuse for now is the winter months.

On the other hand – I did buy organic milk this morning.  Maybe the movie did make me think twice about what I’m putting in my body and who I am supporting with my purchase.  Over all – I found this movie extremely easy to watch.  It was just well done – creative, interesting and fast paced.  I didn’t fall asleep once.  I also didn’t find it “preachy” which could have easily been an issue for this type of program.

This film is currently available “on demand” from Netflicks.

4 out of 5 Cheers.

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Drink Review > Winter Wonderland Beer

DRINK: Sierra Nevada’s Celebration Ale

REVIEWER: Becky Beamer

There’s a feeling to winter.  It’s a time when you want to be warmed by a fire while looking outside to a winter wonderland.  I fell victim to these wintery  feelings recently -  at the shopping market.

I looked around the Harris Teeter beer selection and noticed that everyone was picking up Sierra Nevada’s WInter Ale : Celebration Ale.  Check out the label.  It’s a perfect sell for the seasonal winter ale.

I had high hopes that were quickly dashed.  Don’t fall for the label.  The beer is just average – nothing special.

Learn More about the Celebrational Ale.

2 out 5 Cheers

Drink Review : Mystery Wine

DRINK: The “blush” or “red” wine offered at your local Chuck E. Cheese
REVIEWER: b.beamer

Let me set the scene. It is my birthday but, not just any birthday, I am turning 30. And as I enter the dirty thirties I am nostalgic about birthdays of past. I immediately thought about the fun of Chuck E. Cheese. Yes!!!! Tokens !!! I always loved a good game of skeetball and who doesn’t remember the fun of counting tickets, pizza, and hitting defenseless groundhogs. The deal was sealed when I found out that this great establishment also served alcohol (beer + wine).

What a perfect combo of kids, alcohol and 30 year olds.

I wanted beer but they were completely out. I settled for wine.  Between white and red I picked red – which was actually blush (see attached photo).  I could only drink it when chased with 2 bites of greasy pizza.  So bad to even describe the taste – Just bad.

The story goes down hill from that moment.  I spent at least an hour accumulating tickets and then 2 of my friends handed their tickets to me. I thought I was rich in tickets – 364 tickets! That only got me 4 temp tattoos and 1 jelly bracelet. Awwwww not what I remembered for prizes.

Birthday Recommendation – Go to a bar.  If you don’t believe me – Find your local Chuck E. Cheese and Coupons at :  http://www.chuckecheese.com/locations/

1 out of 5 Cheers

FILM REVIEW: Anvil: The Story of Anvil

FILM: Anvil: The Story of Anvil
FILMMAKER: Sacha Gervasi
CINEMATOGRAPHER: Christopher Soos
REVIEWED BY: Katy Jones

Anvil: The Story of Anvil, by Sacha Gervasi is a film about following your dreams. In 1982, Anvil was a Canadian heavy metal band touring with the likes of Scorpions and Bon Jovi. Then, they dropped right out of the spotlight. For reasons Anvil band members Robb Reiner and Steve “Lips” Kudlow never understood, the band failed to achieve the fame of the other great bands of the time, while their defining album “Metal on Metal” inspired the generation of metal bands that came after them.

Now in their 50’s, drummer Robb Reiner and singer/guitarist Steve “Lips” Kudlow- keep Anvil alive. The fans may not know it, but this band has kept rocking together for over thirty years. In their practice space, with time stolen from their paying jobs of delivering food or contract work and with time away from their wives and children, they rock daily with two “younger” Anvil members and dream of the day they’ll be rediscovered. And if they’ve adopted old man fanny packs which they wear almost constantly over their black jeans and bullet belts, they’ve still got long hair (and bald spots).

They live to be in a heavy metal band. And rather than pursue the other talents they may have (Robb, it turns out, is a pretty impressive painter), they continue to do what they’ve always wanted to do and dream of the day the music industry might care. The film follows the musicians as they prepare to leave their families for a European Tour with a new manager who has a “passion” for metal; and as they record a new album. This is their chance to find people who care – Europe loves Metal. And it’s a flop. No matter how dedicated they might be, and they are actually pretty awesome I say as a layperson, no one comes to their shows, the tour is vastly disorganized, and they can’t get a record company to listen.

“This is Spinal Tap”, only real. These are their real lives. And I can’t fault them – it’s fun to be in a band, it’s awesome to have meaningful friendships that last for decades. But, seriously, dudes, if you actually want your band to make money you probably need to develop some decent business practices. It’s like a morality tale…kids, it’s okay to dream, but for goodness sake, don’t expect success just cause you decided to exist. But that being said – these guys have good lives – love, work, passion, and great friendships. The only thing they lack is fame.

The film itself can run a bit slow for those of us who aren’t fascinated by band psychology. (Robb & “Lips” do still fight with one another like teenage boys). Sacha, the director, is a former Anvil roadie from their first brush with fame, and it shows in his somewhat over-interested direction. But it’s really well shot, I was very impressed with the cinematographer, keeping it together in some tough spots – and the characters are fascinating. They are so earnest and honest. It’s like watching “The Office” – you know where sometimes the show is soooo awkward and real that it makes you squinch in reaction – this film has a lot of that.

On the whole, entertaining and different.

Three of five cheers.

–Katy

Find this movie on Netflix.
Or buy it on Amazon.
You can also check out movie merch.

Because it ’tis the season…please be sure to check out “Charlie Brown’s Heavy Metal Christmas.”

And if you want more – check out what’s going on in the metal community in DC at my friend Chris’s Blog – DC Metal.

FILM REVIEW: Valentino: the Last Emperor

FILMMAKER: Matt Tyrnauer

REVIEWER: Katy Jones

Valentino: The Last Emperor

Valentino with his models (image from film's website)

The filmmaker Matt Tyranauer of “Valentino: The Last Emperor” followed the world-famous haute coutre fashion designer Valentino Garavani for the two last years of Valentino’s career – including jets, fashion shows, and his unbelievable gala event – his forty-five anniversary party. Seriously, none of this sounds like the kind of documentary I’d be into. Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous meets E’s Fashion Television? And yet, what unveiled was a sophisticated, fascinating portrait of a human being that intrigued and inspired me. Combined with one of the most thoughtful love stories I have seen on screen.

I am no fashionista. My very most fashionable fantasies involve finding the perfect pair of cargo pants. But every human has their own passion. Passion makes for a good documentary subject. Valentino’s passion is bringing beauty to the world through ladies clothing. This is prosaic, in some ways silly, and completely beautiful.

What struck me most about this film, and what made me watch it twice, was the finely crafted story. This could have easily strayed to the edge of caricature or publicity fluff or cheesy romance. But it stayed with the story. Tyranauer captured and shared humanly beautiful moments that a lesser filmmaker would have missed and structured the story in such a way that it kept moving forward. And it has a sense of “pull” strong sense of style which is entirely the filmmaker’s. Each moment in the film has a place and helps to craft a portrait. It is a finely edited and written film.

This is a documentary of Valentino’s larger than life reality. A man whose creative vision has created an empire with multiple homes, private jets, finely crafted foods, exquisite furniture, chauffeurs, and a Princess-confidant muse. But this is also a documentary about the smaller moments that make up this grand life. Behind the scenes of this great empire is his partner in life and business Giancarlo Giammetti. Giancarlo is the businessman while Valentino is the artist. I mean, seriously, how lucky can two people be? You actually find a partnership where everything you are good at brings good things for both you and your partner? And shittons of money?

They are partners in every sense of the world, and it’s not a picnic. They bicker about mundane bullshit like all of us, they whine about each other’s lack of sense, they praise one another, express gratitude, and sometimes understand each other’s moods without speaking, all the while surrounded by 19th century French antiques and private cars – it is your grandparents aging in grand style. This is not a story about two gay men. It’s a love story about two people. It is sometimes bitchy and sometimes joyful and sometimes exquisite, but it is always a partnership. And in larger than life glamour – so so very Valentino.

5 out of 5 cheers. And I may trade my cargo pants in for a vastly impractical beautiful party dress.

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Event > the GV Expo 2009 – Washington D.C

I had the opportunity to go as “press” to the GV Expo 2009 today as an official “press” representative.  It took place at the DC Convention Center. Today  was  the last day in its 3 day run.  The Expo was worth my time so I want to urge all DC/VA/MD locals to sign up and join me next year.  The exhibit area was even FREE to the general public.

Here are the highlights …….

The Convention and Expo staff were extremely friendly and helpful.   The area was clean and spacious.  I usually feel cramped by a crowd environment but this set up was refreshing.

I went to 3 seminars aimed towards a range of  the advanced FCP and the novice podcaster.

1. From Expert to Master : Advanced Techniques for FCp – I really liked this seminar.  I never felt bored or tired.  The speaker had a clear voice and moved at a speedy pace.  I learned plenty of new tricks and learned about featured that I don’t use regularly.  This seminar was not for the beginner for sure as the speaker pushed through beginner issues.

2. Creating a Graphic Identity for your Web Video – I didn’t stay for the entire hour.  The topic wasn’t extremely helpful to me but it was for those making marketing or branding products.  However, the instructor was extremely knowledgeable and helpful to the crowd (of only about 15 people).

3. Make Video Searchable on the Web - This seminar highlights the Adobe Premiere Pro option for “Speech Translation” available on CS4.   I found this seminar extremely interesting.  I like that the speaker was to the point and extremely knowledgeable.  She completed the demonstration in 30 minutes which left about 30 minutes for questions ranging form AE to FCP to PP.  She provided her notes to the class and her website with additional information : www.videotrainers.com .

I missed a few seminars on other days that I am sure I would have enjoyed like : Creating Great Titles in FCP, DC Podcast Alliance Meeting, Trouble Shooting FCP.

The exhibit area was packed with vendors.  There were products, organizations and companies for individuals and large companies.  I walked away with many booklets and magazines.

I am super excited about the new Panasonic 3D HD technology and the GY-HM100 JVC camera.  It is also nice to see that the DC film and television community is getting more active with both WIFV and the DC Film Alliance having a strong presence at the Expo.

Noticeably missing from the Expo was Sony although BOTH AVID and FCP were represented.  And the studentfilmmakers.com booth was also missing.

There was even a “give away” raffle at the end of the day.  Unfortunately, I didn’t win anything.

5 out 5 Cheers

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