stevenpaulsavage Reviews

King Coal (2023)

Pure Poetry

[10/10 · 28 August 2023]

I saw this at Sidewalk Film Festival in Birmingham AL (August 27, 2023). My friend and I left another movie to see this one, largely because coal and iron play a large role in the history of our town.

I was not prepared for what I saw. The visual poetry was of such high quality, both in production and choices, that I largely didn't remember I was sitting in a seat in a fully packed audience -- and in all honesty, it seemed that was true of all others sitting with me. However you feel about coal and its complexity, the visuals alone are worth your time.

Along with the visual poetry, the narrator weighs in with their take in a gentle way. I can't remember a documentary (and that is my favorite genre) that combines the commentary with the visuals better than this one.

The film is very careful not to bring politics into it. It takes no sides. Its focus is on, as it begins, with place and how place defines the boundaries of all who live there.

Powerful in all ways I know how to explain.

Art for Everybody (2023)

Honest Story of a Complicated Family

[10/10 · 28 August 2023]

Ms Yousef was given the honor of being the opening film of our local film festival in Birmingham AL (Sidewalk, called out at best director for Everything All at Once). And for full disclosure, I was able to talk personally with the filmmaker (an amazing benefit of attending film festivals).

Art for Everyone is one of the cleanest documentaries I have seen in a long time. The way the filmmaker intertwines the stories of the wife and daughters mixed with art experts showed an intimacy that is difficult to capture.

I felt invested in all of the commenters the filmmaker chose to include.

No matter how you feel about the man's art, the film compels the audience to look beyond the product the artist was able to make.

Nathan-ism (2023)

Unflinching

[10/10 · 28 August 2023]

The IMDB blurb for the movie covers most aspects of the doc, but i do want to offer an opinion. I watched it at my film festival in BIrmingham Alabama just this Saturday (Aug 26, 2023).

My friend and I were willing to leave the movie we were watching before the block where this film was shown -- fortunately we didn't have to. The theater where it was shown was packed; it wasn't the largest at the festival, but the interest meant that (sadly) many were not allowed to view it.

The honesty the filmmakers used to tell this story showed how transitory memory can be and the impact of one man obsessed with sharing what he remembers. Mr Hilu reminds me heavily of 'outsider' artists like Howard Finster and Henry Darger. Potentially mis-remembering aside, HOW he tells his stories by itself was worth the time spent.

Mississippi River Styx (2023)

Needs a Bit of Editing

[8/10 · 28 August 2023]

In addition to the imdb blurb, they show the man in an honest way. At times likable, at times more antagonist, the filmmakers do not shy away from showing the man as he is. And they need major kudos for staying on the rickety boat going through the most dangerous parts of the Mississippi River. Since they were at our local film festival, I knew they survived, but my heart was in my throat during that 8ish minutes. If nothing else that sequence is worth anyone's time.

However, I have a significant note. It is common for docs to linger on shots or show artistic shots (like embers from a bonfire). The issue here is the length of time the filmmakers opted to linger. I dont know what information may have been left out, but they would either be able to add 8-10 additional minutes on the subject or the folks he met on the way, or shorten the length of the doc itself.

I really enjoyed it, but the length of those moments were quite distracting me and reminded me I was sitting in a seat, not being engaged with the fantastic characters.

I watched the doc at my local film festival in Birmingham Alabama. As it is still on the festival circuit, maybe they have time to edit it.