Superheroes (2011)

1st View
Format: DVD
Venue: Rivendell

Strange, uneven, but ultimately fascinating documentary about real life superheroes.

Rating: 6/10 Atkins

The Rock-afire Explosion (2008)

Revisit
Format: Netflix
Venue: Rivendell

 A weird, wonderful documentary about the animatronic band from Showbiz Pizza Place locations across the country in the late 80s. The doc not only charts the rise and fall of the company that created the Rock-afire Explosion, Creative Engineering, but also spends time with a few eccentric fans whose lives were so touched by this strange entertainment niche.


Rating: 6/10 Atkins

Special When Lit-A Pinball Documentary (2009)

1st View
Format: Netflix
Venue: Rivendell

Had never heard of this doco, saw it while scrolling through the Netflix streaming catalog. As someone who has recently become interested in the game, thanks to the amazing Pinballz Arcade here in Austin, I was excited to watch it. Starts out with a lot of energy, pizazz, and fascinating information, but fizzles near the end by lingering on some truly sad subjects. Overall, pretty solid.

Rating: 6/10 Atkins

Machete Maidens Unleashed! (2010)

Revisit 
Format: Netflix WI
Venue: Rivendell

Mark Hartley is the master of the immensely entertaining documentary. Here he focuses his irreverent/reverent lens on the exploitation films made in The Philippines during the 70s-80s. Not quite as encompassing as Not Quite Hollywood, but Hartley is dealing with more limited subject matter. Still a great doco featuring exceptional interviewees and Hartley's signature pitch-perfect editing.

Rating: 7/10 Atkins

FANTASTIC FEST 2011: Comic-Con Episode Four: A Fan's Hope (2011)

1st View
Country: USA
Venue: Alamo South Lamar

Rating: 8/10 Atkins

FANTASTIC FEST 2011: Knuckle (2011)

1st View
Country: Ireland
Venue: Alamo South Lamar

Rating: 7/10 Atkins

Fantastic Flesh: The Art of Make-Up EFX (2008)

1st View
Format: Netflix WI
Venue: Rivendell

Very interesting. Like how it begins modern and travels backward through the history of makeup effects.

Rating: 7/10 Atkins

Nightmares in Red, White, and Blue (2009)

1st View
Format: Netflix WI
Venue: Rivendell

Documentary on horror films. Mostly good, poorly edited.

Rating: 6/10 Atkins

Double Dare (2004)

Revisit
Format: Netflix WI
Venue: Rivendell

Wonderful documentary about badass stuntwoman Zoe Bell. It captures the exact moment she met Quentin Tarantino and was offered the job of doubling Uma in Kill Bill. Her reaction to that phone call never fails to bring a tear to my eye. Highly recommend this one.

Rating: 8/10 Atkins

Dial H for Hitchcock (1999)

Revisit
Format: DVD (Burned from DVR)
Venue: Rivendell

An outstanding, gripping, and altogether moving documentary on Alfred Hitchcock. When I was in my early high school years, I discovered Hitch at the very same time I first saw this doco on TV. It blew my mind and turned me on to what real filmmaking was all about. The doc has never been released on DVD and its appearances on cable are unfortunately infrequent. A few months ago it popped up again so I had Luke record it. I have already watched the subsequently burned DVD three or four times.

Rating: 9/10 Atkins