13th (2016)

USA
directed by: Ava DuVernay
written by: Ava DuVernay, Spencer Averick
appearing: Angela Davis, Henry Louis Gates, Van Jones
seen: 18th December, 2017

It may be possible I'm at the point where I've forgotten how to evaluate documentaries. It seems to me that the ideas discussed are being overshadowed by a very amateurish approach of the film-makers. The (over)use of graphics and music was rather terrible and even the way the interviews and archive materials were edited together seemed more like it was a quickly put together show from a cheap network and not like a serious creative testimony. Any of John Oliver's coverages of one of these topics would seem a lot more professional than this. He and his team at least do not hide the fact that they are being emotionaly manipulative. I think this documentary can have informational value only to those who never heard or read a single word about this subject matter.

Kundun (1997)

USA
directed by: Martin Scorsese
written by: Melissa Mathison
starring: Tenzin Thuthob Tsarong, Gyurme Tethong, Tulku Jamyang Kunga Tenzin
seen: 1st December, 2017

Lately I mentioned that Scorsese (or his films, should I say) rather pisses me off. Well, Kundun is the best possible way for him to redeem himself in my eyes. I don't feel like explaining the experience of this film with words too much, but I just have to mention how Melissa Mathison uses the good old narrative trick of starting with character's childhood and then jumping forward in time preciously and meaningfully. Many films use this trick and many of these films have no basis for its usage, rendering it superfluous and unutilized, but this film isn't one of those.

-"They have taken away our silence."