Dear Mr. Watterson (2013)

dearmrwatterson

“Tigers will do anything for a tuna fish sandwich!”

I first discovered “Calvin and Hobbes” in high school, where a curious glance in to one of their trade collections led to a love for the comic that’s lasted for many years. “Calvin and Hobbes” ended in 1995, but has continued to be an important part of many people’s lives. From fans, to modern cartoonists, Biller Watterson has left a large legacy behind, after “Calvin and Hobbes” went exploring. “Dear, Mr. Watterson” isn’t just a wonderful and insightful exploration in to the popularity of the comic, but why the comic has been so influential, years after its end.

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Risky Business: A Look Inside America’s Adult Film Industry (2013)

RiskyBusiness

Director David Mech’s documentary about the ins and outs of the porn industry takes on an especially powerful resonance, when director Mech explores the argument of condoms versus no condoms in filming porn. Now in the midst of the 2013 porn industry debacle involving the AIDS outbreak among a slew of porn performers that began after an orgy scene featuring unprotected sex, the segment involving the condom debate will serve as an especially dire and powerful omen. I was never quite aware there was such a debate, but lo and behold it’s an actual issue in the adult industry.

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Birth Of The Living Dead (2013)

birth_dead_07It’s no easy feat to create a new dedication to “Night of the Living Dead” that doesn’t feel rehashed or regurgitated from other documentaries. Rob Kuhn’s documentary had every chance to be just a summary of “Document of the Dead,” but thankfully is a fresh and very entertaining look at the horror film that changed the world. Director Kuhns doesn’t just explore how “Night of the Living Dead” changed horror films, but how it changed the pop culture and American landscape for fifty years after its release.

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Crystal Lake Memories: The Complete History Of Friday The 13th (Blu-ray + DVD Combo)

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The team of 1428 Films is at it again, and this time they’re giving Jason Voorhees, the man behind the mask, his due. If folks loved “Never Sleep Again” and it’s extended run time, you’ll be glad to find out that “Crystal Lake Memories” is an exhaustive and lengthy documentary running almost seven hours. This allows for funny, wry, and honest looks in to every single installment of the series. Including the remake. With narration by series star Corey Feldman, “Crystal Lake Memories” traces the series back to when “Friday the 13th” began life as a low budget production at half a million dollars. Thanks to the introduction of Wes Craven’s “Last House on the Left” along with John Carpenter’s iconic “Halloween,” the creators set out to make their own mark with a holiday themed horror film.

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Bayo (2012)

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One of the main things director Mark Brown’s music documentary has going against it is that it’s a very niche film. Even fans most open to music will find watching this documentary very polarizing in that it chronicles a world that seems very exclusive to only a select few that understand the music form. “Bayo” is set on a young reggae artist that director Mark Brown finds oddly fascinating, and true to the documentary, Bayo is the center of many people’s fascinations, and is something of a celebrity within the music circuit he’s entrenched in. While I really have nothing against this musical form, “Bayo” doesn’t do much to appeal to a broader audience curious to the music’s appeal.

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Monsters Wanted (2013)

monsterswantedDirector Brian Cunningham’s haunted house documentary is simultaneously very engrossing and utterly surreal. Cunningham explores the haunted house industry and how one haunted house attraction isn’t just becoming the centerpiece for a town, but for a slew of aspiring actors and performers who rely on this job as a means of celebrating the holiday of Halloween, showcasing their talents, or just imploring the attraction as an outlet for their characters.

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The Last Dance – Raw Mystery Science Theater 3000 (1999)

MST3K Raw is strictly for hardcore fans of the Mystery Science Theater show. It’s a series of raw clips and behind the scenes footage of the entire crew of the show filming the final episode in which Mike and his friends are accidentally sent back to Earth. As one final bit of pain, Pearl makes the guys watch “Diabolik.” I remember watching this last episode on the Sci-Fi Channel, and still wonder why the show had to come to a close. It was fine the way it was.

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