Once again, I am trying to get ahead of the Oscars and watch some of the movies on the short lists that are out. This time around I'll start chronologically with what I found, so that's the best documentary and this is the first on the list.
So American Symphony is a doc I had to really let hit me over time. After my initial watch I was not impressed and had a lot of problems with it, especially for it being a documentary, but then some of it´s elements stuck with me and there are moments filmed here that really got to me. It made me lover my guard a bit and appreciate it a bit more. I still have a lot of issues with it, but I most say it´s worth a watch.
The musician Jon Batiste is working on his next big thing, a symphony called "American Symphony". At the same time, his partner is going through cancer treatment.
This documentary has one of my deadly sins when it comes to the documentary style. To me, you really have to be careful when it comes to framings, question and footage, as to not make it too fiction filmy and this movie has a bit too many scenes that feel and looks too set-up by the crew and the people involved. It is a tough balancing act to show reality in an interesting way and making a compelling narrative, and this movie fails to convince me that it isn't set up. Look, I know nearly all documentaries have some elements of authenticity that feels tampered with, but a good documentary makes you forget that you are looking at a guy asking leading questions and editing. This is as said the hardest part of doing a documentary, but there is just too much forced footage here.
The only thing I found authentic, but super annoying, was the ugly camera work. Seriously, there are so many out of focus elements, too many ugly frames, so many close-ups. While it makes it feel more real, it feels more like a kid picked up a camera and filmed a home video rather than a professional documentary.
I think another huge problem is the story it wants to tell here. It is a movie about the hardships of cancer, about making it as a black creator, about a symphony and about a broken man. It just never really focuses on one grand aspects and becomes more like a following a person for a year and edit together what we got. Furthermore, it's like the editor didn't know what they wanted either out of the movie. Because there are some excellent aspects here, and focusing on just one of the elements mentioned above would be sufficient for a documentary. It also makes the doc feel longer than it is.
Following a guy like Jon Batiste is interesting, and I feel like I got to know a person I knew nothing about a little but better. He seems like such a life happy guy and someone that is hard to beat out of course. That's why it´s interesting to see him being challenged to the max here. I also found him extremely pretentious as a person, but that's more of a personal gripe with him. We need to see all facets of the person we are following in a doc to really make it feel real.
But the doc got to me as said. After thinking about what I saw, a couple of aspects touched me. The dancing sequence. Jon playing this wife. It really moved me and created aspects of finding cinema in reality. The way it´s framed and pretend is absolutely high filmmaking, and that comes from a documentary I was a bit frustrated about to begin with.
For these few incredible moments, American Symphony is worth watching. Sure I have a lot of issues with it, but not every movie gets under my skin like this did and that I admire movies for, when they actually make us think and feel. This doc can seem kind of amateurish at times, but that also raises the authentic moments a bit. I don't know, it´s a mixed bag, but one that got to me in the end.
So, Oscar predictions. Since I only know this is on the short list, it´s hard to guess what will happen. I think this might have a chance to be nominated, but I surely hope there is a better documentary from last year than this, even tough I see the emotional value in this and some clear elements that will speak to the comity. There is also some behind the scenes aspects in terms of people knowing each other that makes me think this might have a chance of being nominated and winning, but I surly hope there is something a bit stronger this year.
So American Symphony is a doc I had to really let hit me over time. After my initial watch I was not impressed and had a lot of problems with it, especially for it being a documentary, but then some of it´s elements stuck with me and there are moments filmed here that really got to me. It made me lover my guard a bit and appreciate it a bit more. I still have a lot of issues with it, but I most say it´s worth a watch.
The musician Jon Batiste is working on his next big thing, a symphony called "American Symphony". At the same time, his partner is going through cancer treatment.
This documentary has one of my deadly sins when it comes to the documentary style. To me, you really have to be careful when it comes to framings, question and footage, as to not make it too fiction filmy and this movie has a bit too many scenes that feel and looks too set-up by the crew and the people involved. It is a tough balancing act to show reality in an interesting way and making a compelling narrative, and this movie fails to convince me that it isn't set up. Look, I know nearly all documentaries have some elements of authenticity that feels tampered with, but a good documentary makes you forget that you are looking at a guy asking leading questions and editing. This is as said the hardest part of doing a documentary, but there is just too much forced footage here.
The only thing I found authentic, but super annoying, was the ugly camera work. Seriously, there are so many out of focus elements, too many ugly frames, so many close-ups. While it makes it feel more real, it feels more like a kid picked up a camera and filmed a home video rather than a professional documentary.
I think another huge problem is the story it wants to tell here. It is a movie about the hardships of cancer, about making it as a black creator, about a symphony and about a broken man. It just never really focuses on one grand aspects and becomes more like a following a person for a year and edit together what we got. Furthermore, it's like the editor didn't know what they wanted either out of the movie. Because there are some excellent aspects here, and focusing on just one of the elements mentioned above would be sufficient for a documentary. It also makes the doc feel longer than it is.
Following a guy like Jon Batiste is interesting, and I feel like I got to know a person I knew nothing about a little but better. He seems like such a life happy guy and someone that is hard to beat out of course. That's why it´s interesting to see him being challenged to the max here. I also found him extremely pretentious as a person, but that's more of a personal gripe with him. We need to see all facets of the person we are following in a doc to really make it feel real.
But the doc got to me as said. After thinking about what I saw, a couple of aspects touched me. The dancing sequence. Jon playing this wife. It really moved me and created aspects of finding cinema in reality. The way it´s framed and pretend is absolutely high filmmaking, and that comes from a documentary I was a bit frustrated about to begin with.
For these few incredible moments, American Symphony is worth watching. Sure I have a lot of issues with it, but not every movie gets under my skin like this did and that I admire movies for, when they actually make us think and feel. This doc can seem kind of amateurish at times, but that also raises the authentic moments a bit. I don't know, it´s a mixed bag, but one that got to me in the end.
So, Oscar predictions. Since I only know this is on the short list, it´s hard to guess what will happen. I think this might have a chance to be nominated, but I surely hope there is a better documentary from last year than this, even tough I see the emotional value in this and some clear elements that will speak to the comity. There is also some behind the scenes aspects in terms of people knowing each other that makes me think this might have a chance of being nominated and winning, but I surly hope there is something a bit stronger this year.