Hot Docs 2012 Preview

Another season of Hot Docs begins this Thursday and Toronto will be buzzing this weekend with premieres of some great films. Here is a roundup of some of the films I previewed for this year’s festival.

We Are Legion: The Story of The Hacktivists

Everyone has heard of Anonymous but what is it? A group of “hackers on steroids” as Fox News has described it or a group of “hactivists” that have it in for Tom Cruise and the Church of Scientology. We Are Legion delves into the world of Anonymous and does a nice job explaining the origins of the group. I found this doc fascinating and for someone that spends most of his day online, I was surprised by how little I know about Anonymous.

Jason Becker: Not Dead Yet

Life is full of incredible stories and the films that document them can be difficult to watch at times. I had a vague idea of who Jason Becker was but the tragedy that befell him is a revelation and it times it gets really weird. If you like music docs then don’t miss this film but be prepared to feel drained after watching it. I couldn’t shake the incredible sadness that weighs on this film.

The Waiting Room

We’ve all spent time in a hospital emergency room and know the drama that goes on there. Imagine having the cameras rolling 24/7 in a hospital ER in Oakland. It sounds like the perfect idea for a doc but it just doesn’t work. Sure, there is drama and tragedy but I felt like I was in an endless loop of hopelessness. There are plenty of interesting stories and moments but I never felt fully-engaged with this film.

Life In Stills

I was expecting more of an artistic doc about late photographer Rudi Weissenstein. I was surprised when the film focused more on Weissenstein’s 96-year-old widow and her relationship with her grandson. You’ll find this doc to be entertaining look into the lives of this family in Tel Aviv.

Posted in Hot Docs at 12:18 AM