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Reviews
Roam Sweet Home (1996)
Amazing documentary about mobile living and life on the road
This film by Ellen Spiro (Mobilus Media) is one of her best. I am her fan, I will admit. There is no filmmaker making docs today with more heart, soul, creative vision and sense of humor. This is a great doc for anyone but especially those interested in mobile living, airstream trailers and nomadic living. This film was shown on PBS and you could see it again by requesting that your local station rebroadcast it. I got my copy on the mobilus media website. You will not see better editing, cinematography and more interesting American characters in any film of the last few years. See it. You will laugh, cry and want to hit the road with a vengeance.
Troop 1500 (2005)
Amazing film, superb style and radical content
I saw this film at the South by Southwest Film Festival where I was privileged to hear several of the "subjects" of the film speak. Not only was I impressed with the level of dedication of the filmmaker, but with the incredible virtuosity of the film-making itself. The cinematography evoked the deepest emotional states of the characters and the strange beauty of the harsh prison environment. Filmmakers made an engaging, dramatic and compelling film while also staying sensitive to the subjects. The subjects could easily have been seen as victims, but instead they were empowered to tell their own stories within the framework of the filmmaker's profound storytelling vision. Though this film has many political implications, it is not a "political" film. It steers clear of easy points and summaries and paints a complex portrait of complex characters caught up in a severely flawed legal system that punishes children more than adults. If you can see this film, SEE IT! It is the best documentary I have seen in years. In fact, I recently read that it will be on PBS as part of the Independent Lens series.