While I liked a number of these films I wasn't really blown away by most of them so I'm going to lump them all together in a super post of quick reviews.
The features:
ALI BLUE EYES is about an Egyptian teen living in Italy with his family. The film documents his struggles to deal with both his friends who are not Muslim and his family. A very well acted film would have scored higher in my book had I not seen it in the crush of Tribeca films.
GENIUS OF MARIAN shocked me with it's touching nature. I didn't want to see this but ended up really liking it. Director Banker White makes a film about his mother trying to finish a book on her mother who died of Alzheimer's disease..a disease which has started to steal her mind as well. I didn't think we needed another film on Alzheimer's, but when its done like this I'm there.
INSIDE OUT:THE PEOPLE'S ART PROJECT is an HBO documentary about an artist known as JR as he tries to use participatory art to heal communities. It's good, but to be honest I only watched a little figuring I'd pick it up when HBO runs it.
LILY is lost to the weight of the number of films. I have no idea about the film. The Tribeca book says its about a young woman taking stock of her life while dealing with breast cancer. My notes say Okay but Unremarkable. It left no impression on me other than the lead actress is cute.
THE MOTIVATION is about several of the best skateboarders in the world getting ready for meet. Okay but completely unremarkable. Unlike most sports documentaries at Tribeca (always a highlight and the one series that can be counted on) this film wore out its welcome after about half it's running time...
SIX ACTS has a teen hooking up with the coolest boy in school and ending up in way over her head and being passed around. Heartfelt but it echoes several other films (and for some reason I can't shake it seeming to be like the Israeli Lemon Popcicle series from the 1980's which spawned the LAST AMERICAN VIRGIN)
TABOOR hypnotic and off beat film about a man who lives in a foil lined room going through his nightly routine. Its a visual trip. I have no idea what it means or how I feel about it but I'd like to see it on the big screen.
RUNNING FROM CRAZY- Mariel Hemingway examines mental illness and her family. A rambling film that is good but it's much too long at 105 minutes
OUT OF PRINT the debate of real books and digital. Who controls the information? Simple and simplistic look at the subject is made by people who don't wholly grasp the whole magilla. I completely understand why John went nuts watching it. A film for people who know nothing made by people who don't know much either. It stayed off my worst list because it looks good.
PAT XO A good celebration of women's basketball coach Pat Summitt made by people who love her.
LET THEM WEAR TOWELS Strangely disappointing look at the battles female sports reporters had to endure to cover their sports the way their male counterparts do.Its not bad but I expect greatness from ESPN.
NO LIMITS is the story of free diver Audrey Mestre. Another disappointment from ESPN films. This would kick ass at 30 minutes but it's too long by half.
The Shorts:
FEAR OF FLYING a bird with a fear of flying decides to stay put for the winter. Amusing animated film isn't anything special
RPG OKC is the sort of film that only a gamer would understand...in which case they'll love it.
WHO SHOT ROCK AND ROLL:THE FILM- A look at the photographers who shot some of rock and rolls iconic images is a nice nostalgic look at the images that shaped rock and our lives.
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