Chances are you’ve at least heard of Proposition 8 even if you don’t live in California, but back in 2008, which feels like a whole other era now, the California Supreme Court ruled same-sex couples had the right to get married. That in of itself was probably the biggest civil rights movement of our time, allowing 18,000 same-sex couples to get married in the state which typically sets the trend on political policies and progressive idealism. But this crowning achievement was very short-lived. Just six months later, voters passed a ballot initiative called Proposition 8 (known informally as Prop 8) which defined marriage only valid between a man and a woman.

The Case Against 8 directors Ben Cotner and Ryan White follow an important and courageous case to overturn the ban of same-sex marriage in California through the various court levels and procedures. While the documentary presents the legal battle in rather straightforward fashion, it’s still intriguing due to the significance of the subject. Constant back-and-forth court appeals makes every “win” come with an asterisk and at the same time unintentionally shows the complexity and nonsensical side of our judicial system.

One of the biggest surprises in the case came early on from an unlikely source—a high-profile attorney named Ted Olson who is revered in the republican party. After famously representing George W. Bush in the Supreme Court case Bush v. Gore, which ended the recount in the 2000 Presidential election, Olson’s decision to take on this case was shocked everyone. Though no one was more amazed than David Boies, who worked against Olson in that Bush v. Gore case, but now will working as partners on this case. Watching these two opposing political party attorneys work together proves that deep down this case has an important human rights issue. While The Case Against 8 isn’t just about the lawyers, they get the most attention since they’re far more interesting to watch than the admittedly ordinary gay couples they represent. For better or worse characterization isn’t the prime focus here, it’s the case itself.

Since cameras aren’t permitted in the courts, Cotner and White have little choice but to show the court transcripts onscreen and play audio from the courtroom. While this doesn’t make for the most cinematic presentation, there are some insightful moments during the clips. Like when the defending side argues the principal difference between same-sex and opposite-sex marriage is that one can procreate and the other cannot, brilliantly countered by Olson asking if sterile couples of different sexes should then be allowed to marry. But the biggest “aha moment” in the trial is when opponents get asked what harm comes from same-sex couples getting married and they simply respond back with, “I don’t know.”

Yes, it’s truly amazing (and long overdue) that gay marriage is finally legal in some states, which just so happened around the same time we elected our first black president. But just because the subject is groundbreaking doesn’t automatically make the documentary groundbreaking too. The Case Against 8 is completely one-sided, making it feel like a “2-hour victory lap” as described by Way Too Indie writer CJ at its Hot Docs premiere. Because the outcome of the case is widely known and the documentary does little to actually sway opinions on the matter, The Case Against 8 feels more like a pat-on-the-back for itself and a history lesson for those who know little about the subject. The biggest shock is discovering same-sex marriage is still illegal in 31 states during the credits, assuring there’s still a lot more that needs to be done.

Before World Pride inevitably takes over all of Toronto at the end of June, the 24th Annual Toronto LGBT Film Festival is currently happening from May 22 to June 1. The festival is a great showcase of films dealing with youth and LGBT issues from around the world. This year’s line-up is already filled with some highlights, including the HBO film The Normal Heart along with Ira Sachs’ hotly anticipated Love is Strange, a film getting Oscar buzz already for its two lead performances.

We wanted to share our thoughts on a few of the films playing this year, while letting people know of a great chance to check out some little-known and important films over the next 10 days. There are many more films playing, so be sure to check out the schedule here to see what films are playing. Screening information for the films reviewed will be included below as well. You can find out more information about Inside Out at their official website, www.insideout.ca.

The Dog

Screens May 31, 2014 at TIFF Bell Lightbox

The Dog is a companion piece of sorts to Sidney Lumet’s film Dog Day Afternoon. John Wojtowicz is the man Al Pacino’s character is based on, and the subject of Allison Berg & Frank Keraudren’s documentary. Wojtowicz was married with two children before he accepted his homosexuality (while people classify Wojtowicz as gay, the self-described “pervert” is most likely bisexual) and joined the gay rights movement back in 1970s New York. He met his second wife Elizabeth, a transgender woman desperately wanting a sex change she couldn’t afford. After his wife’s frequent suicide attempts landed her in a psych ward, Wojtowicz decided to rob a bank in order to pay for the surgery. The rest, as they say, is history.

Berd and Keraudren made The Dog over a long period, following Wojtowicz (who eventually succumbed to cancer in 2006) and interviewing various people from his life. The presentation is bland, instead relying on the charisma of its subject to carry things forward. Wojtowicz also creates another major problem for the film: he’s shown in a positive and sometimes sympathetic light, a decision that makes zero sense considering what the man has done. Many parts of his story are tossed aside or glossed over, the most sickening example being when he casually talks about sexually assaulting someone like it’s a funny anecdote. Interviews with Wojtowicz’s mother don’t provide any pertinent material, and only a few talking head interviews give some sort of context to Wojtowicz’s story. The Dog picks a subject worth exploring in a documentary, it just goes about it in one of the worst possible ways.

Kidnapped for Christ

Screens May 25, 2014 at TIFF Bell Lightbox

Director Kate Logan started Kidnapped for Christ as a young film student and evangelical Chrisitian. While doing missionary work in the Dominican she hears of a Escuela Caribe, a nearby camp helping troubled teens. She looks at it as the perfect opportunity for a documentary, profiling troubled teens and watching their path to recovery through faith. She spent over six weeks at Escuela Caribe, and soon discovered an entirely different story.

Most of the children she interviewed didn’t show signs of needing to be shipped off to a $72k a year behavioural school. Beth is a young girl with nothing more than intense anxiety problems, and Tai is a teenager with drug problems as a result of past traumas in her life. Logan eventually realizes the camp is like an abusive labour camp more than anything. Students are classified into different levels based on their behaviour, and even the tiniest infraction against the camp’s absurd standards results in punishments ranging from solitary confinement (“The Quiet Room”) to physical abuse (referred to as “swats”). Logan focuses primarily on David, a 17 year old forcefully taken from his home after coming out to his parents.

Logan’s amateur filmmaking both helps and hurts the film. Her own commentary is fascinating at times, as she clearly has no idea how to pursue the film she wants to make once she starts getting pushback from the camp’s officials. Watching her try to adapt herself to continue exposing the camp, along with inserting herself into the story when she sneaks a letter from David out of the camp, is exciting to watch. Logan’s transformation from a passive observer to an active one only works in small doses though. Her involvement can sometimes feel too self-indulgent, like when she narrates about questioning her faith as a result of filming. The same goes for the last block of the film, a sort of half-assed epilogue briefly going over how places like Escuela Caribe house thousands of teens all over the world. These issues are relatively minor though, as Kidnapped for Christ has a topic that, at its core, is bound to compel viewers.

Tom at the Farm

Screens May 26, 2014 at TIFF Bell Lightbox

Tom at the Farm is Xavier Dolan’s fourth film, and it’s a departure for the young filmmaker. Dolan heads into genre territory, adapting a play about a young man (Dolan) visiting his deceased boyfriend’s estranged family. The family, a mother and son living on a farm in rural Quebec, pose a lot of problems for Tom. The mother (Lise Roy) never knew about her son’s sexual orientation, and her other son (Pierre-Yves Cardinal) terrorizes Tom into making sure he won’t tell her the truth. The relationship between Tom and his dead boyfriend’s family soon gets a lot more complicated, as Tom starts working at the farm while enduring constant abuse from the brother.

Dolan has quite the eye for visuals, and Tom is his best film yet. That doesn’t exactly say too much though, as Dolan has continually made so-so films up to this point. Tom at the Farm suffers from writing that eventually steers into the implausible. Tom’s decision to stay at the farm increasingly makes no sense, mainly because he’s such an underdeveloped character. Roy and Cardinal, on the other hand, are excellent as the grieving family. This turns Tom at the Farm into the kind of thriller where characters feel more like puppets for the writer than actual people. It’s this kind of poor writing, along with several ineffective visual choices from Dolan, that hold the film back.

A full-length review of Tom at the Farm will go online next week to coincide with its Canadian release

The Case Against 8

Screens May 30, 2014 at TIFF Bell Lightbox

We’ve talked about The Cast Against 8 before in our Hot Docs coverage earlier this year, but it’s worth mentioning again. This is a well-done documentary dealing with the legal battle to declare California’s Proposition 8 as unconstitutional. Through its profiles of the lawyers working on the case, along with the two same-sex couples serving as plaintiffs, The Case Against 8 is yet another reminder of how same sex equality is a human rights issue, not a political one. It made our Top 10 of Hot Docs, and if you weren’t able to catch it back in April you should definitely see it here while you have the chance.

First things first: Let’s congratulate the award winners at Hot Docs this year. The winner of Best Canadian Documentary went to Out of Mind, Out of Sight, a look at criminals with mental illness as they try to rehabilitate themselves in an asylum. Best International Documentary went to Waiting for August, a look at a Romanian teenager raising 6 siblings while her mother goes to work in a different city. The Audience Award has gone to The Backward Class. You can see all of the award winners here.

After seeing over 25 documentaries at the festival, I’m both exhausted and disappointed that I couldn’t see more. The most surprising part of the festival was how, for its size, there weren’t a lot of duds. As someone who approaches documentaries with hesitation, largely because of how the format can lead to uninspired filmmaking, I was surprised at how many documentaries found terrific subjects and innovative ways to tell their story. Below are my 10 personal favorites of the festival, along with a bonus pick. Information on distribution/availability is below as well, in case you’d like to find out if/when you can watch these great documentaries.

The Overnighters

By far my personal favorite of the new documentaries playing, The Overnighters is a roller coaster ride of a film. What starts out as a simple tale of a pastor trying to help out people in need spins out of control into something far more complex and devastating.

Availability: The film will be out in theaters this fall, presumably to give it an Oscar push. Be on the lookout for our interview with director Jesse Moss this fall.

Watchers of the Sky

Using the life of the man responsible for creating the word “genocide,” Watchers of the Sky is a moving look at people tirelessly fighting for justice, even though it’s unlikely they’ll succeed in their lifetime. Hopeful without being mawkish, wide-ranging without feeling spread thin, Watchers of the Sky is one of the year’s best documentaries.

Availability: In theaters this fall.

The Creator of the Jungle

The story of a true genius and artist, a man who simply wants to play with his toys and be left alone. In this case the man’s toys are an entire forest, and the results are jaw-dropping. A true definition of a festival gem, The Creator of the Jungle is well worth your time if you can see it.

Availability: Currently without distribution. Hopefully a distributor will snatch it up in due time, but if not be on the lookout for it on the festival circuit.

Read our interview with the director of The Creator of the Jungle HERE

No Lullaby

A mother and daughter’s attempt to break a cycle of abuse is simultaneously gut-wrenching and infuriating to watch. It’s the kind of story people need to see, no matter how hard it is to watch.

Availability: No North American distribution, but it will air on German TV next year.

Read our interview with the director of No Lullaby

Guidelines

A sort of more artistic take on Frederick Wiseman’s High School, Guidelines is a fascinating snapshot of a high school over one year. Through its striking cinematography, the film shows teenagers trying to find themselves between the freedom of youth outside of class and the strict rules imposed by their superiors in school.

Availability: There might be distribution in Canada through the National Film Board, but US distribution seems unlikely.

Actress

Robert Greene’s profile of his neighbor trying to get back into acting expands into something far more fascinating and complicated. Greene’s experimental approach, along with the haunting beauty of his film’s star, makes for a fascinating look into the artifice inherent in documentary filmmaking and our own lives.

Availability: Hopefully a release this year, but details are still unknown. Keep your eyes peeled for our interview with director Robert Greene and star Brandy Burre closer to the film’s release.

Whitey: The United States of America v. James J. Bulger

Documentary pro Joe Berlinger continues to prove why he’s one of the best in his field. Taking one of the most notorious criminals in US history, Berlinger makes a truly compelling argument against the status quo when it comes to Bulger’s sordid past. Fans of true crime stories shouldn’t miss this.

Availability: Expect a theatrical release this summer, and be sure to visit us closer to its release for our interview with director Joe Berlinger.

The Case Against 8

A look at the long, intense battle to declare California’s Proposition 8 as unconstitutional, The Case Against 8 is surprisingly involving despite its well-known outcome. Through its detailed look at the process of building an argument against Prop 8, The Case Against 8 shows how its central issue is more about human rights than politics.

Availability: A limited theatrical release in June, before airing on HBO in the US at the end of the month.

Joy of Man’s Desiring

I’ll admit, the film has slowly gone up in my estimation since seeing it. It’s a mostly wordless, but never boring look at human labour and the way people try to find happiness with dull, repetitive work.

Availability: Unknown at this time. Considering its brief length and 40+ minutes of nothing but operating machinery, don’t expect this to get a big release.

Private Violence

A well-done advocacy doc using two women, one an advocate for protecting abuse victims and the other a survivor of abuse, to highlight the complexities of trying to escape an abusive relationship. Anyone thinking a victim of domestic abuse can just walk away should watch this.

Availability: HBO has it, so expect a release sometime in the near future (fall/winter seems likely). Thankfully since HBO has this it should mean it’ll get plenty of exposure to the public.

Portrait of Jason

I included it as a bonus pick because it’s an older title, but it was overall the best documentary I saw at the festival. Both a fascinating look at one man’s life and a self-aware critique of documentary filmmaking, Portrait of Jason is challenging but essential viewing.

Availability: Milestone Films says they will be releasing the new, restored version of the film on DVD and Blu-Ray this year.

Hot Docs 2014 kicks off next Thursday, and Way Too Indie has already been getting sneak peeks of some of the many, many (197 to be exact) documentaries that will play from April 24 – May 4. One of the benefits of Hot Docs is how some of the low-profile documentaries from other film festivals get a chance to be seen here. Golden Lion winner Sacro GRA will screen this year, along with Sundance winners The Overnighters (stay tuned for a review in the coming days) and Rich Hill. Other highlights include SXSW winner The Great Invisible and IDFA winners Ai Weiwei: The Fake Case and Ne Me Quitte Pas.

To give a sampling of some of the titles that will play in the coming weeks, here are our thoughts on The Case Against 8, 112 Weddings, and Doc of the Dead. Be sure to stay tuned for more Hot Docs 2014 coverage, and if you’d like to see some of the films playing or learn more go to www.hotdocs.ca.

The Case Against 8

The problem with big ‘issue’ docs like The Case Against 8 is how hard it is to drum up interest in something that already has a lot of public exposure. Credit goes to directors Ben Cotner and Ryan White, then, for taking the legal battle over California’s Proposition 8 and creating such an involving documentary. As the title says, the doc focuses on the side arguing Prop 8’s ban on same-sex marriages as unconstitutional. Attorneys Ted Olson and David Boies, among many other lawyers and interested parties, let Cotner and White’s cameras in on their vetting process for plaintiffs, gathering of evidence and every other small detail as they prepare to make their case in court.

Cotner and White smartly frame their film as a legal procedural, and footage of mock trials along with attempts to snag one key witness make for surprisingly exciting viewing. The indulgent 110 minute length is offset by the film’s subjects, all of whom turn out to be perfect representations of what Cotner/White are trying to say. The strongest example is Olson and Boies’ partnership on the case; both lawyers come from opposite sides of the political spectrum, and actually worked against each other in Bush v. Gore back in 2000. The fact that Olson, a staunch conservative, and Boies, a former lawyer for Al Gore, can come together on this case shows how this case is a human rights issue at its core, transcending partisanship.

The personal lives of the plaintiffs, two same sex couples, are also shown, and the ordinary nature of their lives is enough evidence to show how their sexual orientation is irrelevant to them (“I really don’t think about it,” one of the plaintiffs says at one point. “It seems so secondary to everything else.”). The Case Against 8 may feel like a 2-hour victory lap at times, but it’s undeniably good filmmaking.

112 Weddings

For the last 20 years, Doug Block (51 Birch Street, The Kids Grow Up) has been working on and off as a wedding videographer. These videos are the subject of 112 Weddings, as Block begins contacting his former clients to interview them and find out what has happened to them since their wedding day.

The results are, expectedly, mixed. Some couples are still together, while others have divorced or faced plenty of struggles over the years. Block’s choices can range from the clichéd (he profiles a couple about to be married in between footage of the older couples) to the manipulative (contrasting divorced couples’ tearful testimonies with happy footage from their wedding).

What ends up making 112 Weddings fascinating is the candor of its subjects. Some couples talk openly about their struggles with different issues, while others avoid the harder topics altogether. “When things are going good, you don’t wanna sit and think about when they were going bad,” one wife says. One of the doc’s best moments comes when a woman glosses over her daughter’s battle with a terminal illness, leading her husband to call her out on avoiding an issue that appears to have defined their marriage.

Those kinds of scenes, along with the jarring cuts from old wedding videos to present day, emphasize how much of an impact time has on a marriage. When Block explores these kinds of ideas, 112 Weddings makes for a fascinating watch, but his thesis can be boiled down to “Weddings are easy. Marriage is hard.” That kind of simplistic approach ends up making 112 Weddings pleasant but ineffective viewing.

Doc of the Dead

Zombies have taken over the mainstream, so it comes as no surprise that someone has gone out and tried to make the definitive zombie documentary. Alexandre O. Philippe, uses a variety of classic horror icons (George A. Romero, Tom Savini, Sig Haid, Bruce Campbell and Simon Pegg are a few talking heads that show up) and zombie experts to explain the history of zombies and why they’re so popular.

Doc of the Dead is a bit of a messy film, but endearingly so. Philippe zips through as many topics as he can in the scant 80 minute runtime, from the word’s Haitian origins to its cinematic development. Facts about the origin of the word can be quite interesting, like how a zombie was originally a voodoo slave with no cannibal instincts (Romero is the one responsible for defining the modern-day zombie). Much of Doc of the Dead‘s first half is spent discussing the staples of the subgenre, along with how adaptable zombies can be as a metaphor.

Philippe and the various interview subjects thankfully approach the topic with a sense of humour, since zombies aren’t a topic that shouldn’t be taken seriously. Doc of the Dead’s second half isn’t as strong as its first, mainly because the focus is put on how popular zombie merchandising has become over the years. There is something funny and bizarre about seeing just how much zombie-related material is out there (knives for fighting zombies! zombie dummies for shooting ranges! zombie survival kits!) but it quickly gets stale.

The doc’s presentation and fast pace are luckily good enough to make the duller moments pass by with ease. Doc of the Dead will obviously appeal to fans of the undead, but the doc is still plenty of fun for people unfamiliar with zombies. It’s lighthearted, breezy and overall a fun piece of pop trivia.