Little Rock Film Festival 2009: Donahue talks

Director Aron Gaudet follows three senior citizens who voluntarily spend their days, with others, greeting American troops as they arrive at Bangor, Maine's airport on their way home from Iraq or on their way there. With close framed, emotional interviews Gaudet evokes a multitude of thoughts and opnions from his subjects. For example, 86 year old Bill at first appears to be winding his life down with a disastrously messy house filled with cats and trash. And his talks about death are heartbreaking. But I underestimated the strength of this guy who makes a major, positive turn. At 86! There is no apparent political standpoint in The Way We Get By. The troops obviously relish in the attention. The greeters obviously relish in the giving. And the audiences obviously relish in the opportunity to see one of the better "feel good" docs of the year.

Donahue's film, on the other hand, makes his POV extremely clear: Voting for the war in Iraq was a mistake. The film revolves around paraplegic Tomas Young who was permanently injured after a week long stint in Iraq. As the cameras follow Young through his wedding and the realities of catheters and wheelchairs and a sexless marriage we are reminded with intermittent graphics of which senators voted for the war, while those voting against are treated with historic and heroic reverence. But the heart of the film is Young who had only wanted to serve his country. With obvious cause he actively campaigns against the war. And regardless of one's personal POV the pain inflicted upon veterans and their families, and the government's inadequate treatment when they come home, is enough to affect the hearts of all of us.

Often times you'll sit through a documentary waiting for a "payoff" that never comes, that  "ah ha" moment when the progression of multi-talking heads becomes worthwhile. Even though Herb and Dorothy takes a road a little too long travelled the payoff is well worth the trip. A nice New York couple who began collecting art 40 years ago builds a collection that is both invaluable and inconvenient. Director Megumi Sasaki peels back the film's layers bit by bit to reveal some most satisfying revelations about art and its patrons, more specifically this couple who charms the heck out of the art world.

For the filmmakers of Slumberland it's been a week of unexpected surprises. After being ecstatic on getting into the festival with their $500 film they were overjoyed upon receiving the "Made in Arkansas" award and getting contacted by famed mumblecore director Joe Swanberg. Though it's a long way from reaching Swanberg status the film surrounding the broken heart of a going-nowhere youth and his deranged buddy's attempt to revive him offered a lot of laughs in spite of some pretty low level camera work.