By Chlotrudis Independent Film Society
Rating: 4.25 cats
Director: Ed Pincus | Lucia Small
Country: united_states
Year: 2008
Running time: 110
IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1219676/
Michael says: “I have been waiting for Lucia Small, director of MY FATHER, THE GENIUS, to make another film; curious to see what direction she would take after the intensely personal examination of her father’s life and its affect on his family. I was not expecting THE AXE IN THE ATTIC, a road-trip across America with co-director Ed Pincus, in the aftermath of hurricane Katrina and the resulting diaspora that occurred, displacing scores of people whose homes were destroyed in the storm. What makes ATTIC different from other films or reports on Katrina’s aftermath is the way the filmmakers insert themselves into the film, constantly questioning their roles and responsibilities while shooting the film; asking questions of themselves that viewers of documentary films often ask of the filmmakers without being able to get an answer.
“Pincus and Small focus on approximately 50 people in the film, pared down from the hundreds they interviewed on their road trip. These stories, powerful and moving all, are intercut with images of the devastation, and scenes where the filmmakers debate the social responsibilities of the country and the individual, and how this disaster affected them each personally. ATTIC is an elegant work, and one that I would encourage everyone to see. It’s wonderful to see Small continue her fine filmmaking career, and again, makes me eager to see what she will do next. 4 1/2 cats”
Beth C.: “I thought this documentary was very well done, using a diverse mix of videotaped subjects affected by the hurricane in New Orleans. Even though the subjects were all tied together by a shared tragedy, each person had a unique experience. It was no accident that we see a majority of people burst into tears while describing the loss that they felt. I also found it interesting to see the amount of stress felt by the filmmakers while they were in the midst of the turmoil. Small and Pincus did a great job with this film. My only complaint is that the narration voice over was rough, especially for Pincus, who might benefit from some oration lessons. Overall, I highly recommend the film. 4 cats”