2008 DNC documentaries highlight Denver's Starz Film Festival

November 10, 1:40 AMDenver City Buzz ExaminerRichard Blake

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Most years the question of whether anything will be worth seeing at this year's Starz Film Festival (which starts this Wednesday and goes until November 22nd, for details see http://www.denverfilm.org) is always yes and no.  Yes because invariably you will be able to find a better film than anything appearing at your local cineplex, and no because you will also find worse films than anything at your local cineplex, as mindbending and cringeworthy as that thought might be.  Unfortunately, a perusal of this year's offerings seems to suggest that there are more of the latter category than the former.  

This year is unique, however, in that this is the first Starz since the eyes of the world were fixed on Denver at the 2008 Democratic National Convention.  (For you nitpickers out there and there are plenty, I am aware that technically last year was the first Starz following the 2008 DNC, but there was insufficient time between the DNC and last years Starz for anything about the DNC to get a chance for a Starz viewing last year). 

Of the roughly 200 movies from 40 nations, three are documentaries centered around the DNC, A.J. Schnack's Convention. Barry Levinson ofWag the Dog fame's PoliWood and George Hickenlooper's (cousin of Mayor Hickenlooper's) awfully named Hicktown. 

I sort of would like to see all three if just to see if my confrontation with Alex Jones at the ReCreate 68 Denver Mint event gets any coverage.  For those who don't know the third paragraph in my earlier article entitled The pathology that is the 9/11 truth movement contains a link to a YouTube video that showed the entire event (most just show Jones and Michelle Malkin):
http://www.examiner.com/examiner/x-1863-Denver-City-Buzz-Examiner~y2009m6d11-The-pathology-that-is-the-911-truth-movement

On the other hand a documentary about the DNC shot by the mayor's cousin and coyly entitled Hicktown sounds a little too much like Denver contemplating its navel.  

Still, PoliWood a film dedicated to following the self-named and certainly so-called "creative coalition," of celebrity activists, no doubt complete with insight into their mostly clueless ideological pronouncements might present some unintended comedy, hopefully.  If not humorous, however, the likelihood seems to be that their underwhelming political expertise might resemble what the "creative coalition" has created these days and 90 minutes of that would be as difficult to take as, say a 90 minute speech from Susan Sarandon.  

Speaking of Susan Sarandon, she will be appearing (with the incredibly talented Edward Norton) in a feature scheduled for Saturday the 14th entitled Leaves of Grass.  Just the fact that Norton is in, suggests it may be worthwhile.  

Whether or not excitement about the DNC documentaries is a factor or not, the Denver Film Society announced that its opening night film Precious:  Based on the Novel 'Push' by Sapphire been sold out, in its earliest opening night sell-out ever.  

In what might well be a case of wishful thinking Friday the 13th features a film entitled Best Worst Movie, which is explained on the Denver Film website as the story of an unbelievably bad horror movie that years later becomes a cult classic.  Quite a few other offerings appear to be hoping for the same including opening night's Ink, which I really hope I am wrong about if for no other reason than the whole thing was shot here in Colorado.