Today's release is a real treat. Exit Through the Gift Shop is one of my favorite films of 2010. It is an incredibly entertaining documentary about a French man who becomes obsessed with the street art movement. Eventually he embeds himself in the scene, following around the elusive artists as they sneak around at night to leave their marks on society. This leads him to the man at the center of it all: Banksy. (If you somehow haven't heard of him, he's the guy responsible for some truly irreverent graffiti, bold art stunts and even a memorably dark hijacking of the Simpsons' opening sequence.) At this point in the film, there is a drastic twist to the narrative, and it's as compelling as anything Hollywood has dreamed up. It's certainly possible some of this is fabricated but it doesn't stop this from being one of the most interesting stories around. For one, you get an intimate, never-before-seen look at the processes of one of the most secretive artists around. You also get a crash course in a modern art movement that is only going to get bigger. Ultimately what you get though is an amazing, acid-tongued character study unafraid to laugh at and with art. This one's the real deal. Stream it now!
If you haven't gotten your documentary fix after that, Joan Rivers: A Piece of Work is also now streaming. I haven't watched it yet, but it's a very well-reviewed look at the comedian known for her acerbic wit and downright cruelty. I have seen the documentarians' previous film, The Devil Came on Horseback (also streaming), a disturbing look at the genocide in Darfur. They definitely know how to put together an extraordinary feature, so if you have any interest in Joan Rivers, this is a safe bet.
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I'm strangely intrigued by the Joan Rivers Doc. I watched the trailer a while ago. And yet I'm also afraid...
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