The extent of the feature length documentary, Super Size Me, directed by and starring Morgan Spurlock takes place across the entire region of the United States of America. The content of the film tackles the following question: What happens when you eat McDonald's for a total of thirty days, three meals a day, super-sized when asked and sampling meals from the entire menu? The answer to this was revealed graphically through the film, which is: extensive weight gain, development of depressed and withdrawal, constantly suffering of severe headaches, mood swings and disturbing chest palpitation and liver failure. During the entire process, Spurlock’s health was being monitored by highly qualified doctors, each warning him in advance that this experiment is highly dangerous to his health, and even more crucial, his life.
Spurlock stars and narrates in his own comedic documentary, revealing the deadly circumstances the US population faces if they refuse to take better care of their health and eating habits, especially if they are prone to eat fast food regularly. Spurlock travels across the country to the US’s most obese state, Texas, and comes in contact with the man who holds the record for eating the most Big Macs. Humour never seems to end throughout the entire film, Spurlock seems to take a similar approach to his documentary as famous director Michael Moore, enticing his audience with comedic information. Unlike Moore's more political motives however, Spurlock's information is virtually unquestionable, a fact which makes Super Size Me that much more traumatic but effective.
Monday, November 8, 2010
A. Newsmagazine - The Fifth Estate (CBC): The Life and Death of Abdinasir Dirie
The extent of the documentary, The Life and Death of Abdinasir Dirie, directed and produced by Scott Anderson on CBC’s The Fifth Estate, is based on a true story about the unsolved murder case of a twenty year old Toronto born Somalian man named Abdinasir Dirie, or G Baby, as his family called him. Abdinasir’s family immigrated to Canada in the 1990’s hoping to start a new life of prosperity, leaving the violence and poverty of their past behind them. Abdinasir is the last of 3 siblings to be born, but the first to be born in Canada. His parents and two older sisters describe him to be humorous, determined but craved recognition and respect.
Being brought up in a rough neighbourhood of Jamestown Crescent, Abdinasir fell into the wrong crowd in high school and began to develop a rough personality. Prior to attending post-secondary, Abdinasir made the decision to travel to Calgary, Alberta so that he can work, save money, then return and go back to school. During his stay in Alberta, he was in contact with his sister-in-law and occasionally ate at a Somalian community kitchen.
All the while he was in Alberta, the youngest of his two older sisters went missing. It turned out that his sister along with her bestfriend was offered an all expenses paid trip to Jamaica from a good friend of theirs. Little did they know they were being set up to smuggle marijuana back to Canada. When they were caught at the airport they were arrested and placed in jail. To this day they are still in jail, but refuse to reveal who set them up for they fear their lives and the safety of their families in Canada.
A day after Abinasir’s sister was arrested, their parents received a phone call revealing devastating news that Abinasir was shot and murdered in his Alberta apartment. A friend that was with Abinasir earlier that night explains that he was robbed and murdered by his own Somalian peers who visited him that night. One of the individuals that were involved with the murder slipped and let word out of who exactly was responsible for the death of Abinasir. His sister-in-law, along with the rest of the Somalian community of Alberta know exactly who the murderer is, complained to the police, but still there has been no arrest and the case still remains unsolved.
Being brought up in a rough neighbourhood of Jamestown Crescent, Abdinasir fell into the wrong crowd in high school and began to develop a rough personality. Prior to attending post-secondary, Abdinasir made the decision to travel to Calgary, Alberta so that he can work, save money, then return and go back to school. During his stay in Alberta, he was in contact with his sister-in-law and occasionally ate at a Somalian community kitchen.
All the while he was in Alberta, the youngest of his two older sisters went missing. It turned out that his sister along with her bestfriend was offered an all expenses paid trip to Jamaica from a good friend of theirs. Little did they know they were being set up to smuggle marijuana back to Canada. When they were caught at the airport they were arrested and placed in jail. To this day they are still in jail, but refuse to reveal who set them up for they fear their lives and the safety of their families in Canada.
A day after Abinasir’s sister was arrested, their parents received a phone call revealing devastating news that Abinasir was shot and murdered in his Alberta apartment. A friend that was with Abinasir earlier that night explains that he was robbed and murdered by his own Somalian peers who visited him that night. One of the individuals that were involved with the murder slipped and let word out of who exactly was responsible for the death of Abinasir. His sister-in-law, along with the rest of the Somalian community of Alberta know exactly who the murderer is, complained to the police, but still there has been no arrest and the case still remains unsolved.
C. TV Documentaries - TVOntario: Invisible City
The content of the TV documentary, Invisible City, directed by Hubert Davis revolves around the lives of two male African American youths living in the troubled Toronto community, Regent Park. The protagonists Kendell and Mikey are bestfriends who are struggling with their identity, education, family issues and all the while transitioning from being a youth to an adult. The story unfolds the lives of our two protagonists from the beginning of their grade 10 high school year right through to their grade 12 year.
To help support their story, Ainsworth Morgan their former elementary school teacher, mentor, friend and father figure explains the importance of guidance and trust in relation to the youth within the Regent Park community. Ainsworth encourages Kendell and Mikey to chase their ambitions, watch the company they keep and influences them to become wiser men. Without Ainsworth, the two boys would have no male figure to turn to for they do not have a father in their life.
The mother of Mikey, Sharon, expresses her concern but endless love for her only son. She works two jobs to help make ends meet and knows the only way to help her son is to move out of Regent Park. Her dreams no longer involve her, but Mikey, a hope for better education, get him off the streets and aim for a successful future. Later in the documentary, Mikey disobeys his midnight curfew with the police, and Sharon decides to turn her son in so that he could learn from this experience and hopefully grow from it.
The mother of Kendell, Sandy, refuses to jump on the same bandwagon with the rest of the community and label her son as a criminal or thug, instead she supports him even after he is arrested on school property with reports that he threw a juice box at a hall monitor. During the court trial, Sandy stood by her son, hoping that Kendell will learn from his mistakes and slowly transform himself into a better man.
The atmosphere of the documentary was very raw and real, there were no special graphics used. To help emphasize and illustrate the story more clearly and have more impact, endless amounts of b-roll was used throughout the film. Majority of the one on one interviews were close-ups to extreme close-ups of the subject, enabling the audience to feel the emotion and concern of the matter. Text was used throughout the entire documentary, for there was no narrator or host, the text helped reveal the story and set the tone and mood.
To help support their story, Ainsworth Morgan their former elementary school teacher, mentor, friend and father figure explains the importance of guidance and trust in relation to the youth within the Regent Park community. Ainsworth encourages Kendell and Mikey to chase their ambitions, watch the company they keep and influences them to become wiser men. Without Ainsworth, the two boys would have no male figure to turn to for they do not have a father in their life.
The mother of Mikey, Sharon, expresses her concern but endless love for her only son. She works two jobs to help make ends meet and knows the only way to help her son is to move out of Regent Park. Her dreams no longer involve her, but Mikey, a hope for better education, get him off the streets and aim for a successful future. Later in the documentary, Mikey disobeys his midnight curfew with the police, and Sharon decides to turn her son in so that he could learn from this experience and hopefully grow from it.
The mother of Kendell, Sandy, refuses to jump on the same bandwagon with the rest of the community and label her son as a criminal or thug, instead she supports him even after he is arrested on school property with reports that he threw a juice box at a hall monitor. During the court trial, Sandy stood by her son, hoping that Kendell will learn from his mistakes and slowly transform himself into a better man.
The atmosphere of the documentary was very raw and real, there were no special graphics used. To help emphasize and illustrate the story more clearly and have more impact, endless amounts of b-roll was used throughout the film. Majority of the one on one interviews were close-ups to extreme close-ups of the subject, enabling the audience to feel the emotion and concern of the matter. Text was used throughout the entire documentary, for there was no narrator or host, the text helped reveal the story and set the tone and mood.
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