Colin Beavan decided to live one year without having any negative impact on the environment. What does that mean? It means only buying local, not using anything disposable (including diapers, plastic containers and toilet paper!), not taking the elevator, only using public transportation, not using electricity and not producing any waste. All in a small New York apartment.

Can he do it? Yes. And it’s an incredible feat.

As a movie, film-makers Laura Gabbert and Justin Schein got two special presents: Colin’s wife and daughter. His wife is incredibly well-spoken, she manages to pin-point the situation again and again, articulate and with humor, while conversations with their daughter are used tastefully, intelligently and charmingly as a narrative vehicle. Very well done.

Even so the movie falls short. In the end Colin questions the value of the project and it becomes apparent that, like a poorly set up experiment, the “No Impact Man” project doesn’t prove anything. Well, anything except that everyone involved have their hearts in the right place and deserve much credit for completing a very ambitious project.

IMDB: 6.6/10 (352 votes) / Rotten Tomatoes: 88% (40 reviews) / Official site / 93 minutes
Directed by: Laura Gabbert and Justin Schein

You may also like:
- “Food = Waste”
- “Collapse”
- “Food, Inc.”

Art&Copy

Off Ways

The Invention of Dr. Nakamats

Objectified

Videocracy

Food Inc.

Turn it Loose

Erasing David

Paul Virilio – Thinking Speed

The Windmill Movie

The Cove

American Radical: The Trials of Norman Fikelstein

Garapa (by the director of Tropa de Elite)

And… Shadow Play: The Making of Anyon Corbijn, Drømme i København, Kim.

I’ll be attending quite a few films. Send me tweet if you want to join.

Super High Me, and obvious pun and concept-theft on Super Size Me, is funny as hell. It doesn’t pretend to be very original, but it does take a controversial subject head on. I don’t think it’s a masterpiece, but it manages to shed light on an old subject in a new way, while cracking me up.

IMDB: 6.5 (3002 votes) / Rotten tomatoes: 57% (7 reviews) / Official site / 89 minutes
Directed by: Michael Blieden

Vashti Bunyan is a singer/song-writer with an interesting story. As a young woman she made a beautiful album and was then forgotten for 30 years. Freak-folk artists like Devendra Banhart and Vetiver brought her back from oblivion  a few years ago and Bunyan is now making music again. She is very delicate, soft-spoken and gentle and while this makes her a compelling person it unfortunately doesn’t make her a compelling character. The narrative centers around a horse-and-carriage trip Bunyan and two friends made while she was composing the songs of the first album. We re-visit the places while understanding how the album came about.

It’s an ok structure for a documentary, but something goes missing along the way. For me, anyway.

IMDB: 7.7 (6 votes) / Official site / 87 minutes
Directed by: Kieran Evans

A curious story about a peculiar relationship between Mr. Vig and a russian nun. I had high hopes for this one, but must confess I was disappointed.

IMDB: 7.6 (242 votes) /Rotten Tomatoes: 78% (reviews: 18)
Directed by: Pernille Rose Grønkjær

Andrew McAuley decided to cross the Tasman sea between Australia and New Zealand. The swells are terrifying and Andrew makes his attempt in a kayak. Opening 10 minutes worth the movie alone. The film just became current in Australia as it’s being debated if a 16-year old girl, Jessica Watson should be allowed to attempt her dream of becoming the youngest person ever to sail around the world.

IMDB: 7.2 (17 votes) / Official site
Directed by: David Michôd and Jennifer Peedom

Some people die without anyone caring. This documentary shows what happens to these lonely souls.

IMDB: 7.7 (216 votes) /Rottentomatoes: 100% (6 reviews) / Official site
Directed by: Grover Babcock and Blue Hadaegh