Documentary

• Title: Val
• IMDb: link

Narrated by his son Jack Kilmer, Val takes a look at the life and career of Val Kilmer offering glimpses throughout his career with the self-shot footage Kilmer has collected for decades. The documentary also explores the personal side of Kilmer’s life, his fight with throat cancer, and his current struggles doing what he can to keep his career alive through appearances at conventions. It’s something to behold, and not always easy to watch.

Given the amount of footage and the film being framed by Kilmer’s own words, read by his son, and the glimpse inside of his day-to-day life, we get quite an intimate take on the ups and downs of the actor’s career. We see instances of the reputation earned for being hard to work with (such as his time on The Island of Dr. Moreau and why John Frankenheimer called the actor “impossible” to work with), and the Juilliard trained actor’s struggles to find meaningful roles in Hollywood. Some of his films get larger mentions then others, but for any fan curious about Val Kilmer’s life and often troubled career, Val provides an intriguing look into his world and the actor whose artistic nature caused him to often be his own worst enemy.

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• Title: Boys State
• IMDb: link

Boys State offers a glimpse into the annual tradition the American Legion has held in since 1935 where high school juniors are brought in to learn about government and politics firsthand. The documentary focuses on the Texas Boys State working in two separate political parties to build a representative government, create a political agenda, and run for various offices including Governor.

Allowing us to look at the next generation of potential political operatives, Boys State shows us teenagers have already learned the some of the worst lessons of politics from those they have watched govern them. While several of the students don’t take the opportunity seriously, offering bills for change the pronunciation of “W” or trying to impeach an elected official they dislike personally, the film turns on the introduction of Steven Garza who plants his flag on the idea of cooperation, combined self-government, and honestly helping others which offers a nice change of pace from the pro-gun and anti-abortion message that otherwise permeates the debates. Although we don’t have to wait long before personal attacks begin to change the narrative.

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• Title: The Dissident
• IMDb: link

The Dissident examines events surrounding the government-sanctioned murder of Jamal Khashoggi, a Saudi Arabian journalist and dissident living in Turkey and working for The Washington Post who entered the Sauadi Embassy one day and never emerged. Director Bryan Fogel provides a compelling narrative, outlining Khashoggi’s work as a state-run journalist in his home country before being pressured to leave his family and start a new life abroad. In examining Saudi Arabia targeting Khashoggi, and other dissidents, the film explores frightening levels Big Brother technology. The film also, not so subtly, points out how Donald Trump, ignoring facts brought to light and sanctions from his own Congress, chose to turn a blind eye to the shocking events.

Fogel’s presentation isn’t without some curious choices starting with a bombastic score better suited to a thriller, or Christopher Nolan film, and some narrative choices which rearrange events out of order (such as Khashoggi’s short-run television program). Such jarring choices undercut the natural tension of events which are shocking enough without the need of additional help.

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