I love documentaries. And as promised, more reviews. Enjoy.
A former Catholic priest takes the viewer on a personal religious quest in the documentary “Constantine’s Sword” directed by Oren Jacoby in 2007. James Carroll is an acclaimed author and former Roman Catholic priest who investigates the early visions of Constantine the Great, (the first Roman emperor who converted to Christianity), who intermingled the symbols of the cross and sword into an icon of power. The movie is eloquent and thought provoking as James Carroll takes you on a epic journey through ancient Rome, the Vatican during World War II and the Evangelical influence of the Air Force Academy in Colorado. The film raises uncomfortable questions about faith, evokes political debate and delivers a potent mixture of religious fervor with unsettling historical accounts.
Gonzo: The life and Work of Dr. S. Thompson features writings, recordings, film clips and the narrative voice of Johnny Depp over 120 minutes. The movie moves fast and furious, complimenting the Gonzo reporting style of first person narrative directed by Alex Gibney. The bold and brash style Hunter S. Thompson is painted as a gun toting American who knew no bounds and roamed freely on the American journalism terrain. Hunter operated with lawlessness and stayed true to his first person accounts, drug induced, intoxicated and zig zagging his way through. When no one was paying attention S. Thompson rode with the Hells Angels, traveled with Nixon and fed drugs to his artistic counterpart, Ralph Steadman, for the book, “Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas : A Savage Journey to the Hear of the American Dream.” “Gonzo” is a fluid account of a writer in his prime that finishes with his farewell, ashes dispersed through red, white and blue fireworks over a 15-story Thompson logo monument—clenched fist with two symmetrical thumbs holding a peyote button. Most definitely an original and worth researching further.