And now without further ado, by rating:
Beauty Day (Cheel, 2011) ***** A big, real story about a dude who lives life to the limit. Uproarious, tender and perfectly shot.
Black Power Mixtape (Olsson, 2011) **** Forgotten Swedish footage of black militant leaders is powerful, rousing & inspirational.
Project Nim (Marsh, 2011) **** Well paced, epic tale about an intelligent Chimp & tragic human flaws. An emotional rollercoaster.
Beats, Rhymes & Life: The Travels of A Tribe Called Quest (Rapaport, 2011) **** Plays out like a great Tribe track: intense, funky and full of life.
Hell and Back Again (Dennis, 2011) **** Engrossing, brutal doc captures claustrophobic effects of war at home and on frontlines.
Kumare (Ghandi, 2011) *** - Inspiring Borat-like doc with solid yogic philosophy linked into plot and character. Funny & gorgeous.
Magic Trip (Gibney & Elwood, 2011) *** Impressively edited look at Merry Prankster's trip across US with a memorable LSD sequence.
A Simple Rhythm (Girard, 2011) ** Intelligent thesis hampered by wavy pacing. Neglects opportunity for more kinetic storytelling.
The Castle (D'Anolfi & Parenti, 2011) * Mind-numbingly slow & indulgent behind the scenes look at Milan airport misses the mark.
