Superheroes [film review]

Superheroes do exist, even if they come up a little light in the "super" department (by way of an obvious lack of superpowers). My first exposure to real life superheroes (referred to as "RLSH") was a fascinating 2008 article in Rolling Stone magazine that took a look inside the subculture, which is estimated to be comprised of 700 individuals worldwide who dress up in costumes and attempt to affect some manner of positive change in their respective communities. Director Michael Barnett turns his camera on the subject in Superheroes, zeroing in on different pockets of RLSH in a number of major American cities.

Master Legend, with his pudgy frame packed into a tight silver and black costume partly made up of spray painted protective hockey equipment and baseball catcher shin guards, heads up the Orlando, Florida chapter of the Team Justice network. He was prominently featured in the Rolling Stone piece and gets plenty of camera time here as well, due to his colourful personality that includes an occasional holy roller speech, proclamations that he actually possesses super powers, frequent stops for beer breaks, and a habit of trying to pick up women (all while dressed in his costume). It's a reality TV series waiting to happen. Mr. Extreme, from San Diego, also has a most unsuperhero-like physique and draws inspiration partly from the Mighty Morphin Power Rangers, who he seems to have a fascination with on a level that just isn't healthy for a grown man. Zimmer, a gay RLSH from Brooklyn, refuses to wear a mask, equating it with someone who is trapped in the closet. The unimaginatively named Super Hero, from Florida, takes a little too much pride in his sweet crime fighting ride, a flashy red Corvette Stingray. New York City's Life takes his costume cues from The Green Hornet and his moral code from a Hasidic Jewish upbringing that instilled in him strong altruistic values. These are just a few of the numerous RLSH we meet during the film.

Make no mistake, these people take what they're doing very seriously, even if there's an unavoidable comedic element to adults patrolling big city streets while wearing costumes, some of which are, shall we say, of the highly amateurish variety (I believe I saw duct tape on one costume and the outfit of a RLSH named The Vigilante Spider looked like something straight out of grade school play). The common thread with all of the RLSH is that they're passionate about trying to make a difference in the world, despite the personal risks of bodily harm, social ridicule, and some financial burden. Mr. Extreme even moves out of the dumpy rented house he inhabits and into his van, just so he can put more money into his cause, which includes offering rewards out of his own pocket for tips that lead to solving crimes. This begs the question: are these people of sound mind? Clinical psychologist Robin Rosenberg, an expert on the psychology of superheroes, provides helpful insight into the topic from time to time throughout the film. Also interviewed is superhero creator-icon Stan Lee, who admires the RLSH chutzpah, but worries for their safety.

Where the film falters is in its lack of action and interesting scenarios where the RLSH do, in fact, fight actual crime. We see one stand up to an intimidating drug dealer peddling his wares out in the open in a park, while another New York collective of RLSH takes a few more risks. On different occasions we see them carrying out "bait patrol" operations, which entails having one of the female members dressing up in provocative clothing and walking the street, trying to lure potential criminals into committing a sexual assault, or dressing Zimmer up in a flamboyant outfit in hopes of attracting the attention of a potential gay basher or two (the rest of the group is always close by to provide quick backup). It’s an ethically dubious way of "fighting crime" and, as a police lieutenant informs us, borderline entrapment. The most excitement that we see this group get into is taking the keys from a drunk driver who is seen sideswiping other parked vehicles (and telling him they’ll mail them back the next day), and also assisting a man who gets his foot run over by a passing car. Not exactly edge-of-your-seat adventure, is it?

So it turns out that the most significant impact these people make is simply by being good samaritans and doing charitable things like handing out care packages to the homeless, and organizing Christmas toy drives for underprivileged kids. It may not be flashy (other than the costumes they wear), but it’s still highly admirable and more than most of us can say we do to help our fellow man.

Superheroes will be airing on HBO this summer before receiving a theatrical release later this year. More information on RLSH can be found at The Real Life Superhero Project.

Rating: ★★★★★★★☆☆☆

Inside Lara Roxx [film review]

Lara Roxx became semi-famous back in 2004, but not for the reason she had intended when she moved to L.A. from Montreal at the age of 21 to work in the adult film industry. Roxx was named as one of three female performers who had contracted HIV from male co-star Darren James, which resulted in a temporary shutdown of the porn industry that garnered international headlines. The virus is believed to have been transmitted during the filming of literally Roxx's first movie scene, which involved double penetration. Inside Lara Roxx examines the aftermath of the physical and emotional carnage inflicted from the experience on its subject.

The film was shot over a five year period by first time director Mia Donovan, a photographer who used to work as a stripper in Montreal. Donovan follows Roxx as she makes her way back to L.A. to revisit some central figures from her brief foray in adult films, including the person who informed Roxx of her HIV status, former porn star Sharon Mitchell. Mitchell ran the Adult Industry Medical Health Care Foundation, which regularly tested performers (and, incidentally, just shut down a couple of weeks ago). Also interviewed are some dodgy characters like one of Roxx's former managers and the creepy Bob Margold, a former performer also known as "Papa Bear", who is now an advocate for the welfare of porn actors. Speaking of creepy, the ubiquitous (in porn circles anyway) Ron Jeremy also weighs in on her plight during an interview at an industry convention in Las Vegas, where Roxx makes an appearance to raise awareness of the dangers of unprotected sex in the business. That this is a subject still requiring education in 2011 is a fairly ridiculous notion, yet apparently justified, judging by the disturbing apathy and hollow sympathy to Roxx's message and story elicited from the convention attendees. Unfortunately (but understandably), Darren James declined to be interviewed for the documentary. Clips from both Roxx's films and her appearances on various U.S. television shows after the scandal broke (including one ludicrous guest spot on the bottom-feeding Maury Povich Show) provide helpful context.

Additional interviews with Roxx's family and counsellors from a juvenile detention centre where she stayed paint a picture of an extremely troubled young woman consumed by rebellion, which lead to Roxx working as stripper and escort before her move into porn. Extensive interviews with Roxx herself reveal a mildly sympathetic character who is incredibly naive and prone to making one bad decision after another (one of her boyfriends who appears briefly in the film, who is a crack addict like her, has "trouble" clearly written all over him). Her poor choices are further complicated by being afflicted with bi-polar disorder.

Donovan developed a close friendship with Roxx during shooting, resulting in scenes that show the documentary's subject at her most vulnerable and fragile. The movie opens with Roxx being interviewed while in treatment at a hospital psychiatric ward, and between her mental health issues and HIV-related health complications she looks like she's barely hanging on. Donovan actually exercises admirable restraint in choosing not to belabour their exchange, opting to shut the cameras off until Roxx is healthier. A similar wiser judgement might have been used in excising one scene (or at least providing greater clarity) that occurs in Roxx's apartment involving a fracas with a neighbour, which is jarringly confusing.

It's because of the trust gained by Donovan that the end results of the film are so disappointing; despite the intimate access gained by the director, I was left with a curious and frustrating arm's length feeling towards the film's subject. There's a compelling film somewhere involving this woman's sad, tragic life, but Inside Lara Roxx is not it.

Rating: ★★★★☆☆☆☆☆☆

The Hollywood Complex [film review]

The Hollywood Complex looks at the trials and tribulations of aspiring child actors and their families who make their way to Hollywood every spring for television's "pilot season", when most networks and cable channels do casting for their shows. The film follows the stories of a handful of kids and their parents, who all temporarily reside at the Oakwood apartment complex in North Hollywood. The Oakwood specializes in housing young talent, providing a like-minded environment for its clientele and direct access to a network of acting coaches, workshops, casting agents, and photographers, all of whom sell hope, along with their specific services.

The bulk of the documentary, which was finished just four days prior to its world premiere at Hot Docs, chronicles the select group's struggles to stand out in a crowd of thousands. Shanna, 13, is just in from Colorado and a complete newbie to Hollywood, accompanied by her skeptical yet supportive mother. Cruelly, before Shanna has even gotten into the game she's at a disadvantage, as we find out that the odds of landing a role for young teenagers or someone in their late tweens decreases significantly because of the abundance of kids in this age group who are competing for the jobs available. It's an oddball spin on the "actresses over the age of 40 have a hard time finding work" axiom. The Casa family has five kids making the audition rounds, which makes for cramped enough accommodations at the Oakwood that one of them has to sleep under a table. Mama Casa also says that she's pretty open to having one of her sons take on any role, as long as it's nothing that glorifies Satan. Then there's the annoyingly precocious Megan, who over exudes confidence and thinks it's a good strategy to show up at one audition dressed in a garish, age-inappropriate outfit that is sure to make an impression. It doesn't. Megan's mom, also extroverted and quirky, tiredly admits that they've had somewhere in the neighbourhood of 40+ straight auditions with no callbacks. Perhaps in an effort to change her luck, Megan ends up changing her stage name to "Presley Cash".

Additional by-products of the film's focus are examinations of celebrity culture, the ugly side of show business, and the lengths that mothers and fathers will go to for their children. I expected to see some examples of the proverbial "stage moms", or parents who were just attempting to live vicariously through their kids, but there was really no evidence of this in the film (at the post-screening Q & A session the directors said they were surprised at how little of it they encountered). The fact that none of the families we see appears to come from affluent backgrounds only adds extra emphasis to their struggles and the gamble they're taking. In one scene, we see a mother rummaging through a recycling bin with one of her kids in an effort to scrounge up bottles that will give her a little extra cash. The well-known sleazy side of show business rears its ugly head frequently, with the two best examples being one scene where a young child going up for a role as a dying patient on House is encouraged to watch YouTube videos of real kids who are dying, as well as another scene where a casting agent deciding on a young girl for a role says that he needs one with "no titties". That line elicited a mass groan from the theatre audience.

Directed by Dylan Nelson and Dan Sturman (Sturman brought his excellent Soundtrack For A Revolution to Hot Docs' Doc Soup series last year), the film is a revealing and somewhat disturbing look into a segment of show business where children are commonly objectified for our entertainment and treated as a commodity, and are willing participants (along with their parents) while doing so. The Hollywood Complex should be imperative viewing for any kids and their parents seeking fame and fortune.

Rating: ★★★★★★★☆☆☆