Comic-Con Episode IV: A Fan's Hope
September. 10,2011A behind-the-scenes look at San Diego Comic-Con, the world's largest comic book convention, and the fans who attend every year.
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Very best movie i ever watch
Strong and Moving!
Good films always raise compelling questions, whether the format is fiction or documentary fact.
The movie turns out to be a little better than the average. Starting from a romantic formula often seen in the cinema, it ends in the most predictable (and somewhat bland) way.
What is the matter with the makers of this documentary? They included one token female voice among a huge number of of fan boys. All other females were either being proposed to by their geek boyfriend or seen in the background and referred to as "slave girls". That is incredibly offensive.The longer I watched, the more glaring the lack of females became. Though some of it was interesting, it was way too long for me, but once I started getting uncomfortable because of the overwhelming absence of women, I had to sit through the whole thing to see if all of it was really that bad. It was.I really have to wonder why women are invisible to the makers of this film. Is it sexual revulsion? Mental illness? There really is no excuse for this sort of thing.
The transformation of San Diego's Comic-Con International is fascinating. What was once a small comic-book convention intended to connect comic creators with their fans has evolved into an annual celebration of geek culture that validates and rewards those who have dived deeper into the pop-culture pool than most.What Morgan Spurlock has done with "Comic-Con Episode IV: A Fan's Hope" is essentially to re-validate Comic-Con, only with the big picture in mind. He and the film's many producers have crafted a love letter to this convention, one clearly born from their inner-geek's own longing to capture what the Con has become.As such, it's hard to say how much an "outsider" to geek culture would even care about what happens at Comic-Con and consequently this film. It does take a certain predisposition to care about the subjects of the movie, namely to accept their obsessions with comics/gaming/movies and in some cases their dreams and aspirations to make the leap from fandom to professionalism. Anyone who can relate even the slightest bit to that notion, however, will enjoy the film.The best choice Spurlock and co-writers Jeremy Chilnick and Joss Whedon (yes, that Joss Whedon) make for this documentary is to come at the Con from every possible angle. They have found a diverse group of subjects that as a whole manage to embody every type or person or personality who passionately seeks out Comic-Con each year.The chosen subjects consist of two aspiring comic book artists hoping to get valuable feedback and perhaps even a job offer from the major names in the business; a young woman hoping her costumes featuring Mass Effect video game characters will grab some attention; a long-time comic book collector and vendor contending with the shriveling devotion to comics at the convention created specifically for them; a young man who hopes to propose to his girlfriend whom he met at Comic-Con the year before.Some of these subjects aren't even likable people, but there's something that even someone who's only part geek will connect with in each of them. They are dreamers, and they all embrace the kid inside without any trepidation, and anyone who does that or yearns to do that more often will be caught up in these stories.Peppered into these narratives are testimonials from various celebrities or annual Comic-Con personalities. While they lend an authoritative voice to the documentary, their words and thoughts feel remarkably more hollow in comparison to the people whose stories are being told. Even if they are genuine, they feel like a forced means of guiding the documentary from chapter to chapter.And then there's the fact that it's not exactly poignant. The end note is that Comic-Con is a place where everyone can let their geek flag fly, a point that becomes evident minutes into the movie. The only challenging question that the documentary raises is whether Comic-Con has "sold out," yet that's not the emphasis of the film. Documentaries are supposed to push boundaries and ask tough questions, but "Comic-Con: Episode IV" was created similar to how a middle school student chooses a research topic — because the subject is something he loves, not because he has some provocative thesis he's dying to test.Setting aside those pre-teen motivations for making the film in the first place, "Comic-Con: Episode IV" is exceptionally well made for what it is — a celebration of geek culture and the dreamer's mentality.~Steven CThanks for reading! Visit moviemusereviews.com
Written by Markus Robinson, Edited by Nicole I. Ashland This is notMorgan Spurlock trying to dispel the geekdom surrounding Comic-Con, as much as it is his love letter to the fanboys (worldwide) who enjoy dressing up as Vulcan's or Storm Trooper's. Spurlock, most notably known for his lampooning of McDonald's in "Super Size Me", now explores the cultural phenomenon that sees around 140,000 gather for a comic book convention annually in his new film "Comic-Con Episode IV: A Fan's Hope". Shockingly making not one cameo in his own film, Spurlock conducts interviews with the likes of Kevin Smith, Joss Whedon, Frank Miller, Matt Groening, Seth Rogen, Eli Roth, Seth Green and God himself, Stan Lee, as they share memories of this San Diego convention from its grass roots beginnings (where only 500 attended) to the world renown, commercial juggernaut it is today (most of the interviewees I just mentioned are also behind the production of this film in some way or another). But the real entertainment value comes when Spurlock explores the individuals that make up the essence of Comic-Con. From Holly, a costume designer who dreams of performing in the infamous Comic-Con Masquerade (where fans put on skits dressed as characters in many cases in order to get themselves jobs) to Eric and Skip, two very skilled artists attempting to break into the industry via portfolio review, to Chuck, an ageing vintage comic book dealer, attempting to get that one last big score, to James, an ultimate fanboy, who plans on proposing to his girlfriend at Comic-Con. But maybe the most interesting aspect within the film is when Spurlock focuses on how commercialized Comic-Con has become; for better or for much worse. The issue of the dwindling number of fans actually going there with the purpose of buying comics is brought up again and again. In saying all of that, I was a fan of a small aspect of Comic-Con before seeing this film; which leads me to my next point. The general downfall with "Comic-Con Episode IV: A Fan's Hope" is that it doesn't really work on a purely documentarian entertainment level, if you aren't already into some aspect of Comic-Con.Side Note: Just in case you were wondering, the "small aspect" of Comic-Con that I related to the most was a segment about a Toy Collector (don't call them "Dolls") who will stop at nothing until he gets the rare Action Figure he will never open.To most, Comic-Con is known for its fantastical costume play, where people dress up as their favorite characters from TV shows, movies (usually Superhero, Sci-Fi or Anime) or video games. And Spurlock does do a somewhat decent job of getting to the bottom of why these people feel such a connection with this particular convention, but again if you don't care going in, then "Comic-Con Episode IV: A Fan's Hope" will not make you care. In fact, if you don't really have an interest in Comic-Con before watching, some of the overall brashness of everyone's "if you don't like it then screw you" attitudes in this documentary may all together turn some off.Final Thought: Almost purely informational, even though Spurlock follows around a few interesting people, there is little in the way of conflict as far as an actual plot goes in "Comic-Con Episode IV: A Fan's Hope". In fact, I would go so far as to say that much of this film seems hastily put together, due to its extensive use of interviews which don't work to push the story forward. So, on a purely technical level, this is an average documentary at best; and even a bit disappointing by Spurlock's standards (even though in some critic's minds, he has shown himself as a one hit wonder). But, if you enjoy Superhero merchandise, graphic novels, comic books, or think you would get a kick out of watching Joss Whedon and Kevin Smith geeking all over themselves, then you will find something to like here. On the other hand, if you read the title of this film and were immediately confused about the reference, skip this movie.Please visit my page on Examiner.com http://www.examiner.com/x-52464-San-Jose-Indie-Movie-Examiner and leave any comments you have about this or any review. The more hits I get the better. Thank you.Follow me on Twitter @moviesmarkus
For years I have wanted to visit San Diego and experience the Comic-con conventions. The pull was exceedingly strong following the news of the 2008 convention introducing a reset Star Trek, which was supported by some of the cast members. The second installment is my most anticipated sequel for viewing. This film showcases the fanaticism surrounding the convention and the opportunities sought by entrepreneurs, would be artists and designers looking to begin a career within the comic book, science fiction and fantasy industry. The Comic Con Episode IV: A Fan's Hope did an excellent job of allowing the audience to get a true feel for what it's like to actually participate as a fan. It may be that the documentary was expressly done to provide understanding but in my case it made me feel completely averse to ever going in person. A multitude of people queued up to attend a venue, was what I would call a hostile environment. If you had nobody with you or no buddy you could not even take a bio break without losing your place. The wait times, the race to a prized toy and the ensuing competition to get a much sought out piece of memorabilia or a collector's item was daunting to say the least and witnessing a triumph did not make it any better. I do not believe I would ever go to the convention as a fan. There were some heartwarming stories that made viewing this film worthwhile, that of the Artist, whose talent was undeniable, as was also the case for the Designer. It was nice to see and hear from some of the sci-fi heavy hitters like Josh Whedon (Buffy the Vampire Slayer: TV series, upcoming The Avengers), and Kevin Smith (Dogma, Reaper: TV Series). I have been a fan of both of their works for quite some time. I knew that Kevin Smith was talented, but I never knew that he was so funny. He has a very quick wit which was exhibited when speaking about his eleven year old self and when addressing the couple who became engaged during his Q&A at the convention. This was an interesting documentary, but in the end the effect that it had on me is I will consider myself lucky for never having been to the convention, not sure if that was the desired outcome but that's how it panned out. I give the film an amber light.