Tyson (imdb)
I’ve wanted to see Tyson since a trailer first surfaced for it over a year ago, though now having seen it I can’t help but feel a little underwhelmed. “Tyson” may seem like a minimal title in an age where it seems like everything needs a subtitle, but it’s very appropriate considering that everything in the documentary comes straight from Mike Tyson himself, with no friends, family, or acquaintances interviewed or even heard from outside of some stock footage. I’m a little confused as to why this was released by Sony Pictures Classics, which is Sony’s prestigious banner usually reserved for foreign/arthouse-type films, while Tyson feels like an ESPN documentary with a finer layer of polish. On the subject of that polish, some of the presentation choices are a bit annoying; in particular, the idea to show 3-4 different clips at once with the sound fading from one one frame to the next feels like a film student showing off for a project, not an editing technique used in a release by a major studio.
Based on the trailers I was expecting to come out of the film with a new perspective on Tyson, but the result is largely a clarification of my previous understanding of the man: A not-so-bright but talented individual who has suffered the consequences of a series of bad decisions. Tyson definitely humanizes its subject, but a lot of times that sympathy seems to be marginalized by some of the inane things coming out of his mouth. To hear him tell it, the reason he lost most of his later fights is because he was lazy or wasn’t expecting much out of his opponent. That’s all fine and good for a time or two, but you think you’d figure out you need to prepare if you’re getting your ass beat time and again. Tyson isn’t a great documentary, but it’s a pretty good one and gives a nice timeline and background that should be interesting if you lived or grew up while he was routinely making headlines.
Behind the Mask: The Rise of Leslie Vernon (imdb)
I’ve heard nothing but good things about Behind the Mask, but I can’t say I share the enthusiasm for the film. The premise of a psuedo-doc where a film crew follows a slasher inspired by Jason Voorhes, Freddy Kreuger, and Michael Myers as he prepares for his killing spree is pretty decent, and automatically lifts it above the level of dreck that typically occupies the realm of direct-to-DVD horror. Unfortunately, I’ve seen Man Bites Dog, which almost instantly nullifies anything cool that this film could have hoped to accomplish. Then again, I’m definitely not a fan of slasher movies, so if you dig ‘em, your mileage may vary drastically.
While the premise is still executed fairly well, the acting is pretty mediocre and the film fails to achieve the same level of emotional depth and sincerity that Man Bites Dog does as its film crew begins to realize how invested they are in the proceedings. The bit parts given to Robert Englund and Zelda Rubinstein serve as little more than a wink and a nudge to genre fans, as neither bring anything special to their roles outside of a bit of fan service. Taken for what it is, the film is ever-so-slightly above average, but if you only see one ‘film crew follows killer around’ film, make it Man Bites Dog, which is ultimately funnier, darker, and more entertaining.
