Murderball

Best film I've seen all year. "Murderball," a documentary about wheelchair rugby, shows the sport as an exciting, ultra-competitive, sometimes violent contest. Nicole and I want to find a venue that hosts matches. Part of the appeal lies in the unfamiliarity of the sport and viewers of the film get to learn much about the machinations, the equipment, and of course the players of the sport. The human interest element of the film never slips into sentimentality or pity, relying instead of a more genuine pathos--one that stems from multi-dimensional representation. We get to see these guys being jerks, and also being good citizens/semi-celebrities. We see a coach being a lousy dad, and also a caring dad. But make no mistake, there's also plenty to compell. A recently disabled motorcross enthusiast, at first depressed but later excited to learn about quad rugby. A tenuous and strained friendship between a guy thrown from a pick-up who sustains a spinal injury and the drunken driver/best friend who was driving the truck. I'll say no more. Highly, highly recommended. If there's any justice, this is going to be the year when a documentary receives a best picture nod.