Cinemania (2002)

I totally disagree with those who say the film is depressing. While I would not to trade places with any of these people (with the possible exception of the guy who inherited a bundle from his aunt -- heh!), I found the characters, on the whole, to be interesting, relatively entertaining and lively. While undoubtedly compulsive, their enjoyment of film was obvious. Roberta was probably the saddest of the lot. She reveals that she will most likely be evicted "by summer" but fortunately we don't see this. Hopefully the eviction was averted.To the reviewer who thought the film should have covered the entire history of cinemania in NYC and that that the "good old days" are long gone -- well, that may be true and it sounds fascinating, and probably deserves a documentary of its own. But that wasn't really what this film was about. If anything, these characters' devotion to the "pure cinema" in a world of DVDs and video, was even more striking.

This documentary tells the story of five New Yorkers obsessed with movies. They live for films, doing nothing else. At some point in the documentary, I ask myself the question: do they have a depressing life or do they live in a dream world? Because, I think I would be able to live this kind of life. I'm a big fan of lists, of IMDB of course and of movie houses. Cinema truly offers an escape door to our daily life. At the same time, to find refuge in films, I would have to abandon a lot of things. Then, I'm not so sure I want to live this life! One fact is for sure, after seeing this documentary, you want to see more movies! And explore new fields. It's voyeurism at its best because the documentary doesn't give us too much information about the five movie buffs. It stays on the surface, using the five New Yorkers almost as freaks, deconnected from real life. There's a certain lack of details to the documentary.Out of 100, I gave it 76. That's good for **½ out of ****.Seen at home, in Toronto, on May 2nd, 2004.

I have seen this film several times, and as a fellow New York City film buff find it very fascinating, especially some of the insights Jack has on the workings of the projection rooms. While I would consider it difficult to sit through more than 3 or 4 films in a week, these five people are seeing at least that many per day!!!Unfortunately, one obvious issue the film glosses over is just how these people can afford this lifestyle. Early on it is mentioned that while Jack is living off an inheritance and Bill is a freelance editor, the other three (Harvey, Roberta, and Eric) are living on disability. Now, I'm not exactly a right-wing Republican but surely it must occur to some, if not most, viewers that people receiving disability payments are supposed to be, you know, DISABLED, and not running around Manhattan attending movies all day. Maybe they are conning the system or maybe they really do have some non-obvious disability (besides O-C disorder) that prohibits them from working - the filmmakers make no attempt to find out.

Manhattan is a mecca for the lonely. Nowhere in the world can people survive for years without the need of communicating with other people. Some of them have absolutely no life, or in the case of these five characters in this fantastic documentary, these are people who put all their energy into escaping from the real world. Their refuge is the many film theaters of Manhattan that show non commercial programs such as the ones that attract them. How much can they absorb? How much can they really enjoy the same films that attract them?. Watching this documentary one can't really say. Of all five people analyzed in the film only Jack comes close to a normal person. He is a walking encyclopedia. He knows about cinema. I have seen him in numerous occasions and have talked to him. He is the source one wishes to have when one is thinking of an obscure passage of a forgotten film, domestic or foreign. His whole life revolves around the different showings around the city. His life is a mess, but at least, he gives the appearance of normalcy in comparison to the others.Roberta is an eccentric lady whose whole life revolves around collecting programs wherever she goes. She appears to go to films out of duty, not because she really enjoys what she is seeing. Her own anecdote of taking off her blouse during an air conditioned failure is a hoot. Talking to her after a film will give you no clue if she liked or disliked what she saw. She would be much better off staying home sorting out a whole lifetime at the movies and straightening the mess she lives in. I hate to see a fire in that tenement, or in some of the other apartments, for that matter.Co-directors Christlieb and Kijak know these people very well. They give us a bit of their world; they have captured the essence of these five lonely souls in the big city.