Dinosaur 13

This is a must watch for anyone interested in dinosaurs and perfect for college courses.

This documentary is definitely a roller coaster not like other documentaries as you learn from the hero's, the villains and you learn about corrupt law.

I went and seen sue in Chicago and this definitely wasn't the story they have on Sue, so I recommend to anyone who has seen this amazing T.Rex to watch this documentary and find out how Sue nearly didn't come to the public eye, and how much of a struggle the true owners went through trying to keep her were she belonged.

I wish all the best to the Larson Family.

9.1 of 10. True to its title, it is not only about the 13th tyrannosaurus rex discovered, but even more so about the hard work the paleontologists put in to recover it and maintain it in as good condition as possible. This isn't just another dinosaur quickie to grab easy money.

Unlike most documentaries, it has hero and villain excitement that makes everything you learn, including about the law, taxes, prison, and government appointments, that much more interesting and easily enjoyed by those without a strong interest in paleontology or who were looking for visuals, scares, and dinosaur chases.

In sum, we have an educational documentary worthy of even college courses and PhDs that also provides the intrigue of a legal or political drama. It won't be surprising to see some closely-based fictional movies popping up trying to capture this with more action, music, and sex appeal. You can't, however, count on them to deliver the depth of what you already have here.

I have continually had the conversation that we live in a beautiful era for documentaries that push narratives and transcend what audiences previously believed a documentary could do. I am reinforced in this belief by a handful of films that I've seen, but another such film, Dinosaur 13, will now join those ranks.

Exposing us to a narrative that few people know, Dinosaur 13 is a roller coaster of a story in the best way possible. What starts as a humble yet passionate following of a group of paleontologists becomes a conflict that is bigger than they could ever expect. I don't want to give any part of the film away because there are so many twists and turns in this story. It is documentaries like this that make me question why even bother with writing stories when there are great ones like this that are more compelling than fiction. I will highlight a few things that I resonated with. First, this is a film about small town USA, in this case Hill City, SD (in close proximity to the Badlands), and the power of community in places like this, both in good times and bad times. Secondly, this is a film about passionate people. The subjects of the film, notably Peter Larson, the paleontologist who is the primary focus, but also the many other folks involved, all share a beautiful love of what they do. Despite all adversity, carrying passion and optimism is a beautiful thing to watch.

From a craft standpoint, the film is greatly benefited due to a high quantity of archival footage. Had these events transpired 20 years before, home videos would not have been commonplace and it would have to rely more on reenactments and interviews, but instead a good amount of the film actually uses footage, along with some reenactments and some fantastic interviews.

I am blown away by this story and look forward to watching it again in theaters. Paleontology is essentially the study of history and uncovering the truth in the past: Dinosaur 13 has done the same for this powerful story that should be heard by all. 10/10

What can you say when something that seems so wrong, so unjust and so unfair, is true? This is both a fascinating discovery film as well as a look into the sheer bizarreness of the US legal system. Sad but true....

Imagine that you were a gold prospector, and found a mother lode. You take it home and clean all the debris off of the ore. Then some military men shows up and takes all you've collected Wouldn't you consider that a theft ? Yet that is exactly what happened to Sue - One of the most complete T- Rex specimen ever found. FBI and the national guard showed up at Blackhills Institute to haul away the fossils of the T-Rex. Something good was found, and US government decided to make it their own - by any means possible, and by force. The action speaks volumes about what kind of government United States is running. In some parts of this world United States is considered a terrorist. In this case a thug as well.Dinosaur 13 is a story that goes beyond the story of T-Rex fossil.It's a story about how US government operates. It's policy of might makes right is a danger not only to the fossil hunters, but to all citizens who lives in United States ( and rest of the world ).