Dragonslayer

I think the last reviewer completely missed the point of this entire film. Dragonslayer is an unbiased escape from the norm of documentary film making. Not only in the way it was made, but also in it's choice of subjects. It's a world, that if you don't happen to be part of, you are allowed to enter and participate in. The characters are real, their love story is real, and all they are trying to do is figure it out like the rest of us. In the midst of all this life, the skate competitions are colorful and exciting and help capture the film's wild, don't give a dam, punk rock mentality. If you are looking for an escape into an unfamiliar and beautiful place, I highly recommend this film.

Josh 'Skreech' Sandoval is a longtime skateboarder in Fullerton, California. He tries to maintain his carefree alternative lifestyle but he has a new baby. He tries to tour but his skateboarding falters. He continues his search for abandoned swimming pools in the economically depressed neighborhood. He has his friends, and his slacker drug-induced haze life but responsibility is calling on him. I do not wish bad things to happen to Skreech but that's the only way that this movie could have had any drama. In the end, this movie meanders aimlessly which is fitting for his life. It shines a slice of an alternative life but it's not a full slice. Sometimes, he closes the door on the camera and sometimes, there is a sense of some selective editing. His frustration during the competition is palpable but that's a rare moment of intensity. This movie does have its moments but it needs more.

Dragonslayer, a slice-of-life documentary about the life of Josh "Screech" Sandoval, is a really uninteresting film. I believe that director Tristan Patterson invested a lot of time and effort, but what he produced was not very enlightening or particularly constructive as a documentary. There are so many more interesting people that he could have spent his time and energy profiling. That this film won the best documentary feature award from the Grand Jury here at Austin's SXSW is truly inexplicable.

The film is simply the chronicle of the life of someone who isn't very interesting, inspiring or likable. The only mildly interesting part of the film is the skateboarding scenes which are somewhat enjoyable, but the character is not. He seems like a guy who hangs out all day, skateboards in people's pools, drinks, and smokes. He does nothing to contribute to society, mostly ignores his own kid, and has nothing very interesting to say. Frankly, Screech is kind of dull and rather unlikeable. Off of the skateboard, he seems to be mostly dysfunctional and kind of pathetic. Some seem to find this film artistic, but I found it like its subject to be pretty much a waste of time.

Hmm. This won't take long.

He is dull - who is he anyway? Bums around all day, trying to say epic & meaningful things, only to conclude another bong is the way to go.

There is no substance here - all I learn is that he is a right waster with limited potential. May be it is me? maybe I missed something that would open my eyes to it? No, wait - sorry, it is just plain bad.

There's nothing here, but a day in the life of a dreamer with no dreams and who avoids washing. I finished it still waiting for something to happen - but then I never got the point so maybe that is understandable. Even the skating is poor.

O and what is with the puking on the skate ramp! Dirty.

This is one of those documentaries where one can feel the love that the creator/director has for his/her subject. It's, also, one of those films where the viewer is left out in the cold wondering why the director is so infatuated with the subject. There's just nothing of substance to examine. In this case, the skateboarder is mediocre at, well, skateboarding. Worse, he is a dim bulb and his circle of friends are all lifeless and tragically without original thoughts. Granted, he is not supposed to be some brainy whiz kid that founded his own software company at the age of 12. But Geez, this guy is so much of a zero that I had a hard time understanding how he even finds his way around his own apartment. I found myself nodding off every time that he began to speak. He has this hypnotic way in which he talks that lures one into a waking slumber. God, I am so happy that my 2 boys amounted to something.