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MARWENCOLMovie Reviews
Documentary about a man who suffers brain damage after a savage beating and takes to building, for therapeutic reasons, a 1/6 scale model of a made-up WW II Belgian town in his backyard. Cast:Mark HogancampDirector:Jeff MalmbergRelease Date:October 8, 2010DVD Release:April 12, 2011From:Cinema GuildLength:1 hr 23 min
Marwencol played in key cities to excellent reviews. • Colin Covert called the film in the Minneapolis Star-Tribune, "...truly transcendent." • And Ty Burr wrote in the Boston Globe, "...very beautiful... about the gray area between obsession and art — about the compulsive need to create something when the world leaves you with nothing." More Reviews Below...
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NEW YORK/LOS ANGELES/CHICAGO/TORONTO (10 Reviews)
Jeannette Catsoulis, New York Times: VERY GOOD "...a fascinating journey from near-death to active life; a meditation on the brain's ability to forge new pathways when old ones have been destroyed."(See all of Jeannette Catsoulis's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 306 words, 10/08/10
V.A. Musetto, New York Post: VERY GOOD(cg) "It's not surprising that 'Marwencol' -- which Hogancamp narrates -- was named best documentary at the SXSW and Woodstock film festivals."(See all of V.A. Musetto's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 203 words, 10/08/10
Bill Stamets, Chicago Sun-Times: VERY GOOD(cg) "Add 'Marwencol' to that exceptional subgenre that reveal how films work.... explores the inner workings of a brain-damaged outsider artist."(See all of Bill Stamets's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 360 words, 01/14/11
Michael Atkinson, Village Voice/LA Weekly: EXCELLENT "Exactly the sort of mysterious and almost holy experience you hope to get from documentaries and rarely do... like a homegrown slice of Herzog oddness..."(See all of Michael Atkinson's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 623 words, 10/06/10
Bruce DeMara, Toronto Star: VERY GOOD(cg) "...not an easy film to watch and Hogancamp isn't the most obvious protagonist. But the film carries a message of redemption and hope that all can heed."(See all of Bruce DeMara's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 476 words, 11/05/10
Liam Lacey, Toronto Globe & Mail: OUTSTANDING(cg) "One of the oddest and most moving documentaries since 'Best Boy' or 'Grey Gardens,' Jeff Malmberg's debut film is a marvel."(See all of Liam Lacey's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 436 words, 11/05/10
Steven Rea, Philadelphia Inquirer: OUTSTANDING(cg) "...on a deeper level, it's about how we process our experiences - good and bad, violent and mysterious - and how we try to build safe places in our lives."(See all of Steven Rea's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 330 words, 11/19/10
Colin Covert, Minneapolis Star-Tribune: OUTSTANDING(cg) "At once a compelling character study, an exploration of the uses of fantasy and a cautionary tale about the limits of art's ability to heal... truly transcendent."(See all of Colin Covert's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 262 words, 12/03/10
Ty Burr, Boston Globe: OUTSTANDING(cg) "...very beautiful... about the gray area between obsession and art -- about the compulsive need to create something when the world leaves you with nothing."(See all of Ty Burr's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 691 words, 12/03/10
Peter Hartlaub, San Francisco Chronicle: VERY GOOD(cg) "Jeff Maimberg's documentary provides a detailed but never patronizing look at the town, pointing out the brilliance and sadness that created the work of art."(See all of Peter Hartlaub's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 155 words, 04/25/10
John Hartl, Seattle Times: VERY GOOD(cg) "Simultaneously hypnotic and unnerving, it asks some rather uncomfortable questions about the nature of art and the potential and limits of self-healing."(See all of John Hartl's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 319 words, 11/26/10
Stan Hall, Portland Oregonian: OUTSTANDING(cg) "First-time director Malmberg's remarkably assured film displays deep affection and protectiveness toward Hogancamp and his creations.... inspiring but also insightful..."(See all of Stan Hall's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 237 words, 01/07/11
Joe Williams, St. Louis Post-Dispatch: OUTSTANDING(cg) "Hogancamp's alliance with director Jeff Malmberg in this artful and poignant film marks a victory in the war against the self."(See all of Joe Williams's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 245 words, 12/17/10
ALTERNATIVE/INDIE PRESS (6 Reviews)
Michael Atkinson, Village Voice/LA Weekly: EXCELLENT "Exactly the sort of mysterious and almost holy experience you hope to get from documentaries and rarely do... like a homegrown slice of Herzog oddness..."(See all of Michael Atkinson's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 623 words, 10/06/10
Peter Keough, Boston Phoenix: OUTSTANDING(cg) "...bizarre and endlessly fascinating... Hogancamp's modest genius and his incredible creation transcend the confines of outsider art."(See all of Peter Keough's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 162 words, 04/22/10
Noel Murray, AV Club: VERY GOOD(cg) "...fascinating, anchored by a well-spoken eccentric always in a mild state of panic about how people think of him.... the details of Hogancamp's work are poignant too..."(See all of Noel Murray's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 395 words, 10/07/10
Lauren Wissot, Slant: MODERATE(cg) "...video imagery, captured by point-and-shoot camerawork, and livened up with big band music from time to time, can't hold a candle to outsider artist Hogancamp's work."(See all of Lauren Wissot's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 587 words, 10/04/10
Jeannette Catsoulis, New York Times: VERY GOOD "...a fascinating journey from near-death to active life; a meditation on the brain's ability to forge new pathways when old ones have been destroyed."(See all of Jeannette Catsoulis's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 306 words, 10/08/10
Sheri Linden, Hollywood Reporter: VERY GOOD "Unpredictable and absorbing... poses penetrating questions all while circling, ever closer, an unforgettable individual and the unknowable creative impulse."(See all of Sheri Linden's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 547 words, 10/07/10
Jeff Farr, Cinema 24/7: OUTSTANDING(cg) "...focuses on the life of a little-known contemporary artist, Mark Hogancamp... has a keen sense for images that surprise and even shock."(See all of Jeff Farr's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 906 words, 09/28/10
Jeannette Catsoulis, New York Times: VERY GOOD "...a fascinating journey from near-death to active life; a meditation on the brain's ability to forge new pathways when old ones have been destroyed."(See all of Jeannette Catsoulis's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 306 words, 10/08/10
13.4 Percentage Points Average Difference Between Reviews (Norm is 18.4pp; <18.4pp = More Consistent; >18.4pp = More Mixed)
Marwencol's reviews are separated by an average 13.4 percentage points. The norm for this measure is 18.4 percentage points. Less than 18.4 indicates more consistent reviews; greater than 18.4 indicates more mixed reviews. In the chart below, each dot represents a review, with the dots at the top more positive than the dots at the bottom. From left to right, the dots represent reviews in big, bigger and biggest publications. Roll over each dot for more detail.
Marwencol (26 reviews) Roll over dots for each review
Coverage:Marwencol's reviews cover 27.4% of potential readers (average is 67.9%). Volume:The film's reviews total 10,242 words involume (average is 20,194 words). Length:The film's reviews average 394 words in length (the norm is 517 words).
Reviews Broke 15 Days After Release (Norm is 1.2 Release)
Marwencol's reviews on average broke 15 days after opening. Norm for this measure is 1.2 hours before. The chart below shows reviews on opening day and the days before and after opening; the left side is earlier and the right side is later. The red bars extending above the horizontal mid-line represent more positive reviews, and the red bars extending below represent more negative reviews. The white space/red bar in the middle is Marwencol's opening day. Click on any bar for a list of the reviews for that day.
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