Netflix Pick – The Wolfpack
Going in a bit of a different direction with this week’s Netflix Pick. This week I’m doing something you won’t catch me doing too often, I’m recommending a documentary! Most of the time I find a documentary incredibly one sided and not just a way to get real information across. The Wolfpack is a different kind of documentary, there isn’t really a side to take. It’s an interesting look at the lives of seven unique individuals and the power movies can really have over people.
Tired of hearing your friends say they’ve watched everything on Netflix? Are you finding yourself saying that as well? Maybe the argument of people too cheap to shell out the 8 dollars are saying ‘there used to be good stuff, but it’s all crap now.’ Maybe you find yourself spending more time scrolling than watching. Well I plan to put those idiotic statements and bad behavior to rest. On a week to week basis I will give a solid recommendation or two on what you can sign on, turn on, and enjoy. I’ll try to stay away from the massive titles that everyone knows since those have been covered to exhaustion everywhere else. I’m looking for the hidden gems. The indies, the big name stars in direct to streaming endeavors that are well crafted and creative but wouldn’t gross the 300 million needed to justify a theatrical wide release.
The Wolfpack Poster
The Wolfpack refers to seven siblings, six boys and one girl, who were born and raised in Manhattan, one of the most densely populated cities in our entire country. Despite living in the middle of a cultural hotspot with tens of thousands of neighbors the Angulo’s were raised in solitude. Only going outside a handful of times in their lives the Angulo’s were home schooled, only hung out with each other, and had to deal with a father who served more as a warden. The only connection the Angulo’s had to the outside world was movies. Boasting a collection of over 5000 movies the Angulo’s became obsessed with everything film related.
Like most of us who love the cinematic arts the Angulo’s talk in quotes and one liners from their favorite films. They just take this to the next level. As a group they decided that just watching and quoting wasn’t enough. They took to filming almost everything they did and even started to recreate their favorite movies in meticulous detail. Creating props from cereal boxes, construction paper, and whatever else they have laying around their homes they do so much more than making fan films and homages. In one particular scene of recreating the Dark Knight the batsuit comprised of cereal boxes looks so good you’d be impressed to see it at any con. The kids put on voices, match the mannerisms, and replicate the shots as seen in their films.
The documentary is equal parts footage shot by Director Crystal Moselle’s (Frida 2002) crew and footage the kids shot of themselves. Much of the film is comprised of the kids reenacting their favorite movies and talking about the movies they love. With the heavy subject matter and a unique form of abuse inflicted on these kids it’s clear that without their love of movies they wouldn’t have fared so well. They all have a good sense of humor, a positive outlook on life, and when it’s time to get into the world they socialize with the most natural of ice breakers, pop culture.
The heart of the movie lies in the heart of other movies. As the story progresses and the Angulo family gets to assimilate into the world they never got to see but through a window or a TV screen every single thing reverts back to a movie they saw somewhere down the line. There are some truly uplifting moments I don’t want to spoil and without being heavy handed you feel uplifted at watching the kids, especially the oldest, cope with their situation and the real world.
