NMR: Mansome

Directed by noted documentarian Morgan Spurlock (Super Size Me), this is a small film that explores the recent increase in grooming habits by men. Separated into several segments about what makes a man, the information is interesting even if the people always aren't. For instance, one segment explores beard and mustache competitions. The segment would have been much more engaging had the person they chose to follow didn't come off as such a pretentious douchebag. That unfortunately was a trend throughout the film. The narcissistic nature of the people that care so much about their looks was a turn off, even if I was interested the habits themselves. To counterbalance that, however, there were several talking head segments featuring a lot of comedians like Adam Carolla, Judd Apatow, and Zach Galifianakis to offer some levity to the topic. Best of all there are several interludes featuring Jason Bateman and Will Arnett, who also co-produced the film, attending a day spa while comedically discussing their own personal grooming habits. The subject matter is too slights for mass appeal, but if you enjoy Spurlock's work, you'll likely enjoy this film as well. Rating: *** 1/2

Hairy situation

Speaking of Arrested Development, two of its leads, Jason Bateman and Will Arnett, are producing and star in Morgan Spurlock's latest documentary, Mansome, which looks at what makes a man. Here's your first look at the trailer for the film.

Nerd alert!

Here's your first look at a documentary on the phenomenon known as Comic-Con, directed by Morgan Spurlock (Super Size Me).

RBR: The Greatest Movie Ever Sold

If there's one thing you can say about documentarian Morgan Spurlock it's that he's inventive in his approach to shed light on the world's problems. Whether he's gorging on McDonald's food for a month in Super Size Me or trying to get sponsors to pay for film about sponsorship as he does in this latest documentary. That inventiveness serves as a great hook to lure viewers in and keep them entertained for 90 minutes. However, it's also a narrative weakness as you find yourself leaving the theater feeling like you didn't really learn anything new. This is particularly true in Spurlock's latest as he gets too wrapped up in the cutsy idea of having his movie be paid for exclusively by corporate sponsors that he never really digs into the problems associated with the growing practice. The first part of the film is spent exploring his quest to finding sponsors, but since we've already been told, and most likely knew, how eager corporations are to have their brands inserted into films, it's an exercise in futility since we know he'll eventually find a willing partner. Occassionally the film begins to unravel something interesting - like how much control the corporation has over the content of a film once they've agreed to a deal with them - but it never digs deeper. Where the films lacks in substance in makes up for in Spurlock's amiable presence which allows the film to have a breezy feel, despite such a dirty subject. It's fun to see him not only discover a product exists that serves as shampoo for humans and horses alike, but to then also get them to cooperate in the making of this film. If you enjoy Spurlock's work, this is another fun adventure that you'll likely enjoy. Just don't expect to learn a whole lot once it's finished. Rating: *** 1/2