Two Quick Documentary Reviews

Tonight - at work - I utilized Netflix's powers of watching films online, to watch two documentaries.

The first was "Girl 27" and it was pretty interesting and informational at first, but the second half of the film was kind of flat. It revolves around a Day Player in Hollywood in the 1930s. She went to what she thought was a casting call, and later found out she was being used as "entertainment" for an MGM Salesman. That night, she was raped. The most interesting parts of the documentary are those that reveal how much Los Angeles was under the control of film studios - especially MGM - and how they stone-walled the investigation and the trial. Serious conspiracy theory stuff, and it was interesting. But, like I said, the second half just seems to drag on.

Secondly, I watched "Deliver Us From Evil" and it was a very disturbing documentary that involves a Catholic Priest, who admits to many cases of sexual assault on children. Hearing the interviews of various people (the children, now grown up) who were assaulted by this man, are pretty freaky. There are interviews with their parents, and descriptions of how this man - Oliver O'Grady - was able to manipulate families and work his way into taking advantage of these children. The hardest to watch was the boy, who finally admitted to what was done to him, and the fact that this Priest was also having a sexual relation with his married mother - at the same time - in order to keep her quiet about what he was doing to her son. It's insane! Crazy, and it often made me squirm, thinking about what this man did for roughly 20 years. CRAZY!

The films ends with a number of "facts". The one I found most disturbing was:

In 2005, George W. Bush granted immunity to Pope Benedict XVI, from a lawsuit filed against him, claiming that he helped with the cover-up of sexual assault on young boys. HERE is an article from the First Amendment Center. Crazy, crazy, crazy...

The documentary was kind of tough to watch. But, pretty interesting at the same time. Especially with the large number of interviews from Father O'Grady, and his attitudes towards what he did. There are lots of deposition interviews included in the documentary.

I give both of them 3 out of 5 Stars.