Tribeca Weekend Wrap-Up: 6 stories of love, loss, happiness and fear

AWOL

Love can make us do some pretty dumb things. Joey is trying to make sense of her life and find direction, but love blinds her better judgement. Told with many gratuitous and unnecessary bits of nudity, the vulnerability and naivety of Joey is what makes this tug at your heart.

Fear, Inc

A company that you hire to scare you? Although it has tremendous potential, the execution (no pun intended) didn’t grab me at all. Once again, I gave horror a try. It’s just not for me.

The Happy Film

Surprisingly introspective, this was just as much about the cool design as it was the idea that we can control our happiness. At the beginning, the film tells you that it will not make you happy, and it won’t, but it could give you some insight on how to be.

Folk Hero & Funny Guy

So much more than the two guys, one girl troupe, this is a story of two friends discovering their friendship again.

Enlighten Us: The Rise and Fall of James Arthur Ray

Remember the sweat lodge incident where people died? Here’s the story of the man behind it, who went to prison for two years. The director is incredibly diplomatic and let the man speak to himself. What I took out of it is how much I am grateful for my friends who love and support me.

Houston, We Have a Problem!

Separating fact from fiction is easier in a narrative, but when it’s presented as a documentary, the line is not clear. Besides the subject, the cinematography is really spectacular as the archival footage is lined up with the present.