The closing night film of this year’s edition of NewFest, David Barba and James Pellerito’s Pop Star On Ice is an absolute winner. I doubt anyone else on this planet would make the connection, but I found it to be a very fitting companion piece to Adam Bhala Lough’s The Carter. Both are exhilaratingly executed documentaries that provide a candid glimpse into the lives of young American icons, who prove throughout the course of each film that they aren’t just coasting by on bling and glamor. Ice skater Johnny Weir is bursting with charisma, yet he’s also overflowing with talent. Watching this young man in his early twenties trying to balance the demands of work (i.e., world-class athletic training) with having a social life is something everyone can relate to, albeit not on this brightly lit of a stage.
A full review of Pop Star on Ice is forthcoming, but for now I wanted to make sure everyone was aware of the potential awesomeness of NewFest’s closing night extravaganza, as not only Johnny will be in attendance, but his best friend, Paris—aka, my Best Supporting Actor In a Nonfiction Film 2009—will also be there, as well as many more. It’s at 8pm at the SVA Theatre. Visit the NewFest website for details.
Barba and Pellerito somehow manage to maintain an engaging sense of humor throughout their portrait, while simultaneously capturing the nearly unbearable tension inherent in these ice skating competitions. Pop Star On Ice is a film that succeeds on many different levels. Check-a-check it out. (And visit the film’s official website for more upcoming screenings, of which there will be very many.)
— Michael Tully
