Sunshine Superman
Where: Cineplex Odeon
When: Today, 4:30 p.m.;Tuesday, 9:45 p.m.
Rating: 3/5 stars
Even if the spectacle of watching men (and women) jumping off cliffs, bridges and L.A. skyscrapers for kicks isn’t your thing, such aerial freefalls captured with body cameras can be as absorbing and visually stunning for filmgoers as they were exhilarating for the daredevils who pulled them off. Such is the case with Marah Strauch’s film recalling the exploits of the late Carl Boenish, the irrepressible father of the BASE jumping movement. While many will question Boenish’s sanity, Strauch’s documentary effectively pays homage to the eccentric, risk-taking adrenaline junkie and aerial cinematographer who overcame childhood polio and parlayed his skills into landing a gig overseeing skydiving sequences for John Frankenheimer’s 1969 drama The Gypsy Moths.
Although nicely combining archival footage and interviews with aging athletes, the downside is this slightly overlong film practically deifies its subject, and is redundant, with an unsatisfying finale.
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