Steve Jobs(2015) and Batman and Bill (2017)

Steve Jobs-The Man In The Machine (2015) A documentary look at the life and career of Apple co-founder Steve Jobs.

I am in the camp that believes Steve Jobs was the greatest visionary of the late 20th- early 21st Centuries.  His combination of design/marketing/image genius created more than a business juggernaut.  Apple borders on being a cult.  At the center of that cult was a man who could be equal parts genius and asshole.  One of my favorite images for this kind of divided personality is the children’s story of the little girl with the curl.  When she was good, she was very good.  But when she was bad, she was awful.  Jobs could be so very brilliant, but he could be a wretched human being at the blink of an eye.  His treatment of his daughter will turn your stomach.  His treatment of many of the people who brought his dreams to life is awful as well.

But when he was good…

An excellent documentary.

Rating – **** Recommended

Batman and Bill (2017) – The story of the battle between DC Comics and the creators of Superman is

fairly well known.  Just coming to light is the full story of the battle between Bob Kane, renowned as the creator of Batman, and Bill Finger.

Finger has an enormous claim to be a co-creator of the Dark Knight.  In this Hulu produced documentary, the details of the work that Finger did, important, pivotal work in the development of the character, and the reality of how Kane took all credit for it is disturbing at the minimum.  Finger would die forgotten and penniless.  The movie doesn’t diminish Kane’s work in the creation of the character.  It tries to flesh out a fuller version of the story.

Really compelling watching.

Rating – **** Recommended