Rebuilding Paradise

When I say that a film is depressing, I am NOT necessarily saying you shouldn't watch it or that it's a bad film. This Ron Howard documentary is well made and interesting but it also cannot help but leave you feeling down when it has ended. I also mention it because I strongly encourage people dealing with depression NOT to watch it, as it might leave you more down as a result of watching.

The story is about a town oddly named 'Paradise' in Central California, just north of Chico and about 90 minutes north of Sacramento. Due to neglect by Pacific Gas & Electric, an electrical fire burned nearly all of the town to the ground. The film is about the first year after the fire and how the folks are coping with the disaster and upheaval.

Despite being made by a Hollywood insider, Howard, it has the look of a movie shot with the simplest of cameras...better than iPhones but sort of a cheap videocamera look. This is not a complaint...more an observation. It consists of photos, stock video and lots of interviews with the locals. Best of all, it has no narration...something it share with many better documentaries. Overall, it's very well made and interesting...especially for folks like me who live relatively close to Paradise and have seen PG&E's reaction to lawsuits concerning the fire.