Man in Camo

I thought the movie was incredibly interesting and kept your attention the entire time. The visuals were creative and fun. The animation coupled with the moving graphics made my eyes not leave the screen. I think the movie came off too strong in the beginning and was hard to adjust to the style, pace, and sounds. Once I adjusted tho, I found myself at the edge of my seat waiting for the next words and visuals since they spoke to me. The movie inspired me to get back into documenting my life and trying to bring creativity into my every day life. While this movie isn't for everyone, the story it portrays and highlights is something everyone can watch and appreciate, use as a form of inspiration.

I was lucky enough to see Man In Camo at The Hell's Half Mile Film & Music Festival in Bay City, Michigan. Honestly, when I first saw the trailer I didn't really have any interest in seeing it. It looked pretty self-indulgent...which it is...it's also endlessly fascinating, There is so much going on visually that it's hard to focus at times but it all comes together and is a beautiful insight into Minkser's life and growth as an artist. I met Ethan during the festival and he's a fascinating guy and I think "Camo" is only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to everything he's done and will do. Well worth seeing.

It's hard to write a spoiler-free review of this film because as soon as you say "Ethan Minsker," you've given away a huge part of the story. Ethan has been at this for a long time-since he was a kid in many ways. At what? Filmmaking, rebel-rousing, DIYing, punk rocking, zinstering, and making, making, making. He's made a lot of movies over the years and finally made one about himself; he's earned it.

I'm a fan highly-specific stories that reveals the universality of our experience. Man in Camo is part biography, part manifesto, part self-exploration. I firmly believe everyone has a story to tell, but not everyone has the means (or gumption) to tell their own. There's a cautionary tale in here somewhere too, written and read between the lines. You don't have to be from New York to get something out of this-you don't have to be a writer or director, and you don't have to be Ethan Minsker.

We did a special screening of this film at our fest (Vidlings & Tapeheads Film Festival 2018, Hamtramck, Michigan). Ethan came out and led a robust Q&A after the film and the audience, strangers to Ethan's work, stuck around well past the alloted time and were fully-engaged throughout.

Frenetic editing, visually rich with about three dozen different animation techniques employed to liven up interviews and interstitials, Man in Camo is Minsker using everything he's learned in his life to tell the story of his life-celebrating his passions in the medium(s) of his passions.

I had the pleasure of seeing this film at The Gorst Underground Festival. I found this documentary, (which is Ethan Minsker's telling of his own story; his life, his art, his creative process, and background) original, inspiring, and thought provoking. This story/documentary, is not told in any kind of traditional way. It is not linear. There is a lot of material involved here, and the work has depth. The artist has done some intriguing self-examination, especially into the way his own mind works and creates. An inspiring and encouraging story for any artist and/or creative person.

Man in Camo was a very unique and creatively made documentary. You can tell, from the first shot of the film to the last, that Ethan Minsker is an artist. Through the film he uses graphics, animation, special effects, and even stop motion to bring his story to life. Throughout the film Minsker talks a lot about sub-culture and artiatic movements within sub-culture, and features a number of other artists as well. Minsker does a wonderful job of sharing his love of art through the screen, from showing his home films he made when he was younger, to showing his art pieces he's made throughout his life. Man in Camo is a truly authentic and artistic documentary.