very weak, unfortunately

Good story, Not enough for a whole film

Excellent, a Must See

Let me be very fair here, this is not the best movie in my opinion. But, this movie is fun, it has purpose and is very enjoyable to watch.

Today I made my annual pilgrimage to the local theater to see all the Oscar-nominated Documentary Shorts. My good friend came with me and force once we were in agreement as to which shorts were strongest and weakest--which is a little unusual. Of the five documentaries, we both liked "Cavedigger" the least. And, when I came home and looked at the IMDb sites for all these shorts, I was shocked to see such an incredibly high rating for "Cavedigger". After all, it was a very slight film and took neither the risks of the best of the shorts ("Karama Has No Walls" where one cameraman actually got shot documenting the Yemeni democracy movement) nor had a emotional impact of "Prison Terminal: The Last Days of Jack Hall". While not a terrible film, its subject matter just didn't seem to merit a film this long--as about 10 minutes would have probably sufficed.The story is about a very strange man named 'Ra'. Ra is an odd-ball--and would probably admit that readily. He lives in the art Mecca of Taos, New Mexico and even there among these bohemians, he's a stand-out! He has an obsession that consumes his life--digging tunnels and rooms into the very, very soft sandstone. Now I must admit that his artistry in making these is pretty impressive, though he never really makes any money doing this and is quite happy despite this. That's really all there is to the story--mildly interesting but hardly in the same league as the other shorts that were nominated.

If you like art, sculpture and documentary film, this one is a must see. Jeffrey Karoff does a fantastic job illuminating Ra's life, passion and art and perfectly captures the breathtaking beauty and scale of Ra's work. An interesting theme is the tension between Ra as an artist and the people who commission his work who feel the should have a say, of course. Additionally, Ra's struggle to skirt detection by the government (some of his work is on government land) is an interesting theme that I am eager to see play out in the years to come. I can only imagine that this film is helping put Ra on the map as a serious artist and can't wait to see what's next for him!

This is a documentary of a man who follows his own guide star, and creates beautiful art in an unlikely way. Ra Paulette lives in New Mexico, and fills his days carving beautiful, vaulted-ceiling caves in the soft sandstone. Without a background in architecture, art, or engineering, sometimes for himself, sometimes for others (though, as the movie points out, never quite "with" others - including his ex-wife and her new husband, and a number of patrons), he spends years on each project, producing a unique and breathtaking result. We never quite "see to the bottom" where his motives arise, and his inspirations are mysterious. But the results are almost spiritual. And we see there is more to come.

Cavedigger is a beautifully crafted short documentary about a little known artist with a very unique art form. The production values are superb. Beautifully shot in New Mexico, it presents the artists milieu as well as a look at the private life and inner workings of what goes on in very special man's mind. It was completely absorbing throughout. I was so taken with the sensitivity Jeffrey Karoff showed to the artist during the time he followed him around. I loved the the scenic shots of New Mexico as well as the beautiful presentation of his art pieces. All in all, it was one of the most sensitive representation of an artist and his work.