Starz Inside: Unforgettably Evil (2009)

Unforgettably Evil is a markedly broad, reflective, and insightful examination of evil and the villain in the movies. Several dozen big-name movie professionals hold forth in a tightly edited discussion about who makes an unforgettable villain and why (for example, Javier Bardem as Anton Chigurh and Heath Ledger as The Joker) as well as how the humanity of villains makes them more chilling. Heath gets at least 8 out of 58 minutes just for his inspired characterization as a crazed force of nature. Women and mechanical villains also get their own chapters. This is probably the most intelligent collection of movie-related commentary I have seen -- it's light-years ahead of Keanu Reaves cheering "Chah!" Don't listen to the right-wingers who ding it as a cavil against global warming -- or George Bush -- as a villain; they are demonizing two sentences in the full hour. (Bardem did use W. as his character model -- if unreasoning self-assurance and power like his were allowed to run unchecked across the land.) This is the best Starz documentary yet. Enjoy! 4.5 stars.