Review - Leonardo A Short Documentary

Leonardo - A Short Documentary

Presented at Hot Docs 2013
8 minutes and 35 seconds
Directed & edited by Jeffrey Zablotny
with Stu Marks

I am a sucker for nostalgia and Leonardo hit me at a core with me.  It opens with a home video of a Ninja Turtle birthday in 1992.  Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles were one of the biggest toys in the 90's and the 1990 movie only made them more of a hit with the kids. Who didn't want the Ninja Turtles van?

Stu and his brother had the ninja turtles action figures from the movie that you could change the arms and legs. When they would play with the turtles, they would imagine the heating vents as the sewers that would be the ninja turtles world. Unfortunately Leonardo was lost in the vent and they were unable to recover him.

Stu had obviously thought about Leonardo several times over the past "10 to 15 years", because he decides to go back to his parents home and rescue Leonardo once and for all!

To me this movie is about childhood memories and the rescue of that special lost toy. I could not help but walk down memory lane with Stu. Haven't we all had that one toy for what ever reason was the most important possession in our lives? So much apart of you life, you might still have it to this very day? I was right there with Stu when he was talking about his childhood memories, reminiscing myself. So the brothers attempt to rescue Leonardo from the basement, than finally deciding trying from above was the best bet. After a couple of attempts, finally Leonardo is rising to the surface! That last few nail biting inches, when Leonardo was close enough for Stu to reach a hand in and grab Leonardo by the foot... I was giddy with Stu!! After all these years! Leonardo has finally emerged from the 'sewer'!!

If that scene at the end on the train, with Leonardo sitting on Stu shoulder doesn't stir your inner child and make you grin with at least one memory of joy you felt toward a toy. you are missing the point of this short but sweetly endearing doc. A beautiful shared moment of childhood.

Samantha