Glimmerubro It is not deep, but it is fun to watch. It does have a bit more of an edge to it than other similar films.

InformationRap This is one of the few movies I've ever seen where the whole audience broke into spontaneous, loud applause a third of the way in.

Portia Hilton Blistering performances.

Raymond Sierra The film may be flawed, but its message is not.

Horst in Translation (filmreviews@web.de) "Cavedigger" is a 39-minute documentary that was released back in 2013, but already filmed (at least some of it) back in 2010. It was directed by Jeffrey Karoff, his first work, and scoring an Oscar nomination with it is quite a success. The artist we see from start to finish is Ra Paulette and I myself found this almost more interesting as a character study of a man with such a hobby really isolated from people than as a piece of art. Yes the caves he did look fantastic, but I do not approve in terms of this being another way in which nature is destroyed and also no matter how good Paulette is, he will never reach the awesomeness of caves shaped by nature. You may want to take a look at Werner Herzog's "Cave of Forgotten Dreams" for these. All in all, I cannot say I particularly enjoyed watching this documentary and I am sure most of the other Oscar nominees that year deserved the trophy more than this one here. And somehow I feel Paulette couldn't care any less if he won or not. Not a great documentary. Thumbs down.

Heathbinder It's tough for me to be objective because I do know the filmmaker. That said, I couldn't pull my eyes away from this documentary. Two thoughts on this film. First, the subject, Ra, creates these spectacular spaces/caves that need to be seen to be believed. Words don't really do his work justice. This movie shines a light on his work and it's special to get a window into his underground world. Second, what I like so much about the film is, Jeffrey captures Ra's quirks and communicates his desire for underground perfection without ever pushing any sort of agenda. Put another way: It's very difficult to capture the intensity of a person like this in a subtle way. Jeff manages it without a hint of exposition. Not surprising to me it was nominated for an Oscar.

Lewin Wertheimer Cavedigger, by Jeffrey Karoff, has just been nominated for an Academy Award for best short documentary. The nomination is more than deserved.This 40 minute jewel is about a unique artist who digs and sculpts caves in New Mexico. It is about creating beautiful art and the trials and tribulations of being a commissioned artist. The story told is of how the desire and drive to create singular art is stronger than all the other challenges of age, money, and client needs. Ra, the cave digger, is a kind, soft spoken man with a dream that he is creating and an inspiring level of perseverance in the face of whatever obstacles come his way. The beautiful film footage of these exquisite caves is awe inspiring and a wild trip that will equally captivate both nature and art lovers.

ctkingson Not only do we see the sinuous grace of these carved sandstone interiors and get the feel for how challenging they are to excavate, but we are let into the life of an eccentric and staunchly independent artist who nevertheless is a gentle and appealing soul. A man in his 60s carries a wheelbarrow and shovel deep into mountainous wilderness on his back; he works alone, underground, never knowing when a collapse might end his life; he worries about the safety of those who might try to recover his body. We meet some of his patrons and see their reaction to the unmovable force that he is when his artistic vision is challenged, but though some find him too formidable, others--friends and loved ones--sacrifice to help him along his path. The clarity of his understanding of his values, his humility when he doubts, the love he engenders, and the respect so many have for his vision make this movie extremely touching and thought provoking. The crisp cinematography ravishes with the beauty of the New Mexico sky and landscape, and the magical caves hidden inside it.