innocuous Singer did a great job with this documentary, especially consider his age and lack of experience when he filmed it. His ability to overcome the budgetary and technical constraints is astonishing. The end-result is an above-average documentary.I understand that Singer's original intention was to help some of the subterranean "citizens" with profits from this film. Like the documentary, "Born Into Brothels", this is (I guess) an admirable goal, but it certainly interfered with the movie itself.With all that out of the way, let me conclude by saying that I did not find it very enjoyable. I don't mean that I felt guilty or uncomfortable watching this chronicle of life on the outer reaches of society. I mean that I got a bit angry and fed-up with the situation. Are these people marginalized? Yes, undoubtedly. Do they live where they do because of a "few bad choices"? No. A couple bad choices lead you to buy a car that's a lemon, or to hit on the boss's spouse at your company Christmas party. People who deliberately commit crimes and turn to drugs are doing a lot more than making bad choices. Finally, are there options for these people to help get them back into the mainstream? Yes...if they stop making "bad choices".Worth watching, but be prepared to be frustrated if you are a person who has worked hard all his/her life and obeyed (mostly) the law.

Matt_Layden Dark Days tells the story of homeless people living under the real world and in a community they created themselves, near the train tracks in New York.Mar Singer's Dark Days is an amateur filmmaker creating a visually and emotionally powerful film experience. The lives of the people living underneath our world in a community of their own near the train tracks is horrifying, yet their community and respect for each other is tremendous. The main attraction I had to this film were the characters living in this world they created. You become a part of their lives; you live in this world with them. You see them living in these conditions and their addictions you just want to help them yourself. You hope and pray that they can make it out of their and make a living outside.To make a film like this takes dedication and it's apparent that these filmmakers had good intentions and were dedicated to this project. Their passion and energy are shown in the film, which is what most films are missing these days. A passion for the story they are telling. Dark Days has all of this and more.The use of black and white emphasizes their living conditions. It's cold and dark down there and we see this through the black and white. Even though I believe it was not their intention to shoot in black and white because of the inexperience of the crew, it worked to their advantage. If everything were in colour, the film would give off an entirely different emotion and would seem that it was just a guy with a camera shooting stuff.The music itself is powerful and moving. It fits perfectly with the style, characters and emotions of the film. I was so impressed with this film that I did research on it immediately after I had seen it and learned that the director himself had lived down there for months before he decided to film. This fact adds more emotion to the film for me. It's not about a guy filming these people down here; it's one of their own shinning the light on their own situation. The fact that everyone on the crew had no prior filming experience increases the enjoyment of the film as well.It is so well made that it gives me, as a film student that anything is possibly. I never imagined this film being inspirational but that's the way it turned out for me. Aside from some pacing issues that film is near perfect.We follow one of these people down into their world and we live down their, with everyone throughout the film. We see how they interact with each other, how they take care of their homes, how they find food and shower. The film ends with their victory in overcoming homelessness. It plays out like a film dramatic film.It's been weeks after viewing this film and it is still in my mind. One of the best documentaries I have ever seen and my favourite film watched this year.

KFL I was falling asleep through the first third of this film. I was on the verge of slipping it back into its envelope and sending it back to Netflix, without having watched it through to the end.I have never, ever done that, not even with "Godzilla: Final Wars".But after an overlong introduction, the filmmaker started giving us back-stories--about how these people effectively became homeless, although they don't think of themselves that way. About the drugs and jail time and other personal tragedies that landed them there...where the sun don't shine...literally.And then something completely unexpected happens towards the end; and at first you think--I thought, anyway--that it would be just another tragedy, piled on top of all the rest, and I found myself shaking my head: yeah, these people, they're always going to draw the short straw.And then, to my own great amazement, it didn't work out that way at all. There was a happy ending, after all.I really and truly thought I would hate this film, but was immensely surprised (I don't think I have ever been so surprised by a film) to find that it is in fact very special, and quite wonderful, after all.You WILL be bored beyond caring by the first 20-30 minutes. Stick with it anyways. The ending is worth it.

bijpatel Dark Days is an excellent documentary highlighting the hardships faced by the homeless people of New York City. Castigated and mistreated by citizens and government officials on the streets, the homeless resort to living in the underground railway tunnels, where they will be left alone. Mark Singer does an excellent job of showing that the 'land of the free' is not so free when people are denied basic human rights. Singer allows his audience to partake in communication with the homeless, something we rarely take the time to do when we pass a homeless person on the streets. His documentary helps us understand their backgrounds and misfortunes and how they came to be homeless. Singer's documentary really compels one to fight the stereotypes and discomforts associated with the homeless. He captures human suffering in a place where we most often forget to look for it.