Rating: 
Summary: Conflict is good
Review: The title's play on words pretty much sums up the sentiment of the film. Herzog's depiction of his relationship with Kinski is painfully honest, but it is not hard to see the affection mingled with the frustration. Kinski was a mad man and nearly impossible to work with. And yet Herzog chose to work with him again and again, and with great results. This film is a tribute to their contentious and productive relationship.There are some really funny stories here, including one where Herzog actually threatened to kill Kinski. Some may have heard of this spat, but it is still interesting to hear Herzog's dead-pan account. Very honest, very informative, very entertaining documentary about a very complex relationship. It goes beyond friendship. It just had to be, whether either of them wanted it or not.
Rating: 
Summary: Comic, Fascinating, Filled With Brilliance.
Review: There probably could never be anybody capable of making a documentary about Klaus Kinski other than Werner Herzog. After all, as the title emplies, Kinski was Herzog's best fiend. This is an endlessly fascinating portrait of an actor who was a genius, a madman and a tender soul. Herzog creates a rich film here that never bores. He doesn't turn it into a mournful memory where he might just sit in a chair and talk to a camera, no, he takes us to the locations where he and Kinski filmed, travels to visit crew members and friends and shows us unique behind the scenes footage. The beginning is shocking but intuitive, as Kinski gets into heated arguments with audience members during a performance as Jesus Christ. And if you look at it, shouldn't this be the way hecklers should be handled anyway? Kinski remains a fascinating figure through-out, a brilliant actor who could perfectly become a character and take over the screen. Herzog is a mad genius too and so his portrait of his best friend is really filled with depth and even touching at times. We see them filming in the harsh conditions they went up against to make the masterpieces "Aguirre, The Wrath Of God" and "Fitzcarraldo." We see Kinski and his famous tantrums as he chews out crew members and Herzog in truly violent-mouthed ways.... It is always interesting to hear Herzog talk about the making of the movies and there stunning vistas, like the amazon and Andes where the two mentioned films were made (we see the stunning sequence from the beginning of "Aguirre" where we see hundreds of Spanish conquistadors look like ants as they walk down an Andean slope). One thing the movie should be valued for is that Herzog does not only show the dark, crazy side of Kinski, he also shows the nice side. The last shot is truly memorable where Kinski is gently playing with a butterfly and we see his gentle, tender side. The movie is also comic, especially when we see two brilliant artists battle it out. It's funny to see that Kinski and Herzog loved and loathed each-other equally. "My Best Fiend" is a must for movie buffs, fans of Herzog or Kinski, and for anybody who is fascinated by films that explore unique minds. It is a fascinating, memorable piece of work.
Rating: 
Summary: Character assassination
Review: While providing an interesting behind-the-scenes glimpse at Herzog's truly stupendous films, this amounts to little more than a sustained attack on Kinski. Perhaps Kinski deserves it, but Herzog constantly pushes anyone who says anything nice about Kinksi (which is most of those interviewed) to say something negative about him, usually trying to remind them of some horriffic episode or another. This gets trying in a hurry. Perhaps the greatest display of pathology here are Herzog's transparent attempts to smear someone held in affectionate regard by people he worked with.
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