Coming to VOD tomorrow, Friday, September 4:
FEELS GOOD MAN
Director:
Arthur Jones
World Premiere:
Sundance 2020
Select Festivals:
True/False, SXSW, Big Sky Doc, Taipei, Fantasia, Sidewalk, Kyiv
About:
An exploration of the unpredictable development of an influential Internet meme.
My pre-Sundance profile of the doc may be found here.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, Recommendations, Releases, Sundance
Festival:
The 22nd Docaviv: Tel Aviv International Documentary Film Festival
Dates:
September 3-12
About:
Rescheduled from its usual May dates, this well-curated Israeli event will present nearly 90 new documentary features in an online format, though some drive-in events are also being planned. Continue reading
Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, Overviews, Recommendations
Coming to virtual cinemas tomorrow, Wednesday, September 2:
CHUCK BERRY: THE ORIGINAL KING OF ROCK ‘N’ ROLL
Director:
Jon Brewer
World Premiere:
Nashville 2019
About:
A tribute to the musical pioneer.
Billed as the first feature-length documentary about the rock ‘n’ roll legend, Jon Brewer’s film is ultimately a fairly conventional musical biography, if not outright hagiography, that feels more appropriate for VH1’s BEHIND THE MUSIC series than on film screens. Gathering family, friends, and admirers, Brewer provides a talking heads-heavy recounting of the musician’s life and career. Attempts to liven up the proceedings through unnecessary (and weirdly colorized) re-enactments add nothing but extra padding when the film instead would have benefitted much more from additional performance sequences, which are strangely limited.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Releases
Coming to DVD and VOD today, Tuesday, September 1:
THE MOLE AGENT
Director:
Maite Alberdi
World Premiere:
Sundance 2020
Select Festivals:
Nantucket, Hot Docs, Full Frame, True/False, San Sebastian, New Directors/NewFilms, Miami, Karlovy Vary, Cleveland
About:
An 83-year-old man becomes an undercover spy in a Chilean retirement home.
I profiled the doc before Sundance here.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, Recommendations, Releases, Sundance
Festival:
The 77th Venice International Film Festival
Dates:
September 2-12
About:
The world’s oldest festival is also the first major Fall event to take place in theatres in the COVID-19 era, albeit with a somewhat truncated lineup of approximately 60 new features – 15 of those nonfiction. In addition, the autonomous parallel sidebars offer eight documentaries among their approximately 30 selections. Continue reading
Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, Overviews, Recommendations
Coming to VOD tomorrow, Tuesday, September 1:
BLOODY NOSE, EMPTY POCKETS
Directors:
Bill Ross, Turner Ross
World Premiere:
Sundance 2020
Select Festivals:
Berlin, CPH:DOX, True/False, Big Sky Doc, Calgary Underground
About:
A chronicle of the patrons and staff of a dive bar on what is meant to be its final day.
I profiled the film before Sundance here.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, Recommendations, Releases, Sundance
Coming to Showtime this Sunday, August 30:
LOVE FRAUD
Directors:
Rachel Grady and Heidi Ewing
World Premiere:
Sundance 2020
About:
An investigation of a notorious serial fraudster through the women he’s seduced, robbed, and abandoned.
I profiled the docuseries before Sundance here.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, Recommendations, Releases, Sundance
Coming to VOD today, Friday, August 28:
YOU CANNOT KILL DAVID ARQUETTE
Directors:
David Darg and Price James
World Premiere:
SXSW 2020
Select Festivals:
Fantasia
About:
Actor David Arquette seeks redemption in the wrestling ring.
Twenty years ago, to promote his wrestling comedy READY TO RUMBLE, Arquette worked with World Championship Wrestling to develop a storyline in which he enters the wrestling world, playing an exaggerated, entitled version of himself, only to quickly win the heavyweight title. For die-hard wrestling fans, this was a step too far – a disrespectful, “unfair” blemish on their beloved “sport.” In the intervening years, Arquette’s once-promising acting career has faltered. As David Darg and Price James’ film opens, Arquette has recently had a heart attack and is out of shape, yet this is the time that he chooses to re-enter the world of wrestling, which he genuinely loves, to seek redemption and prove all the haters wrong. As the directors follow him in his quest – which involve several scenes that feel as staged as professional wrestling itself, but also a few which show the legitimate damage he puts his body through – the viewer is left wondering if the entire thing is a promotional stunt.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Releases
Coming to HBO Max tonight, Thursday, August 27:
CLASS ACTION PARK
Directors:
Chris Charles Scott and Seth Porges
World Premiere:
Florida 2020
Select Festivals:
Fantasia, Indie Street, Docville
About:
A look back at NJ’s notorious amusement park, Action Park.
Located in Vernon NJ, just 50 miles away from NYC, Action Park was a regular attraction for families and teens from the late 1970s through the mid-1990s. As revealed in Chris Charles Scott and Seth Porges’ infectiously enjoyable revisitation of the site’s heyday, Action Park was also likely the world’s most dangerous amusement park, with patrons regularly suffering injuries both minor and major, and, in many cases, death. Drawing on a parade of past attendees, former staff, and Vernon residents, the film indulges the audience in a wild recounting of the highs and lows of Action Park – the Wild West, no-holds-barred freedom that attracted die-hard fans, but also the shocking lack of even basic security precautions that resulted in far too many accidents, and, intriguingly, the story of Gene Mulvihill, the shady owner that made it all possible. While not the most polished production, this memorable film successfully evokes nostalgia for a lost era when kids could enjoy the thrill and adventure of unsupervised play and parents didn’t live in constant fear.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Recommendations, Releases
Coming to virtual cinemas tomorrow, Friday, August 28:
HOUSE OF CARDIN
Directors:
P David Ebersole and Todd Hughes
World Premiere:
Venice 2019
Select Festivals:
DOC NYC, Chicago, Frameline, Provincetown, Palm Springs, Cleveland, RiverRun, Outfest
About:
A portrait of legendary fashion designer Pierre Cardin.
The film screened as part of DOC NYC, for which our program notes read:
Pierre Cardin forever changed fashion in multiple ways: He freed women from figure-molded clothes and introduced new shapes, styles, and colors; he was a pioneer in crossing over from haute couture to ready-to-wear; and he brought his designs to multiple products beyond clothes. Drawing on Cardin’s archives and insightful interviews with the designer himself, filmmakers P David Ebersole and Todd Hughes provide a lively, entertaining, and joyous overview of his contributions to the world of fashion and beyond.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Recommendations, Releases
what (not) to doc 