Category Archives: Recommendations

Coming to theatres today, Wednesday, October 30:
17 BLOCKS

Director:
Davy Rothbart

World Premiere:
Tribeca 2019

Select Festivals:
Nantucket, Karlovy Vary, Traverse City, AFI Docs, Zurich, Melbourne Doc, Milwaukee, Nashville, Woods Hole, Heartland, Hot Springs Doc, Antenna Doc, Woodstock

About:
A longitudinal portrait of an African American family in Washington DC.

The doc screened as part of Nantucket, for which our program notes read:
In 1999, nine-year-old Emmanuel and his family began to film their lives in Washington DC. Though they live just 17 blocks from the US Capitol, their dangerous neighborhood is a world away, plagued with poverty, addiction, gangs, and gun violence. Befriended by filmmaker and journalist Davy Rothbart, the family continue to document their experiences over the next two decades, together constructing an affecting, deeply intimate portrait of love and loss.

Coming to HBO tonight, Tuesday, October 29:
ANY ONE OF US

Director:
Fernando Villena

World Premiere:
SXSW 2019

Select Festivals:
Mountainfilm, Bentonville, Newport Beach, Greenwich

About:
A professional mountain biker is followed for two years after a spinal cord injury.

Paul Basagoitia suffered a serious spinal cord injury upon a crash landing during a mountain bike competition. Though it’s determined that he may never regain mobility, Basagoitia pushes himself over the course of the next two years, experiencing exhilarating progress and frustrating setbacks alike, with supportive partner Nichole by his side. Interspersed is a chorus of others who have had spinal cord injuries, relating their own experiences and how their lives have changed. While this inclusion attempts to universalize Basagoitia’s story, and is not without some added emotional heft at times, it comes off as too surveylike as a whole. The real power is in Basagoitia’s vulnerability, as he works through both traditional and alternative therapies, and comes to grips with his new reality.

Coming to DVD today, Tuesday, October 29:
JAY MYSELF

Director:
Stephen Wilkes

World Premiere:
DOC NYC 2018

Select Festivals:
deadCENTER, Newport Beach

About:
A renowned photographer prepares to leave his longtime home and studio.

I previously wrote about the doc here.

Coming to PBS’s Independent Lens today, Monday, October 28:
MADE IN BOISE

Director:
Beth Aala

World Premiere:
AFI Docs 2019

Select Festivals:
Margaret Mead, GlobeDocs, Hot Springs Doc, Woodstock

About:
An exploration of how and why Boise ID has become the center of America’s surrogacy industry.

For individuals or couples seeking to have children through surrogacy, Boise has emerged as the unexpected site of a surrogacy boom, credited to a relatively affordable cost of living, a population of healthy young women, and a faith-based community that values families. Beth Aala profiles four women who have become part of this industry, helping others experience the joys of parenthood while also benefiting financially, as well as the expectant parents. While not without controversy or health complications – both explored candidly here – the film provides a positive and often moving look at and demystification of the surrogacy process.

Coming to theatres tomorrow, Friday, October 25:
MAKING WAVES: THE ART OF CINEMATIC SOUND

Director:
Midge Costin

World Premiere:
Tribeca 2019

Select Festivals:
Cannes, BFI London, Munich, Deauville, Sitges

About:
An exploration of the largely overlooked history and craft of film sound.

Film sound is a vital element of the cinema experience, but an invisible one, and easy to take for granted. While the audience, etymologically, should be predisposed to hearing films, it is usually instead predisposed to focus on film visuals. Director Midge Costin’s doc asks viewers to shift their attention to the aural realm, and how a largely unsung team of sound engineers, sound editors, and sound effects specialist, among others, contribute to the success or failure of a film. The film gathers notable directors, like David Lynch, Steven Spielberg, George Lucas, and Ang Lee, together with sound wizards like Walter Murch and numerous other craftspeople and technicians who are not household names, to explore the various elements that come into play to build a film’s sound elements, using clips from a wide range of mostly American films to illustrate their points – and to break up the fairly conventional talking heads approach. The result is an engaging and surprising accessible behind-the-scenes peek into a part of the filmmaking process that has a lot more impact than might be assumed.