Category Archives: Recommendations

Coming to theatres today, Friday, November 25: THE C WORD

Meghan O’Hara’s personal exploration of the way cancer is approached in the West debuted at the Hamptons last year. Other screenings included DOC NYC, Cleveland, Martha’s Vineyard, Napa Valley, Traverse City, and Newport, among other events.

I previously wrote about the film for DOC NYC’s program, saying:
From filmmaker and cancer survivor Meghan O’Hara (producer of FAHRENHEIT 9/11, BOWLING FOR COLUMBINE, and SICKO), comes a daring and intimate film that seeks to change the way we think about cancer. O’Hara investigates the connection between the current cancer epidemic and our western lifestyle, including medical professionals’ tendency to treat only the symptoms and not the underlying causes of what ails us. Backed by personal experiences and the scientific validation of Dr David Servan-Schreiber, O’Hara asks us to reconsider the way we currently treat cancer, advocates for society-wide lifestyle changes, and tackles the institutions that stand in the way of those important changes.

Coming to VOD tomorrow, Friday, November 25: MAGNUS

Benjamin Ree’s profile of a chess champion had its world premiere at Tribeca earlier this year. Its festival circuit also included Munich, Traverse City, Moscow, Zurich, Vancouver, and the Hamptons. It now comes to iTunes.

I previously wrote about the doc here.

Coming to DVD today, Tuesday, November 22: HOMO SAPIENS

Nikolaus Geyrhalter’s look at spaces once occupied by mankind had its debut at Berlin this year. Its fest circuit also included Cinéma du Réel, Honk Kong, BAFICI, Docville, DOK.fest Munich, Docs Against Gravity, and DocAviv, among other events.

I previously wrote about the film here.

Coming to DVD tomorrow, Tuesday, November 22: HARRY AND SNOWMAN

Ron Davis’ chronicle of the bond between a man and his horse made its bow at Full Frame last year. Screenings followed at DOC NYC, Nantucket, New Orleans, Hamptons, Virginia, Provincetown, Sedona, and Hot Springs Doc, among other fests.

I previously wrote about the doc here.

Coming to DVD tomorrow, Tuesday, November 22: NEWMAN

Jon Fox’s look at a maverick inventor had its world premiere at the Hamptons last year. It went on to screen at DOC NYC, Princeton Environmental, Florida, and Irvine.

I previously wrote about the doc here.

Coming to HBO tonight, Monday, November 21: MARATHON: THE PATRIOTS DAY BOMBING

Ricki Stern and Annie Sundberg’s look at life after the Boston Marathon bombing premiered at the Hamptons last month. Other screenings include DOC NYC.

I previously wrote about the doc here.

Coming to VOD today, Friday, November 18: SOUR GRAPES

Jerry Rothwell and Reuben Atlas’ chronicle of an unprecedented wine fraud debuted at Hot Docs. Screenings followed at the recently concluded DOC NYC, Sheffield, Melbourne, Hamptons, and Tallgrass, among other events. It now comes to VOD via Netflix.

I previously wrote about the film for DOC NYC’s program, saying:
Rudy Kurniawan, an unassuming young Indonesian man, makes a splash when he begins to attend specialty wine auctions. An apparent wine savant, his aggressive buying helps lead the wave that sees fine wine prices skyrocket before the 2008 financial crisis. Kurniawan amasses $35 million from auctioning off rare wines from his own collection. But after suspicious bottles are discovered making their way through elite wine circles, controversy erupts, prompting an investigation with surprising results.

Coming to theatres today, Friday, November 18: MAGNUS

Benjamin Ree’s portrait of the “Mozart of chess” debuted at Tribeca this Spring. Screenings followed at Munich, Traverse City, Moscow, Zurich, Vancouver, and the Hamptons, among other events.

Even as a young boy, Magnus Carlsen was more at home lost in thoughts than engaging in more physical pursuits. Encouraged by his supportive parents and sisters, he took naturally to chess, and soon emerged as a naturally gifted, intuitive prodigy. Ree follows Magnus, now in his early 20s, as he is on the cusp of fulfilling his lifelong dream of competing for the World Championship in 2013. The perspective of the introverted young master is broadened considerably through interviews with his family, particularly his father, and home video and other archival footage that shows Magnus’ rise through the world of competitive chess. The crux of the film, however, comes in surprisingly tense game play in both the qualifying competition and then his face-off with the reigning world champion, Viswanathan Anand – a feat for such a cerebral and individual game, and effective not only for viewers already well-versed in chess.

Coming to theatres today, Friday, November 18: MARATHON: THE PATRIOTS DAY BOMBING

Ricki Stern and Annie Sundberg’s revisitation of the aftermath of the devastating 2013 Boston bombing made its debut at the Hamptons last month. It also screened at the just-wrapped DOC NYC.

I previously wrote about the film for DOC NYC’s program, saying:
On April 15, 2013, two bombs exploded near the finish line of the Boston Marathon, killing three people and injuring hundreds of others. Ricki Stern and Annie Sundberg’s powerful film reveals the immediate impact of the terrorist attack on Boston as the city goes on lockdown and a manhunt ensues for the bombers, soon revealed as two brothers, Dzhokhar and Tamerlan Tsarnaev. Running parallel to the FBI’s investigation are the affecting stories of several survivors who suffered serious injuries in the bombing. Marathon follows them over the course of three years as they contend with the aftermath, showing physical and emotional fortitude in the face of tragedy.