Category Archives: Recommendations

Coming to VOD this Sunday, June 19: DADDY DON’T GO

Emily Abt and Andrew Osborne’s repudiation of the deadbeat dad stereotype had its world premiere at DOC NYC last Fall. It has gone on to screen at Cleveland, American Black, Santa Cruz, and Twin Cities Black fests, among other events. It makes its VOD debut exclusively on Vimeo on Demand, appropriately tied to Father’s Day.

I previously wrote about the film for DOC NYC’s program, saying:
What lies at the root of America’s fatherhood crisis? Emily Abt’s documentary takes an intimate look at the struggles of four diverse, disadvantaged NYC fathers to beat the odds stacked against them and defy the deadbeat dad stereotype. Fighting against homelessness, unemployment, bureaucracy, and, in some cases, a criminal past, Alex, Nelson, Roy, and Omar want nothing more than to honor their responsibilities and provide for their children. The film offers a moving portrait of what it means to be a good father, despite life’s circumstances.

Coming to theatres tomorrow, Friday, June 17: MY LOVE, DON’T CROSS THAT RIVER

Jin Mo-young’s portrait of an elderly couple debuted at DMZ Docs in 2014, where it won the audience award. Other screenings have included Hot Docs, Los Angeles, Tempo Doc, Visions du Reel, DocAviv, Sydney, BFI London, RIDM, Cork, DOK Leipzig, Moscow, Hamptons, and the New York Asian fests.

Cho Byeong-man, 98, and Kang Kye-yeol, 89, have been married 76 years. Their children and grandkids may occasionally come to visit, but, for the most part, it’s just the two of them, inseparable in their modest country home. When they walk into town, or head out on group outings with other seniors, the loving couple dress in bright matching traditional outfits. They’re prone to playfulness, engaging in snowball or water fights. Cho can’t fall asleep unless he’s touching his beloved Kang, while she requests that he sing for her while she’s using the outhouse late at night to allay her fears. Although Cho tries to stay active, collecting firewood and tending to his beloved dogs, he has started to become short of breath and prone to painful coughing bouts. Over the course of the film, his condition worsens. With no recourse due to his advanced age, relatives descend on the family home to say their farewells, and Kang sadly prepares for the inevitable, slowly beginning to burn some of Cho’s clothes so he has something to wear in the afterlife. Jin’s remarkably crafted, at times magical, portrait offers audiences a brief but enduring glimpse of love, companionship, and mortality.

Coming to VOD tomorrow, Friday, June 17: RAIDERS!

Jeremy Coon and Tim Skousen’s chronicle of a lifelong obsession debuted at SXSW last year. Other screenings have included DOC NYC, Dallas, Hot Docs, Fantasia, Traverse City, Melbourne, Sidealk, Denver, Rotterdam, and Docs Against Gravity. FilmBuff now releases the film on major VOD platforms.

I previously wrote about the film for DOC NYC’s program, saying:
When three Mississippi preteens set out to pay tribute to their favorite film in 1982, little did they know it would become an obsession that lasted three decades. Committed to making their own version of RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK, they spent seven eventful summers recreating the epic adventure, shot for shot – with the exception of one scene beyond their scope. When footage of their project surfaces decades later, becoming a sensation, it reignites their drive to finally finish their low-budget masterpiece, no matter what.

New to VOD this week: RABIN IN HIS OWN WORDS

Erez Laufer’s chronicle of the assassinated Israeli prime minister debuted at Haifa last year, where it won the best documentary award. Its circuit has also included Hot Docs, Cleveland, Other Israel, and the Atlanta, Toronto, and Miami Jewish fests.

Constructed almost entirely from archival sources featuring Yitzhak Rabin, including public appearances, interviews, and personal letters, Laufer’s film, per its title, functions as almost an autobiography of the Israeli politician, who was twice elected prime minister, as well as serving as the nation’s US Ambassador and minister of defense. Demonstrating his skillful editing, Laufer directs Rabin’s own voice to relate the leader’s life and career, from personal reflections on a strict upbringing and about meeting his wife, to candid thoughts on his involvement in nation-defining events like the Six Day War as head of the Israeli Defense Forces. Summarizing decades of public service against the backdrop of ever-present tensions or all-out conflict in the Middle East, Laufer uses some shortcuts that may prove unclear to viewers not intimately aware of Israeli politics and history, but, for the most part, the film provides just enough context to remain always engaging. The film is particularly compelling as it lays out Rabin’s contentious diplomatic efforts with the PLO for peace through the Oslo Accords, which sadly led ultraconservative factions to rally against Rabin, inspiring Yigal Amir to assassinate him in 1995.

Coming to VOD tomorrow, Tuesday, June 14: DOGLEGS

Heath Cozens profile of an underground wrestling league which includes disabled competitors had its world premiere at Hot Docs last year. Other screenings have included Fantastic Fest, Cleveland, and Nippon Connection. It now comes to VOD platforms via FilmBuff.

The titular Tokyo-based setting originated decades ago as a support group for the disabled. Seeing the potential of confronting spectators – and themselves – about disability and ableism, the participants organized wrestling bouts pitting themselves against able-bodied opponents. Rather than going the route of providing a space for a feel-good display of inclusion, however, this league is confrontational – disturbingly so, as evidenced by the seemingly neverending rivalry between founders “Sambo” Shintaro, who has cerebral palsy, and “Antithesis” Kitajima, the group’s non-disabled volunteer leader. Likened to SM play, Kitajima is ruthless in the ring, not only physically, but psychologically, hurling humiliating insults about Shintaro’s frailty. Another combative pair, married couple L’Amant, a crossdressing alcoholic with severe cerebral palsy, and Mrs L’Amant, twice his size, also publicly work out their complex psychodramas in the ring. Cozens presents his audience with often shocking images, making the viewer question from one scene to the next whether what’s on display is empowering or exploitative – or, somehow, both – making for an ever-provocative, complex re-assessment of one’s conscious or subconscious perspectives on the disabled.