Category Archives: Recommendations

Coming to NYC theatres tomorrow, Friday, October 2: BRAND: A SECOND COMING

Ondi Timoner’s portrait of provocateur comedian Russell Brand had its world premiere at SXSW this year. It has gone on to screen at BFI London, Los Angeles, Sarasota, Ashland, Sidewalk, Sydney, Melbourne, Vancouver, and Seattle, among others.

Taking on a subject who has likened himself to the Messiah is no easy task, but Timoner manages to balance his admitted narcissism with insight more often then not, preventing this from being a celebrity puff piece or hagiographic biopic. Her film takes on a lot – not only providing an extended history of the life and meteoric career of the comedian for those who may only know him as a short-lived Mr Katy Perry, but also chronicling his descent and recovery from addiction, his re-invention as a social critic/activist/author, and, if that’s not enough, his global stand-up tour, “Messiah Complex.” Timoner’s ultimately compelling film successfully captures Brand’s ambivalence as he seeks to transcend what’s expected of his celebrity and agitate for something else – even if he’s often a bit hazy on the details.

Coming to theatres today, Wednesday, September 29: THE CREEPING GARDEN

Tim Grabham and Jasper Sharp’s exploration of the strange world of slime mold debuted at Fantasia last year. Other screenings have included Hot Docs, Fantastic Fest, Imagine Science, CPH:DOX, Leeds, Cleveland, New Horizons, Revelation, and DOXA.

Grabham and Sharp go on a wide-ranging cinematic forage for slime mold, the bizarre, mobile organisms that used to be considered fungi, behave a bit like a plant and a bit like an animal, and come in a range of types, most resembling something out of a science fiction film. Rather than taking a straightforward TV nature doc approach, the film refreshingly adopts a distinctly quirky tone, down to its unearthly score, as the directors profile several individuals who work with slime mold in intriguing ways. Beyond scientists or amateur foragers who study the strange lifeform, the film visits with a visual artist who collaborates with slime mold, a computer scientist who has demonstrated their ability to create some rather uncanny mapping of pathways, and a composer who incorporates them into his won creative work. Beyond this, the filmmakers even revisit a fun 1931 film starring slime molds, Percy Smith’s MAGIC MIXIES, and its pioneering use of time-lapse photography. The overall result is a clever, fascinating work of science-nonfiction.

Coming to DVD tomorrow, Tuesday, September 29: ELECTRIC BOOGALOO: THE WILD, UNTOLD STORY OF CANNON FILMS

Mark Hartley’s love letter to the Golan-Globus producing team had its world premiere at Melbourne last year. Other fests included Toronto, London, Haifa, Sitges, Mar del Plata, Rotterdam, San Francisco, Glasgow, Dublin, New Horizons, and Fantastic Fest, among others.

I previously wrote about the doc upon its theatrical release here.

Coming to DVD tomorrow, Tuesday, September 29: SOUL BOYS OF THE WESTERN WORLD

George Hencken’s history of Spandau Ballet had its world premiere at SXSW last year. Other fest slots included DOC NYC, Rome, Sheffield, CPH:DOX, BAFICI, and In-Edit.

I previously wrote about the film here.

Coming to DVD tomorrow, Tuesday, June 29: A MURDER IN THE PARK

Shawn Rech and Brandon Kimber’s exposé of the truth behind a controversial murder case had its world premiere at DOC NYC last year. It went on to screen at Cleveland and to enjoy a limited theatrical release.

I previously wrote about the doc here.