Category Archives: Recommendations

Coming to theatres and to virtual cinemas tomorrow, Wednesday, June 30:
LYDIA LUNCH: THE WAR IS NEVER OVER

Director:
Beth B

World Premiere:
DOC NYC 2019

Select Festivals:
SXSW, Rotterdam, Jihlava, Doclisboa, Melbourne, Ashland, Revelation Perth

About:
A career-spanning exploration of the notable cultural figure.

The film screened as part of DOC NYC, for which our program notes read:
Turning trauma into precise and angry feminist rock, American singer, writer, and actress Lydia Lunch helped birth the No Wave music scene in the late 1970s and early ’80s—and she’s still killing it today. Fellow No Wave pioneer Beth B constructs a lively portrait of this innovative performer, whose confrontational artistry resonates loudly in today’s feminist landscape. Critics, filmmakers, musicians, and friends discuss the relevance of Lydia’s brilliantly vitriolic world.

Coming to Rooftop Films this Sunday, June 27:
PLAYING WITH SHARKS

Director:
Sally Aitken

World Premiere:
Sundance 2021

Select Festivals:
Nantucket, Hot Docs, Doc Edge, Boulder, Washington DC Environmental, EarthX, Provincetown, Martha’s Vineyard, DocLands, Mountainfilm

About:
A tribute to a pioneering shark conservationist and underwater cinematographer.

I profiled the doc before Sundance here.

Coming to theatres and VOD today, Friday, June 25:
KENNY SCHARF: WHEN WORLDS COLLIDE

Director:
Malia Scharf, Max Basch

World Premiere:
SXSW 2020 (unscreened)

Select Festivals:
DOC NYC, Revelation, Provincetown, Montclair, Atlantic

About:
A portrait of artist Kenny Scharf, whose work fuses popular culture and fine art.

The film screened as part of DOC NYC, for which our program notes read:
Along with friends Keith Haring and Jean-Michel Basquiat, Kenny Scharf grew from a graffiti artist into a major force in the 1980s NYC art scene. Obsessed with garbage, cartoons, and plastic, this playful Peter Pan’s roller coaster career flourished despite the decimation of the AIDS crisis and the fickle tastes of the art world. From street art to museums, Scharf continues to create colorful, complex work that puts him at the forefront of where popular culture meets fine art.  

Coming to Disney+ tomorrow, Friday, June 25:
WOLFGANG

Director:
David Gelb

World Premiere:
Tribeca 2021

About:
A mouthwatering portrait of one of the first celebrity chefs and a pioneer in the world of California cuisine, Wolfgang Puck.

Coming to virtual cinemas tomorrow, Friday, June 25:
CHASING CHILDHOOD

Director:
Margaret Munzer Loeb, Eden Wurmfeld

World Premiere:
DOC NYC 2020

Select Festivals:
Portland, San Francisco Doc, Cleveland, Harlem, Annapolis, Sarasota

About:
Reformed helicopter parents and education professionals reveal the benefits of allowing kids to have freedom to play unencumbered by schedules and structure.

The film screened as part of DOC NYC, for which our program notes read:
Overprotected and overdirected, American children are wilting under the weight of well-meaning parents. In the pursuit of keeping them safe and creating an impressive resumé of extracurricular activities to wow admissions boards, over-parenting smothers children across socioeconomic classes. This thoughtful film follows education professionals and reformed helicopter parents who seek and offer solutions for developing more confident, independent young people while restoring some joy and freedom to childhood. 

Coming to DVD tomorrow, Thursday, June 24:
MIRACLE FISHING: KIDNAPPED ABROAD

Director:
Miles Hargrove

Co-Director:
Christopher Birge

World Premiere:
Tribeca 2020 (unscreened)

Select Festivals:
DOC NYC, Nantucket, AFI Docs, Sidewalk, Dallas, Brisbane, Trinidad & Tobago

About:
A kidnapped man’s family and friends are forced to negotiate for his release.

I previously wrote about the doc here.