Category Archives: Releases

Coming to DVD tomorrow, Tuesday, June 10: BIBLE QUIZ

Nicole Teeny’s Scripture spin on SPELLBOUND debuted at Slamdance last year, where it claimed the best doc award. Other fest appearances have included New Orleans, Newport Beach, Kansas, St Louis, Oxford, American Doc, and Spokane.

At the same time a competition doc and a portrait of adolescence, Teeny’s film profiles seventeen-year-old Mikayla, a girl from a troubled home who turns to religion for stability and acceptance – or, perhaps more accurately, she turns to a small circle of earnest, pious friends who happen to be obsessed with memorizing the Bible. Their goal: to win the National Bible Quiz Championship. Mikayla’s goal, even though she may not know it herself at first: to make team captain JP her (chaste) boyfriend. Following standard competition doc conventions, Teeny films her subjects engrossed in prep, committing huge chunks of Scripture to memory, and triumphant in battle, rattling it off at debate-speed to beat rival schools – initially fascinating in its peculiarity, but not particularly riveting in and of itself without a more nuanced, in-depth exploration of the impact of Christianity on these young people’s lives, which is strangely lacking here. The viewer might expect Teeny to concentrate on both Mikayla and her clean-cut, attractive crush, JP, but instead she wisely focuses on Mikayla, an appealing, intriguing teen. If she plays to the camera a little too much, it’s forgiveable, as her vulnerability still comes through, with her tentative exploration of burgeoning sexuality and attraction complicating what could have been an otherwise rote comp doc.

Coming to DVD tomorrow, Tuesday, June 10: THE ABOMINABLE CRIME

Micah Fink’s exploration of the persecution of LGBT Jamaicans had its world premiere at Frameline last year. Its festival circuit has included DOC NYC, Montclair, QDocs, BFI London, St Louis, Reeling, and Outfest, among others.

I previously wrote about the film for DOC NYC’s program saying:
Exposing the roots of homophobia in Jamaican society, THE ABOMINABLE CRIME tells the story of a mother’s love for her child and an activist’s love for his country. It gives voice to Jamaicans like Simone Edwards, who survived an anti-gay shooting, and Maurice Tomlinson, a leading activist who is forced to flee the country after being outed. These personal accounts take the audience on an emotional journey traversing four years and five countries.

Coming to theatres today, Friday, June 6: WALKING THE CAMINO: SIX WAYS TO SANTIAGO

Lydia Smith’s portrait of pilgrims walking across Spain debuted at Ashland last year. Its fest run has included Newport Beach, Galway, American Doc, Heartland, and Hollywood, among others.

Spain’s Camino de Santiago is a 500 mile path that culminates in the city of Santiago de Compostela, a popular pilgrimage destination as the site of St James’ remains, annually drawing more than 270,000 pilgrims. Smith, a former pilgrim herself, follows nearly a dozen international individuals who make the journey for a variety of reasons, walking during the day and stopping at hostels along the way to rest and socialize. These include two Canadian retirees, one of whom is still dealing with his wife’s passing; an American woman who learns how to let go of some of her anxiety around competition after the trek takes a physical and emotional toll; a recently unemployed Brazilian woman who needs a fresh start; an adventurous Portuguese man who experiences a lot of physical trouble en route; an uptight, religious young French mother who travels with her inquisitive young son and her non-religious, free-spirited younger brother; and a sporty Danish loner who unexpectedly finds herself starting a relationship with a younger fellow pilgrim. As they reflect on the issues in their lives over the course of the pilgrimage, they learn to appreciate a slower pace and absorb the beauty of the Spanish countryside in this handsomely lensed if (appropriately) meandering production. Smith does an admirable job in balancing multiple subjects – though I’m left unconvinced that all needed to be included, with more than one indulging in navel-gazing and First World Problems – but it’s easy to see the film resonating with viewers with particular interest in spirituality and self-development.

Coming to theatres tomorrow, Friday, June 6: SUPERMENSCH: THE LEGEND OF SHEP GORDON

Mike Myers’ celebration of the man behind the careers of the likes of Alice Cooper and Emeril Lagasse premiered at Toronto last year. It went on to screen at Tribeca, Full Frame, Sarasota, SXSW, Sydney, Miami, and Montclair.

I included the doc in my Toronto coverage here.

Out on DVD and VOD this week: WE ALWAYS LIE TO STRANGERS

AJ Schnack and David Wilson’s portrait of musical families in Branson MO debuted at SXSW last year, where it claimed a special jury prize. It went on to screen at DOC NYC, Ashland, Full Frame, Dallas, Sarasota, Hot Docs, Nashville, St Louis, and Denver, among others. The film is available on iTunes and Amazon streaming, and was just released on DVD this week.

I included the doc in my SXSW coverage here.