Category Archives: Releases

Coming to DVD tomorrow, Tuesday, March 27: EL BULLI: COOKING IN PROGRESS

Gereon Wetzel premiered his mouthwatering behind-the-scenes look at a top restaurant at IDFA in 2010. The film screened extensively at festivals since then, and was released theatrically last Summer.

I wrote about the film upon its theatrical release here.

Coming to NYC’s Film Forum next Wednesday, March 28 and SF on Friday, March 30: THE ISLAND PRESIDENT

Jon Shenk’s portrait of the climate change activism of the recently deposed President of the lowest-lying country in the world made its premiere last Fall with berths at Telluride and Toronto, winning the People’s Choice Award at the latter event. Since then, it has screened at DOC NYC and Thessaloniki Doc Fest, among others. Samuel Goldwyn picked up the the film for theatrical distribution, expanding it next month to Los Angeles, Washington DC, San Diego, Minneapolis, and Detroit, with additional cities planned.

One of the most popular films debuting on the Fall circuit, Shenk’s doc benefits from a camera-friendly subject, the charismatic President of the Maldives, Mohamed Nasheed. Granted impressive behind-the-scenes access to Nasheed’s domestic and world affairs, Shenk presents a confident, likable figure, having served as a freedom fighter and credited by many as bringing democracy to his country. Made up of a series of islands, the Republic of Maldives is threatened to vanish if projections of sea-level changes come to pass. The charismatic Nasheed sees the opportunity to bring a spotlight to this serious issue through the Copenhagen Climate Change talks, becoming a kind of everyman hero in the process. A thoroughly satisfying film, it unfortunately has just received an entirely unanticipated coda: Last month, a coup d’etat forced Nasheed from the presidency. Showcasing what he was able to accomplish in his first year in office, perhaps the doc can help mobilize awareness and support to eventually reinstate him.

Coming to DVD tomorrow, Tuesday, March 13: THE SWELL SEASON

Nick August-Perna, Chris Dapkins, and Carlo Mirabella-Davis premiered their doc on the real relationship between the stars of the Oscar winning ONCE at Tribeca last year. It went on to play more than a dozen additional fests, including Silverdocs, Newport, Traverse City, and CPH:DOX, and enjoyed a theatrical release in the US and elsewhere.

I included the doc in my Tribeca coverage here.

Coming to VOD next Tuesday, March 13: BROOKLYN BOHEME

Diane Paragas and Nelson George’s personal exploration of the vibrant African American arts renaissance in Brooklyn during the 1980s and 90s made its premiere as the opening night film at Urbanworld last year. Additional fest appearances have included DOC NYC and LA’s Pan African Film Festival, while cable audiences have been able to see the film on Showtime. It now becomes more widely available through iTunes, Amazon VOD, Vudu, Cinema Now, YouTube VOD, Song Playstation, and XBox 360 via FilmBuff.

Very much a love letter to Brooklyn’s Fort Greene and Clinton Hill, this amiable doc finds George serving as both narrator and on-camera tour guide, visiting with a who’s who of the community’s most recognizable faces, including Spike Lee, Chris Rock, Branford Marsalis, Rosie Perez, and Saul Williams as they reminisce about the opportunities for creative expression, and, most significantly, the sense of collaboration that defined the area as a mecca for young African American artists. Likened by some as Brooklyn’s version of the Harlem Renaissance, the period saw a blossoming of filmmaking, writing, and performance by an interconnected group of talented new voices – plus, apparently, some pretty unforgettable parties. Though I’m predisposed to take issue with hosts in docs, George’s presence works for the most part – this is his neighborhood, and this is also his history, and the celebrity interviews would probably feel less warm and authentic without him. As much as George and Paragas take a look back at what once was, the film doesn’t wallow in the past – it moves beyond nostalgia to contextualize a time and place and consider not only its legacy, but its future, despite the changes wrought through gentrification.

Coming to NYC’s reRun Gastropub Theatre for a one-week run this Friday, March 9: CONVENTO

Jarred Alterman premiered his fascinating film about a former monastery and its eccentric inhabitants at SXSW last year. It went on to screen at Edinburgh, Camden, Rooftop Films, Maryland, and the Independent Film Festival Boston, where it won a special jury prize. It comes to NYC in a special extended cut.

I wrote about the film out of SXSW here.

Coming to theatres this Friday, March 9: JIRO DREAMS OF SUSHI

David Gelb premiered his portrait of an octogenarian sushi masterchef at Tribeca last year. Other stops on the fest circuit have included Berlin, Jerusalem, AFI Fest, and Stockholm. Magnolia brings the film to NYC this weekend before expanding around the country.

I included the film in my Tribeca coverage here.

Coming to DVD/VOD today, Tuesday, March 6: HOLY ROLLERS: THE TRUE STORY OF CARD COUNTING CHRISTIANS

Bryan Storkel’s documentary debut about a team of Christian blackjack players made its world premiere at last year’s Seattle International Film Festival. Since then it’s appeared at more than two dozen additional fests, including (fittingly) Las Vegas, Sidewalk Moving Picture, San Diego, Raindance, Denver, Oxford, and Big Sky, picking up seven awards along the way. DVD and VOD are being handled by Warner Bros Digital and Gravitas Ventures, with DVDs available via the the film’s website. and VOD through iTunes, Amazon, YouTube, Blockbuster, Vudu, Xbox, AT&T, Verizon, DirecTV, Time Warner, and other providers.

The concept seems incongruous – young Christians, including a number of pastors, working together to form the “Church Team,” a professional card counting group with the aim of winning ridiculously huge sums of money from casinos by playing high stakes blackjack. And incongruous it is – reconciling gambling for a living with the strictures of their faith is something that is addressed and readdressed throughout Storkel’s engaging, fast-paced film. While some of the affable team members have found some way to rationalize their participation – one teammate is convinced blackjack is his calling, and uses Bible verses to remind himself that God is responsible for his winnings and losses – others find themselves ultimately unable to come to grips with leading a Christian life and taking advantage of a system to win money. While initially wildly successful, the Church Team soon faces serious growing pains, and potentially bankrupting losses, leading to soul-searching, speculation about how much they trust one another, and even a startling confession before the film, and potentially the team, runs its course.