Coming to theatres and VOD today, Friday, August 19: LO AND BEHOLD, REVERIES OF THE CONNECTED WORLD
Werner Herzog’s far-ranging musings on the impact of the web debuted at Sundance earlier this year. Its fest circuit has also included Nantucket, San Francisco, Seattle, Cleveland, AFI Docs, BAMcinemaFest, Florida, Traverse City, and Hot Docs.
I profiled the doc before Sundance here.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, Recommendations, Releases, Sundance
New to DVD this week: I AM JFK JR
Derik Murray’s candid portrait of America’s “crown prince” made its debut on Spike earlier this month. It was followed the next day with a VOD release.
The latest in Murray’s line of I AM profiles of late celebrities, previously having covered the likes of Chris Farley, Evel Knievel, and Steve McQueen, hews close to his established formula. He gathers those close to his subject – in this case friends rather than any of the private Kennedy clan – to reveal his personality, ambitions, and achievements, helped to a great extent by existing archival footage. With a charismatic, attractive figure who was covered by the media in all facets of his life starting at his very birth, the director has a lot with which to work. Still, the implication of a tell-all personal confessional that is attached to the title seems ill at ease with someone like JFK Jr, particularly as the film addresses the weight of the world’s attention – and expectations – given his influential family. Leaving that quibble aside, Murray treats Kennedy with respect, demonstrating pointedly his desire to become his own man, out from under the shadow cast by his father and JFK’s Camelot. With interviewees here offering speculation about the political career the district attorney and GEORGE magazine founder might have had, however, the sense of a life cut short and potential unrealized linger over the proceedings, giving viewers much food for thought.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Recommendations, Releases
New to DVD this week: THE BOYS OF ’36
Margaret Grossi’s tale of rowing Olympians premiered on PBS’s American Experience earlier this month.
I previously wrote about the film here.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Recommendations, Releases
Coming to theatres today, Wednesday, August 17: WHEN TWO WORLDS COLLIDE
Heidi Brandenburg and Mathew Orzel’s chronicle of the clash between indigenous activists and Peru’s power elite debuted at Sundance earlier this year, where it picked up a special jury award. Additional screenings included Nantucket, Documenta Madrid, Riverrun, Minneapois-St Paul, Hot Docs, Montclair, Human Rights Watch, Sheffield, Shanghai, AFI Docs, and Docufest Kosovo.
My pre-Sundance profile of the doc may be found here.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, Recommendations, Releases, Sundance
Coming to NYC’s Rooftop Films tomorrow, Thursday, August 18: AUTHOR: THE JT LEROY STORY
Jeff Feuerzeig’s revealing look at a literary world controversy made its world premiere at Sundance this year. Screening berths followed at Nantucket, True/False, Full Frame, San Francisco, DocAviv, Seattle, Sheffield, Sundance London, Provincetown, Open City Doc, New Zealand, Greenwich, Sidewalk, and BAMcinemaFest, among others.
I profiled the doc before Sundance here.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, Recommendations, Sundance
Coming to DVD today, Tuesday, August 16: BLOODSWORTH: AN INNOCENT MAN
Gregory Bayne’s portrait of a man wrongly sentenced to death row debuted in Baltimore last August. It came to VOD this past February.
In 1985, based solely on eyewitness testimony, Kirk Bloodsworth, a 22-year-old former Marine was convicted of the rape and murder of nine-year-old Dawn Hamilton. As recounted in Bayne’s film, the authorities arrested the wrong man. Over the course of nearly a decade, Bloodsworth maintained his innocence, and, once he learned about the possibility of testing DNA, found a means to clear his name, ultimately becoming the first American sentenced to death to be exonerated in this matter. Since his release, he has become a crusader against wrongful convictions, with this project his latest tool to share his story. While Bayne’s sparse approach provides the viewer with an intimate experience of his captivating subject, the film’s structure unfortunately robs his story of full dramatic impact, moving back and forth in time and revealing the would-be surprising details of Bloodsworth’s case too early.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Releases
Coming to VOD today, Tuesday, August 16: TIN SOLDIERS
Ben Duffy’s look at adaptive sports athletes debuted at San Juan earlier this year. The Orchard now releases the doc on iTunes, Amazon Instant Video, Google Play, Xbox, and other VOD platforms.
After an unnecessary prologue, Duffy proceeds to profile several individuals of varying ages and ability who take part in sports adapted to accommodate the needs of people with disabilities. This survey approach introduces viewers to the likes of a double amputee power lifter and CrossFit trainer, a Paralympian gold medalist in both wheelchair basketball and alpine skiing, and an adorable three-year-old with spina bifida who participates in WCMX – BMX with wheelchairs. Earnest in its desire to demonstrate the inspirational nature of its subjects and their adaptability to adversity, the film is unfortunately hampered by a distracting score but will serve as a useful educational and awareness-building tool.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Releases
Coming to DVD tomorrow, Tuesday, August 16: MIKE NICHOLS: AN AMERICAN MASTER
Elaine May’s tribute to her legendary comedy partner made its debut as part of PBS’s American Masters series at the start of the year.
The second of two Nichols-focused films this year, following the Sundance-debuting BECOMING MIKE NICHOLS, also draws much of its running time from an extended interview with the acclaimed director, supplemented with brief comments from collaborators and with a few scenes of his work. He’s an engaging and warm presence, offering insight into his work on stage and screen, while the likes of Meryl Streep, Tony Kushner, and Matthew Broderick express their admiration for his talent and wit. Surprisingly, May herself only appears in archival clips, choosing, it seems, to allow this film instead of a talking head interview to address her feelings for the late Nichols. Limited in its scope by the television-hour running time, however, this project is best watched in conjunction with the other Nichols profile to provide a fuller sense of the multi-hyphenate’s long career and achievements.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Releases
Coming to DVD tomorrow, Tuesday, August 16: BOLSHOI BABYLON
Director Nick Read and co-director Mark Franchetti’s exploration of dramatic turmoil behind the legendary ballet company made its bow at Toronto last year. Screenings followed at DOC NYC, Hamptons, CPH:DOX, IDFA, New Zealand, Docville, Stockholm, Hong Kong, and Munich, among other fests.
I previously wrote about the doc here.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Recommendations, Releases
Coming to DVD tomorrow, Tuesday, August 16: OUR LAST TANGO
German Kral’s tale of passion and drama between legendary dancers debuted at Toronto last year. It also screened at Miami, Cleveland, Stockholm, San Diego Latino, Sarasota, the Film Society’s Dance on Film, and Minneapolis/St Paul, among other events.
I previously wrote about the film here.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Recommendations, Releases
what (not) to doc 