Every Friday we update you all with the week's theatrical documentary releases. Now, this is not a perfect process as our beloved genre prefers the rolling/limited release schedule instead of a big nationwide or international-wide release. So apologies if a film isn't out in your area or if you are a filmmaker and we missed the boat on announcing your documentary's big day (if that is the case, please let us know and we'll correct the mistake).Now, with that introduction out of the way, here's this weekend's releases with their current rating on the amazing website Rottentomatoes.com:
I Am - (rating - 67%) - A prismatic and probing exploration of our world, what's wrong with it, and what we can do to make it better. This is Tom Shadyac's first foray into non-fiction following a career as one of Hollywood's leading comedy practitioners, with such successful titles as "Ace Ventura," "Liar Liar," and "Bruce Almighty" to his credit. I AM recounts what happened to the filmmaker after a cycling accident left him incapacitated, possibly for good. Though he ultimately recovered, he emerged a changed man. Disillusioned with life on the A-list, he sold his house, moved to a mobile home community, and decided to start life anew. Armed with nothing but his innate curiosity and a camera crew, Shadyac embarks upon a journey to discover how he as an individual, and we as a race, can improve the way we live. (Rottentomatoes)
The Last Lion - (rating - 87%) - From the lush wetlands of Botswana's Okavango Delta comes the suspense-filled tale of a determined lioness ready to try anything - and willing to risk... From the lush wetlands of Botswana's Okavango Delta comes the suspense-filled tale of a determined lioness ready to try anything - and willing to risk everything - to keep her family alive. Follow the epic journey of a lioness named Ma di Tau ("Mother of Lions") as she battles to protect her cubs against a daunting onslaught of enemies in order to ensure their survival. The gripping real-life saga of Ma di Tau, her cubs, the buffalo, and the rival pride unfolds inside a stark reality: Lions are vanishing from the wild. In the last 50 years, lion populations have plummeted from 450,000 to as few as 20,000. Dereck and Beverly Joubert weave their dramatic storytelling and breathtaking, up-close footage around a resonating question: Are Ma di Tau and her young to be among the last lions? Or will we as humans, having seen how tough, courageous and poignant their lives in the wild are, be moved to make a difference? (Rottentomatoes)
Friday, February 18, 2011
Wednesday, February 16, 2011
Documentarian discovers 3D Nazi films
Were the Nazi's the first people to experiment in 3D film making way back in 1936? It sounds too far fetched to be true, but Australian director Philippe Mora actually found two half hour black and white propaganda films while developing his latest documentary.
According to Mora, the movies were called 'raum films' (or 'space films' for us English speakers) so they probably went ignored by film historians until now (because, let's face it, the History Channel and their love for Nazi related stories would have aired something on this if they had known). Mora is convinced there are even more vintage 3D movies out there and he plans to use the material for a 3D section of his documentary (currently the working title is How the Third Reich Was Recorded).
Head to variety.com to read more on this story.
According to Mora, the movies were called 'raum films' (or 'space films' for us English speakers) so they probably went ignored by film historians until now (because, let's face it, the History Channel and their love for Nazi related stories would have aired something on this if they had known). Mora is convinced there are even more vintage 3D movies out there and he plans to use the material for a 3D section of his documentary (currently the working title is How the Third Reich Was Recorded).
Head to variety.com to read more on this story.
Tuesday, February 15, 2011
Battle brews over Gasland
In a rather odd move, the Energy for Depth group (which represents oil and gas producers) recently submitted a letter to the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences arguing Gasland shouldn't be eligible for an Oscar for best documentary. Their reasoning: it's not accurate.
Regardless of the fact the Academy could care less what non-members think about their nominees and have no desire to play the role of fact checker (fiction and nonfiction films alike get blasted every year for alleged inaccuracies), it seems Gasland has ruffled quite a few feathers to cause controversy to linger well after its initial release.
This is not unusual with 'whistleblower' documentaries. Michael Moore is notorious for inciting backlash from the industries he attacks and An Inconvenient Truth had its fair share of rebuttals. But unlike those more successful films, John Fox's Gasland is but a mere blip- earning less theatrical sales then a one night screening of a Saw film.
What's more impressive is that this ongoing campaign to discredit Fox's film has only helped it gain steam. The director released a 39 page document last summer to challenge any discrediting reports and has since gone on a mission to screen his film for Congressional members and citizens in countless cities.
I don't know if Gasland is wholly accurate (I tend to side with it though) but I do know this: it's an excellent film, and from a purely filmmaker standpoint, it deserves to be considered for best documentary of the year. I also know this: trying to discredit a documentary filmmaker who just spent countless hours researching and investigating a subject is like poking a sleeping lion - you just don't do it.
Regardless of the fact the Academy could care less what non-members think about their nominees and have no desire to play the role of fact checker (fiction and nonfiction films alike get blasted every year for alleged inaccuracies), it seems Gasland has ruffled quite a few feathers to cause controversy to linger well after its initial release.
This is not unusual with 'whistleblower' documentaries. Michael Moore is notorious for inciting backlash from the industries he attacks and An Inconvenient Truth had its fair share of rebuttals. But unlike those more successful films, John Fox's Gasland is but a mere blip- earning less theatrical sales then a one night screening of a Saw film.
What's more impressive is that this ongoing campaign to discredit Fox's film has only helped it gain steam. The director released a 39 page document last summer to challenge any discrediting reports and has since gone on a mission to screen his film for Congressional members and citizens in countless cities.
I don't know if Gasland is wholly accurate (I tend to side with it though) but I do know this: it's an excellent film, and from a purely filmmaker standpoint, it deserves to be considered for best documentary of the year. I also know this: trying to discredit a documentary filmmaker who just spent countless hours researching and investigating a subject is like poking a sleeping lion - you just don't do it.
Monday, February 14, 2011
Doc winners at the Grammy's
I bet you thought there was no place for a documentary at the Grammy Award shows. Well you're wrong! In its bizarre way of honoring music related documentaries, the Grammy's host a specific category called "Best Long Form Music Video". Yes, I know everyone knows a documentary is not a music video, but I guess it helps trick people into paying attention, and as long as they are honoring great films, I don't care what they call it.
This year's winner? When You're Strange by Tom Dicillo. The documentary highlighting the career of the Doors beat out some other celebrated music docs like Rush: Beyond the Lighted Streets and Under Great White Northern Lights. Other nominees included The Greatest Ears in Town: The Arif Mardin Story and No Distance Left to Run.
This year's winner? When You're Strange by Tom Dicillo. The documentary highlighting the career of the Doors beat out some other celebrated music docs like Rush: Beyond the Lighted Streets and Under Great White Northern Lights. Other nominees included The Greatest Ears in Town: The Arif Mardin Story and No Distance Left to Run.
Friday, February 11, 2011
Theatrical Releases
Every Friday we update you all with the week's theatrical documentary releases. Now, this is not a perfect process as our beloved genre prefers the rolling/limited release schedule instead of a big nationwide or international-wide release. So apologies if a film isn't out in your area or if you are a filmmaker and we missed the boat on announcing your documentary's big day (if that is the case, please let us know and we'll correct the mistake).Now, with that introduction out of the way, here's this weekend's releases with their current rating on the amazing website Rottentomatoes.com:
Justin Bieber: Never Say Never- (rating - 65%) - Justin Bieber: Never Say Never is the inspiring true story and rare inside look at the rise of Justin from street performer in the small town of Stratford, Ontario to internet phenomenon to global super star culminating with a dream sold out show at the famed Madison Square Garden in 3-D. (Rottentomatoes)
Carbon Nation - (rating - 63%) - Carbon Nation is a feature length documentary about climate change SOLUTIONS. Even if you doubt the severity of the impact of climate change or just don't buy it at all, this is a compelling and relevant film that illustrates how SOLUTIONS to climate change also address other social, economic and national security issues. (Rottentomatoes)
Vidal Sassoon: The Movie - (no rating provided) - This first-time, deeply intimate look into the life of Vidal Sassoon, from his early days in an orphanage, to his time as a soldier, his beginnings on Bond Street, and ultimately, the revolution he caused, which continues to this day. Vidal Sassoon The Movie features unprecedented access to Vidal, candid interviews with former staff, family members, reporters and historians. Together they explore the life and legacy of the most influential hairdresser in the world, whose influence far outreaches the industry he changed forever. (Rottentomatoes)
Orgasm, Inc. - (rating - 89%) - Liz Canner's shocking yet entertaining documentary Orgasm, Inc. explores the strange science of female pleasure, and in the process reveals the often warped mentality of our pharmaceutical and medical industries. Upbeat, engaging, enlightening, and provocative, Orgasm, Inc. will change the way you think about sex. (Rottentomatoes)
Certifiably Jonathan - (rating - 17%) - Jonathan Winters, 85-year-old comic genius, is a gifted painter. A famous critic believes Jonathan is "the missing link between Miro and Dali" and convinces the Museum of Modern Art to give Jonathan a show-but only if he paints three new paintings. Jonathan launches into a painting frenzy but disaster strikes when his favorite painting is stolen, causing him to lose his sense of humor (He claims that a witch doctor trapped him in a bathroom and sucked the humor from his body.) Without his sense of humor Jonathan cannot paint. About to lose his big show, Jonathan tries everything to get back his humor. With the help of a shrink, a new age healer, a séance with the Arquettes, Robin Williams, Sarah Silverman, Howie Mandel, Nora Dunn, Ryan Stiles, Gary Owens and others, Jonathan sets out on a quest to get his mojo back. (Rottentomatoes)
The Sky Turns - (rating - 100%) - Mercedes Alvarez was three years old when, in the late 1960s, her parents left La Aldea, a village in the barren Northern Spanish Soria region. She was the last child born in La Aldea. Now, only fourteen people live there, a last dying generation. Soon this village, like so many other rural communities all over the world, will be deserted and will probably disappear from the map. Alvarez returns for the first time to her ancestral home and makes a stunning film about memory and the terrifying passing of time. (Rottentomatoes)
Justin Bieber: Never Say Never- (rating - 65%) - Justin Bieber: Never Say Never is the inspiring true story and rare inside look at the rise of Justin from street performer in the small town of Stratford, Ontario to internet phenomenon to global super star culminating with a dream sold out show at the famed Madison Square Garden in 3-D. (Rottentomatoes)
Carbon Nation - (rating - 63%) - Carbon Nation is a feature length documentary about climate change SOLUTIONS. Even if you doubt the severity of the impact of climate change or just don't buy it at all, this is a compelling and relevant film that illustrates how SOLUTIONS to climate change also address other social, economic and national security issues. (Rottentomatoes)
Vidal Sassoon: The Movie - (no rating provided) - This first-time, deeply intimate look into the life of Vidal Sassoon, from his early days in an orphanage, to his time as a soldier, his beginnings on Bond Street, and ultimately, the revolution he caused, which continues to this day. Vidal Sassoon The Movie features unprecedented access to Vidal, candid interviews with former staff, family members, reporters and historians. Together they explore the life and legacy of the most influential hairdresser in the world, whose influence far outreaches the industry he changed forever. (Rottentomatoes)
Orgasm, Inc. - (rating - 89%) - Liz Canner's shocking yet entertaining documentary Orgasm, Inc. explores the strange science of female pleasure, and in the process reveals the often warped mentality of our pharmaceutical and medical industries. Upbeat, engaging, enlightening, and provocative, Orgasm, Inc. will change the way you think about sex. (Rottentomatoes)
Certifiably Jonathan - (rating - 17%) - Jonathan Winters, 85-year-old comic genius, is a gifted painter. A famous critic believes Jonathan is "the missing link between Miro and Dali" and convinces the Museum of Modern Art to give Jonathan a show-but only if he paints three new paintings. Jonathan launches into a painting frenzy but disaster strikes when his favorite painting is stolen, causing him to lose his sense of humor (He claims that a witch doctor trapped him in a bathroom and sucked the humor from his body.) Without his sense of humor Jonathan cannot paint. About to lose his big show, Jonathan tries everything to get back his humor. With the help of a shrink, a new age healer, a séance with the Arquettes, Robin Williams, Sarah Silverman, Howie Mandel, Nora Dunn, Ryan Stiles, Gary Owens and others, Jonathan sets out on a quest to get his mojo back. (Rottentomatoes)
The Sky Turns - (rating - 100%) - Mercedes Alvarez was three years old when, in the late 1960s, her parents left La Aldea, a village in the barren Northern Spanish Soria region. She was the last child born in La Aldea. Now, only fourteen people live there, a last dying generation. Soon this village, like so many other rural communities all over the world, will be deserted and will probably disappear from the map. Alvarez returns for the first time to her ancestral home and makes a stunning film about memory and the terrifying passing of time. (Rottentomatoes)
Thursday, February 10, 2011
Acadamy Awards to Banksy: No Shenanigans
Since when did the Academy Awards fall under the jurisdiction of uptight puritans?
It seems Academy president Tom Sherak and executive director Bruce Davis are so worried about any potential Banksy stunt or disguise that they've asked only producer Jamie D'Cruz to appear on stage- don't worry, Banksy still gets his statue.
Frankly, I can understand a show producers fear of suddenly having mass confusion over some clever artistic appearance. But here's two reasons why it's a bad decision: 1) if Banksy's Exit Through the Gift Shop wins best documentary, it means people are fond of his shenanigans, so why not include them in the presentation? 2) Our best moments of the Academy Awards are of people doing things against the Oscars' rigid system (Adrien Brody, Roberto Benigni), so why prevent that? It's a rating boon during a stretch of the award show most people ignore (sorry fellow doc fans, it's true).
But there, I've spoken my peace. What do you think? Post your thoughts below!
It seems Academy president Tom Sherak and executive director Bruce Davis are so worried about any potential Banksy stunt or disguise that they've asked only producer Jamie D'Cruz to appear on stage- don't worry, Banksy still gets his statue.
Frankly, I can understand a show producers fear of suddenly having mass confusion over some clever artistic appearance. But here's two reasons why it's a bad decision: 1) if Banksy's Exit Through the Gift Shop wins best documentary, it means people are fond of his shenanigans, so why not include them in the presentation? 2) Our best moments of the Academy Awards are of people doing things against the Oscars' rigid system (Adrien Brody, Roberto Benigni), so why prevent that? It's a rating boon during a stretch of the award show most people ignore (sorry fellow doc fans, it's true).
But there, I've spoken my peace. What do you think? Post your thoughts below!
Wednesday, February 9, 2011
A documentary about super computers during World War 2?
Seriously, this isn't some sort of weird science fiction story. Before there were hi tech computers calculating our every needs (ok, in my case whims), people had to solve elaborate equations themselves. Back during World War 2, that meant using insane math skills to develop ballistics tables for weapons. And while the men may have fired the weapons, women stepped in to fill the crucial mathematician roles needed to design the tables. But these brainiac women didn't stop there, they put their mathematical knowledge to good use, helping design the first electric computer!
Shocked that you are just discovering this information out now? I know I am. So head on over to www.topsecretrosies.com to learn more about this recently finished film that will shed light on this part of American history. Or just go to Netflix and watch it instantly now!
Shocked that you are just discovering this information out now? I know I am. So head on over to www.topsecretrosies.com to learn more about this recently finished film that will shed light on this part of American history. Or just go to Netflix and watch it instantly now!
Tuesday, February 8, 2011
Michael Moore Sues Weinsteins
That's right. Michael Moore is suing the dude's that brought you the Matrix and and a whole slew of other less impressive films.
The Hollywood Reporter broke the story of Moore's lawsuit which claims Harvey and Bob Weinstein (along with their Fellowship Adventure Group) cheated him out of at least $2.7 million dollars. According to the suit, the two sides agreed to split the profits of Moore's 2004 Fahrenheit 9/11 50-50.
This is quite a story considering the Weinsteins have been behind most of his major theatrical films.
The whole story in all its complexity is over at The Hollywood Reporter, but my question is, will Moore make a film about this? Come on, you know you'd be curious to get a first person perspective of how lawsuits play out.
The Hollywood Reporter broke the story of Moore's lawsuit which claims Harvey and Bob Weinstein (along with their Fellowship Adventure Group) cheated him out of at least $2.7 million dollars. According to the suit, the two sides agreed to split the profits of Moore's 2004 Fahrenheit 9/11 50-50.
This is quite a story considering the Weinsteins have been behind most of his major theatrical films.
The whole story in all its complexity is over at The Hollywood Reporter, but my question is, will Moore make a film about this? Come on, you know you'd be curious to get a first person perspective of how lawsuits play out.
Monday, February 7, 2011
Home documentary rivals beauty of Planet Earth series
I love, absolutely love, the Planet Earth series. So when I say Yann Arthus-Bertrand's aerial perspective of our planet is as breathtaking as the BBC/Discovery Channel series, I hope you take me seriously.
Don't take my word for it though, head on over to the official website, where you can catch a trailer, buy an accompanying book, see what theaters it's playing at (lucky New York) or even watch the entire film for free (how awesome is that!).
With a more activist minded approach, Home weaves together gorgeous visuals of nature and industry to remind audiences of the changes society needs to make. This is Arthus-Bertrand's second climate change film, but this one has the support of Luc Besson (of Leon and Le Femme Nikita fame) and Glenn Close- two more reasons to see this visually stunning film.
Don't take my word for it though, head on over to the official website, where you can catch a trailer, buy an accompanying book, see what theaters it's playing at (lucky New York) or even watch the entire film for free (how awesome is that!).
With a more activist minded approach, Home weaves together gorgeous visuals of nature and industry to remind audiences of the changes society needs to make. This is Arthus-Bertrand's second climate change film, but this one has the support of Luc Besson (of Leon and Le Femme Nikita fame) and Glenn Close- two more reasons to see this visually stunning film.
Friday, February 4, 2011
Sundance Film: An African Election
Director: Jarreth Merz
Website: http://www.anafricanelection.com/
Summary: In a world plagued by stolen elections, secret government agendas, and a renewed interest in the exploitation of African natural resources, what value does democracy offer, particularly in the tumultuous region of West Africa? For Ghana, a nation that has been Africa’s barometer of political stability, democracy may mean the difference between peace and prosperity—and murderous chaos under military coup.
An African Election is a remarkable documentary that grants viewers unprecedented access to the anatomy of Ghana’s 2008 presidential elections. Capturing the intrigue of electioneering, the intensity of the vote-counting process, and the mood of the countrymen whose fate lies precariously in the balance, director Jarreth Merz’s coverage unfolds with all the tension of a political thriller, revealing the emotions, passions, and ethical decisions that both threaten—and maintain—the integrity of the democratic process. An African Election illuminates a beacon of hope for Africa and for the value and vitality of democracy today.
Excitement scale (1-10): 10 – The summary for Jarreth Merz’ film will hook many, but it’s the trailer that will really get people excited. This appears to be an excellent film that captures both the history and the tension of the 2008 presidential election in Ghana.
Website: http://www.anafricanelection.com/
Summary: In a world plagued by stolen elections, secret government agendas, and a renewed interest in the exploitation of African natural resources, what value does democracy offer, particularly in the tumultuous region of West Africa? For Ghana, a nation that has been Africa’s barometer of political stability, democracy may mean the difference between peace and prosperity—and murderous chaos under military coup.
An African Election is a remarkable documentary that grants viewers unprecedented access to the anatomy of Ghana’s 2008 presidential elections. Capturing the intrigue of electioneering, the intensity of the vote-counting process, and the mood of the countrymen whose fate lies precariously in the balance, director Jarreth Merz’s coverage unfolds with all the tension of a political thriller, revealing the emotions, passions, and ethical decisions that both threaten—and maintain—the integrity of the democratic process. An African Election illuminates a beacon of hope for Africa and for the value and vitality of democracy today.
Excitement scale (1-10): 10 – The summary for Jarreth Merz’ film will hook many, but it’s the trailer that will really get people excited. This appears to be an excellent film that captures both the history and the tension of the 2008 presidential election in Ghana.
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