Lo and Behold, Reveries of the Connected World
Anyone who knows me knows I am a HUGE Werner Herzog fan. So when we went to AFI DOCS and could only get one ticket to the Guggenheim Symposium, where…
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Mainstream Chick
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Mainstream Chick’s Quick Takes: The Secret Life of Pets; Mike and Dave Need Wedding Dates; Life, Animated; Zero Days
The Secret Life of Pets is one of those movies that is probably critic-proof because the trailer is so darn cute and promising that kids (and many adults too) will…
Hockney
David Hockney has to be one of the most famous living artists. His work is in every major modern art museum and verging on 80 he is still going strong,…
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Mainstream Chick
Sequel
Mainstream Chick’s Quick Takes: Barbershop: The Next Cut; The Dark Horse; First Monday in May
Barbershop: The Next Cut is the second sequel (or maybe the third if you count the spin-off, Beauty Shop) to the 2002 surprise hit, Barbershop, about a day in the…
Oscar Nominees — Documentary [Feature]
I've seen all of the nominees this year, thanks to attending the AFI DOCS and Full Frame festivals and Netflix. If you're filling out your Oscar ballot, here are my…
Winter on Fire: Ukraine’s Fight for Freedom
Winter on Fire: Ukraine’s Fight for Freedom is only available on Netflix right now, so if you don't have a subscription, you're missing a very powerful, well-made documentary. The bulk…
Tower to the People-Tesla’s Dream at Wardenclyffe Continues
When people hear the name Tesla these days, most probably think of the car from Elon Musk. But Musk named that car after one of the great unsung inventors of…
The Black Panthers: Vanguard of the Revolution
The Black Panthers: Vanguard of the Revolution tells the heartbreaking history of the rise and fall of The Black Panther Party for Self-Defense. I saw it earlier this year at…
Steak (R)evolution
Vegetarians need not bother with this one. This gustatory documentary is lovingly prepared for steak lovers around the world. French writer-director Franck Ribière travels the globe in search of the…
Amy
A star is born and then she self-destructs. Amy is the utterly tragic tale of singer Amy Winehouse, who was so full of talent and entirely unprepared or more likely…
AFI DOCS (Days 3 & 4)
So many films, so little time. Running back and forth from DC to Silver Spring, it was impossible to see all the films that were available. Anyone who can, should…
AFI DOCS 2015 (Days 1 & 2)
Another year, another great set of documentaries! Last year it seemed the festival had more of a theme. This time around, I saw a lot of different kinds of stories.…
The Salt of the Earth
I've been a fan of Sebastião Salgado's work for decades, probably beginning with his photographs of the gold miners of Brazil's Serra Pelada in the mid-80s. Beyond being beautiful images,…
Full Frame Documentary Film Festival 2015
Film festivals are a lot of fun, but kind of exhausting, too. I headed to Durham, NC last weekend for the Full Frame Festival, one of the premier documentary festivals…
Kurt Cobain: Montage of Heck
Back in the 90s I liked Nirvana's music, though I wasn't what I would call a big fan. But when lead singer/songwriter Kurt Cobain killed himself, I was shocked and…