Since the onslaught of shut downs a year ago, I occasionally fall into a black hole where I fear the world is falling apart. A combination of Megyn Kelly’s disturbing news report on Bill Maher’s show last week and watching a best foreign film nominee, called “Collective”, I once again woke up in the middle… Continue reading Best Foreign Film List Complete: “Collective”
Category: documentary
Some Kind of Heaven, Some Kind of Mediocrity
I fully appreciate Lance Oppenheim’s interest in humans and the choices they make, never having seen his other pieces, among one about a man who got on a cruise and stayed on cruises for twenty years. Yet, he has a ways to go in making a doc that titillates. Let me school you just a… Continue reading Some Kind of Heaven, Some Kind of Mediocrity
Dick Johnson is Dead, What a Way to Go!
Kirsten Johnson (writer and director AND daughter of Dickey J) originally made a splash with a doc called Cameraperson in 2016. I won’t pretend that I had ever heard of her before her recent and profound, “Dick Johnson is Dead”. In Dick Johnson is Dead, Johnson walks her dad figuratively speaking through his Seventh Day… Continue reading Dick Johnson is Dead, What a Way to Go!
Jimmy’s Middle Name Should be Joy: Jimmy Carter: Rock & Roll President
Jimmy Carter is one of those rare individuals who has truly lived a life of integrity. And I’m so glad Bill Flanagan helped write the documentary Jimmy Carter: Rock & Roll President. Additionally, I hope this is just the start of bigger projects for director Mary Wharton, though she’s no novice, having won a Grammy… Continue reading Jimmy’s Middle Name Should be Joy: Jimmy Carter: Rock & Roll President
Robin’s Wish: A gorgeous documentary tribute (?)
Taken on the surface, Robin’s Wish is a loving tribute of Robin Williams by his wife, friends, neighbors and doctors directed and written by Tyler Norwood with the help of Scott Fitzloff, both worked together previously on another doc called The United States of Detroit, and both are specialists in cinematography. And the cinematography in… Continue reading Robin’s Wish: A gorgeous documentary tribute (?)
Creem: America’s Only Rock N Roll Magazine
I’d like everyone to read and see the combo I ate today. I started my day with Jason Whitlock’s recent blog on Howard Stern, detailing the demise of his subversive style equating it to the death of free speech. Of course, since he sold his soul to Sirius, this is no surprise, but nonetheless tragic.… Continue reading Creem: America’s Only Rock N Roll Magazine
If You Could Read My Mind, You’d See a 7…
While I thoroughly enjoyed the company (my Mom and dear Jack), I don’t think the narrative aspect of Gordon Lightfoot: If You Could Read My Mind was well organized. At least twice, I remember hearing a random comment, out of sync with the previous sequence…for instance, Martha Kehoe and Joan Tosoni (newbies so forgiven) establish… Continue reading If You Could Read My Mind, You’d See a 7…
An Ironic Mutiny: The Ghost of Peter Sellers
Ironically, I abandoned ship on a movie that WASN’T about a ship, since Peter Medak’s doc The Ghost of Peter Sellers was poignant enough to keep me engaged. Realize, I rarely give up on a film anyway, but my increasing impatience with the distractions of home cinema is fraying my ability to make it to… Continue reading An Ironic Mutiny: The Ghost of Peter Sellers
Shirkers, Halcyon Days
Shirkers is a 2018 documentary written and directed by Sandi Tan which made the short list for Oscars Best Docs of 2019. As much as I talk smack against Amanda of The Big Picture Podcast (mainly because she has not given Shia LaBouef nor Robert Pattinson the credit they deserve), I am blessed to have… Continue reading Shirkers, Halcyon Days
Moment of Zen: Herzog’s Cave of Forgotten Dreams
Werner Herzog’s Cave of Forgotten Dreams isn’t for the Fast and Furious crowd, but given the overload of stress and information, the documentary certainly fit the bill yesterday granting me a much needed Moment of Zen. The cave which was discovered in the 90’s dates back 35,000 years ago (not a typo:) Within it’s walls… Continue reading Moment of Zen: Herzog’s Cave of Forgotten Dreams