Posts filed under 'Documentary/History'

AI WEIWEI: THE FAKE CASE

AI WEIWEI: THE FAKE CASE- 2013. Synopsis by Rotten Tomatoes. “After 81 days of solitary detention world famous Chinese artist Ai Weiwei is put under house arrest. He suffers from sleeping disorder and memory loss, 18 cameras are monitoring his studio and home, police agents follow his every move, and heavy restrictions from the Kafkaesque Chinese authorities weigh him down.”

5/16/14- Uniformly positive views from critics and uniformly negative reviews from audiences. TRDB.

 

Add comment May 18th, 2014

THE RESCUERS

THE RESCUERS- 2014. Synopsis by Netflix. “This searing historical documentary reveals the little-recounted saga of a group of diplomats during World War II. Thanks to their efforts, thousands of Jews escaped capture and extermination via the Nazis’ chilling “final solution.”

5/9/14- The NY Times said that this film was a good idea but a poor movie. Other critics agree. TRDB.

Add comment May 9th, 2014

FED UP

FED UP- 2014. Synopsis by Netflix. “Childhood obesity has become an ever-more serious medical issue in the United States. This eye-opening documentary examines the underlying causes behind the epidemic, including the marketing strategies of major U.S. food producers.”

5/9/14- Good reviews from both critics and audiences. TRDB.

Add comment May 9th, 2014

FARMLAND

FARMLAND- 2014. Synopsis by Rotten Tomatoes. “Most Americans have never stepped foot on a farm or ranch or even spoken with the people who grow and raise the food we eat. FARMLAND takes an intimate look at the lives of several farmers and ranchers, all in their 20’s, and all responsible for running their own agriculture businesses.”

5/9/14- Awful professional reviews but audiences have uniformly liked this documentary. TRDB.

Add comment May 9th, 2014

DAMNATION

DAMNATION- 2014. Synopsis by Netflix. “Decades of dam-building projects in the United States have taken a toll on animals and plants in dozens of river systems from coast to coast. This alarming documentary examines those effects and the continued deterioration of the nation’s waterways.”

5/9/14- Early professional reviews are mixed (the NY Times negative) but audiences have loved it. TRDB.

Add comment May 9th, 2014

BREASTMILK

BREASTMILK- 2014. Synopsis by Rotten Tomatoes. “With unexpected humor, with an unflinching camera, with some guilt and some pain, this film takes the unusual risk of examining what breast milk truly means.”

5/8/14- A very good review for this documentary in today’s NY Times. I’ve seen a few other reviews and they are all positive. Audiences have liked it as well. TRDB.

Add comment May 8th, 2014

NOW: IN THE WINGS ON A WORLD STAGE

NOW: IN THE WINGS ON A WORLD STAGE- 2014. Synopsis by Rotten Tomatoes. “Kevin Spacey, Sam Mendes and the Bridge Project Company go on the road in NOW: in the Wings on a World Stage. In over 200 performances, and across 3 continents, Kevin and the troupe reveal some of the most intimate moments behind the scenes of their staging of Shakespeare’s classic tragedy, “Richard III.”

5/2/14- Mixed reviews, slightly more up than down. TRDB.

Add comment May 2nd, 2014

SPEAK THE MUSIC: ROBERT MANN

SPEAK THE MUSIC: ROBERT MANN- 2014. Synopsis by Netflix. “Robert Mann has been a vital force in the world of music for more than seventy years.  As founder and first violinist of the Julliard String Quartet, and as a soloist, composer, teacher, and conductor, Mann has brought a refreshing sense of adventure and discovery to chamber music.”

5/2/14- I’ve seen only 3 reviews but they were all good. TRDB.

Add comment May 2nd, 2014

UNCLAIMED

UNCLAIMED- 2014. Synopsis by Rotten Tomatoes. “Could an American MIA be struggling to find his way home? After enduring a traumatic childhood and serving two tours in Vietnam, Tom Faunce embarks upon an emotional quest to uncover the true identity of a man claiming to be an American soldier living in a remote village in Vietnam, decades after the war’s end.”

5/2/14- Mixed reviews– the NY Times liked it and audiences have liked it too. TRDB.

Add comment May 2nd, 2014

MORE THAN THE RAINBOW

MORE THAN THE RAINBOW- 2014. Synopsis by Rotten Tomatoes. “In our time, an equally compelling presence roams the streets of New York armed with only a camera: Matt Weber. There is no telling how many stories Weber has attempted to capture since he first started taking pictures out of the window of the cab he used to drive. But his quarter century-plus devotion to candidly depicting the lives of his fellow New Yorkers, many of them from the fringes of society, has yielded a remarkable document of a New York that most of us will never experience.”

5/2/14- I’ve seen 4 reviews– all good. TRDB.

Add comment May 2nd, 2014

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