JOBRIATH A.D.- 2014. Synopsis by Netflix. “After enjoying a brief burst of fame in the mid-1970s gay rocker Jobraith was quickly abandoned by his audience. He died of AIDS in 1983. This affectionate bio-documentary surveys the details of Jobraith’s life and renewed interest in his music.”
5/2/14- Weak professional reviews but audiences have liked it very much. The NY Times did not. TRDB.
Add comment May 2nd, 2014
DOCUMENTED- 2014. Synopsis by Rotten Tomatoes. “In 2011, Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Jose Antonio Vargas outed himself as an undocumented immigrant in an essay published in the New York Times Magazine. DOCUMENTED chronicles his journey to America from the Philippines as a child; his journey through America as an immigration reform activist; and his journey inward as he re-connects with his mother, whom he hasn’t seen in person in over 20 years.”
5/2/14- Very good reviews in general. Today’s NY Times did not care for it, however. TRDB.
Add comment May 2nd, 2014
APOCALYPSE: A BILL CALLAHAN TOUR FILM- 2014. Synopsis by Rotten Tomatoes. “This strikingly shot concert documentary follows enigmatic Drag City singer-songwriter Bill Callahan on a two-week tour from California to New York.”
5/2/14- Fair early reviews. TRDB.
Add comment May 2nd, 2014
WHO IS DAYANI CRISTAL?- 2014. Synopsis by Netflix. “In the oppressive desert heat, Arizona authorities find a man’s decomposing body with only one clue to his identity: a tattoo reading “Dayani Cristal.” Gael García Bernal portrays the unknown man in dramatic segments of this intriguing documentary.”
4/25/14- Mixed reviews but more positive than negative. The NY Times liked it and so did audiences. TRDB.
Add comment April 27th, 2014
WE COULD BE KING- 2014. Synopsis by Rotten Tomatoes. “Slashing budgets and still facing shortfalls, Philadelphia did the unthinkable. It shuttered Germantown High School and sent its students to archrival Martin Luther King, leaving a first-time head coach and a new principal to join together in a fight to unite bitter adversaries.”
4/25/14- Just 2 reviews ( one from the NY Times) and they are both very positive. Audiences have liked it also. TRDB.
Add comment April 27th, 2014
TANZANIA: A JOURNEY WITHIN- 2014. Synopsis by Rotten Tomatoes. “He’s from a place so old it’s been called the cradle of mankind. She’s led a privileged life in America without hardship or pain. Together these two unlikely friends embark upon a journey from the heights of Mt. Kilimanjaro to the depths of an AIDS ravaged village where even the smallest children become outcasts at the mere hint of the disease and malaria is an ever-present threat.”
4/25/14– Professional reviews have been so-so but audiences have enjoyed the movie. TRDB.
Add comment April 27th, 2014
FOR NO GOOD REASON- 2012. Synopsis by Netflix. “In this engaging documentary, Hunter S. Thompson’s “Fear and Loathing” collaborator, illustrator Ralph Steadman, reveals his creative process. When actor Johnny Depp steps into Steadman’s studio, the artist shares a wealth of anecdotes and insights.”
4/25/14- Poor critical reviews including the NY Times today. Audiences have liked it. TRDB.
Add comment April 27th, 2014
DESERT RIDERS- 2013. Synopsis by Netflix. “Synopsis by Netflix. “Shedding light on the little-known practice of trafficking young boys to work as camel jockeys, this sobering documentary examines the effect of government intervention on the children’s lives and the ongoing effort to rehabilitate them.”
4/25/14- Just a few reviews so far but they are positive. The NY Times liked it as well. TRDB.
Add comment April 27th, 2014
MANAKAMANA- 2013. Synopsis by Rotten Tomatoes. “Breathtaking, poignant and mesmerizing, MANAKAMANA is a documentary shot entirely inside the narrow bubble of a cable car, high above a jungle in Nepal, as it transports villagers and tourists to an ancient mountaintop temple. Filmed in 16mm and comprised of 11 rides (each a single take corresponds to the length of a roll of film), MANAKAMANA is a tender, ephemeral character study of its passengers and a window onto the lush, rolling landscape of a country in transition from ancient tradition to modernity.”
4/18/14- Excellent reviews. TRDB.
Add comment April 18th, 2014
VANISHING PEARLS- 2014. Synopsis by Rotten Tomatoes. “is the story of paradise lost – an ongoing, environmental David and Goliath struggle between multinational oil and gas company BP plc (Beyond Petroleum) and a 300 person, Louisiana Gulf community dependant on oyster fishing. The battlefield is the Gulf coast of Louisiana, and the opening salvo was the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill.”
4/18/14- Excellent reviews. TRDB.
Add comment April 18th, 2014