Posts filed under 'Documentary/History'
BORN AND BRED- 2011. Synopsis by IMDB. “Born and Bred is a feature-length documentary film chronicling the lives of a new generation of young boxers fighting for their place in the American boxing capital of Los Angeles, where Latino immigration is surging to a historical breaking point. At the heart of the film is the story of 15-year-old twin brothers in their last two years in the tough ranks of amateur boxing where boys are made into men and Olympic dreams are won and lost.”
8/19/11- Fair review at best in today’s NY Times. TRDB.
Tags: documentary
August 20th, 2011
THE BOY MIR: TEN YEARS IN AFGHANISTAN- 2011- Synopsis by IMDB. “Following the international hit The Boy who Plays on the Buddhas of Bamiyan, The Boy Mir will cover not one year but ten. It will track the cheeky, enthusiastic Mir from a childish eight to a fully grown eighteen-year-old. Over those ten years, it will be a journey into early adulthood in one of the toughest places on earth; a journey that mirrors the current and vitally important story of Afghanistan.”
8/12/11- OK review in today’s NY Times. Much better reviews for the pre-quel in 2002 called “The boy who plays on the Buddhas of Bamiyan. TRDB.
Tags: documentary
August 12th, 2011
THE BOY WHO PLAYS ON THE BUDDHAS OF BAMIYAN- Synopsis by IMDB. “In 2001, the Taliban government of Afghanistan destroyed the Buddhas of Bamiyan, the world’s tallest stone sculptures. By the summer of 2002, after the fall of the Taliban, more than 250 Afghans, most of them Hazara refugees, were living in caves beside the rubble. This film, organized chronologically over four seasons, follows a refugee family living there, including Mir, a smiling lad of eight. The landscape is stark, the winter is harsh, the refugees’ stories are harrowing, Mir’s school is crowded and ill equipped, helicopters move across the sky, and the roads carry mostly military vehicles, yet Mir’s family hopes for a house and a bright future.”
Tags: documentary
August 12th, 2011
DARWIN- 2011. Synopsis by IMDB. “Darwin is a documentary feature about an isolated community at the end of a weathered road in Death Valley, California. Propelled from society by tragic turns, the people of Darwin (population 35) must now find ways to coexist in a place without a government, a church, jobs, or children. The film tells the story of a uniquely American place and yet a place that is unique even within America.”
Good review in NY Times on 8/12/11. TRDB.
Tags: documentary
August 12th, 2011
CHASING MADOFF- 2011. Synopsis by Netflix. “This eye-opening documentary chronicles the decade-long and often frustrating campaign of reporter Harry Markopolos to bring regulators’ attention to the titanic and brazen investment scams engineered by now-convicted financial felon Bernie Madoff.” Poor reviews. TRDB.
5/7/12- Primarily about Markopolos, this documentary uses some gimmicks and some undocumented threats to liven it up. So-so! TRDB. Netflix.
Tags: documentary
August 11th, 2011
PROGRAMMING THE NATION- 2010. Synopsis by Netflix. “Programming the Nation? takes a powerful and provocative look at the history of subliminal messaging in America and the ways in which we are being manipulated subconsciously by advertisers, pop-culture, corporations, our military, and politicians. Filmmaker Jeff Warrick leads this journey through the subconscious mind while examining the reported history, scientific research and potential effects of such techniques on society.” Good audience reviews but no professional reviews as yet. TRDB.
Tags: documentary
August 8th, 2011
SHOLEM ALEICHEM: LAUGHING IN THE DARKNESS- 2011.
7/25/11. By Joseph Dorman this is a wonderful documentary about the famous Yiddish writer. TRDB. At the Theater.
Tags: documentary
July 25th, 2011
THE HARVEST- 2011. A documentary about children who toil in the fields without the protection of child labor laws right here in our own backyards in America. Good review in NY Times on 8/1/11. TRDB.
Tags: documentary
July 16th, 2011
THE INTERRUPTERS- 2011. Synopsis by Netflix. “This powerful documentary follows a group called CeaseFire, which is dedicated to wiping out urban violence. Begun by epidemiologist Gary Slutkin, CeaseFire treats violence like an infection and seeks to eradicate the root cause before it can spread. Based in Chicago and staffed by many former gang members, “the interrupters” attempt to prevent the shootings and assaults that are prompted by tit-for-tat retaliation, despite the personal dangers.” Good early reviews. TRDB.
7/29/11- Good review in the NY Times today. TRDB.
3/12/12- A meaningful documentary about a system to interdict the violence cycle but as one reviewer put it– “great access to the subjects but the movie was repetitive and depressing.” TRDB. Netflix.
Tags: documentary
July 16th, 2011
FARMAGEDDON- 2011. A documentary about the government supervision of farming and food production. Fairly good review in NY Times on 7/8/11. TRDB.
Tags: documentary
July 8th, 2011
Newer Posts
Older Posts