Posts filed under 'Documentary/History'
WASTE LAND- 2010. Directed by Lucy Walker. Premise by Netflix. “World-renowned artist Vik Muniz embarks on one of the most inspired collaborations of his career, joining creative forces with Brazilian catadores — garbage pickers who mine treasure from the towering trash heaps of Rio’s Jardim Gramacho landfill. In this Sundance award-winning documentary, the catadores prove to be unique and surprising individuals in their own right, waxing philosophic as they impart a valuable lesson about what society discards. Great reviews.
3/11- A very well done documentary that I enjoyed very much both for the topic and the technique. TRDB. Netflix Streaming.
Tags: documentary
December 2nd, 2010
FAMILY AFFAIR- 2020. Premise by Netflix. “At the age of 9, Chico Colvard accidentally shot his sister with one of the firearms his African-American military father kept around the house, an incident which led to shocking and disturbing revelations about the father he adored. In this astonishing personal document, Colvard turns his camera on his own family to uncover the history of his sisters’ sexual abuse at the hands of their father, and the curious capacity for familial forgiveness. Good review in NY Times 11/19/10.
Tags: documentary
November 20th, 2010
COOL IT- 2010. Premise by Netflix. “A provocative voice vilified by pundits on both ends of the political spectrum, Bjørn Lomborg (author of The Skeptical Environmentalist) challenges prevailing ideas on climate change and explores scientific and technological advances that may help avert a global warming crisis. Directed by Ondi Timoner, the film gives Lomborg a platform to scrutinize a number of claims made by Al Gore in An Inconvenient Truth.” OK review in NY Times on 11/12/10.
4/11- Really an indictment not of the prospect of global warming with which he agrees but the manner in which we use scare tactics and deceptions in an attempt to get the job done. I enjoyed the movie for about 45min. and then I think it deteriorated and I lost interest. TRDB. Netflix.
Tags: documentary
November 12th, 2010
CON ARTIST- 2009. Premise by Netflix. “With this documentary, Michael Sladek chronicles the rise and fall of Mark Kostabi, the infamous contemporary artist who rose to acclaim in the 1980s by openly lampooning and exploiting the art industry with a series of attention-grabbing gimmicks. Taking aim at what he saw as the commoditization of modern-day art, Kostabi caused a stir in the art world when he decided to mass-produce and sell artworks that he himself had no hand in creating.” Fair review in NY Times 11/12/10.
8/8/11- Having close to zero interest in the principal subject of this documentary didn’t help. I turned it off. TRDB. Netflix.
Tags: documentary
November 12th, 2010
BOXING GYM- 2010. Premise by Netflix. “Acclaimed documentary director Frederick Wiseman brings his cameras to Lord’s Gym in Austin, Texas, where ex-puncher Richard Lord works with a diverse crowd of amateur boxing enthusiasts spanning every age, ethnicity and occupation. Wiseman’s signature style relies little on interviews and instead focuses on the rituals of training and the disciplined, determined approach of students and coaches to mastering the precise, brutal art of gloved combat.”
8/8/14– An interesting documentary that I liked, especially the diversity of the boxers. TRDB.
Tags: documentary
November 11th, 2010
BUDRUS- 2009. Premise by Netflix. “Documentarian Julia Bacha delves into the fraught world of Palestinian-Israeli relations in this amazing account of one family’s leadership of a movement to prevent Israel’s Separation Barrier from slicing the Palestinian village of Budrus in half. Ayed Morrar inspires nonviolent protests of the giant barrier by numerous factions, and his 15-year-old daughter, Iltezam, leads a women’s group. Archival footage and interviews illuminate the action.” Excellent reviews.
6/2/11- A poignant but somewhat one-sided documentary showing that occasionally peaceful methods can work in the Middle East conflict. TRDB. Netflix.
7/15/12- I saw this again today at the Hebrew Center in Martha’s Vineyard and found it just as interesting and thought provoking as I did last year. Still one-sided as well. TRDB.
Tags: documentary
October 15th, 2010
IN SEARCH OF MEMORY- Premise by Netflix. “Filmmaker Petra Seeger present a fascinating portrait of neuroscientist Eric Kandel — who won a Nobel Prize in 2000 for his groundbreaking research — and illuminates his work on the brain and memory in this documentary. While examining Kandel’s discoveries about the brain’s function in chronicling and preserving memory, Seeger also explores his life, beginning with his childhood in Nazi-occupied Austria, through interviews and archival footage.” Very good professional reviews.
Tags: documentary
October 10th, 2010
11/4/08- Premise by Netflix. “On November 4, 2008, the drama of Barack Obama’s victory in the U.S. presidential election transfixed the world. Weeks before, director Jeff Deutchman asked filmmakers living around the globe to record their experiences on that fateful day. Using footage shot in Chicago, St. Louis, Geneva, New Delhi, Berlin and more, the documentary provides a sweeping, emotional look at peoples’ hopes and concerns about the historic moment as it unfolded.” No reviews yet.
Tags: documentary
October 10th, 2010
VISION: FROM THE LIFE OF HILDEGARD VON BINGEN- Premise by IMDB. “The life story of the multi-talented German nun Hildegard von Bingen.” Good audience reviews, none professional.
Tags: documentary
October 4th, 2010
THEATER OF WAR- 2008. Premise by Netflix. “Go behind the scenes of the Public Theater’s 2006 production of Bertolt Brecht’s Mother Courage and Her Children, starring the legendary Meryl Streep and translated by Pulitzer Prize winner Tony Kushner. In addition to offering a rare window into Streep’s process, the documentary also examines how Brecht’s own tumultuous life experiences informed his remarkable play. Other interviewees include Streep’s co-star Kevin Kline.” Generally good reviews.
11/10- A very interesting concept but not such an interesting movie. TRDB. Netflix.
Tags: documentary
October 4th, 2010
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