Posts filed under 'Documentary/History'
BEHIND THE BURLY Q- 2010. Premise by Netflix. “Dive into more than a century of decadence with this tantalizing look at the evolution of burlesque. Cabaret star Leslie Zemeckis traces the art form from vaudeville-style variety show through its extinction and contemporary rebirth. Vintage photos, film clips and ads illustrate burlesque’s resilient history, and how the public’s sexual appetites kept it alive amid moral and legal ado. Zemeckis’s husband, Oscar winner Robert, executive produced.” Good professional reviews but poor audience ones. TRDB.
4/11- This was of interest for about 45min. and then became redundant. TRDB. Netflix.
Tags: documentary
April 7th, 2010
AFGHAN STAR- Premise by Netflix. “AFGHAN STAR- Premise by Netflix. “Director Havana Marking’s eye-opening documentary captures the resurgence of pop culture in Afghanistan after three decades of Taliban rule. Following four “American Idol”-type contestants from auditions to finals in Kabul, Marking reveals a precedent in this suppressed and war-torn nation: all ethnicities, genders and age groups are equal — but everyone competing risks their lives to sing for enthused audiences.” Great reviews and I look forward to seeing this movie.
4/10- It tooK talent plus courage to make this documentary as death threats were a constant companion with dancing and music being against Sharia law. I liked the movie. TRDB.
Tags: documentary, Foreign
April 6th, 2010
THE THORN IN THE HEART- Premise by Netflix. “Oscar-winning director and writer Michel Gondry(Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind) turns the camera on his own family in this documentary about his aunt Suzette, a teacher in rural France from 1952 to 1986. Raised in Versailles in a family of musicians and educated in Paris, Gondry is keen on understanding a life very different from his own. In the process, he stumbles on a wealth of new stories about the family he thought he knew.” A few great reviews and a few miserable reviews. I’ll give it a try.
8/10- The biggest complaint about this movie is that nobody cares about Gondry’s aunt Suzette but I think that misses the larger point of the movie which is a depiction through narrative and film of life in rural France. As for the family stuff, you can fast-forward through lots of it. Over all I liked the movie. TRDB. Netflix.
Tags: documentary, Foreign
March 29th, 2010
WAKING SLEEPING BEAUTY- 2009. Premise by Netflix. “Walt Disney Studios veteran Don Hahn directs and produces this documentary that shines a light on Disney animation work during the 1970s, ’80s and ’90s — from the team’s humble beginnings at CalArts to the box office triumph of The Lion King. In exploring the works of that era, the film illuminates the careers of top animators of the time, including John Lasseter, Brad Bird, John Musker, Ron Clements and many others.” Mixed reviews for this documentary.
12/10- A good documentary about the venerable company. TRDB. Netflix.
Tags: documentary
March 22nd, 2010
VINCERE- Directed by Marco Bellocchio. Premise by Netflix. “Ida Dalser (Giovanna Mezzogiorno) falls for young Benito Mussolini (Filippo Timi) in Milan and sells everything she has to help the future dictator fund his newspaper, Popolo d’Italia. But when World War I separates the newly wedded couple, Mussolini marries another woman. Ida demands to retain her rights as Mussolini’s wife and the mother of his son, but the Fascists have other plans for the dictator’s dark secret in this gripping biopic.” Just opened nationally and has received great reviews.
3/10- I saw this and felt that the acting was superb. Mezzogiorno passionately portrayed a women with an obsession for Il Duce and was probably a metaphor for the country at the time. The film itself was enjoyable if a bit too long and I understand that the director played with the facts a bit. TRDB.
Tags: docudrama
March 22nd, 2010
A WORLD APART- Premise by Netflix. “This powerful examination of apartheid stars Barbara Hershey as South African journalist Diana Roth, a white woman jailed for her political activism. Diana’s fierce commitment to the cause is unfathomable to her 13-year-old daughter (Jodhi May), who feels hurt by and resentful of her mother’s intense focus on issues outside the family. Escalating events push mother and daughter into a climactic confrontation in this drama based on true events.”
3/10- I liked this movie especially knowing that it was a basically true story. TRDB. Netflix.
Tags: docudrama
March 21st, 2010
HARLAN: IN THE SHADOW OF JEW SUSS- Premise by Netflix. “Documentarian Felix Moeller profiles one of Nazi Germany’s most notorious — yet largely forgotten — filmmakers in this penetrating biographical portrait of Veit Harlan, best known for directing the anti-Semitic 1940 propaganda film Jew Süss. Rare footage sheds light on Harlan’s method and motivations, but interviews with his descendents reveal conflicted emotions about his tainted cinematic legacy.”
4/10- I saw this as part of the Westchester Jewish Film Festival and I thought it was fairly well done. TRDB.
Tags: Documentary/History
March 10th, 2010
THE QUEEN AND I- 2008. Premise by Netflix. “Nahid Persson Sarvestani‘s thought-provoking documentary about her friendship with Queen Farah, the wife of the Shah of Iran, demonstrates how even those at most odds — politically, idealistically — can find middle ground and understanding. The royal answers questions about her husband’s repressive principles, and the conversation becomes political and highly personal. Included with the film is a short called Liberation.”
3/10- A great documentary about the woman but also about the director and how she changes her views about the subject and herself during the making of the film. LOVED IT!! TRDB.
March 4th, 2010
CREATION- Premise by Netflix. “Paul Bettany stars as Charles Darwin in this BBC biographical drama that captures the legendary scientist in a period of intense mourning — and expansive intellectual discovery — following the untimely death of his young daughter, Annie. As Darwin dares to question the existence of God, he pens his groundbreaking tome, On the Origin of Species — much to the chagrin of his highly religious wife, Emma (Jennifer Connelly). Interesting topic with poor reviews. TRDB.
7/10- Generally poor reviews and a bit like made-for-tv but I still liked it as I gained insight into the mind of this famous scientific pioneer. TRDB.
Tags: docudrama
January 2nd, 2010
WAITING FOR ARMAGEDDON-Premise by Netflix. “In this eye-opening, equitable documentary, filmmakers Kate Davis, David Heilbroner and Franco Sacchi explore the lives of evangelical Christians who believe that Armageddon is imminent and that Israel will be the site of Christ’s second coming. The film follows evangelicals as they prepare for the apocalypse and examines how their beliefs have influenced the U.S. government’s relationships with Israel and the Muslim world.”
January 2nd, 2010
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