JANICE: LITTLE GIRL BLUE- 2015. Synopsis by Netflix. “In this insightful portrait of 1960s rock legend Janis Joplin, private letters and interviews with her family, friends and colleagues reveal a fragile soul whose overpowering voice made her a superstar before her death from a drug overdose at age 27.”
11/24/15- Very good reviews for this documentary. TRDB.
Add comment November 24th, 2015
IRAQI ODYSSEY- 2015. Synopsis by Netflix. “Iraq’s unhappy and turbulent history since the 1950s is vividly recalled through the illuminating lens of Iraqi director Samir, who details his family’s reluctant departures as exiles over the course of 50 years.”
11/24/15- Just 1 review and it’s good. TRDB.
Add comment November 24th, 2015
SWEET MICKY FOR PRESIDENT- 2015. Synopsis by Netflix.” In the wake of the devastating Haitian earthquake of 2010, the nation’s presidential election pits the current regime’s handpicked candidate against famed musician Michel Martelly, who gets strong support from renowned American rapper Pras Michel.”
11/20/15- Just 4 reviews- 3 up and 1 down. Audiences have liked it. TRDB.
Add comment November 20th, 2015
FRAME BY FRAME- 2015. Synopsis by Netflix. “After Afghanistan’s Taliban rulers were forced from power in 2001, freedom of the press was restored to the nation. The move set the stage for a renaissance among Afghani photojournalists, four of whom are profiled in this well-crafted documentary.”
11/20/15- Very good reviews for this movie from critics and audiences. TRDB.
Add comment November 20th, 2015
DRONE- 2015. Synopsis by Netflix. “Surveying drone technology’s rapid evolution and expansion, this sobering documentary examines the downside of the U.S. effort to combat terrorism with targeted drone strikes in Pakistan and other nations.”
11/20/15- Excellent reviews for this documentary. TRDB.
Add comment November 20th, 2015
VERY SEMI-SERIOUS: A PARTIALLY THOROUGH PORTRAIT OF NEW YORKER CARTOONISTS- 2015. Synopsis by Netflix. “Chronicling the New Yorker’s 90-year tradition of publishing urbane and occasionally bizarre single-panel cartoons, this lighthearted documentary centers on Bob Mankoff, the magazine’s cartoon editor since 1997.”
11/16/15- Just 2 reviews but they are both positive. TRDB.
Add comment November 16th, 2015
KINGDOM OF SHADOWS- 2015. Synopsis by Netflix. “By profiling three disparate people — an activist nun in Mexico, a U.S. federal agent working the border and a former Texas smuggler — filmmaker Bernardo Ruiz shines a light on the human consequences of the U.S.-Mexico drug war.”
11/16/15- Very good reviews for this documentary. TRDB.
Add comment November 16th, 2015
CENSORED VOICES- 2015. Synopsis by Netflix. “In 1967, author Amos Oz and editor Avraham Shapira tape-recorded the sentiments of Israeli soldiers returning from the Six-Day War. This riveting documentary combines that long-censored audio with archival clips to provide a personal picture of war.”
11/16/15- Excellent reviews by the critics and very good ones by audiences. TRDB.
4/28/16- An excellent documentary made even more special by the release of these censored tapes. TRDB.
Add comment November 16th, 2015
THE 33- 2015. Synopsis by Netflix. “Unspooling one of the most compelling true-life tales of survival in the modern age, this gripping drama chronicles the massive 69-day effort to rescue 33 Chilean miners who were trapped more than 2,000 feet underground.”
11/13/15- Weak reviews. TRDB.
Add comment November 13th, 2015
SONG OF LAHORE- 2015. Synopsis by Netflix. “The city of Lahore was once an artistic haven famous for its music, but that changed with the imposition of Sharia law. This engaging documentary follows some passionate Pakistani musicians trying to revive a tradition in a shrinking cultural sphere.”
11/13/15- Excellent reviews for this documentary. TRDB.
5/28/16- A very good documentary with lots of very good music. TRDB.
Add comment November 13th, 2015