SHAKESPEARE HIGH- 2011. Synopsis by Netflix. “Featuring input from actor Kevin Spacey and other program alumni, this documentary follows a diverse group of underprivileged California youth as they escape the violence of their neighborhoods by participating in a renowned Shakespeare competition.”
3/9/12- Very good review in today’s NY Times. TRDB.
Add comment March 9th, 2012
THE BEAT HOTEL- 2011. Synopsis by Zap-2-It. “In the late 1950s and early 1960s, a cheap Paris hotel becomes a sanctuary for Allen Ginsberg, Peter Orlovsky, William Burroughs and others of their ilk.” Poor early reviews. TRDB.
Add comment March 9th, 2012
BULLY- 2011. Synopsis by Rotten Tomatoes. “Directed by Sundance and Emmy-award winning filmmaker, Lee Hirsch, The Bully Project is a beautifully cinematic, character-driven documentary. At its heart are those with huge stakes in this issue whose stories each represent a different facet of America’s bullying crisis. The Bully Project follows five kids and families over the course of a school year. Stories include two families who have lost children to suicide and a mother awaiting the fate of her 14-year-old daughter who has been incarcerated after bringing a gun on her school bus. With an intimate glimpse into homes, classrooms, cafeterias and principals’ offices, the film offers insight into the often cruel world of the lives of bullied children.” Very good early reviews. TRDB.
3/31/12- Very good review in today’s NY Times. TRDB.
4/17/12- A very powerful documentary that should be required viewing for all parents. TRDB. At the Theater.
Add comment March 9th, 2012
PRAY FOR JAPAN- 2012. Synopsis by Rotten Tomatoes. “This documentary chronicles the personal stories behind the earthquake and tsunami that ravaged Japan in March 2011. Interviewees include victims, volunteers, and rescue workers who came together as a nation during a time of great tragedy.” Only a few reviews and they are poor so far. TRDB.
Add comment March 3rd, 2012
HEIST- 2012. Synopsis by Rotten Tomatoes. “A new, groundbreaking feature documentary about the roots of the American economic crisis, and the continuing assault on working and middle class people in the United States. Heist boldly reveals the crumbling structure of the U.S. economy – the result of four decades of deregulation, massive job outsourcing, and tax policies favoring mega-corporations and wealthy elites.”
3/2/12- Good reviews in today’s NY Times and from others as well. TRDB.
Add comment March 2nd, 2012
BETTER THAN SOMETHING: JAY REATARD- 2011. Synopsis by Netflix. “This documentary chronicles Tennessee garage rocker Jay Reatard from his humble beginning through to his cult stardom and untimely death at age 29. Performance footage accompanies interviews with the punk singer’s family, friends and colleagues.”
3/2/12- A barely OK review in today’s NY Times but other reviews were much better, especially audience reviews. TRDB.
Add comment March 2nd, 2012
WHERE ARE YOU TAKING ME?- 2010. Synopsis by Netflix. “In this easygoing documentary, American filmmaker Kimi Takesue journeys to Uganda and films the everyday activities of average Ugandans — from guests at a wedding reception and patrons at a hip-hop nightclub to ordinary passersby in the street. Guided through the rough-and-tumble city of Kampala by African-born writer Sam Okello, Takesue also chronicles the work at a refuge for former child soldiers once caught up in the country’s civil war.”
3/2/12- A few early positive professional reviews but poor audience reaction. TRDB.
Add comment March 2nd, 2012
PATRIOCRACY- 2012. Synopsis by Rotten Tomatoes. “Americans are polarized and angry. In the crossfire, the loudest voices drown out reason and facts with fear and anxiety. Patriocracy explores the extreme polarization in America that cripples the country from tackling its most serious problems. Whether it’s the national debt, healthcare reform, the war on terror or illegal immigration, Americans are shouting at each other instead of listening to each other.”
3/2/12- Weak review in today’s NY Times and elsewhere also. TRDB.
Add comment March 2nd, 2012
ART IS… THE PERMANENT REVOLUTION- 2012. Synopsis by Rotten Tomatoes. “The anger and outrage captured by graphic artists have defined revolutions through the centuries. Printmakers have depicted the human condition in all its glories and struggles so powerfully that perceptions, attitudes and politics have been dramatically influenced. And the value and impact of this art is even more important today. In the new documentary, Art Is… The Permanent Revolution, three contemporary American artists and a master printer help explain the dynamic sequences of social reality and protest. Among the wide range of 60 artists on display are Rembrandt, Goya, Daumier, Kollwitz, Dix, Masereel, Grosz, Gropper, and Picasso. While their stirring graphics sweep by, the making of an etching, a woodcut and a lithograph unfolds before our eyes, as the contemporary artists join their illustrious predecessors in creating art of social engagement.”
3/2/12- Excellent reviews including the one in today’s NY Times. TRDB.
Add comment March 2nd, 2012
JIRO DREAMS OF SUSHI- 2011. Synopsis by Netflix. “This delectable documentary profiles sushi chef Jiro Ono, an 85-year-old master whose 10-seat, $300-a-plate restaurant is legendary among Tokyo foodies. Ono is also a father, whose sons struggle to live up to his legacy and make their own marks.” Good early reviews. TRDB.
3/9/12- Weak review in today’s NY Times. TRDB.
8/20/12- As noted above this documentary is about the Japanese master of sushi. He has earned and kept the Michelin 3 Star rating even with his basement, no toilet restaurant that holds a mere 10 people. Rave reviews for this film but I felt that there was a bit too much hero worship and a bit too little about the making of the sushi itself. You should definitely see it however. TRDB. Netflix.
Add comment February 28th, 2012