Posts with the tag 'documentary'
INSIDE JOB- 2010. Premise by Netflix. “Uncover the root of the 2008 global economic crisis with this documentary that combines extensive research, convincing interviews and cogent arguments to single out a rogue industry that’s tainted every sector of the financial system. Narrated by actor Matt Damon, this complex yet comprehensible film — an Official Selection at the 2010 Cannes Film Festival — features discussions with influential politicians, academics and journalists.” Great reviews and a nominee for Best Picture for 2010.
3/11- A well done documentary but I’ve seen it all before and got bored pretty quickly. TRDB. Netflix.
Tags: documentary
March 18th, 2011
NOSTALGIA FOR THE LIGHT- 2010. Premise by Netflix. “Two distinct activities are underway in Chile’s Atacama Desert: While astronomers study distant stars through a giant telescope, local people sift through the soil looking for graves of family members killed during the nation’s brutal political past. The region’s uniquely dry, clear air encourages both pursuits and inspires director Patricio Guzmán to draw metaphorical links between them in this thoughtful, heartfelt documentary.” Good review in NY Times on 3/18/11. TRDB.
10/7/11- A very good documentary that makes many comparisons between various social issues in Chile and beyond. TRDB. Netflix.
Tags: documentary, Foreign
March 18th, 2011
MY PERESTROIKA- 2010. Premise by Netflix. “An intimate look at five longtime friends who grew up shortly before the collapse of the Soviet Union, this documentary sheds light on how Russians have adapted to post-Soviet society and their nation’s continually shifting political landscape. Interweaving decades-old home movie footage with captivating tales of contemporary life, director Robin Hessman’s enlightening movie illustrates the stark contrast between Moscow then and now.” Very good reviews and this one sounds interesting. TRDB.
7/26/12- This movie got excellent reviews so I watched the entire film but I found it incredibly boring. TRDB. Netflix Streaming.
Tags: documentary, Foreign
March 17th, 2011
THE SWIMSUIT ISSUE- Premise by Netflix. “Unfortunately for the guys on Sweden’s only all-male synchronized swim team, a passion for their sport does not necessarily equal a proficiency in it. But that’s not going to stop them in their quest for gold in this comedy from Mans Herngren. Determined to prove naysayers wrong, the middle-aged mermen work first to improve their swimming and then synchronize it as they fervently pursue their ultimate goal — the world championship.” Weak reviews. TRDB.
Tags: documentary, Foreign
March 17th, 2011
TROUBADOURS- 2011. Premise by Netflix. “This engrossing documentary offers a loving look at the music scene in Los Angeles in the 1970s, focusing on superstars James Taylor and Carole King, and how their careers were tied in to the evolution of the world-famous Troubadour club. Interviews and archival footage highlight the examination of how the highly political music of the 1960s transformed into the more intimate songs made popular by the increasingly predominant singer-songwriters.” Very good reviews. TRDB.
Tags: documentary
March 15th, 2011
THE DESERT OF FORBIDDEN ART- 2010. Premise by Netflix. “Trace the incredible story of defiant visionary Igor Savitsky, an artist and museum curator who cunningly acquired more than 40,000 banned Soviet Union paintings and hid the illegal collection from the KGB in Uzbekistan’s Nukus Museum. In addition to rare archival footage and interviews with the artists’ children, this absorbing documentary also features letters and diary entries read by Ben Kingsley, Sally Field and Edward Asner.” Good reviews. TRDB.
6/27/11- I have to admit that I’m a bit too hyper to sit through a documentary of this type. I was very interested in the concept, what had been done to preserve the works but not really in the movie per se. TRDB. Netflix.
Tags: documentary
March 11th, 2011
DEAR PYONGYANG- 2005. Premise by Netflix. “Filmmaker Yonghi Yang divides her time behind and in front of the camera in this poignant exploration of family, place and identity, a 2006 Sundance prize winner. To better understand her father’s fierce loyalty to Communist North Korea — and the personal sacrifices that resulted from his political convictions — Yang candidly questions her father about his beliefs, revealing a complex man shaped by both emotional and ideological forces.” Very good reviews. TRDB.
3/11- An interesting documentary but I felt that the film lacked a certain passion that would be inherent in a family that had sent all 3 of their sons from Japan, where they lived, to live permanently in North Korea. Still lots of unanswered questions. TRDB. Comcast On-Demand.
Tags: documentary, Foreign
March 5th, 2011
STRANGERS NO MORE- 2010. Premise by IMDB. “In the heart of Tel Aviv, there is an exceptional school where children from forty-eight different countries and diverse backgrounds come together to learn. Many of the students arrive at Bialik-Rogozin School fleeing poverty, political adversity and even genocide. Here, no child is a stranger. The film follows several students’ struggle to acclimate to life in a new land while slowly opening up to share their stories of hardship and tragedy: Mohammed, a sixteen-year-old refugee from Darfur, witnessed the killing of his grandmother and father before escaping alone through Egypt to Israel. Having never been in a school before, his sharp mind and tremendous determination enable him to make up the years of study he never had. Johannes arrived at Bialik-Rogozin after spending most of his life in refugee camps across the Middle East. His father struggles to obtain a work visa while twelve-year-old Johannes struggles to adjust to attending school for the first time.” This movie won the 2011 Academy Award for Best Documentary- Short Subject. TRDB.
4/11- The concept of this school is very interesting and appears to be working. The film was well done and we learned a lot about the students and the system in this 40min. documentry. Definitely recommended. TRDB. Seen at Temple Shaaray Tefila.
Tags: documentary
March 1st, 2011
MAKING THE BOYS- 2009. Synopsis by Netflix. “Revered by some for breaking new ground and reviled by others for reinforcing stereotypes, The Boys in the Band was the first gay-themed film to reach a mainstream audience. This documentary paints a vivid picture of how it got there. Through interviews with Tony Kushner, Edward Albee and more — plus wonderful period footage of Hollywood’s gay past (think Roddy MacDowell and Sal Mineo) — the film reveals The Boys in the Band’s enduring legacy.” Very good reviews. TRDB. Good review in NY Times on 3/11/11.
12/17/11- Well done but I lost interest about halfway through. TRDB. Netflix.
Tags: documentary
March 1st, 2011
ORGASM INC.- 2009. Premise by Netflix. “With humor and a wealth of research, director Liz Canner examines how drug companies promote and profit from the myth of female sexual dysfunction as they compete to produce the first FDA-approved “cure” for this condition. The provocative documentary features enlightening interviews with a passionate sex shop owner and a vintage-vibrator collector who argue that it’s society — not women’s bodies — that needs fixing.” Fairly good reviews.
7/1/11- An unusually candid documentary that makes it’s points well and exposes the drug industry yet one more time. TRDB.
Tags: documentary
March 1st, 2011
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