Oh the Drama
Oh the Horror
Keep Me in Suspense
Feels like Sci-Fi
Isn't it Romantic
So-called Comedies
Western Unions
Comic Book Heroes
Kid Stuff
Fact not Fiction
Cinema Fantastico (Subtitles)
Just Seen
Elizabeth Taylor: The Lost Tapes (2024) In 1964 Liz Taylor sat down with Roddy McDowell (and again in 1985 with Dominick Dunne) to record some very candid interviews. As she answers questions, we’ll watch her life unfold, good & bad, all of it. She knows she was blessed (and cursed) and in the end, ached to do something constructive “with all that fame”. She did. Wonderfully done, and I watched utterly spellbound. My grade: A Plus
Being Mary Tyler Moore (2023) From her days as Holly Hotpoint in the 1950s to being discovered by Carl Reiner for The Dick Van Dyke Show
to even wider fame with her own show in the 1970s, this 2 hour
documentary is a feast for the senses if you’re a fan of MTM. From
never before seen home movies to lost interviews to more private moments
recorded by her husband, what more can I say. It’s superb. We love
you Mary. My grade: A Plus
ELVIS (2022)
Austin Butler shines with a light and magic all his own as Elvis
Presley, in this stunning recreation of the King from the 1950s to his
demise in 1977. Huge talent, a budget that seemed bottomless,
enthralling cinematography, and Tom Hanks as the expertly played, awful
Col. Tom Parker makes this biopic amazing. From the very first minute
to the last, I couldn’t look away; it’s truly that good. Long live
the King. My grade: A Plus
Sid & JUDY (2019) Accompanied by film clips, audio recordings, hundreds of images & letters never seen, the life of Judy Garland is laid out like never before, courtesy of friends & Sid Luft’s private collections. The production on this documentary is off the scale, incredible from start to finish. Like him or not—Sid & company paints the most beautifully honest portrait of Judy I have ever seen. It’s extraordinary. My grade: A PLUS
Woodstock (2019) Three days of peace, love & music. What began as a 3 day “Aquarian exposition” in 1969 for 20,000 became 450,000
as word spread through the country and a counterculture found it’s
mecca. The first half of this astonishing, love-filled doc explores the
times, the hippie movement, the months of planning. The second half is
the music and wonderful stories caught on film. As much as you thought you knew… you didn’t! I loved this. My grade: A Plus
American Factory (2019) In 2010, GM closed their auto plant in Ohio and 10,000 people lost their jobs. In 2016, a Chinese billionaire reopened it as Fuyao Glass, returning jobs to 2,000 American workers—but less than half their former pay, and expecting harder work. It’s a curious, difficult transition for both sides (and just wait until American workers visit the Fuyao plant in China). Welcome to the future, in this excellent doc on culture clash, factory style. My grade: A Plus
Leaving Neverland (2019)
In this 4 hour documentary, told by 2 men & their explicit (but
similar) stories, we witness Michael Jackson in his heyday, how he
encountered each as little boys, and thru tours, gifts &
promises groomed them (and their starstruck families) to seduce them.
The second half sees them cast aside after turning 14, growing up and
the inner demons these men wrestle with. I’m now a believer. All of it…
astounding. My grade: A Plus
I,
Tonya (2018) Margot Robbie is Olympic gold in this raw, in
your face bio-drama of 1994 figure skater Tonya Harding, who seemed dealt one
shitty hand after another in her ill-fated climb to the top. From the meanest mom ever (Allison
Janey—whew!) to her abusive, low-life husband to an elitist sport who treated
Tonya like a virus, it’s one helluva story & one helluva movie. I remember it all (a little too well) but wow
this packs a wallop! My grade: A Plus
Batman & Bill (2017)
Every Bat-fan knows the story; in 1939, Bob Kane came up with the idea
of a blonde superhero in red tights & wings, the Bat-Man. But Bill
Finger took the name, came up with the dark costume & cowl, the
Batcave, Batmobile, Robin, the Joker, all of it. Bob Kane took the
credit until the truth came out in 1965, but it would be 50 years—and a
David vs Goliath battle with DC Comics to give credit to Batman’s true
origins. This doc astounds! My grade: A
All the Queen’s Horses (2017) For 20 years the
city of Dixon Illinois crumbled; streets went to ruin, fire &
police
stations closed, schools & libraries shut. And yet Rita Crundwell, the city treasurer, flourished; mansions, furs,
a vast ranch with 400 show horses. She
embezzled 53 million dollars over 20 years, but why did it take so long
to catch her? Because no one—the mayor, the bank, outside
auditors—bothered to ask questions. Justice will be served, and how! My
grade: A Plus
Wait For Your Laugh (2017) She was born in 1923—and at 4 years old was a national sensation on
vaudeville & radio. She moved to big bands, glittering
nightclubs & Broadway in her 20s, television in the 1950s. She
was Rose Marie, gutsy & funny in this surprising, superior
documentary of her life. Narrated by Rose, a thousand stories, a
thousand home movies & film clips of those times. This wasn’t
good, it was CRAZY good. Rest in peace, Rose Marie. My grade: A Plus
For The Love of Spock (2016) Adam
Nimoy paints an extraordinary, love-filled memoriam of his father
Leonard Nimoy, the son of a barber who would become an actor, icon
& hero to millions. Told with real devotion to both his father
& his father's fans, with images and stories never shared
before, it's a truly captivating tribute. I must own this. My grade: A Plus
Notes on Blindness (2016) In 1983, John Hull went blind. Filled with despair, he began recording his thoughts,
conversations with his wife, sounds of his children on audiocassettes. Feeling lost
and alone, he’ll begin searching inside himself instead, discovering a
voice he never knew and a life he never knew he had. I can’t remember
crying like this over one man’s words before... exquisitely told, an exquisite watch. My grade: A Plus
Queen of Katwe
(2016) Disney shares this moving, very real story of Phonia, a little
girl in the slums of Uganda who went from selling maize in its dusty streets to
learning chess, and with the help of a kind mentor, a poor but proud country
and a sacrificing mother became a continent’s grand champion. Rich with color, culture and goodness, Disney
shows us wishes really can come true. My grade: A Plus
June (2024)
From her antics as a sweet hillbilly on the Grand Old Opry in the
1950s, to her third marriage to Johnny Cash to wanting to produce a solo
album in the 1990s (she did, twice, both winning Grammys) this is June
Carter Cash’s big life and love story. (I did not know she wrote Ring
of Fire.) Her death in 2003 broke many hearts, none harder than Johnny
Cash. He died 3 months later. What a special lady. My grade: A
The Last of the Sea Women (2024) Jeju Island is known for 3 things: rocks, wind & haenyeos, women who spend their lives sea-diving for conch & sea urchin. Most are in their 60s & 70s now, and younger women are being trained to take over. But climate warming is hurting their catch, so is Japan dumping radioactive water into the ocean. What will they do? Fight, in this proud documentary. My grade: A
Priscilla (2023)
It’s West Germany 1959; and a very demure, very young Priscilla
Beaulieu has been invited to Army Elvis’ house by one of his scouts for a
party. They’ll marry of course, and Priscilla will learn (again and
again) that her husband is an overgrown man-child who expects to be
treated like her King. Sofia Coppola both wrote and directed this
quietly told but visually striking biopic, seen thru Priscilla’s eyes. My grade: A
aka Mr. Chow (2023)
The son of a celebrated Beijing opera singer, his mother sent Michael
Chow to London in the 1950s to make a name for himself. Did he ever.
He was “the Chinese guy” in a long list of action & spy movies in
the 1960s-70s, before creating “Mr. Chow”, 2 restaurants on the East
& West coasts with A-list clientele. Now in his 80s, a reknown
artist as well in this bigger than life documentary. My grade: A
JFK: What the Doctors Saw (2023)
In 2013, the doctors (still living) who worked on JFK after his
shooting in 1963 gathered to compare personal notes in this jarring but
critically acclaimed documentary. According to them, Oswald wasn't the
president's assassin. And trust me, seeing is believing. WARNING: this doc contains highly graphic photos of JFK immediately after his assassination. His shocked stare will stay with me for a long time. My grade: A
Still: A Michael J. Fox Movie (2023)
In his own haggard words, Michael J Fox recounts his life, from his
modest suburban beginnings to superstardom in the 80s to Parkinsons in
the 90s. There’s nothing here I haven’t seen, heard or read before, but
it’s still a very honest & thoughtful reflection on his life. When
Fox muses Parkinsons was the cosmos collecting payment for all his
success, I almost wondered that too. Fox is a good man. My grade: A
Milli Vanilli (2023)
In 1989, a record producer spotted 2 handsome young men with long
braids who were dancers and style setters, and offered them pop
stardom. They became superstars instead, in this eye opening
documentary of their rise & fall. I remember their story but forgot
their fame, and didn't know how talented they were. In the end, what
did they do but entertain? This ends with love and hope, for one at
least. My grade: A
Rock Hudson: All That Heaven Allowed (2023)
Born Roy Fitzgerald in the midwest, he would find huge success in
Hollywood. But he was loved by so many, critics included, everyone
turned a blind eye towards his extreme gay lifestyle. (But seeing the
home movies of his swimming pool filled with dozens
of naked men—yikes!) More time capsule than tribute, it’s an astounding
look back at the man—and of the AIDS timeline he helped make public. My grade: A
The Fire That Took Her (2023)
On Aug 2 2015, a young mother was doused with gasoline and set on fire
by her abusive boyfriend. Even with a lengthy criminal record, a
sickened judge could only sentence him to 11 years as Judy lay in severe
pain and disfigurement. Could anything be done to change the law &
lengthen his sentence? Yes. By who? By Judy, in this heartbreaking
documentary of abuse and the pursuit of real change. My grade: A
Dionne Warwick: Don’t Make Me Over (2022)
From her loud gospel roots to singing on the road on the Chitlin’
Circuit, to becoming Burt Bacharach & Hal David’s muse, this is a
giant retrospective on a real music legend. I’ll admit I was never a
huge Warwick fan, my bad—the woman could (and still does) really sing.
Honest, funny & very brave—one of the first to stand up for AIDS
victims—she’s a powerhouse. My grade: A
The Princess (2022)
Remember when Princess Di was part of our daily lives? From that first
encounter with Diana Spencer on her way to teach school, to a tourist’s
brief “home movie” capture of her in Paris just minutes before she
died, this 2 hour documentary expertly replays highlights of her life
from 1981 to 1997. You may be surprised how much you remember—or how
little you’ve forgotten. My grade: A
The Automat (2021)
Horn & Hardart; they only operated in 2 cities (NY & Philly)
but in their heyday had more restaurants than anywhere else in America,
feeding a million people daily. 15 cents for a roast beef sandwich, 2
nickels for a slice of pie, a nickel cup of coffee. Rich & poor,
Catholic & Jew, black & white—all sat and dined together for 50
years in this wonderful look back at America before suburbs, frozen foods & McDonalds. Sigh! My grade: A
Summer of Soul (2021)
In 1969 300,000 blacks gathered for the Harlem Cultural Festival, “the
black man’s Woodstock”. Beautifully filmed but no network wanted to air
it, so it sat unseen in a basement for 50 years. The music is
wonderful, but it’s much more, a rich time capsule of blacks then &
now. Loved seeing people interviewed about the moon landing. White
America was thrilled, blacks weren’t. C’mon, man! We have people goin’ hungry! My grade: A
King Richard (2021)
Will Smith is 100% Richard Williams, the determined Compton father who
devised a plan for his daughters Serena & Venus to escape the ghetto
and achieve superstardom in the world of tennis. You don’t have to be a
sports fan to appreciate this family drama, it left me with
goosebumps. The mini-documentary at the end was an excellent (if too
brief) addition, easily worth it’s own A grade. I wanted more of it. My grade: A 
Pray Away (2021) In
1976, a Christian coalition was formed called “Exodus”, to help in the
conversion of homosexuals to straight Christian citizens. 40 years
later, Exodus stunned the world when they announced they were shutting
their doors; all they'd done was destroy thousands of lives. Here are
some of those stories. Oh and not to worry, new Chistian groups like
Restored Hope are forming to take their place. F--k religion. My grade: A
The Eyes of Tammy Faye (2021)
Andrew Garfield does a fine job of portraying televangelist Jim Bakker,
but Jessica Chastain steals the show as the one & only Tammy Faye
Bakker. From her humble beginnings at Bible College to the tumble of
PTL in the Eighties, Jessica cries, sings & praises the Lord like no
one has seen since Tammy’s passing in 2007. I don’t know what else to
say here, I was riveted from start to end. My grade: A
Adrienne (2021)
On Oct 31 2006, a woman had a Halloween party for her 2 year old
Sophie. The next day she was found hanging in her shower. Police ruled
it a suicide but her family demanded the case be reopened, and a killer
was caught. Who was she? Adrienne Shelly, who just finished writing,
directing & starring in Waitress, starring Keri Russell. (I
blogged about the movie in 2007.) And this is her husband’s tribute to
her. It’s huge, surprising and heartbreaking. My grade: A 
How Do You Mend a Broken Heart (2020) Barry,
Robin, Maurice Gibb. The Bee Gees, and brother Andy too. From their
childhood beginnings on Australian tv to their 60’s
folk, 70's disco and giant songwriting success, this family of men scrambled
and fought their way to the top, again & again. No surprises here,
but who needs them? Their stories will always be interesting.
Barry's very lonely now, but he's loved. God bless. My grade: A
Natalie Wood: What Remains Behind (2020)
Narrated by Natalie Wood’s oldest daughter Natasha, her sister, Robert Redford,
Mia Farrow & RJ Wagner, we’re given the closest glimpses ever seen into a
person’s life as we learn of Natalie’s lineage, her childhood, her worlds of
stardom and motherhood. It’s so...
honest. Her life was much more than I
knew, and I know now her death was an accident.
40 years later, we miss her still.
My grade: A
Tread (2020)
In 1992, Marvin Heemeyer moved to Granby, a small Colorado town. A
master welder & mechanic, he soon had a successful muffler shop with
plans to expand. But when the townsfolk began to conspire against
him… STOP. What really happened? Something scary and
insane. Wait until you see the giant armored machine Marvin builds to
destroy the town, in this chilling documentary that just so happens to
be true. Mesmerizing. My grade: A
Framing John DeLorean (2019) In
the 1960's, he was flush with success after rescuing GM's Pontiac and
other models, and creating the GTO. But with success came ego, and John
left GM to start his own car company, enriching himself with investors
money in the end. He'd die alone & broke in a one bedroom apt, but
ah the ride, eh John? I'd both forgotten and remembered much of this,
in this doc of John DeLorean and his stainless steel chariot. My grade: A
Judy (2019) Renee Zellweger returns to the big screen as Judy
Garland, in her portrayal of the final chapter of Judy’s gigantic, too
short life. Spanning only six weeks, it’s a real actor’s showcase as
Renee’s performance, of a drug-addled icon who can’t & won’t give
up, with big loud songs and cries for love on a small stage, transport
us to 1968 London and into Judy’s tearful world. It’s a must-see watch,
every heartbreaking moment of it. My grade: A
Richard Jewell (2019) Clint Eastwood directs
this true story of Richard Jewell, a slow & chubby security guard (obsessed
with being a cop) who uncovered a bomb under a park bench in Atlanta during the
1996 Olympics. At first crowned a
celebrity, things turned sour when the FBI named him their prime suspect. Why
did this need re-told? I don’t know, but
it’s done well and worth watching for Richard alone. He’s that good. My grade: A
The Professor and the Madman (2019) In 1872, Professor Murray
(Mel Gibson) aspires to build the first Oxford Dictionary (a 20 volume
set). He’ll send requests to academics across the globe…and will begin
receiving thousands of words & their origins from Dr.Minor (Sean
Penn), a tormented Civil War surgeon—and inmate at Broadmoor Insane
Asylum. It’s an extraordinary piece of history, and Penn is amazing; he
delivers the performance of a lifetime. My grade: A
Rocketman (2019) Taron Egerton is astounding as Elton John, in
this giant, flamboyant re-telling of a superstar’s life. It’s not your
typical biopic (as characters sometimes veer off story and go into Moulin Rouge
territory) but with Elton’s wonderful catalog of songs, it works. His
years of booze, sex & drug addictions are here too—and some pretty
painful moments with his parents, which would explain much. When are you going to hug me? Now. My grade: A
Dolemite Is My Name (2019)
Eddie Murphy is solid gold as Rudy Ray Moore, a struggling comedian in
the early ‘70s who (with the help of stories he collects from winos)
reinvents himself as the X-rated kung-fu pimp Dolemite—and turns
blaxploitation on its ear with his movies and set of (very) adult comedy
albums. It’s a great biography, funny, raunchy & filled with
heart—and Eddie Murphy has never been better. Dolemite is DY-NO-MITE. My grade: A
The Highwaymen (2019)
It’s 1934 and Bonnie & Clyde are on a killing spree through the
Midwest. Two retired Texas Rangers (Woody Harrelson, Kevin Costner,
both awesome) are asked to bring ‘em down—and facing ridicule from G
Men, scorn from the public (who sees B&C as folk heroes) and ire
from the Texas governor (Kathy Bates), they’ll get it done. It moves
slow like a Southern drawl, but it’s vintage, Americana & I
loved every minute. My grade: A
Prosecuting Evil: The Extraordinary World of Ben Ferencz (2019)
70 years ago he was a 27 year old lawyer, home from WWII and asked to
help with the Nuremberg tribunal. When he uncovered the Nazi’s
documenting of killing Jews and reached a count of 1 million, he made
history by prosecuting Nazi generals. And he’s never stopped—he’s 97
now, and fights for international law and the end to glorified
war-making. “In the end, we’ll kill ourselves.” Yes. My grade: A
John & Yoko: Above Us Only Sky (2018) You
have to understand, we had the Beatles & the Queen, and that
was it. And then this woman, this foreigner comes along and we’re ‘She’s
stealing our John.’ In 1969, after the Beatles final photo shoot,
John & Yoko move into Tittenhurst Park. And then John (with a
little help from his friends) builds a record studio… and begins writing
the lyrics to ‘Imagine’, in this ‘we know but tell us again’ intimate
rockumentary. My grade: A
They Shall Not Grow Old (2018) Filmmaker Peter Jackson takes
silent film footage from WWI (1914-1918) and miraculously transforms
those reels into a crystal clear, full-sized window of the Great War,
complete with color & sound. Narrated by long passed WWI soldiers,
it’s a brutal, astonishing look at the Western Front 100 years ago.
It’s difficult to watch the carnage, but man—such bravery and heroism
should never be forgotten. My grade: A
BlacKkKlansman (2018)
Spike Lee captures 70s Black Power in this true story of Ron
Stallworth, the first Afro-American on the Colorado Springs police force
who (with his Jewish partner Flip) infiltrated the KKK—and became a
confidante to the Grand Wizard himself, David Duke. It’s hate-filled
and dark-humored with white rednecks, but at the end when Ron answers
his door and it’s the present calling… my body shook all over. Keep
telling it, Spike. My grade: A
Don’t Worry He Won’t Get Far on Foot (2018) Joaquin Phoenix… man he’s wonderful
in this true story of John Callahan (1951-2010), a 20-something drunk
who found sobriety and his true calling as an edgy cartoonist after a
car accident left him a quadriplegic. His 12 steps in AA are earnest
ones, but his friendship with (a reinvented) Jonah Hill as his
long-haired gay sponsor makes this all the more special and inspiring to
watch. Geez I loved the goodness here. My grade: A
First Man (2018)
It begins in 1961, when they bury their little girl after brain
cancer. From there we’ll follow Neil Armstrong and his wife Jan (Ryan
Gosling, Claire Foy who is wonderful) as he trains through the Gemini
space programs en route to the Apollo mission and the moon. While the
level of detail is startling, the story is long & patient
without drama or fanfare—it’s like you’re witnessing 10 years in real
time. History is slow coming, but so worth it. My grade: A
Can You Ever Forgive Me? (2018)
Melissa McCarthy is a wicked delight as real-life Lee Israel, a NY
writer as sour as she was talented. But frowns don’t sell books and
money is tight—until she finds an old letter from Fanny Brice, and
discovers she can quadruple its value if she “embellishes” it a little.
400 forged famous writer’s letters later… It’s smart, New York and
dastardly, and I loved every minute of it. Lee found her niche—Melissa
did too. My grade: A
Bohemian Rhapsody (2018)
Rami Malek struts and sweats across the stage in this very entertaining
biopic of Freddie Mercury & the band Queen. Malek felt more
like a caricature at times (but it’s apparent he tried his best) and
alterations to Queen’s timeline were obvious to even casual fans like me
who remember these times, but I still loved the look back at their
rise, and you really do get one helluva show. I loved every minute. My grade: A
They’ll Love Me When I’m Dead (2018)
In 1970, Orson Welles announced he was returning to filmmaking with
‘The Other Side of the Wind’. It would star John Huston as a
legendary director attempting a comeback (ahem) and Peter Bogdanovich as
his protégé. Orson had little money, no script and devotees who
worked on his film for no pay. He died in 1985, his movie unfinished.
This study of Orson and those around him… so well done. It’s
astonishing. My grade: A
Won’t You Be My Neighbor? (2018)
An ordained minister in Pittsburgh, he saw children’s programs like
Bozo and believed kids deserved better, needed better. He was Fred
Rogers, who won children and the world over with his quiet words
& kindness. This doc is much like him, modest in nature as it
focuses less on his celebrity and more on the man as seen thru the eyes
of family & friends. He was who he was. We love you, Mr.
Rogers. My grade: A
Three Identical Strangers (2018)
In 1980, 19 year olds Bobby, David & Eddie learned they were
identical triplets, separated at birth & adopted by different
families. They became a media sensation, got a place together &
reveled in their fame. But as people marveled at their similarities,
journalists and 3 sets of parents asked questions (and got troubling
answers). Nature alone does not define us, in this curious, tragic doc
of the trio then, and their story today. My grade: A
Quincy (2018) His mother taken away in a straitjacket when he was 7; by his 20s he
was a master class musician and the arranger, composer &
producer for artists like Count Basie, Ray Charles, Frank Sinatra. He’s Quincy Jones, legend of the music industry, yet for all his awards
& fame maintained work & family as the only things that
matter. An expert blend of history & the present, what a
journey Quincy’s had; it amazes start to finish. My grade: A
Hacksaw Ridge (2016) Andrew Garfield is inspired casting as
Desmond Doss, a deeply devout man who wanted to serve his country in the
battlefields of WWII without a weapon--and became an American hero when he
singlehandedly rescued 75 men during its bloodiest battle on Okinawa. A war picture on all counts, this was almost
startling in its color, clarity & soul. Masterfully directed by Mel Gibson, it soars with character and
heroism. My grade: A Plus
Amy (2015) Amy
Winehouse (1983-2011) was doomed for success in this intimate,
exceptionally well crafted biography of the songwriter/jazz vocalist. Hugely gifted, she didn't yearn for fame as much as worried what would
become of her if it came. And we are witness to all of it, from
her childhood to her demise--with her genius, celebritydom &
drugs in-between. Astounding. My grade: A Plus
Spotlight (2015) Smart,
fist-clenching recounting of the efforts of Spotlight, Boston Globe's
investigative team that in 2001 uncovered the Church's cover-up of a
Catholic priest molesting children. The horror mounts as the number of
pedophiliac clergy grows to 13--then 87--ultimately to hundreds in the
Boston area & thousands worldwide. On a par with 'All the
Presidents Men', it's only shortcoming is in it's awful truth. My grade: A Plus
The Imitation Game (2014) During WWII, British mathematician Alan Turing was tasked with
ciphering Germany's unbreakable 'Enigma' code--and did, shaving years
off the war & saving mllions of lives. (His 'Turing Machine'
changed history after the war, as it was the inspiration for the
computer.) But his victory came at a cost. Brilliant man, brilliant
actor, brilliant story. My grade: A Plus
Get On Up (2014) From
his humble beginnings as a poor street hustler to his frantic climb to
stardom, this is the story of James Brown, the Godfather of Soul. We get
few personal glimpses into the man, what we're given instead is
Chadwick Boseman bringin' down the house with 40 years of moves
& sounds, the likes of which I've never seen--again &
again & again & again. HUGELY inspired filmmaking, I
loved this! My grade: A Plus
Inequality for All (2013) Former
Labor Secretary Robert Reich delivers a powerful, passionate
presentation on the widening gap between the middle and upper class, how
it all began around 1980, and why its become what it is today. I was
expecting a boring lecture--not this illuminating, thought provoking
look at why things must change. Brilliant. My grade: A Plus
The Wolf of Wall Street (2013) Leonardo
DiCaprio is the outrageous, cocaine snorting, quaalude chomping Jordan
Belfort, a self-made zillionaire who made his fortune by the swindling
of thousands of people in the stock market. Get ready for a 3 hour ride
of sex, drugs, debauchery and everything else galore in Scorsese's giant
biopic. Whew! My grade: A Plus
Salinger (2013) He
had a posh Manhattan upbringing, private schools, elite military
academies. Yet he shrugged it all aside to be an ordinary WWII soldier, a
devotee of Hemingway and an obsession to be published in the New
Yorker. This careful documentary attempts to unravel the mystery behind
the Catcher in the Rye, and tells a story just as enthralling. My grade: A Plus
Tim's Vermeer (2013) Tim
Jenson is a successful inventor, who became obsessed with the Dutch
Master Vermeer and how he "painted with light". Not being a painter
himself, he decided to uncover the mystery behind Vermeer's works, using
only the tools of that time, and painstakingly create his own
masterpiece. A study of real genius at work, both then & now. My grade: A Plus
Ken Burns: The Dust Bowl (2012) Ken
Burns takes us on an eye opening look back to the 1930s and the Plains
states, where a wheat boom, decade-long drought and the Great Depression
combined to turn America's Breadbasket into a veritable desert. Told
thru photos, newspapers, song and the memories of people today who lived
thru it, this is Americana at it's purest. My grade: A Plus
Beauty is Embarrassing (2012) Wayne
White is a banjo-pickin', wild-haired painter and puppeteer (he
designed most of Pee-Wee's Playhouse among a million other things) who
left Hollywood to become a painter; he's also loved deeply by his artist
wife & two kids, and has a dad who's so proud of him he weeps.
Zany and brilliant, I loved every minute of this! My grade: A Plus
J. Edgar (2011) Leonardo
DiCaprio delivers a riveting performance as J.Edgar Hoover in this
astounding lesson in American history. From his lifelong allegiance to
the FBI and partner Clyde Tolson, to becoming his own parody &
writing poison pen letters to Martin Luther King, this film sets a new
standard for historical drama. Extraordinary. My grade: A Plus
The Devil's Double (2011) Based
on Latif Yahia's autobiography, an Iraq soldier (who is a dead ringer
for Saddam Hussein's depraved, rotten son) is 'recruited' to give up his
identity and all that he knows to become the psychotic son's body
double. Both brutal and brilliant, this was a colorful masterpiece of
murder, suspense and tyranny. I'm reeling. My grade: A Plus
Temple Grandin (2010) "I
am different, not less!" Claire Danes is beyond compare in this
extraordinary biopic of Temple Grandin, a woman born with severe autism
in the 1950s who dedicated herself to learning and became a famed animal
behaviorist. What inspired, superior filmmaking; this movie just made
my All-Time Top Ten List. My grade: A Plus
Mary Pickford: The Muse of the Movies (2008) She
was called 'Americas Sweetheart' in the early 20th century, but was
loved the world over as shown in this superb documentary that examines
her life and early career, and the beginnings of the movie industry as
well. Beautifully done, and Mary's own narrations are genuine, caring
and thought provoking. I have fallen in love. My grade: A Plus
I Have Never Forgotten You (2007) Astounding
documentary of the life of Simon Wiesenthal, a quiet Jewish architect
who, after discovering he was the sole survivor of 90 family members in
the Nazi death camps in WWII, devoted the rest of his life to the
capture & arrest of over 1000 Nazi war monsters. Extraordinary. My grade: A Plus
Molly’s Game (2018) Jessica Chastain, Idris
Alba & Kevin Costner are the players to watch in Aaron Sorkin’s fast, hard
& smart biopic of Molly Bloom, an Olympic class skier who found herself
running high-stakes poker games in LA & New York for 10 years before
walking away—only to get arrested for it years later. (I loved her dad Costner’s “3 years therapy
in 3 minutes”.) Whew--there is a big,
wealthy world out there that few of us even know about. My grade: A
Maudie (2017) In the care of family well into adulthood, hunched & arthritic
Maud strikes out on her own by offering to keep house for Ev Lewis
(Ethan Hawke), a poor & misfit fish peddler. She’ll
while away the hours by painting flowers and animals on the doors,
windows & walls of their shabby abode—eventually becoming
Ethan’s wife and a nationally known folk artist in this fragile, sweet
biopic. Truly, this was some kind of wonderful. My grade: A
Cuba And The Cameraman (2017) In 1972, photojournalist Jon Alpert (along
with a newfangled video camera) traveled to Cuba to document its people. Fidel Castro watched, was grateful &
befriended him for years. Jon returned
in 1979 and every 5-6 years after to record Cuba’s culture, economy and their
modest stories. Filmed in both good
times & bad, it’s people were always kind, honest, deserving. A 45 year project, and what a time capsule
this is. My grade: A
The Wizard of Lies (2017) In December 2008, Bernie Madoff sat his 2 sons down and told them his
investment company was a scam, a decades long Ponzi scam he could no
longer sustain. How or why it began, we’ll never know; we’re only
witness to the fallout. But watching things crumble from the Madoff’s
perspective, with flawless performances by Robert DeNiro &
Michele Pfeiffer as his shell-shocked wife Ruth make a tragic but damn
fine show. My grade: A
Barbra: The Music, the Mem’ries, the Magic (2017)
Barbra Streisand performs a 2 hour concert for an awestruck audience of
15,000 with songs from her No.1 albums, including ‘A Star is Born’
& ‘Funny Girl’ (which brings the house down). She also sings a
wonderful duet with Jamie Foxx and shares some funny, personal anecdotes
from her early career. At 74, her talent is colossal as ever—every
song received a standing ovation. She deserved it, too. My grade: A
Mission Control: The Unsung Heroes of Apollo (2017) And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. On
Christmas Eve 1968, as Apollo 8 orbited the moon, astronauts read from
the Bible and 30 men hunched behind now ancient consoles wept, in a haze
of cigarette smoke & blinking lights. This was Mission Control in the 1960s, seen & heard via film clips with remarkable stories from these remaining men. What a time this was. My grade: A
Joan Didion: The Center Will Not Hold (2017) In
the 1950s she won an essay contest (and a job) with Vogue magazine;
she'd go on to write sophisticated pieces for Esquire magazine &
the New Yorker, marry writer John Dunne and pursue a career of
avant-garde journalism and acclaimed novels. She’s
83 now, feels and looks older, but still has much to reflect on and
write about in Griffin Dunne’s easy, intimate documentary. My grade: A
Abducted in Plain Sight (2017) In 1974 the Broberg’s neighbor offered to take their 12 year old
daughter Jan horseback riding. When he didn’t return, they hesitated
going to the police; their families were best friends &
neighbors. It’d be days before they contacted the FBI and a month
before Jan was returned; and then this story really begins. It’s a jaw dropping doc of obsession & manipulation that must be seen to be believed. My grade: A
Hidden Figures (2016) In
1961 the US entered the space race, and 3 African American 'computers'
(math wizards hired by NASA) rose to the surface, despite the prejudices
they faced for their skin & gender. Katherine Johnson, Dorothy
Vaughan, Mary Jackson--real heroes who were instrumental in propelling
us into space and to the moon, in this conventional (but still inspiring
and long overdue) biopic. This is their fight song. My grade: A
Florence Foster Jenkins (2016) Meryl
Streep beams as the absurd, glorious Foster Jenkins (1868-1944), a New
York socialite who fancied herself an opera singer and wasn't. (Oh boy
how she wasn't! But she was adored by many, including celebrities like
Cole Porter & Enrico Caruso.) Hugh Grant holds his own as her
loving but philandering husband (his best role to date) and Simon
Helberg--inspired casting as her dubious pianist. Encore! My grade: A
The Last Man on the Moon (2016) 12
men walked on the moon; Gene Cernan was the last. But he was there
from the beginning too, now in his twilight years as he revisits his
past--Cape Canaveral, the home he shared with his wife then, his capsule
at Houston Air & Space Museum. We're shown home movies
& newsreels of these places too, as he ponders his place in
history. He's quiet now, humbled by time, and this was stirring
& wonderful. My grade: A
The Witness (2016) In
1964, 28 year old Kitty Genovese was stabbed to death outside of a NYC
apartment building; the Times & other media reported there were
38 witnesses who did nothing to help. The killer was caught, but
questions remained unanswered--why did he do it? And why did her
screams fall on so many deaf ears? Her brother Joe will spend many
years looking for answers, in this sad but hugely touching tribute to
her. My grade: A
Bridge of Spies (2015) At
the height of the Cold War, insurance attorney James Donovan (Tom
Hanks) is tapped by the US government to be legal counsel to a captured
Soviet spy; Donovan not only saved him from execution, but used him as
leverage to secure the release of captured Americans in this stunning
recreation of that era. Donovan went on to do great things--as Steven
Spielberg does here. It's amazing to watch. My grade: A
The Revenant (2015) Leonardo
DiCaprio is a force of nature as Hugh Glass, a real-life 1820s fur
trapper mauled by a grizzly & left for dead on a wintry Missouri
landscape. He'll brave the cold, merciless Akirara Indians and his
own crippled body as he fights to return to civilization. It's a
sweeping spectacle of nature & history and man's will to
survive, and sometimes, damn the reasons why. My grade: A
Concussion (2015) Will
Smith is exceptional as Dr.Bennet Omalu, a Pittsburgh pathologist who
took on the NFL in 2002 after determining that former Steeler Iron Mike
Webster's dementia & death were the result of CTE, head injuries
from football. Has it lead to real change? It's estimated that 28% of
players have the condition, and Americans love the sport more than
ever... we are savages still. My grade: A
Legend (2015) Tom
Hardy is fookin' A as both Ronnie & Reggie Kray, identical
twins who ran London's East End in the 1960s. The infamous gangsters
owned clubs & extortion rackets, ran in celebrity circles--
often at odds but always loyal to the other right until the end. And
the more I read about this dastardly pair, the more I'm impressed
with this biopic. It's bloody criminal, in a good way. My grade: A
The Hunting Ground (2015) For
decades, startling numbers of young women (and men) have been raped or
sexually assaulted on college campuses. Of the victims that come
forward, nothing happens; not a single university has ever owned up to
it. So a few years ago, a small group of survivors began petitioning
the Dept of Education to look at all the evidence--there are now
over 100 major universities under Federal investigation. It's only just
begun. My grade: A
Twinsters (2015) Sam
is a bubbly, attractive Asian woman from New Jersey who puts videos of
herself on YouTube. One day she receives a message: "Hello my name is
Anais, I live in Paris & I'm your lookalike. Were you born Nov
1987 and adopted from a South Korean orphanage?" Minutes after they
meet, you can't imagine one without the other--and neither can they, in
this uplifting doc about the bonds of twins, sisters & family. My grade: A
Famous Nathan (2015) Lloyd
Handwerker (grandson of Famous Nathan's, who died in 1974) delivers a
loving look back at the rags to riches story of his grandfather and his
hot dog empire, the man who made Coney Island a mecca to the world. With
candid (sometimes hilarious) interviews of family, friends &
other New Yawkers, miles of photos, home movies & historical
footage, it doesn't get any tastier than this. My grade: A
Where to Invade Next (2015) Michael
Moore travels to Italy, France, Germany & other European
countries to compare their superior schools & middle class
workers to Americans. Why are their citizens happiness &
well-being such a higher priority than our own? Their education
& healthcare are non-profits for starters, in this excellent,
revealing doc of our own country's shortcomings. My grade: A
Tab Hunter Confidential (2015) In the 1950s he was Hollywood's Boy Next Door; but when he left the
protection of the studios, the scandal mags ripped him to shreds for
being gay. But there's much more here, as an aged but still rugged Tab
shares some pretty candid memories of celebrity and it's workings then. Wow this was good, better than I expected. My mom would've loved
this. My grade: A
Woman in Gold (2015) Helen
Mirren glows as Maria Altmann, who petitioned the Austrian govt in the
1990s for one of her family's artworks (stolen by the Nazis in WWII). When they refused, she sued for the entire collection--worth hundreds of
millions. Critics passed on this David vs Goliath & it has
it's schmaltzy moments, but moviegoers said otherwise. Take that
critics--and you too, Austria. My grade: A
Selma (2014) David
Oyelowo is positively stirring as Dr. Martin Luther King Jr, leading a
proud and passionate cast in this historic retelling of the march from
Selma to Mongomery Alabama for equal voting rights in 1965. King led not
just a march of protestors, but a nation--I loved the weaving of
footage from the actual march with the film's re-enactment. If only King
was still with us to see how his courage and wisdom changed history. My grade: A
Rob the Mob (2014) Tommy
& Rosie are a real pair, knockin' over flower shops and other
dumb crimes. (Great chemistry though.) They were caught, did their time.
But it's NYC 1991 and with John Gotti all over the news, Tommy bets
they could make a real killing if they robbed these guy's hangouts.
What's the Mob gonna do, call the cops? Both funny & tragic,
it's a true story--and their stunt even helped bring down the Mafia. My grade: A
Foxcatcher (2014) Steve
Carell, Channing Tatum & Mark Ruffalo are a powerhouse trio in
this equally compelling yet unsettling telling of creepy John du Pont
and his obsession with the Schultz brothers, gold medal winners in the
1984 Olympics for wrestling. You know what's coming... but it's told so
well you can't resist. I was mesmerized throughout. My grade: A
Big Eyes (2014) The
incredible true story of the Keane artists--Amy Adams of the doe-eyed
variety, Christopher Waltz of the con. Together they made kitsch-art
history in the '50s-'60s with big-eyed art for the masses; problem is,
she did all the work and he took all the credit. Amy is flawless, Waltz
is wonderful and you are going to love the ending. My grade: A
Fed Up (2014) In
1977, the McGovern Report issued an obesity epidemic in 30 years. Food
companies promised to cut the fat, then pumped their products with
sugar. 5 years later, Reagan cut billions in funding to school lunches,
allowing the fast food industry to step in. When Michele Obama spoke
against junk food, who rallied to fund her cause? Coke, Hershey,
McDonalds--and promoted a more active lifestyle instead. Above all else,
stop drinking pop. My grade: A
Gore Vidal: The United States of Ammnesia (2014) In
1944, his first novel 'Willawaw' became a bestseller; his next one was
about gay relationships that should've ended his career but he waved the
critics away and plowed ahead. Novelist, playwright, historian,
politician, realist--brilliant on all counts. He wasn't always nice, but
he was always ahead of his time. My grade: A
The Good Lie (2014) In
1983, as war raged in Sudan, 20,000 children walked over 800 miles to
refugee camps in Kenya. 15 years later, 3600 of these young men
& women were sent to the US; this heart-filled drama focuses on 4
'brothers' and their 'sister' as they struggle to build new lives while
staying a family. "If you want to go fast, go alone; if you want to go
far, go together". My grade: A
The Sapphires (2013)
It’s 1968 and 4 Aboriginal girls convince a down-on-his-luck emcee to
accompany them to Vietnam to sing for American troops. “The USA will pay us $30 a week!” “What do you sing?” “We like Charley Pride...” “No—no!” But
go they will (learning dance moves & soul music along the way)
in this touching, awesome, super-talented story based on 4 Australian
women and their rich, proud roots. Loved the girls, loved the music,
loved this! My grade: A
Finding Vivian Maier (2013) In
2009 a quiet, unassuming woman passed away after a lifelong career as a
nanny. Shortly after, it was discovered she had hundreds of rolls of
undeveloped film; she spent her life taking 150,000 photos of cities
& people. Historians now claim she was the greatest street
photographer of the 20th century. Who was this woman? Her story is
almost as fascinating as her photos--and this is beyond extraordinary. My grade: A
Bettie Page Reveals All (2013) Perhaps
the most famous pin-up & nude model of all time, Bettie Page
disappeared in 1957 at age 34 to pursue a religious life; she finally
emerged 50 years later, mystified by all the attention. Shortly before
her death, she agreed to be interviewed for this wonderful, revealing
doc of her life--including some jaw-dropping stories that no one saw
coming. Amazing. My grade: A
Bound by Flesh (2013) Intriguing, well documented look at the Hilton Sisters (1908-1969),
conjoined twins who began their career as infants in carnival sideshows,
learned singing and dancing and ultimately earning $5000 a week on the
vaudeville circuit in the 1920s--only to wind up as a pair of poor
supermarket clerks in the 1960s. Curiouser and curiouser. My grade: A
Parkland (2013) President
Kennedy has just been shot--and now we're witness to events that unfold
in the operating room, as the FBI tries to take control of things and
local police catch Lee Harvey Oswald. This is history in the re-making,
as this tragedy unfolds with startling precision. Watch the credits,
they return us (and the main players) to the present. My grade: A
Family Band: The Cowsills Story (2013) Compelling
documentary of the Cowsills, a musical family in the late 60s that
found real but fleeting fame, only to be undone by their vicious father.
Narrated by the remaining members of the family, this is more a search
for closure then reliving their past. It's still wonderful... as are
they. My grade: A
12 Years A Slave (2013) Based
on the writings of Solomon Northup, a respected black man from Saratoga
NY with a home & family, who in 1841 was kidnapped and taken to
the South and sold into slavery, where he remained in bondage for 12
years. There is no mercy here, none--but this should be required viewing
for all for years to come. My grade: A
Captain Phillips (2013) Based
on the incident in 2009 that made international headlines, Tom Hanks is
the captain of a cargo ship hijacked by Somali pirates. We know how it
all ends, but the final moments with a shaken, bloodied Hanks and one
cool Navy corpsman are just what the doctor ordered. My grade: A
Mortified Nation (2013) Surprisingly
funny, heartfelt (and a bit raunchy at times) look at "diary readings",
where people of various ages & backgrounds go on stage and read
from their childhood diaries. This documentary explains how the trend
started & shows us the best of them--it's a winner. My grade: A
West of Memphis (2012) As
told in 2 HBO specials and the movie 'The Devils Knot', this
outstanding 2 1/2 hour doc is the real story of 3 little boys murdered
in Arkansas, and the 3 teens unjustly given a life sentence for the
crime. There is finally some justice, as the accused are set free after
18 years; but as their story unfolds, we're witness to some chilling
truths of who the real murderer probably was. Nothing is hidden here. My grade: A
The Impossible (2012) Astounding
in it's re-enactment of the 2004 tsunami in Southeast Asia (that took
300,000 lives), Naomi Watts & Ewan McGregor are vacationing with
their 3 boys when disaster strikes. Tragic on a giant scale, but the
time spent alone between Naomi & her one son captures the love,
pride & fear a boy has for his mother like nothing I've ever
seen. My grade: A
Argo (2012) Based
on real events during the Iran hostage crisis in 1979, Ben Affleck is a
CIA operative who comes up with an impossible plan to get 6 Americans
in hiding out of the country. I didn't think I'd enjoy this as much as I
did--it's a precise, suspenseful story. (Make sure you watch the
credits to see the similarities between the movie and events then.) My grade: A
Backyard (2012) Based on a true story, people are discovering murdered women in the
desert surrounding Jaurez Mexico; and with an uncaring governor
& almost no police force, how can it be stopped? Directed by
Carlos Carrrera, this was riveting. I didn't want this to end--and
sadly, in real life, it hasn't. My grade: A
How to Die in Oregon (2011) In 1997, Oregon passed the 'Death with Dignity' law, allowing the
terminally ill to die when they were ready. Here are some of their
stories. But this primarily focuses on the final months of Cody Curtis, a
gracious 54 year old wife and mother with liver cancer, who is
determined to exit gracefully into the good night. She is remarkable. My grade: A
Public Speaking (2011) Martin Scorsese captures my favorite carmudgeon Fran Lebowitz in an
assortment of public speaking engagements, as she blathers on about the
sorry state of books, mothers, New York City & the bias against
second-hand smoke, for starters. I could honestly listen to this woman
for hours. My grade: A
Woody Allen: A Documentary (2011) From
his Brooklyn childhood & early years writing one-liners for 50s
television, to iconic films like Annie Hall & mainstream
successes like Midnight in Paris--this 3 1/2 hour retrospective is like
none other; with film clips galore, conversations with Woody, his family
& the various actors who worked with him--this is the man's
life. My grade: A
Moneyball (2011) Brad Pitt hits a home run as Billy Beane, real-life GM of the Oakland
A's who turned his team around with no star players, no money--and
changed the game of baseball. Both an inside look at professional ball
and what defines a man, this was exceptional filmmaking. Great. My grade: A
My Week with Marilyn (2011) Michelle
Williams does her absolute best to capture both Marilyn Monroe's allure
and her damaged persona in this expertly produced biopic, based on the
memoirs of Olivier's assistant during the making of 'The Prince
& the Showgirl'. Monroe's magic is here--a little at least. I
was mesmerized. My grade: A
The Iron Lady (2011) Meryl Streep dons the mantle of Great Britain's first woman Prime
Minister in this sweeping biopic of Margaret Thatcher's humble
beginnings, twilight years and 11 year reign. Both intimate &
historic, the film and the actor both captivate; is there nothing Meryl
cannot do? My grade: A
Who is Harry Nilsson? (2010) Thoughtful, raw documentary on the rise & fall of Harry
Nilsson. Both a gifted composer and singer in the late '60s, he got his
start by writing a song for the Monkees; a year later the Beatles said
he was their favorite American artist. Yet as much as the music industry
wanted to work with him, he seemed just as anxious not to. My grade: A
Michael Jackson's This Is It (2009) Extraordinary footage of the creation of Michael Jacksons comeback tour
before his untimely death. The sets, music & dancers--all
amazing. You don't have to be a fan to appreciate his genius here, as
his director & fellow performers watched in awed silence. My grade: A
Nightmares in Red, White and Blue (2009) From
Thomas Edison's 1910 "Frankenstein" to the 1930s Universal monsters, to
mainstream terrors like the Exorcist, to violent horrors like Saw
& Hostel, this documentary tracks the evolution of the American
horror film. Just when you think audiences have seen it all... wow. My grade: A
In the Shadow of the Moon (2007) In
their own words, the original (surviving) Apollo astronauts share their
memories of the 9 moon landings from 1968-1972. As amazing as these
missions were, with gorgeous archived footage, what makes this such a
stirring documentary is not so much their accomplishments but their
honesty, and humility. My grade: A
Girl 27 (2007) In
1937, Patricia Douglas was brutally raped after being duped by MGM
(with 135 other studio dancers) to be "rodeo girls" at a lavish
Hollywood party; her charges of rape made local headlines as LB Mayer
did everything in his power to bury the scandal before it went national.
65 years later her story is finally being told. Jaw-dropping. My grade: A
Imaginary Witness: Hollywood & The Holocaust (2004) From
'The Mortal Storm' and Chaplin's 'The Great Dictator' to Spielberg's
'Schindler's List', this is a rich, introspective study of how cinema
showed Americans the Holocaust from the 1930s to the present (much to
many survivors dismay). It's not enough that we bear witness to history,
but moreso how it's done. My grade: A
A Life Apart: Hasidism in America (1997) Warm, fascinating documentary on the Hasidic Jews in America, who
emigrated here after the Holocaust but refused to allow their faith or
way of life be 'americanized', or altered from their Eastern European
ancestors. God dwells wherever man will let him in, Mazel tov. My grade: A
The Eleanor Roosevelt Story (1965) "She
was the conscience of her generation" in this surprisingly forthright
documentary of one of our country's greatest heroines. Narrated by Eric
Sevareid, we're witness to a shy, homely girl orphaned at an early age
to her tireless role as the wife of a President, to Chairperson of the
United Nations and ultimately First Lady to the world. My grade: A
Memories of a Murderer: The Nilsen Tapes (2021)
In 1983, Dennis Nilsen of London confessed to the strangling and
dismembering of 15 homeless or gay young men. Given a life sentence,
for 30 years he recorded his arrogant, pithy thoughts about his crimes,
blaming DNA, society and everyone but himself. What was just as
chilling was the testimony of victims who survived & went to the
police, only to be ignored because they were “poofs”. God! My grade: A-
Tell Me Who I Am (2019)
In 1982, 18 year old Alex Lewis crashes his motorcycle; he’ll awaken
days later in the hospital, with no memory of who he was. But he has an
identical twin brother Marcus, who helps Alex relearn things... and
paints a picture of their life & family that never existed. As
decades pass, Alex will be plagued with questions that Marcus won’t
answer, in this sad, troubling doc of family secrets. Awful. Just
love one another, guys. My grade: A-
American Animals (2018) It begins as a lark when 2 university students learn their library has Audubon’s Book of American Birds, the most valuable book in the world. “Wouldn’t it be cool if we could steal that? We’d be millionaires!”
With the help of 2 others, Warren & Spencer pull it off—but how
it will cost them, in this true story which cleverly includes their
shamed real-life counterparts to watch events unfold with us. Talk
about humble pie! My grade: A-
Christine (2016) Rebecca
Hall delivers a chilling, Oscar-worthy performance as Christine
Chubbuck, a Sarasota newswoman in the 1970s who did human interest
stories but yearned to be a "real" journalist, all the while struggling
with her sanity. She would ultimately end her life, in a way both no
one & everyone saw coming. My grade: A-
The Big Short (2015) Brad
Pitt, Steve Carrell, Ryan Gosling (and some fun celebrity cameos) take
us back to 2005, when a few savvy investors saw a collapsing housing
market on the horizon & bet big against the banks. They were
right of course--but even they couldn't predict just how bad things
would get. This black-humored drama makes it worth re-living (you'll
either love it or hate it) with some Big Gulp lessons along the way. My grade: A-
The Iron Claw (2023)
Zac Efron is REALLY something else as Kevin Von Erich of the “cursed”
Von Erichs, 4 brothers who loved each other very much but loved their
father even more—a former pro wrestler obsessed with one of his sons
winning the World Champion Pro Wrestling belt, no matter the cost.
Wait, even if it winds up killing or maiming them? Yep. And this
sports biopic, set in the early 1980s is all true. My grade: B Plus
The Silent Twins (2022)
Based on a true story, June & Jennifer are a set of UK twins born
in 1963 who refuse to interact with the outside world, or even their own
family—and go from creating fantasy worlds to writing strange books to
committing arson. They’ll be institutionalized, but what will end their
insanity? One of them knows. Sad & creepy fare, and one of them is
alive today. My grade: B Plus
She Said (2022)
Zoe Kazan & Carey Mulligan are true to form as the NY Times
reporters who investigate Harvey Weinstein and publish a scathing expose
in 2017 that sends this monster to prison. It’s a low-key, methodical
pursuit for truth & justice; but the end credits that detail what
happened as a result of their story—the start of the MeToo Movement—THAT
is the story needing told. My grade: B Plus 
The Dig (2021) As England readies for WWII, a
wealthy widow (Carey Mulligan) hires a “Cockney” excavator (Ralph Fiennes) to
dig into various mounds on her estate in search of history. He’ll find it alright, on a grand scale. But history on a grander scale is unfolding
around them... and they know it. This is
stiff upper lip stuff, but so dear to watch.
Based on historical events, Carey & Ralph are nothing short of
wonderful. My grade: B Plus
Miss Americana (2020) Taylor Swift grapples with growing up, her
next hit song & the trappings of mega-fame in this revealing doc
that reminds us who she was, and who she wants to be seen as today.
Surrounded by an entourage of glam hanger ons and adoring fans
everywhere, it all feels shallow & wearisome—but Taylor takes little
for granted, knowing fame is fleeting. She’s a smart person alright,
and in the end a pretty nice one too. My grade: B Plus
The Go-Go’s (2020)
In 1979, 5 young women into the punk rock scene had aspirations of
becoming the first all-female punk rock band. They couldn’t play
instruments or read music, but one discovered she could sing, and
another could write tunes. Hit tunes. As their music took on a more
pop sound, their success skyrocketed—but it wouldn’t last, jealousy and
resentment took care of that. It’s a fun look back & a very
honest tell-all, and a sweet, hopeful finale. My grade: B Plus
POMS (2019)
Stricken with cancer, an elderly Diane Keaton gives up her NY apartment
of 45 years and moves to a retirement community in the South. And just
when she asks herself why, why—she’ll become friends with her neighbor
and the two will corral other ladies into starting a Cheerleader Club.
When it’s dear it’s corny, but when it’s funny it’s laugh-out-loud
funny. Based on a true story, and very easy to enjoy for what it is. My grade: B Plus
Adrift (2018)
Based on a true story, Shailene Woodley (I love her) is a free spirit
working odd jobs as she travels the world. In Tahiti she meets Richard,
a kindred spirit, and they fall in love. So when he’s hired to sail an
empty yacht to San Diego, away they’ll go, only to find their vessel
wrecked and stranded at sea after a hurricane. Equal looks back at
their love story and now at survival, it’s great acting, a great story…
and one sad, amazing adventure. My grade: B Plus
Studio 54 (2018)
Masters at theatrical production & self promotion, college pals
Steve Burell & Ian Schrager buy the old CBS Television Studio
(home of 50’s game shows) in 1977 and transform it into a disco that
succeeds beyond their wildest dreams. But skimming profits does them
in, and 33 months later it's all gone. 40 years later, Steve is gone
too, Ian reminsces & former goers shine as they recall celebrity
& drug-laden times—ah, the good old days! My grade: B Plus
Trial by Fire (2018)
Based on the true story of Todd Willingham, a redneck Texan who lost
his 3 daughters in an electrical fire in 1991—and was given the death
penalty. Laura Dern is the writer who befriended him and was convinced
of his innocence (especially after evidence mounted he didn’t do it),
all to no avail thanks to former governor Rick Perry. A good drama, and
excellent referendum on bloodthirsty Republican politics. My grade: B Plus
Love, Gilda (2018) Seen through early home movies & photographs, she was Gilda
Radner, a heavy little girl from a wealthy Detroit family who lived to
be loved and became a comic legend in her all too brief life. It’s a
neatly done, historical biography but hardly looks at the humor that
made her so great (I think she made SNL famous, not the other way
around). In life, she deserved much more; we do too, here. My grade: B Plus
Jackie
(2016) Natalie Portman does her very best to portray a bewildered,
distraught Jacqueline Kennedy, in the hours & days following her husband’s
assassination. She’ll wander like a
ghost thru a 1963 White House, quietly give instructions on how the funeral
should proceed, cry with Bobby Kennedy and angrily rebuke her priest’s words of
comfort. The attention to detail is
startling, but in the final minutes… you are there. And so is JFK. My grade: A
Patriots Day
(2016) Mark Wahlberg is Sgt.
Tommy Saunders, one of BPD’s finest during the Boston Marathon bombing in
2013. What begins as a recreation of
that tragic event quickly turns into an amazing race to find the killers—and
their shocking, explosive takedown. There are many heroes and survivors here, and in the end this becomes a wonderful tribute to those brave souls. Boston takes care of their own. My
grade: A
What Happened, Miss Simone? (2015) She
was a trained classical pianist, a Julliard prodigy; but it was the
'50s, and racism forced her from that world and into jazz &
soul. Nina Simone attained huge success, but turned away during the
Civil Rights movement as she demanded a black
uprising--before giving up & moving to Europe where she was lost
for years and then found again. My grade: A
Bombshell:
The Hedy Lamarr Story (2018) An Austrian Jew who
used her beauty to flee WWII and come to Hollywood, but behind her glamour was
a whirling, inventive mind who built things--including a “frequency hopper” to
radio-control torpedoes. “No thanks” said the Navy. “Sell war bonds
instead.” As one frustration led to another, she filled the years with
marriages and plastic surgeries, finally receiving recognition for her
invention at the end. :( My grade: B Plus
Paterno (2018) In the final months of 2011 (and Joe Paterno’s life), Al Pacino is at
the top of his game as Penn State’s legendary coach, fuzzily confronting
reports that he knew of Jerry Sandusky’s molesting boys—and didn’t do
enough to stop his former coach. Paterno’s
reasoning, the school and the game were his priority, were also the
undoing of his legacy in this all too real, all too sad recounting of a
man who sacrificed all for the game. My grade: B Plus
Stronger
(2017) Jake Gyllenhaal is Oscar-worthy as Jeff
Bauman, who lost both his legs at the 2013 Boston marathon bombing while
watching his girlfriend Erin run in the race. His first words in the hospital—“Call
the FBI, I saw the bomber” made him a media sensation. But while his Sox n’ suds family enjoyed his
fame, what about his loss? He’d drown in
sorrow... until losing Erin and meeting his hero changed everything. Stick with this for the final inning. My grade: B Plus
All
the Money in the World (2017) Christopher
Plummer chills in this
slow but effective drama of the 1973 kidnapping of the grandson of
J.Paul Getty, the richest man in the world—he refused to pay a cent in
ransom. It would be 6 months before the boy was returned, not whole but with great irony. Oh Getty, what did your greed get you? Your family despised you, and in the end they gave most of your
fortune away. My grade: B Plus
American
Made (2017) Tom Cruise returns to great acting as Barry
Seal—a “good ol’ boy” TWA pilot
recruited by the CIA in 1979 to fly over Central America and take spy photos. He was so good at it, they asked him to
deliver illegal weapons to the Contras—what they didn’t want was him returning
from each trip with Columbian coke, kilos of it. It made him rich, for awhile at least. In the end, he got what he knew was
coming. But what a trip, right Barry? My grade: B Plus
Jim & Andy: The Great Beyond (2017) In
1998 while making the biopic “Man on the Moon”, Jim Carrey was also
filmed behind the scenes as he immersed himself in the role of Andy
Kaufman. 20
years later as we watch, incredulous that this maniacal diva made life
so miserable for a director & crew, a somber, older Carrey tells
us how he barely survived his own genius. There’s no denying his stardom then, but wow the arrogance then. I suspect he misses it. My grade: B Plus
Alone in Berlin (2017) As
Nazi Germany celebrates their victory over France, Berliners Otto
& Anna are devastated to learn their son is dead, giving his
life to “Der Fuhrer”. They’ll begin leaving angry postcards in shops and stairways—Hitler is a madman, Stop the Nazi war machine, Hitler killed our son, yours is next. What happens if they’re discovered by the Gestapo? You don’t want to know, in this tragic drama based on a true story. My grade: B Plus
The Zookeeper’s Wife (2017) Jessica Chastain is Antonina Zabinski, who along with her husband Jan
ran the Warsaw Zoo in the 1930s; when Germany invaded Poland, they
raided the zoo, taking the best animals to Berlin and slaughtering the
rest. The Zabinskis offered to raise pigs for the Nazis, using this as a front to smuggle 300 Jews out of Poland. It’s an amazing story but perhaps deserved more, this always felt a little soft around the edges. My grade: B Plus
God Knows Where I Am (2016) In May 2008, a woman’s body was found in a vacant farmhouse, dead from starvation. Beside her lay a stack of notebooks—her personal journals. She was 52 year old Linda Bishop, educated, divorced, a mother. Institutionalized for mental illness, they released her & told no one, so she hid in this empty house for the winter, ate crabapples until they were gone and wrote… yards from another home. Haunting & sad like you would not believe. My grade: B Plus
Albert Brooks: Defending My Life (2023)
Albert Brooks sits with (best friend) Rob Reiner as they discuss
Albert’s career, from his 1930s Hollywood parents to his stand-up in
high school to comedy clubs, the Tonight Show, movies & Disney
voice-overs. Lots of big-name comics like Chris Rock, David Letterman
and Larry David cut in to sing his praises. So how do the rest of us
feel aout him? Meh… My grade: B
Leave No Trace (2022)
Since it’s inception in 1901, the Boy Scouts of America carefully hid
reports of sexual abuse, settling privately when forced to. In the
early 2000s, they decided to take their chances in court—and lost
miserably when 100,000 cases of documented abuse were uncovered. Why
the big coverup? Because it’s a CORPORATION with a select few making
millions off a nation of boys paying dues and buying unforms. No
surprises here, just sad. My grade: B
Bob Ross: Happy Accidents, Betrayal & Greed (2021)
He was a quiet, serene artist who enjoyed landscape paintings by
smearing & blotting. PBS offered him his own show and a painting
revolution was born. But as much as Bob wanted his family to enjoy his
success, his rat-bastard producers battled to own his legacy after his
early death. The whole thing ultimately became a sad shame. Don’t buy
any art supplies with the Bob Ross brand. My grade: B
Misha & the Wolves (2021)
In 1997, a Massachusetts woman shared her story of being a Holocaust
runaway, living with wolves in the German forest while searching for her
Jewish parents. Her story was published in the US, but soon gained
international press. When Misha sued her publisher for more royalties,
they went digging for truths—and found plenty, in this compelling, “what
were we thinking” documentary. Oh Misha! My grade: B
Lost Girls (2020)
When Shannan Gilbert goes missing (after making a frantic 911 call that
cops take 40 minutes to respond), her tough-as-nails mom Mari goes on a
tear— especially after learning the bodies of 4 sex-workers Shannan’s
age have turned up in the same area. Where are the goddamn police!
They’ll warn & threaten her, but Mari (Amy Ryan) isn’t shutting
up in this hard, true story of a serial killer and corrupt NY cops in
2010. My grade: B
A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood (2019)
Based on Tom Junod’s 10,000 word essay “What is a Hero”, it’s 1998 and Lloyd
Vogel from Esquire Magazine is assigned to write a 400 word piece on Mister
Rogers. Grumble... will Lloyd lose
that 50 lb chip on his shoulder? I love
Tom Hanks, I love Mr.Rogers; but I didn’t love Hanks as Mr.Rogers. This was
nice but nothing special. I’m usually a
sucker for this type of stuff, too. My
grade: B
Cracked Up (2019)
He’s a doughy faced chainsmoker, his arms covered with scars from years
of cutting himself. In his 60s now, Darrell Hammond (of SNL) spent
much of his adulthood in therapy or institutions, never understanding
why until he was 50 and re-lived his tortured childhood, in this sad,
contemplative documentary of mental illness from family abuse. Life
isn’t over til’ it’s over. I really got that here, thank you Darrell. My grade: B
Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile (2019)
It’s 1976 and Ted Bundy (played scary good by Zac Efron) meets Liz
Kloepfer in Salt Lake UT, falls in love and moves in with her—just as
his crimes in Washington & Colorado are catching up to him.
She’ll follow him on the nightly news, filled with guilt & drink
(she turned him in) as he escapes prison, runs to Florida and kills
some more. His sentence proves nothing, what will bring Liz peace?
Only Ted knows. Yikes! My grade: B
Knock Down The House (2019)
As Trump and his GOP cohorts wreck America, various women across the
country are galvanized to run for Democratic office in the 2018
primary. We’ll see 4 of them here, but this documentary focuses mostly
on Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, a bartender in the Bronx who will run with
little money but a lot of courage, angst & hard work. Still,
her win will surprise no one more than herself. Gulp... this is real
and inspiring stuff. My grade: B
Bathtubs Over Broadway (2019) While searching vintage record stores for unusual albums (for a comedy segment on David Letterman),
writer Steve Young began finding ‘corporate souvenir’ albums from the
1950s-1970s. Never meant for sale, Broadway casts did full-blown
musicals for everything from bread to shoes to Kenmore appliances. Huge
shows, absurd songs and now a piece of corporate Americana, oh to be at
a sales convention in the 1960s! My grade: B
Bikrim: Yogi, Guru, Predator (2019) Elvis Presley. Barbra Streisand. Richard Nixon. In
the 1970s he was a yogi to celebrities, and as his fame and wealth
grew, taught yoga in convention center sized classes, all while spinning
fantastic stories about his origins. But with mass adoration comes ego,
as he began forcing himself on his more attractive students. It’s a
compelling, almost exploitative doc, but did his students not see this coming? We sure did. My grade: B
Scotty & The Secret History of Hollywood (2018)
After WWII, Scotty Bowers moved to Hollywood. He managed a gas station
in the ‘40s, tricked himself out (and his stable of vets) to closeted
stars. He’s 95 now, loved by many & married to an old torch
singer… and a voracious packrat, several old homes filled to the rafters
with graphic, scandalous Hollywood lore. Both charming &
depressing, he lived in a Hollywood few will ever know or want to know. My grade: B
The Price of Everything (2018) In
the early 70s, a NYC cabdriver put his modern art collection up for
auction. The art world was aghast, then intrigued when he became rich.
Now a billion dollar industry where pieces go for tens of millions,
insanely rich collectors live & breathe modern art, and artists
lament their work will never be seen in museums—none can afford them.
There’s wonderful stuff here, but… oh the absurdity of it all. My grade: B
The Last Resort (2018)
In the 1950s, it was glittering nightclubs & swanky hotels; in
the 1980s, overrun with Cuban criminals and cocaine, it was the murder
capital of the world. But in the ‘60s & 70s, Miami Beach
somehow—sweetly—became the mecca for Jewish retirees. Two photographers
then had the foresight to capture this generation, in all their
eccentric, kitschy glory in this doc of an endearing bygone era. Now this is American History. My grade: B
The Bill Murray Stories: Life Lessons Learned from a Mythical Man (2018) We’re all heard the stories: Bill Murray showed up at my wedding. Bill Murray drove my cab. Bill Murray came to our frat party and washed dishes. They’re all true, at least the ones here are, evidenced by photos
& videos. Dear & hilarious, the only downer here is
the hipster filmmaker trying to put a Zen spin on it. Dude, don’t make
it more than it is—he’s Bill Murray! My grade: B
American Circumcision (2018) The United States is the only industrialized country that performs
circumcisions on male infants for non-religious reasons; yet even after
studies have disproved it reduces the risk of penile cancer, STDs, UTIs
it’s still performed regularly. This documentary is too painful to
watch at times—the instruments used, infants screaming in pain, all too
common botched circumcisions—it’s genital mutilation and its victims
have no say. My grade: B
The Infiltrator
(2016) In the 1980s, cocaine
was king; and Federal Customs agent Robert Mazur (well played by Bryan
Cranston) was tasked with going undercover as a Florida businessman-front-man
for one of the largest Columbian drug cartels, to help bring down money laundering
banks in the US. It’s a great story with
solid performances—but between Scarface
& Miami Vice, it feels like we’ve
seen all this before. My grade: B
Plus
In Search of General Tso (2015) In
1972, America was introduced to General Tso's Chicken. Where did it
come from? Certainly not China. This mouth-watering documentary
attempts to trace it's origins, as we learn other facts along the way;
how did Chop Suey come about? Chinese laundries? It's a fascinating
look at Asian culture in the US, and our fascination with them. My grade: B Plus
One Day Since Yesterday: Peter Bogdanovitch & The Lost American Film (2014) The Last Picture Show. What’s Up, Doc. Paper Moon. He was as famous as the actors in the films he directed, and then in 1980 while making They All Laughed,
his leading lady & love of his life Dorothy Stratten was
murdered by her ex-husband. It shattered him… this is the story of his
climb back. Gently told and very honest, and a real look at the love of
filmmaking. My grade: B Plus
Kon Tiki (2013) Science is not always found behind a desk.
In 1947, Norwegian scholar Thor Heyerdahl is so convinced the people of
Polynesia originated from South America, he and 4 brave men will make
the months long, 5000 mile journey--on an oversized raft. Their success
will sell tens of millions of books… and inspire many, including the
founders of NASA. A slow start but adventurous & uplifting, I
wept when these men cried and hugged. My grade: B Plus
George Harrison: Living in the Material World (2011) With
terrific archived footage and interviews with music legends Paul
McCartney & Eric Clapton, Martin Scorsese gives us a glimpse of
George Harrisons life, his accomplishments and spiritual aspirations in a
respectful 4 hour biography. We should all have such souls as this man.
My grade: B Plus
Chappaquiddick (2018) July 18, 1969: While giving Mary
Jo Kopechne (one of Robert Kennedy’s former “Boiler Room Girls”) a ride from
his party, Senator Ted Kennedy drives off a narrow bridge and into scandal
& history. Her drowning (and his not
reporting it right away--why, Ted?) ended presidential aspirations and raised questions
still unanswered—as we witness Ted veer from truth to weak attempts at cover
up, over & over. It’s a strange,
sad time capsule. My grade: B
What
Haunts Us (2018) When Paige Tolmach, class of ’82 learned of a
former classmates suicide, she was surprised to discover there’d been other
boys who attended Porter-Gaud HS and killed themselves--6 of the 49 boys
from the class of ’79. Why? Well, a teacher was there from ’72 to
‘82, an Ed Fischer who liked 12 year old boys, and the school knew and did
nothing. This doc tries so hard to get
your attention.. just let these men talk. My grade: B
The Glass Castle (2017)
In this dramatization of her biography, NY columnist Jeannette Walls
& her 3 sibs grew up taking care of each other—they had
to. Their mother (Naomi Watts) fancied herself an artist and worried
more about paints than feeding her kids. Their father (Woody Harrelson)
was smart, but a lazy drunk who kept them in absolute squalor. Each
survived by escaping and ultimately forgiving, in this very tough but
touching watch. My grade: B
Breathe (2017)
Andrew Garfield is truly remarkable as Robin Cavendish, struck with
polio at 28 and paralyzed from the neck down. But this true tale is a
love story, as he married Diana (Claire Foy) just one year earlier, who
remained by his side until his death 35 years later. They helped change
how polio victims were seen too, when he insisted his life not end in a
hospital bed… and that others didn’t either. The (real) home movies at
the end are brief, but a must-see. My grade: B
Dunkirk
(2017) June 1940, and Nazi forces have
the French city Dunkirk surrounded. 300,000 British & French troops are
gathered on its beaches in retreat, hoping to escape to fight another day. As
they wait for rescue, Nazi biplanes fly overhead, raining bullets and dropping
bombs on rescue ships. Most will somehow survive, but director Chris Nolan
wants to show us at what cost. It’s a methodical, almost emotionless watch… but
ends with real grace. My grade: B 
Kingdom of Us (2017) In 2007, Paul Shanks walked into the woods behind his home and committed suicide. He left behind a wife and 7 children, aged 6-16. As the years pass, they’ll struggle to grow up in a house filled with clutter, emotions and their dad’s hidden notebook that contained much darker plans for his family. This explains the deadbolts he installed on our bedroom doors. They love & miss him still, in this bittersweet documentary of one very brave family. My grade: B
Darkest Hour (2017) Gary Oldman earns his Oscar as Winston Churchill, who In May 1940 dared
to defy Parliament by demanding England fight versus broker a peace
agreement
with Hitler. It’s an actor’s showcase,
and a real piece of history, but too obvious in its embellishments to
make it long enough for a movie and worth watching. The truth is, I
just didn’t feel stirred
watching him deliver his bluster to other pompous old men. Admirable
effort though. My grade: B
American Anarchist (2017) In 1969, William Powell was an angry 20 year old political activist who wrote ‘The Anarchist Cookbook’, which explained how to cook napalm, make bombs, etc; he later married & became a teacher for emotionally challenged children. 50 years later, copies of his book are still found, notably with kids involved in school killings like Columbine. The irony is not lost on him in this sobering, remorseful documentary. My grade: B
Anthropoid (2016) WWII is in full swing, and 2 agents are sent into Nazi-occupied Czechoslovakia
to assassinate SS officer Reinhard Heydrich, “The Butcher of Prague”. The Czech Resistance begs them to abort their
mission: If you succeed, the Nazis will rain horror upon us. They’re right, a bloodbath ensues. Still, their actions forced the Allies into
action in this chiller based on true events. WARNING: The Nazi torture
scenes... jarring. My grade: B
Free State of Jones
(2016) Matthew McConaughey gives a
hammy but compelling performance as Newt Knight, a Confederate soldier who
deserted the Civil War after learning only the poor had to fight—wealthy
plantation owners were excused from battle. He (and 250 deserters & runaway slaves) banded together
& fought to secede Mississippi from the South, a war within the
war. It’s a fascinating piece of history, but much
was glossed over to fit a saga into 2 hours. My grade: B
Denial
(2016) In the 1990s, British
cuckoo & Holocaust denier David Irving sued American Jewish historian
Deborah Lipstadt for defamation of character—forcing her to go to London to
prove the Holocaust was real & Irving a dick. It’s a well-played, exact accounting of
events… but in real life this was a lengthy, costly trial. And for what? To prove what we already knew? Fine performances, but this still felt like a
hollow victory. My grade: B
Lion
(2016) The true story of Saroo, a 5 year old boy lost in India, who
rode trains for thousands of miles looking for home. Adopted by a couple in Australia (Nicole
Kidman is really good here) he’ll have a loving, happy life. And then one night 25 years later, while looking
at Google Earth… home. Told with care & tenderness, it’s sweet, tearful ending makes
up for so much. I loved meeting the real
people here too. My grade: B
De Palma (2015) Carrie. Dressed to Kill. Scarface. The Untouchables. From his start in 1960s arthouse cinema to his first 70's success with Sisters,
famed director Brian DePalma reflects on every film he's written or
directed, with wry observations on why they succeeded (or flopped),
praise (or scorn) for various actors and how filmmaking affected his own
life. It's good, honest stuff. My grade: B
Pawn Sacrifice (2015) Tobey
Maguire is the unlikeable, arrogant & delusional Bobby Fischer,
who took the world by storm with both his genius & madness in
the early 1970s, when he played Soviet rival Boris Spassky for the World
title. This was a tough pill to swallow for the first half, but
finished strongly in the second. Too bad the same couldn't be said for
Bobby Fischer. My grade: B
The Winding Stream (2015)
Long before country music, in the Virginia mountains was mountain
music--and the Carter Family, with A.P., Sarah & Maybelle, and
later Helen, Anita, June and Johnny Cash. (I love the clips of a young
June Carter: "what's this all mean to ya dear?" "Money!") It's a
warm, homespun look at this talented family & their roots in
American Folk music. My grade: B
Trumbo (2015) Bryan
Cranston (love) is the wildly personable Dalton Trumbo, blacklisted in
1947 for being a Communist. But he was also Hollywood's most successful
screenwriter and you can't keep a good man down--as much as
Amerimaniacs like John Wayne & hate-monger Hedda Hopper tried. Not a compelling story, but it's still a stylish period piece that
deserves the credit--as did Trumbo. My grade: B
The Seven Five (2015) In
the 1980s-early 90s, crime in NYC was rampant--along with a corrupt
NYPD & one precinct in particular, the 75th. But these bad cops
paled in comparison to Michael Dowd, who went from petty thefts at
crime scenes to full-on drug trafficking. Right down to the drug use,
paranoia & brassy Long Island wives, this doc is
Goodfellas--Cops Edition. My grade: B
The Walk (2015) Joseph
Gordon-Levitt gives a fun, daring performance as Phillippe Petit, the
French aerialist who wire-walked 140 feet across (over &
over) between the World Trade Towers in 1974, to an amazed city Critics
complain of the slow first hour, but his start in Paris was my favorite
part; this was a wonderful tribute to those fallen NY landmarks too. My grade: B
Freeheld (2015) Based
on a true story, Julianne Moore is Laurel Hester, a New Jersey police
officer who fought for her pension to go to her domestic partner (Ellen
Page) in the early 2000s after discovering she had lung cancer. Julianne gives it her all, but a cookie-cutter cast & storyline
makes this better suited for a tv-movie. We've seen it, we've seen it. My grade: B
Truth (2015) Robert
Redford & Cate Blanchett are Dan Rather and producer Mary
Mapes, in this reconstruction of the 2004 debacle where questionable
documents were used to show George Bush went AWOL in the Texas National
Guard. (CBS retracted the story and 5-6 heads rolled.) Good
performances, but all I kept thinking was 'who cares?' There was
overreaching then, and again now. My grade: B
Orion: The Man Who Would Be King (2015) Shortly
after Elvis' death in 1977, a masked entertainer came on the scene with
a singing voice uncannily like Presley. His was a novelty that earned 7
records, endless touring & groupies galore until he tired of
the mask and tried to make it on his own as Jim Ellis. What a curious
ride; his beginnings (he was adopted, knowing only his birth-fathers
name was Vernon) are as sad & remarkable as his end. My grade: B
Meet the Patels (2015) Ravi
Patel is an Indian American who's 30 & still single. His
parents only want him to be happy--and MARRIED. So when Ravi confesses
he's ready to settle down, they're only too happy to help in this
honest, funny doc that attempts to explain the Indian culture, their
focus on marriage and the lengths parents go to for their kids to
wed. In the end, it's all about love & family. We should all
be so lucky. My grade: B
Matthew Shepard is a Friend of Mine (2015) In 1998, a 21 year old man was strung up on a fence in a Wyoming field
and beaten to death for being gay. Such outrage grew from the attack
that it led to the passing of a Federal law against hate crimes. And
now, years later, his family and friends look back on Matt's life and
reflect and love & miss him still. Matt dreamed of making a
difference in this world, and sadly enough he did. My grade: B
Happy Valley (2014) In
2011, Jerry Sandusky was charged with 40+ counts of child sexual abuse.
As details emerged, his acts would separate a town, wreck the
reputations of a university & world class football team, and
ruin the lives of many--particularly Penn States legendary coach, Joe
Paterno. Cries for justice abound here--for Paterno, for Penn State, for
college football. What about the victims, you ask? Good question. My grade: B
Love Me (2014) Russian
dating sites are big business, as we follow a group of lonely,
overweight men in this doc in search of brides from Ukraine. It's
expensive--an average trip there will cost $10-12,000. Some men go over
& over too. They'll attend socials, with 200 women to 10 men.
Can it work? For an earnest few, yes. For the desperate or
fantasy-driven... keep dreaming. My grade: B
All American High Revisited (2014) In 1984, a documentary was filmed of the senior year of a California
high school, narrated by an 'outsider'--a foreign exchange student, a
girl from Finland. "Is very social here, in Finland we go to school for
study." 30 years later, this celluloid time capsule is found and shown
to a few of the former kids, including the Finnish girl. Everyone's
older now, of course. Some more than others. My grade: B
Life Itself (2014)
Roger Ebert was a brilliant writer, a newspaperman, and ultimately our
favorite movie critic. And now as we accompany him along the final
months of his life, we're shown his Americana upbringing, his struggles
with alcoholism, years with Gene Siskel and falling in love at 50. He
was full of himself alright--but his words will be missed. My grade: B
Supermensch: The Legend of Shep Gordon (2014) Mike
Myers paints a loving tribute to the entertainment industry's 'nicest
guy', Shep Gordon--who managed the careers of people from Anne Murray to
Alice Cooper. The first half is especially fascinating, the lengths he
went to make his clients famous in the '70s--even though he later says
'Fame is not a healthy thing; no one should want to live with it.' My grade: B
Chaos on the Bridge (2014) William
Shatner has some heart to hearts with the former cast & crew of
Star Trek: The Next Generation. The fans didn't want it, networks
wouldn't touch it, and the first 2 seasons were largely forgettable; but
it went on to become the first tv show to air new in syndication, and
the only one to date with 9 Emmy nods. Oh, and I love Patrick Stewart
now more than ever. My grade: B
The Dog (2014) Remember
'Dog Day Afternoon', where Al Pacino played a gay Brooklyn bank robber
trying to pay for his boyfriend's sex change? Well heeeere's Johnny!
John Wojtowicz that is, the man it was all based on. His mom's here, his
boyfriend from that time too; and a couple dozen more in this 'have you
no shame' but thoroughly engrossing look back--not just at John's life
before & after, but at another era. It's jaw dropping. My grade: B
Do I Sound Gay? (2014) David
Thorpe is a writer in New York City who happens to be gay. Problem is,
he knows he "sounds" gay--and doesn't like it. Can he change it? What
begins as an unintentionally funny documentary soon becomes an earnest,
thoughtful study of personal identity, how it's formed and how gays are
perceived by family, other gays, and society as a whole. My grade: B
Lee Daniels' The Butler (2013) Based
on the life of Eugene Allen, Forest Whitaker is Cecil Gaines, White
House butler from 1952-1986. He does his job without fuss, as his family
and people experience the most turbulent years in African-American
history. A commendable film--and both Forest & Oprah (as his
flawed but loving wife) are outstanding. My grade: B
42 (2013) Chadwick
Boseman hits it out of the park as Jackie Robinson, the first black
player signed to major league baseball by the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1947.
(I almost didn't recognize Harrison Ford, who plays the clubs owner
Branch Rickey.) It's not a biopic of his career, but of the racial
challenges he overcame in his rookie year--there were many. The man was,
and still is, an American hero. Watch the credits! My grade: B
The Fabulous Ice Age (2013) From
Sonja Henie's Ice Revue to the Ice Follies, to Holiday on Ice, Ice
Capades & Stars on Ice--for 50 years these lavish spectacles
were big business. Top designers, choreographers & the highest
ethical standards attracted the finest talent--the likes of which we'll
never see again, in this technicolor look back at a real slice of
Americana. My grade: B
The Imposter (2012) In
1994, a 13 year old boy from Austin TX disappeared; 4 years later a 23
year old man in Spain somehow convinced the authorities & the
boy's family he was their missing son. Narrated by the imposter
& the real boy's family, we learn the lengths people will go
when they want to believe or be believed. My grade: B
Shenandoah (2012) In
2008, four high school football players beat a Mexican man to
death--and almost got away with murder. (It was only when the FBI
stepped in that heads rolled, including the town's police.) This
documentary shows us how a place steeped in all things American was not
separated after the tragedy, but long before it. Is there hope for us?
Yes. My grade: B
The Iceman (2012) Michael
Shannon is Richard Kuklinski, fiercely devoted to his wife Winona Ryder
and two daughters--and equally fierce as a murderer for hire, killing
over 100 people for the Mob from 1964-86. Based on real life and
enthralling from start to finish, we need more films with Shannon--he's a
force to be reckoned with. My grade: B
Hitchcock (2012) Anthony
Hopkins & Helen Mirren are charming as Alfred and Mrs.
Hitchcock, in this curious retelling of their attempts in 1960 to get
'Psycho' on the silver screen. It's more marital soap than anything
else, but it's still a tasty treat--and Scarlett Johansson as Janet
Leigh provides the icing. My grade: B
Searching for Sugar Man (2012) In
1970, a Detroit singer released 2 albums to critical praise--but went
unheard. The man gave up music and became another working joe. But
unknown to anyone, his albums were played in South Africa, sold in the
millions and became the voice of Apartheid. So what happens 40 years
later when they discover he's alive & ask him to visit? Magic. My grade: B
Her Master's Voice (2012) After
learning of her mentor's passing, British ventriloquist Nina Conti (and
her 'talking monkey') travel to the US to meet with others of their
kind, and to Kentucky to donate one of his characters to Kent Haven, a
museum where hundreds of dummies of the deceased are put on display. Odd
but sweet and heartfelt, like many of those puppets. My grade: B
The American Scream (2012) In
Fair Haven Mass, a trio of average American families spend weeks--one,
months--transforming their properties into 'haunted houses' for
Halloween. With colossal sets, sculptures & animatronics, the
few hours of accolades they receive are all they ask for. This is
ingenuity, inspiration & artistry at it's finest. My grade: B
The Woman Who Wasn't There (2012) As
survivors from the 9-11 attacks came forward, Tania Head was embraced
by the city and soon the nation as she shared her harrowing account from
the 78th floor and her husbands death in the first tower. So what
happens after you're elected president of the New York Survivors Council
and its discovered all your stories were lies? My grade: B
Fat, Sick & Nearly Dead (2012) Joe
Cross is a likable Australian businessman who is 41 years old, covered
in hives and 90 pounds overweight--now what? How about a 60 day 'juice
fast' while driving across the US and asking Americans what they eat,
and inspiring a few others as well. I really want a juicer. My grade: B
Surviving Progress (2011) The Earth is a finite object and unable to keep up with overpopulation
(among other things) in this thought-provoking documentary that
theorizes that technology is evolving much faster than man, and what
this means for humankind. Can we slow down before it's too late? My grade: B
The Pruitt-Igoe Myth (2011) In
1954, St.Louis built an impressive group of 33 high-rise apartment
buildings for thousands of welfare reipients--only to see them go into
ruin & be demolished in 15 years time. Why? A thought-provoking
documentary of good intentions gone awry. My grade: B
Jiro Dreams of Sushi (2011) Jiro
Ono is an 85 year old master sushi chef in Tokyo, with a restaurant
that seats only ten people yet has earned a 3 star Michelin rating.
Serenely told, this documentary shows how a lifelong dedication to one's
craft is an artwork in itself. Good for the soul. My grade: B
Corman's World (2011) Loving
tribute to Roger Corman, "The King of the B's" who defined the cult
classic genre & grindhouse flicks of the '70s. Loved the early
history lesson, but the second half (with the camp drive-in trailers)
kicked ass, what can I say? Awesome stuff. My grade: B
The King's Speech (2010) A brave & warm recounting of the friendship between King George
VI (who wore the crown after his brother abdicated the throne in 1936)
and the speech therapist he hired to rid his stammer. Oscar winner for
Best Picture in 2011 and while I love Colin Firth, Geoffrey Rush... he's
remarkable. My grade: B
Conviction (2010) Hilary Swank is exceptional in this inspiring story of Betty Anne
Waters, a high school dropout who returned to school and became a lawyer
after her brother (Sam Rockwell) was wrongly convicted of murder and
sentenced to life in prison. What a remarkable journey these real-life
siblings shared. My grade: B
The Elephant in the Living Room (2010) Lions
and tigers and bears oh my! Waitasec, there's cougars and alligators
too. Your dog needs a license, but there's tens of thousands of fools in
this country keeping man-eating animals as pets. And not doing a very
good job of it either, tigers roam the highways and Ohio has a bigger
aligator problem then Florida. THIS IS SCARY. My grade: B
The Woodmans (2010) are
married artists. All that matters is art. And perhaps this helps
explain why their daughter Francesca, depressed over her career in
photography, committed suicide at 22. And now 30 years later her work
lives on, and the Woodmans are known as the artists parents in this
curious documentary. "We're artists too!" We know. My grade: B
Exporting Raymond (2010) In
2009, Phil Rosenthal (the creator of "Everybody Loves Raymond") was
asked to come to Moscow & recreate his show for Russian
television. "So, this must be where they filmed 'Saw'... are those wild
dogs?" The Russians weren't laughing but I was--this was terrific. My grade: B
Tabloid (2010) In
1977, an American named Joyce McKinney took the world by storm when she
flew to London to kidnap and rape the Mormon man she'd fallen in love
with. As British tabloids painted her as a lovestruck angel, the Daily
Mirror discovered her hidden life: a bondage "masseuse", with a thousand
photos. Then things got really crazy. Who the hell is this? My grade: B
127 Hours (2010) James Franco portrays the real-life rock climber who gets his arm
pinned under a boulder and makes a life or death decision. I wasn't
planning to see this (because of what I knew was coming) but the story
is told with a real visual style & the Utah scenery is
spectacular--for the few minutes we get to see it. My grade: B
Toast (2010) After young Nigel's mum dies & his dad hires a new cleaner
(Helen Bonham Carter who is determined to marry Nigel's pap), both
compete for the man's affection thru their love of cooking. Based on
food critic Nigel Slater's childhood memoirs, this is one quirky British charmer. My grade: B
Monica & David (2009) are
a couple with Down Syndrome who meet, fall in love & want to
marry. Can they do it? This documentary isn't so much about any
obstacles they face (they live with Monica's parents), it's just a
glimpse into the lives of two special people who want to love and be
loved like anyone else. My grade: B
Outrage (2009) Surprising,
disturbing documentary of various congressmen & other political
leaders caught in gay sex scandals, who almost always were the
strongest opponents of same-sex marriages, adoptions, & other
gay rights (to better hide their true natures). These men are sad and
sickening. My grade: B
Mao's Last Dancer (2009) Ballet, life under Chairman Mao's rule & Chinese American
politics are brought to life in this kind (if not a bit too soapy) story
of Li Cunxin, an 11 year old peasant boy who was selected to train for
the Chinese Ballet, only to come to America in 1981 and make a dramatic
defection to remain. The ending triumphs. My grade: B
I Love You Phillip Morris (2009) Based on a (bizarre) true story, Jim Carrey is terrific as a Texas cop
who leaves his wife and becomes a con-man to support his new life as a
flamboyant homosexual. And just when things couldn't get anymore absurd,
he goes to prison and meets Ewan McGregor... My grade: B
Cleanflix (2009) In
the early 2000s, a Utah video shop began editing the sex &
violence out of their popular rentals for a few of their Mormon and
Christian customers; it soon morphed into a statewide phenomenon, with
hundreds of businesses and thousands of edited films. So why did it have
to end? Ask Hollywood! My grade: B
Desert Flower (2009) True
story of Waris Dirie, the 'Nomad Girl' who came to London as a Somalian
refugee and grew up to become an international model &
spokesperson for African women and genital mutilation. There's some
harsh flashbacks, and the story is a bit camp--but it's for all the
right reasons. My grade: B
Nowhere Boy (2009) Coming-of-age
story on John Lennon's teenage years, right before the Beatles; with
astounding attention to detail, the movie centers on John reuniting with
his mother & the stress it took on his mates & Aunt
Mimi (who raised him). A quality story but I wish there'd been more
focus on his budding friendship with Paul; those scenes shined. My grade: B
Defiance (2008) Based on a true story, Daniel Craig is Tuvia Bielski, a Polish Jew who
escaped the Nazis & hid a thousand Jews in the Belarus Forests
during WWII. A bleak tale, but the end credits tell of a happier
true-life ending. My grade: B
Inheritance (2006) Monika
Hertwig was raised by her grandmother, not knowing her dead father was
Amon Goeth, the infamous Nazi monster. So what happens when she
discovers his personal 'slave girl' Helena is alive in the US and asks
if they can meet? Both of these women carry the weight of a thousand
Jews on their backs in this humble documentary that left me trembling. My grade: B
Pierrepoint: The Last Hangman (2005) UK
drama about Albert Pierrepoint, one of England's most known (and
respected) executioners who turned hanging into a science; he later went
on to become a fierce opponent of capital punishment. Told with a stiff
upper lip, there's an emotional scene that will make you sit upright. My grade: B
Prisoner of Paradise (2002) During
WWII, as neutral countries began expressing concern over Germany's
missing Jewish populace, the Nazis offered famed Jewish director Kurt
Gerron his life in return for a film showing contented Jews in an
imagined camp that never was. With guilt and sorrow he made a winning
film, but it didn't help the Nazis. Or him. My grade: B
I Am Michael (2015) He was a writer & celebrated gay activist, but after a health scare
Michael Glatze (James Franco) turned to religion. As his faith grew, so did his repulsion
towards homosexuality; he prayed that gay away! But he took things a step farther, crushing the gay community when he
denounced it as a sickness & sin. He
married and became a pastor, and that’s where it ends right? (Not exactly… but it’s a curious story of
gays who fight what they are.) My
grade: B
Film Stars Don’t Die in Liverpool (2017) In
1979, 28 year old Peter Burns learns his mum has rented their spare room to former
Hollywood star Gloria Grahame, in London for a play. (Her star fell in the 1950s after a sex
scandal.) Twice his age, Gloria (Annette
Bening) & Peter have a passionate affair; she’ll leave, but return 2 years
later dying from cancer… now Peter will be her final caregiver. It’s a true, glum story but Annette is it’s
saving grace. My grade: B-
Battle
of the Sexes (2017) In 1973, former tennis champ (and celebrity
chauvinist) Bobby Riggs challenged rising tennis star Billie Jean King to a men
vs women match. I remember it well,
Billie Jean was a hero to the feminist movement—us kids admired her too. That’s what I wanted to see here! Instead, their match is the final act in this
play of King’s gay awakening. Emma Stone
& Steve Carell are fine players, but for sports stories… nope, not really. My grade: B-
The Post (2017) In 1971, socialite and Washington Post newspaper owner Katharine
Graham (Meryl Streep) is faced with a make or break decision—does she
continue reporting local affairs like Pat Nixon’s wedding, or follow the
NY Times lead and print the leaked ‘Pentagon Papers’, an expose of the
Vietnam War? Take a guess, in Steven Spielberg’s boilerplate
period-pic. It’s a good watch, but… this deserved to be great. My grade: B-
My Scientology Movie (2017) BBC filmmaker Louis Theroux travels to LA in an attempt to talk with a Scientologist—if he can find any willing, that is. Instead he’ll meet with former members (who bristle at being labeled ‘defrocked’) and as they share stories of cult leader David Miscaviage’s beatings, fleeing, harassed by the cult—hey, has anyone noticed that white SUV following us? Louis, welcome to Scientology. My grade: B-
Saving Capitalism (2017) Robert Reich travels the country and explains how our economy has changed for the worse, since allowing big business to influence government. (Meanwhile, We the People have only a 1% impact on things.) But this is more a call to action, as he urges us to protest & vote. A fair watch, but see his 2013 documentary ‘Inequality For All’ too; it’s informative, entertaining and (compared to this) brilliant. My grade: B-
Steve Jobs: The Man in the Machine (2015) Yet another
documentary on Jobs, co-founder of Apple; what starts out as an almost
philosophical study (yawn) turns into a harder look at his character
& company--a visionary with a curious lack of empathy,
particularly for those closest to him. Both loved & reviled by
many, and is fascinating still (apparently). My grade: B-
The Queen of Versailles (2012) Documentary of David & Lauren Siegel, who owned 28 timeshare
resorts and were building a 100 million dollar house. Then they lost
everything in 2008 with the financial collapse, because of greed and
excess. He's angry, she's dumbfounded & were either ever happy? My grade: B-
The Founder (2016) Michael
Keaton is without remorse as Ray Kroc, a salesman who stumbles across a
30 second hamburger stand in 1954 and has an epiphany--FRANCHISE. This
ho-hum biopic tries to make him look like a baddie, but I disagree; he
saw its potential, the McDonald brothers wouldn't, so he ran with it. Well, it's unfortunate they went under after Kroc bought their
name--then built a restaurant across the street from them! My grade: C Plus
Southside with You (2016) In
the summer of '89, Michelle Robinson accepts an invitation from an
intern at her law firm to a meeting for a new community center. Along
the way they'll visit a museum, see a movie, share an ice cream and
discuss their lives & aspirations. The man is Barack Obama,
wonderfully played by Parker Sawyers. It's a small story, eloquently
told. How I miss them. My grade: C Plus
Life (2015)
It’s 1955 and photographer Dennis Scott (Robert Pattinson) convinces
Life Magazine to let him do a photo essay on up-and-comer James Dean
(Dane DeHaan). They’ll hang out, smoke & chat while I sit here
and wish I could give this a higher grade. First-rate production values, but the story (if there even is one) moves at a snail’s pace—as both leads vie for the most sleepy-eyed, slurry performance. This coulda been a contender… My grade: C Plus
Black Mass (2015) Johnny
Depp is menacing as James "Whitey" Bulger, South
Boston's psychopath crimelord in the 70s-80s. He got away with murder
because of his role as an FBI imformant, but they could only look the
other way for so long. It's criminal enough, but I wish this had
started more at the beginning, or had a narrator like Goodfellas. I
think this could've been more. My grade: C Plus
Fruitvale Station (2013) On
New Years Day, 2009 a 22 year old African American named Oscar Grant
was shot on a train platform by an Oakland policeman, after an earlier
scuffle. (The cop claimed he meant to tase him.) Oscar was no saint, but
no real sinner either. This is a reenactment of how he spent his final
day. No real story here, just a tragedy in the making. My grade: C Plus
Lincoln (2012) Spielberg's
dark, dry recounting of Abraham Lincoln's final 4 months in office, as
he wrangled with various politicians to pass the 13th Amendment to
abolish slavery and unite the country. I wanted to love this film but
could only admire it, it's more a sepia-toned look at 19th century
politics than anything else. My grade: C Plus
I Am Woman (2020) In 1966, a young woman came
to New York from Australia, her 3 year old child in tow. Five years later she’d become superstar Helen
Reddy. C’mon Australia, Helen deserved
better than this glum tv-fare! A soapy
script and wrongly cast, Reddy was a force before she sang. It takes more than good lyrics to empower a
movement, and that’s what the real Helen did.
She deserves a documentary, at least.
My grade: C
The Legend of Cocaine Island (2019)
Rodney Hyden had it all—a construction company, a boat, a mansion. But
then the recession comes along and he & his family are reduced
to living in a double-wide. So one night when he hears the tale of 2
million dollars of cocaine buried in Puerto Rico… He gets it alright,
but not what you think in this redneck documentary with a few
surprises. Funny, he sure seems proud of himself… where’s the shame? My grade: C
The Rachel Divide (2018) President of the Spokane NAACP & mother of 2 adopted black
boys, Rachel Dolezal’s life came crashing down in 2015 when a reporter
asked “Are you black or white?” She posed as a black woman for years, not for attention or gain, but for the strange fact she identified as one. Sadly,
what makes this doc interesting isn’t her own life, but how she’s been
vilified by both blacks & whites for daring such a thing. My grade: C Plus
Recovery Boys (2018) They are young criminals,
even robbing their own families blind to feed their opioid addictions. But they’re desperate to be men too, so we’ll
watch 4 young men leave jail for Jacob’s Ladder, a rehab-work farm outside
Morgantown WV to rebuild their lives. I’m not sure why this documentary got such high praise… it’s tedious and not
very hopeful, and the one you’re rooting for most… damn. Depressing. Maybe that was its intention. My grade: C
My
Friend Dahmer (2017) My friend
Jeffrey Dahmer is pretty weird. He collects roadkill, said he likes to see what’s inside things. Sometimes in school, he falls down and
spazzes out to get some laughs—other than that, you only hear him say yes, no,
I dunno. He lives with his little
brother and his mom, I met her, she’s pretty spaced out. Anyway I don’t get why would anyone make a
movie about him, it’s not like he’s done anything. Not yet. My grade: C
The Case for Christ (2017) After their daughter is saved from choking to death (and his thankful wife converts to Christianity), reporter & atheist Lee Strobel begins researching the resurrection of Christ to prove to his wife the Bible is one big hoohah. He’ll meet with theologians, Christian scholars… where will the evidence take him? To salvation of course, in this Christian drama based on a true story. Yes, we get it; if someone like Lee can be saved, so can we. My grade: C
Gold (2016) Based on a true story, Matthew McConaughey is the balding, greedy David Walsh—a
prospector who went to Indonesia in the 1990s and (thanks to a shady geologist)
claimed to find the largest gold mine in history. Investors were bilked out of 164 million
dollars when it turned out there was no gold, never was. With Walsh claiming innocence to the end, who
got all that money? By the end of this
yawner—who cares? My grade: C
A Street Cat
Named Bob (2016) James is a
street musician & heroin addict who gets a second chance when he’s put into
a methadone program, but he’ll be helped along when a stray cat adopts him and the two become the talk of London. Predictable fare, the “too good to be true” ending annoyed me—until I discovered
it was all a true story! Good for
James--and Bob :) My grade: C
