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Tag: Documentary

Bill Cunningham New York (2011)

Documentary Rated NR

Director Richard Press gets amazing access to New York Times legend Bill Cunningham, whose on-the-street fashion photography captures style as it’s actually worn, yet Press’ documentary is too tentative to make that access pay off. Cunningham’s work is illuminated, but the man – 80 at the time of filming – remains a bit of a

Cave of Forgotten Dreams (2011)

Documentary Rated NR

"…equally intrigued by the prehistoric painters of yesteryear and those who study their work today."

I Am (2011)

Documentary Rated NR

"I believe Shadyac had a meaningful epiphany. I’m not sure it’s that meaningful for the rest of us."

Waste Land (2010)

Documentary Rated NR

It sounded like a bad idea: ill-fated at best, pandering at worst. Artist Vik Muniz traveled to his native Brazil to lead an art project using materials pulled from the world’s largest landfill. After meeting the destitute people there who scavenge for recyclable items, he decided to incorporate them into the project both as portrait

Joan Rivers: A Piece of Work (2010)

Documentary Rated R

A lot has been made of the opening shots of Joan Rivers: A Piece of Work, which capture the cosmetically enhanced comedian having makeup applied to her bare face. The suggestion is that the documentary, from directors Ricki Stern and Anne Sundberg, will be giving us the unvarnished truth. But notice that the sequence consists

Catfish (2010)

Documentary Rated PG-13

“…an enthralling documentary about loneliness, deception and that place where the two often meet: Facebook.

Restrepo (2010)

Documentary Rated R

“Valuable … but misses a golden opportunity to intersect access and art.

Waiting for Superman (2010)

Documentary Rated PG

A brisk and enlightening overview of the crippling problems facing public education in the United States circa 2010. The documentary follows a handful of families — mostly urban, mostly minority — who have been failed by their neighborhood schools and are hoping to land a coveted spot in one of the better-performing charter schools in

Cove, The (2009)

Documentary Rated PG-13

From the creepy thermal-camera footage of its opening credits to the covert missions under the cover of darkness, this activist documentary plays like a spy thriller more than anything else. Centered around Ric O’Barry, dolphin trainer to Flipper who has since become a champion for dolphin rights around the world, The Cove visits Taijii, Japan,

Anvil! The Story of Anvil (2009)

Documentary Rated NR

The documentary Anvil! The Story of Anvil received a lot of praise upon its release as a real-life This is Spinal Tap, but it struck me as a missed opportunity. Director Sacha Gervasi has the cooperation of golden subjects: Steve “Lips” Kudlow and Robb Reiner (Spinal Tap fans will recognize the irony of the latter’s

Recent Reviews

Kontinental ’25 (2026)

Drama Rated NR

“A moral-dilemma movie with a streak of black humor…”

Our Land (Nuestra Tierra) (2026)

Documentary Rated NR

“The drone footage goes beyond easy aerial awe, instead serving as clever commentary.”

The Uprising (2026)

Action/Adventure Rated R

“It’s easy to imagine this being screened at that rally on Jan. 6.”


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