Inspired by true events, the film stars Academy Award nominee Hugh Jackman and Academy Award winner Allison Janney. The story follows Frank Tassone (Jackman) and Pam Gluckin (Janney) who reign over a popular Long Island school district on the verge of the nation’s top spot, spurring record college admissions and soaring property values. But when an embezzlement scheme surfaces that threatens to destroy all they’ve built, Frank is forced to maintain order and secrecy — by whatever means necessary.The Bad Education score, by composer Michael Abels, is a vital part of the film’s fabric; a brilliant and intense telling the story through his music. https://www.hbo.com/movies/bad-education
“The score is an homage to great classical concert music, evoking the rigorous world of competitive academia, and its high level of training and discipline,” explained Abels about his approach to the composition. “But as this structured world begins to unravel in the film, the score also includes stark, minimalist cues driven primarily by percussion.
Michael Abels is a composer/producer best known for his scores for writer/director Jordan Peele’s Oscar-winning film GET OUT, and highly anticipated follow-up US, for which Abels was awarded “Discovery of the Year” at the 2019 World Soundtrack Awards. Abels’ score for US was also shortlisted for the 2020 Oscars, received a Critics’ Choice nomination, an NAACP Image Award nomination, multiple critics’ awards, and was named “Score of the Decade” by online publication The Wrap. As a concert composer, Abels has received grants from the National Endowment for the Arts, Meet The Composer, and the Sphinx Organization, among others. His orchestral works have been performed by the Chicago Symphony, the Cleveland Orchestra, the Atlanta Symphony, the Philadelphia Orchestra, and many more. As guest conductor of GET OUT IN CONCERT, Abels has led orchestras including National Symphony and the San Francisco Symphony. Several of his orchestral works have been recorded by the Chicago Sinfonietta on the Cedille label, including Delights & Dances and Global Warming. Abels is co-founder of the Composers Diversity Collective, an advocacy group to increase visibility of composers of color in film, game and streaming media. Abels’ first ballet, FALLING SKY, commissioned by Butler University, premiered on February 6, 2020. Following its Toronto International Film Festival 2019 premiere, the Hugh Jackman film BAD EDUCATION will premiere on HBO on April 25, with the soundtrack set to be released through WaterTower Music. The film ALL DAY AND A NIGHT, written and directed by Black Panther scribe Joe Robert Cole, starring Jeffrey Wright (Westworld) and Ashton Sanders (Moonlight), will stream on Netflix from May 1st. Upcoming projects include a diverse mix of concert work, film, and an opera.
(Left to right( Chewbacca (Joonas Suotamo), BB-8, D-O, Rey (Daisy Ridley), Poe Dameron (Oscar Isaac) and Finn (John Boyega) in STAR WARS: THE RISE OF SKYWALKER
The final chapter of the Skywalker saga, “Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker,” will begin streaming two months early on Disney+ in honor of “May the 4th,” affectionately known by fans around the world as “Star Wars Day.” For the first time ever, fans will be able to stream the complete Skywalker saga all in one place. What began in 1977 with George Lucas’ groundbreaking film “Star Wars: A New Hope,” the nine-part saga is available within Disney+’s extensive collection of Star Wars movies and series including “The Mandalorian,” “Star Wars: The Clone Wars,” and “Rogue One: AStar Wars Story.”
Lucasfilm and director J.J. Abrams joined forces once again to deliver “Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker,” the thrilling climactic chapter in the Skywalker saga, bringing the heroic struggle to restore peace and freedom to the galaxy to an epic, resounding conclusion.
The film stars Carrie Fisher, Mark Hamill, Adam Driver, Daisy Ridley, John Boyega, Oscar Isaac, Anthony Daniels, Naomi Ackie, Domhnall Gleeson, Richard E. Grant, Lupita Nyong’o, Keri Russell, Joonas Suotamo, Kelly Marie Tran, with Ian McDiarmid and Billy Dee Williams
“Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker” is directed by J.J. Abrams and produced by Kathleen Kennedy, Abrams and Michelle Rejwan. Callum Greene, Tommy Gormley and Jason McGatlin serve as executive producers. The screenplay was written by Chris Terrio & J.J. Abrams and the story is by Derek Connolly & Colin Trevorrow and J.J. Abrams & Chris Terrio, based on characters created by George Lucas.
“Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker” joins Disney+’s May the 4th line-up including the premiere of the eight-episode documentary series “Disney Gallery: The Mandalorian,” and the series finale of the award-winning animated series “Star Wars: The Clone Wars.”
In addition to new content offerings, Disney+ will also honor the artistry of Star Wars with a week-long concept art takeover on the service. Like a commemorative gallery, each film and series’ artwork will be updated on May 4th to feature its original concept paintings. From “Star Wars: A New Hope” to “The Mandalorian,” the updated art will feature work from celebrated artists such as the legendary Ralph McQuarrie and Academy Award-winning artist, author, and production designer, Doug Chiang. On the Disney+ home screen, the animated “Star Wars” brand tile, viewable on web and connected TV devices, gets upgraded with a new animation that honors the signature hyperspace jump. For more information and/or to sign-up for Disney+, visit:disneyplus.com/welcome/star-wars.
Dr. Jennifer Doudna, in the documentary HUMAN NATURE, in her lab at the Innovative Genomics Institute in Berkeley, CA. Doudna has tried to call public attention to the ethical implications of the CRISPR technology she helped invent. Photo courtesy of Greenwich Entertainment.
The documentary HUMAN NATURE, which is available on Amazon Prime, offers an accessible, accurate explanation of CRISPR, the molecular biology discovery that gives scientists a way to correct and cure genetic diseases, among other potential uses, but acting like molecular scissors to cut out and replace defective genes. The beautifully shot, well-researched HUMAN NATURE presents a mostly balanced picture of this groundbreaking discovery.
CRISPR is often called “molecular scissors” for its ability to alter DNA sequences, even down to changing a single base pair, the “letters” of the DNA alphabet, a level of precision never before possible. HUMAN NATURE does an excellent job of covering the basics of DNA and describing what CRISPR is and why it is such a game-changer, with enormous potential for the treatment of genetic diseases and even cancer. But the documentary stumbles a bit into bias when it later discusses its potential for its misuse, not sufficiently clarifying what risks are specific to CRISPR and which are inherent in other genetic techniques such as in-vitro fertilization and genetically modification of organisms.
Director Adam Bolt presents the topic in a straight-forward way without oversimplifying. The topic was inherently of interest to me personally, as I have a degree in genetics, but this is an important topic that should interest everyone, because the discovery of CRISPR has the potential to change medicine and many things about our world is that great. The information is clearly and accurately presented and the presence of a great number of well-respected authorities adds to the depth of the information. Yet HUMAN NATURE is an engaging film, drawing the viewer in and presenting both the science and the historical context in an lively, visually strong fashion.
It does a good job of balancing interview sequences with other footage, keeping a brisk enough pace to keep the audience involved. The material it presents in describing the science and both the promise and questions it poses for society are well crafted and edited. Among the experts who speak are Jennifer Doudna, one of the developers of the CRISPR technology, and David Baltimore, a Nobel Prize winner and leader in the field of molecular biology. Unlike many documentaries about science, it is clear that scientists played a big part in creating this film, which is one greatest of its strengths.
Where HUMAN NATURE does best is in its
first half, covering what CRISPR is and why it is so revolutionary.
It does an outstanding job to conveying how remarkable and
game-changing this new technique really is. The documentary has just
the right amount of information to give audiences an understanding of
genetics and DNA without getting too sidetracked into detail to take
the focus off the central topic. It describes how CRISPR works in a
clear but scientific manner, letting scientists and doctors speak,
but also focusing on patients with genetic diseases, the people it
has the potential to help. It does an outstanding job to conveying
how remarkable and game-changing this new technique really is.
HUMAN NATURE does an excellent job in
this first portion where it examines what CRISPR is and its great
promise for humankind. One of the strongest voices in this first
segment, and actually throughout the documentary, is a teen suffering
from Sickle Cell Disease. He is a well spoken, well-grounded and
personable young man who is both likable and wise beyond his years.
The documentary uses the sickle cell as a example for many of the
points it makes about the potential good in CRISPR and some of the
questions it raises. When someone inherits two copies of the gene,
the result is Sickle Cell Disease, in which misshapened red blood
cells cause painful and sometimes life-threatening symptoms, but when
an individual inherits a single copy of the gene, there is evidence
that it confers some resistance to malaria. The genetic trait is
common in Africa and some areas around the Mediterranean.
Where the documentary falters a bit is
in the second portion where it turns to potential dangers. Like every
tool, CRISPR has the potential for misuse in the wrong hands or if
used without ethical or legal guidelines. The guiding principle here,
for CRISPR or any powerful tools, is that old saying “Just
because you can, doesn’t mean you should.”
However, what the documentary does not
make clear is that most of the dangers it presents are already with
us, largely from the already on-going use of in-vitro fertilization
and the unknowns in genetic modification of organisms (a subject the
documentary does not even touch on). The risk for unscrupulous use
already exists with IVF, which can be used to select for one gender
over the other, or for height or eye color, or eliminate embryos with
genetic diseases or any trait the user might deem “undesirable.”
While research scientists follow rules of ethical behavior that are
enforced by peer-reviewed journals and some countries ban some
actions, their is no international rule on this. A debate on it is
underway in academic circles but less so in governmental ones. The
risk comes less from academic research, which operates under ethical
constraints, but from private companies, where the profit motive
drives decisions and the ultimate constraints are legal. While most
scientists agree on what is ethical use, the legal rules vary country
to country, with some things banned in some countries but allowed in
others. With or without CRISPR, the documentary is right to call for
some international rules for ethical use of the genetic manipulation,
particularly when a powerful technique like CRISPR moves from a
pure-research setting to a commercial one.
CRISPR is indeed a powerful advance,
and there is one aspect to CRISPR that presents a unique risk: its
potential to change the germ line. meaning its changes would be
inherited by the next generation. CRISPR gives scientists the
potential to not only cure someone with a genetic disease, such as
the boy with sickle cell, but to ensure that the trait is not passed
down to his offspring. The documentary is right to sound the alarm on
this aspect, as the law of unintended consequences looms large when
one begins to manipulate the evolution of humankind.
HUMAN NATURE presents a fairly good
discussion of this danger, focusing on the fact that there is still
much that is unknown about human genetics. While eliminating human
suffering by getting rid of a genetic disease like Huntington’s or a
cancer is enormous appealing, there is considerable risk of long-term
unknown results. We do not know if we might accidentally eliminate
another trait, such as musical talent, at the same time we eliminate
a defective gene, because there are too many unknowns about the
influence of one gene on another.
That danger argues for a go-slow
approach and much more research. The documentary presents an
informative and engaging discussion on this double-edged sword aspect
of CRISPR, although it makes some strange choices on what the
filmmakers see as risky. For example, it focuses with alarm on a
researcher with an interest recreating Ice Age mammoths, which might
be possible, and repopulating the steppe with them, which seems
unlikely to happen. On the other hand, the film shows us a start-up
company already trying to use CRISPR to grow organs for human
transplants in pigs, by replacing large sections of pig DNA with
human DNA to create a pig-human hybrid organism. The filmmakers seems
less worried about this commercial operation, despite the many more
red flags it seems to raise.
Overall, HUMAN NATURE is a polished,
well-researched and informative film about a groundbreaking discovery
that has enormous promise for the human species, but viewers need to
give careful consideration to the questions raised about it so as to
neither “throw the baby out with the bathwater” nor plunge
ahead into a brave new world of unintended consequences. As in most
things, the middle way is best.
Although it is not a flawless film,
HUMAN NATURE is a lively, visually colorful, engaging documentary
that respects the audience’s intelligence. It is a breathe of fresh
air in a world where reporters rarely cover science well and too many
anti-science voices dominate.
There’s nothing like a good car chase in a movie. Maybe it’s the daring-do of the stunt drivers that makes you feel you’re in danger even though you’re comfortably in your seat, or the high stakes of the moment in which the characters we’re rooting for will either get out of the situation or have a gruesome finale, but an impressive car-chase scene can make even a mediocre movie a beloved classic. What makes a car chase legendary, you ask? They’re the ones that keep you at the edge of your seat and actually fit in with the rest of the plot. While the “Fast and Furious” movies have collectively taken the car chase to the next level, they don’t count. They’re far too CGI-enhanced. The 1970’s may have marked a new age in American cinema, but it was also a decade of movies filled with practical car chases that are still the best. Here are the 10 greatest car chase movies of that glorious decade.
10. RACE WITH THE DEVIL (1975)
RACE WITH THE DEVIL was an unforgettable hybrid of horror and car chases. Warren Oates and Peter Fonda (along with wives Loretta Swit and Lara Parker) hit the road in a mammoth state-of-the-art (for 1975) motor home with a horde of devil worshipers in hot pursuit. The satanic road rage on display in the stunt-filled highway climax is insane.
9. WHITE LIGHTNING (1973)
What list about 70s car culture would be complete without a couple of Burt Reynolds movies? The 1973 moonshine opus WHITE LIGHTNING was full of booze, broads, car chases, corruption and revenge — all the things that make life worthwhile. Burt Reynolds at his peak of awesomeness (and sans mustache) mostly drove a 1971 Ford Galaxie Custom 500 to take on on despicable redneck Sheriff Ned Beatty.
8. DIRTY MARY CRAZY LARRY (1974)
Basically a movie-long car chase, this 1974 drive-in standard takes Susan George, Peter Fonda, and Adam Roarke through miles of rural countryside and small town highways with local police, led by Sheriff Vic Morrow, in pursuit after they’ve robbed a grocery store. They start off in a 1966 Chevrolet Impala, which they eventually ditch for a 1969 Dodge Charger 440 to stay ahead of Morrow in his Bell JetRanger helicopter.
7.VANISHING POINT (1971)
The 1971 road movie VANISHING POINT directed by Richard C. Sarafian is notable for its scenic film locales across the American Southwest and its social commentary on the post-Woodstock mood in the United States. Barry Newman and his 1970 Dodge Challenger R/T take a journey across the country defying everything the authorities can throw at him in this cult classic.
6. THE DRIVER (1979)
Walter Hill’s THE DRIVER gives us a number of lengthy car chases, including a thrilling and lengthy one near the beginning through the streets of Downtown LA. The Driver (Ryan O’Neal) steals a blue 1974 Ford Galaxie 500, which he promptly uses to escape the police with a crew of casino robbers on board. THE DRIVER is somewhat forgotten today, but well worth seeking out.
5. GONE IN SIXTY SECONDS (1974)
Amateurish, badly-acted and shot on the cheap, the original GONE IN SIXTY SECONDS (1974) is still perhaps the ultimate drive-in car chase movie. If that sounds like a backhanded compliment, then you don’t know the sheer visceral thrill of this great tire squealing, chassis-slamming, slice of outlaw auto cinema. The cult item features a 40-minute car chase that features every 60s and 70s muscle car you can imagine. Writer/Director H.D. Halicki was killed in an on-set accident while filming the sequel.
4. SMOKEY AND THE BANDIT (1977)
Redneck bad boys were all the rage in 1977. Cars were still made in Michigan and CB radios were the hot technology with phrases like “10-4 good buddy” familiar expressions and SMOKEY AND THE BANDIT captured that side of American culture as well as any film. It was the directorial debut for former stuntman Hal Needham and was the first of nine stunt-filled collaborations with his pal Burt Reynolds.
3. MAD MAX (1979)
This low-budget, high-octane Australian thriller spawned three sequels, two of which (ROAD WARRIOR in 1982 and MAD MAX FURY ROAD in 2015) are action masterpieces. The Mad Max films show that stunts themselves would be nothing without a filmmaker behind the camera and George Miller, a doctor and film buff making MAD MAX, his first feature in 1979, showed he knew what cinema was all about. Max’s black Pursuit Special driven by Mel Gibson was a 1973 Ford Falcon.
2. THE FRENCH CONNECTION (1971)
Gene Hackman’s Popeye Doyle commandeers a civilian’s 1971 Pontiac LeMans in THE FRENCH CONNECTION which begins one of the greatest, most heart-pounding car chase sequences in movie history. Doyle is frantically chasing an elevated train, on which a hitman is trying to escape. The scene was filmed in Bensonhurst, Brooklyn and is a masterpiece of editing for which Gerald Greenberg took home a well-deserved Oscar.
1. THE SEVEN-UPS (1973)
This 1973 follow-up to THE FRENCH CONNECTION (some of the same cast play different characters – plus Richard Lynch and Joe Spinell!) was the sole directing credit of FRENCH CONNECTION producer Philip D’Antoni. The movie is highlighted by one absolutely incredible car chase, occurring just past the halfway point which cranks up the films’ energy level to a high degree. This is old school stunt driving and editing at its finest. The driver in the 1973 Pontiac Grand Ville sedan pursued by Roy Scheider in his 1973 Pontiac Ventura Sprint coupe is Bill Hickman, who was also the wheelman in the chase scene in BULLITT!
There were of course great car chase movies before and after the 70’s. Harold Lloyd’s SPEEDY features an eye-popping chase through the streets of New York that was filmed way back in 1927 while Robert Mitchum delivered the high-speed goods in THUNDER ROAD back in 1958. Some think the wrong-way car chase on a Los Angeles freeway in William Friedkin’s TO LIVE AND DIE IN L.A. (1985) outdid the chase sequence in his THE FRENCH CONNECTION. John Frankenheimer’s RONIN in 1998 was one of the last great car chase films before CGI took over, and of course THE ROAD WARRIOR and MAD MAX FURY ROAD are in a class by themselves, but the ‘70s is definitely when the car chase movie was at its peak.
Castle in the Ground Starring Alex Wolff (Hereditary, “The Naked Brothers Band”), Neve Campbell (Scream, “House of Cards”) and Imogen Poots (The Art of Self-Defense, Black Christmas) and from writer/director Joey Klein (The Other Half), the drama, which premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival, will be available on demand on May 15th. Check out the new trailer:
A grieving teenager (Alex Wolff) befriends his charismatic but troubled next-door neighbor (Imogen Poots), only to become ensnared in a world of addiction and violence as the opioid epidemic takes hold of their small town.
CASTLE IN THE GROUND is Written & Directed by Joey Klein and stars Alex Wolff, Imogen Poots, Tom Cullen, with Keir Gilchrist and Neve Campbell.
As a young man of about 11
years of age, I first truly discovered the magic of the movies. It was more
than just the youthful awe of watching cartoons and fun family films. It was
shortly after seeing Who Framed Roger Rabbit, my first motion picture in an
actual movie theater, that I began to realize there was more to this than what
meets the eye. The “how did they do this bug” really started to settle into my
imagination and I haven’t turned back since.
From that moment in time, I
found I could not satisfy my endless appetite for movies. Granted, my taste was
relatively limited at first to PG and PG-13 titles, for the most obvious of
reasons, but that would not last long. Before I knew it, I was “discovering”
R-rated films and expanding my taste into action, horror and science-fiction
fare. From there, the sky was the limit.
Over time, all of this has
led to a life in progress saturated with movies of all kinds. In high school, I
began to consider a life creating special effects make-up for movies, then
ultimately pursued film school to be a director. While that didn’t exactly pan
out as expected, it did lead me into film criticism and a continued love of
movies that was stronger than ever.
I was thinking about our current collective situation with COVID-19 keeping us all home and looking for ways to occupy ourselves and wanted to offer something in the process. Documentaries have become one of my favorite genres of movie, so I figured I’d share some that may help others understand my passion. Here are 20 must-see documentaries about making movies. I hope you enjoy.
1. PERSONAL JOURNEY WITH MARTIN SCORSESE THROUGH AMERICAN MOVIES, A (1995) – This epic documentary series runs 3 hours, 45 minutes and is a must see/must own for any self-prescribed film buff. The documentary itself is extremely well made, but having Martin Scorsese personally walk us through the history of cinema as related to his own personal experience, just adds an invaluable layer of authenticity to the entire series. Sadly, this is not available to stream anywhere that I have found, for free or two rent/purchase. The only way you’ll see this one is by purchasing the 3-disc set on DVD. Amazon usually has someone selling a copy for between $20-$25 and it’s not available on Blu-ray. This is something I currently hold sacred to my own personal collection and have watched it beginning-to-end at least three times, so far. This is like taking a college-level Film History lecture course in your own home, taught by one of the greatest filmmakers of all-time.
2. IN SEARCH OF DARKNESS: A JOURNEY INTO ICONIC 80SHORROR (2019) – This is the newest addition to my list, having only recently been distributed online and in physical media to those who funded the Kickstarter campaign for the making of the film. This documentary has an epic 4-hour, 30-minute run-time and covers the entire 80s decade in horror cinema in chronological order. The film features a candy store full of interviews with the who’s who in horror and, despite its length, maintains a playful sense of fun and fascination. Written and directed by David A. Weiner, we can tell this was a labor of love and thank goodness for crowd-funding, as I don’t see any other way this was likely to get made. Unfortunately, the film is not available to stream, rent or purchase to the general public, however the original soundtrack is available to stream on Amazon. This is one of a handful of “limited-length campaign” project from Creator VC, who are currently in the early stages of funding a similar documentary about 80 science-fiction films. My hope is that, at some point, this becomes more openly available for the general audience to experience.
3. THE STORY OF FILM: ANODYSSEY (2011) – When I tell you that I’m somewhat obsessed with movies, it’s really not that much of an exaggeration. Sure, I love to watch movies, but I’m just as fascinated with the process and history. In many ways, it’s a way of life, not just a hobby. Perhaps the most crucial yet unknown entry onto this list, this 15-episode television mini-series is narrated by film critic and historian Mark Cousins, whose knowledge is rivaled only by his oddly alluring, accented voice. The series spans the entire history of film from across the globe, not just American film. The series dispels a number of myths and misunderstandings about the history, span and influence of this modern art form. If A Personal Journey with Martin Scorsese was a college-level lecture course, The Story of Film is your Master’s study. I have watched this entire series through and through 2-3 times, but have played it in the background allowing the audio to seep into my celluloid soul many more times. Ironically, this is probably one of the most obscure, but most accessible entries on this list. Currently available to stream for free on Hulu, and has been for literally years (as that’s my go-to venue for accessing the series). If you don’t have Hulu, it’s also currently available to “borrow” from Hoopla and Kanopy, both of which are free services that allow you to temporarily “rent” content for free, so long as you have a current library card/membership. Finally, if you prefer to own your content, you can purchase the standard definition download of the series from Amazon.
4. HEARTS OF DARKNESS: A FILMMAKER’S APOCALYPSE (1991) – Francis Ford Coppola is arguably one of the greatest filmmaker’s alive today, and perhaps of all-time, but not everyone loves him. Much like William Friedkin, Coppola has had his struggles and made his enemies over the years due to his often difficult and controversial style of high-demand filmmaking. This documentary chronicles the most extreme example of the filmmaker’s tumultuous history with a detailed account of the making of Apocalypse Now. This film is gritty, raw, revealing and incredibly honest in its sincerity about what went down in order to make an auteur’s vision come to life. For a number of years, this was an extremely elusive film to get your hands on, but with the advent of digital streaming and technology and the growing hunger from fans for collector’s edition DVD and Blu-ray releases filled with hours of special features, the film is no longer like finding Bigfoot. Co-directed by Fax Bahr and St. Louis-native George Hickenlooper, this documentary is available to rent/purchase on a number of steaming services, including Amazon, Youtube, Google Play, Apple and Vudu. At one time, I owned both the original VHS and DVD releases, both of which are now out-of-print. The DVD alone will run you about $50 on the used market. Currently, I own the Apocalypse Now Full Disclosure Edition Blu-ray set, which includes Apocalypse Now, Apocalypse Now Redux and Hearts of Darkness, available for purchase on Amazon.
5. BURDEN OF DREAMS (1982) – I had the pleasure of attending a lecture from filmmaker Les Blank a number of years ago before he passed, which included the screening of a number of his short films. Prior to this, I had only been aware of his work on Burden of Dreams through my fascination with the films and career of German filmmaker Werner Herzog. Burden of Dreams is a 1-hour, 35-minute documentary that combines the grass roots style of documentary filmmaking from Les Blank with the insane genius of a young Werner Herzog, capturing the madness that was the making of Fitzcarraldo, an ambitious and seemingly impossible endeavor by Herzog. Much like the subject of the film, Herzog pushed himself and the crew beyond reasonable expectations to see his vision become reality. Blank was there for the whole thing, capturing countless hours of footage as it happened to construct one of the most intimate and revealing portraits of an artist spiraling out of control into the abyss created by his creativity. I personally owned Burden of Dreams on VHS for many years until my dreams came true and Criterion Collection picked it up and released it as a wonderful DVD package, which is still currently available. Burden of Dreams is also currently available to rent/purchase digitally on Amazon, or free to stream on The Criterion Collection paid service, or through Kanopy with a current library card/membership.
6. AMERICAN MOVIE (1999) – Oddly enough, this amusing documentary directed by Chris Smith is incredibly hard to get your hands on, but if you can, it’s so worth the effort. This is the story of an aspiring filmmaker’s journey to somehow finance his dream project of finally completing his low-budget horror film he had previously abandoned years before. The filmmaker named Mark Borchardt, is the consummate amateur, indie filmmaker and, if not having the knowledge prior to entering into this viewing experience, many would assume this was just a fictional comedy, or mockumentary. American Movie is 100% real-life, authentic documentation of a midwestern dude just trying to fulfill his dreams. For that reason alone, it’s an incredibly engaging story, while also often being hilarious. I remember when this was not that difficult to find on VHS, but over the years as it’s fanbase has increased and its footprint on cult film fandom has grown, the now out-of-print VHS will run you anywhere from $50-$100 on eBay. American Movie is not currently streaming or available to rent/purchase digitally through any service I have seen, so far.
7. LOST IN LA MANCHA (2002) – Talk about life imitating art, imitating life… Legendary filmmaker Terry Gilliam has had more than his share of difficulty getting his films made over his decades-long career. Lost in La Mancha, as a result, also found difficulty being made, as it chronicled the making and ultimate failure of Gilliams’ quest to bring his take on Don Quixote to the big screen. Another example of how a film can often be valuable as a document of history over an artistic achievement, the filmmakers did manage to piece together a relatively solid documentary, despite the chaos and confusion. Until this film, Gilliam was a typically private and reclusive artist, much like Stanley Kubrick, but Lost in La Mancha breaks the creative silence and finally allows fans the opportunity to peer inside his wildly, if not troubled, creative process. Lost in la Mancha is not currently streaming for free on any service, but is available to rent/purchase digitally on Amazon and Apple. If you’re more of hands on person the prefers owning physical media, the Lost in La Mancha pre-owned DVD is generally available for under $10 on eBay.
8. DANGEROUS DAYS: MAKING BLADE RUNNER (2007) – It’s 1981 and one of the most loves and influential science-fiction films of all times hits theaters… and, it bombs. Fortunately, we have collectively reinserted our brains into our empty headpieces over the years and discovered the value of this film. Of course, years of controversy, filmmaker-studio rivalries, remasters and recuts, folktales and filmmakers accounts, the reputation and lore of the film’s making has certainly helped raise the film’s notoriety and popularity. While this documentary never received a theatrical release, or even its own home video release, to my knowledge, it is available if you go looking for it. The number of different versions and releases of Blade Runner could make the newbie’s head spin, but some of them do include this recent and definitive documentary to end all Blade Runner documentaries. Personally, I currently own the 2007 Blade Runner 5-disc Complete Collector’s Edition Blu-ray release, which includes 9-hours of special features, amongst them being this 3-hour, 34-minute film. Bits and pieces can be found on YouTube, but due to its length, you may need to spring for one of the physical release copies.
9. JODOROWSKY’S DUNE (2013) – To most people, the name Alejandro Jodorowsky has no meaning, but in the realm of relevance to fascinating cult filmmaking, he holds legendary status. Back in the day when Frank Herbert’s novel Dune first got greenlit for the big screen, David Lynch was tapped to direct, but was ultimately unhappy with the result, due in part to studio interference. While I personally enjoy the Lynch film, I also understand the mixed feelings. This documentary however, reveals what might have been if Jodorowsky had won his bid to make the film. Using extensive interviews with the filmmaker and an unparalleled access to countless examples of concept art for his vision, we realize that the awesome weirdness of Lynch’s vision paled in comparison to what Jodorowsky had in store for fans, had he been cut loose and allowed to run free with this fantastic property. Directed by Frank Pavitch, it’s a pretty straight-forward talking head documentary with mostly interview footage and lots of cutaway shots to artwork, but it’s the incredible nuggets of insight into the filmmaker’s ideas that are what make this worthwhile. Jodorowsky’s Dune is not streaming for free anywhere, but it is currently available to rent/purchase digitally on Amazon, Fandango Now, Vudu, YouTube, Google Play, and Apple. There is a Blu-ray/DVD combo release out there, but it’s not very common. I’ve seen them occasionally sell for about $25 on eBay.
10. VISIONS OF LIGHT: THE ART OF CINEMATOGRAPHY (1992) – What is film without light? Essentially, it’s nothing. Light is the most essential element in filmmaking and the responsibility of capturing and mastering that light to create a motion picture falls on the shoulders of the cinematographer. Visions of Light is a documentary that dives into the world of the cinematographer, recounting the history of the craft and the influence of the greats, past and present. Never before or sense, have I found another film even remotely as in-depth and appealing as this to celebrate the person as equally important to the director, but rarely given as much of the credit. Coincidentally, this was one of the very first DVD movies I purchased for my collection when the technology in home video first took hold. Sadly, as many of us do, years ago I fell on hard times and sold off much of my collection. I sure wish I hadn’t, because now the DVD is long, LOOONG out of print and goes for about $100 on Amazon and eBay, when you can find a copy for sale. Fortunately, I recently reacquired the DVD off eBay from Goodwill for a mere $22 (sorry, not sorry) and am now whole, once more. As I’m sure you have already guessed, Visions of Light is not officially streaming anywhere, for free or otherwise. However, here’s a tip, but you didn’t hear it from me… Visions of Light is available to watch in its entirety on YouTube (for now) and it’s not a terrible quality transfer, either.
11. OVERNIGHT (2003) – In case you were wondering, “Where is Netflix in all of this,” I can officially tell you this is not where *Netflix comes into the picture. Crazy, right? Anyway, Overnight is a documentary co-directed by Troy Montana and Mark Brian Smith. The documentary tells the turbulent story of Troy Duffy, contemporary bad boy director of the Boondock Saints movies. This film tells what happened in the process of getting the first film made and the aftermath that followed. Overnight takes the viewer on the Hollywood roller coaster from a 20-something Boston dude named Duffy landing a dream deal with Miramax to get his film made, to how they ultimately pulled the plug on his career and blasting a hole in his rapidly ascending hot-air balloon of “overnight” success. On the other hand, it’s also revealed that Duffy had no small part in self-sabotaging his career, but every fight has two sides, right? As my grandfather would say, “it takes two to tango.” Overnight is available to stream for free on Hoopla with a current library card/membership, but is also available to rent/purchase on Amazon, YouTube, Google Play and Apple. For those of you determined to own a physical copy, there was a DVD release with limited availability that usually goes for $10 or less. *On a side note, I could be wrong, but I believe this was streaming on Netflix for a while, years ago, but not anymore.
12. THEY’LL LOVE ME WHEN I’M DEAD (2018) Woohoo! Now, finally, I can say Netflix has a role in this list. I realize it took a while, but that unwavering commitment and patience has finally paid off. Who doesn’t love Orsen Welles? [crickets] All right, I hear all of you film buffs back in the corner, but most people hear that name and probably convey a blank look. For those of us who eat, sleep and breath cinema, he’s a legend. So often considered, arguably, the greatest filmmaker of all-time, Oren Welles is a fascinating character in real life, despite what you may think of his movies. No, this is not necessarily a documentary about Welles, but at the same time it is… confused? Yes, I expected that. Much like his life and his films, this documentary is not just one thing, but many mixed together with a plot that shifts and turns and bewilders. This documentary details the story behind Welles’ final film, The Other Side of the Wind,” which technically he never finished, but with help from his friends, colleagues and yes, Netflix, has been completed and was released simultaneously with this documentary. Both films are steaming exclusively on Netflix and boy-oh-boy, what a double feature this is for the consummate cinephile. This film cannot be purchased digitally or on physical media.
13. LOST SOUL: THE DOOMED JOURNEY OF RICHARD STANLEY’S ISLAND OF DR. MOREAU (2014) – Richard Stanley is a filmmaker beloved by cult and genre fans, but is little known otherwise. His tragic experience trying to make his Island of Dr. Moreau film did not help, leading to personal and professional hardships. However, this documentary directed by David Gregory has certainly helped rekindle the fans’ passion and the indie-cult genre’s desire to see him rise again like a Phoenix out of the cinematic ashes. Currently set to direct his second film adapted from a Lovecraft story after the relative success of Color Out of Space, Stanley may finally be getting the recognition he deserves. Lost Soul takes us back to witness the Hell that was production on his Island of Dr. Moreau film and does so in spades. This is a story you have to see to believe, explaining in great detail why this was the unfortunate turning point in Stanley’s career, squashing his rising star after making his films Hardware (1990) and Dust Devil (1992) which captured the hearts of genre fans. Stanley was a director on the studio radars, until they and certain cast members had a hand in sabotaging his first big-budget studio endeavor. Personally, I feel Stanley is a filmmaker who shines with the indie spirit, uncaged by financial freedom. Lost Soul is currently streaming for free on Amazon Prime Video and Hoopla. It’s also available for rent/purchase on Amazon, YouTube, Google Play, Fandango Now, Vudu and Apple. Lost Soul is not available on DVD or Blu-ray in the US, but if you have a region-free player, there is was released on DVD and Blu-ray in Australia and the UK.
14. THIS FILM IS NOT YET RATED (2006) – This documentary is a snarky, ball-busting expose of the MPAA motion picture rating system. Few documentaries are equally as fun and frustrating to watch as this one, especially f you’re really into movies like I am, because some of us already realized how ridiculous the entire system is and this film just further proves our point. Director Kirby Dick pulls no punches in this film and lays it all out on the table. This may all sound risqué, but honestly, this film is tame compared to some of the director’s other films, which are equally good and far more, um… tantalizing. Hmm… maybe his personal experience is what drove him to making this film. Food for thought. Strap in and just try putting your objective blinders on while watching this one. This Film is not Yet Rated is not streaming anywhere I could find, except on YouTube (wink, wink). There was a DVD release that can be found on eBay and Amazon, which I’ve seen go for anywhere from $6 to $45… don’t ask me to explain.
15. CORMAN’S WORLD: EXPLOITS OF A HOLLYWOOD REBEL(2011) – If I asked you who has been the most influential person in motion pictures of the last 50 years, who would you say… Spielberg, Lucas, Scorsese? What if I told you it was Roger Corman? That’s right. Sure, he may have made schlocky films of varying degrees of quality, but the truth is he made a LOT of movies and every one of them was a financial success. With that said, countless filmmakers and actors have Roger Corman to thank for getting their start and virtually all of them will tell you what they learned from working with Corman was priceless. This documentary details the life, career and influence of Roger Corman on the art, business and culture of filmmaking. Directed by Alex Stapleton, the film deep dives into not only Corman’s own stories, but the stories of many of his protegees and colleagues throughout his 60+ year career, including insights and memories from the likes of Martin Scorsese, Quentin Tarantino, Joe Dante, Ron Howard and many more. This is an entertaining celebration of a man hellbent on making a successful financial career out of filmmaking and became a cultural icon in the process. Corman’s World is not streaming for free on any service, but is available to rent/purchase digitally on Amazon, Apple and Vudu. Corman’s World also sells for between $8-$15 for the DVD and Blu-ray releases.
16. STANLEY KUBRICK: A LIFE IN PICTURES (2001) – Often touted as one of the greatest filmmakers of all-time, director Stanley Kubrick was equally talented and reclusive, controversial and private. Despite the fact that he made only 13 feature-length films over a 48-year career, few filmmakers can equal the overall level of mastery and art that each and every one of his films conveys. Kubrick was a true auteur and was driven by his determination to create his vision, everyone else be damned. This film chronicles Kubrick’s life and career, much like a well-written biography, assembled with the care and attention to detail that reminds the viewer of Kubrick’s own films. A Life in Pictures is the ultimate motion picture reference for the Kubrick fan. This film is not streaming for free on any service, but is available for rent/purchase on Amazon, Apple and RedBox. There was also a stand-alone DVD release that can be purchased from $6-$45, depending on who you buy it from… I guess. However, if you’re the kind of Kubrick fan I am, you’ll go fork out the $100-$150 for the 2011 10-disc Blu-ray Stanley Kubrick Limited Edition Collection box set, which includes this documentary, and just be happy.
17. ELECTRIC BOOGALOO: THE WILD, UNTOLD STORY OF CANNON FILMS (2014) – Do you know the names Menahem Golan and Yoram Globus? Well, you’re about to learn these are the two men primarily responsible for Cannon Films, a powerhouse of genre filmmaking in the 80s. Cannon was responsible for many of the films from the 80s we love to hate and hate to love, including The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2, Superman IV and Masters of the Universe, amongst many others of varying quality and cult status. Electric Boogaloo finally tells the official story of how these two men bucked the odds and lived the Hollywood dream. The documentary chronicles the unlikely rise and ultimate failure of Cannon Films, including numerous filmmaker and celebrity interviews. This film is not just informative, but it’s loads of fun to watch. Nostalgia is high for my generation when watching this film, so watch it with your and witness their bewildered reactions to what you watched as a kid. Electric Boogaloo is not streaming for free on any service, but is available to rent/purchase on what seems to be virtually every VOD venue out there right now. There were also DVD and Blu-ray releases in the US and foreign markets, still randomly available at various price points.
18. BEST WORST MOVIE (2009) – Troll 2 was a terrible sequel to the otherwise average-decent first film, Troll, but is a quintessential “so bad its good” viewing requirement. Best Worst Movie isn’t just a documentary about the making of Troll 2, but it’s also a coming of age story for Michael Paul Stephenson, a child actor who starred in Troll 2 and grew up to make the feature-length documentary about Troll 2. A film crowned the “worst movie of all time” by some, Troll 2 is not a cult favorite and rite of passage for lovers of bad genre film. Coincidentally, Best Worst Movie has also garnered its own cult movie status with fans and together, the two films join forces to offer one of the most absurdly entertaining, gut-busting, crowd-pleasing double features ever conceived. The story of how the film was made is just as crazy and unbelievable as the film’s story itself, and this documentary captured the heart of it all with modest perfection. Best Worst Movie is streaming for free on Amazon Prime and Tubi. The film is available to rent/purchase digitally on Amazon and Apple. Best Worst Movie had a couple DVD releases that range from $5-$20 on eBay, but is not currently available to buy on Amazon.
19. THAT MOMENT: MAGNOLIA DIARY (2000) – Here’s the rare gem of the lot, in that there’s only two ways to watch this one. That Moment a documentary that gives a fascinating glimpse into the making of Magnolia, a film by modern master filmmaker Paul Thomas Anderson, who also directed Boogie Nights, Punch-Drunk Love and There Will Be Blood. Magnolia is an incredible film and has garnered a very loyal following. That Moment is a 112-minute documentary originally only available of a special feature on the DVD and Blu-ray releases, but has sense become fairly readily available on YouTube in its entirety and in parts. With that said, you never really know when things like this will disappear, so try to check this out while you can, if you don’t own a physical copy that includes this documentary. In my opinion, Paul Thomas Anderson is the closest thing to this generation’s Stanley Kubrick we have and That Moment serves as a great insight into the mind of a master at work.
20. MY LIFE DIRECTED BY NICOLAS WINDING REFN (2014) – Perhaps my least favorite entry on this list, I still found this documentary worthy of viewing. The film chronicles filmmaker Nicolas Winding Refn during production and release of his film Only God Forgives (2013). The documentary is directed by Refn’s wife, Liv Corfixen, and gives the viewer a glimpse inside the mind and workings of one of the most interesting, if not controversial and polarizing filmmaker’s working today. For many, the career (so far) of Refn holds a love/hate relationship. For many fans of film, they either love or hate him as a director, but I personally fall in the middle. I feel his films range from iconic to pretentious, but his talent and vision cannot be argued, in my opinion. Running a mere 58-minutes, the film shows that Corfixen is not a filmmaker at heart, but despite its artistic failures, the film serves as a valuable document of the process and allows us to witness what few are allowed in the world of filmmaking… the difficult and often unpleasant truth behind the golden veil of Hollywood.
Freestyle Digital Media, the digital film distribution division of Byron Allen’s Entertainment Studios, has acquired North American rights to the crime thriller feature CHAMELEON. CHAMELEON will be available to rent and own on DVD and North American digital HD internet, cable, and satellite platforms through Freestyle Digital Media on May 19, 2020. Check Out the Trailer:
CHAMELEON tells the story of two ex-cons who scam L.A. trophy wives and their rich older husbands. Recently released ex-con Patrick is unable to find a legitimate opportunity to get ahead and stumbles back into a life of crime when unpredictable Dolph, whom he owes for protection while in prison, pays him a visit. Patrick and Dolph begin a series of scams that involve seducing and kidnapping Los Angeles trophy wives in order to extort money from their wealthy husbands. But their latest victim, Rebecca, is not who she seems. Rebecca threatens to ruin everything just when Patrick has had a change of heart and is ready to call it quits.
Written, directed, and produced by Marcus Mizelle, CHAMELEON features an ensemble cast including Joel Hogan (‘Patrick’), Donald Prabatah (‘Dolph’), Alicia Leigh Willis (‘Rebecca’), Jeff Prater (‘Frank’), Acelina Kuchukova (‘Annette’), Daniel Tolbert (‘Peoples’), Fernanda Hay (‘Mariana’), Allison Rose Williams (‘Jenna’), and Andrew Golov (‘Jimmy’).
Executive Producers are Jillian Longnecker (VICE, PHANTOM THREAD, THE BALLAD OF BUSTER SCRUGGS, BOOKSMART, END OF WATCH) Paula Marcus (CHARLIE’S ANGELS) and Dustin Taylor (ACTOR FOR HIRE).
“CHAMELEON is essentially about deception and how it leads to alienation,” said filmmaker Marcus Mizelle. “I wanted to tap into the desperation people with limited opportunities feel and contrast that against the unappreciative folks who have too much.”
An adrenaline-filled action-thriller about the illegal underworld of exotic car thieves, REV arrives on DVD, Digital, and On Demand May 12 from Lionsgate. Starring Francisco Filice, Vivica A. Fox, Sean Rey, and Hannah Gordon – and from the director of TV’s “Petrol” – the REV DVD will be available for the suggested retail price of $19.98.
When Mikey’s not racing cars, he’s stealing them all over the city. But after he gets caught boosting a rare ride from a cop’s house, the police force him to go undercover or go to jail. Mikey agrees to join a grand theft ring led by violent, impulsive Charlie, who’d beat Mikey to death if he knew he was an informant. Even worse, Mikey finds himself attracted to Charlie’s girlfriend, Ava, and their passionate encounter sets up a bloody, powerful collision between rage and desperation.
NEON will launch the Sundance hit Spaceship Earth on May 8th across aninnovative footprint of both traditional and non-traditional venues. As an homage to NEON’s love of cinema, the filmwill play theatrically in participating drive-ins, and select pop-up city-scape projections (safely accessible byquarantined city dwellers). In addition, NEON has made a special arrangement with exhibitors to launch the film ontheater websites plus websites of other affected businesses interested in participating. Current confirmed distributionpartners include film festivals, museums and first-time film purveyors like bookstores, restaurants and more. Thefootprint is rounded out by a simultaneous digital launch on Apple TV, Amazon, Google Play, FandangoNow, Vudu, DIRECTV, DISH and longtime NEON partner Hulu.
SPACESHIP EARTH is the true, stranger-than-fiction, adventure of eight visionaries who in 1991 spent two years quarantined inside of a self-engineered replica of Earth’s ecosystem called BIOSPHERE 2. The experiment was a worldwide phenomenon, chronicling daily existence in the face of life threatening ecological disaster and a growing criticism that it was nothing more than a cult. The bizarre story is both a cautionary tale and a hopeful lesson of how a small group of dreamers can potentially reimagine a new world. Check Out the Trailer:
The title Spaceship Earth is inspired by Buckminster Fuller’s seminal countercultural book Operating Manual for Spaceship Earth, which asserts that the earth is a spaceship flying through the universe with a finite set of resources that cannot be resupplied. The synergists met with Fuller on multiple occasions, and in fact his concept of “synergy”inspired their name. His iconic geodesic dome became a symbol of sustainability, which influenced the group and the design and construction of Biosphere 2.Spaceship Earth is also the name of the iconic Epcot amusement park ride—itself a geodesic dome with animatronic vignettes that celebrate human aspiration and the future. This continuity between the earnest idealism of the 1960Sand the theme park theatrics of the 1980S captures the spirit of Biosphere 2.
” While making this film, I never could have imagined that a pandemic would require the entire world to be quarantined. Like all of us today, the biospherians lived confined inside, and they managed day to day life with limited resources, often under great interpersonal stress. But when they re-entered the world, they were forever transformed—no longer would they take anything for granted—not even a breath. In light of Covid-19, we are all living like biospherians, and we too will reenter a new world. The question is how will we be transformed? Now with a visceral sense of the fragility of our world, it’s on us to protect it.”– Matt Wolf
VIVARIUM is now on Digital VOD and available on Blu-ray and DVD May 12th
Review by Stephen Tronicek
Lorcan Finnegan’s Vivarium takes place in an ever-expanding closed loop of a suburb called Yonder. In Yonder, all the houses look the same as something has been copied and pasted over. That’s a pretty good way of describing the film. Sadly, after a strong start, Vivarium soon starts to copy and paste elements of sci-fi horror onto a weak frame propped up by great actors playing noncharacters and some incredible production design.
That frame is built strongly at the start. Gemma (Imogen Poots) and Tom (Jesse Eisenberg) are a couple looking for a new house. When they are lead into the Yonder development, they are left in house #9…and they can’t leave. Soon, whatever is running the place leaves them a “child” to raise.
This is a really interesting premise, one that could either go the nasty simple route or one that could expand into trying to say something about the heavy-handed suburban themes that the film’s premise necessitates. Vivarium opts for the nasty simple route, which there’s nothing wrong with. Many films that take the nasty simple route to access wider thematic themes work out just fine. In fact, that may be the preferred route to do so…but the good ones have a clear escalation of conflict and actual characters at the center of them.
This is where Vivarium starts to fall apart. While the wonderfully hazy production design creates a solid mood, two of the best performers working today throw what they can at the material, and Finnegan lends some solid direction it becomes apparent by the hour mark that Vivarium doesn’t have an interest in an escalating sense of conflict. The middle act starts well enough but soon crumbles as the repetition starts to expand.
It doesn’t help that certain elements of the film feel rehashed. The suburban imagery, the still hypnotic framing that doesn’t ask us to engage with the characters, and the creepy but sparse score all suggest better sci-fi horror films. By the time the film drags itself into the third act, it goes full-tilt in a way that seems overdone and far more terrifying elsewhere, even if the actors try to sell it.
Vivarium certainly tries its best to outrun the story problems at its center but it can’t quite. Instead of creepy and alive, it feels stagnant and reheated. By the time you get to the top of the frame, there’s nothing there. The final images of the film only seem to suggest meaning, rather than containing it.
