Category: Documentary
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Won’t You Be My Neighbor? (*****) 143
The entire last half of the film is riddled with poignant moments to the extent it is hard to keep control of one’s emotions. The tears that are elicited are as much for joy as anything. It makes one glad to have witnessed this, and long for a chance to go back and take it…
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Cobain: Montage of Heck (***1/2): The long short of it
Cobain: Montage of Heck – 2015 Written and Directed by Brett Morgen Starring Kurt Cobain, Courtney Love, Frances Bean Cobain, Kurt Novoselic Animation by Stefan Nadelman and Hisko Hulsing In the history of musicians given too much importance after an untimely death, Kurt Cobain ranks somewhere between John Lennon and Jim Morrison. His disaffected youth angle added…
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Life Itself is a story of success wrestled from a life of obscurity
Life Itself – 2014 Director Steve James Featuring Roger Ebert, Chaz Ebert, Martin Scorsese, Werner Herzog, Ava DuVernay, Gregory Nava, Marlene Iglitzen, Errol Morris, A.O. Scott, Richard Corliss, Ramin Bahrani Screenplay based upon Life Itself by Roger Ebert There is a scene in Life Itself where we see Roger Ebert taking a walk during a vacation with one of his step-grandchildren,…
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Bully: You are not alone. Ever.
Bully – 2011 Director Lee Hirch Written by Cynthia Lowen “Pretty much a good day for me would be people leaving their hands off of me.” – Bullied student If I could write a letter to my 15-year-old self, I would have a lot to say. The first thing I would say is to hold on. I…
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The Queen of Versailles: Down but not out
The Queen of Versailles – 2012 Directed by Laura Greenfield Featuring David and Jackie Siegel David Siegel claims to have personally gotten George W. Bush elected President. He claims that it was not necessarily done in a legal fashion. He says this with a mixture of pride and shame. He knows the price that is being paid…
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They are here for us: Act of Valor
Act of Valor – 2012 Directed by Mike McCoy, Scott Waugh Starring US Navy Seals, US Navy Special Warfare Combatant Crewman, Roselyn Sánchez, Nestor Serrano, Emilio Rivera, Alex Vedov, Screenplay by Kurt Johnstad I am an American. I live under the protection of the men who are portrayed in this film… portrayed by the men themselves. I am not fit…
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Buck is about life, not just horses
Buck – 2011 Directed by Cindy Meehl Documentary featuring Buck Brannaman My brothers have followed Buck Brannaman around for about 20 years. They talked about a guy who could take the worst possible horse and make them docile, kind and willing partners within an hour…a half hour even. I had seen their method of “breaking” horses, and…
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Hell and Back Again: Desiring only to serve
Hell and Back Again – 2011 Directed by Danfung Dennis Documentary regarding Nathan and Ashley Harris, Echo Company, 2nd Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment in Afghanistan There is a moment in the midst of Hell and Back Again where Nathan Harris, while driving in his car, decides he is tired of hearing his wife’s joking around in the…
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Waiting for “Superman” shows teacher’s unions getting stronger as education fades into Hope
Waiting for “Superman” – 2010 Directed by Davis Guggenheim Starring The future of this country Written by Davis Guggenheim, Billy Kimball Money as the problem is dismissed early on in Waiting for “Superman.” Rather, Davis Guggenheim demonstrates that there is a legion of horrible teachers that, thanks to a strong union, have an immunity to…
Ebert Did It Better: Gasbag Reviews 