Category Archives: Documentary

Unprescribed documentary: vets need better health care

Veterans put their lives on the line to defend our country, only to be ignored when they need help. Unprescribed, a documentary by Steve Ellmore, questions the use of opioids to address a host of problems related to PTSD. Tough, … Continue reading

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Rebuilding Paradise review: After the Fire

The Camp Fire on November 8, 2018, claimed 85 victims and destroyed nearly all of Paradise, California. Rebuilding Paradise, a new documentary from director Ron Howard, follows the community through a year-long recovery period. Best known for commercial blockbusters like … Continue reading

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My Darling Vivian: Unearthing a hidden past

Johnny Cash burned through personalities on his journey to cultural icon. Tenant farmer, Air Force cadet, rockabilly pioneer, country superstar, actor, drug addict, homewrecker, uber-patriot, teetotaler, elder spokesman, The Man in Black played out his messy, contradictory life largely in … Continue reading

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The Painter and the Thief probes a puzzling crime

Striving for objectivity in documentaries is an impossible goal. Every creative choice is subjective, from equipment to lighting and composition. Deciding what to cover may be the most subjective choice of all, and the dynamic between documentarian and subject is … Continue reading

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The Third Strike tackles mandatory sentencing laws

Documentaries are great at pointing out issues and problems. Offering solutions is another matter. The Third Strike tackles a major injustice: mandatory prison sentencing required by federal “three strikes” laws. The movie also offers a sliver of hope in the … Continue reading

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Making the case for The Dalai Lama—Scientist

Dense with ideas, The Dalai Lama—Scientist wants to show that Buddhism is not just compatible with science, but has actually predicted advances in quantum physics, neurology, and other fields. It also serves as a quick biography of the current Dalai … Continue reading

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Beastie Boys Story review: Ad-Rock and Mike D on how it happened

Two things stand out in Beastie Boys Story, a concert documentary screening on Apple TV+ starting April 24. First: Adam Yauch got it right. Second: Adam Horovitz is sorry. Directed by Spike Jonze, Beastie Boys Story is a filmed version … Continue reading

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Julia Reichert and Steven Bognar, co-directors of American Factory, talk about AI, access, and automation

The documentary American Factory shows what happens when a former GM plant near Dayton, Ohio, is converted into an automotive glassmaking facility. Some 200 Chinese workers were imported to train approximately 2000 Americans at what became known as Fuyao Glass … Continue reading

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