For Memorial Day: The Old Guard at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier
Posted on May 26, 2014 at 8:00 am
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Travis: A Soldier’s Story
Posted on May 24, 2014 at 2:02 pm
For Memorial Day, take a look at this short film about the documentary, “Travis: A Soldier’s Story” and see if you can arrange a screening in your area.
AFI Docs Announces 2014 Schedule with Ebert’s “Life Itself” in the Spotlight
Posted on May 23, 2014 at 4:49 pm
I am a proud sponsor of Washington’s magnificent annual documentary festival and this year’s list of films is outstanding. I’m delighted that director Steve James will be there with his documentary about Roger Ebert, “Life Itself.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j9ud1HUHgugAlso scheduled:
112 WEDDINGS: DIR Doug Block. USA. Filmmaker Doug Block (THE KIDS GROW UP) started filming people’s wedding videos 20 years ago as a way to make extra money. Whatever became of those hopeful brides and grooms? In this funny and often touching film, Block tracks down several of them to find out if marriage was everything they dreamed it would be.
1971: DIR Johanna Hamilton. USA. In March of 1971, a break-in occurred at an FBI field office outside of Philadelphia, PA, that resulted in the theft of every single document contained within it. The true nature of what was discovered within those files would soon prove to be more shocking than the crime itself.
ACTRESS: DIR Robert Greene. USA. After landing a part on THE WIRE, actress Brandy Burre’s career was rising fast, but she gave it up for the real life role of wife and mother in upstate New York. Now, Burre is eager to find her way back into acting, but at what cost to her family?
THE AGREEMENT: DIR Karen Stokkendal Poulsen. Denmark. Some international skirmishes happen far from battlefields; they take place in quiet negotiating rooms. Yet no matter how unassuming those spaces may be, the players can be just as immovable as their armed equivalents. THE AGREEMENT takes viewers into one such discussion – the high-stakes Serbia-Kosovo negotiations to make Serbia’s EU candidacy possible. East Coast Premiere.
ALFRED & JAKOBINE: DIRS Jonathan Howells, Tom Roberts. UK/Canada. In 1955, passionate newlyweds Alfred and Jakobine bought a beat-up old taxi cab and embarked on a memorable trip around the world. When Alfred abruptly left the marriage, it left Jakobine heartbroken. Forty years later, Alfred decides to restore their old taxi and deliver it to Jakobine as a surprise. U.S. Premiere.
ALIVE INSIDE: A STORY OF MUSIC & MEMORY: DIR Michael Rossato-Bennett. USA. Millions of elderly Americans suffer from the debilitating effects of dementia and Alzheimer’s disease. In this moving film, social worker Dan Cohen experiments with a music-based program to help these patients unlock deeply buried memories and emotions that had long been forgotten. The results will astound you.
AN HONEST LIAR: DIRS Justin Weinstein, Tyler Measom. USA. James “The Amazing” Randi has been mastering the art of illusion and sleight of hand to entertain audiences for over half a century. When he sees magicians’ tricks of the trade being used by con artists like faith healers and psychics to bilk the masses, however, Randi dedicates himself to exposing them.
APOLLONIAN STORY: DIRS Ilan Moskovitch, Dan Bronfield. Israel. For over 40 years, Nissim has been chipping away at a seaside limestone cliff just north of Tel Aviv. Though continually under construction, the intricate home he has built for himself is truly incredible. When his son comes to help for the summer, eccentricities arise that surely predate his work of passion.
ART AND CRAFT: DIRS Sam Cullman, Jennifer Grausman; co-directed by Mark Becker. USA. For 30 years, Mark Landis, one of the most skilled art forgers in U.S. history, has used his astonishing talent to duplicate the work of famous artists and dupe museum curators nationwide. Diagnosed with schizophrenia, this eccentric forger isn’t in it for the money – he prefers to donate his work.
BACK ON BOARD: DIR Cheryl Furjanic. USA. In 1988, Greg Louganis became the first male athlete in history to sweep the diving events in consecutive Olympic games. Despite his success, Louganis’ real challenges were still to come. Director Cheryl Furjanic’s (SYNC OR SWIM) film gives us an intimate glimpse into the life of one of the world’s greatest champions. World Premiere.
BRONX OBAMA: DIR Ryan Murdock. USA. Louis Ortiz was an unemployed single father from the Bronx in 2008 when people noticed that he bore an uncanny resemblance to presidential hopeful Barack Obama. With Obama’s victory, Ortiz transformed himself into a professional lookalike, joined a motley group of political impersonators and began to chase an unlikely version of the American dream.
BUTTERFLY GIRL: DIR Cary Bell. USA. Abbie Evans’ coming-of-age struggle is complicated by a rare life-threatening skin disorder, epidermolysis bullosa, which makes her body as fragile as butterfly wings. Alternately snarky and self-deprecating, optimistic and reckless, Evans is ready to assert her independence and break free from her stalwart parents in this unsentimental yet moving portrait.
DANGEROUS ACTS STARRING THE UNSTABLE ELEMENTS OF BELARUS: DIR Madeleine Sackler. USA. Go behind the scenes of the Belarus Free Theatre, an award-winning troupe of underground performers who dare to tackle dangerous topics that can easily put them behind bars. In the midst of an unstable political climate, these brave performers are constantly torn between fighting artistic censorship and worrying about their families’ safety.
DINOSAUR 13: DIR Todd Miller. USA. In 1990, a team of scientists from South Dakota’s Black Hills Institute stumbled onto a spectacular discovery – the largest and most complete Tyrannosaurus rex specimen ever found. Nicknamed “Sue,” the T. rex soon became the center of a messy custody battle involving landowners and the federal government. East Coast Premiere.
DIOR AND I: DIR Frédéric Tcheng. France. Much is afoot in the iconic House of Dior, as newly hired artistic director Raf Simons has only eight weeks to present his first haute couture collection. The unconventional Simons collaborates with Dior’s unflagging and enchanting veteran atelier seamstresses, marking the auspicious arrival of a formidable fashion persona.
THE DOG: DIRS Allison Berg, Frank Keraudren. USA. Based on true events, the classic film DOG DAY AFTERNOON tells the story of a bank robbery gone awry. Combining present-day interviews and archival footage, THE DOG introduces us to John Wojtowicz – the real-life inspiration for Al Pacino’s character – while presenting a fascinating snapshot of New York City’s LGBT liberation movement of the 1970s. East Coast Premiere.
THE FIX: DIR Laura Naylor. USA. After years of heroin addiction, a young father from the Bronx tries to turn his life around. With the support of former junkies in his community, he works towards creating effective solutions to help empower those fighting the deadly grasp of drug addiction.
THE HAND THAT FEEDS: DIRS Rachel Lears, Robin Blotnick. USA. This inspiring film focuses on a group of employees at a popular New York City eatery, many of whom are undocumented and vulnerable to being exploited. When they stand up to management to fight for better wages and working conditions, they learn how to empower themselves and emerge as leaders.
HAPPY VALLEY: DIR Amir Bar-Lev. USA. During the Penn State scandal, the media focused on the accused and the university. They missed the private tragedies – the community questioning its perceived identity, the Paternos watching their reputation slide and Jerry Sandusky’s adopted son losing his family. Bridging the public and private dramas, HAPPY VALLEY reexamines the scandal and its aftermath.
HEAVEN ADORES YOU: DIR Nickolas Rossi. USA. When singer/songwriter Elliott Smith died in 2003, it devastated the indie rock community. Smith, best known for the Academy Award®-nominated song, “Miss Misery,” was a trailblazer for Portland’s indie scene in the ’90s. Through interviews with friends and archival footage, Nickolas Rossi’s film proves a heartfelt tribute to Smith’s legacy and music. East Coast Premiere.
THE HOMESTRETCH: DIRS Anne de Mare, Kirsten Kelly. USA. High school can be tough under any circumstances, but what if there is the added burden of having no consistent place to call home? This powerful film follows three homeless teens – Kasey, Anthony and Roque – as they share their struggles and victories while navigating their way through the Chicago Public School system. U.S. Premiere. Catalyst Screening.
HOW I GOT OVER: DIR Nicole Boxer. USA. Fifteen formerly homeless women in the Washington, DC, area come together to share their harrowing life stories, bravely setting out on the path to addiction recovery. Collaborating on an original play that they will perform at the Kennedy Center, these strong and courageous women tap into artistic talents they never knew they had. World Premiere.
I AM BIG BIRD: THE CAROLL SPINNEY STORY: DIRS Chad Walker, Dave LaMattina. USA. Big Bird has been an iconic and beloved figure to all since SESAME STREET first aired in 1969. But who is the man in the Big Bird suit? This delightful film tells the story of Caroll Spinney, the amiable Muppeteer who has filled Big Bird’s huge orange feet for over 40 years. U.S. Premiere.
THE INTERNET’S OWN BOY: DIR Brian Knappenberger. USA. At 13, Aaron Swartz co-authored the Web’s RSS format. His passion to liberate information ended tragically when a disconsolate Swartz killed himself at 26 while facing federal charges regarding his attempt to replicate a proprietary database. Swartz’s inspiring life saga celebrates extraordinary accomplishment and laments the stinging absence of an unswerving visionary. East Coast Premiere. Catalyst Screening.
IVORY TOWER: DIR Andrew Rossi. USA. Over the past 30 years, the cost of higher education has increased at an alarming rate along with the mounting burden of student loan debt needed to fund a traditional college experience. Filmmaker Andrew Rossi (PAGE ONE: INSIDE THE NEW YORK TIMES) probes the future of higher education and investigates alternatives to the traditional four-year university. Catalyst Screening.
KEEP ON KEEPIN’ ON: DIR Alan Hicks. USA. Jazz trumpet legend Clark Terry has performed with such greats as Count Basie and Duke Ellington and acted as mentor to Miles Davis and Quincy Jones. When he meets blind piano prodigy Justin Kauflin, Terry works with him to pass on some of his musical gift and help Kauflin find his own voice.
LAST DAYS IN VIETNAM: DIR Rory Kennedy. USA. As the war in Vietnam draws to its inevitable close, the North Vietnamese army swiftly rolls toward Saigon. At the city’s U.S. Embassy, a small but dedicated crew of Americans must make some hard decisions in its attempts to protect the South Vietnamese allies it has been told to leave behind.
MISCONCEPTION: DIR Jessica Yu. USA. From Academy Award®-winning filmmaker Jessica Yu (BREATHING LESSON: THE LIFE AND WORK OF MARK O’BRIEN) comes this intriguing look at the attitudes surrounding population growth in different areas of the world. Tied together by the fascinating observations of statistics expert Hans Rosling, the film follows three individuals who have a personal stake in population growth within their homelands.
MUDBLOODS: DIR Farzad Sangari. USA. In the whimsical world of her wildly successful Harry Potter books, author J. K. Rowling invented the thrilling – but imaginary – sport of Quidditch. With Potter fans reaching adulthood, Quidditch has turned into a real sport that has taken college campuses by storm thanks to some creative minds and entrepreneurial spirit. World Premiere.
THE NEWBURGH STING: DIRS Kate Davis, David Heilbroner. USA. In 2009, the FBI uncovered a Muslim terror cell plotting to attack a synagogue and U.S. military aircraft. Closer analysis, including FBI hidden-camera footage, raises substantive doubts: Were these four men tenacious terrorists or merely hapless targets of entrapment caught up in a post-9/11 hunt for “red meat” to mollify a traumatized nation? Catalyst Screening.
THE OVERNIGHTERS: DIR Jesse Moss. USA. Each day busloads of men arrive in the towns of North Dakota in search of jobs. They find scarce housing, employment hassles and a hostile citizenry. Trying to practice the compassion he preaches, Jay Reinke uses his church as a home for these men while his parishioners and neighbors grow frustrated with him.
POINT AND SHOOT: DIR Marshall Curry. USA. Matthew VanDyke, a young man from the suburbs of Baltimore, dreamed about a life of adventure that seemed outside his grasp. When VanDyke decided to turn his fantasies into reality, he soon found his life heading toward a winding path that led to the front lines of the 2011 Libyan Revolution.
THE POSSIBILITIES ARE ENDLESS: DIRS Edward Lovelace, James Hall. UK. In 2005, gifted Scottish musician Edwyn Collins suffered two devastating cerebral hemorrhages that left him with large gaps in his memory and trouble with the most basic language. This inventive film artfully puts the viewer inside Collins’ experience as he fights back from the brink of death. East Coast Premiere.
THE SEARCH FOR GENERAL TSO: DIR Ian Cheney. USA. One of the most popular dishes in Chinese restaurants in America is the deep fried, slightly spicy dish known as General Tso’s chicken. But who exactly is General Tso, and why is this menu item named after him? Filmmaker Ian Cheney (THE CITY DARK) takes us on a mouth-watering journey to the root of this amusing mystery.
SILENCED: DIR James Spione. USA. The term “whistleblower” is usually attached to controversy, and those who expose misconduct within an organization often stand to lose everything. This film looks at the post-9/11 crackdown on those who attempt to lift the veil on U.S. national security practices and the devastating costs that come with telling the truth.
SLAYING THE BADGER: DIR John Dower. USA. Greg LeMond was the first American to win the prestigious Tour de France. This engaging story looks back at the 1986 Tour in which LeMond went neck and neck with teammate, mentor and fierce competitor Bernard Hinault – nicknamed “The Badger” – whose promise to help LeMond win was abandoned in the heat of competition.
SLINGSHOT: DIR Paul Lazarus. USA. Dean Kamen invented the Segway and lives in a house with secret passages and a heliport. His latest passion is the SlingShot water purification system created to obliterate half of human illness. Kamen reminisces about accepting dyslexia, foregoing parenthood and losing his brother to cancer, while lamenting he has only one lifetime for inventing.
SOFT VENGEANCE: ALBIE SACHS AND THE NEW SOUTH AFRICA: DIR Abby Ginzberg. USA/ South Africa. In 1955, the People’s Congress declared, “South Africa belongs to all who live in it.” SOFT VENGEANCE focuses on Albie Sachs, a leading member of the National Conference in South Africa who was forced into exile for many years. The film recounts Sachs’ story through personal interviews and historical footage.
THE SPECIAL NEED: DIR Carlo Zoratti. Italy/Germany. Enea is in his late twenties and longs to experience the pleasures of a sexual relationship. However, the challenges of autism make finding the right mate difficult. In this sensitive and charming film, Enea enlists the help of his two closest friends and embarks on a road trip to seek help from sex workers. East Coast Premiere.
THE SUPREME PRICE: DIR Joanna Lipper. USA/Nigeria. In 1993, Nigeria elected MKO Abiola as president, ending the reign of military leadership. Shortly after the presidential election, Abiola was imprisoned and his wife, Kudirat, became the leader of the Nigerian pro-democracy movement. THE SUPREME PRICE weaves the past and the present of the Abiola family through the eyes of their daughter, Hafsat Abiola.
UKRAINE IS NOT A BROTHEL: DIR Kitty Green. Australia/Ukraine. Ukraine’s feminist group FEMEN creates quite a stir when the women demonstrate topless across European borders to protest against the patriarchal regime in their native country. As the protests gain international attention, however, questions grow as to who is the real driving force behind these outspoken women and their campaign for change.
VIRUNGA: DIR Orlando von Einsiedel. USA. In the DRC exists Africa’s oldest national park containing the last natural habitat for endangered mountain gorillas. As civil unrest grows within the Congo, a British oil company pursues efforts to drill within the park. VIRUNGA highlights the small number of dedicated individuals fighting to secure the park’s borders.
WE ARE THE GIANT: DIR Greg Barker. USA/UK. The recent Arab Spring uprisings were often organized by young people who embraced the tools of social media to communicate and call for lasting change within their governments. This powerful and inspiring film talks to some of these young activists to discover what drives them forward despite great personal risk. East Coast Premiere.
WHEN THE GARDEN WAS EDEN: DIR Michael Rapaport. USA. The time was the late 1960s and the “Garden” was Madison Square Garden in this fond look back at the New York Knicks basketball team, which meant little to New Yorkers at the time. But with new coaching and a band of talented players with personality, the team turned the sport around for the city.
WHITEY: UNITED STATES V. JAMES J. BULGER: DIR Joe Berlinger. USA. For decades, legendary gangster James “Whitey” Bulger ruled South Boston with seemingly free reign. After spending 16 years in hiding, however, Bulger is finally put on trial to answer for his crimes. AFI DOCS 2012 Guggenheim honoree and acclaimed filmmaker Joe Berlinger (PARADISE LOST Trilogy) sheds new light on Bulger’s notorious history amid allegations of deep corruption within law enforcement.
X-Men: Days of Future Past
Posted on May 22, 2014 at 6:00 pm
X-Men fans will see this film anticipating the pleasure of watching their favorite X-Men characters in one of the comic book series most acclaimed storylines: the time-bending saga of a desperate trip to the past to undo one tragic mistake. Wolverine, Mystique, and the old and new versions of Professor X and Magneto are all here and there are grandly staged action scenes involving the White House lawn, Chinese ruins, and a sports stadium. But the powerhouse knock-you-socks-off what-did-I-just-see moments come from a new character in the movie franchise, Quicksilver (Evan Peters), who does a little time-bending of his own in the most dull and domestic of settings, a kitchen. Well, it’s a kitchen in the Pentagon, but still. Part “Matrix,” part Chuck Jones, it is sure to be on end of the year best lists. And of course Jennifer Lawrence is terrific as the conflicted Raven/Mystique, whose loyalties shift almost as often as her chameleonic exterior, and who looks sensational in a costume so revealing that would make a Las Vegas showgirl look like she’s wearing a parka.
Marvel’s X-Men are mutants, the next stage of evolution past homo sapiens, with a range of intriguing and sometimes mutable superpowers. They also represent the next stage of evolution as superheroes, with conflicted characters and complex extended storylines that resonate the themes of societal, political, and psychological struggles. Characters go back and forth between the “good guy” (want to work with humans) and “bad guy” (believe humans can never accept or keep up with them so they should be wiped out in a Darwinian overthrow of the less-fit) teams.
We’ve seen the present-day X-Men in a trilogy of films and stand-out Wolverine (Hugh Jackman) in two starring vehicles. And saw the origins of the first X-Men, Charles Xavier, known as Professor X, and Erik Lehnsherr, known as Magneto, in X-Men: First Class. Now, everything comes together in the time-travel saga “Days of Future Past,” a little bit “Terminator,” a little bit “Back to the Future,” as Wolverine goes back in time to change one event in order to prevent the creation of an army of killer robot drones that wiped out most of the mutants and humanity, too.
This will require getting the band back together, including teaming up sometime friends/sometime enemies Charles Xavier (played in the past by James McAvoy and in the present and future by Patrick Stewart) and Magneto (played in the past by Michael Fassbender and in the present and future by Ian McKellen). (Nerd note: In the comic book series, it is Kitty Pryde (Ellen Page) who transmits her consciousness back in time to her younger self, but in the movie she sends Wolverine’s consciousness back to his younger self instead.) Thankfully, they minimize the “How do I know you’re really from the future?” stuff and get to the action, starting with breaking Magneto out of the most secure prison facility on earth, buried under the Pentagon. This is where Quicksilver comes in very handy.
Newcomers will enjoy the action and it may lead them to check out the earlier movies and the comics to find out more about the X-Men universe. Fanboys and fangirls will appreciate a couple of insider references. Those old enough to remember the 70’s will appreciate some insider references, too, like the recording device in Richard Nixon’s oval office and the synth-infused score. As in all the best X-Men stories, the themes feel visceral to our times — national security, the definition of “other.” Just don’t try to resolve all the temporal anomalies, and you’ll have a blast.
Parents should know that this film has extended action/comic-book humor, with many characters injured and killed, guns, explosions, fire, some graphic and disturbing images, some strong language, drug use, brief nudity and very revealing attire.
Family discussion: If you could go back in history and change one thing, what would it be? If you could have any of the powers of the X-Men, what would you choose? How should the government make decisions about threats like the X-Men?
If you like this, try: the other “X-Men” movies and “The Avengers”
Blended
Posted on May 22, 2014 at 6:00 pm
Oh, if perennial Razzie-winner Adam Sandler must keep making movies, I suppose they are less terrible when he includes his sweetest co-star, Drew Barrymore. She always brings out the best in him (“The Wedding Singer,” “50 First Dates”). The imperishable sunniness of Drew can somehow persuade us that Sandler is not as unlikeable as he seems. Sandler just might escape the Razzie award for cinematic atrocity this year. That might not be progress, but at least it’s a respite.
Thankfully, Sandler does not do that awful baby-voice or force Rob Schneider into another disgusting cameo in “Blended,” and no one has sex with an old lady. So, as Adam Sandler movies go, this is not as terrible as some of them. Yay! Of course that does not mean that Sandler foregoes his trademarks: a lot of gross-out humor involving bodily parts and functions, adults behaving like children and children precociously preoccupied with sex, and a lazy, almost haphazard approach to the story. Plus: Sandler regulars Kevin Nealon and Alexis Arquette, the genuinely funny Terry Crews and Wendy McLendon-Covey (“Bridesmaids”), a bunch of less funny people in the credits with the last name “Sandler,” a walloping product placement placement from a tourism bureau, this time South Africa, and a gooey, sentimental, retro vibe to remind us that boys are boys and girls are girls and it is great to be part of a family. While there was laughter in the theater, it is telling that following a fire alarm and brief evacuation, about a third of the audience decided not to come back. Consider yourself warned.
Sandler plays Jimmy, manager of a sporting goods store and single father of three girls he calls by boy names, one named for his favorite television network: Espn. He dresses them in khakis and polo shirts. Drew plays Lauren, a single mother of two sons, one who throws tantrums when he strikes out in Little League, one exploding with adolescent hormones.
We meet Jimmy and Lauren on their disastrous blind date, for each of them the first date since before they were married. They are awkward with each other and agonizingly uncomfortable. He brings her to Hooters. She has not one but two spit-takes. He looks at the TV while she’s talking. “There’s a very tight game going on up there.” And he insults her closet organizing business. “Did you start by organizing glove compartments?” They agree on just one thing — they never want to see each other again.
But then they end up on the same trip to Africa. Lauren and Jimmy discover they are on the “blended family-moon,” a special week for second-marriage couples and their children. Their loathing turns to respect and affection as they go on adventures and bond with each other’s children. If you guessed that this bonding would include a makeover for Jimmy’s 15-year-old girl (hair extensions, lipstick, miniskirt) to help her achieve her goal (attention from a boy) and batting practice and boxing lessons for Lauren’s sons, then you are familiar with the “Brady Bunch”/Bazooka Joe level of plot and character development that Sandler inflicts on his fans. The retro humor crosses the line from lazy to skeezy, with locker-room-style gender and sexual orientation jokes that were outdated twenty years ago.
Intended to be a laugh riot: a child repeatedly having his head slammed into walls and doors when his mother tries to carry him, a young teenager who puts his babysitter’s face on a nude fold-out that he keeps under his bed, a “meet cute” involving the two leads’ mutual inability to cope in the drugstore as Jimmy is trying to buy tampons for his daughter and Lauren is trying to buy porn for her son. There is attempted comedy about the appropriate tampon circumference for a 15-year-old and the appropriate masturbation material for a middle schooler.
Closer to the mark: the always-great Terry Crews as a pec-popping tummeler with a traveling group of township jive-singers, ubiquitous white minivans, and a couple of the jokes. A couple as in two.
Most of the jokes are disappointingly lazy, as usual in Sandler films. These are joke-ish, not actual jokes. In one scene, Jimmy’s youngest daughter (a darling Emma Fuhrmann) looks in a mirror and realizes that what she thought was cute kitty cat make-up face paint applied by her father was a mess. She screams that she looks like the “Walking Dead.” This is supposed to be funny because she is surprised that it looks different from what she envisioned and because a little kid knows about “The Walking Dead.”
But it’s a sloppy, easy, cheap joke, and it’s a sloppy, easy, cheap movie. Sandler should keep working with Drew Barrymore, and next time he should also film a script that has had more than one draft.
Parents should know that this movie includes very strong and crude language for a PG-13 and a lot of sexual humor including extended references to teen masturbation and discussion of adultery and divorce and jokes about Kegel exercises, bondage, a 15-year-old’s private parts, cameltoe, animals having sex, and giving someone a rufie. There is comic peril and violence and a sad off-screen death of a parent and a joke about developmental disabilities.
Family discussion: What did Lauren and Jimmy learn from watching each other as parents? Which of the activities in Africa would you like to try?
If you like this, try: “The Wedding Singer”