DocumentaryFrom Executive Producer Johnny Knoxville, this edgy and often hilarious look at a dying breed of American outcasts exposes the corruption, poverty, and West Virginia's environmentally and culturally devastating coal mining culture.
DocumentaryMetallica: Some Kind of Monster is the groundbreaking and critically acclaimed 2004 documentary that follows the band through three of the most turbulent years in their three decade-long career. Directed by the award-winning team of Joe Berlinger & Bruce Sinofsky, Metallica: Some Kind of Monster gives viewers an incredibly raw and intimate look into the lives and psyches of the members of one of the most successful rock bands in music history as they battle their way through addiction, domestic life, backlash from their fans, and near-total disintegration during the making of their St. Anger album.
This film includes Joe Berlinger’s bonus feature, Metallica: This Monster Lives, a brand new 25-minute short film commemorating the 10th anniversary of Some Kind of Monster. The new film takes us behind-the-scenes of the world premiere of the band's 3D hybrid concert film Metallica: Through The Never, including new interviews with the band and also with Joe Berlinger and Bruce Sinofsky
DocumentaryThis is a remarkably revealing documentary about Robert Crumb, the creator of such underground comics as "Fritz the Cat." Director Terry Zwigoff, an old friend and colleague, links the hilariously rendered and rather peculiar obsessions of Crumb's graphic work to the artist's fantastically dysfunctional family.
DocumentaryThe Golden Gate Bridge is an iconic structure; a symbol of San Francisco, the West, freedom - and something more, something spiritual, something words cannot describe.Director Eric Steel and his crew spent an entire year focusing on the Bridge. Running cameras for almost every daylight minute, they documented nearly two dozen suicides and a great many unrealized attempts. In addition, the director captured nearly 100 hours of incredibly frank, deeply personal, often heart-wrenching interviews with the families and friends of the departed, as well as with several of the attempters themselves.The Bridge is a visual and visceral journey into one of life's gravest taboos, offering glimpses into the darkest, and possibly most impenetrable corners of the human mind.
DocumentaryThe cocaine trade of the 70s and 80s had an indelible impact on contemporary Miami. Smugglers and distributors forever changed a once sleepy retirement community into one of the world’s most glamorous hot spots, the epicenter of a $20 billion annual business fed by Colombia’s Medellin cartel. By the early 80s, Miami’s tripled homicide rate had made it the murder capital of the country, for which a Time cover story dubbed the city “Paradise Lost.”
With COCAINE COWBOYS, filmmaker Billy Corben – whose first feature Raw Deal: A Question Of Consent, caused a sensation at the 2001 Sundance Film Festival – paints a dazzling portrait of a cultural explosion that still echoes as Hollywood myth, evidenced by the latest manifestation, NBC/Universal’s Miami Vice, opening July 28th. Composer of the original “Miami Vice” theme, Jan Hammer, provides the score.
Music DocumentariesOn January 28, 1985, as famine devastated the African continent, a stellar roster of musical talent entered a recording studio in Los Angeles, CA, to make a record dedicated to alleviating hunger in the Third World. The song was called "We Are the World," the collected artists billed themselves as "USA for Africa," and the single became a phenomenon, raising over $60 million for African famine relief. We Are the World: The Story Behind the Song is a documentary which examines how the song was written, how producer Quincy Jones and songwriters Michael Jackson and Lionel Richie persuaded some of the most popular performers in America to donate their services to the project, and offers a behind-the-scenes look at the marathon recording session that produced the single. Performers include Ray Charles, Bruce Springsteen, Tina Turner, Bob Dylan, Stevie Wonder, Billy Joel, Willie Nelson, Paul Simon, Bette Midler, Diana Ross, and many more.
DocumentaryHollywood outcast, best-selling author and chronicler of the rich and famous, Dominick Dunne was one of the world's leading journalists and society commentators. This is his story. Vanity Fair Special Correspondent Dominick Dunne became known the world over for his vociferous championing of the rights of the victim in high-profile murder cases. His powerful commentaries made compelling reading in Vanity Fair for a quarter of a century. In this film, the 82-year-old Dunne covers his last murder trial for Vanity Fair -- the trial of music producer Phil Spector -- and reflects upon his past as a decorated WWII Veteran, his rise and spectacular collapse as a Hollywood producer, and his rebirth as the writer we know today. Dunne's mind offers a fascinating insight into the American psyche and its obsession with fame. Featuring Vanity Fair editor Graydon Carter, Tina Brown, Joan Didion, Griffin Dunne and New York Post gossip columnist Liz Smith as well as legendary Hollywood producer Robert
DocumentaryThis award-winning documentary investigates what experts label the most important political and environmental issue of the 21st Century: the world water crisis. Salina builds a case against the growing privatization of the world's dwindling fresh water supply with an unflinching focus on politics, pollution, human rights, and the emergence of a domineering world water cartel.
DocumentaryJamie Johnson (twenty-year-old heir to the Johnson & Johnson pharmaceutical empire) turns his camera on himself and ten of his friends, offering a remarkably personable documentary about one of the smallest and least-likely-to-agree-to-be-interviewed minorities on the planet: the children of the vastly rich.
DocumentaryAn up-close, honest, and uncompromising look at the crisis in Darfur, THE DEVIL CAME ON HORSEBACK exposes the ongoing tragedy in Sudan as seen through the eyes of one American witness.Using the exclusive photographs and first hand testimony of former U.S. Marine Captain Brian Steidle, the film goes on an emotionally charged journey into the heart of Darfur, Sudan, where in 2004, Steidle became witness to a genocide that to-date has claimed over 400,000 lives. As an official military observer, Steidle had access to parts of the country that no journalist could penetrate. Unprepared for what he would witness and experience, Steidle returned to the U.S. armed with his photographs, intent on exposing the images and stories of lives systematically destroyed. A 2007 world premiere at the Sundance Film Festival, this astonishingly propulsive and dramatic film from award-winning filmmakers Annie Sundberg and Ricki Stern (The Trials of Darryl Hunt), is a heartfelt account of what this particula
DocumentaryLost In La Mancha may be the first "un-making of" documentary. In a genre that exists to hype films before their release, Lost in La Mancha presents an unexpected twist: it is the story of a film that does not exist. Following Terry Gilliam's attempt to bring Don Quixote to the big screen, Lost in La Mancha offers a unique, in-depth look at the harsher realities of filmmaking. With drama that ranges from personal conflicts to epic storms, this is a record of a film disintegrating. In the best tradition of documentary filmmaking, Lost in La Mancha captures all the drama of this story through "fly-on-the-wall" verite footage and on-the-spot interviews. Gilliam's plans for the non-existent film come alive in animations of his storyboards, narrated and voiced by co-writer Tony Grisoni and Gilliam himself. And with the camera tests of the leading actors and the rushes from the only six days of photography, Lost in La Mancha offers a tantalizing glimpse of the cinematic spectacle that migh
DocumentaryWinner of the Special Jury Prize at the Sundance Film Festival, this astonishing real-life mystery continues to haunt audiences around the world. Jupiter's Wife tells the story of Maggie, a beguiling homeless woman living in New York City's Central Park. In her forties, Maggie's vibrant personality and unconventional persona attract the attention of acclaimed filmmaker Michel Negroponte, who accompanies Maggie as she wanders the park with her pack of dogs and an enormous backpack. A captivating jumble of cryptic stories, Maggie's conversation is laced with intrigue and startling claims; among them, she claims to be the daughter of the Hollywood movie star Robert Ryan and married to the Roman god Jupiter. Fascinated, Negroponte and his camera follow Maggie for the next two years, as clue by clue, her enigma is deciphered and an astonishing story is revealed.
DocumentaryA Year and a Half captures the band working in the studio on their groundbreaking 1991 album, Metallica (over 30 million worldwide sales). Featuring the videos "Enter Sandman," "The Unforgiven" and "Nothing Else Matters", the film also covers the saga of Metallica on tour as it unfolds through concert performances, jam sessions and daily adventures in locker rooms, hotel rooms and arenas around the world.
DocumentaryHarvard professors Richard Alpert and Timothy Leary made countercultural history in 1963 when they were fired for conducting controversial psychedelic drug research. In the purple haze aftermath, Alpert journeyed to India and found his guru Maharaj Ji, who renamed him Ram Dass ("Servant of God"). Best known for his 1971 bestseller "Be Here Now," which was a spiritual touchstone of the era, Ram Dass became an inspiration to people across the globe. Filmmaker Mickey Lemle—who has known his subject for more than twenty-five years—intersperses vivid archival footage from hippiedom's glory days with intimate glimpses of Ram Dass today, as he continues to remake his life since being—in his words—"stroked" in 1997.
DocumentaryIn 1997, Jonathan Stack and Liz Garbus spent a year filming inside of Louisiana’s maximum-security penitentiary. Surrounded on three sides by the Mississippi River and spread across 18,000 acres, Angola with 5000 inmates, is one of the oldest and largest prisons in the US. Louisiana doles out sentences so extremes that 95% of those who enter its gates die here. A slave plantation until the end of the Civil War and a prison ever since, Angola was long considered the bloodiest prison in the country. “The Farm: Life Inside Angola Prison” intimately captured the day-to-day reality of six men living – and dying – in America’s most infamous penal institution. In the process, it captured their innate humanity, and the relationships and community that they build to sustain one another. By revealing a powerful and universal truth – that to err is human and to forgive, Divine – “The Farm” touched an enormous and receptive audience and garnered many of cinema and broadcast’s
DocumentaryTold with a remarkable sense of intimacy, visual style and musical panache, Susanne Rostock's inspiring biographical documentary SING YOUR SONG surveys the life and times of singer/actor/activist Harry Belafonte. From his rise to fame as a singer and his experiences touring a segregated country to his provocative crossover into Hollywood, Belafonte's groundbreaking career personifies the American civil rights movement. Rostock reveals Belafonte as a tenacious hands-on activist who worked intimately with Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., mobilized celebrities for social justice, participated in the struggle against apartheid in South Africa and took action to counter gang violence, prisons, and the incarceration of youth.
DocumentaryU.S. policy forbids women from serving in military units whose primary objective is direct ground combat. So how did a group of female support soldiers end up fighting alongside Marines in some of the most violent counterinsurgency battles of the Iraq War? Powerful and provocative, Lioness traces the stories of five female support soldiers who served in Iraq in various capacities - mechanic, supply clerk, engineer - and ultimately became the first women in American history to be sent into direct ground combat. The film follows the Lionesses' rapid progression from diffusing tensions with local civilians to fierce street-level combat in Ramadi, and in doing so raises such issues as gender and warfare and the deep divide between policy and practice. Together, the experiences of these women illuminate the emotional and psychological effects of war from a uniquely female perspective. Narrating the Lioness stories through a wide array of mediums including first-hand accounts, archival foota
DocumentaryAyrton Senna was a racing driver and triple Formula One world champion. A passionate athlete who was revered and feared by his contemporaries, Senna's life and career (although cut short) is one that is etched into the history books. He was born into a wealthy Brazilian family. He competed in 161 Grand Prix over 10 years. And he took 64 pole positions, winning a massive 41. He has been described as charismatic, single-minded and totally focused, as well as lauded by his peers as "An extraordinary driver and an extraordinary person". Ayrton Senna was the idol for millions of Formula One fans, one of them being champion Lewis Hamilton. We take you on a chronological journey of the personal and professional life of this amazingly gifted sporting champion.
DocumentaryNamed "one of the 25 most dangerous films of all time”, "Sick" is the internationally acclaimed film about comedian and performance artist Bob Flanagan whose experiences with S&M helped him manage his painful disease Cystic Fibrosis. A deeply moving, often hilarious profile of one of the most unique artists of this century, "Sick" follows Flanagan's strikingly original art and life over several decades as he explores the limits of pain, sexuality, love, and death.
DocumentaryA subjective documentary that explores the numerous theories about the hidden meanings within Stanley Kubrick’s film The Shining (1980). The film may be over 30 years old but it continues to inspire debate, speculation, and mystery. Five very different points of view are illuminated through voice over, film clips, animation and dramatic reenactments. Together they’ll draw the audience into a new maze, one with endless detours and dead ends, many ways in, but no way out.
NEITHER THIS FILM, NOR ANY VIEW OR OPINION EXPRESSED IN IT, NOR THE CONTEXT IN WHICH FILM FOOTAGE AND IMAGES ARE USED, IS APPROVED OR ENDORSED BY, OR IS IN ANY WAY ASSOCIATED WITH, THE KUBRICK 1981 TRUST, STANLEY KUBRICK’S FAMILY, WARNER BROS. ENTERTAINMENT INC., OR ANYONE ELSE CONNECTED WITH THE MAKING OF THE MOTION PICTURE THE SHINING (“THE SHINING FILMMAKERS”). THE VIEWS AND OPINIONS EXPRESSED IN THIS DOCUMENTARY FILM ARE SOLELY THOSE OF THE COMMENTATORS IN IT AND DO NOT REFLECT THE VIEWS OF STANLEY KUBRI
DocumentaryThey have 6 hours to save democracy as the country teeters on the brink of civil war. This real-life political thriller imagines a nation-wide insurrection in which members of the U.S. military defect to support a losing candidate, while the sitting President and advisors—played by an all-star roster of officials from the last 5 U.S. administrations—war game the crisis in the situation room.
DocumentaryThe landmark documentary that sparked an international movement to "Free the West Memphis Three," Paradise Lost investigates the gruesome 1993 murder of three eight-year-old boys and the three teenagers accused of killing them as part of a Satanic ritual. From real-life courtroom drama and clandestine jailhouse interviews to behind-the-scenes strategy meetings and intimate moments with grief-stricken families, acclaimed filmmakers Joe Berlinger and Bruce Sinofsky were granted unprecedented access to all the players involved, capturing the events as they unfolded.
DocumentaryThe moviemaker's career comes into sharp focus in this compelling documentary narrated by Tom Cruise. Fascinating footage glimpses Kubrick in his early years, at work on film sets and at home, augmented by candid commentary from collaborators, colleagues and family.
DocumentaryDan Klores' CRAZY LOVE tells the astonishing story of the obsessive roller-coaster relationship of Burt and Linda Pugach, which shocked the nation during the summer of 1959. Burt, a 32-year-old, married attorney, and Linda, a beautiful, single 20-year-old girl living in the Bronx, had a whirlwind romance, which culminated in a violent and psychologically complex set of actions that landed the pair's saga on the cover of endless newspapers and magazines.
DocumentaryHailed by Roger Ebert as one of the 10 greatest films ever made, Academy Award winner Errol Morris (The Fog of War, The Thin Blue Line) turns his focus to a unique subject matter, pet cemeteries, their inhabitants, and the world of pet owners. When the Foothill Memorial Gardens pet cemetery, located north of San Francisco, closed (its land was sold for a housing project), the 450 animals interred there had to be moved to Bubbling Well Memorial Park in nearby Napa. Morris saw the transfer as an opportunity to explore the world of pet owners who are so devoted that they see nothing odd about giving their animals a full dose of the last rites. His simple technique was to film his subjects, usually seated, talking about their loved ones, alternating with shots of the two cemeteries and the move. This indie from IFC Films weaves an eccentric portrait of the American dream.
DocumentaryDoes God really condemn loving homosexual relationships? Is the chasm separating Christianity from gays and lesbians too wide to cross? Is the Bible an excuse to hate? These questions and more are answered in this award-winning documentary, which brilliantly reconciles homosexuality and Biblical scripture – and reveals that religious anti-gay bias is based almost solely upon a misinterpretation of the Bible. Through the experiences of five very normal, Christian, American families – including those of former House Majority Leader Richard Gephardt and Episcopal Bishop Gene Robinson – we discover how people of faith handle the realization of having a gay child or family member. Offering healing, clarity and understanding to anyone caught in the crosshairs of scripture and sexual identity, this landmark film “boldly takes on a loaded topic and examines it both intellectually and emotionally; the result may well leave you blinking away a few tears.” - Seattle Times.
DocumentaryIn less than 10 years--from 1964 to his untimely death in 1973--Bruce Lee rocketed to fame, becoming the first martial arts superstar. From humble beginnings in Hong Kong, he overcame racial prejudice in his rise to international stardom and left a legacy that influences martial arts and popular entertainment three decades after his passing. This film features previously unseen footage of Bruce Lee sparring, fight scenes from Lee's films and interviews with co-workers, friends and family to document the short but fascinating life of a phenomenal man.
DocumentaryA study on the alarming number of c-sections and deliveries with traumatic interventions currently practiced. The experts tell their experiences, question the dominant medical option at delivery, ethics and the future of the profession.
Music DocumentariesGeorge Michael: A Different Story is a deep dive into the life of the late great British singer. It covers major turning points in George Michael’s life, from forming Wham! in his teens, the worldwide success to why he chose to embark on a solo career, as well as the more controversial moments in Michael’s career.
DocumentaryJerome Gary, the director of Pumping Iron which brought fame to Arnold Schwarzenegger, directed and produced the documentary STRIPPERS. The film gives an insiders look at the profession of stripping and at the women who choose to enter it. The strippers appear as themselves, and the focus centers on the stories of a few women who compete in an international striptease contest held in Las Vegas. Janette Boyd, a seasoned Vegas dancer, works diligently to save money for the future of her young daughter and herself, only to be betrayed by a man who steals her entire investment. Kimberly Holcomb plays Danyal, a young woman who shares stories of her attraction to sadomasochism, and plans a stage act in which she will use fake blood. Accustomed to their hometown ‘regulars’ who don’t view the girls as merely sex objects, the atmosphere of the competiton comes as a hard blow. The film presents a poignant glimpse at the lives of these women and at the reasons they have chosen stripping as
DocumentaryMoshe Rynecki (1881-1943) was a prolific Warsaw-based artist who painted scenes of the Polish-Jewish community until he was murdered at Majdanek concentration camp. After the Holocaust, Moshe’s wife was only able to recover a small fraction of his work, but unbeknownst to the family, many other pieces survived. For more than a decade his great-granddaughter Elizabeth has searched for the missing art, with remarkable and unexpected success. Spanning three generations, Chasing Portraits is a deeply moving narrative of the richness of one man’s art, the devastation of war, and one woman’s unexpected path to healing.
DocumentaryTalented, charming, wonderful and flamboyant all of these characterize the amazing Liberace who became an entertainment sensation headlining and selling out shows for almost fifty years. This biography tracks the lifetime of this amazing man who brought song, laughter and beauty to the world with his music and his collections of art and antiquities. Often being characterized as the most flamboyant entertainer ever see Liberace laugh at himself as he takes everything in stride coining his popular phrase, I laughed all the way to the bank! This film shows rare and personal moments with Liberace as he speaks to his hope that his life will have brought even a few moments of happiness and laughter to others lives.
DocumentaryA fairy couple tries to steal a man's shadow. Another takes a man's wife. And yet another, claims a retired police chief, braided a horse's mane! "The little people." You can shrug them off as superstition, but what explains their perennial appeal? As a boy, filmmaker John Walker learned the difference between a fairy tale and the fairy faith from his grandmother, who told him that if your heart is open, the fairies and their fabled world can be seen in the landscape. In search of this ancient belief, Walker travels to the moors of England, the Highlands of Scotland and sacred sites in Ireland and Cape Breton. He meets a storyteller who saves an ancient fairy thorn bush from town developers, a painter who conjures up their magical features, and a Mi'kmaq elder who gives advice on how to understand the mysterious lot. Magnificently photographed and set to a score of otherworldly music, The Fairy Faith spirits us away into another dimension.
DocumentaryFollowing more than three decades of war and five devastating years of Taliban rule, pop culture is beginning to return to Afghanistan. Since 2005, millions have been tuning in to Tolo TV's wildly popular American Idol-style series "Afghan Star." Like its Western predecessors, contestants compete for a cash prize and record deal. More surprisingly, the contest is open to everyone across the country despite gender, ethnicity or age. And when viewers vote for their favorites via cell phone, it is, for many, their first encounter with the democratic process. This timely and moving film follows the dramatic stories of four young finalists—two men and two very brave women—as they hazard everything to become the nation's favorite performer. By observing the Afghani people's relationship to their pop culture, AFGHAN STAR is the perfect window into a country's tenuous, ongoing struggle for modernity. What Americans consider frivolous entertainment is downright revolutionary in this embattl
DocumentaryA social and political portrait of a post-revolution Cuba through a beautiful love story. Two young artists met in the 80s and despite a lot of prejudice and obstacles, the couple stayed together for more than 35 years.
DocumentaryMade following the discovery of amateur footage shot in China in 1966 during the first and most radical stage of the Cultural Revolution, IN THE INTENSE NOW speaks to the fleeting nature of moments of great intensity. Scenes of China are set alongside archival images of the events of 1968 in France, Czechoslovakia, and, to a lesser extent, Brazil. In keeping with the tradition of the film-essay, they serve to investigate how the people who took part in those events continued onward after passions had cooled. The footage, all of it archival, not only reveals the state of mind of those filmed—joy, enchantment, fear, disappointment, dismay—but also sheds light on the relationship between a document and its political context. What can one say of Paris, Prague, Rio de Janeiro, or Beijing by looking at the images of the period? Why did each of these cities produce a specific sort of record?
Music Feature FilmsA visual and cultural history of the Beatles. Packed with dozens of never before seen film clips, ultra rare photographs and exclusive interviews, John, Paul, George and Ringo come alive in this intelligent, compelling, inside glimpse into the inner-circle of the greatest music group ever. Included in this all-star production are not only the Beatles themselves, but other well known insiders like Lennon Intimates; Frederic Seaman and Yoko Ono. Also lending their exclusive insights are former Beatle Pete Best, The Maharishi and Eric Clapton. Also included is, Beatlemania!, a rare newsreel documenting the Beatles arrival in London after their triumphant U.S. tour. For the casual fan, committed Beatlemaniac or serious student of pop culture, this program is a magical mystery tour of sights and sounds of an era whose incredible force is still being felt today. This program contains no music by the Beatles and is not an authorized product by their firm Apple Corp Ltd. or any of their associ
Documentary"Jasper Mall" chronicles a year in the life of a dying shopping mall, its patrons, and its tenants. There’s no denying retro malls are having a moment. Between the setting of the new season of “Stranger Things” and the countless videos of dead mall tours gathering millions of plays on YouTube, the mystique of the “mall” is everywhere. "Jasper Mall" peels back the curtain on this nostalgic reflection to show the reality of the American mall, complete with shuttering stores, elderly mall-walkers, an optimistic mall manager, a series of community events designed to increase foot traffic, muzak echoing through empty corridors, and the constant threat of impending closure that hovers over so many malls in the 21st century. It’s a community on the brink of disappearance, and yet around every corner, there exists a strange beauty and a new kind of Americana that reflects the unique, touching, and frequently hilarious realities of the shopping mall in the internet age.
DocumentaryBold and resilient, five classy hoofers of Harlem’s 1930s golden age are still "bustin' a move" and donning sequins to dance for sold-out crowds. From their tap-dance days in chorus lines of the Harlem Renaissance, these awesome divas have never lost their gratitude for where their feet have taken them, and they’re still not ready to hang up their shoes. With singular candor and sly wit, they also share with us their rich legacy. They performed with the likes of Bill Bojangles Robinson, Cab Calloway and Duke Ellington; they were the leaders of the historic strike at the Apollo Theater that established AGVA; and they toured in the first black USO show -- stealing the “for colored only” signs off trains in the American South. Fueled by a music score that ranges over 8 decades of evolving jazz styles and directed by Sundance-winner Heather Lyn MacDonald. "The Silver Belles are bold, brash and gorgeously awake, and their willingness to live large is thrilling.
DocumentaryTummy tuck. Nose job. Lipo. Millions of people routinely undergo these cosmetic surgeries each year, hoping the results will help them look and feel better. But when something goes wrong, the consequences can be devastating. This HBO Documentary Films presentation exposes the dark side of plastic surgery with a shocking look at three case studies of procedures that went horrifically wrong. Featuring operating-room footage, home videos, personal 'before' and 'after' photos and interviews with patients' doctors and lawyers, the film reveals the physical and emotional havoc wrought by subsequent corrective surgeries, the toll it takes on family and friends, and the knowledge that patients' ordeals could have been avoided had they not had plastic surgery in the first place.
SportsFinishing the race is like winning the race. For 4 days each year, in a sleepy little town in the Austrian Alps, 1300 motocross riders from 27 nations across 4 continents all converge for one of the most grueling, gut-checking torture tests man and motorcycle have ever faced. They’ll battle against a mountain so fierce, it’s called the Iron Giant and of all the challengers to this race, only a few will finish. The world’s top riders bang their heads with The Iron Giant. This race beckons the best of the best. The Enduro at Erzberg features the finest American and European Champions from Motocross, Freestyle MX and Enduro racing who face the most challenging course in the world and only the best will survive it. This edition features the unstoppable David Knight as he goes for his second win in a row at Erzberg. Also joining the party is Nitro Circus crew Travis Pastrana, Ronnie Renner and Gregg Godfrey. But a special appearance by Jeremy McGrath brings an allstar lineup to challe
DocumentaryAt the height of his criminal career, the infamous Dr. H.H. Holmes designed his castle of horrors in Chicago, where he rented rooms to unsuspecting victims visiting the 1893 World's Fair.
Music DocumentariesFrom BAFTA Award-winning director Asif Kapadia (SENNA), AMY tells the incredible story of six-time Grammy-winner Amy Winehouse – in her own words. Featuring extensive unseen archival footage and previously unheard tracks, this strikingly modern, moving and vital film shines a light on the world we live in, in a way that very few can. A once-in-a-generation talent, Amy Winehouse was a musician that captured the world’s attention. A pure jazz artist in the most authentic sense – she wrote and sung from the heart using her musical gifts to analyze her own problems. The combination of her raw honesty and virtuosity resulted in some of the most unique and adored songs of the modern era. But her massive success resulted in relentless and invasive media attention, which coupled with Amy’s troubled relationships and precarious lifestyle, saw her life tragically begin to unravel, resulting in her untimely death in July 2011 at the age of 27.
DocumentaryWinner of the 2010 Sundance Film Festival Grand Jury Prize for documentary, RESTREPO chronicles the deployment of a platoon of U.S. soldiers in Afghanistan's Korengal Valley, one of the most dangerous postings in the U.S. military. The movie focuses on 15 soldiers based at "Outpost Restrepo," named after a platoon medic killed early in the deployment. Filmed by author Sebastian Junger ("War") and award-winning photographer Tim Hetherington, RESTREPO takes viewers on their own 90-minute deployment, without comment or agenda. This is war, full stop. A National Geographic Entertainment release.
DocumentarySEARCHING FOR SUGAR MAN tells the incredible true story of Rodriguez, the greatest ‘70s rock icon who never was. After being discovered in a Detroit bar, Rodriguez’s sound struck 2 renowned producers and they signed a recording deal. But when the album bombed, the singer disappeared into obscurity. A bootleg recording found its way into apartheid South Africa and over the next two decades, he became a phenomenon. The film follows the story of two South African fans who set out to find out what really happened to their hero.
DocumentaryAt the age of 85, U.S. Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg has developed a lengthy legal legacy while becoming an unexpected pop culture icon. But the unique personal journey of her rise to the nation's highest court has been largely unknown, even to some of her biggest fans – until now. RBG explores Ginsburg's life and career. From Betsy West and Julie Cohen, and co-produced by Storyville Films and CNN Films.
DocumentaryWhat has happened to us? Despite the most advanced medical technology in the world, we are sicker than ever by nearly every measure.
Two out of every three of us are overweight. Cases of diabetes are exploding, especially amongst our younger population. About half of us are taking at least one prescription drug. Major medical operations have become routine, helping to drive health care costs to astronomical levels. Heart disease, cancer and stroke are the country’s three leading causes of death, even though billions are spent each year to “battle” these very conditions. Millions suffer from a host of other degenerative diseases.
Could it be there’s a single solution to all of these problems? A solution so comprehensive but so utterly straightforward, that it’s mind-boggling that more of us haven’t taken it seriously?
FORKS OVER KNIVES examines the profound claim that most, if not all, of the so-called “diseases of affluence” that afflict us can be control
DocumentaryWriter/director Alex Gibney examines the rise and fall of an infamous corporate juggernaut in Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room. Based on the book by Fortune Magazine reporters Bethany McLean and Peter Elkind, the film explores the lengths to which the company went in order to appear incredibly profitable, and reveals how Kenneth Lay, Jeff Skilling, and other execs managed to keep their riches, while thousands of lower-level employees saw their loyalty repaid with the loss of their jobs and retirement funds.
DocumentaryTim's Vermeer, directed by Teller of Penn & Teller fame. Produced by Teller's stage partner Penn Jillette and Farley Ziegler, the film follows Tim Jenison, a Texas based inventor, as he attempts to solve one of the greatest mysteries in all of art: How did 17th century Dutch Master Johannes Vermeer ('Girl with a Pearl Earring') manage to paint so photo-realistically, 150 years before the invention of photography? Jenison's epic research project ultimately succeeds as he uses 17th century technology -- lenses and mirrors -- to develop a technique that might have been used by Vermeer, supporting a theory as extraordinary as what he discovers. Spanning a decade, Jenison's adventure takes him to Delft, Holland, where Vermeer painted his masterpieces; on a pilgrimage to the North coast of Yorkshire to meet artist David Hockney; and eventually even to Buckingham Palace, to see the Queen's Vermeer.
DocumentaryKorengal picks up where Restrepo left off; the same men, the same valley, the same commanders, but a very different look at the experience of war. Korengal explains how war works, what it feels like and what it does to the young men who fight it. As one soldier cheers when he kills an enemy fighter, another looks into the camera and asks if God will ever forgive him for all of the killing he has done. As one soldier grieves the loss of his friend in combat, another explains why he misses the war now that his deployment has ended, and admits he would go back to the front line in a heartbeat. Every bit as intense and affecting as Restrepo, Korengal goes a step further in bringing the war into people's living rooms back home.
DocumentaryIn this mesmerizing new film, acclaimed director Werner Herzog explores the life and death of amateur grizzly bear expert and wildlife preservationist Timothy Treadwell, who lived unarmed among grizzlies for 13 summers.
DocumentaryWhen Apollo astronaut Gene Cernan stepped on the moon in December 1972 he left his footprints and his daughter’s initials in the lunar dust. Only now, over forty years later, is he ready to share his epic but deeply personal story of fulfillment, love and loss. Cernan’s burning ambition carried him from a quiet Chicago suburb to the spectacular and hazardous environment of space, and ultimately, to the moon. Five years in the making, The Last Man on the Moon unveils a wealth of rare archive, and takes Cernan back to the launch pads of Cape Kennedy, to Arlington National Cemetery and to his Texas ranch, where he finds respite from a past that refuses to let him go. Sharing home movies, scrapbooks and intimate moments with his closest friends and family, he brings his spine-tingling experiences to the big screen more vividly than any moonwalker has done before.
DocumentaryIf you could spend one hour with a being from another planet, what would you ask them? Filmmaker Serena DC meets a man named Darryl Anka who claims that he channels with an extraterrestrial named Bashar. Entering trance, Bashar inhabits Darryl's body and shares wisdom about our ancient origins, our galaxy, alien life and the future of mankind. Wisdom that could rewrite history books.
Documentary180° South: Conquerors of the Useless follows Jeff Johnson as he retraces the epic 1968 journey of his heroes Yvon Choulnard and Doug Tompkins to Patagonia. Along the way he gets shipwrecked off Easter Island, surfs the longest wave of his life - and prepares himself for a rare ascent of Cerro Corcovado. Jeff's life turns when he meets up in a rainy hut with Choulnard and Tompkins who, once driven purely by a love of climbing and surfing, now value above all the experience of raw nature - and have come to Patagonia to spend their fortunes to protect it.
DocumentaryIs Donald Trump fit to hold the office of President of the United States? An eye-opening analysis of Trump by leading US mental health professionals and Republican strategists, on the record for the record. Science. Truth. Duty to Warn.
DocumentaryANTARCTICA: A YEAR ON ICE is a visually stunning journey to the end of the world. Guided by nature photographer Anthony Powell, we experience firsthand the beauty and brutality of the most severe environment on Earth along with the hardy and devoted people who call it home year-round. Capturing epic battles against hellacious storms, quiet reveries of nature's grandeur, and everyday moments of humanity, this one-of-a-kind documentary reveals a close-knit international community of scientists, craftsmen and laborers that thrive in a land few have ever experienced. Filmed over 10 years on the continent, ANTARCTICA combines spectacular photography and a deeply personal adventure to capture the splendor of the frozen planet like no film before it.
DocumentaryMusic lovers will be astonished at the influence The Wrecking Crew wielded over rock and pop music in the 1960s and early 1970s. These unsung instrumentalists were the de-facto backing band on hit records by The Beach Boys, Phil Spector, Frank Sinatra, Nancy Sinatra, Sonny & Cher, Elvis, The Monkees and many more. These dedicated musicians brought the flair and musicianship that made the American “West Coast Sound” a dominant cultural force around the world.
DocumentaryWhat happens when four legends of British stage and screen get together? Dame Maggie Smith, Dame Judi Dench, Dame Eileen Atkins, and Dame Joan Plowright are among the most celebrated actresses of our time, with scores of iconic performances, decades of wisdom, and innumerable Oscars, Tonys, Emmys, and BAFTAs between them. They are also longtime friends who hereby invite you to join them for a weekend in the country as they catch up with one another, reminisce, and share their candid, delightfully irreverent thoughts on everything from art to aging to love to a life lived in the spotlight. Bursting with devilish wit and whip-smart insights, Tea With The Dames is a remarkable opportunity to spend time in the company of four all-time greats—up close and unfiltered.
DocumentaryThe 1992 presidential election was a triumph not only for Bill Clinton but also for the new breed of strategists who guided him to the White House—and changed the face of politics in the process. For this thrilling, behind-closed-doors account of that campaign, renowned cinema verité filmmakers Chris Hegedus and D. A. Pennebaker captured the brainstorming and bull sessions of Clinton’s crack team of consultants—especially James Carville and George Stephanopoulos, who became media stars in their own right as they injected a savvy, youthful spirit and spontaneity into the process of campaigning. Fleet-footed and entertaining, The War Room is a vivid document of a political moment whose truths (“It’s the economy, stupid!”) still ring in our ears.
DocumentaryThe award-winning documentary about the fascinating and harrowing making of Apocalypse Now, one of the most celebrated films in American cinema.
DocumentaryHow much of your own life are you willing to risk? Laura Poitras, Academy Award winning director of Citizenfour, returns with her most personal and intimate film to date. Filmed over six years, Risk is a complex and volatile character study that collides with a high stakes election year and its controversial aftermath. Cornered in a tiny building for half a decade, Julian Assange is undeterred even as the legal jeopardy he faces threatens to undermine the organization he leads and fracture the movement he inspired. Capturing this story with unprecedented access, Poitras finds herself caught between the motives and contradictions of Assange and his inner circle. In a new world order where a single keystroke can alter history, Risk is a portrait of power, betrayal, truth, and sacrifice. Executive Produced by Sam Esmail, creator of Mr. Robot.
DocumentarySix former heads of Israel’s Shin Bet domestic secret service agency share insights on their actions and decisions as they set internal security policy for Israel.
DocumentaryWhen you discover that your heroes have all broken the rules, do you follow the rules, or do you follow your heroes? From the producers of Bowling For Columbine and Fahrenheit 9/11 comes a powerful documentary that unflinchingly explores steroid use in the biggest, strongest, fastest country in the world: America.
DocumentaryOn June 4th, 2004, a sixty-three-ton bulldozer, fortified with steel and concrete, systematically destroyed numerous businesses and homes in the small mountain town of Granby, Colorado. The rampage lasted over two hours and resulted in more than eight million dollars in damage. State and local police were incapable of even slowing the machine. Though it was armed with three high-powered firearms, no one but the driver was killed. His name was Marvin Heemeyer. TREAD explores the polarizing perspectives on this man, his motives, and what drove him to the breaking point.
DocumentaryIn the early 20th century, while studying world mythology, Joseph Campbell discovered a pattern hidden in every story ever told and he called it “the heroes journey”. Finding Joe explores how the heroes journey is relevant and essential in today’s world. It provides a narrative for how to live a fully realized life or as Campbell would simply state “follow your bliss”. The film takes us on an inspirational quest of self-discovery. As you slay dragons and uncover treasures, you just may find that the holy grail you seek is closer than you think.
DocumentaryOne hundred and fifty years ago, the corporation was a relatively insignificant entity. Today, it is a vivid, dramatic and pervasive presence in all our lives. It is the dominant institution of our time. A complex, sobering, yet darkly amusing documentary, The Corporation takes its audience on a graphic and engaging quest to reveal the corporation's inner workings, curious history, controversial impacts and possible futures. Mark Achbar, co-director of the influential and inventive Manufacturing Consent: Noam Chomsky and the Media, teams up with co-director Jennifer Abbott and writer Joel Bakan to examine the far-reaching repercussions of the corporation's ascent. Based on Bakan's best-selling book, "The Corporation: The Pathological Pursuit of Profit and Power", the film has achieved international critical and box office success. Winner of 10 audience awards, including Sundance, and 26 awards in total from prestigious festivals around the world, it stands as the top-grossing Canadian
DocumentaryWith Happy People: A Year in the Taiga, iconic filmmaker Werner Herzog embarks on another unforgettable journey into the heart of a remote natural environment. Deep in the Siberian wilderness, leagues away from civilization, a mere 300 people inhabit the village of Bakhta on the Yenisei river. This outpost can only be reached in two ways: boat and helicopter. There is no running water, no medical aid or even a single telephone. The locals, whose daily routines have hardly changed over the centuries, live self-reliantly according to their cultural traditions. Through insightful narration by Herzog, Happy People follows a few veteran Siberian trappers through the Taiga's four seasons to tell the incredible story of a society untouched by modernity.
DocumentaryOn the morning of June 6, 1990, the village of Munnsville (pop. 499) was just another forgotten corner of rural America. But in the days and months that followed, this New York farming community would become the center of one of the most celebrated and bizarre murder trials in U.S. history. Brother's Keeper tells the story of the "Ward Boys," four eccentric brothers who shared the same dilapidated two-room shack for over 60 years. Living in isolation, without heat or running water, these elderly bachelors had virtually no contact with the outside world--until one was found dead in the bed he shared with his brother. By day's end, Delbert Ward "confessed" to suffocating his ailing brother as an act of mercy, but Munnsville believed Delbert had been framed. Was Delbert, an uneducated hermit with a low IQ, an innocent victim of police abuse? Was it a mercy killing--or was there another motive? From award-winning filmmakers Joe Berlinger and Bruce Sinofsky (Paradise Lost), Brother's Keeper
DocumentaryRoy Cohn personified the dark arts of American politics, turning empty vessels into dangerous demagogues – from Joseph McCarthy to his final project, Donald J. Trump.
DocumentaryTwo ordinary inner-city kids dare to dream the impossible—professional basketball glory—in this epic chronicle of hope and faith. Filmed over a five-year period, Hoop Dreams follows young Arthur Agee and William Gates as they navigate the complex, competitive world of scholastic athletics while striving to overcome the intense pressures of family life and the realities of their Chicago streets. The Criterion Collection is proud to present this landmark documentary chronicling two remarkable families who challenge the American dream.
DocumentarySan Francisco was the epicenter of the American rave scene and witnessed some legendary events that began in the early ‘90s. These all-night electronic-music dance parties attracted a diverse cross-section of people. Culturally iconic and socially important, the parties became a catalyst in the lives of so many of the people who experienced them. So many people went on to be huge players in Silicon Valley, the global dance music scene, and the world of activism. We created a deep and poetic film that examines the do-it-yourself mentality and psychedelic community spirit that the San Francisco Bay Area rave scene epitomized. The early '90s was a magical time of musical creation and renegade promotion. We believe that the subject matter is as socially and culturally significant today as it was 30 years ago. Whether you were/are part of the scene, or have never been to a rave, this is a fascinating story that will resonate with a broad global audience. We hope that you too will be energ
DocumentaryFour world-class alpinists including National Geographic's Explorer of the Year Gerlinde Kaltenbrunner team up in a dangerous foray of high altitude mountaineering in the breathtaking documentary K2: Siren of the Himalayas. The film follows an attempt to reach the summit of the world's most challenging peak on the 100-year anniversary of the Duke of Abruzzi's landmark K2 expedition. K2 also explores the history and geography of the legendary Karakoram Mountain Range, while contemplating the risks, rewards and personal nature of exploration in an age when there are few blank spots left on the map. The second highest peak on Earth at 8,611 meters, K2 is also one of the most dangerous mountains to climb: for every four people who have reached the summit, one person has died trying. As Ernest Hardy wrote in The Village Voice, "K2 offers great beauty while capturing something of what pulls the adventurous to try to reach the world's second highest peak."
DocumentaryThe current day assault on democracy did not begin with Trumpism. It did not begin with the Tea Party. It did not begin with the Moral Majority. It did not even begin in this century. The current day assault on democracy began with the White Supremacy Movement in the 1960s as part of a shrewd, calculated, and well executed plan that became cloaked as a religious movement. Today, those white supremacists and their heirs are known as Christian Nationalists. Bad Faith is their story.
Documentary#UNTRUTH examines the psychology of “Trumpism” and the authoritarian strain that it seeded in the American political landscape. The film delves into the forces driving current efforts to enshrine a bias toward a white, conservative, minority rule into US Law, and the forces of disinformation that have been deployed on the American electorate.
DocumentaryDramatic, moving and insightful, ARMSTRONG tells the definitive life story of Neil Armstrong: from his childhood in rural Ohio, through aerial combat in Korea, to his first steps on the Moon - and the unwanted celebrity status that ensued. It is the story of a quiet determined man who became an aviator, astronaut, husband, father and reluctant hero. Made with the full support of his surviving family, it includes previously unseen home-movie footage shot by Armstrong himself. Neil’s own words provide the narration based on his rare interviews, writings and speeches, which are delivered by renowned actor and aviation enthusiast Harrison Ford. The film includes major interviews with his family, an exceptional cast of fellow astronauts and aviators, those who knew him in his youth and later life, together with newly filmed sequences at some of the key locations from his life story.
DocumentaryFLYNN is a captivating documentary that delves deep into the life and trials of General Michael T. Flynn. This film takes the audience on a journey through the remarkable career of Flynn, beginning with his commendable rise through the ranks of the United States Military. As a highly respected intelligence officer and a three-star general, Flynn's career was marked by his dedication to his country and his exceptional leadership skills. Through a series of in-depth interviews with Flynn himself, his family members, colleagues, legal experts, and commentators, the film paints a comprehensive picture of the man behind the headlines. It explores the personal toll these events took on Flynn and his family, highlighting their resilience in the face of unprecedented adversity. The documentary provides a nuanced examination of the allegations and legal battles that ensued, offering viewers a balanced perspective on the events that led to his eventual exoneration. Archival footage and never-bef
DocumentaryFrom Oscar-winning director Alex Gibney and producer Graydon Carter comes a probing look into the uncanny life of national treasure and gonzo journalism inventor Dr. Hunter S. Thompson. A fast moving, wildly entertaining documentary with an iconic soundtrack, the film addresses the major touchstones in Thompson’s life — his intense and ill fated relationship with the Hell’s Angels, his near-successful bid for the office of sheriff in Aspen in 1970, the notorious story behind the landmark Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, his deep involvement in Senator George McGovern’s 1972 presidential campaign, and much more. Narrated by Johnny Depp.
DocumentaryA growing number of Evangelical Christians believe there is a revival underway in America that requires Christian youth to assume leadership roles in advocating the causes of their religious movement. JESUS CAMP follows Levi, Rachael, and Tory to Pastor Becky Fischer's "Kids on Fire" summer camp in Devil's Lake, North Dakota, where kids as young as 6 years old are taught to become dedicated Christian soldiers in "God's army." The film follows these children at camp as they hone their "prophetic gifts" and are schooled in how to "take back America for Christ."
Music DocumentariesHis drawings and sketches are exhibited and sold worldwide. Beck, Wilco, Sonic Youth and Pearl Jam have recorded his songs. But beneath Daniel Johnston's success as an artist and musician is an incredible story of genius touched by madness: diagnosed as manic-depressive, Johnston has spent the last three decades of his life in-and-out of mental institutions. Told through a compelling combination of interviews, home movies and performance footage, "The Devil and Daniel Johnston" is 'a harrowing, hilarious and ultimately moving new documentary film' (Jim Farber, New York Daily News). '****' (Elizabeth Weitzman, New York Daily News)!
DocumentarySpirit of the Marathon is the first film to capture the passion, drama and essence of the famed 26.2-mile Chicago Marathon. Intimate, fascinating portraits of six runners from all walks of life unfold as the film follows seasoned athletes and amateurs alike in their preparation for the big race. See why the Los Angeles Times said "Even if you've never run for anything but a bus, you'll...get swept up in this movie's inspiring journey"!
DocumentaryFrom filmmaker Gabriela Cowperthwaite (Blackfish), The Grab is a global thriller following an investigative journalist who uncovers the money, influence, and alarming rationale behind efforts to control the most vital resource on the planet. Quietly and seemingly out of sight, governments, private investors and mercenaries are working to seize food and water resources at the expense of entire populations. These groups are establishing themselves as the new OPEC, where the future world powers will be those who control not oil, but food. Behind the scenes, the world’s superpowers are bracing for shortages that will trigger civil wars, topple governments and spark the mass migration of hundreds of millions of refugees. The stakes in The Grab are nothing less than survival.
DocumentaryWhen body image activist Taryn Brumfitt posted an unconventional before-and-after photo in 2013, it was seen by more than 100 million people worldwide and sparked an international media frenzy. In her forceful debut, Brumfitt continues her crusade exploring the global issue of body loathing, inspiring us to change the way we think about ourselves and feel about our bodies. Throughout her journey, she travels the world to interview an impressive range of women including talk show host Ricki Lake; Mia Freedman: the youngest ever editor of Australian Cosmopolitan; Harnaam Kaur: the bearded dame; UK talk show host/photographer Amanda de Cadenet; German actress Nora Tschirner; Professor Marika Tiggemann; body image blogger Jes Baker (a.k.a. The Militant Baker); and motivational speaker Turia Pitt.
DocumentaryFrom Steve McQueen, "I think Bruce Brown's motorcycle film "On Any Sunday" is the best thing that has ever happened to motorcycling. The audience is taken on a visual ride in what I believe is finally the definitive film on motorcycling. To me it is an unforgettable film, and I was very happy to be a part of it in some small way." Writer, producer and director Bruce Brown explores this dizzying and intoxicating world of rugged road riders where cycles hit incredible speeds. Segueing into the grueling excitement of a muddy and murderous motocross race, we then move on to the tortuous mayhem of the Mexican 1000 off-track trial race down the Baja Peninsula. An exhilarating experience that puts you in the driver's seat.
DocumentaryA riveting Academy Award-winning documentary, made all the more timely by recent U.S. invasions and the current "war on terror," The Panama Deception documents the untold story of the December 1989 U.S. invasion of Panama, the events which led to it, the excessive force used, the enormity of the death and destruction and the devastating aftermath. Acclaimed filmmakers Barbara Trent and David Kasper uncover the real reasons for this internationally condemned attack, and reveal General Manuel Noriega’s longstanding relationship with the C.I.A., the D.E.A., and George Bush, Sr. Utilizing devastating footage, expert commentary, and eyewitness testimony, the film shines a spotlight on this pivotal moment in U.S. history. Network news clips and media critics contribute to a staggering analysis of media control and self-censorship used to deceive the American public--a film hauntingly relevant today.
IndependentTraveling from the streets of Havana to the stage of Carnegie Hall, this revelatory documentary captures a forgotten generation of Cuba’s brightest musical talents as they enjoy an unexpected brush with world fame. The veteran vocalists and instrumentalists collaborated with American guitarist and roots-music champion Ry Cooder to form the Buena Vista Social Club, playing a jazz-inflected mix of cha-cha, mambo, bolero, and other traditional Latin American styles, and recording an album that won a Grammy and made them an international phenomenon. In the wake of this success, director Wim Wenders filmed the ensemble’s members—including golden-voiced Ibrahim Ferrer and piano virtuoso Rubén González—in a series of illuminating interviews and live performances. The result is one of the most beloved music documentaries of the 1990s, and an infectious ode to a neglected corner of Cuba’s prerevolutionary heritage.
DocumentaryWhen the highest grossing comedy, 9 to 5, starring Jane Fonda, Dolly Parton, Dabney Coleman and Lily Tomlin, exploded on screens in 1980, the laughs hid a serious message about inequality in the workplace. Still Working 9 to 5 explores what has changed for working women over the last 40 years.