Preface: I emailed Sasha Levinson, writer and director of the documentary “Sylvie of the Sunshine State” and guess what? She offered to talk with me! What a beautiful spirit the woman has! We talked for almost twenty minutes about parenting and the directors who influence(d) her most. So just like Sasha’s risking vulnerability to place… Continue reading Sylvie of the Sunshine State, When Instincts Pay Off
Category: documentary
Navalny: Shocking, but sadly not surprising
Navalny, a super worthy documentary by Daniel Roher (creator of the tremendous Once We Were Brothers doc), is the plight of Putin adversary Alexei Navlany, currently incarcerated in a Russian jail. The doc follows Alexi post poisoning and the investigation and discovery of Putin’s henchmen. The story is well told, interspersing lovely moments of Nalvany… Continue reading Navalny: Shocking, but sadly not surprising
“Sr.”, a Moving Tribute to Robert Downey
Chris Smith directed Sr. and is also known for his Tiger King series (to forever be remembered along with The Last Dance/Covid Beginnings sanity saving spectaculars). Considering how well he handled Sr., I am super excited about his Gene Wilder documentary. Sr. could not have been easy to direct as Sr. showed his true creative… Continue reading “Sr.”, a Moving Tribute to Robert Downey
Johnny Cash: An American Redemption Icon
I enjoyed the documentary ‘Johnny Cash: An American Redemption Icon’ directed and I assume also written by Ben Smallbone. I enjoyed the inspirational story about Johnny’s fall into amphetamine and alcohol abuse and his rise to prison concerts and his partnership with Billy Graham. Johnny was fearless in honesty and faith. The proselytizing by the… Continue reading Johnny Cash: An American Redemption Icon
Under the Learn Something New Everyday Column: Vernon, Florida
Researching for the film enthusiasm class I’ll be leading through OLLI (via Ringling School of Art) in January entitled Flamboyant Florida Films, I decided to choose a couple of docs. An older one a work colleague suggested is Vernon, Florida from director Errol Morris. Well, have I learned something new! First, Morris is an Academy… Continue reading Under the Learn Something New Everyday Column: Vernon, Florida
Fire of Love: A Late July Explosion
One hundred percent is a saying thrown around quite often and was the original Rotten T score for Fire of Love, which like 3.99 gas prices, is now down a whopping reduction to 99%. Being a humanist, on the opposite spectrum of scientist, I can not give Fire of Love a hundred percent, nor a… Continue reading Fire of Love: A Late July Explosion
What is a Woman Documentary: Can We Let Kids be Kids?
Here’s the bottom line on Matt Walsh’s What is a Woman? First, let me get my traffic cop whistle. And I earned my whistle gaining a Masters Degree in Counseling from SUNY Brockport. BLURRRR (that’s a whistle sound): You, Matt Walsh, you don’t need to be smarmy when asking questions to adults. BLURRRR: And at… Continue reading What is a Woman Documentary: Can We Let Kids be Kids?
Mr. Marshall, I’ll Be Frank. And Ryan, I’m the One Suffern
Ideally a music documentary leaves you uplifted and wanting to travel, whether that be back in time (Jimmy Carter: Rock & Roll President) or to see current performers (Shine the Light). Jazz Fest: A New Orleans Story did neither and was, quite frankly, horrible. Frank Marshall and Ryan Suffern should have hired a writer with… Continue reading Mr. Marshall, I’ll Be Frank. And Ryan, I’m the One Suffern
Sarasota Film Fest Documentary: Oleg, an Editing Feat
“Oleg, The Oleg Vidov Story” is an editing feat. As a documentary told in chronological story, no matter how exciting the events, a writer (in this case, Cory Taylor) and director (Nadia Tass) have to spice it up with timely clips that put us in the subject’s milieu. And Oleg does this in a fascinating… Continue reading Sarasota Film Fest Documentary: Oleg, an Editing Feat
Jeen-yuhs: A Kanye Trilogy
One of the blessings of working with young co-workers is that, just like ye olde days of my teaching career, I’m able to be more hip. Vincent, my Saturday comrade between two to four p.m., always hips me to the latest in rap. Because of him, I’ve become a Kanye fan and Tyler the Creator,… Continue reading Jeen-yuhs: A Kanye Trilogy