Tag: documentary

The Nightmare, or if It Follows was a documentary

 

What’s the worst night’s sleep you’ve ever had?

However bad it may have been The Nightmare delves into something worse: the nighttime torment of eight sufferers of sleep paralysis — a condition equally notable for bizarre and terrifying visions.

From visitations by shadowy figures — more literally, figures made of shadow — to out-of-body experiences, Rodney Ascher’s documentary relies on firsthand testimony as opposed to scientific evidence: they all seem to the agree that the medical community seems singularly unable to offer remedy for the condition.…

The needle may swing, but Going Clear mostly plays it down the line

Be it from South Park or PTA’s The Master, most of us know a little something about Scientology.

Documentarian Alex Gibney’s most recent expose got to grips with a certain now-infamous cyclist in The Armstrong Lie, now he takes us behind the scenes that L.…

Control freak, egotist, critical genius: As Life Itself shows, Roger Ebert was very much the director of his own life.

 

Critics are rarely beloved creatures. There’s always the impression they’re leeching off the back of the real creatives. It might be a symbiotic relationship, but, at best, they’re considered a necessary evil.

But not in the case of Roger Ebert.…

Finding Vivian Maier is a sharp-eyed portrait of a brilliant recluse

 

What is it about genius that fascinates us, especially unappreciated genius?

From Edgar Allen Poe to Vincent Van Gogh, there’s a certain narrative of tortured brilliance that we’ve become accustomed to. It’s rare, however, that the story begins with a box of undeveloped negatives going up for auction.…

We Steal Secrets doesn’t get away with much

 

One of the key issues of our times, the freedom and right to information has become embodied in the figure of one person: WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange.

Unfortunately, the sociological debate has become caught up in the issues surrounding Assange, the accusations against him, his flight and taking refuge.…

Blackfish: a heartbreaking plea for a species’ freedom

Orcus orcina, also known as the killer whale. While the name suggests violence, it relates instead to the Roman god of the underworld. Besides, the orca is more closely related to the snubfin dolphin than its blue, sperm, or baleen namesake.

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Stories We Tell is a minor miracle of documentary film-making

 

“Why would anyone care about our family?”

In the case of a family other than filmmaker Sarah Polley’s that might well be a valid concern. Polley’s relatives, however, are such an engaging, lively, immensely likeable bunch that it’s a pleasure spending time in their company.…

Stone Roses: Made of Stone is an edifice in need of a purpose

“A clear horizon — nothing to worry about on your plate, only things that are creative and not destructive…

I can’t bear quarreling, I can’t bear feelings between people — I think hatred is wasted energy, and it’s all non-productive. I’m very sensitive — a sharp word, said by a person, say, who has a temper, if they’re close to me, hurts me for days.

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