Toni Morrison: The Pieces I Am
Toni Morrison: The Pieces I Am is an efficient documentary, even if it’s as standard as biopic docs get.
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Iliza Shlesinger: Over & Over
Comedian Iliza Shlesinger gives at-home viewers an up-close-and-personal look at her career leading up to her latest Netflix special in the “fan-u-mentary” Iliza Shlesinger: Over & Over.
Never-Ending Man: Hayao Miyazaki
At just over an hour, Never-Ending Man: Hayao Miyazaki is a rare opportunity to watch Studio Ghibli’s master at work as Miyazaki comes out of a temporary retirement to experiment with CGI animation.
Pavarotti
Pavarotti is a celebration of Luciano Pavarotti’s career and his achievements as a legendary opera singer and performer. Ron Howard’s documentary is jovial, just as Pavarotti was known to be. As someone who had limited knowledge of the timeless tenor, I walked away from Howard’s enlightening documentary with a new appreciation for music.
Framing John DeLorean
By: Trevor Chartrand Framing John DeLorean is a unique documentary about the man behind one of most iconic car designs in automobile history. Much like John DeLorean himself, the film takes some big risks with an interesting and flashy approach. Many of DeLorean’s risks did not pay off, and the same can be said for some things in this film.
Meeting Gorbachev
I don’t take umbrage with why Werner Herzog and André Singer made a documentary about former Soviet Union president Mikhail Gorbachev. Considering how elated both filmmakers are when they’re on screen with Gorbachev, the audience can see how much interest they have in this passion project. However, I feel that their starstruck smokescreen stunted this project from resembling a movie worth watching.
nîpawistamâsowin: We Will Stand Up
nîpawistamâsowin: We Will Stand Up exhibits how strong voices can persevere during tragic times. Not since Matt Shepard Is a Friend of Mine has a documentary been made with this much love for a life lost.
I’m Going to Break Your Heart
By: Trevor Chartrand I’m Going to Break Your Heart is an observational documentary that explores the relationship between Canadian indie-rock legend Raine Maida and his Juno-Award winning wife Chantal Kreviazuk as they collaborate on their first album together. The couple struggles as all couples do, with the added challenges and frustrations of working together to create art as a team.
Ask Dr. Ruth
Ryan White’s The Case Against 8, while very good, was a straightforward example of the documentary genre’s expectations – the film explained a controversial issue, gave a platform to those opposing it, and gave viewers an uplifting feeling about an encouraging future. White’s latest doc Ask Dr. Ruth, while also very good, is different. It presents facts in a way that’s much more personable.
This Is North Preston
This Is North Preston is a spinning top. One moment, you’ll have your mind made up about what the documentary is presenting only to have your opinion changed a few more times. I was so gobsmacked by the end that I was almost inclined to rewatch the film to see if my opinion would change again – I dare you to find a more riveting documentary than this.