Tag Archives: documentary

Review: ‘Yalom’s Cure’ fights darkness and seeks illumination

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Yalom's Cure-poster

Irvin D. Yalom, is an inspiring, 80-year-old psychotherapist who believes the best cure for many of our everyday concerns are the relationships we have throughout our lives. Irvin studied the many ways of psychoanalysis and came to the conclusion that love is a powerful tool and necessity when it comes to finding happiness. Yalom’s Cure, directed and written by Sabine Gisiger, brings a beautifully constructed film of Irvin’s teachings, written works and practice, all  interwoven into his own therapeutic journey through life.

Yaloms Cure-yalom_hat

The film is calming, moving and beautiful. For a man who puts so much of his personal life out in the open, all for the benefit to others is a selfless thing. This film is therapeutic within itself, by helping audiences realize some of the things we once saw as problems may not be as bad as they seem, and instead opens our eyes to where true life happiness really lies.The US Premiere for Yalom’s Cure is on March 11th at the Laemmle Theaters in Los Angeles.

4/5 Stars

Official Selection Festival Del Film Locarno 2014

See the trailer below!

Yaloms Cure-sabine_gisiger

 

 

 

Review: Now available on VOD, film festival favorite ‘ANGEL OF NANJING’ soars.

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Balance Films and Blue Bus Productions PresentsANGEL OF NANJING

In the US, depression is a subject we either tackle with prescription drugs or after a suicide. Most of us are so consumed with our own lives, we oftentimes fail to look beyond the emotional scope of our own noses. In a new documentary by Jordan Horowitz and Frank L. Ferendo, ANGEL OF NANJING, one solitary man makes it his mission to save the souls on The Yangtze River Bridge.

SYNOPSIS:

The Yangtze River Bridge in Nanjing is one of the most famous landmarks in China. It is also the most popular place in the world to commit suicide. After hearing reports about this from the news, Chen Si, an average man with no professional training, decided to do something about it. On September 19, 2003, he went to the bridge with a heart-shaped sign that read, “Nothing is impossible. When God closes a door he opens a window.” That morning he saved someone, and has dedicated his life to standing vigil on that bridge ever since. Incredibly, he’s saved over 300 lives since he began.

 

Despite all the lives he’s saved, Chen’s mission has taken an unexpected toll on him. He feels incredible guilt when he learns someone committed suicide while he wasn’t at the bridge, and even more when he is there and is still unable to save them. He’s become a heavy smoker and drinker, and often finds himself battling with depression. He is also under growing pressure from his family to quit, who cannot understand why he spends so much time and money helping others when he has his own family to worry about.

ANGEL OF NANJING

The film has an incredibly organic feeling from its handheld camera work to the pulled back moments when Chen is speaking to the men and women so seemingly desperate to jump. Once rescued, the audience feels as if they’re part of the healing as they are treated to intimate face to face conflict resolution. It is a perfect snapshot into the Chinese culture. Suicide is considered extraordinarily shameful. Chinese media always refers to a desperate or depressed individual as in a “bad mood” in any aftermath coverage. Once you accept the familial implications of a suicide, you begin to understand Chen’s pragmatic approach. Cultural tactics are perfectly balanced with genuine tenderness resulting in incredibly touching rescues. Chen is a complex man, struggling with the sense of responsibility to those in such despair and his own happiness. Horowitz and Ferendo do absolute justice to Chen and this unique scenario. As an added bonus, the film’s score is both haunting and glorious. It is something I would seek out on its own. As a whole, ANGEL OF NANJING is a beautiful story of hope and humanity.

ANGEL OF NANJING

ANGEL OF NANJING is now available! Check out the trailer below…

Award-winning documentary debuted on VOD (iTunes, Amazon, and Google Play) February 16

Winner – Best Documentary, Phoenix Film Festival
Winner – Best Documentary, Catalina Film Festival
Winner – Best Documentary, SaMo Indie Fest
Winner – Best Documentary, Big Apple Film Festival
Winner – Best Documentary, New Jersey Film Festival

Directed by Jordan Horowitz and Frank Ferendo, ANGEL OF NANJING tells the story of an ordinary man doing something extraordinary, and at great personal sacrifice. It is a personal portrait of a man, who in a country of over one billion people, has chosen to dedicate himself to making a difference, one person at a time. 

Review: ‘BECOMING BULLETPROOF’ is a touching and insightful documentary.

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Bulletproof posterI went to camp as a kid. It was pretty typical; arts & crafts, team sports, theater, and camp songs. I also remember being integrated with a few kids who has Down syndrome. As a little kid, this was pretty foreign to me, but as I attended high school, some of these same kids were now in my art classes. My mother’s second major in college, I would come to find out, was special education. As time passed and I worked in more and more private pre-schools, I was directly exposed, now as an educator, to a challenging world I had mostly experienced as an outsider. But… nothing was ever akin to the extraordinary summers that must occur each year at Zeno Mountain Farm.  Read More →

Touching documentary I AM CHRIS FARLEY finally comes to theaters today.

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posterart.IAmChrisFarley

I AM CHRIS FARLEY. Courtesy of Virgil Films

From the directors of A Brony Tale, I Am Evel Knievel, and the upcoming Johnny Cash – American Rebel, I AM CHRIS FARLEY tells Chris Farley‘s story, from his early days in Madison, Wisconsin and at Marquette University, through his work at the legendary club Second City to his rapid rise to the top of the comedy world on “Saturday Night Live” and in hit films like Tommy Boy and Black Sheep.

I AM CHRIS FARLEY. Courtesy of Virgil Films

I AM CHRIS FARLEY. Courtesy of Virgil Films

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Girls On Film Podcast: Interview with the ‘I AM BIG BIRD’ filmmakers Chad Walker and Dave LaMattina.

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I am big bird posterHands down one of the most touching documentaries to come out of theTribeca Film festival last year is I AM BIG BIRD. This is the heartwarming story of the man inside the big yellow icon, Caroll Spinney. I’ve already gushed about the film in my review, so I was thrilled to get the opportunity to talk with directors Chad Walker and Dave LaMattina this afternoon. Here is our brand new episode of Girls On Film: I Am Big Bird

I AM BIG BIRD is now playing in theaters in selected cities with a national expansion coming in throughout the summer. Stay tuned to Reel News Daily for more information!

 

Tribeca Film Festival interview: Kevin Pollak talks his new doc ‘Misery Love Comedy’ with expected hilarity.

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Misery Loves Comedy PosterSome of my fondest memories as a kid are family game nights, Sunday breakfasts, and dancing in the kitchen. All of these things we still do. We try to outplay each other. We make fun of the everyone’s ever changing diets. We choreograph the best and worst dance moves in the universe. Being the first of 4 children ignites a fire that never quite goes away. ‘Look At Me Syndrome” is something I live and die by. Young performers are like sponges. They listen to every word as a kid. They are bright and observant, perhaps not coming alive at that age, but letting it all seep into what shapes their humor. *And yes, I did just allude to how awesome I have always been. But enough about me.* Kevin Pollak has created one hell of a documentary to share with the planet, MISERY LOVES COMEDY. Rounding up over 60 comedians, both stand up or just plain funny people in the industry, including the likes of Amy Schumer, Tom Hanks, Judd Apatow, Kevin Smith, Christopher Guest, Lisa Kudrow, Bob Saget, Chris Hardwick, and  Kathleen Madigan, just to name a few. Pollak poses the question that performers know to be true; “Do you have to be miserable to be funny?” The answers comes in form of intimate sit down interviews with a cast only someone with Pollak’s clout could get to say yes so quickly. Filmed over the course of 4 weeks in L.A. and NYC, we are privy to family photos, childhood inspirations, and all the mess in between. Pollak even edited the film himself, sharing that experience was eye-opening and surprisingly enjoyable. This film is non-stop funny. I loved every moment of it. Jim Gaffigan sums up the need to entertain others perfectly, it’s a ‘Narcissists Fantasy’. Question it, accept it, then own it. I do. It’s the only way to live.

When Kevin Pollak offers to take a picture with you, you take a picture. Because Kevin Pollak.

When Kevin Pollak offers to take a picture with you, you take a picture. Because Kevin Pollak.

In honor of the masterful director himself, and the over 600 hours of interviews he had conducted, in true Kevin Pollak Chat Show style, I give you the audio from our roundtable with this comic genius. Welcome to a slice of MISERY LOVES COMEDY.

 

Misery Loves Comedy is available on iTunes !! *Ps- it’s #1 right now* Opens today in NYC (IFC Center) with a national release to follow.

Tribeca Film Festival interview: ‘CROCODILE GENNADIY’ is a modern-day superhero story.

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Crocdile Gennadiy poster Gennadiy Mokhnenko is a pastor in Mariupol, Ukraine. Following the collapse of the Soviet Union, hundreds, if not thousands of children have become homeless and addicted to a deadly mixture of cold medicine and alcohol that they are injecting like herion. Gennadiy has taken it upon himself to rescue these children, small groups at a time and bring them to his rehabilitation center called Pilgrim Republic. An accomplished and eloquent orator, this strong headed and passionate pastor, sometimes forcibly removes children from sewers, or other filth ridden settings, to set them on the straight and narrow. His aim is to improve their alcohol recovery timeline, get these kids healthy and make them want to be functioning members of society. Confronting abusive parents and taking on the government, Gennadiy is a saint. He has 11 children, most of them adopted from the lot that he has saved over the years. He has a wit and charm that make him one of the most approachable men, and yet he has a tenacity that is also threatening when it needs to be.Crocodile Gennadiy image

This documentary from Steve Hooper is beautifully inter-cut with a Soviet animated TV show, Crocodile Gennadiy from which our pastor gets his nickname. The parrallels between Gennadiy and the cartoon are almost unbelievable. The methods this man uses are far from what would be acceptable for any church in the United States, and as far as I am concerned, we should be taking a page from his playbook when fighting for good. Croc Genn cartoon

I was able to sit down with Steve Hoover and producer Danny Yourd. Find out some of the crazy story behind the making of this film.

 

Crocodile Gennadiy Teaser from Crocodile Gennadiy Documentary on Vimeo.

You can still catch CROCODILE GENNADIY at this year’s festival:

8:00 PM – FRI 4/24  REGAL CINEMAS BATTERY PARK 11-3   –RUSH

Tribeca Film Festival review: ‘Among The Believers’ will test your faith.

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Among the Believers-00004 Tribeca

Aziz testing a young student on his “studies”.

AMONG THE BELIEVERS– Documentary

9/11 turned the world on it’s head. What we think we know about religion has been bundled into talking points by one side of the coin. Captured by fear and ignorance we label quickly but never rush to understand. Among the Believers is a riveting documentary that takes the audience inside the infamous Red Mosques and into the mind of Abdul Aziz Ghazi, ISIS supporter, Taliban ally, and teacher of the jihadist movement to children all over Pakistan. Acting a s “dean” Aziz takes children from poor Pakistani families under the guise that he will house, clothe and educate their children for them. What’s really going on is the indoctrination of oftentimes infantile members of a society that doesn’t know any better. These children “study” the Quran from sunrise until 9pm everyday. Not until they are deemed worthy do they even understand the verses they are forced to memorize and chant incessantly. Religion does funny things to people and, no matter which religion, extremists are out there.

Young girls have few choices in Pakistan. If she is not educated, she is often married off.

Young girls have few choices in Pakistan. If she is not educated, she is often married off.

This documentary is beautifully balanced with open minded Muslims living in the surrounding neighborhoods of the madrassah (Islamic seminaries) locations. Advocates like Dr. Pervez Hoodbhoy, speak out in public platforms, such as mass media outlets and lectures. The majority of Pakistan’s population is vehemently against the imposition of Sharia law throughout the country. The question continues to be; How do you fight religion? Among the Believers-00002 Tribeca

As an audience member you will endure a visceral reaction to the ideas onscreen. You will feel a passionate push back in one way or another. Among The Believers is sometimes difficult to watch, but I understand that it is a rather important film.

www.amongthebelieversfilm.com

To Learn More About Screenings of Among The Believers, visit

Tribeca Film Festival Guide 2015

Directed By: Hemal Trivedi and Mohammed Ali Naqvi

An unsettling and eye opening exploration into the spread of the radical Islamic school Red Mosque, which trains legions of children to devote their lives to jihad, or holy war, from a very young age. With incredible access and chilling footage, Among the Believers is a timely and relevant look into the causes that have led to the growth of radical Islam in Pakistan and around the world.

Tribeca Film Festival reviews: ‘DEMOCRATS’ and ‘VIAJE’. Both are sweet and sour for drastically different reasons

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Democrats stillDemocrats- Documentary

In a place where the people are being silenced by the old regime, free speech is punished, in a country that has produced a landscape of mindless and terrified sheep, this absorbing documentary takes us behind the curtain of the political system in Zimbabwe. Politics is full of pretenders. They fully admit to glazing over the truth and using bullying tactics to coral followers like cattle. A broken system attempts to fix itself with the formation of a dual party constitutional committee. We are privy to embattled showdowns with one party busing on “locals” for support and the opposition party fighting for it’s people’s lives, literally. Can two men guide an entire country through peaceful transition?

This is a drastic portrait of how money and power control politics. Talking points, denial, broken promises are all things we understand in the United States, but in Zimbabwe, in the shadow of Mugabe, this is something altogether next level for these people. The lies and the violence are all on camera. Despite this, it is two steps forward and 20 steps back. Whichever side you happen to be, DEMOCRATS is a brave and brilliantly cut together piece of art. The filmmakers and all those involved must be saluted for standing for something in a place where nothing is the norm.

Directed and written by Camilla Nielsson
(Denmark)—North American Premiere

In the wake of Robert Mugabe’s highly criticized 2008 presidential win, a constitutional committee was created in an effort to transition Zimbabwe away from authoritarian leadership. With unprecedented access to the two political rivals overseeing the committee, this riveting, firsthand account of a country’s fraught first steps towards democracy plays at once like an intimate political thriller and unlikely buddy film. In English, Shona with subtitles.

VIAJE_Press_1 Tribeca

Viaje- Narrative, Comedy

Lust at first sight is relatively common. Taking a chance on a stranger, these days, is pretty uncommon. Luciana and Pedro meet at a costume party and decide to leave together on a whim. Alcohol fueled inhibition leads to the prolonged weekend together camping. This film is about two people learning about each other, trusting each other, going with the flow. Relationships are complicated, but maybe, this one doesn’t have to be.

Viaje has some of the most genuine and funny dialogue I have heard in long time. When two people click, this is how they communicate. The chemistry between lead actors Kattia Gonzalez and Fernando Bolaños is palpable and delicious. They are passionate and natural and I could have watched them play off one another for ages. The film’s score is lively and fun. The camera work has a superb energy that keeps up with our vivacious leads. Shot is beautiful black and white and at a tight 70 minutes, Viaje is an honest picture of mature feelings and elegant understandings we face as we grow together and apart.

Directed By: Paz Fábrega  

Country: Costa Rica

After meeting at a party, Luciana and Pedro spark up a spontaneous rendezvous when Luciana accompanies Pedro to a national forest on a work trip. Eschewing the fraudulent nature of traditional relationships, the pair explores the beauty in the nature that surrounds them as they indulge in the passions of their encounter and navigate the various meanings of commitment.

Find out more about these two films at Tribeca Film Festival Guide 2015

TRIBECA FILM FESTIVAL begins tomorrow! RND has a few (40) recommendations

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tribeca film festival 2015 logoThis year’s fest is bigger and better than ever! We’re very excited here at Reel News Daily to bring you the very best of what’s screening. Get ready for interviews, roundups, special events, and reviews coming your way. Here are the films we recommend… so far!

 

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Tribeca Film Festival 2015 MarqueeDocumentary Selections

INDIAN POINTIndian_POint_Press_3 Tribeca

TFF 2015 DOCUMENTARY FEATURE
  • Release Year: 2015
  • Runtime: 94 minutes
  • Directed By: Ivy Meeropol
  • Country: USA
Indian Point Nuclear Power Plant looms just 35 miles from Times Square. With over 50 million people living in close proximity to the aging facility, its continued operation has generated controversy for the surrounding community. In the brewing fight for clean energy and the catastrophic possibilities of complacency, director Ivy Meeropol weaves a startling portrait of our uncertain nuclear future. 

SCREENING TIMES

FRI 4/17 5:30 PM SVA Theater 2 Beatrice
SUN 4/19 3:45 PM Regal Cinemas Battery Park 11-1
WED 4/22 3:30 PM Bow Tie Cinemas Chelsea 6
FRI 4/24 6:15 PM Bow Tie Cinemas Chelsea 4

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Liz’s Review: ‘1971’ looks a lot like 2015

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1971_ONESHEET

In grade school we all read the George Orwell classic, 1984. “Big Brother Is Watching.” With technology as sophisticated as it is is now, we are not a far cry from constant surveillance, frankly, we’re already there. People still don’t understand that once “it” is on the internet, it’s there forever. And not just the internet, anything connected to a WiFi signal at this point. Our post 9-11 world is one of less freedom and more scrutiny. In 1971, the true story of a small burglary is the catalyst that kicked the FBI in its ass. Read More →

Melissa’s Review: ‘The Last Impresario’ – the perfect Saturday night movie

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Step into the life of Michael White, a fearless, charming producer of stage and screen, lived the celebrity lifestyle in the 70s and 80s. He’s that guy who knows everyone at the party, stays out until the wee hours of the morning, and loves every minute of it. He has an amazing list of successful productions and features. He’s The Last Impresario. Read More →

NYFF52 Liz’s Review: ‘Seymour: An Introduction’ is a master class on life

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nyff New York Film Festival 2014

It should come as no surprise to anyone that I went to a performing arts conservatory for my college experience. Not to burst readers’ bubbles, but I am pretty sure I have never been described as shy or ambiguous in my opinions. However, it wasn’t until a 2nd semester Voice Production and Speech class in which I got up in front of my ridiculously talented classmates and admitted that I have an oftentimes crippling case of stage fright. No one knew. I guess I hide it well. That being said, it has been the bane of my existence as performer for as long as I can remember. Seeing one of this year’s NYFF 52 Spotlight on Documentary selections hit very close to home. I present my thoughts on ‘Seymour: An Introduction.”

seymour-Concert-2 nyff52 Read More →

NYFF 52- Review: ‘The Look of Silence’ is loud in its message.

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nyff New York Film Festival 2014

In the 2013 New Directors/New Films fest, we were privileged enough to see Joshua Oppenheimer’s The Act of Killing. The film chronicled the leaders of a government led military killing brigade whose goal was to irradiate “communists” (mostly farmers, artists, and freethinkers) in Indonesia in 1965-66. We met the men who slaughtered hundreds of people under the regime of pure ignorance and evil. At this year’s NYFF 52, we are introduced to Oppenheimer’s follow up doc, The Look of Silence. Read More →

Liz’s Review: ‘I AM ELEVEN’ is universally charming.

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I Am Eleven_IAmEleven_posterWhen I was 11, I was dancing 5 days a week, going to girl scouts and slumber parties. Life was pretty incredible. I had not a worry in the world then. I did what I wanted, wore what I wanted, (when not in school uniform), loved The New Kids on The Block, and scrunchies. Everyday I came home from school and ate two pieces of American cheese folded into fourths. I was kind of peculiar, graceful yet awkward, bright and precocious, but I had a ton of friends and loved every day I was alive. Australian documentarian, Genevieve Bailey, recalls being just as happy at age 11. As an adult, she wondered if that was the case for kids today. Taking time off to travel, she decided that along here journey she would interview kids that were 11 and find out if they were as happy as we remembered being then. I AM ELEVEN proves to be a beautiful phenomenon and on the heels of the release of Richard Linklater’s BOYHOOD, the timing could not be more perfect. Read More →

Liz’s Review: ‘Altman’ documentary airing tonight on EPIX

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altman poster

As a writer, actor, and avid reader, there are certain artists who resonate with me on a very personal level. Robert Altman is one of them. From M*A*S*H* to Gosford Park, Robert Altman’s ability to capture an audience like no other. His passion for truth and realism is tough to match these days. He is a legend in the business and one to be studied. Read More →

Jeremy Goes to the Indy Film Fest: Rory Kennedy’s Documentary ‘Last Days in Vietnam’ Poignant and Fascinating

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Last Days in Vietnam-posterWhile I lived through the final gasps of the Vietnam War, I was way too young to recall any of it. This war hangs over our country’s history like a rain cloud and it’s rare that we ever hear of much in the way of good that came from it. Enter Rory Kennedy‘s superb documentary, Last Days in Vietnam, which tells the story of the not-so-secret operation to remove as many of the South Vietnamese who helped the U.S. during the war with the Viet Cong and the communists from the North. This is a tale that has seemingly gone untold in the near 40 years since the end of the war. As our troops that have been engaged in Iraq and Afghanistan are finally being returned home, the time seems perfectly ripe for a film like this one. Read More →

Liz’s Review: It’s okay ‘To Be Takei’

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To Be Takei 5

George Takei is an icon. 3 seasons of Star Trek, 6 movies in the original franchise, Comic-Con signings, innumerable television guest appearances, and 5 million plus Facebook followers. Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you also know George Takei’s most personal venture, gay rights activist. Read More →

On Demand: 5 Documentaries You Can Watch This Weekend

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on-demand

Video Games: The Movie

Video Games: The Movie

These are the movies that are newly available online to stream or download before or during their time in theaters.

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Jeremy’s Review: ‘Video Games: The Movie’ Is an Endearing Documentary on the History and Evolution of Video Games and Their Culture

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Video Games-Poster-XLPerhaps I’m dating myself here, but I can easily recall when Pong, the original video game sensation, became a hit, and the Atari 2600 shortly thereafter. And on and on and on. I am a member of the first video game generation and plenty of my life (up to the end college at least) has been consumed by playing, a pastime I have since passed along to my two sons, ages 7 and 9 much to the chagrin of my wife who never played them and fails to see their point. But one can’t deny how pervasive that video games have become in our culture and that’s where a film like writer-director Jeremy Snead‘s fantastic documentary Video Games: The Movie helps show how and why this all came about. Read More →