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Tuesday, August 23, 2011

Summer 2011 Was Hot




Especially for documentaries. Maybe because I'm partial to the genre but I've noticed lots of reviews and previews this season. The Interrupters, Buck, Page One, Last Mountain, and Tabloid each different - each interesting.

The Interrupters is getting a lot of press as it being screened at the Gene Siskel Center this month. Homegrown in Chicago, this film by Steve James, the director of Hoop Dreams, and author Alex Kotlowitz, follows individuals and the group Ceasefire in their inspirational attempts to quell neighborhood and youth violence.

Buck is the story of a modern day horse-whisperer. Beautifully filmed and a magnet for horse lovers it is the story of the man who overcomes his abusive past and finds his calling.

Page One provides an insider view into the frenetic New York Times newsroom as it tries to evolve and stay solvent in this time of electronic and 24 hour news.

The coal industry and mountain top stripping are the subjects of The Last Mountain. In the same vein as An Inconvenient Truth and Food, Inc. , its goal to alert viewers of a problem before irreparable damage is done.

Tabloid breaks out of the pack with no overt message except that truth is stranger than fiction. Renown filmmaker Errol Morris brings us a fantastical story involving people on the fringe and the media tale of love and obsession.

Unfortunately, most of these are no longer in the theaters and the dvds are not yet available. Look for them in the library's collection by the end of the year.

In the meantime, consider these unique documentaries currently in our catalog.
Floored
5000 Miles From Home
Emergency Mine Rescue










1 comment:

Laura Adler said...

The Interrupters is the best movie I've seen in a long time, and certainly the most thought-provoking. The Ceasefire organization approaches violence as a treatable epidemic, and hires former gang members to help resolve conflicts before they lead to violence; they also act as mentors. I was especially impressed by a woman interrupter, Ameena Matthews, the daughter of a Chicago gang leader, whose courage, empathy, and patience are remarkable.

You can learn more about Ceasefire and the movie here:

ceasefirechicago.org/tag/the-interrupters

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