Farewell to Hollywood (Corra and Nicholson, 2015)
This documentary about the relationship between a filmmaker and his dying young protégée is both troubling and inspiring, but never boring.
Author: Andrew Spitznas
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McFarland, USA (Caro, 2015)
“McFarland, USA” may not deviate much from the underdog sports movie playbook. But it’s so winningly done that I hardly cared.
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Rocks in my Pockets (Baumane, 2014)
Cliché alert! Signe Baumane’s debut feature film is an instant classic, thanks to evocative, inventive animation and its authentic, heartfelt look at mental illness.
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Match (Belber, 2014)
Now available for home viewing, Patrick Stewart comes down to earth in this solid drama, as an isolative ballet teacher encountering two strangers who may possess secrets from his past.
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As It is in Heaven (Overbay, 2014)
With his debut feature, director Joshua Overbay has created an intriguing story of a tiny cult, prompting consideration of the continuum uniting acceptable religion and fringe groups.
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Foxcatcher (Bennett Miller, 2014)
Deservedly nominated for multiple Oscars, "Foxcatcher" achieves maximal creepiness with this tragic tale of a du Pont scion’s relationship with two Olympic wrestlers.
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American Sniper (Eastwood, 2014)
With "American Sniper," Clint Eastwood has created a movie of integrity, exploring the nature of American manhood and the costs of war.
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Virunga (von Einsiedel, 2014)
Virtue, venality, and vocation are all abundantly on display in "Virunga," a suspense-filled Netflix documentary on warring oil and conservation interests in Congo.
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Documentary Double Feature: “To Be Takei” and “The Pleasures of Being Out of Step”
These two documentaries, now available for home viewing, offer interesting profiles of Nat Hentoff and George Takei, two American icons who effectively blend their involvement in the worlds of entertainment and civil rights activism.
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Big Eyes (Burton, 2014)
Despite a strong start and source material with immense potential, Tim Burton’s film quickly squanders all of its assets.