Tag: Documentary Review

Dance, Directors, Documentaries, Interviews, Spotlight

Exclusive Interview with “Everybody Dance” Director Dan Watt (Part 2)

By Joan Amenn We’re back with Part 2 of this great interview with the director of “Everybody Dance” just in time for Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month and here he is going to tell us more about his experiences as a documentary filmmaker and how he won the Chita Rivera Award for Best Direction of a Documentary so let’s dive in! Joan Amenn: That’s fantastic. I’m … Continue reading Exclusive Interview with “Everybody Dance” Director Dan Watt (Part 2)

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Documentaries, Reviews

“Karen Carpenter: Starving for Perfection” Review

Year: 2023 Runtime: 99 Minutes Director: Randy Martin By Morgan Roberts There was no voice quite like Karen Carpenter’s. She could begin a song, “Long ago, and, oh, so far away…” and you were immediately swept away by her emotions. The emotions which created melodic and melancholy tones. In the documentary “Karen Carpenter: Starving for Perfection” (2023), filmmaker Randy Martin attempts to capture the true … Continue reading “Karen Carpenter: Starving for Perfection” Review

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Documentaries, Female Filmmakers, Film Festivals, Indigenous People, Tribeca Film Festival, Women in Film

Richland: Tribeca Film Festival 2023 Review

Year: 2023 Runtime: 93 minutes Director: Irene Lusztig By Joan Amenn Early on in the documentary “Richland” (2023), a Hanford energy worker somewhat defensively declares that viewing the creation of the atomic bombs that were used against Japan in WWII as a bad thing was an “outsider’s” way of thinking. He says that the residents of Richland see it as an accomplishment to be proud … Continue reading Richland: Tribeca Film Festival 2023 Review

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Documentaries, Film Festivals, Reviews, Television Review

Three Rivers Film Festival Preview: “Butterfly in the Sky”

Year: 2022 Runtime: 87 minutes Directors: Bradford Thomason, Brett Whitcomb By Morgan Roberts For many, “Reading Rainbow” was more than a television program. It was our first form of education that taught us to love books, telling stories, and using our imaginations. “Butterfly in the Sky”is the documentary film that dives into the history of “Reading Rainbow” and the impact the show had on many … Continue reading Three Rivers Film Festival Preview: “Butterfly in the Sky”

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Documentaries, Female Filmmakers, Music, Reviews, Short Film, Streaming, Women in Film

Review: ruth weiss: the Beat Goddess

Year: 2019 Runtime: 69 minutes Director: Melody C. Miller By Joan Amenn “Walking on a tightrope Is like any other road Just believe your foot.” -ruth weiss An extraordinary life deserves to be celebrated and remembered and for too long, Ruth Weiss has been eclipsed by other poets of the Beat Movement. Unsurprisingly, the men of the era like Ginsberg and Kerouac were considered the … Continue reading Review: ruth weiss: the Beat Goddess

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Documentaries

Guantanamo Diary Revisited Review

What does it mean to forgive someone? The act of forgiveness is perhaps the most powerful weapon someone can wield. It can restore your very soul, and hopefully repair another. But, how does one forgive another, after they had to endure a living hell? This is the question posed by the documentary, “Guantanamo Diary Revisited”. From 2002 until 2016, Mohamedou Ould Slahi was a prisoner of Guantanamo Bay, held under suspicion of being the recruiter of the 9/11 hijackers. Continue reading Guantanamo Diary Revisited Review

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Documentaries, Film Festivals, Film Reviews, Reviews

Tribeca Film Festival Review: ClayDream

There is something magical in animation, as anyone who has ventured to try creating in the visual style knows. Clay animation is a special kind of crazy magic; crazy, because of how a shapeless blob can be given movement and form but also because of the time and focus that is required for it to be done well. Maybe Will Vinton was a special kind of crazy for his incredible talent that took animation to a new level, but the personal cost to him and to those who believed in his dreams proved devastating. “ClayDreams” (2021) is a cautionary tale of how art and finance don’t necessarily play well together, sometimes with heartbreaking results. Continue reading Tribeca Film Festival Review: ClayDream

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