Movie Releases by Genre
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1.
What We Started
March 23, 2018
What We Started is the definitive electronic dance film. Featured throughout the documentary are heavy-weight electronic dance music artists, including Carl Cox, Martin Garrix, Erick Morillo, Moby, David Guetta, Afrojack, Paul Oakenfold, Seth Troxler, and Tiesto. There are also cameos from musical superstars, like Usher and Ed Sheeran, who help exemplify the power and reach that electronic dance music has over mainstream music genres. Through an artfully crafted narrative and stunning visual techniques, the film delves into the highly popular world of electronic dance music, providing backdoor access to a widely misunderstood, self-driven and well-insulated industry on its way to global domination. [Abramorama]
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2.
The Parking Lot Movie
August 6, 2010
"It's not just a parking lot, it's a battle with humanity." The Parking Lot Movie is a documentary about a singular parking lot in Charlottesville, Virginia and the select group of parking lot attendants that inhabit its microcosm. The attendants are a uniquely varied group of men from the local Charlottesville, Virginia environment. They are comprised of undergraduate and graduate students, artists, musicians, intellectuals, philosophers and marginal-type characters. They all work under the banner of parking lot chief and ringleader Chris Farina. Farina himself is a fascinating sociological study. A native of an Italian immigrant family from Baltimore, Maryland, Farina is a graduate from the University of Virginia in Charlottesville. He took over a lease of a then-struggling parking lot in 1986 and turned it into an extremely dynamic business model with an iconic local flavor and storied history. As Farina states, "For these guys that I hire, it's like becoming part of a tradition, like the marines going all the way back to Tripoli." A strange rite of passage for all involved - everything from cars and license plates, class struggles, capitalism, anger, justice, drunkenness, and awareness receive daily scrutiny and detailing. For these denizens of Charlottesville, the intersection between the status quo and the quest for freedom becomes the challenge. Something as simple as a parking lot becomes an emotional weigh station for The American Dream. In the end, as one attendant interestingly puts it, "We had it all in a world that had nothing to offer us."
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3.
Walk with Me
August 18, 2017
Walk With Me takes us inside the world-famous monastery of Zen Buddhist master Thich Nhat Hanh, and captures the life of a monastic community who have given up all their possessions for one common purpose – to practice the art of mindfulness.
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4.
Hondros
March 2, 2018
In Hondros, director and childhood friend Greg Campbell reveals a portrait of a man who found and explored humanity in these war-torn countries with great depth and sensitivity. Hondros' passion for his craft could only be matched by his unending talent for creating breathtaking imagery.
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5.
Shawn Mendes: In Wonder
November 23, 2020
In Wonder follows Shawn Mendes’ journey toward self-discovery, after the physical and emotional demands of his rise, and his last world tour, pushed him towards a personal and musical reckoning. The documentary is a heartfelt look at a songwriter and performer wrestling with the pressures of stardom and the emotional tolls of coming-of-age while the world watches. Largely framed around his rise and recent tour, the film offers unprecedented access to Mendes’ private life both at home, and while traveling across North and South America, Europe, Asia and Australia, and features years of footage as he rose from precocious troubadour to global superstar. [Netflix]
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6.
McLibel
June 10, 2005
McLibel is not about hamburgers. It is about the power multinational corporations wield over our everyday lives and two unlikely heroes who are changing McWorld. (Cinema Libre)
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7.
Scream, Queen! My Nightmare on Elm Street
February 28, 2020
Scream Queen! My Nightmare on Elm Street sets the records straight about the controversial sequel to A Nightmare on Elm Street, which ended Mark Patton’s acting career, just as it was about to begin. Scream Queen follows Patton as he travels to horror conventions across the U.S. Each new city unwraps a chapter from his life that is met with equal parts joyful and bittersweet detail, as he attempts to make peace with his past and embrace his legacy as cinema’s first male “scream queen.” Scream Queen also finds Patton confronting Freddy’s Revenge cast and crew for the first time, including co-stars Robert Rusler, Kim Myers and Clu Gulager, as well as Freddy Krueger himself, Robert Englund.
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8.
LaLee's Kin: The Legacy of Cotton
June 22, 2001
This heartbreaking documentary depicts the extreme poverty of an African-American family and their Mississippi Delta school district.
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9.
Bridegroom
October 4, 2013
Bridegroom tells the emotional journey of Shane and Tom, two young men in a loving and committed relationship that was cut tragically short by a misstep off the side of a roof. The story of what happened after this accidental death - of how people without the legal protections of marriage can find themselves completely shut out and ostracized - is poignant, enraging and opens a window onto the issue of marriage equality and human rights like no speech or lecture ever will.
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10.
The Culture High
October 3, 2014
The Culture High tears into the very fiber of modern day marijuana prohibition to reveal the truth behind the arguments and motives governing both those who support and oppose the existing pot laws.
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11.
The Century of the Self
August 12, 2005
Adam Curtis' acclaimed BBC documentary series examines the rise of the all-consuming self against the backdrop of the Freud dynasty. (BBC Four)
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12.
The Two Escobars
October 15, 2010
Pablo Escobar was the richest, most powerful drug kingpin in the world, ruling the Medellín Cartel with an iron fist. Andres Escobar was the biggest soccer star in Colombia. The two were not related, but their fates were inextricably-and fatally-intertwined. Pablo's drug money had turned Andres' national team into South American champions, favored to win the 1994 World Cup in Los Angeles. It was there, in a game against the U.S., that Andres committed one of the most shocking mistakes in soccer history, scoring an "own goal" that eliminated his team from the competition and ultimately cost him his life. The Two Escobars is a riveting examination of the intersection of sports, crime, and politics. For Colombians, soccer was far more than a game: their entire national identity rode on the success or failure of their team. Jeff and Michael Zimbalist's fast and furious documentary plays out on an ever-expanding canvas, painting a fascinating portrait of Pablo, Andres, and a country in the grips of a violent, escalating civil war.
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13.
The Russian Five
March 22, 2019
In the late 1980s, the Detroit Red Wings worked to finally break their decades long Stanley Cup drought by extracting players from the Soviet Union, and in the process, changed the way North American hockey is played.
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14.
Miss Americana
January 31, 2020
A look at iconic pop artist Taylor Swift during a transformational time in her life as she embraces her role as a singer/songwriter and harnesses the full power of her voice.
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15.
They Shall Not Grow Old
December 17, 2018
Using state of the art technology to restore original archival footage which is more than a 100-years old, Jackson brings to life the people who can best tell this story: the men who were there. Driven by a personal interest in the First World War, Jackson set out to bring to life the day-to-day experience of its soldiers. After months immersed in the BBC and Imperial War Museums’ archives, narratives and strategies on how to tell this story began to emerge for Jackson. Using the voices of the men involved, the film explores the reality of war on the front line; their attitudes to the conflict; how they ate; slept and formed friendships, as well what their lives were like away from the trenches during their periods of downtime.
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16.
Honeyland
July 26, 2019
Hatidze lives with her ailing mother in the mountains of Macedonia, making a living cultivating honey using ancient beekeeping traditions. When an unruly family moves in next door, what at first seems like a balm for her solitude becomes a source of tension as they, too, want to practice beekeeping, while disregarding her advice.
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17.
America: Freedom to Fascism
July 28, 2006
Aaron Russo's fiery diatribe against the direction America is heading.
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18.
The Thin Blue Line
September 1, 1988
A documentary which argues that Randall Harris was wrongly convicted of the murder of Dallas police officer Robert Wood by corrupt system of justice.
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19.
David Attenborough: A Life on Our Planet
October 4, 2020
In his 94 years, David Attenborough has visited every continent on the globe, exploring the wild places of our planet and documenting the living world in all its variety and wonder. Now, for the first time he reflects upon both the defining moments of his lifetime as a naturalist and the devastating changes he has seen.
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20.
When We Were Kings
October 25, 1996
An unforgettable account of the "Rumble in the Jungle," this Oscar-winning film captures all the magic of Muhammad Ali at the peak of his triumphant career. (Universal)
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21.
Body of War
April 9, 2008
Body of War is an intimate and transformational feature documentary about the true face of war today. Meet Tomas Young, 25 years old, paralyzed from a bullet to his spine--wounded after serving in Iraq for less than a week. Body of War is Tomas' coming-home story as he evolves into a new person, coming to terms with his disability and finding his own unique, passionate voice against the war. The film is produced and directed by Phil Donahue and Ellen Spiro, and features two original songs by Eddie Vedder. Body of War is a naked, honest portrayal of what it's like inside the body, heart, and soul of this extraordinary and heroic young man. (The Film Sales Company)
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22.
Off and Running
January 29, 2010
With white Jewish lesbians for parents and two adopted brothers - one mixed-race and one Korean - Brooklyn teen Avery grew up in a unique and loving household. But when her curiosity about her African-American roots grows, she decides to contact her birth mother. This choice propels Avery into her own complicated exploration of race, identity, and family that threatens to distance her from the parents she’s always known. She begins staying away from home, starts skipping school, and risks losing her shot at the college track career she had always dreamed of. But when Avery decides to pick up the pieces of her life and make sense of her identity, the results are inspiring. Off and Running follows Avery to the brink of adulthood, exploring the strength of family bonds and the lengths people must go to become themselves. (First Run Features)
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23.
A Man Named Pearl
July 11, 2008
A bigoted remark dissuades Pearl Fryar from moving into a white neighborhood. Told “Black people don’t keep up their yards,” Pearl creates an extraordinary topiary garden that conveys his philosophy of Love, Peace and Goodwill. (Shadow Distribution)
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24.
Fighter
August 24, 2001
A documentary about a journey made by two Holocaust survivors through the geography and psychology of their pasts.
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25.
Won't You Be My Neighbor?
June 8, 2018
Won’t You Be My Neighbor? takes an intimate look at America’s favorite neighbor: Mister Fred Rogers. A portrait of a man whom we all think we know, this emotional and moving film takes us beyond the zip-up cardigans and the land of make-believe, and into the heart of a creative genius who inspired generations of children with compassion and limitless imagination.
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26.
The Act of Killing
July 19, 2013
A documentary in which former Indonesian death squad leaders reenact their real-life mass-killings in various cinematic genres.
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27.
Dear Zachary: A Letter to a Son About His Father
October 31, 2008
Dear Zachary: A Letter to a Son About His Father is a uniquely intense and personal documentary about the murder of Kurt’s oldest friend and the unbelievable legal and emotional madness that ensued. [Oscilloscope Pictures]
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28.
Justin Timberlake + the Tennessee Kids
October 12, 2016
Justin Timberlake + the Tennessee Kids showcases the entertainer’s final date of his 20/20 Experience World Tour at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas. Surrounded by the 25 band members of The Tennessee Kids and featuring show-stopping performances from one of the highest-grossing tours of the decade, the film is a culmination of the singer's 134 shows and 2 years on the road.
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29.
Murderball
July 8, 2005
Featuring fierce rivalry, stopwatch suspense, and larger-than-life personalities, Murderball is a film about tough, highly competitive quadriplegic rugby players. (ThinkFilm)
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30.
Kedi
February 10, 2017
Hundreds of thousands of Turkish cats roam the metropolis of Istanbul freely. For thousands of years they’ve wandered in and out of people’s lives, becoming an essential part of the communities that make the city so rich. Claiming no owners, the cats of Istanbul live between two worlds, neither wild nor tame –and they bring joy and purpose to those people they choose to adopt. In Istanbul, cats are the mirrors to the people, allowing them to reflect on their lives in ways nothing else could.
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31.
Touching the Void
January 23, 2004
This documentary follows the climbers Joe Simpson and Simon Yates as they set out to climb the west face of the Siula Grande in the Peruvian Andes.
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32.
Crumb
April 28, 1995
A documentary of artist Robert Crumb's life.
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33.
Inequality for All
September 27, 2013
A documentary that follows former U.S. Labor Secretary Robert Reich as he looks to raise awareness of the country's widening economic gap.
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34.
The Letter: An American Town and the 'Somali Invasion'
February 9, 2005
In the wake of the 9/11 tragedy a firestorm erupts when Mayor Larry Ramond of Lewiston, Maine sends an open letter to 1,100 newly arrived Somali refugees advising them that the city's resources are strained to the limit and asking other Somalis not to move to the city. Interpreted as a rallying cry by white supremacist groups across the United States, The Letter documents the crossfire of emotions and events, culminating in a "hate" rally convened by the World Church of the Creator and a counter "peace" rally involving 4,000 Lewiston residents supporting ethnic and cultural diversity. (Arab Film Distribution)
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35.
Coldplay: A Head Full of Dreams
November 14, 2018
A Head Full of Dreams offers an in-depth and intimate portrait of the band's spectacular rise from the backrooms of Camden pubs to selling out stadiums across the planet. At the heart of the story is the band's unshakeable brotherhood which has endured through many highs and lows. The film is directed by Mat Whitecross - director of Supersonic, the acclaimed 2016 Oasis documentary - who met the four friends at college in London, before they'd even formed the band. From the very first rehearsal in a cramped student bedroom, Whitecross has been there to capture the music and the relationships on tape. Using extensive unseen archive, behind-the-scenes and live footage, A Head Full of Dreams sees the band reflect upon their two decades together. It was filmed during Coldplay's record-breaking A Head Full Of Dreams Tour, which was certified as the third biggest tour of all time, playing to more than 5.5 million fans across the world.
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36.
Waste Land
October 29, 2010
Filmed over nearly three years, WASTE LAND follows renowned artist Vik Muniz as he journeys from his home base in Brooklyn to his native Brazil and the world's largest garbage dump, Jardim Gramacho, located on the outskirts of Rio de Janeiro. There he photographs an eclectic band of "catadores" -- or self-designated pickers of recyclable materials. Muniz's initial objective was to "paint" the catadores with garbage. However, his collaboration with these inspiring characters as they recreate photographic images of themselves out of garbage reveals both the dignity and despair of the catadores as they begin to re-imagine their lives. Walker has great access to the entire process and, in the end, offers stirring evidence of the transformative power of art and the alchemy of the human spirit. (Arthouse Films)
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37.
Tim's Vermeer
December 6, 2013
Inventor Tim Jenison seeks to understand the painting techniques used by Dutch Master Johannes Vermeer.
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38.
Pete Seeger: The Power of Song
September 14, 2007
Pete Seeger was the architect of the folk revival, writing some of its best known songs including "Where Have All the Flowers Gone,” "Turn, Turn, Turn” and "If I Had A Hammer." Largely misunderstood by his critics, including the US government, for his views on peace, unionism, civil rights and ecology, Seeger was targeted by the communist witch hunt of the Fifties. He was picketed, protested, blacklisted, and, in spite of his enormous popularity, banned from American television for more than 17 years. With a combination of never-before-seen archival footage and personal films made by Seeger and his wife, Pete Seeger: The Power of Song chronicles the life of this legendary artist and political activist. (Jim Brown Productions)
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39.
Muscle Shoals
September 27, 2013
Located on the banks of the Tennessee River, Muscle Shoals, AL is the unlikely breeding ground for some of the most creative music in American history.
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40.
The Dawn Wall
September 14, 2018
In January, 2015, American rock climbers Tommy Caldwell and Kevin Jorgeson captivated the world with their effort to climb The Dawn Wall, a seemingly impossible 3,000 foot rock face in Yosemite National Park, California. The pair lived on the sheer vertical cliff for weeks, igniting a frenzy of global media attention. But for Tommy Caldwell, The Dawn Wall was much more than just a climb… It was the culmination of a lifetime defined by overcoming obstacles. At the age of 22, the climbing prodigy was taken hostage by rebels in Kyrgyzstan. Shortly after, he lost his index finger in an accident, but resolved to come back stronger. When his marriage fell apart, he escaped the pain by fixating on the extraordinary goal of free climbing The Dawn Wall. Blurring the line between dedication and obsession, Caldwell and his partner Jorgeson spend six years meticulously plotting and practicing their route. On the final attempt, with the world watching, Caldwell is faced with a moment of truth. Should he abandon his partner to fulfill his ultimate dream, or risk his own success for the sake of their friendship?
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41.
Glass: A Portrait of Philip in Twelve Parts
April 18, 2008
A uniquely intimate portrait of the music icon, Glass: A Portrait of Philip in Twelve Parts explores the contemporary composer's creative process in opera, concert, and film, interwoven with candid scenes of his personal and spiritual life. In July 2005, filmmaker Scott Hicks started shooting a documentary about the composer Philip Glass to celebrate his 70th birthday in 2007. Over the next 18 months, he followed Glass across three continents, from his annual ride on the Coney Island Cyclone roller coaster, to the world premiere of his new opera in Germany, to a performance with a didgeridoo virtuoso in Australia. Allowed unprecedented access to Glass' working process, family life, spiritual teachers, and longtime collaborators, including Martin Scorsese, Errol Morris, Chuck Close, Christopher Hampton, and others, Hicks gives audiences a remarkable mosaic portrait of one of the greatest--and at times controversial--artists of this or any era. (Koch Lorber Films)
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42.
The Last Lions
February 18, 2011
From the lush wetlands of Botswana’s Okavango Delta comes the suspense-filled tale of a determined lioness ready to try anything—and willing to risk everything—to keep her family alive. In the new wildlife adventure, The Last Lions, filmmakers Dereck and Beverly Joubert follow the epic journey of a lioness named Ma di Tau (“Mother of Lions”) as she battles to protect her cubs against a daunting onslaught of enemies in order to ensure their survival. (National Geographic Entertainment)
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43.
Gore Vidal: The United States of Amnesia
May 23, 2014
Controversial, brilliant, and ever entertaining, the late Gore Vidal recalls his remarkable life as America’s most outspoken intellectual superstar in this illuminating, up close and personal documentary. Through intimate interviews with Vidal himself, as well as friends and colleagues like Tim Robbins and Christopher Hitchens, the film reveals how the charismatic cultural critic used the media to wage blistering attacks on hypocrisy and establishment politics. Vidal is witty, unsentimental, and enlightening as ever in this definitive portrait of one of the most fascinating personalities of the last century. [IFC Films]
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44.
The Agronomist
April 23, 2004
This documentary is a profile of Jean Dominique, a Haitian radio journalist and human rights activist who was assassinated in 2000.
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45.
Glastonbury
February 23, 2007
This documentary chronicles the evolution of the longest running music festival in the world. Fueled by a staggering range of music, the movie embraces the spirit, characters and overwhelming experiences of the festival as it reflects the extraordinary world changes of the last three decades. (ThinkFilm)
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46.
Deceptive Practices: The Mysteries and Mentors of Ricky Jay
April 17, 2013
What happens when documentary filmmakers, whose mission is to probe, explore and reveal, take as their subject one of the world's greatest living magicians, whose life and art are basically off limits to probing, exploration and revelation? More than a decade in the making, Deceptive Practice: The Mysteries and Mentors of Ricky Jay is the captivating result of this curious conundrum. [Kino Lorber]
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47.
Love & Bananas
April 20, 2018
Love and Bananas tackles the issue of what can be done to prevent the extinction of Asian elephants, which are at risk of becoming trophies and product imports for man’s desire and greed.
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48.
Amy
July 3, 2015
Amy tells the story of six-time Grammy-winner Amy Winehouse – in her own words. A once-in-a-generation talent, Amy Winehouse was a musician that captured the world’s attention. A pure jazz artist in the most authentic sense – she wrote and sung from the heart using her musical gifts to analyze her own problems. The combination of her raw honesty and supreme talent resulted in some of the most unique and adored songs of the modern era. Her huge success, however, resulted in relentless and invasive media attention which coupled with Amy’s troubled relationships and precarious lifestyle saw her life tragically begin to unravel. Amy Winehouse died from alcohol poisoning in July 2011 at the age of 27. [A24]
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49.
Inside Job
October 8, 2010
Inside Job is the first film to expose the shocking truth behind the economic crisis of 2008. The global financial meltdown, at a cost of over $20 trillion, resulted in millions of people losing their homes and jobs. Through extensive research and interviews with major financial insiders, politicians and journalists, Inside Job traces the rise of a rogue industry and unveils the corrosive relationships which have corrupted politics, regulation and academia. (Sony Classics)
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50.
Searching for Sugar Man
June 29, 2012
Searching for Sugar Man tells the incredible true story of Rodriguez, the greatest '70s rock icon who never was. Discovered in a Detroit bar in the late '60s by two celebrated producers struck by his soulful melodies and prophetic lyrics, they recorded an album which they believed would secure his reputation as the greatest recording artist of his generation. In fact, the album bombed and the singer disappeared into obscurity amid rumors of a gruesome on-stage suicide. But a bootleg recording found its way into apartheid South Africa and, over the next two decades, he became a phenomenon. The film follows the story of two South African fans who set out to find out what really happened to their hero. Their investigation leads them to a story more extraordinary than any of the existing myths about the artist known as Rodriguez. (Sony Pictures Classics)
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51.
Stop Making Sense
October 18, 1984
A concert film of the rock band Talking Heads.
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52.
Virunga
November 7, 2014
In the forested depths of eastern Congo lies Virunga National Park, one of the most bio-diverse places in the world and home to the last of the mountain gorillas. In this wild, but enchanted environment, a small and embattled team of park rangers - including an ex-child soldier turned ranger, a carer of orphan gorillas and a Belgian conservationist - protect this UNESCO world heritage site from armed militia, poachers and the dark forces struggling to control Congo's rich natural resources. When the newly formed M23 rebel group declares war in May 2012, a new conflict threatens the lives and stability of everyone and everything they've worked so hard to protect.
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53.
Oasis: Supersonic
October 26, 2016
From the Academy Award®-winning producers of Amy and Senna comes this essential and entertaining look at the meteoric rise of the seminal 90s rock band Oasis. The film immerses us in the raucous rock stars’ fast-paced world of electrifying music, wild debauchery, and epic fraternal feuding, weaving never-before-seen concert footage with candid interviews and an astonishing firsthand account of the backstage sibling rivalry that threatened to destroy the band.
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54.
Side by Side
August 17, 2012
Join Keanu Reeves on a tour of the past and the future of filmmaking in SIDE BY SIDE. Since the invention of cinema, the standard format for recording moving images has been film. Over the past two decades, a new form of digital filmmaking has emerged, creating a groundbreaking evolution in the medium. Reeves explores the development of cinema and the impact of digital filmmaking via in-depth interviews with Hollywood masters, such as James Cameron, David Fincher, David Lynch, Martin Scorsese, Steven Soderbergh, and many more. (Tribeca Films)
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55.
It Might Get Loud
August 14, 2009
Rarely can a film penetrate the glamorous surface of rock legends. It Might Get Loud tells the personal stories, in their own words, of three generations of electric guitar virtuosos – The Edge (U2), Jimmy Page (Led Zeppelin), and Jack White (The White Stripes). It reveals how each developed his unique sound and style of playing favorite instruments, guitars both found and invented. Concentrating on the artist’s musical rebellion, traveling with him to influential locations, provoking rare discussion as to how and why he writes and plays, this film lets you witness intimate moments and hear new music from each artist. The movie revolves around a day when Jimmy Page, Jack White, and The Edge first met and sat down together to share their stories, teach and play. (Sony Classics)
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56.
Meru
August 14, 2015
Three elite climbers struggle to find their way through obsession and loss as they attempt to climb the Shark's Fin on Mount Meru, one of the most coveted prizes in the high stakes game of Himalayan big wall climbing.
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57.
Björk: Biophilia Live
September 26, 2014
Icelandic artist, Björk, performs songs from her eighth album with evocative visuals provided by designers from around the world.
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58.
I Am Heath Ledger
May 3, 2017
I Am Heath Ledger is a feature length documentary celebrating the life of Heath Ledger: actor, artist and icon. The documentary provides an intimate look at Heath Ledger through the lens of his own camera as he films and often performs in his own personal journey - extravagant in gesture and in action. It was his creative energy and unshakable willingness to take risks that instilled such an extraordinarily deep love and affection in the people that entered his life. Heath’s artistic nature and expression set him apart from the Hollywood mainstream, vaulted him to stardom and endeared him to the world.
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59.
Eddie Murphy: Raw
December 18, 1987
Eddie Murphy in a stand-up performance recorded live. For an hour and a half he talks about his favourite subjects: sex and women.
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60.
Created Equal: Clarence Thomas in His Own Words
January 31, 2020
Although Clarence Thomas remains a controversial figure, loved by some, reviled by others, few know much more than a few headlines and the recollections of his contentious confirmation battle with Anita Hill. Yet, the personal odyssey of Clarence Thomas is a classic American story and should be better known and understood. His life began in extreme poverty in the segregated South, and moved to the height of the legal profession, as one of the most influential justices on the Supreme Court.
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61.
Of Men and War
November 6, 2015
Anger consumes a squad of combat vets years after they return from the front. The dozen warriors in Of Men and War come home to the United States, but their minds are stuck out on the battlefield. Like figures from a Greek tragedy, all have traumatic memories that haunt them to this day. Ghosts and echoes of the war fill their lives. Wives, children, and parents bear the brunt of their fractured spirits. At The Pathway Home, a pioneering PTSD therapy center, the protagonists resolve to end the ongoing destruction. Their therapist is a Vietnam vet himself, helping the boys forge meaning from their senseless trauma. Over years of therapy, Of Men and War explores their grueling paths to recovery, as they attempt to make peace with themselves, their past, and their families.
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62.
Hey! Is Dee Dee Home?
September 3, 2003
Lech Kowalski's 2003 documentary feature about the life and times of Ramones bassist and all-star burnout Dee Dee Ramone (1952-2002) is a fascinating character study of a punk rock legend who never grew up. (Two Boots Pioneer Theater)
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63.
American Radical: The Trials of Norman Finkelstein
February 12, 2010
American Radical is the probing documentary portrait of American academic and activist Norman Finkelstein. A devoted son of holocaust survivors, ardent critic of Israeli and US Mid-East policies and author of six provocative books–including The Holocaust Industry, Beyond Chutzpah and the soon-to-be-released A Farewell to Israel: The Coming Break-Up of American Zionism, Finkelstein has been at the center of many intractable controversies. Called a lunatic and a self-hating Jew by some and an inspirational, street-fighting revolutionary by others, Finkelstein is a deeply polarizing figure whose struggles arise from core questions about freedom, identity and nationhood. Following him as he presents his message to audiences around the globe, American Radical provides an intimate portrait of the man behind the controversy, giving voice to Finkelstein’s critics as well as his supporters. (Typecast Releasing)
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64.
Under the Boardwalk: The Monopoly Story
May 6, 2011
Under the Boardwalk focuses on the MONOPOLY national and world championships that are held around the world every four years. Leading up to the exciting coronation of a new champion at the most recent World Championship in Las Vegas, the filmmakers follow some of the most colorful players in the game. (Tostie Productions)
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65.
The Goebbles Experiment
August 12, 2005
This documentary lets the Nazi propaganda mastermind behind Hitler talk directly to you as actor Kenneth Branagh reads pages of the diary he kept without interruption from 1924 to 1945. (First Run Features)
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66.
Rembrandt's J'Accuse...!
October 21, 2009
There is a conspiracy depicted in Rembrandt’s “The Night Watch”. Greenaway’s new documentary film explains it all – the event, the motive, the conspirators, the murderers, the numerous clues and the outcome. And all the evidence is in the painting “The Night Watch”, Rembrandt’s indictment. (ContentFilm International)
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67.
National Gallery
November 5, 2014
The National Gallery in London is one of the great museums of the world with 2400 paintings from the 13th to the end of the 19th century. Almost every human experience is represented in one or the other of the paintings. The sequences of the film show the public in various galleries; the education programs, and the scholars, scientists and curators, studying, restoring and planning the exhibitions. The relation between painting and storytelling is explored.
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68.
Blackfish
July 19, 2013
While in captivity, Tilikum, a performing killer whale, has been responsible for the deaths of three people, including a top orca trainer. Blackfish shows the sometimes devastating consequences of capturing and confining such intelligent and sentient creatures.
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69.
Man on Wire
July 25, 2008
On August 7th 1974, a young Frenchman named Philippe Petit stepped out on a wire illegally rigged between New York's twin towers, then the world’s tallest buildings. After nearly an hour dancing on the wire, he was arrested, taken for psychological evaluation, and brought to jail before he was finally released. Following six and a half years of dreaming of the towers, Petit spent eight months in New York City planning the execution of the coup. Aided by a team of friends and accomplices, Petit was faced with numerous extraordinary challenges: he had to find a way to bypass the WTC’s security; smuggle the heavy steel cable and rigging equipment into the towers; pass the wire between the two rooftops; anchor the wire and tension it to withstand the winds and the swaying of the buildings. The rigging was done by night in complete secrecy. At 7:15 AM, Philippe took his first step on the high wire 1,350 feet above the sidewalks of Manhattan. [Magnolia Pictures]
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70.
Indie Game: The Movie
May 18, 2012
After two years of painstaking work, designer Edmund McMillen and programmer Tommy Refenes await the release of their first major game for Xbox, Super Meat Boy—the adventures of a skinless boy in search of his girlfriend, who is made of bandages. At PAX, a major video-game expo, developer Phil Fish unveils his highly anticipated, four-years-in-the-making FEZ. Jonathan Blow considers beginning a new game after creating Braid, one of the highest-rated games of all time. First-time filmmaking duo Lisanne Pajot and James Swirsky capture the emotional journey of these meticulously obsessive artists who devote their lives to their interactive art. Four developers, three games, and one ultimate goal— to express oneself through a video game. (BlinkWorks Media)
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71.
Apollo 11
March 1, 2019
From director Todd Douglas Miller (Dinosaur 13) comes a cinematic event fifty years in the making. Crafted from a newly discovered trove of 65mm footage, and more than 11,000 hours of uncatalogued audio recordings, Apollo 11 takes us straight to the heart of NASA’s most celebrated mission—the one that first put men on the moon, and forever made Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin into household names. Immersed in the perspectives of the astronauts, the team in Mission Control, and the millions of spectators on the ground, we vividly experience those momentous days and hours in 1969 when humankind took a giant leap into the future.
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72.
The Cove
July 31, 2009
In this pulse-pounding eco-thriller, a crack team of divers, activists and special effects experts infiltrate a secret cove in Japan to expose one of history's most shocking and unimaginable crimes against nature. Winner of the Audience Award at this year's Sundance Film Festival, 'The Cove' is sure to be one of the most talked about films of the summer. (Roadside Attractions)
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73.
The King of Kong: A Fistful of Quarters
August 17, 2007
A middle-school science teacher and a hot sauce mogul vie for the Guinness World Record on the arcade classic, Donkey Kong. (Picturehouse Entertainment)
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74.
Senna
August 12, 2011
Senna's remarkable story, charting his physical and spiritual achievements on the track and off, his quest for perfection, and the mythical status he has since attained, is the subject of SENNA, a documentary feature that spans the racing legend's years as an F1 driver, from his opening season in 1984 to his final, tragic race a decade later. Far more than a film for F1 fans, SENNA unfolds a remarkable story in a remarkable manner, eschewing many standard documentary techniques in favour of a more cinematic approach that makes full use of astounding footage, much of which is drawn from F1 archives and is previously unseen. (Working Title Films)
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75.
Life Itself
July 4, 2014
In 2013, we lost Roger Ebert—arguably the nation’s best-known and most influential movie critic. Based on his memoir of the same name, Life Itself recounts Ebert’s fascinating and flawed journey—from politicized school newspaperman, to Chicago Sun-Times movie critic, to Pulitzer Prize winner, to television household name, to the miracle of finding love at 50, and finally his “third act” as a major voice on the Internet when he could no longer physically speak. [Magnolia Pictures]
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76.
The Look of Silence
July 17, 2015
The Look of Silence is Joshua Oppenheimer's powerful companion piece to the Oscar®-nominated The Act of Killing. Through Oppenheimer's footage of perpetrators of the 1965 Indonesian genocide, a family of survivors discovers how their son was murdered, as well as the identities of the killers. The documentary focuses on the youngest son, an optometrist named Adi, who decides to break the suffocating spell of submission and terror by doing something unimaginable in a society where the murderers remain in power: he confronts the men who killed his brother and, while testing their eyesight, asks them to accept responsibility for their actions.
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77.
Food, Inc.
June 12, 2009
In Food, Inc., filmmaker Robert Kenner lifts the veil on our nation's food industry, exposing the highly mechanized underbelly that's been hidden from the American consumer with the consent of our government's regulatory agencies, USDA and FDA. Our nation's food supply is now controlled by a handful of corporations that often put profit ahead of consumer health, the livelihood of the American farmer, the safety of workers and our own environment. We have bigger-breasted chickens, the perfect pork chop, insecticide-resistant soybean seeds, even tomatoes that won't go bad, but we also have new strains of e coli--the harmful bacteria that causes illness for an estimated 73,000 Americans annually. We are riddled with widespread obesity, particularly among children, and an epidemic level of diabetes among adults Featuring interviews with such experts as Eric Schlosser (Fast Food Nation), Michael Pollan (The Omnivore's Dilemma) along with forward thinking social entrepreneurs like Stonyfield Farm's Gary Hirshberg and Polyface Farms' Joe Salatin, Food, Inc. reveals surprising -- and often shocking truths -- about what we eat, how it's produced, who we have become as a nation and where we are going from here. (Magnolia Pictures)
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78.
Going Clear: Scientology and the Prison of Belief
March 13, 2015
Alex Gibney profiles eight former members of the Church of Scientology, whose most prominent adherents include A-list Hollywood celebrities, shining a light on how the church cultivates true believers, including their experiences and what they are willing to do in the name of religion. The film covers a broad range of material from the church's origins—punctuated by an intimate portrait of founder L. Ron Hubbard—to present-day practices and alleged abuses as reported in the media. [Sundance]
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79.
Jodorowsky's Dune
March 21, 2014
The story of cult film director Alejandro Jodorowsky's ambitious but ultimately doomed film adaptation of Frank Herbert’s science fiction classic, Dune.
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80.
No End in Sight
July 27, 2007
The first film of its kind to chronicle the reasons behind Iraq’s descent into guerrilla war, warlord rule, criminality and anarchy, No End in Sight is a jaw-dropping, insider’s tale of wholesale incompetence, recklessness and venality. Based on over 200 hours of footage, the film provides a candid retelling of the events following the fall of Baghdad in 2003 by high ranking officials such as former Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage, Ambassador Barbara Bodine (in charge of Baghdad during the Spring of 2003), Colonel Lawrence Wilkerson, former Chief of Staff to Colin Powell, and General Jay Garner (in charge of the occupation of Iraq through May 2003), as well as Iraqi civilians, American soldiers and prominent analysts. No End in Sight examines the manner in which the principal errors of U.S. policy – the use of insufficient troop levels, allowing the looting of Baghdad, the purging of professionals from the Iraqi government and the disbanding of the Iraqi military – largely created the insurgency and chaos that engulf Iraq today. (Magnolia Pictures)
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81.
Anvil! The Story of Anvil
April 10, 2009
At 14, Toronto school friends Steve "Lips" Kudlow and Robb Reiner made a pact to rock together forever. They meant it. Their band, Anvil, went on to become the "demigods of Canadian metal," releasing one of the heaviest albums in metal history, 1982 Metal on Metal. The album influenced a musical generation, including Metallica, Slayer and Anthrax, that went on to sell millions of records. But Anvil's career took a different path, straight into obscurity. (Abramorama Films)
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82.
Neil Young: Heart of Gold
February 10, 2006
Neil Young: Heart of Gold is filmmaker Jonathan Demme's intimate musical portrait of legendary singer/songwriter Neil Young, filmed on the occasion of the world premiere of Young's "Prairie Wind" concert at Nashville's hallowed Ryman Auditorium. (Paramount Classics)
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83.
The Salt of the Earth
March 27, 2015
For the last 40 years, the photographer Sebastião Salgado has been travelling through the continents, in the footsteps of an ever-changing humanity. He has witnessed some of the major events of our recent history; international conflicts, starvation and exodus. He is now embarking on the discovery of pristine territories, of wild fauna and flora, and of grandiose landscapes as part of a huge photographic project which is a tribute to the planet's beauty.
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84.
American Movie
November 5, 1999
The story of Mark Borchardt, the ultimate independent filmmaker from Wisconsin, who attempts to raise money to finish "Coven," his short film, in order to have the funds to produce his next vision. Borchardt relies on his best friend and his mother to fill many roles in the process including acting and camera operating, and he even convinces his old Uncle Bill to invest in his film.
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85.
The U.S. vs. John Lennon
September 15, 2006
Exploring Vietnam-era struggles that remain relevant today, The U.S. vs. John Lennon tells the true story of the U.S. Government's attempts to silence John Lennon, the beloved musician and iconic advocate for peace. (Lions Gate)
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86.
Jim & Andy: The Great Beyond — Featuring a Very Special, Contractually Obligated Mention of Tony Clifton
November 17, 2017
Jim Carrey earned critical acclaim and a Golden Globe for the performance, but many of the production’s most Kaufmanesque moments played out behind the scenes, thankfully captured on video by Andy’s former girlfriend, Lynne Margulies and former writing partner, Bob Zmuda. In Jim & Andy, Carrey looks back at the resulting footage 18 years later, reflecting on how he and Andy came up in oddly parallel universes, his experience channelling Andy and Tony and more broadly the spiritual journey of his career.
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87.
Tupac: Resurrection
November 14, 2003
Celebrating the life of Tupac Shakur, one off the top-selling hip-hop artists of all time, this film explores Shakur's life viscerally and dramatically through his own words and music. (Paramount Pictures)
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88.
Amazing Grace
November 23, 2018
A documentary presenting Aretha Franklin with choir at the New Bethel Baptist Church in Watts, Los Angeles in January 1972.
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89.
The Beatles: Eight Days a Week - The Touring Years
September 16, 2016
The Beatles: Eight Days A Week - The Touring Years documents the first part of The Beatles’ career (1962-1966) – the period in which they toured and captured the world’s acclaim. Ron Howard’s film explores how John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr came together to become the extraordinary phenomenon, The Beatles. It chronicles their inner workings – how they made decisions, created their music and built their collective career together – all the while, exploring The Beatles’ extraordinary and unique musical gifts and their remarkable, complementary personalities.
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90.
Jane
October 20, 2017
Jane is the story of how Jane Goodall became Jane Goodall – using footage shot by future husband Hugo van Lawick of her first experiences in Gombe, Tanzinia in the 1960’s. Previously thought to be lost forever, the footage was only recently discovered in a storage unit, and has been now masterfully intercut with interviews of present day Jane Goodall to provide an in-depth portrait of her life. With an enchanting score by Phillip Glass, JANE is a captivating and immersive look into how one woman can change the world through passion, dedication, and perseverance.
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91.
Maiden
June 28, 2019
Maiden is the story of how Tracy Edwards, a 24-year-old cook in charter boats, became the skipper of the first ever all-female crew to enter the Whitbread Round the World in 1989. Tracy’s inspirational dream was opposed on all sides: her male competitors thought an all-women crew would never make it, the chauvinistic yachting press took bets on her failure, and potential sponsors rejected her, fearing they would die at sea and generate bad publicity. But Tracy refused to give up: she remortgaged her home and bought a secondhand boat, putting everything on the line to ensure the team made it to the start line. Although blessed with tremendous self-belief Tracy was also beset by crippling doubts and was only able to make it through with the support of her remarkable crew. With their help she went on to shock the sport world and prove that women are very much the equal of men. [Sony Pictures Classics]
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92.
Chasing Ice
November 9, 2012
In the spring of 2005, acclaimed environmental photographer James Balog headed to the Arctic on a tricky assignment for National Geographic: to capture images to help tell the story of the Earth’s changing climate. Even with a scientific upbringing, Balog had been a skeptic about climate change. But that first trip north opened his eyes to the biggest story in human history and sparked a challenge within him that would put his career and his very well-being at risk.
Chasing Ice is the story of one man’s mission to change the tide of history by gathering undeniable evidence of our changing planet. (National Geographic Channel)
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93.
The Story of the Weeping Camel
June 4, 2004
Set amid the cast expanse of South Mongolia's Gobi Desert, this film follows the adventures of a family of camel herders who face a crisis when one mother camel rejects her newborn, following a particularly difficult delivery. Invoking an ancient ritual, the family sends two of its young boys to the capital city to enlist the aid of a musician whom they believe will coax the mother camel into nursing her baby. (ThinkFilm)
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94.
Going Upriver: The Long War of John Kerry
October 1, 2004
This documentary takes an inside look at John Kerry, where he has come from, and how these roots have driven him forward in his public life. (ThinkFilm)
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95.
Gunner Palace
March 4, 2005
This documentary reveals the complex realities of the situation in Iraq not seen on the nightly news. Told first-hand by our troops, Gunner Palace presents a thought provoking portrait of a dangerous and chaotic war that is personal, highly emotional, sometimes disturbing, surprisingly amusing ... and thoroughly fascinating. (Palm Pictures)
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96.
For the Bible Tells Me So
October 5, 2007
Through the experiences of five very normal, very Christian, very American families -- including those of former House Majority Leader Richard Gephardt and Episcopalian Bishop Gene Robinson -- we discover how insightful people of faith handle the realization of having a gay child. Informed by such respected voices as Bishop Desmond Tutu, Harvard's Peter Gomes, Orthodox Rabbi Steve Greenberg and Reverend Jimmy Creech, For the Bible Tells Me So offers healing, clarity and understanding to anyone caught in the cross-hairs of scripture and sexual identity. (First Run Pictures)
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97.
56 Up
January 4, 2013
Director Michael Apted revisits the same group of British-born adults he has been chronicling in documentaries every seven years since they were each 7 years old. The original concept, starting in 1964's "Seven Up," was to interview 14 children from diverse backgrounds from all over England, asking them about their lives and their dreams for the future. Every seven years, Apted, a researcher for Seven Up, has been back to talk to them, examining the progression of their lives. From cab driver Tony to schoolmates Jackie, Lynn and Susan and the heart-breaking Neil, as they turn 56 more life-changing decisions and surprising developments are revealed. (First Run Features)
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98.
My Architect
November 12, 2003
A tale of love and art, betrayal and forgiveness -- in which the illegitimate son of legendary architect Louis I. Kahn undertakes a five year, worldwide exploration to understand his long-dead father. (New Yorker Films)
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99.
Los Angeles Plays Itself
July 28, 2004
This documentary examines how Los Angeles has been portrayed by Hollywood and the impact of the movie industry on the city.
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100.
The Flat
October 12, 2012
The flat on the third floor of a Bauhaus building in Tel Aviv was where my grandparents lived since they immigrated to Palestine in the 1930's. Were it not for the view from the windows, one might have thought that the flat was in Berlin. When my grandmother passed away at the age of 98 we were called to the flat to clear out what was left. Objects, pictures, letters and documents awaited us, revealing traces of a troubled and unknown past. The film which begins with the emptying out of a flat develops into a riveting adventure, involving unexpected national interests, a friendship that crosses enemy lines, and deeply repressed family emotions. And even reveals some secrets that should have probably remained untold. (Sundance Selects)
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Coming Soon
-
The Longest Game
- Runtime: 69 min
-
Voyage of Time: Life's Journey
- Runtime: 90 min
-
The Dead and the Others
- Runtime: 114 min
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