‘Sun Ra: Do the Impossible’ Achieves the Seemingly Impossible
In its gorgeous embroidery of color, sound, and thoughtful reflection, Sun Ra documentary Do the Impossible achieves the seemingly impossible.
documentary
Silent Film Restoration Is an Act of Love
To experience restored silent films – even just salvaged bits of them – is to be dazzled and intrigued by a window into the past and to be lit by a desire to see more.
It’s Funny How Complicated Coexistence Can Be
Activist-cum-stand-up comedian Noam Shuster-Eliassi documentary Coexistence, My Ass! makes it painfully clear how complicatedly funny/not-funny coexistence can be.
‘Route One/USA’ Drives Along History and Memory
In Robert Kramer’s documentary Route One/USA a fictional character rides shotgun in this road trip history and memory.
Reviews/Feature Sub Head/Featured: Top of Home Page/Features/Film/Film Feature/PopMatters Picks/Television
‘Israel Palestine on Swedish TV’ Is an Urgent History/Not History Lesson
Despite its flaws, Israel Palestine on Swedish TV 1958-1989 is a meticulously detailed study of conflict and hauntingly foreshadows the current moment.
Reviews/Culture/Feature Sub Head/Featured: Top of Home Page/Features/Film/Film Feature/Film Review/PopMatters Picks
Check Out ‘The Librarians’ Before It’s Banned
The Librarians is a vital David and Goliath documentary of the fight against book banning, a harbinger of fascism, in America.
G Chesler on the Trauma of the COVID-19 Pandemic Through a Trans Lens
Filmmaker G Chesler considers the importance of making a film about the traumatic COVID-19 shutdown as experienced by the trans community in the US.
Joshua Zeman on Filming War Through the Eyes of Beasts
Filmmaker Joshua Zeman discusses the human-animal bond in Checkpoint Zoo, revealing a unique perspective on war in the process.
My Undesirable Friends’ Brilliant, Casual Bravery
Julia Loktev’s My Undesirable Friends is an oddly casual and uncompromising masterpiece of unbridled intimacy.
‘Checkpoint Zoo’ Saves the Animals Two by Two
Documentary director Joshua Zeman’s time in true crime equipped him with an ability to craft dread and suspense, which goes a long way in Checkpoint Zoo.
James Cotton Blues Documentary Is Pitch Perfect
Harmonicist blues musician James Cotton was a powerhouse performer, and Bestor Cram’s documentary Bonnie Blues captures his essence with great admiration.
Bob Dylan and Muhammad Ali Are Gods
Bob Dylan and Muhammad Ali are stars, prophets, liberators, kings, and gods, forever immortalized in the mythology of documentary filmmaking.