Tag Archives: documentaries

Jump Aboard The Michael Moore Bandwagon, Err, Gondola

Jessica GoldbergSeptember 12, 2009 //


Michael Moore tops my list of favorite documentary filmmakers I wouldn’t want to snog but would totally marry. I love a juicy oversimplification applied by the left, and nobody does it like Moore. First he took on the ailing auto industry in “Roger & Me,” then violence in “Bowling for Columbine,” then the reaction to September 11th in “Fahrenheit 9/11,” then the healthcare industry in “Sicko.” Remember when Moore provoked Charlton Heston to slam a door in his face (on tape!) for a poignant ending to “Bowling for Columbine”? Sigh.

After the jump, see what industry insiders are saying about Moore’s latest lament, “Capitalism: A Love Story,” which premiered at the Venice Film Festival in late August, plays at the New York Film Festival next week, and opens in theaters on October 2nd. Keep reading »

No Impact Woman

Kate Torgovnick/Kate-Book.comSeptember 12, 2009 //

Last night, I saw a preview screening of “No Impact Man,” the documentary about Colin Beavan. Chances are you know him as the guy who gave up everything from toilet paper to electricity for a year, on a quest to make himself and his family have absolutely no negative effects on the environment. After an article about him ran about him in the New York Times, a media blitz ensued and Colin became something of a celebrity (though a polarizing one), landing on “Good Morning America,” “The Colbert Report,” etc, etc, etc.

But while he may be the titular No Impact Man, the real star of the documentary is Colin’s wife, Michelle Conlin. Keep reading »

“The Day Before” Gets Us Excited For Fashion Week

Catherine StrawnSeptember 8, 2009 //

New York Fashion Week officially begins this Thursday. Right now designers are probably scurrying around, creating last-minute dresses, hiring models to walk the runway, and making final hair, makeup, and music selections for their shows. Sure, they’ve been working for months on their collections, but a lot is done right down to the moment the last model struts onto the runway.

We love seeing what goes into making the clothes we see in magazines and on red carpets. In the four-part series “The Day Before,” which premieres tomorrow night at 10 p.m. on the Sundance Channel, French director Loïc Prigent (the man behind the “Marc Jacobs & Louis Vuitton” documentary) takes us behind the scenes for the last 36 hours before the fall 2009 fashion shows of Sonia Rykiel, Proenza Schouler, Fendi, and Jean-Paul Gaultier. After watching these clips of Karl Lagerfeld and his Fendi team going delightfully nuts (above) and Lazaro Hernandez and Jack McCollough making last-minute adjustments backstage (after the jump), you’re gonna want to clear your nights from tomorrow until Saturday, when the last part of the series airs. [Sundance Channel] Keep reading »

“Good Hair” Documentary Looks Promising

Annika HarrisAugust 4, 2009 //

We were really intrigued by “Good Hair,” Chris Rock‘s documentary that explores the idea of “good hair” in black culture, when it premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in January. Now that the trailer has been released we’re even more excited, because it delves into an aspect of black culture that isn’t often discussed outside the black community — that is unless someone stands to profit by making products for black hair. Although Chris stays true to his comedic roots, “Good Hair” doesn’t appear to be any less insightful or serious. Keep reading »

Britney Spears Saved My Life!

Justine FieldsJuly 23, 2009 //

Did you ever think that Britney Spears could save anybody’s life? Not so much, unless we’re talking about deflecting a bullet with a swinging umbrella or walking barefoot in the bathroom and soaking up all the germs so that they don’t invade another’s body. But according to a new BBC documentary called “Britney Spears Saved My Life,” Britney’s been the savior for lots of folks. Keep reading »

Life Is, Like, SO Hard For Beautiful People

Wendy AtterberryJuly 17, 2009 //

There’s a 2-minute documentary worth checking out on the Sundance Channel’s website called “Not Pretty, Really.” The short film is part of a series called “The Art of Seduction” and explores some of the trials and tribulations of beautiful people. That’s right, you guys — it’s super hard being good looking!! Sure, there are the occasional perks the participants in the documentary acknowledge, like free pitas from Pita Pit, rides in private jets, and being paid to sit in windows of fancy restaurants to attract other diners, but the beautiful people want others to know it isn’t always easy being so hot. For example, it gets “frustrating” when people come up to you ALL day to tell you how beautiful you are! And you can never be the “funny girl,” or the “smart girl,” or the “interesting girl” when all anyone sees you as is the “pretty girl.” And sometimes people stare at you like you’re an object! Oh, and other times people just ASSUME things about you like you’re conceited or not smart. One pretty girl even suffered the trauma of people gasping when she won an English award in school! And still, other women have had to be friends with only gay men because they’re the only ones who don’t constantly objectify them. Gosh, I never realized just how hard some people had it… Keep reading »

Coming To Theaters This Summer: Food

Nina CarboneJune 12, 2009 //

Don’t want to go the whole blow-’em-up blockbuster movie route this summer? That makes two of us. Well, word on the street is that there’s a bumper crop of new documentaries hitting the big screen, the festival circuit and DVD aisle examining America’s food system this summer. If you’re looking for this August’s version of “No Reservations,” these movies ain’t it. The filmmakers are more intent on showing us just how disgusting eating has become. Think “Fast Food Nation” and the Humane Society’s debbie-downer cow video. An obvious suggestion would be to eat dinner before heading to the theater, as I’m pretty sure you won’t want to stuff your face after. Here’s the sampler:

Keep reading »

Will A Documentary Save Amy Winehouse’s Career?

Catherine StrawnMay 21, 2009 //

Amy Winehouse is trying to save her career, and she’s not resorting to posing nude for a magazine, having a baby, or starting a clothing line. According to People, celebrity interviewer Daphne Barak is making a documentary about Amy to be released later this year. A message on Amy’s official MySpace blog says “Saving Amy” is “a truthful and revealing look at her complicated life.” But will it save her career? Let’s look at two other documentaries focused on faltering stars. Keep reading »

The Daily Squeeze: Porn On TV, Pregnancy, And Dr. Drew

Catherine StrawnSeptember 23, 2008 //
  • One of Sweden’s state-run TV channels will be airing a trio of porn-tastic documentaries next week: “Inside Deep Throat,” “Ron Jeremy, Porn Star,” and “PopWhore.” A very educational evening, indeed. [Variety]
  • Women who are obese tend to miscarry more than normal weight women. [Medical News Today]
  • Speaking of pregnancy, 20 percent of first time mothers took six months after giving birth to feel physically comfortable having sex. [Times of India]

    • Keep reading »

    Monday Quickies!

    The FriskyJune 23, 2008 //
  • Mike Myers is gay? Also, who will go see The Love Guru with Amelia? [Gawker]
  • If you haven’t seen it already, check out the documentary Girls Rock. [Cool Hunting]
  • Are lesbians more likely to commit? [Boinkology]
  • Lily Allen put up a snippet of a new song called “Guess Who Batman” on her MySpace page. It’s about haters. [Lily Allen on MySpace]
  • Speaking of songs, Heidi Montag’s new one, “Fashion”, will rape your eardrums. [Us Weekly]
  • Bajillions of penis euphemisms. [Starma.com via Daily Bedpost]

    • Keep reading »

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