Tag: Documentary

The Life and Tragic Death of Adrienne Shelly Examined in New HBO Documentary (Review)
Film, Reviews

The Life and Tragic Death of Adrienne Shelly Examined in New HBO Documentary (Review)

There was a moment in the early 90s when it looked like actress Adrienne Shelly would become one of the biggest stars in Hollywood. She burst onto the scene with extraordinary leading roles in two independent films by Hal Hartley. 1989's "The Unbelievable Truth" and 1990's "Trust" were wildly unique and quirky comedies that became minor hits on the arthouse circuit and ended up finding larger audiences thanks to home video. As an actor, she was struggling by the late 90s to be cast in the kinds of movies she was really passionate, so she started to make her own. A 1997 feature called "Sudden Manhattan" is nearly impossible to track down these days, but she made a much bigger splash with what turned out to be her final film. Shelly wrote and directed the 2007 feature "Waitres...
The Life and Career of Julia Child is Chronicled in Tasty New Documentary (Review)
Film, Reviews

The Life and Career of Julia Child is Chronicled in Tasty New Documentary (Review)

It's surprising that it has taken so long for a documentary about legendary chef Julia Child to surface. I live in a household where the 2009 film "Julie & Julia" is pure and frequent comfort viewing, so checking this out was a requirement. Filmmakers Betsy West and Julie Cohen earned an Oscar nomination for their film "RBG" and their latest look at a pioneering woman was snapped up quickly by CNN Films and Sony Pictures Classics. Unlike it's subject, this film certainly doesn't break any new ground, but it's a loving and enthusiastic chronicle of a woman who changed the conversation around home cooking in America for decades. Her husband Paul worked for the State Department and was assigned to live in Paris. After having a meal at La Couronne, Child's life was forever chang...
‘Whirlybird’ Offers Intensely Personal Look at L.A. History (Review)
Film, Reviews

‘Whirlybird’ Offers Intensely Personal Look at L.A. History (Review)

It's difficult now to imagine a time before the 24-hour news cycle. Breaking news and remote coverage are part of our everyday lives, whether we like it or not. There was a married couple in Los Angeles who were at the forefront of the shift in news coverage starting in the mid-80s. Robert Tur and his then-wife Marika Gerrard launched Los Angeles News Service as stringers. They would literally chase police scanners and drive around the city looking to be the first video crew on the scene to film footage to sell to local news stations. Frustrated with how hard it was to cover the city by automobile, they bought a helicopter and really upped their game. By flying over the city, they were able to more quickly capture news as it happened and proved to be so indispensable that they ...