There have been countless movies, both documentaries and feature fiction, that have spoke to the issue of drug addiction. Few have packed the same raw and visceral punch as Jessica Earnshaw’s “Jacinta”, the winner for Best U.S. Feature at this year’s Hot Springs Documentary Film Festival. With its crushingly intimate and unflinching perspective, “Jacinta” spares … Continue reading
First Glance: “All My Life”
I think I’m becoming a Jessica Rothe fan. The 33-year-old Denver, Colorado native has brought energy to nearly every movie I’ve seen her in. She had a small but sparkling roll in “La La Land” contributing to one of my favorite musical numbers in the film. She was a lot of fun and showed her … Continue reading
REVIEW: “Mamakrom” (2020)
Sitting upon the endless red clay of northern Ghana is the village of Mamakrom and a school built on the very foundation of hope and compassion. The new documentary, understandably titled “Mamakrom”, is made with the same passion and solicitude as its namesake. Filmmakers Joseph Pelegreen and Matt Lang have put together something anchored by … Continue reading
First Glance: “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom”
Streaming giant Netflix is hoping to add yet another Oscar contender from their 2020 movie Catalog with “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom”. The attention-getting title comes from the August Wilson play of the same name about legendary Blues singer Ma Rainey. Touting Denzel Washington as a producer, Viola Davis as its star, and featuring the final … Continue reading
REVIEW: “MLK/FBI” (2020)
The dark and troubling relationship between Martin Luther King, Jr. and J. Edgar Hoover’s FBI is well known and has been well documented. But I’m not sure it has ever been as thoughtfully considered as it is in Sam Pollard’s new documentary “MLK/FBI”. I had the opportunity to see the film at this year’s Hot … Continue reading
REVIEW: “Missing in Brooks County” (2020)
I had the honor of serving as a juror at this year’s Hot Springs Documentary Film Festival and once again the festival’s program featured a wealth of talented filmmakers presenting their work. One of the most gripping documentaries I had the opportunity to see was “Missing in Brooks County”, a thoughtful and immersive look at … Continue reading