Review: Benjamin Ree’s ‘The Remarkable Life of Ibelin’
“There are moments of richness in ‘The Remarkable Life of Ibelin,’ but they only materialize when Ree allows his tale to be told from the only truly lived-in perspective.”
Review: Thom Zimny’s ‘Road Diary: Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band’
“‘Road Diary’ is intimate and illuminating, revealing the E Street Band’s brilliance and how they function like a well-oiled machine, with Springsteen as the engine that guides them.”
Review: John McDermott’s ‘Electric Lady Studios: A Jimi Hendrix Vision’
“With ‘Electric Lady Studios,’ McDermott artfully explores intriguing stories about hard-working music professionals who experienced first-hand what it was like to make a dream come true.”
Review: Jason Miller’s ‘Not Not Jazz’
“Miller’s documentary will likely bore viewers who are unfamiliar with Medeski Martin & Wood, but ‘Not Not Jazz’ is still a worthy tribute to what makes the band members such singular musicians.”
TIFF Review: Raoul Peck’s ‘Ernest Cole: Lost and Found’
“The refreshing clarity of Peck’s style in ‘Ernest Cole: Lost and Found’ often feels like a drawback in the way that it disrupts the emotional weight of voice and visual form.”
TIFF Review: Mati Diop’s ‘Dahomey’
“It’s quite remarkable how Diop captures the collective view of a West African country through her debate sequences in ‘Dahomey.'”
Know the Cast: ‘Wyatt Earp and the Cowboy War’
‘Wyatt Earp and the Cowboy War’ Cast: A Vague Visages guide for every actor and character in Patrick Reams’ 2024 docuseries.
Review: Hoag Kepner’s ‘Torched – The Story of the Austin Torch’
“As a sports documentary, ‘Torched’ succeeds by establishing and celebrating the DIY culture of both Austin, Texas and the featured frisbee squad.”
Soundtracks of Television: ‘Dirty Pop: The Boy Band Scam’
‘Dirty Pop: The Boy Band Scam’ Soundtrack: A Vague Visages guide for every song in David Terry Fine’s 2024 docuseries.
Soundtracks of Television: ‘Beckham’
‘Beckham’ Soundtrack: A Vague Visages guide for every song in Fisher Stevens’ 2023 Netflix docuseries.
Soundtracks of Television: ‘Quarterback’
‘Quarterback’ Soundtrack: A Vague Visages guide for every song in the Netflix docuseries.
Soundtracks of Television: ‘Simone Biles: Rising’
‘Simone Biles: Rising’ Soundtrack: A Vague Visages guide for every song in Katie Walsh’s 2024 Netflix docuseries.
Soundtracks of Television: ‘Receiver’
‘Receiver’ Soundtrack: A Vague Visages guide for every song in the Netflix series.
Review: Cara Mones and Caroline Suh’s ‘Sorry/Not Sorry’
“Sorry/Not Sorry’ is fascinating with its exploration of ethics, but Mones and Suh’s documentary essentially plays out like a CliffsNotes version of The New York Times’ 2017 report about Louis C.K.’s sexual misconduct.”
Soundtracks of Television: ‘Sprint’
‘Sprint’ Soundtrack: A Vague Visages guide for every song in the Netflix series.
An Interview with ‘Through the Writer’s Mirror’ Director Alexandre Westphal
‘Through the Writer’s Mirror’ Interview: George Kowalik and Anne-Laure Tissut discuss the 2022 Percival Everett documentary with director Alexandre Westphal.
Questioning and Subverting Artistic Authority in ‘Through the Writer’s Mirror’
“Being multiple things at once is what makes Everett’s novels, but also his other art, so intriguing. ‘Through the Writer’s Mirror’ is its own process of plate spinning. It is its own juggling act.”
Review: Don Hardy’s ‘Linda Perry: Let It Die Here’
“‘Linda Perry: Let It Die Here’ is a moving study of female self-empowerment and perseverance.”
Passion, Truth and Lillian Gish: The American Film Foundation Collection Releases Digitally on Vimeo
“Gish speaks confidently and passionately about acting in Sanders’ American Masters documentary, but perhaps the most intriguing moments emerge when she discusses her love for film preservation…”
Old Favorites and New Classics: A TCM Classic Film Festival Diary
“My TCM Fest weekend, packed full of classic movies, was not only a fun experience in April 2024, but it made me feel hopeful that film preservation is alive and well, and that these beloved — if occasionally dusty — pictures aren’t going anywhere.”