I posted about this documentary a while back, and I finally had the chance to see it. And I loved it. A really moving portrait of an artists. A must see! Perfect for the holidays. Here’s the trailer again!
The good thing about flying and owning an iPad is that you get to watch all movies you wanted to see for so long. This time watched Hoop Dreams. A classic documentary about two young basketball players from the ghettos of Chicago trying to make it to the NBA. William Gates and Arthur Agee are followed from when they are 14 untill they are in their 20′s. You see them go through all sorts of struggles, both on and off the pitch.
The documentary lasts about 3 hours, but I wasn’t bored for a second. A very moving story. Check it out.
Before anybody had heard about The Sartorialist or Style.com photographer Bill Cunningham was already documenting fashion trends and high society charity soirées in New York for the Times Style section in his columns “On the Street” and “Evening Hours.” This documentary tells his story, and shows us the impact this seemingly humble man has had. Big names, like Anna Wintour, appear in the film out of their love for Bill, and his shots of downtown eccentrics and everyone in between. Cunningham’s enormous body of work has captured trends many trends over time. The documentary Bill Cunningham New York looks like a funny and often poignant portrait of a dedicated artist. Just have a look at the trailer, and you can see what I mean.
The movie opens on March 16th in New York, and hopefully in the rest of the world shortly after.
From the 17th untill the 28th of November it is that time again: Time for the International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam (IDFA). I always look forward to IDFA as it presents a huge selection of quality documentaries. Religion, music, society, love, you name it and is will be there. Unfortunately IDFA doesn’t allow embedding the trailers (which I don’t really get) but check out a selection of the trailers I found interesting.
People I Could Have Been and Maybe Am
However, the ones you go to blind are usually the ones you remember. So, check out the entire program here and go get your tickets fast, as they usually sell out like crazy.
Here’s one for the weekend. Another great documentary you have to check. Beautiful Losers is about a group of artists from New York, what moved them and how they rose to success.
In the early 1990s a loose-knit group of like-minded outsiders found common ground at a little NYC storefront gallery. Rooted in the DIY subcultures of skateboarding, surf, punk, hip hop & graffiti, they made art that reflected the lifestyles they led. Developing their craft with almost no influence from the “established” art world, this group and the subcultures they sprang from have now become a movement that has been transforming pop culture.
You can check out the entire movie online here.
Here’s a trailer of an interesting movie that is coming our way. Influencers is a short documentary that explores what it means to be an influencer and how trends & creativity become contagious today in the world of music and fashion.
Directed by Paul Rojanathara and Davis Johnson, the film is a Polaroid snapshot of New York influential creatives (advertising, design, fashion and entertainment) who are shaping today’s pop culture. Looking forward to this one. Coming this fall. Not sure what that means though; Looking out the window confirms fall has already started…
Update: You check out the entire documentary online here.
The BBC is working on another amazing continuation of their Earth series. This time it is an awesome interactive website called Life Is… It focus on the stories of animals, filmed in the stunning way we are used to of the good old beebs.
The screenshots look awesome, but the site hasn’t launched in Europe yet. Keep your eye out on this one. It’ll be worth it. Trust me.
Freakonomics is one of my favorite books ever. The authors Steven Levitt and Stephen Dubner use economic models to explain things like why most drug dealers still live with their moms and what the similarities are between school teachers and sumo wrestlers. A must read.
And now its turned into a movie, and not by the least. The people making this movie are also the people behind Supersize Me, Enron: The Smartest Guys In The Room, Jesus Camp and The King Of Kong. Which all happen to be among my favorite documentaries ever. Lots of favorites! Let’s just hope it doesn’t suffer from the ‘The book was so much better syndrome’.
In theaters this fall.
Collapsus is a new take on the documentary. This 40 minute documentary, which is available online, sketches our future during what is called ‘peak oil’, the moment oil production is at its maximum. The expected effects of this on our lives and our unavoidable shift to alternative energy sources are the subject of this documentary, which is also described as an ‘energy thriller’.
Interesting, but what makes it special is that it is a ‘hybrid’ documentary. Multiple fictive characters guide the viewer through the storyline through film, animation and interactive elements. A welcome shift from the usual ‘talking heads’ telling the world is going down we see too often if you ask me.
Collapsus was created by the dutch broadcaster VPRO in collaboration with SubmarineChannel. A great project, definitely worth checking out!Have a taste with the trailer below.
I only learned of J. Dilla after he died 4 years ago. I got my hands on Donuts through a friend, and was hooked right away. Ever since I have been digging further into the work of this hip-hop prodigy. Stussy has now made a very nice documentary on Dilla. In this 3 part piece his life and work are illustrated and discussed by people who where close to the man.
It consists of 3 parts, of which only the first two part have been released up to date, but they are incredibly interesting. Check them out below:
Part 1:
Part 2:
As soon as part 3 is released, I will update the post.
Update: And here it is!
