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1-20 of 25 articles from 2009 « Prev | Next »
The Naughts: The Documentary of the '00s
7 December 2009 10:17 AM, PST
| ifc.com
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Sometimes superlatives need to be slung, such as when speaking of the richest, most ambitious and exciting decade yet for nonfiction film -- and, really, what other variety could back up that boast? To nail down a single doc as the preeminent work that typifies these years is no easy task, especially since the best of the bunch attacked specific subjects with laser-like precision and idiosyncratic techniques. (Sit tight, the lede is about to be buried.)
The '00s legitimized the allure of the "pop doc," a trend that shoehorns potentially lackluster material into glossy narratives. Spelling bees were transformed into suspense thrillers ("Spellbound"), quadriplegic rugby players did their own stunts ("Murderball"), tangoing kids got their dance-off ("Mad Hot Ballroom"), a reckless but beautiful feat of derring-do was reenacted like a heist procedural ("Man on Wire"), and a PBS-style nature film became a blockbuster saga of familial survival ("March of the Penguins"). Who'd have thought,
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- Aaron Hillis
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This week's DVD and Blu-ray releases
4 December 2009 4:06 PM, PST
| The Guardian - Film News
| See recent The Guardian - Film News news
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Microcosmos DVD & Blu-ray, Second Sight
Life DVD & Blu-ray, BBC
It's a given that many of the strange and wonderful lifeforms we share this planet with are dying out, many species becoming extinct every year. There's some consolation to be had in that, thanks to the people behind these two nature titles, future generations will at least be able to see many of them, in glorious HD, doing something weird, funny or just plain icky in front of the cameras before they go the way of the dodo. 1996's Microcosmos has almost zero educational value, instead choosing to play up the drama in the insect world. There's a very sparse narration, but this is only there to remind you a) To relax, because you're not really learning anything, and b) That you're not watching outtakes from Starship Troopers. This is the real bug's life: fighting, eating and mating, all the time
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- Phelim O'Neill
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'Babies' Trailer Will Make You Smile No Matter How Black Your Heart
2 December 2009 11:30 AM, PST
| MTV Movies Blog
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Doesn't matter where you live, what you are, what you've done or how you view the world. If you're old enough to spawn, and you've done so, that little version of you is adorable. And that's what "Babies" is all about. A documentary looking at four infants in four different parts of the world. I think EW's PopWatch sums it up well: "If you got teary during March of the Penguins, this one looks even more awwww-inspiring."
Step out of your cynical, jaded worldview for a moment and enjoy this helping of adorable.
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- Adam Rosenberg
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'Babies' trailer: Who is ready to pinch some cheeks?
1 December 2009 9:44 AM, PST
| EW.com - PopWatch
| See recent EW.com - PopWatch news
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I saw this Babies trailer at the movie theater a few weeks ago, and it certainly caught my eye. Based on the opening moments, I had no idea what kind of film it was advertising with two kids banging rocks together -- was Roland Emmerich about to destroy their hut with a tidal wave or something? But as I watched the whole trailer, I realized this is a total must-see for me (yes, even over the Internet you can hear the sound of my clock ticking). Babies chronicles the first year of newborns' lives in Namibia, Mongolia, Japan, and the United States.
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- Wendy Mitchell
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Freeze: The Antarctic Treaty Turns 50
1 December 2009 4:30 AM, PST
| Fast Company
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Map by Mike Reagan
On the first of December 1959, 12 nations signed a pact freezing territorial claims and banning military activity in Antarctica. It isn't human-free (29 nations have research stations there, and 11 people have been born on the continent), but it remains remarkably untouched. Here's a tour.
Infographic: The Antarctic Treaty Turns 50
1. The Weddell and Ross Seas continental shelves are believed to hold 50 billion barrels of oil. That's more than double the known reserves in the U.S.
2. The Transantarctic Mountains have deposits of coal, gold, silver, copper, zinc, lead, and tin, but a moratorium on commercial mining is in place in Antarctica through 2048.
3. Antarctica's biggest population center is the U.S.-operated McMurdo Station. In the summer, the community can swell to more than 1,000 people; this past winter, there were just 153.
4. Antarctica's two-letter Internet suffix is ".aq." Internet access is via satellite; a dish on Black Island provides 10-mb-per-second service to McMurdo.
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- Anne C. Lee
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Documentaries of bliss
19 November 2009 3:00 PM, PST
| The Guardian - Film News
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The re-released cinematic head-trip Forest of Bliss adheres firmly to the purer school of documentary-making
The lowest form of documentary involves a presenter setting off on a journey to discover why he or she didn't yet know something about which we, the audience, were already adequately informed. Near the opposite end of the documentary spectrum are those quiet, almost anonymous films such as Être et Avoir or Sleep Furiously, in which a community is observed and recorded with minimum fuss and no overt manipulation. Beyond those are films – so seldom seen that one could be forgiven for thinking them extinct – with no presenter, no commentary, no characters, no specific setting and no narrative or story. Godfrey Reggio's Koyaanisqatsi (a Hopi Indian word meaning "life out of balance"), made in 1982, is the classic of its kind: a compilation of ravishing footage of cities and natural wonders, seen at night and in the blaze of day,
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- Geoff Dyer
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"March Of The Penguins" DVD Set Includes New Documentary
17 November 2009 10:09 PM, PST
| icelebz.com
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The "March of the Penguins" Limited Edition gift set is currently available on DVD.
The 2005 documentary by French filmmaker Luc Jacquet comes in a specially contained package from Warner Home Video. Besides the Oscar-winning documentary, the set includes the new, accompanying feature "On the Wings of a Penguin," in addition to a plush penguin and collectible postcards featuring the flightless Antarctic birds.
The film captures the life cycle of a group of emperor penguins as they mate, give birth and start their lives together. With narration by renowned actor Morgan Freeman, "March of the Penguins" keeps audiences on their toes by showing both the light-hearted and dangerous moments in the lives of penguins, as they struggle to keep their eggs warm and brave the predatory waters in the search for food.
The response to the movie led to it grossing more than million in theaters, making it the second most financially successful documentary ever made,
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Weekend Shopping Guide 11/6/09: Billy & The Boingers
6 November 2009 3:58 AM, PST
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The weekend’s here. You’ve just been paid, and it’s burning a hole in your pocket. What’s a pop culture geek to do? In hopes of steering you in the right direction to blow some of that hard-earned cash, it’s time for the Quick Stop Weekend Shopping Guide - your spotlight on the things you didn’t even know you wanted…
(Please support Quick Stop by using the links below to make any impulse purchases - it helps to keep us going…)
When I interviewed Berke Breathed a few years back, I asked him if there would finally by a comprehensive Bloom County collection like the recently available Calvin & Hobbes and Peanuts volumes. Breathed was dismissive of the idea, claiming that no one wanted to read the strip, that it was no longer relevant, and it just wasn’t going to happen. Well, a few years have gone by,
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- UncaScroogeMcD
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[DVD Review] March of the Penguins - Limited Edition Giftset
4 November 2009 12:00 PM, PST
| JustPressPlay.net
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March of the Penguins, Luc Jacquet's 2005 documentary about Antarctica's emperor penguins and their harrowing annual journey to complete the circle of life, will melt even the iciest of hearts. It showcases an odd dichotomy — unbearable cuteness and sniffle-inducing sadness — that will pull at your heartstrings no matter how many times you watch it. If you don't shed a tear or two, out of sorrow or otherwise, you're probably a sociopath.
Narrated by Morgan Freeman (before there was any question about whether or not it was okay to be Morgan Freeman), the story appeals to a number of emotional triggers; you'll laugh, you'll cry (hopefully), you'll worry. The movie's stance on its subject matter is for the most part objective, but the content is delivered in such a way that you can't help but feel for these penguins. As Freeman points out, “They're not that different from us, really.” They're mating rituals echo our own,
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- Jess Goodwin
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[DVD Review] March of the Penguins - Limited Edition Giftset
4 November 2009 12:00 PM, PST
| JustPressPlay.net
| See recent JustPressPlay news
»
March of the Penguins, Luc Jacquet's 2005 documentary about Antarctica's emperor penguins and their harrowing annual journey to complete the circle of life, will melt even the iciest of hearts. It showcases an odd dichotomy — unbearable cuteness and sniffle-inducing sadness — that will pull at your heartstrings no matter how many times you watch it. If you don't shed a tear or two, out of sorrow or otherwise, you're probably a sociopath.
Narrated by Morgan Freeman (before there was any question about whether or not it was okay to be Morgan Freeman), the story appeals to a number of emotional triggers; you'll laugh, you'll cry (hopefully), you'll worry. The movie's stance on its subject matter is for the most part objective, but the content is delivered in such a way that you can't help but feel for these penguins. As Freeman points out, “They're not that different from us, really.” They're mating rituals echo our own,
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- Jess Goodwin
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Trailer for Clint Eastwood's Invictus Now on the Web
29 October 2009 2:51 AM, PDT
| Reelzchannel.com
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Clint Eastwood is less than a year away from his 80th birthday, and he's still going strong. Oscar season is not far away, and Eastwood's next release, Invictus, is already gaining buzz as a potential contender.
The trailer below is now on the web, and it looks and sounds like the trailer for every other drama released by a major studio. That said, the story looks promising: How Nelson Mandela (Morgan Freeman) used the 1995 Rugby World Cup as a platform to address a South Africa still divided after the recent end to apartheid. He enlists the aid of Francois Pienaar (Matt Damon), the captain of the South African rugby team, in an effort to unite the country.
What's refreshing is that neither Freeman nor Damon feels familiar. Although Freeman's voice is easily recognizable, it's different enough from the omnipresent voice-over narration tone we've all heard non-stop since March of the Penguins.
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- Rich Z Zwelling
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The Weather Channel To Show Movies
22 October 2009 10:52 AM, PDT
| ScreenRant.com
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Probably the number one point of conversation in our daily lives is the weather. What’s next on the most discussed list? I’d make a strong case for TV/movies: They’re something we’re all fans of, some to far more of an extent than others (can’t you tell we here at Screen Rant are an example of that? ). But did you ever think that movies and the weather would collide (outside of a Roland Emmerich movie)? Well today, in a rather odd piece of news, that’s exactly what’s happened.
The guys over at /Film are reporting that The Weather Channel (yes, The Weather Channel) will start showing movies starting the day before Halloween, October 30th, and every Friday thereafter. So what sort of movies will the channel be showing? Well, weather-related movies, of course! What else? Starting off the series - which runs from
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- Ross Miller
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Shark Tale Co-Director Finds A Monster in Paris
21 October 2009 4:46 PM, PDT
| Atomic Popcorn
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For the record: Shark Tale is one of the worst animated films I’ve ever seen, only made more painful by the fact that it quickly followed on the heels of Finding Nemo the way that Surf’s Up followed Happy Feet and March of the Penguins.
It was laughless and devoid of fun, and now its co-director Bibo Bergeron is getting another chance to display his questionable directorial talent — his knack for animation isn’t a question, as he’s been involved with films since Asterix.
The $42 million movie in question is A Monster in Paris, which, according to Variety, “is set at the turn of the 20th century. It follows a monster who lives in a garden and falls in love with a beautiful, young singer.” At least that sounds a little more unique than the transparent Shark Tale, but I’ve yet to be swayed to Bibo’s side.
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- John Cooper
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What's next? Will movie channels start telling us weather news?
21 October 2009 7:45 AM, PDT
| Corona's Coming Attractions
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Starting Friday, October 30, The Weather Channel begins airing movies as part of a new block of programming called The Weather Channel Presents. The first film is The Perfect Storm, Wolfgang Petersen's dramatization of the loss of the fishing vessel Andrea Gail during the infamous 1991 Atlantic storm season.
Network meteorologist Jen Carfagno will introduce each film and then add commentary about the factual elements of the storm or weather related event at the heart of each movie. "From the Nor’easter in The Perfect Storm to the tornado that takes Dorothy to Oz, weather has a long history as a film star," remarked Geoffrey Darby, the executive vice president of programming for The Weather Channel. "Adding films to our Friday night lineup is a great way for us to further demonstrate how weather is an all-encompassing part of our lives that entertains and inspires us."
The week after The Perfect Storm
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- Patrick Sauriol
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The Weather Channel is about to become The Weather Movie Channel
21 October 2009 6:29 AM, PDT
| AOL - TVSquad
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Looks like TV Land isn't the only cable channel going away from their original programming model and getting into movies.
The Weather Channel has announced that it is adding movies to its schedule. The movies would have a scroll at the bottom that would keep viewers informed of the weather and other weather-related news and information, and each movie will be hosted by a meteorologist. The movies they've chosen so far all have a weather or a nature theme to them, including The Perfect Storm, March of the Penguins, Deep Blue Sea, and Misery. I'm guessing they picked Misery not for the crazy-woman-holds-a-writer-hostage angle but for the fact that the story takes places during a snowstorm.
Continue reading The Weather Channel is about to become The Weather Movie Channel
Filed under: Programming, Reality-Free
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- Bob Sassone
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The Weather Channel Decides to Show Movies Now That No One Watches The Weather Channel
20 October 2009 9:40 PM, PDT
| Collider.com
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A channel entirely devoted to weather was a fantastic idea until we got phones that would tell us the weather and do so without waiting ten minutes to see what the weather was like in a major city in our area. So what’s a network entirely devoted to weather to do? What if they turned their efforts to covering hard news not just of natural disasters (as much fun as it is to toss a reporter into a hurricane) but of their aftermath? What if they did an investigative report on how Fema has attempted (if at all) to change in response to Hurricane Katrina? What about a special on how a disaster like a tsunami leaves damage beyond the loss of life and property but affects drinking water and dispersed children and other factors we don’t traditionally think of?
Or they could just show movies about weather.
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- Matt Goldberg
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Weather Channel Will Show Movies Which Have Nothing To Do With Weather
20 October 2009 6:03 PM, PDT
| cinemablend.com
| See recent Cinema Blend news
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Slashfilm reported something very interesting... they received a press release from the Weather Channel saying they'll be showing movies.
You must be thinking, hey that's pretty awesome! I forgot that channel existed.
But hold your excitement. The first movie they'll be showcasing is The Perfect Storm. Okay, it's a movie about a huge ass storm. That's highly relevant. There's even going to be weather type commentary from meteorologist Jen Carfagno.
But the next week, things get shaky... when they show March of the Penguins... but still, they could tie weather into that somehow right?
Then it just gets stupid when they show Misery. Yes, the one with Kathy Bates. On the weather channel. I'll just let that sink in.
The Next week, we basically hammer the nails in, with Deep Blue Sea.
Look weather channel, I know personally, I never tune in. But I don't think showing Katy Bates busting
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The Weather Channel to show movies? Hail no!
20 October 2009 4:12 PM, PDT
| EW.com - PopWatch
| See recent EW.com - PopWatch news
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Ok, that's it, I'm calling shenanigans. We've witnessed MTV stop really caring about music, VH1 abandon video hits, A&E decide to have nothing to do with Arts or (arguably) Entertainment, and Tlc race as far and as fast as it can from programming that could cause anyone to actually learn anything. But this was the final straw: The Weather Channel announced today that it will air feature-length movies on Friday nights starting Oct. 30.
Yes, that's right: The. Weather. Channel. Granted, the first movie on the docket, The Perfect Storm, is relatively appropriate, but then we're gonna get March of the Penguins,
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- Adam B. Vary
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Weather Channel Faces 100% Chance of Selling Out
20 October 2009 4:00 PM, PDT
| Movieline
| See recent Movieline news
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It always starts this way: A specialized network builds a constituency with influential programming, then gradually alters its format to accommodate a wider audience. But I don't know if anyone saw that coming with The Weather Channel, which announced today it will augment some of the cable's most influential programming on cable with weekly, weather-themed Hollywood movies. First up on Oct. 30: The Perfect Storm, followed by March of the Penguins, Deep Blue Sea, and Misery -- yes, that Misery, which begins in a blizzard. Great. Surely Menage a Tornado, Born in a Tsunami and other stimulating Weather Channel original programming isn't be far behind. [AP]
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Biggest Doc Ever?
28 September 2009 4:20 PM, PDT
| FilmExperience
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Jose here with some box office news. Reuters is reporting that Michael Jackson's This Is It has broken advance ticket records all over the world.
The documentary/concert film spans the rehearsals of Jackson's eponymous "comeback" that would've taken place in London before the entertainer's sudden death.
In cities like Los Angeles and New York, fans waited outside in line for days before the tickets went on sale yesterday morning. In Tokyo, the film sold $1 million in advance tickets. With the undying passion of Jackson fans could this eventually become the highest grossing documentary of all time? This genre hasn't been particularly lucky in the money making department.
The highest grossing documentaries stand as follows:
1. Fahrenheit 9/11 (Michael Moore) $119,194,771
2. March of the Penguins $77,437,223
3. Earth $32,011,576
4. Sicko (Michael Moore) $24,540,079
5. An Inconvenient Truth $24,146,161
6. Bowling for Columbine (Michael Moore) $21,576,018
7. Madonna: Truth or Dare $15,012,935
8. Religulous $13,011,160
9. Winged Migration $11,689,053
10. Super Size Me $11,536,423
(numbers courtesy of Box Office
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- Jose
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