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Oscar's New Documentary Rules Spark Outrage

Gary Susman — 2012-01-10T08:30:00+00:00

When Steve James' "The Interrupters" failed to make the Academy's shortlist of eligible documentaries this year, fans of the acclaimed feature recalled the similar upset when James' landmark "Hoop Dreams" failed to dent Oscar's consciousness back in 1994. It's clear to many documentary fans that something has been wrong for years with a selection procedure that often fails to recognize work by the likes of James, Werner Herzog, Frederick Wiseman, and other documentary giants in favor of more anodyne non-fiction films that win prizes and are quickly forgotten. Now, however, comes news that the documentary branch is overhauling its rules in ways that (depending on whom you ask) will either broaden the field of movies under consideration or constrict it even further. Some prominent documentarians -- notably James himself and Michael Moore (who proposed the new rules) -- think the changes will open up the process to more underdog movies. Others, however, fear that the changes will still benefit movies with commercial muscle behind them, at the expense of documentaries with less money to spend on Oscar campaigning.

The new rules seem meant to balance the goal that every worthy documentary should get the consideration it deserves with the Academy members' practical difficulties in seeing all the worthy films in time to vote. (This year, there were about 124 eligible documentaries, more than usual because of a one-time rule change that added four months to this year's eligibility period.) Already, the Academy delegates responsibility for picking the shortlist to volunteers from the documentary branch, which numbers about 160 members out of the 6,000 or so in the Academy. The volunteers must see the movies in a theater, and they pick the shortlist (which this year numbered 15 films). The documentary branch also picks the five eventual nominees and the winner as well, meaning that most of the Academy has little say over which documentaries become nominees and winners. "The Academy says it's decided what the Best Documentary of the year is," Moore told Awards Daily blogger Sasha Stone. "But if only five percent of the Academy are deciding that we're not telling the truth. Wouldn't it be more honest if we let the whole Academy vote?"

That documentary branch members are complaining about having to see 124 movies, especially when each volunteer subcommittee sees only a fraction of the list, doesn't impress Thom Powers, who programs the documentaries at the Toronto Film Festival and sees well over 124 documentaries a year himself. "The Academy has a problem in how it makes these decisions. It has a body of documentary board members who aren't that excited to watch documentaries," he told IndieWire.

Moore himself said, in a separate IndieWire article, that the new rules would probably cut the pool in half, to about 60 movies. It's hard to see how that qualifies as opening up the process.

Among the new rules, which wouldn't go into effect until the 2013 Oscar race, the one that's gotten the most attention says a documentary must be reviewed in the New York Times or Los Angeles Times to be eligible. The reason behind the rule, as Moore has explained, is to cull from the field documentaries that were made for television but have received a token theatrical opening just in order to qualify for Oscar consideration. The argument, one supposes, is that the newspaper critics won't bother reviewing movies that are going straight to TV. That may or may not be true, depending on what the newspapers' policies are, but why defer responsibility for selecting the movies to newspaper critics (and their assignment editors), or to anyone outside the Academy, for that matter?

One person who does like the new rule: New York Times co-chief film critic A.O. Scott, who told his own paper, "It's flattering." Still, at a time when the layoff of three-decade Village Voice mainstay J. Hoberman proves that no critic's job is safe, it seems an odd time for the Academy to start relying on critics and their editors to help select eligible movies. "We've seen a lot of cutbacks on critics," Powers told IndieWire." I don't have any faith that's not going to continue."

Currently, the New York Times has a policy of reviewing every single movie that books a commercial theatrical run of at least a week. (The Los Angeles Times joins the fray because it serves the market where most voters live.) But if a movie must have a commercial run to be viable, doesn't that discriminate against movies that just play festivals? A lot of documentaries aren't very commercial to begin with, since that's the nature of the genre, and wouldn't exist without TV funding or festival bookings. Indeed some of this year's shortlist, including "Semper Fi: Always Faithful" (a festival-only movie) and made-for-cable docs "Paradise Lost 3: Purgatory," "Sing Your Song" and "Undefeated" wouldn't have been eligible under the the new rules.

"While I personally very much value the theatrical release as a legitimizer, I see this as another case of the Academy moving farther away from what I personally value in documentary film," documentary filmmaker Robert Greene told IndieWire. "This just seems like another step away from acknowledging the best work in nonfiction by an Academy that doesn't seem to care."

Other changes do seem more beneficial to smaller films, at least on the surface. "The new rules effectively protect the smaller fish from being chased out because the big fish have more money to manipulate the broken system," wrote Awards Daily's Stone, paraphrasing Moore. One new rule allows voters to watch the movies on DVD screeners. Another provides for DVDs to be sent to voters periodically throughout the year, instead of in a year-end deluge, when they're likely to be overlooked. And the whole documentary branch (not just volunteers) will pick the five nominees, and the whole Academy membership will get to vote on the winner.

Then again, sending out DVDs isn't necessarily cheap, especially if you're pressing and shipping 6,000 of them. The cost may again discriminate against films without a commercial distributor or a decent-sized marketing budget.

Letting the whole Academy vote could broaden the narrow range of taste that has prevailed in recent years. Still, the voters at large will see only the five nominees, whose discs could be buried in the avalanche of screeners of fiction features that pile up atop Academy members' DVD players at the end of the year. Whether voters will watch all five or just pick the ones from big-name distributors and recognizable filmmakers, no one knows.

At least opening up the voting to the entire Academy contains an implicit acknowledgement that the documentary branch alone hasn't done a good job of picking the best non-fiction films. That's been a scandal during a period when documentaries have been enjoying a creative and commercial renaissance. Thanks to Moore and other filmmakers inspired by his success, non-fiction films have made a bigger commercial dent over the past 20 years than ever before. And while it's still hard to get documentaries booked alongside popcorn movies in theaters, new options like Netflix and on-demand cable pay-per-view have increased the platforms for exposure available to documentary filmmakers.

At such a time, it would be a shame for the one moment in the sun that documentaries get each year, at the Oscars, not to open itself up to the widest variety of worthy films, whether or not they're backed by commercial distributors who can book them in first-run theaters and garner the attention of a handful of particular individuals who aren't even Academy members. Moore and his supporters say the new rules will help keep that from happening. Let's hope they're right.

[Photo: Getty Images (Michael Moore)]

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'Corman's World' Clip: Martin Scorsese Reveals Early Movie Mistakes (Exclusive)

Eric Larnick — 2011-12-02T12:20:00+00:00

Before he became an award-winning and world-renowned director, 'Hugo's' Martin Scorsese had slightly more humble film beginnings. Actually, a lot more humble. One of those early efforts was 'Boxcar Bertha,' a gritty crime exploitation film set along the railroads of Depression-era America. To the young and naive Scorsese, the film was a big deal, but it was just another B-movie in a long list of B-movies for its producer Roger Corman.

Corman, one of the most prolific filmmakers in history, also served as a mentor to directing powerhouses like James Cameron and Francis Ford Coppola; before they became the talent behind the biggest movies in history, Corman put them through his patented "cheap and fast" school of film production. In this new clip from the upcoming documentary 'Corman's World: Exploits of a Hollywood Rebel,' Martin Scorsese reveals just how little he actually knew when it came to making a movie with Roger Corman.

'Corman's World: Exploits of a Hollywood Rebel' will arrive in select theaters on December 16.

[Photo: Getty]

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'Corman's World' Trailer: New Doc Goes Inside the Life of Cult Cinema's Godfather

Eric Larnick — 2011-11-14T12:40:00+00:00

When it comes to making B-movies, Roger Corman always delivers an A+. Since his first production in 1954, the legendary filmmaker has made somewhere in the ballpark of 380 low-budget horror and action movies; along the way he became a mentor to Oscar-winning directors (like Francis Ford Coppola, Martin Scorsese and James Cameron) and gave big-name actors (Robert De Niro, William Shatner) their first break.

If you're in need of a crash course in the director's almost-sixty-year career filming bikini babes and rubber monster suits, you can get all caught up with the upcoming documentary 'Corman's World: Exploits of a Hollywood Rebel,' which features interviews with everyone from Jack Nicholson to Pam 'Foxy Brown' Grier, To whet your appetite for all the grindhouse mayhem, check out the just-released trailer and poster from Anchor Bay Films.

'Corman's World: Exploits of a Hollywood Rebel' will arrive in select theaters on Dec. 16.

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Roman Polanski Returns to Zurich for Ovation After Arrest

Sharon Knolle — 2011-09-27T21:50:00+00:00

Two years after he'd been arrested in Zurich, Roman Polanski received a 10-minute standing ovation at the Zurich Film Festival as he accepted a lifetime achievement award. "Better late than never," he said on finally being able to accept the award in person. In 2009, he was placed under house arrest when he arrived in Switzerland and nearly extradited to the U.S. for outstanding sexual assault charges. The 78-year-old is also the subject of a "secret" new documentary that had its world premiere at the festival.
In the documentary, called 'Roman Polanski: A Film Memoir,' he narrates his own life story, up to and including his extradition trial. It was shot during his house arrest by Laurent Bouzereau, who specializes in "making of" documentaries on films from 'Avatar' to 'Jaws.'

No critical reactions on the documentary, which screened after the awards ceremony, have surfaced yet, but critics have been raving about his other new film, 'Carnage,' starring Kate Winslet, Jodie Foster and Christoph Waltz. It premiered September 1 at the Venice Film Festival and is getting some of the best reviews since 2002's 'The Pianist,' the film that earned him his first Best Director Oscar.

The Polish-born director has lived in Europe since 1978; he fled the U.S. after pleading guilty to sexually assaulting a 13-year-old girl. When he entered Switzerland in 2009, he was arrested but, after a lengthy house arrest and trial, was freed without being extradited to America.

[via THR 1, 2]

'Limelight' Producer Reveals How to Make a Documentary About Your Controversial Father

Eric Larnick — 2011-09-24T15:00:00+00:00

In the 1980s and 90s, metropolitan club owner Peter Gatien was such an influential taste-maker that he was once dubbed "the king of New York City nightclubs." His crown jewel was Limelight, a midnight haven that welcomed thousands of enthusiastic patrons -- celebrities, drag queens, dancers -- and blasted innovative electronic tunes until sunrise. All walks of life were welcome in the Studio 54 of the 1990s, until Mayor Rudolph Guliani's crime crackdown descended onto Gatien. His clubs were raided, he was arrested on tax evasion charges and deported to Canada.

The new documentary 'Limelight' premiering in New York this weekend looks at a version of the city that thrived under his influence, and went hand-in-hand with the birth of ecstasy culture in the 90s. Who better to tackle Peter Gatien's controversial career than his own daughter?

Moviefone spoke 'Limelight' producer Jen Gatien about depicting the troubles that arise when your own family in a tough documentary, as well the changing landscape of NYC in film.

You're producing a movie... about your dad. How did that happen?
Initially it was to be a feature film, and I had worked on launching it that way. We went down that road and into development hell, as it's known, so it didn't really go anywhere. In the meantime, I pursued my own projects and got some of my own films produced. Now that we're fifteen years away from my father's indictment, I thought if there was a time to look at the nineties, it's nice to do it with some years in between.

So I conceived of the project and knew I needed to find a director that was appropriate for the subject matter. After seeing 'Cocaine Cowboys' I thought that Billy Corben was the best match, topic wise. I liked how he used the city to form the story of cocaine smuggling, and how cocaine built Miami. I wanted to look at how ecstasy was a decade defining drug, and how it's so synonymous with the nineties.

Considering everything that's happened to your father, what was the working relationship like during the production?
My father managed people, he's always been the boss of people. There's a power reversal here, and not that I'm power tripping, but Billy Corben, as a director, doesn't answer to anybody. I don't know that my father's ever had to deal with that sort of dynamic before. And for him, I think it's been incredibly difficult to accept that he can't control how he's portrayed.

It was an opportunity to set the record straight from his point of view. But it's very balanced because we speak to the other people that were involved. And they should get their version of events. I think when people leave the movie, they're going to feel one way or the other. Was it Giuliani's campaign to clean the city? Did we suffer at all through that, or was it all good? By cleaning up New York City, what did we lose?

What other recent projects do you think have accurately captured the flavor of New York City right now?
I keep going back to Abel Ferrara because I love him and I know just how much of an iconic New Yorker he is; he gets into parts of New York that other people can't penetrate.

Off the top of my head, I'm trying to think of what I've seen; that's probably a testament to what New York is about now. Has it been so gentrified and commercialized that the city isn't the character it once was in previous decades in film? I have to say, that's probably what it is.

Even Woody Allen has been pushed out.
He's like, "Dude, take me to Paris, there's nothing to do here!" There's no grit, there's no underbelly. It's sanitized in many ways; New York is feeling interchangeable to other generic American cities.

Watch the trailer for 'Limelight'

You were in your twenties when this boom happened and when your father was involved with it; how involved were you in the club culture?
I wasn't emergent in the culture. I had an appreciation for the culture, but I had a very strong sense of a different life from that of my father's. I guess it's kind of the way I rebelled -- by not doing what he did. Instead I was very academic and went to Trinity, which is a very rigorous, academic program, and later went to Columbia. So while I would go to clubs, it didn't define who I was in a any way.

When you did go, how did you perceive that world? Did it overwhelm you, excite you, freak you out?
I thought it was so killer to go into a place with 4,000 people of every walk of life and be under the same roof and come into contact with people that I would otherwise never meet. This was also a pre-paparazzi and pre-cellphone-camera age. So even being a nightclub owner's daughter, I was pretty anonymous. There were celebrities but everyone blended it. It wasn't really that relevant who you were in any way, it was just sort of about the energy of being, you know, hearing DJs spin and drag queens and an art performance and it was just a lot of stimulae.

For the audience that is totally alien to the scene, what aspects do you hope they connect with?
I never intended this film to be a love letter to 'Limelight.' This film for me, was a statement of our federal justice system and I also wanted to expose how cooperation agreements work and how the government will give you a pass on the crimes you've committed if you're willing to take down somebody else.

I don't think people realize what's involved in that. In my father's case, there were people that had not been convicted -- for murders, drug dealing, not paying their taxes, assault, impersonating an office, kidnapping, bank robberies.. Those people were all given a walk on any of those crimes provided they were willing to point the finger at my father. It said something really disturbing on the lengths to which the federal government will go if they want to get somebody.

When you look at the depiction of club and drug culture in movies, do you think it's glamorized?
I've yet to see a film that can capture the energy and the feeling. The only film I think did it really well was 'Babel.' I feel like there's that sense, in the Japanese segment when she walks into the club and you can't even hear the audio, but you just see the stimulae, and then sense of all the things going on around her. The intensity of that, it's the only film that comes to mind, they nailed it. Every other film has been pretty pathetic.

Really?
[Laughs] Yeah.

Then what do you think about both the documentary and then the feature version, of 'Party Monster,' especially because that story is so connected to your father's history?
I looked at those projects as something that tackled the subset of nightclub culture: club kids. I think in that sense, it's a successful film,. What I feel is very different about 'Limelight', is that it's more of a socio-political crime thriller with a mixture of cultural significance of club culture, but it's not devoted to club kids in any way, shape, or form.

With Limelight and the club scene in the nineties, even if you weren't a part of it, you could recognize what it was. Do you think that youth, college and post-college, have something like that now to gravitate to?
I think that for this generation, everything is so demystified for them. There's no secrets with Twitter and Facebook. People go to a club and they can Tweet and say, "This place sucks." There's a sharing of information that in many ways has democratized things, but in many other ways has demystified certain rites of passage because they've seen it, or hear about it. They don't experience things as much; they're so into writing or documenting the experience that they lose out in the experience itself.

It's information overload and then it all tastes the same.
If you go to a club now, I feel like everyone's worried about, they're on their cell phones, and they're either taking pictures and posting it, or they're writing about it. There's no more letting those places be an incubator of music and dialogue. In many ways it's just about documenting things and it's weird. It's a funny dynamic.

Where do you think people can still discover music and form a community now? As in a physical location that isn't just file sharing?
I'm sure that there are little spots, but the electronica movement is alive and well, it's just different. It's a roving party, they do it in terms of a one time event. There was a time in New York when it was not so one-time aspect driven; it was every Friday night. You could go and hear something and be part of something that was happening. It's venues have changed, it's concerts. There is no venue in New York.

What other New York stories are you looking to tell?
There's a film called 'Jack and Diane' that captures a certain part of New York that is a seventeen year old's playground, and that was a very different beast than it is today. Getting a fake id, trying to sneak into clubs, you know, hanging out in Washington Square Park. I think those things also take place, these kids just have it differently than I did.

Limelight is out in limited release this weekend.

Nightclub King Peter Gatien Opens Up About New Documentary 'Limelight'

Annette Bourdeau — 2011-09-21T08:30:00+00:00

Peter Gatien has been no stranger to media coverage over the years, but he has become notoriously shy since his infamous ouster from the United States earlier this decade. He opens up about his complex battle with New York City politicians for the first time in the new documentary 'Limelight,' which hits select theaters this week.

Gatien rose to fame in the '80s and '90s when his clubs, including New York's Limelight, Tunnel and Party USA became the preferred stomping grounds of everyone from iconic fashion designers to rising stars like Jay-Z and Pearl Jam. The now-iconic '90s "club kids" gravitated towards spots like 'Limelight,' which became even more famous after the Hollywood release 'Party Monster,' in which Gatien was played by Dylan McDermott.

Gatien and his prominent clubs were eventually caught in the crossfire of Mayor Rudolph Giuliani's aggressive war on drugs, which is the primary focus of 'Limelight.' (The documentary was produced by Gatien's daughter Jen, who wanted her father's story told.) She recruited director Billy Corben and his company Rakontur ('Cocaine Cowboys') to orchestrate the complicated production.

"We said, 'If we do this, we're not working PR for your father,'" Corben recalls. "This is not 'Memoirs of a Gatien.' We will approach this with objectivity. Jen said, 'Yeah, that's what I wanted.'" The doc includes interviews with some of Gatien's more notorious former employees (including shady promoter Lord Michael) and the most famous club kid of them all, Michael Alig (who's now in jail for murder).

Moviefone sat down with Gatien during the Hot Docs festival in Toronto earlier this year. He opened up about everything from the painful memories watching 'Limelight' brought back to what he thinks is wrong with nightclubs today.

What made you agree to participate in this documentary?
Number one, my daughter is one of the producers, so obviously there's an element of trust there that was critical. Over the years, I've received some interest and some offers. Mentally, I just wasn't ready for it. I feel that this documentary is a work in progress. There are areas where it tells the story well, and other areas that it's too soft in.

What was it like for you watching some of the footage of people like Michael Alig and Lord Michael?
It's painful. That's where I find there's too much of a small sampling [of employees featured in the documentary]. Lord Michael worked there for a year and a half. He played a minor role in one of the nights in one of the clubs. I can't say enough bad things about that guy. It's pretty sad that the United States government based their case on people like that. In that interview he perjured himself. If Limelight, Tunnel, Palladium, Club USA were so accommodating to drug dealers, which is a theory of the government's case, why is it there were only four witnesses that they were able to get to tell their version of the truth, witnesses who incidentally made cooperation deals exonerating them or giving them a free pass on the many crimes that they committed? Clearly because their case was a high-profile case with the mentality of get him at all costs. They couldn't get credible witnesses because they didn't exist.

In this film and other films you're portrayed as the behind-the-scenes business oriented guy. What do you do for fun?
I read a lot. I love to read a lot of fiction. Basically I enjoy time with my wife and we have a 17 year old son who lives here in Toronto. I've lived a fairly simplistic life for the last few years.

Do you think there's a void now in terms of that kind of club culture?
My whole focus and marching orders to all the staff was we're here for one reason: that is to create culture. Whether it's art, music, fashion, presenting young designers, new DJs, new bands. At Limelight we broke Pearl Jam and Guns N Roses. I can't tell you how many great musicians came out of there. Same thing with fashion. I remember Jean Paul Gaultier and Thierry Mulger would come by and get inspired by the kids putting together snazzy outfits. Where now the energy seems to be put into how can I get a customer that comes in here and buys a $250 bottle and pulls up in a BMW. We put so much energy into drawing a real cross-section of society - y'know, gay, straight, black, white, indie, punk, rockers. In the end your club can be gilded in gold, but it's really the crowd that you draw that defines whether you're a success or not.

You mentioned you're working on developing a TV show, what will it be about?
I would like to intertwine the political world and the nightclub world. The nightclub world is often perceived as being totally occupied by sub-human sleazy people, and the political world with all these honorable people where quite frankly, I think there are more honorable people in the nightclub world than in the political world. The war on drugs. It's a fictional series based on composite characters and stories that I or the writers have met. But it is fictional for sure. I've got a commitment from a world-renowned performer who will be the DJ that comes from the ghetto and performs at clubs and overcomes the obstacles in his life. I'm quite confident that we'll be able to attract some really interesting talent to play the different roles. Given my history in the music industry, I know we'll be able to get a lot of cameos from a lot of the most accomplished performers who are out there now.

'Limelight' opens in select cities on Sept. 23.

Powerful TIFF Doc 'Mandeep' Explores Lonely Side of Tourette Syndrome

Annette Bourdeau — 2011-09-05T12:00:00+00:00

It's tough not to cry along with Mandeep as he reveals how lonely he is in the powerful documentary short 'Mandeep,' an official Toronto Film Festival selection. The 23-year-old Vancouverite yearns for friends to hang out with, but his frequent involuntary outbursts of profanity and destruction tend to alienate those around him.

Mandeep suffers from severe Tourette Syndrome, an oft-misunderstood neurological condition characterized by tics - involuntary sudden movements and vocalizations. In Mandeep's case, he frequently shouts racial slurs, destroys things like computers and sinks, and burns himself with cigarettes.

Toronto-based photographer Darrin Klimek spent four days with Mandeep and captured a day in the life of the lonely young man in the moving 5-minute short. The doc was originally part of an awareness campaign for the Tourette Foundation of Canada, and marks Klimek's first foray into filmmaking. We caught up with him to learn more about Mandeep's story. [Ed. note: check back after September 19 to see the whole film; we'll be posting it after TIFF.]

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'Mandeep' Trailer -- Darrin Klimek, Vimeo
What struck you most personally about Mandeep?
His loneliness. He spends a lot of time alone. Going out is very difficult for him. He meets a lot of people. Initially those people will say yeah, let's hang out, let's be friends, but they find his condition just a bit too much to deal with on an ongoing basis. Most of those people will stop calling him or will end their relationship or friendship with him. It's tough.

Does he know other people with Tourette's who he hangs out with?
He does. His best friend has Tourette's, but he lives in Edmonton. So they don't get to hang out a lot. They talk on the phone all the time. He does go to Edmonton once in a while and his friend does come down to Vancouver but for Mandeep to go to Edmonton is a big deal. He'll either take the bus or a plane and it's a really tough trip for him because he is freaking out the whole time. When he's in an enclosed space with people he gets nervous and his tics get a lot worse. He finds it very stressful and people around him are very uncomfortable, and he knows that, so it's not easy for him to travel.

Did he go to public school?
He did. He's actually attending a community college right now, taking a visual arts program. The problem is he has this tic where he wants to hit things and destroy things and he's gone through about four computers in the time I've known him. He'll be working at his computer doing some kind of project for school and he'll destroy his laptop. So he can't finish and he falls behind, and obviously his teachers get frustrated. He has a hard time concentrating because he's always being interrupted by tics when he's doing something.

I noticed he has some tattoos. How was he able to stay still long enough for that to happen?
I asked him that too, just because of all those cigarette burns as well. Apparently he had to go back quite a few times because the tattoo artist would tell him you've got too many fresh burns here, I can't work on these right now. The tattoo artist seemed like a nice, patient guy. He was this big burly biker guy -- the type of guy who could totally handle Mandeep and all of his tics and swearing and being grabbed and touched. I think he was patient enough to get that tattoo on there, little by little.

You mentioned that the original cut had interviews with family and friends. What types of things were they saying?
The interesting thing about the interview with his mom was that they're Indian, and she said that in her culture swearing is not permitted. So with Mandeep swearing all of the time, she has a really difficult time with it. Especially because it's the worst of the worst, like racial slurs, and it's difficult for that community to accept that he's got Tourette's. She was very emotional during the interview, you could tell that it's really taken its toll on her. She said it's difficult to live with this every day. Because he does scream a lot. He makes a lot of noise and he destroys things. He's always destroying taps and walls so I guess it's hard financially to replace a lot of things.

What are you hoping audiences will take away from the film?
What I hope is that people will have a little more tolerance for people with Tourette's and other disabilities that disturb the peace, so to speak. I think it would take the stress off people with Tourette's a lot if they knew that people understood what Tourette's was and why they were doing it.

'Mandeep' is screening as part of Short Cuts Canada -- Programme 4. See the TIFF website for more details.

On Demand Is Changing The Way You Watch Indie Films

Parker Lange — 2011-08-05T13:45:00+00:00

'Magic Trip,' the new documentary about Ken Kesey and his psychedelic impact on the 1960s, hits theaters today in New York City, Berkeley and San Fransisco (before rolling out to more theaters across the country over the next three months). However, the theatrical release is not the first time the movie is being shown. 'Magic Trip' has been available at the fingertips of viewers since its On Demand release on July 1st. It represents a growing trend of movies being released On Demand prior to their theatrical releases.

Now you don't have to live in Los Angeles or New York to see smaller, limited release films. There's a bevvy of off-beat indie selections that you can currently watch from the comfort of your home or enjoy on the big screen. But which ones are better suited for your couch, and which ones need a night out at theater? Moviefone breaks down all the summer movies available on On Demand.

'Magic Trip'
What's It About? Oscar-winning director Alex Gibney ('Taxi to the Dark Side') brings a long-unfinished documentary from counter-culture icon Ken Kesey to the big screen. The film details Kesey's cross-country road-trip with his Neal Cassady (the inspiration for Kerouac's 'On the Road') and the "Merry Brand of Pranksters" -- LSD-loving truth-seekers. Over 100 hours of film have been compiled into a highly-anticipated look at the 60s psychedelic movement.
On Demand Release: July 1st
Theatrical Release: August 5th

'The Shrine'
What's It About? When an American tourist goes missing in Europe, a group of journalists is determined to get the story. They connect the disappearance to a village in Poland. However, once they delve into the investigation, they find evidence that the locals have been actively practicing human sacrifice, and find themselves as the next targets.
On Demand Release: July 13th
Theatrical Release: July 15th

'Flypaper'
What's It About? We've seen plenty of bank robbery movies, but 'Flypaper' shows us what would happen if a bank was being robbed by two different groups at once. The film finds main characters Tripp (Patrick Dempsey) and the bank teller he is secretly in love with Kaitlin (Ashley Judd) in the middle of this curious situation while adding a comical twist.
On Demand Release: July 15th until October 15th
Theatrical Release: August 19th

'Burke & Hare'
What's It About? This black comedy depicts the infamous 19th century story of graverobbers William Burke and William Hare (Simon Pegg and Andy Serkis), grave robbers from Edinburgh, Scotland as they carry out their notorious work. In addition to starring Shaun of the Dead and Gollum, fans are eagerly awaiting this film for director John Landis, the mastermind of classics like 'An American Werewolf in London' and 'Animal House.'
On Demand Release: August 5th
Theatrical Release: September 9th

'Love Crime'
What's It About? In this tense French thriller about office politics, ruthless boss Christine (Kristin Scott-Thomas) passes off her assistant Isabelle's brilliant idea as her own. But Christine miscalculates the young girl's ambition, and the scene is set for conflict.
On Demand Release: August 24th
Theatrical Release: September 2nd

Coming this Fall...

'Red State'
What's It About? Kevin Smith turns a 180 from his usually comical disposition in 'Red State.' Three friends take a mom's car to meet a girl who promised to sleep with them. However, they are drugged and brought to a fundamentalist church, where they are preached to about human sin. They are told they will be punished for the sins of the world, and that they are not the first, or last to be taken. Smith has turned the hype surrounding 'Red State' into a traveling sideshow presentation, where he's set out to prove you don't need to Hollywood to bring a movie to the masses.
On Demand Release: September 5th
Theatrical Release: October 19th

Check out all the movies available from these On Demand services:
IFC Films
Sundance Selects

Let us know in the comments: Are you more willing to check out indie films if they are available On Demand? What kind of movies are worth the theatrical experience to you?

'Talihina Sky' Director Says Kings of Leon Will Return to Kick Some Behind (EXCLUSIVE)

Aiden Redmond — 2011-08-04T17:30:00+00:00

With the recent cancellation of the remainder of their U.S. tour due to "vocal issues and exhaustion," a move that could cost them a cool $15 million, it's been quite an interesting week for the family band from Nashville, Tenn., Kings of Leon. It's hard to say what's really going on behind the scenes with the Followill boys these days, but with the upcoming release of their rock doc 'Talihina Sky: The Story of Kings of Leon,' we got a chance to speak with director and longtime friend of the band Stephen C. Mitchell to get his take on the whole ordeal and some insight into a band that most of us never get to see.

From having Kings of Leon as the stars of his first movie to what the boys are like when they're out of the spotlight, go ahead and check out an exclusive clip from the movie along with our conversation that covered tons of ground about one of the best rockumentaries we've seen in a good long while.

Here's an exclusive clip from 'Talihina Sky: The Story of Kings of Leon':

Moviefone: So was film something you were always interested in? Because it's such an extensive movie in terms of music as well, was that always something on your horizon?

Stephen C. Miller: Well, I say this kind of jokingly to people, but when I was a kid I liked trying to write books at a young age or putting up puppet shows for my cousins and telling people, "I'm gonna makes movies one day!" And you know, who knows what you're saying when you're that age, but when you go back to the root of it, it's probably who you are and what you really want to do. I started in the music business actually -- that's where my background was coming out of college -- and it was never really something I had planned to do, I just kind of stumbled into it, and the next thing you know, years and years go by. Then when the music business downsized, I thought, "Maybe this is the point in my life where if I'm ever gonna go for it, I've got to do it now." So that's when I kind of challenged myself to reinvent myself a bit.

And I always had fun filming the boys -- the Kings of Leon -- when I'd first met them, so that's what really got the bug in me back in their mama's garage with the old camcorder out. That's what really stoked my fire I guess you could say.

Were there any rock docs or movies in general that you used for inspiration when putting this together?
Funny enough, [lead singer, Caleb Followill] and I sat and watched a lot of rock docs, every one that you know of or could think of or could mention in a list. We did it partly to see what was out there and to really understand what people had done in the past and then at the same time really challenge ourselves not to do what everyone else had done. And so a lot of that credit goes to Casey McGrath who produced the film for us and really challenged us to have a unique story design, be super raw with it, and not fall down the line of a typical rock doc, because what's typical about Kings of Leon to start with?

Exactly, that's a good way to put it. As far as your history with the band is concerned, this is an incredibly extensive movie in terms of their careers and their lives and capturing it all on camera, and it seemed like you were there from really early on at least. How much of it were you there to film yourself?
Just to give you a little historical background, when I had met [drummer, Nathan Followill] and Caleb first, I was living in Nashville, Tennessee and was working at a music publishing company and signed Nathan and Caleb to their initial songwriting deal. They weren't a band or anything at that time, but during that time when they were finding their legs and finding their way, I did get to know them well and know their family well. So all during that era of watching [bass player, Jared Followill] learn the bass, getting [lead guitarist, Matthew Followill] recruited in there and going to my first family reunion with them in 2002 ... this is gonna baffle you, blow you away, but they had all those tapes in a camcorder bag on the first tour and it got stolen and we lost the footage. So it's either in a dumpster and gone forever or it will be on the internet one day. [Laughs]

But to answer your question, yeah, I got a chance to know them before they put their band together, so I think I have a pretty good bearing on who they are as people or who their family is. And I think a lot of the reason our friendship that we had developed all through the years and the trust that was there ... I mean, I'm their biggest fan, I jokingly call myself "Kings of Leon Fan Number One" because I got to be in the garage and hear some of those songs for the first time before anyone in the world did. Not to overuse the word again, but that's a bit surreal looking back on that.

When did you decide to stop filming and what made you decide to stop filming?
It was a combination of things, really. I had stayed friends with them all through their various album cycles and so forth, and there have been some other great people ... you can obviously see some of the footage that we were able to acquire from Patrick Daughters, Doug Biro, the label gave us some stuff, and of course their family loaded me up with an unbelievable amount of VHS footage and rare footage and what have you. But the boys brought me in right before they started recording that 'Only By the Night' album and we were talking about some things -- where they were going and what they wanted to do -- and they asked me, "Would you want to come down and film us while we're making this album?" And of course I was on the first plane down there and dove right in and footage was amazing, it was raw, it was real, it was exactly what they asked me to capture.

And the next thing you know, we all just decided we should just pull the trigger on what we've always talked about is that their story would make a great doc film, we just didn't know what the time was to put it out. But the time when we decided it was time to wrap it up, I kind of think once that album took off and was soaring around the world and I got a chance to travel with them everywhere and all over, that thing just got big and I was like, "Okay, we're done, that's it." Because from here on out, people are going to have extreme access and know about these guys now, but everything up to this point, you know, some people in America didn't even care about the band.

Yeah, that was the "Use Somebody" album.
Yeah, our tour manager Ivan Kushlick said to me one day, "Now that this thing's gone, there's no reason to keep running around jamming cameras in their faces."

That's interesting that you say that that was the album that you all decided to wrap it up. There's that one scene in the movie -- I don't know whether it was just a moment of frustration over the direction the band was going in or what -- where they were putting together "Use Somebody" and Caleb says, "This is our last album together."
[Laughs] So dramatic right?

[Laughs] That was mighty dramatic, but hey, it all got worked out. But by the same token, do you think that played into it whatsoever?
No, I just think that's just ... I mean, that was just the beginning of filming, I filmed for another two years after those sessions. Going into early this year, we were still getting into this and that and what have you. I think that it's amazing that Caleb let us show this stuff and be so vulnerable and put it out there like this, but I think that just goes to show you that that's how much he cares, really. He wants to raise the bar and do otherworldly work, and you've got to admire that about the guy, even if it leads to human frustrations like we show on camera.

With that being said, how was it for them and their families to watch this, especially with the contrast between their sex- and drug-fueled rock and roll lifestyle and their God-fearing families who were wondering whether their kids are gonna go to Hell or not?
Well when I first showed it to the band -- they're the executive producers of the movie, so there isn't one piece of it that they didn't approve or creatively have their hands on -- it's really as much their film as it is Casey's or mine. So all those scenes, you know, it's difficult to show them many of those scenes or encourage them to allow us to use them, and some of that was a battle, that process of, "Here's why you should put yourself out there like this or like that." But I think again, in all due credit to the guys, they're great storytellers, they're very vulnerable in their songwriting, and I think they saw this as another avenue to really reach out to people and say, "Hey, we're not those fashionista rock diva guys, we're just people like you are, too."

Yeah, there's this fine line that separates them as good ol' boys and also as rock stars.
That's the contrast that makes it such a whirlwind and a bit confusing at times, and I think the family in general has sort of pulled away from that Pentecostal world more or less in these latter years. The family's grown and the band's getting bigger, but their mom's still pretty devout, she gives me a hard time. [Laughs] She's like my second mom, but it's hard to show them as well and many of the family members trusted me and Casey immensely, but they were nervous and rightfully so. So when we did get a chance to show this to mom and dad and uncles, they were ecstatic, now they call it "Our documentary."

That's awesome.
They're super proud of it, they text me all the time about how much they love it. We immortalized their special family, in particular Uncle Cleo who just passed, too.

Oh, man. I'm sorry to hear that. But still, you couldn't have asked for a better reception than that from the family.
No kidding. Besides Kings of Leon fans loving this -- which was our goal, obviously -- the family giving me that big thumbs up and that hug and that "Man, you did it and we're just so happy, and we knew you were the person to do this and thank you," it means more to me than to win an Oscar, it really does. To get this opportunity from the family to just open themselves up and to be so involved, I don't take that privilege lightly.

That's something else. And like you were saying, they've changed so much over the course of five albums not only in image but also in sound, what was it like watching them evolve from an insider's perspective?
Yeah, it's amazing, because in those early years it's all just ... talk about energy. I would just stand in the middle of them in that tiny garage and they would play "Molly's Chambers," and it would just make the hair on the back of my neck stand up. I mean, it's just the energy and that pure force that they were channeling. You know, they had left the church world and had always performed growing up, particularly Nathan and Caleb as well, and I think it was just a matter of, "Okay, now we're out in the real world, where do channel this performance energy?" And once they found their legs and found their sound as Kings of Leon, I've told people before, it's like a rocket ship exploded off a launching pad and it just hasn't stopped since.

In light of the scenes where Nathan starts chewing out Caleb on the bus ...
[Laughs] And filming him at the same time. Who does that? We did a voiceover commentary the other day and Caleb asked him that, "Who films while they're yelling at somebody?" And Nathan just said, "I'd had enough of you that day and I just figured I'd get the camera out."

[Laughs] Well in regards to that and Jared's Twitter feed recently in regards to Caleb ...
[Laughs] Yeah, what did he say? I don't even know.

Something about how there's more going on the band than just not drinking enough Gatorade. But were you surprised by what happened at the Dallas show last Saturday and their decision to cancel the rest of their tour?
Well, I wasn't there at the show and I haven't even had a chance to talk to any of the boys yet. I really probably shouldn't comment on that since I wasn't there and didn't really know what happened. But I will say this about them: they care a lot, they care about their fans really, really hard. It's unfortunate that this has happened, but they're family, they're gonna get through this. They're strong and they want to continue to grow and be a good band, and I think they're tired.

You know, it's easy to sit back like an armchair quarterback and say, 'Oh, you should be getting out there and do this or do that,' but they never stop, period. I don't think people understand that about them. From the time we signed them to those initial song-writing deals, then they go and form the band and that rocket ship takes off as I said before, they just haven't stopped. If they're home, they're doing an album or they're doing press interviews, or they're filming this show or they're doing that. I just think that, like all human beings, you reach a point where you're just tired. You can't play a great athlete an entire game, you've got to give 'em a breather.

So no question about Kings of Leon coming back from this?
Not in my mind. I think they're gonna come back out and kick some people in the ass.

What gave you the idea to use The Velvet Underground's "Jesus" when they played that show in Nashville with their family in the crowd?
That was our editor Paul Greenhouse who's one of the most talented people in the world. That was amazing.

Caleb originally sparked the idea to use outside music because one day on the tour bus he said to me, "I want you to try to use as much non-Kings of Leon music as possible in the documentary." At first I was like, "Well, we are making a documentary about Kings of Leon after all." [Laughs] But once I thought about it, I started understand what he was saying. So we dug deeper and started listening to music that their fathers knew or Grandpa Leon [who the band is named after] ... the bluegrass music, that's their grandpa playing at the beginning of the film.

So to answer your question, when we got to that particular scene, which we knew was going to be a special scene in the film, and I was telling Casey and Paul, "I just see this big, epic, slow motion thing with their family and I really want it to land there." And I came to the scene when we were cutting the film one day and Paul pulled up what he was showing me and had that already tempoed in, and I just said, "Paul, geez, don't change a thing."

I'm glad [The Velvet Underground] let us use it too, which was very cool of them. Great context for the scene.

So what is it that you hope people will take away from this movie?
I hope Americans, particularly, will realize that this is their band.

Yeah, I agree. I never understood why they blew up in England before they blew up in America.
Right! I have people ask me all the time, "Oh, are they from London?" No! They're from the deep South, these are American kids that are coming from the region of America where rock and roll started. That's truly their roots -- in the church and in the deep South -- and I want people to realize that this is a great band. I'm proud of them, I think their greatest days are still ahead, and it would behoove Americans to really take these guys under their wings and make them their own. There aren't really that many successful American rock bands out there right now. They have an amazing body of work in this short first start to their career, and they're pretty neat, special guys with a really special family, and hopefully we're gonna get a lot more special albums out of them too, because I sure want to hear 'em.

Same here. So do you have any new projects on the horizon?
I do. I don't want to give my cards away or jinx myself just yet, but I'm very excited and interested in sports, doing a documentary about sports, and particularly football is my favorite sport. So I'll leave it at that.

Sounds good. Alright, last question: what's your favorite Kings of Leon song?
[Laughs] That is a tough one! I'd have to say it's a close call between "Taper Jean Girl," or for whatever reason -- when they play it live I can't get enough of it -- "Knocked Up." If you're putting a gun to my head, I think "Knocked Up." It's an amazing song.

'Talihina Sky: The Story of Kings of Leon' can be seen On Demand from Aug. 22 to Sept. 18 and will premiere on Showtime on Aug. 21 at 10 PM.

Are you excited to see 'Talihina Sky'?

Photos courtesy of CBS.

Exclusive Clip From 'Talahina Sky: The Story of Kings of Leon' Doc, Director Weighs in on Tour Cancellation (VIDEO)

Aiden Redmond — 2011-08-04T16:30:00+00:00

In a move that could cost them roughly $15 Million, Kings of Leon have canceled the remainder of their US tour after lead singer Caleb Followill left the stage last Saturday and didn't return to finish the show due to "internal sicknesses and problems have needed to be addressed," according to bass player and sibling Jared Followill's Twitter feed. There's a lot of speculation right now as to the true cause behind the turmoil, but first-time director Stephen C. Mitchell couldn't have picked a more pertinent time to release his upcoming behind-the-scenes documentary 'Talihina Sky: The Story of Kings of Leon.'

Having captured Kings of Leon on film over the course of ten years from before they were even a band to when they were selling out stadiums across the globe, we got to speak with Mr. Mitchell and get his thoughts on what's been going on with the Followill boys.

The full interview is still to come, but go ahead and check out an exclusive clip from the doc along with what what Mitchell had to say about the state of Kings of Leon and whether or not they'll be coming back for more.

Moviefone: Were you surprised by what happened at the Dallas show last Saturday and their decision to cancel their tour?

Mitchell: Well, I wasn't there at the show and I haven't even had a chance to talk to any of the boys yet ... But I will say this about them: they care a lot, they care about their fans really, really hard. It's unfortunate that this has happened, but they're family, they're gonna get through this. They're strong and they want to continue to grow and be a good band, and I think they're tired.

You know, it's easy to sit back like an armchair quarterback and say, 'Oh, you should be getting out there and do this or do that,' but they never stop, period. I don't think people understand that about them ... If they're home, they're doing an album or they're doing press interviews, or they're filming this show or they're doing that. I just think that, like all human beings, you reach a point where you're just tired. You can't play a great athlete an entire game, you've got to give 'em a breather.

Moviefone: So no question about Kings of Leon coming back from this?

Mitchell: Not in my mind. I think they're gonna come back out and kick some people in the ass.

Looks like we'll still have to wait for an official statement from the band to get some specifics on the matter, but if the revealing trailer for his movie is any indication, it seems like Mitchell knows Kings of Leon about as well as they know themselves. 'Talahina Sky: The Story of Kings of Leon' is available On Demand from August 22 to September 18 and will premiere on Showtime on August 21 at 10 PM.

So are you excited for a Kings of Leon comeback?

Photo courtesy of CBS.

The First Trailer and Exclusive Poster for 'Pearl Jam Twenty' Makes Us Miss Our Teen Angst Years (VIDEO)

Aiden Redmond — 2011-07-26T11:00:00+00:00

If you're one of the many who remember the day you first bought Pearl Jam's debut album, 'Ten,' and then listened to it until the cassette melted into your stereo, then get ready to feel old. Yup, it's been a full 20 years since 'Ten' came out and established Pearl Jam as one of the defining voices of the grunge era, and not only have they been kicking ass ever since, but apparently they've been filming their musical journey all along.

With an upcoming tour on the horizon to celebrate their 20th anniversary as band, we now have our hands on the first trailer and exclusive poster for the upcoming rockumentary, 'Pearl Jam Twenty.' As per the studio:

'Pearl Jam Twenty' chronicles the years leading up to the band's formation, the chaos that ensued soon-after their rise to megastardom, their step back from center stage, and the creation of a trusted circle that would surround them -- giving way to a work culture that would sustain them. Told in big themes and bold colors with blistering sound, the film is carved from over 1,200 hours of rarely-seen and never-before seen footage spanning the band's career. 'Pearl Jam Twenty' is the definitive portrait of Pearl Jam: part concert film, part intimate insider-hang, part testimonial to the power of music and uncompromising artists."

Check out the trailer and the poster:

They're definitely going for the 'U2 3D' effect with the poster, but who cares -- this will be awesome and it's sure to have one hell of a soundtrack.

Directed by Cameron Crowe, it's set to hit theaters on Sept. 20 for one night only before getting a week-long run on Sept. 23, and it features the many members of Pearl Jam (obviously) along with appearances from Soundgarden's Chris Cornell and the late, great Layne Staley from Alice in Chains. We don't know about you, but we're already dusting off our ripped jeans and plaid flannel for this one.

How excited are you for 'Pearl Jam 20?'

Sarah Palin Doc 'The Undefeated' Plummets at Box Office, Heads for PPV and DVD

Gary Susman — 2011-07-25T16:15:00+00:00

Does it matter that, in its second weekend in theaters, the Sarah Palin documentary 'The Undefeated' slumped nearly two-thirds in sales, despite increasing its theater count by 40 percent? Or that it's earned just $101,000 in theaters to date? Apparently not, as distributor Arc Entertainment has announced that pay-per-view and DVD deals are already in place. According to The Wrap, some cable viewers will be able to stream the movie on Sept. 1 (less than seven weeks after its July 15 theatrical debut), while the film will be available on DVD on Oct. 4, less than three months after its big-screen premiere.

Critics of the film (who had complained about its aesthetic merits as a documentary, not just about its unapologetically one-sided portrait of the polarizing politician) will be able to point to the movie's box office numbers as if to say, "We told you so," while supporters of the movie (and of Palin) will point to its more successful opening weekend and the new ancillary deals as evidence that America is clamoring to see this positive portrayal of Palin. In other words, both sides of the aisle will be able to claim victory while Arc quietly pockets the cash from deals that likely were in place well before this weekend's box office debacle. Everybody wins.

'The Undefeated' debuted in 10 theaters last weekend with ticket sales of $65,132. That's not bad for an independently produced documentary with no advertising that opened on the same weekend as the year's most anticipated blockbuster ('Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 2'). The per-screen average of $6,513 suggested that there was untapped demand for the movie that a wider release would profit from. This past weekend, however, it expanded to 14 theaters, yet according to Box Office Mojo it earned just $24,000. That's a decline of 63 percent in weekend sales, and a decline of 74 percent (to $1,714) in per-screen average. (With ticket prices in the U.S. averaging about $8, that means 'Undefeated' played to about 71 people a day this weekend at each theater.)

Maybe the demand hinted at by the first weekend's grosses was illusory, or maybe everyone who wanted to see the film in theaters did, or maybe the movie was never going to attract viewers beyond the choir it was preaching to, or maybe 14 screens isn't really much of a test for a movie about a figure of nationwide interest. Or maybe, when it came to all-American heroes at the multiplex, moviegoers would much see Steve Rogers ('Captain America: The First Avenger' was this weekend's runaway box office winner) than Sarah Palin.

According to The Wrap, Arc announced on Sunday -- even as 'Undefeated' was playing to under-populated auditoriums -- that the movie's PPV and DVD deals were set. Subscribers to DirecTV, Dish Network and Time Warner Cable will be able to watch the movie on pay-per-view starting Sept. 1. On Oct. 4, the DVD will ship 250,000 units, including some "special edition" DVDs with extra footage that will be sold only at Wal-Mart stores.

'The Undefeated' Trailer

That $101,000 box office total looks like a failure, then, only if you assume that the theatrical release was supposed to be the film's primary source of revenue instead of a loss leader. It's unlikely that the PPV and DVD deals would have been worked out over the weekend and announced on a Sunday if the cable companies and Wal-Mart had been paying attention to the grosses; it's more likely that the deals were worked out in advance, based on more optimistic early projections.

It's not uncommon for a movie to receive a cursory theatrical booking just to generate reviews that will provide copy for the DVD box and other promotional materials for the home video release. Sure, the reviews for 'The Undefeated' were uniformly negative, but in this case, that's practically a badge of honor. (After all, the first few minutes of the movie are devoted to footage of Palin-bashing by Hollywood comics and other snooty liberal elitists, the sort of people whom Palin supporters are already predisposed to loathe.)

So it looks like Arc's plan all along was to leverage the movie's minimal theatrical release into lucrative cable and home-video deals. (Arc could sell the 250,000 units for as little as $5 a pop and make back the film's estimated $1 million budget plus the cost of pressing and shipping the discs.) Plus, Arc hasn't had to spend any money on a traditional advertising campaign. It's been able to rely on free media -- newspaper reviews, blog posts pro and con, and feature articles about the movie, including the one you're reading now -- to generate all the publicity it's needed.

That may or may not represent good filmmaking or good politics, but it certainly is good marketing.

Follow Gary Susman on Twitter: @garysusman.

Watch the First Six Minutes of the Chimp Documentary 'Project Nim'

Moviefone Staff — 2011-07-11T16:15:00+00:00

'The Rise of the Planet of the Apes' won't be out until Aug. 5, but we have something that should cure your monkey-related withdrawal in the meantime: the first six minutes of the chimp documentary 'Project Nim.'

In 'Nim,' James Marsh, who directed the 2008's acclaimed 'Man on Wire,' follows a chimp that ends up being raised as a human child with a family in New York City in the 1970s. In the preview, we get to see background on how the project got started.

Although the movie has gotten positive reviews since its debut at Sundance, a feud has since developed between Marsh and Herbert Terrace, the scientist who led the project. According to Terrace, he thinks the movie shows him in an unfavorable light and that he exploited the chimp. However, he says that couldn't be further from the truth:

"I'm upset because the film creates the impression the project was a failure because it didn't turn out the way I'd hoped it would when I started ... The only line between success and failure for scientists is really whether they honestly report their results, and I did that ... The film also suggests I was not affectionately involved with Nim. And that's not true ... [Marsh has] made a technically good film, but he's misrepresented me, and he misrepresented the science."

Check out the first six minutes of 'Project Nim' below and judge for yourself:

[via /Film]

'Conan O'Brien Can't Stop' Review: Late Night Host Needs Laughs, Will Travel

Rick Mele — 2011-06-30T16:00:00+00:00

You can't keep a good man down. Or apparently, a good talk show host. The biggest takeaway from 'Conan O'Brien Can't Stop,' a behind-the-scenes documentary about the red-bearded late night host's forced exodus from TV, is that Conan O'Brien has a near pathological drive to perform. He's a man who can't seem to allow himself to take a break, even after he was paid $45 million by his former employer to shut it down for six months.

Whether he's in front of his personal assistant, the writers' table, or a packed concert hall, Conan is constantly seeking an audience. That compulsion is part of what makes him a successful comedian, and it's also what pushed the suddenly unemployed O'Brien on the road last year for a 32-city tour following his exceedingly public dust-up with NBC and Jay Leno. With director Rodman Flender in tow, 'Conan O'Brien Can't Stop' treats us to a candid portrait of a consummate performer who simply doesn't know how to turn himself off. Luckily for Conan, we don't want him to.

Flender provides O'Brien the audience he's looking for in his documentary, which gives Team Coco members a behind-the-scenes look at the comedian's Legally Prohibited from Being Funny on Television Tour. A former Harvard classmate and friend, Flender approached the ex-'Tonight Show' host shortly after he decided to hit the road in search of an audience. O'Brien's well-documented ouster from NBC is briefly rehashed via Taiwanese animation -- the only real cutesy moment in the film, which otherwise adopts a fly on the wall approach to tracking the comedy tour.

Over a period of two months, O'Brien and his band did 42 shows in 32 cities from Eugene, Oregon to Atlanta, Georgia. He was joined along the way by a roster of special guests, along with a legion of loyal fans who acted as a continued reminder that even if NBC no longer wanted Conan, they sure did. Flender follows O'Brien from the show's improvised beginnings (when they had more tickets sold than bits scripted) to the final curtain, charting the comedian's constant battle with exhaustion and a desire to keep pushing himself with one more joke, one more picture -- a man unable to shut off even on a red-eye to their next stop.

Essentially a concert movie with a few moments of personal insight, 'Conan O'Brien Can't Stop' chronicles a particularly turbulent chapter in Conan's life. And Flender was there at just the right moment to capture it, though one can't help but think a documentary following Conan through the rocky end of his 'Tonight Show' tenure would have been far more compelling.

As is, 'Can't Stop' is an intriguing backstage pass to O'Brien's comedy tour, where he played to sold-out audiences across North America, and where, for the first time in his career, he had people actually paying to see him. In a telling reminder of the devotion of Conan's fan base, we watch as his tour dates are announced only to sell out in a matter of minutes. As much as Conan missed his audience, they clearly missed him right back.

Still, despite this love-in, the O'Brien we see here is a far angrier and more bitter version, one that was already beginning to spill out in his final few episodes of 'The Tonight Show.' His anger at how the whole ordeal was botched so completely and publicly is understandable, and Conan captured public sympathy so strongly in 2010 he became the Sandra Bullock of late night. But while frustration is necessary fuel for any comedian, O'Brien gets increasingly grouchy as the tour moves on, privately bitching about the endless stream of meet-and-greets and extra demands that seemingly pop up out of nowhere.

Flender gets moments that only a friend can, pulling back the curtain as we frequently see an off-the-cuff Conan. But the overgrown class clown can also be a bit of a bully, whether he's pretending to fire his assistant for bringing him fish drenched in butter sauce (an uncomfortable and only half-joking hissy fit) or taking a pre-show moment with former-staffer-turned-'30 Rock'-star Jack McBrayer from playful teasing to overkill.

Conan's well-aware that many of his jokes have a mean edge to them, and admits as much to Flender. But like the title says, he just can't seem to stop himself. O'Brien's consistently funny enough that he gets away with it though, the product of a brain under duress that still keeps firing away. And Flender's portrait of his friend is ultimately sympathetic, since Conan's so clearly giving the fans his all -- night in and night out (even on his supposed days off).

Everyone wants a piece of Conan as the demands pile up, from a pre-show cocktail party to Bonnaroo, where he's obligated to introduce each act as an impromptu emcee. But even though he may complain, we never see him turn an extra gig or an extra autograph down. Conan O'Brien, it seems, also can't say no. Seeing how exhausted he is as the tour winds down, you start to hope someone will step in and try to stop him for his own sake. But then again, NBC tried that already (though for admittedly less altruistic reasons), and look how well that turned out.

'Conan O'Brien Can't Stop' is already playing in the US, but opens across Canada on July 7 for a one night 'Cineplex Entertainment Front Row Centre' Event and then is opening theatrically in Toronto and Vancouver on July 8.

What Is 'Cave of Forgotten Dreams' About?

Rick Mele — 2011-06-29T17:00:00+00:00

Werner Herzog is the Chuck Norris of directors: He once ate his shoe on a bet; he also took a sniper bullet (albeit from an air rifle) to the stomach mid-interview and shrugged it off as "not significant." The controversial man is crazy, this much we know.

The eccentric German filmmaker's latest, 'Cave of Forgotten Dreams,' a documentary about prehistoric cave paintings shot in futuristic 3D, is significantly less crazy. But from Herzog's patented philosophizing to a bizarre postscript featuring albino alligators, the film may still leave some moviegoers scratching their heads.

As a public service, we'll break down what to expect once you don your 3D glasses for 'Cave of Forgotten Dreams' -- but you're still on your own when it comes to 'Even Dwarfs Started Small.'

What Is 'Cave of Forgotten Dreams' About?
In 1994, a group of explorers discovered an underground cave in southern France that had been hidden by a landslide thousands of years ago. What they found inside was a stunning collection of prehistoric paintings, some from over 30,000 years ago, making them twice as old as any previously discovered. Considered one of the most significant sites of prehistoric art ever found, the Chauvet Cave (its full name is Chauvet Pont d'Arc Cave) was quickly shut off to all but a small group of researchers. That is, until Herzog and his crew of three were invited to bring in their 3D cameras and show us around.

Part art-house documentary, prehistoric history lesson, and philosophical science-fiction, 'Cave of Forgotten Dreams' is a first-person tour of the Chauvet Cave guided by Herzog's inimitable narration. Granted unprecedented access by the French Ministry of Culture, the director goes spelunking in a place us mere mortals could never hope to visit, and takes us along for the ride as he explores the site's historical and cultural significance.

Like most modern documentaries, 'Cave of Forgotten Dreams' is also about its own 'Making of...' process, and the difficulty in documenting such a severely restricted place. The two-foot-wide metal pathway traversing the cave floor not only limited the crew's movement, but also impaired views of the paintings themselves. And because of the increased levels of carbon dioxide, Herzog and his crew were not permitted to stay in the caves for longer than four hours a day.

But the remarkably well-preserved paintings of long-extinct lions, horses, mammoths, and rhinos they captured aren't mere doodles, but legitimate works of art, using the contours of the walls to create depth and simulate movement. Treating the cave with the same reverence as an ancient cathedral, Herzog waxes philosophic about the prehistoric painters and their dreams, seeing in them kindred spirits.

Indeed, the director is just as fascinated by the cave's modern characters as their ancient counterparts. Among them: a circus-juggler-turned-scientist, a perfume-maker who uses his superior olfactory abilities to try to sniff out new caves, and an "experimental archeologist" in a reindeer fur hoodie who uses a reconstructed ivory flute to play the Star Spangled Banner. And we haven't even gotten to the mutant alligators yet.

Yeah, What's With the Alligators?
Despite being partially funded by the History Channel, 'Cave of Forgotten Dreams' is clearly not your typical historical documentary. As far as Herzog's concerned, he's not just chronicling a major archeological find, the birth of cave painting and artistic expression, but also the birth of the soul.

Herzog has always been a filmmaker enamored with exploration, whether he's exploring new frontiers like Antarctica, cinematic boundaries, human nature, or the depths of Klaus Kinski's sanity. It's no different in 'Cave of Forgotten Dreams,' as Herzog delves into what separates those prehistoric humans from us, or the animals they painted.

And that's what's at the center of the film's postscript -- a bewildering fictionalized segment about a nearby nuclear reactor and its warm water run-off that supposedly fuels a biosphere filled with alligators and their mutated albino "doppelgangers." Venturing into self-parody, Herzog leaves us with one final question: Are we simply alligators looking back into "the abyss of time" when we gaze at the Chauvet Cave paintings?

OK, so you're on your own with that one too.

Palin Takes Shot at 'Hateful' Celebs at Documentary Premiere

Moviefone Staff — 2011-06-29T11:50:00+00:00

Most movie premieres don't begin with the audience saying the Pledge of Allegiance. Then again, most movie premieres aren't held in Pella, Iowa, and attended by Sarah Palin.

The former Alaska governor was in town to debut the new documentary about her, 'The Undefeated.' But the film isn't what's making headlines -- it's the comments Palin made once the film was over.

The movie included clips of celebrities and talking heads bashing Sarah. After the screening, The Hollywood Reporter asked Sarah to respond to all the insults.

Hit the jump to see what she said.

It makes you want to reach out to some of these folks and say, 'What's your problem?'" Palin said. "What would make a celebrity, like you saw on-screen, so hate someone that they'd seek their destruction, their death, the death of their children? What would make someone be so full of hate?"

Do you have any interest in seeing Sarah Palin's documentary?

'Conan O'Brien Can't Stop' Review: Coco Unleashed in All His Bearded Glory

Aiden Redmond — 2011-06-21T11:00:00+00:00

Now that Conan O'Brien's got himself a show again and Jay Leno's back doing God knows what on 'The Tonight Show,' one almost forgets what life was like just over a year ago when The Ginja Ninja started a Twitter account, grew a beautiful red beard and went on a comedy tour just to keep himself from going crazy as a newly unemployed talk show host. Lucky for us, a camera crew was there to capture that tour and now we have 'Conan O'Brien Can't Stop,' a behind-the-scenes documentary that chronicles all the ups and downs of Coco's life on the road in the wake of the biggest letdown of his career.

It ain't all pretty, but it's a whole lot of fun, so be cool, my babies, and hit the jump for the full review.

As many of you might recall, this all started back with the "Late Night Wars" that started with Conan O'Brien taking over for Jay Leno as the host of 'The Tonight Show' on June 1, 2009, ultimately ended with Leno taking back over for O'Brien seven months later thanks to a ratings dip on both their behalves, and O'Brien (along with his entire staff) out of a job. With a lot on his mind and a big cash settlement from NBC that barred him from returning to TV or talking publicly about the parting of ways for six months, O'Brien and his staff got together and came up with 'The Legally Prohibited From Being Funny on Television Tour.' This is a documentary that follows this 42-show, nationwide comedy tour as Conan picks himself up by his bootstraps, returns to the stage, and finally gets a chance to show the world what life's been like for the funniest guy not on late night.

How Does the Tour Translate to the Screen?
Since we were lucky enough to have gotten a ticket to one of the Radio City Music Hall shows in New York City last summer, it's great to see how much of this movie is spent onstage and how well it translated to film. The downside is that there are a lot of great bits that got left out, like a live version of the Chuck Norris lever, and it might come as a surprise that a lot of the stage footage actually focuses on Conan and his Legally Prohibited Band jamming out to rock classics with re-written lyrics about how they just want to be on TV again or the tough times Conan had growing up in Brookline, Mass. But that's not a complaint in the least, since there's nothing to miss if you haven't already seen the live show and the stuff that is here is flat-out gut-busting. It definitely helps that Conan shreds on guitar and has great taste in music, but come on: The Masturbating Bear is always gut-busting.

Then again, that's just everything that's onstage, and as brilliant as it all is, it's arguably the least interesting thing this movie has going for it. This isn't about a tour -- this is about a red-bearded Conan O'Brien giving the world a completely raw glimpse into the life he's been leading and the person he is, flaws and all.

Folks, there are lots of reasons why people love Conan and why they all got behind him at the drop of a hat when NBC screwed him six ways from Sunday. He's one of the funniest and quick-witted guys out there, he doesn't come off as some larger-than-life celebrity jerk, and more than anything, he just seems like a class act through and through -- all of which are confirmed in 'Can't Stop.'

Honestly, we don't even know how rock bands go on tour and deal with hordes of fans and groupies without going nuts or breaking up after show number three. That said, it's pretty wild to see Conan deal with it all in stride as he always goes the extra mile to please those around him, making everyone feel like they're nothing short of the head of his fan club. And once everyone leaves, he's totally up front about how exhausting and frustrating it can get. After all, he's a comedian, he's never done anything quite like this before, and we can hardly blame him for dropping an F-bomb in the car ride home after signing 100 autographs and then having to deal with some punk kid hassle him for not signing 100 more. It's not like he's putting on an act for anyone; pleasing others is what he does and making others happy just comes natural. But that kind of lifestyle would get to anybody, it very much gets to him at times, revealing a vulnerability rarely found with a film crew around.

As laid back and personable as Conan's always been, it's really something to see these newer sides of him. This is the man who signed off as host of 'The Tonight Show' by saying "Nobody in life gets exactly what they thought they were going to get. But if you work really hard and you're kind, amazing things will happen." That's the kind of person Conan is and that's the kind of person who deserves the spotlight. The title 'Conan O'Brien Can't Stop' accurately describes a guy who'd rather spend his vacation days playing surprise shows and signing everything in sight for as many fans as possible than kicking back with a bottle of Cristal while getting shuffled into a limo by a fleet of bodyguards.

But Does He Finally Go Off on NBC?
Yes, but in his own way.

In a move that makes us love the guy that much more, you can't miss how disappointed and crushed Conan is over the whole ordeal that led him to start this tour, but he doesn't treat the camera as a soapbox either. This documentary could easily have been one big middle finger to Jay Leno, NBC and everyone else who took away what had been promised to him for years. But that's not how Conan rolls. He's not naming names, burning bridges or making himself out to be some kind of late-night martyr. He's just doing what he can to stay busy, trying to move on from the lowest point in his career, and trying to take his mind off the past while working towards reclaiming his future. Sure, some grievances are aired along the way and he's more than happy to answer all of director Rodman Flender's questions about the subject, but he takes the high road while doing so, which speaks volumes about his character.

There's a lot of fun and games in 'Conan O'Brien Can't Stop,' but there's just as much sincerity, hurt and love to match it, and that's what really makes this something special. You'd probably walk into this expecting a comedy, and even though you'll get that, it's wonderful how it ends up being so much more.

Is It Worth Seeing?
You'd be crazy to miss it.

Not only is it the best secondhand ticket you'll get to one of last summer's biggest shows and freakin' hilarious from start to finish, but considering how Conan never really got a chance to say his piece after such a public split, it's great to hear his side of the story and to see it told so honestly. Even as a member of the audience, you'll feel like part of the team, like you're in on all the jokes. You'll walk away with an even greater appreciation for the man behind the hair, and it really is a story worth hearing. It's endlessly entertaining and always fascinating stuff that had us all ears when we weren't laughing out loud with everyone else around us. Class act all the way.

VERDICT:
9/10 Cone Zones

For a second opinion, check out our South by Southwest review from earlier this year too.

First Trailer for New Errol Morris Doc, 'Tabloid'

Aiden Redmond — 2011-06-10T16:15:00+00:00

In true Errol Morris form, it's time to get excited for another documentary about the strangest of subjects you've heard of and probably won't be able to look away from.

'Tabloid' follows the story of one Joyce McKinney, a former Miss Wyoming who fell in love with a Mormon, kidnapped him from the Church of Latter Day Saints in England, and had sex with him for three days so that she could have him all to herself without all that religion stuff getting in the way. Eventually she got arrested because the Mormon started going on about how the whole kidnapping thing wasn't consensual, and McKinney found herself eating up the spotlight as the U.K.'s biggest accidental celebrity.

For a director who's made a career out of finding the most backwoods, bizarro stories and turning them into some of the most well-made, compelling movies you'll ever see, Joyce McKinney sounds like the perfect focus for Oscar-winner Errol Morris.

One of those stories you just have to hear for yourself, so hit the jump and do just that by checking out the trailer.

Slated for a July 15 release date, we don't know about you, but after just rewatching that awesome trailer, that day can't get here fast enough.

What do you think: Look fantastic, looks bizarre, or looks like a bit of both?

[via /Film]

'Beats, Rhymes & Life:' Trailer for A Tribe Called Quest Documentary Premieres

Moviefone Staff — 2011-06-03T20:00:00+00:00

In 2008, when actor/director Michael Rapaport announced that he was making a documentary on the legendary hip-hop group A Tribe Called Quest, we had one reaction: Finally!

Now the first trailer for the highly-anticipated 'Beats, Rhymes & Life: The Travels of a Tribe Called Quest' has hit the internet, and it's gotten us even more hyped for the upcoming flick.

The two-and-a-half-minute clip features snippets of interviews with some of the biggest names in rap, as well as Tribe emcees Q-Tip and Phife Dawg.

"Myself, Kanye -- we wouldn't be here if it wasn't for Tribe" says Pharrell Williams.

"Everything about that was magic" says Roots drummer ?uestlove.

"They completely mastered the form and culture of what hip-hop is supposed to be" added Ludacris.

Hit the jump to check out the trailer for the documentary.

Looks great, right? Unfortunately, the movie has recently hit some bumps in the road.

Earlier this year, Q-Tip tweeted his dismay over the film, saying that he did not support it. However, he later clarified that he was only upset about the editing of the movie and not the overall project. Either way, since the documentary debuted at Sundance, the reviews for the film have been very positive.

What do you think of the 'Beats, Rhymes & Life' trailer?

[via Yahoo! Movies]

Iranian Director Jafar Panahi's Struggle for Freedom

Gary Susman — 2011-05-27T11:35:00+00:00

The plight of Iranian filmmaker Jafar Panahi, banned by his own government from directing movies for the next 20 years, is so full of jaw-dropping, Kafkaesque ironies that it would take a director of Pahani's gifts to make a proper movie out of it. (In fact, he has.)

For alleged anti-government activities, Panahi and his colleague, Mohammad Rasoulof, have both been sentenced to six years in prison; Panahi has also been banned from filmmaking for the next two decades. Both are appealing their sentences while living under house arrest. Still, both men have continued to work, and both managed to get films spirited out of Iran and placed at the last minute on the screening schedule at the Cannes Film Festival earlier this month. Rasoulof's movie, about a woman struggling to leave Iran, is called 'Goodbye,' while Panahi's, an account of his house arrest shot secretly in his home, is called 'This Is Not a Film.'

In the latest bizarre twist, the Iranian government has criticized the Cannes organizers, not for showing the arrested Iranian filmmakers' work, but for the festival organizers' banning of Danish director Lars von Trier for his ill-conceived jokey comments expressing sympathy with Hitler. That was an act of "fascist behavior," wrote Iranian Vice Minister of Culture Javad Shamaqdari in a letter. That's pretty rich coming from the government that is suppressing Panahi and Rasoulof's free expression.

Read on for a brief rundown of Panahi's troubled history, the shows of support for him from Hollywood filmmakers and international festivals, and a video excerpt of Panahi's forbidden movie.

Who Is Jafar Panahi?
Panahi has been one of the vibrant Iranian film community's brightest lights for nearly 20 years. He was a favorite at foreign film festivals, having won prizes at Cannes, Venice and San Sebastian. His troubles began with the protests surrounding the 2009 Iranian elections. He was first arrested as one of the mourners at the funeral of martyred activist Neda Agha-Soltan. His passport was revoked and he was forbidden from traveling to foreign festivals.

Panahi was arrested again in March 2010, accused of making an anti-government film. (Which, as it turns out, he has now done as a result of his arrest.) Rasoulof was arrested at the same time but was released two days later. Panahi, however remained jailed and, complaining of mistreatment, went on a hunger strike. He was finally released in May on $200,000 bail, but not before missing the 2010 edition of Cannes, where a seat on the jury panel was pointedly left empty in his honor.

In December, Rasoulof and Panahi were sentenced to six years in prison. Panahi was also barred for 20 years from directing movies, writing screenplays, conducting interviews, and leaving Iran. He remains under house arrest while working on his appeal.

What Is 'This is Not a Film'?
'This Is Not a Film' represents Panahi's effort to work around the ban and exploit its possible loopholes, starting with the title. (The inspiration is the famous painting of a tobacco pipe by surrealist Rene Magritte, entitled "This Is Not a Pipe.") It's not really a film, according to the title, and it's not directed by Panahi, it's merely credited as "an effort by." There's no apparent screenplay, as the film was largely improvised. It was also created in collaboration with Mojtaba Mirtahmasb, who was making a documentary about Iranian directors banned from directing. (The New York Times recently published a terrific interview with Mirtahmasb on how the film was made and spirited out of Iran.)

In a weird way, 'This Is Not a Film' isn't a total compromise for Panahi. Like many Iranian filmmakers, he's accustomed to making movies that blur the line between fiction and documentary, using non-professional actors and improvised scenes. Iranian directors have long had to work around the Islamic nation's proscriptions on content (no nudity, no love scenes, no swearing), and now, this was just one more set of content restrictions.

On the other hand, Panahi had never made a film that cost just 3,200 euros, was shot on digital video (and in part on an iPhone), and was smuggled to France on a flash drive hidden in a cake.

Reviews from Cannes for 'This Is Not a Film' were generally strong, and reviews for 'Goodbye' were decent. That doesn't mean they'll be picked up for distribution; no doubt there are legal obstacles to obtaining the exhibition rights for both movies. Still, you can watch a 6 1/2-minute excerpt of 'This Is Not a Film' in the clip below (h/t to MovieCityNews).

Excerpt from 'This Is Not a Film'

Who Is Fighting for Panahi?
Support for Panahi has come from all corners. When he was arrested last March, some 50 Iranian filmmakers wrote a letter supporting him. Another letter was signed last April by a number of top American directors, including Paul Thomas Anderson, Joel and Ethan Coen, Francis Ford Coppola, Jonathan Demme, Robert De Niro, Curtis Hanson, Jim Jarmusch, Ang Lee, Richard Linklater, Terrence Malick, Michael Moore, Robert Redford, Martin Scorsese, James Schamus, Paul Schrader, Steven Soderbergh, Steven Spielberg, Oliver Stone and Frederick Wiseman. When he was convicted in December, filmmaker Paul Haggis and Iranian-born actress Nazanin Bodiadi teamed with Amnesty International to generate a petition on his behalf, whose signers included Sean Penn, Martin Scorsese, and distributor Harvey Weinstein.

Others protesting Iran's treatment of Panahi include film critics David Ansen, David Denby, Roger Ebert, Jean-Michel Frodon, Jonathan Rosenbaum, Amy Taubin and Kenneth Turan; critic groups the Boston Society of Film Critics, the National Society of Film Critics and the Toronto Film Critics Association; and film festivals in Karlovy Vary, Rotterdam, and Berlin (where, as in Cannes last March, a jury seat for Panahi was left empty, and posters protesting his absence were prominent).

(Isabella Rossellini and presenters at the 2011 Berlin Film Festival make note of Panahi's absence).
How Can You Help?
One way to add your own voice to the protest on behalf of Panahi and Rasoulof is to make your own video, using the "White Meadows" app (named for one of Rasoulof's films), available at the website of Cine Foundation International.

Follow Gary Susman on Twitter: @garysusman.

'Truth or Dare' & Other Amazing Concert Documentaries

Aiden Redmond — 2011-05-26T16:50:00+00:00

With this week marking the 20th anniversary of 'Madonna: Truth or Dare,' we thought we'd take a look back at some of our favorite rockumentaries that channel the things we love most about the Material Girl's iconic tour doc. Rather than go for a list of the all-time greats, we've decided to go with five of our favorite rock docs that focus as much on the tour as they do on the band. Hard to say whether any of these acts hold a candle to the power of Madonna's cone bra on her 1990 "Blonde Ambition" tour, but these are some must-sees for anyone who loves to rock.

Hit the jump to see the full list.

'The White Stripes: Under Great White Northern Lights' (2009)

Doesn't quite measure up to the set list on their first concert doc, 'Under Blackpool Lights,' but, oh, how we miss the White Stripes. Chronicling Meg and Jack's 2007 tour across all 10 Canadian provinces to celebrate their 10th anniversary as a band, 'Under Great White Northern Lights' is a surprisingly vulnerable and unsurprisingly cool look at the minds and personalities behind one of the best bands of the past decade. From the stage to the bowling alley, from a crowded city bus to an Inuit tribe of elders, this is unlike any tour you've ever seen backed up by a live show that has us crossing our fingers for a reunion.

'Gimme Shelter' (1970)

Talk about your all-time buzzkills. Albert and David Maysles captured lightning in a bottle when they showed up to film the Rolling Stones' infamous free concert at the Altamont Speedway in 1969. What began as a celebration of peace, love and tasty licks for over 300,000 fans spiraled into a fiasco of hate, murder and the end of an era thanks to the Hells Angels stepping up as the worst stage security money can buy. Probably the one concert of the bunch here that we're glad to have missed, but there's damn good reason why 'Gimme Shelter' tops so many "Best Rockumentary" lists. Never a good idea to mix bikers with hippies.

'The Last Waltz' (1978)

Concerts just don't get any more epic or legendary. Martin Scorsese's doc about The Band's final show is a fond farewell to one of the greats after 16 years on the road and a showcase for some of rock's biggest icons all performing on the same stage. Bob Dylan, Neil Young, Eric Clapton, Van Morrison, Muddy Waters -- they're all there, along with many more. 'The Last Waltz' is required viewing for those looking to be educated and fan service of the highest order for those already on the bandwagon.

'Stop Making Sense' (1984)

The clearest sign of a good concert is good music, but the sign of a great concert is a great show. Leave it to 'The Silence of the Lambs' director Jonathan Demme to film one of the wildest performances out there from a band that reinvented the industry by marching to the beat of their own drum. It's hard to sum up what made the Talking Heads one of the most original, theatric and brilliant bands of the past century, but as great as their music is, 'Stop Making Sense' is good a place to start as any if you're looking for the full effect. Worth it just for David Byrne's big suit.

'Anvil! The Story of Anvil' (2008)

There's a good chance you've never heard of Canadian metal band Anvil or its aging founders Steve "Lips" Kudlow and Robb Reiner (no relation to Meathead), but after you've followed them through thick and thin on the biggest world tour of their career -- 20 years past their prime --there's no chance you'll forget them. Directed by the band's longtime roadie, Sacha Gervasi, it's the real-life version of 'Spinal Tap' -- twice as inspiring as it is heartbreaking, and you don't have to know a damn thing about hair bands to find yourself humming 'Metal on Metal' by the time the end credits roll around. Seriously, see 'Anvil! The Story of Anvil.' It's the 'Rudy' of rock docs.

Now that we've dished out some of our faves, we want to hear from you guys -- best rockumentaries you've ever seen, best concerts you've ever been to, best times to wear a cone bra. There's a ton of stuff out there that we didn't cover and we want your suggestions. Rock on!

First Trailer for New Conan O'Brien Tour Documentary (VIDEO)

Aiden Redmond — 2011-05-23T12:35:00+00:00

That's right, my babies, the first trailer for 'Conan O'Brien Can't Stop' has finally arrived. Now that Coco's been back on the air and sittin' pretty on TBS for the past six months, one almost forgets what life was like for the guy after he parted ways with NBC and had nothing but time to kill as a jobless comedian with a jobless staff of writers. Directed by Rodman Flender, the doc gives us a behind-the-scenes ticket to all of the Cone-Zone's highs and lows during his nationwide, two-month-long 'Legally Prohibited From Being Funny on Television Tour.'

This was one of the more highly anticipated movies to have premiered at SXSW this year. Hit the jump to check out the trailer for yourself.

'Conan O'Brien Can't Stop' is set for a limited release on June 24 -- does the trailer live up to the hype or will you be sticking to late night?

[via Cinemablend]

Controversial Princess Diana Film 'Unlawful Killing' Will Debut at Cannes

Sharon Knolle — 2011-05-10T16:20:00+00:00

An as-yet-unseen documentary about Princess Diana is causing outrage for what it claims to show: a photograph of the late princess as she lay dying after her car crash in a Paris tunnel.

The film 'Unlawful Killing,' by actor and filmmaker Keith Allen, alleges that Diana predicted her own death by "accident" four years before it happened and that the royal family and other British officials have conspired in an elaborate cover-up.

The 90-minute film, which Allen calls "the inquest of the inquest," is reportedly backed by Mohammed Fayed, whose son Dodi also died in the infamous crash. British cinemas have refused to show the film due to its graphic content, but it will be screened this Friday at Cannes.

Watch the trailer for the film, which features interviews with Fayed and Piers Morgan, after the jump:

"Screening this film in Cannes for the world's media will be both exhilarating and terrifying for me," Allen tells the London newspaper The Guardian.

"[The movie] is not about a conspiracy before the crash, but a provable conspiracy after the crash," Allen says. "[It's] a conspiracy organized not by a single scheming arch-fiend, but collectively by the British establishment -- judges, lawyers, politicians, police chiefs, secret services, even newspaper editors."

Watch an ABC News report on the film below:

Do you believe there was a conspiracy surrounding Diana's death? And does the film have the right to show such a disturbing photo?

[via Huffington Post]

Capsule Review: 'Chasing Madoff'

Rick Mele — 2011-05-09T18:30:00+00:00

It took all of five minutes for financial analyst Harry Markopolos to uncover Bernie Madoff's $18 billion Ponzi scheme ... and 10 years for the justice system to finally bring Madoff down.

That mystifying, infuriating disconnect is at the center of 'Chasing Madoff,' a documentary by director Jeff Prosserman, which has its North American premiere at the Toronto Jewish Film Festival on Tuesday, May 10.

Based on Markopolos's bestseller 'No One Would Listen,' the film unfolds the saga through the author's eyes, as he and a handful of colleagues work tirelessly to expose the fraud while their findings fall on deaf ears -- both in the media and at the Securities and Exchange Commission headquarters. That Madoff was eventually brought to justice by the recession (sort of) and not Markopolos's dogged whistle-blowing robs Prosserman's documentary of a rousing payoff. But 'Chasing Madoff' is an interesting addendum to a story that dominated global news coverage in 2009, painting a tragic and enraging portrait of a man who knew all the answers but, as the title says, no one would listen.

The documentary is ill-served at times by its almost singular focus on Markopolos. After-the-fact media coverage and heart-wrenching interviews with individual investors wiped out by the scam are engrossing, but spliced in seemingly at random. And as Markopolos's testimonial grows increasingly paranoid, the noir-ish reenactments of him loading guns and checking his minivan for nonexistent bombs are more unsettling than thrilling.

'Chasing Madoff' has its North American premiere on Tuesday, May 10, at 5:30PM at the Bloor Cinema, as part of the Toronto Jewish Film Festival. For more info or to purchase tickets, check here.

Hot Doc a Day: 'The Hollywood Complex'

Mark Wigmore — 2011-05-08T07:00:00+00:00

Hot Docs, North America's biggest documentary film festival, kicks off its 2011 run on April 28 in Toronto. Jam-packed with documentaries running through May 8, Moviefone Canada will be there from start to finish, offering up looks at some of the festival's noted films.

Comedian David Cross once said: "Watch the parade of the deluded. Right now there are a million people in Hollywood who are 'All going to make it' -- they have the dream and the desire."

Take that cynical look at every actor's dream and lay that transparency over a legion of kids aged three and up, and there you have 'The Hollywood Complex.' This documentary is, by far, one of the most watchable films at this year's Hot Docs festival. The personalities jump off the screen and the subject matter is utterly compelling.

Spring in Hollywood is known as 'pilot season.' Of the fifty-or-so TV projects that major networks try out, thousands or children line up to fill the several dozen acting parts available. Movies and commercials are up for grabs too, but a youngster's chances at landing any of these jobs is kind of like winning the lottery.

Despite all of the odds stacked against them, they still come. 'The Hollywood Complex' gleefully examines half a dozen kids and their parents, who range in age and character. Home base for many of these families is a housing complex known as Oakwood. The rent is high and the living space modest, but it is the place to be for aspiring young actors. The hefty price of Oakwood gets you a busy roster of training, expert consultations and a direct line to some of Tinseltown's most powerful agents.

Shanna is 13, a little late to be just arriving to town, and she is accompanied by her supportive but admittedly naïve mother. Straight off the Colorado ranch and diving head first into the Hollywood meat grinder, it's this pretty and well-behaved young woman who best symbolizes the sacrificial lamb of a cruel industry. She has some talent, but as the months go by, it is clear that she faces an avalanche of competition. The well-knowing industry has seen a thousand Shannas, and will gladly take her dream-soaked money.

The other highly entertaining member of this super-cute cast is Megan. Alongside her zany mother, this inseparable pair have made Hollywood their permanent home. Dad pays for the whole rotten affair working in Missouri, but we never meet him -- at one point he even sells the family vehicle to pump more cash into their strange quest. Megan is the opposite of Shanna; she's loud, confident and not afraid to let it all hang out. No matter how small the part or how sleazy the casting agent, Megan shows up with a wild outfit and brash delivery.

Shy or outgoing, there is no easy fix for this game. A slew of other kids make up the rest of this doc, representing the various angles needed come pilot season. James is your classic dramatic thespian type and 6-year-old Julia is in demand due to her age. The Casa kids have arrived from Las Vegas and are doing auditions regularly. Their tiny apartment forces one child to sleep under a table.

For all the 'wrong' in 'The Hollywood Complex,' for some of these kids, it is the right fit. It's easy to pick apart the dishonesty and money-grabbing going on here, but amidst the legions of uncertain and lost little children in this story, there are some who are absolutely in their element.

Regardless what you come away with after viewing 'The Hollywood Complex,' the filmmakers surely struck gold when choosing to cover an environment that is so fantastic, its almost seems alien.

Screening:
Sunday, May 8, 1PM - Cumberland 2

For complete schedule and movie listings, visit the Hot Docs website.

Hot Doc a Day: 'Becoming Chaz'

Mark Wigmore — 2011-05-07T07:00:00+00:00

Hot Docs, North America's biggest documentary film festival, kicks off its 2011 run on April 28 in Toronto. Jam-packed with documentaries running through May 8, Moviefone Canada will be there from start to finish, offering up looks at some of the festival's noted films.

Chaz Bono is a man.

This wasn't always the case. Gender transition is examined emotionally, spiritually and physically in the stellar documentary 'Becoming Chaz,' which captures the final moments of Sonny and Cher's daughter -- before she becomes their son.

The film joins Chaz and girlfriend Jennifer well into the process. What once was a lesbian couple now find themselves realizing the complications that come with transitioning. Jennifer is an amazing supporter with a great sense of humor about a new regime of surgeries, testosterone injections and weight gain -- but what about living with a man?

The first 30 minutes of 'Becoming Chaz' deals specifically with breast-removal surgery. Borrowing money, the couple sticks together through consultations and pre-surgery prep. Surprisingly, Bono lets directors Fenton Bailey and Randy Barbato capture some of the most intimate moments of the procedure. Back home and healing, an odd selection of little dogs and hairless cats keep Chaz and Jennifer company, while an amazing group of supporters surround the unconventional couple.

As testosterone treatment continues to produce changes in Chaz's attitude and body, Jennifer wonders if their relationship can survive. Both have suffered from substance abuse, which rears its head again through portions of the doc.

Family members and friends come to terms with the transition, and some are thrilled ... but what does Mom think? Cher gives a down-to-earth and revealing interview in the film, with commentary about her thoughts added later by Chaz. She is candid about her reservations with the public nature of the transition, and reminisces about her little girl, but ultimately proves to be a supporter.

The film focuses on Chaz, but takes a few side trips to profile some of the not-so-famous members of the trans community. A slightly jarring segment on bottom surgery, the groups who support trans children, and a trans convention all help to round out coverage on the broader subject.

There is a lot of charm in 'Becoming Chaz.' Bono is a celebrity by genetics and as he ringleads the media circus around his announcement, it is easy to see how others would lose their cool over sophomoric interview questions and flashy commentary (that is insensitive at best). Instead he sticks to a relatively simple message that he has always felt like a man, and is now living out his reality.

Spending time with Chaz Bono in this doc, while a specific example, will help people buy into the idea that transitioning is a real thing for real people. I, for one, left the film feeling that Chaz really is one of the guys.

Following the festival circuit, the doc will get a true litmus test when it's screened on the Oprah Winfrey Network later this year.

Screenings:
Sunday, May 8, 6:45PM - TIFF Bell Lightbox 2

For complete schedule and movie listings, visit the Hot Docs website.

'Buck' at Hot Docs: Move Over Cesar Millan, the Horse Whisperer Is Here

Monika Bartyzel — 2011-05-06T10:15:00+00:00

'Buck' is the kind of sweet, easily enjoyable film that grows on you. It might focus on the inspiration for Robert Redford's 'The Horse Whisperer,' but it doesn't have the Hollywood buzz. It doesn't have the media fervor of documentaries like fellow man + animal feature 'Project Nim.' It doesn't have the marketing whirlwind Morgan Spurlock and 'The Greatest Movie Ever Sold.' What it does have is heart, and a lot of it, as both an exploratory piece about one man's rise from abuse to happiness and success, and as a film that feeds on our interest in the communicative divide between human and animal.

There's a certain awe-filled curiosity that follows animal whisperers as they magically cross that separation and communicate effectively. In recent years, that curiosity has only increased as Cesar Millan ('The Dog Whisperer') travels across the U.S. taming the meanest and most unruly of dogs. 'Buck' follows Dan Brannaman as he travels across the U.S., teaching horse owners how to kindly and compassionately train their horses to obey even the most minute commands.

What's truly magical about 'Buck' is how Brannaman's life mirrors the horses he trains. Buck was a child trick roping star, appearing in television commercials when he was only 6 years old, but behind the glitzy curtain, Buck and his roper brother suffered considerable abuse at the hands of their father. Ultimately, he was freed from the abuse, grew up in a nurturing foster family and learned how to apply his story of abuse to the horses that crossed his path -- using patience and compassion to train instead of violence. In his mind, it's helping horses with people problems.

His outlook on life has served him well. The camera follows Buck as he travels from town to town, trying to eradicate the mindset that you must "break" a horse, teaching owners how to truly understand their steeds. Yet it's more than just obedience training. Brannaman is so in tune with horses that his work with them seems like a carefully planned ballet. His horse feels his intent with even the slightest of gestures; they follow him like a mellow, patient dog.

It's the sort of documentary that would seem to appeal to a select few -- the audiences enamored with the dust of the west, horse lovers or survivors of abuse. But first-time director Cindy Meehl understands her subject so thoroughly that Brannaman's charisma and heart oozes from every film cell. It's as if Meehl is using Buck's techniques in the director's chair.

'Buck' is not hard-hitting or questioning; the camera loves its subject. Yet through this love, Meehl manages to aptly tie it all to relatable human experience. The film transcends genre expectations and becomes a documentary as much about life as it is about horse whispering.

Keep up-to-date with all of Moviefone Canada's Hot Docs 2011 coverage

Hot Doc a Day: 'Love Shines'

Mark Wigmore — 2011-05-06T07:00:00+00:00

Hot Docs, North America's biggest documentary film festival, kicks off its 2011 run on April 28 in Toronto. Jam-packed with documentaries running through May 8, Moviefone Canada will be there from start to finish, offering up looks at some of the festival's noted films.

What hasn't been said about Ron Sexsmith? The musician's musician, this Canadian singer/songwriter (and damn fine guitarist) is a favorite of the greats. Elvis Costello, Steve Earle, Chris Martin, Feist and Sir Paul McCartney think he's one of the world's great melody makers and lyricists. Critics prop him up and industry types listen to his records, but every honest-to-God fan has been hard-won for the shy troubadour. Will Sexsmith ever be a household name, or will he always be an acquired taste?

This is what documentary 'Love Shines' tries to find out. Director Douglas Arrowsmith follows Sexsmith while he makes his most recent recording, 'Long Player Late Bloomer' in Los Angeles. At the helm -- a guy usually reserved for the Metallicas, Bon Jovis and Motley Crues of this world -- producer Bob Rock. The hope is that these two talents can force the industry to recognize the pop genius of the Sexsmith discography.

'Love Shines' does a nice job at editing together vintage Super 8 footage of his youth alongside present-day commentary. Raised in St. Catharines, Ontario, Sexsmith was every bit the daydreamer that his fans might imagine he would be. He was a father early and has since gone through several relationships. One short scene interviews his grown son, who comments with subtle melancholy about growing up with a father who spent most his time on the road.

Sexsmith's personal life is a distant second-place winner in the race for real estate in 'Love Shines.' At the heart of this doc is the odd mix of his personal songwriting footage and interviews about his anxiety about wanting a successful record. Tension is felt when fellow Canadian Michael Bublé calls Bob Rock out of the blue during one of the recording days. It is easy to see the mixed emotions Sexsmith must feel about the mega-success Bublé is currently enjoying. Kiefer Sutherland also makes an appearance, offering Sexsmith a spot on his Ironworks label and a high-profile Los Angeles showcase -- but the results fall flat.

As songs take form in Rock's studio and a record starts to come together, there is an excitement about the prospect of success, but insecurity about Sexsmith's motivations. Can you force popularity? Does Rock have a Midas touch to match his golden price tag? Perhaps musician Steve Earle explains it best when he points out that Sexsmith is lucky to have any kind of recognition at all.

Regardless of the conclusion, 'Love Shines' is a journey worth taking, a must for fans, and already a musical favorite, winning the audience award at this year's South By Southwest Film Festival.

Screenings:
Friday, May 6, 9:45PM - Isabel Bader Theatre
Saturday, May 7, 9:45PM - Isabel Bader Theatre
Sunday, May 8, 4:00PM - TIFF Bell Lightbox 2

For complete schedule and movie listings, visit the Hot Docs website.

Hot Docs Looks Into Underworld of 'Grinders' Poker

Mark Wigmore — 2011-05-05T10:00:00+00:00

Family man, filmmaker and gambler Matt Gallagher hit tough times some years back. No work and a wife and child to support, he took his poker hobby and turned it into his profession. The hours were bad, the competition was brutal and the whole racket is illegal, but somewhere in that nasty brew was the idea for a film. 'Grinders' was born out of circumstance, need and luck.

This documentary follows the men (and some women) who make poker their lives. Old pros, up-and-comers, game managers and success stories make up the collage of characters profiled in the film. Gallagher travels from his native Toronto all the way to Las Vegas to tell his tale, and the results are fascinating.

Moviefone sat down with Gallagher to discuss this underground world of illegal poker, and how it can turn from a hobby into a job into an obsession.

Moviefone: What is a 'Grinder'?
Matt Gallagher: A grinder is a poker player who makes a small but sustainable living playing poker. It's a guy who goes in every day and grinds out a living. He or she's not looking to make a million dollars, they are looking to make their four of five hundred bucks a day, or whatever they need to pay the bills. They play 40 hours a week, just like a regular job, and they treat it very seriously. There's usually no alcohol at the table, people are usually sober and you are using your wits to outsmart the other players at the table.

These games are illegal. How many games are going on each night in a city like Toronto?
At any point in Toronto there are probably 200 games happening. They happen 24/7. They happen in strip malls, social clubs, basements of doctors and dentists, games all over the place. They guys who run these games make their living by collecting a 'rake' or commission off the players. It's very lucrative. The guys who do it well run a good game with a lot of action, a safe game, and they will make a lot of money, probably more money than you can make at poker.

This isn't a bunch of college buddies drinking beers and smoking cigars for a twenty dollar pot, is it?
It's not like a friendly game. It's friendly, people are nice to you and polite to you usually, but it's definitely not a friendly game. They are there to take your money and you are there to take their money.

Is poker the man's game many assume it is?
It's predominantly guys who you see sitting at the table, probably 95 percent men.

'Grinders' profiles guys who're working at different levels of poker. Andre is young and looking to be the next big thing - what is his story?
I think Andre represents a lot of young people who have decided that they don't want to play by normal rules. Andre's a guy who has, since he was 16 years old, been playing poker. He didn't go to school or university, but he is making a very, very good living playing cards. I think he is like a lot of guys out there who are 22, 23, 24 years old who are looking at job possibilities and thinking, 'You know, I can go and start some entry-level position somewhere making $17K a year, or I can try and make it as a grinder, a professional poker player,' and it's really attractive, it's playing a game for a living. You can understand why these people who can figure it out want to keep on doing it.

Danny is a longtime player, a family man and quite successful. He is also a recovering substance abuser and compulsive gambler. His scenes are both fascinating and disturbing.
Danny is the best poker player I play with. Every time I see him at the table he is cashing out and playing very well. He's got a very nice home and he seems to have a very good lifestyle. He works very hard at it, he's out there six or seven nights a week.

Danny's different than the other grinders in my film because he has a dream of cashing in big one time. He flies around from Vancouver to Las Vegas where these high stakes tournaments with 500 or 1000 people will enter. He never hits gold, but he leaves with twenty or fifteen thousand dollars. It seems like he's a traveling salesman -- he packs his suitcase and goes off to the next place and tries to make a sale.

He actually confessed to me that he has been through rehab, for gambling and for drugs and alcohol. He's a guy who tries to manage his problems. There's a scene in the film where he kind of falls off, and we kept the cameras rolling because I think that is what he was struggling with and going through, so we just decided to keep that in the film.

Now that 'Grinders' shot, edited and played in front of audiences, what are your feelings on poker and grinding?
I come from a town of autoworkers (Windsor, Ontario) and I used to work on the assembly line. Poker, the grinding, the day-in day-out monotony became like working on the assembly line for me. When the film was finished, I was a bit relived that I didn't have to go into work anymore, I don't have to sit at that table and make my $200 or $500 anymore. Now I'm at the point where I still enjoy playing, but it's more of a fun thing for me.

What about the guys you played with? Do you feel any different about them?
For the most part the guys in my film have figured out a way to make a living at something I couldn't. I tried for two years -- if I could make a steady income at it I would probably still be playing. They have something I don't.

Screenings:
Friday, April 29, 9:45PM -- Isabel Bader Theatre
Saturday, May 7, 9:30PM -- TIFF Bell Lightbox 1
Sunday, May 8, 6:30PM -- Fox Theatre

For complete schedule and movie listings, visit the Hot Docs website.

Hot Doc a Day: Alan Zweig's 'Vinyl'

Mark Wigmore — 2011-05-05T07:00:00+00:00

Hot Docs, North America's biggest documentary film festival, kicks off its 2011 run on April 28 in Toronto. Jam-packed with documentaries running through May 8, Moviefone Canada will be there from start to finish, offering up looks at some of the festival's noted films.

When alt-comic/anti-hipster-schlubb Harvey Pekar suddenly pops onto the screen with no identifying credit in Alan Zweig's 'Vinyl,' it becomes clear how this documentary reached cult status.

The late creator of the superhero-free comic, 'American Splendor,' simply weighs in on music and relationships, just like everyone else does in 'Vinyl.' Watch a little closer and there's Canadian writer/actor Don McKellar, director Guy Maddin, Daniel Richler, Bruce LaBruce, and writer/columnist Geoff Pevere. Heck, Bruce MacDonald produced the thing. If these were the guys hanging with Zweig before he had an audience as a filmmaker, it's no wonder Hot Docs has decided to make his litany of projects the focus of the 2011 fest.

Other titles by Zweig at the fest include the 'Vinyl' sequels 'Loveable' and 'I Curmudgeon,' his 'Early Shorts,' the recent prison system doc 'A Hard Name,' and 'Vinyl: The Alternate Take.'

Some scenes in 'Vinyl' are well over a decade old and they stand the test of time. Released originally in 2000, Zweig's two-hour doc is mainly about lonely guys, including him, who collect records. Not CDs, not tapes, but vinyl. LP's, 45's, 7 inch -- 33,45 and 78 speeds.

With its rocky editing and lo-fi images, 'Viny'l strolls along downtown Toronto, stopping at indie record stores and the homes of compulsive packrats, sewn together by a couple dozen Zweig testimonials about the effects that record collecting has had on his relationships, or lack thereof.

The characters you meet in 'Vinyl' are the best kind. There's the guy who cleans every record he owns -- alphabetically. Another fellow can rhyme-off the song listings, performer and writer of every track on every album he owns. A young Geoff Pevere decides that throwing out his entire collection into a trash bin is better than letting someone else own his beloved musical autobiography.

These people seem to have drug-like addictions to the physical presence of records and the casings they come in. One man claims that he doesn't even listen to his albums, another claims he dreams of records that don't exist, while another feels that replacing his old vinyl with CDs makes the loss of the original format feel even worse. Complete and mint-condition Elvis Presley and Frank Zappa collections make appearances, alongside fascinating titles like Sado Maso Disco, Organ and Bongos, and a personal favorite, Music to Iron your Clothes to.

Zweig himself has earned the moniker of 'negative guy' thanks in part to his cathartic monotone testimonials about loneliness, escapism and the need to be a father -- something he has remedied since. To add a little drama, he threatens to get rid of his entire collection. His monologues are the homework of 'Vinyl,' but the payoff borders on profound.

In a recent interview, he weighed in on the doc's enduring cult following:

"Part of it is because I never released it on DVD, mostly to do with the fact that when I was making it, I genuinely didn't think anybody would see it. I always feel like there is a large percentage, maybe 20 percent, maybe higher, of serious record collectors that seriously hate it. A guy finally made a film about record collecting, and yet he didn't make a movie about record collecting. I think the people who do like it, and get it, and think it's about record collecting -- they come to its defense."

Can we busy ourselves to avoid the pain of living? Surely we have metaphorical record collections of our own that bring us both pleasure and despair. If you like to laugh, have a healthy dose of curiosity and know a thing or two about music -- 'Vinyl' is worth a first, second or umpteenth viewing.

Screening:
Thursday, May 5, 9:30PM - The Royal Cinema

For complete schedule and movie listings, visit the Hot Docs website.

'Becoming Chaz' at Hot Docs: An Exploratory Look at Transitioning

Monika Bartyzel — 2011-05-04T16:45:00+00:00

There's a certain amount of tabloid curiosity surrounding 'Becoming Chaz,' and it's no surprise. This documentary doesn't focus on an unknown figure about to break into the world through cinema; it's about the daughter of Sonny and Cher transitioning from female to male.

Iconic parents, inside scoops and sexual reassignment are the types of factoids that pique public curiosity, but dirt is not served up by Fenton Bailey and Randy Barbato's latest doc. The men behind 'Party Monster' and 'Inside Deep Throat' have worked with Chaz Bono to document his transition, and with Bono acting as an executive producer, this isn't a dirt-digging, revelatory document.

It is, however, one whose worth transcends celebrity curiosity.

'Becoming Chaz' focuses on Chastity Bono's transition once he decides to get top surgery and publicly reveal himself as Chaz Bono. The film pours out a steady stream of information, from the evolution of Bono's thoughts about his identity to the medical particulars involved in the transition, how this decision affects his family, how it affects his relationship with partner Jennifer Elia and of course, how it affects his public persona, both legally and as a celebrity.

Instead of functioning as a juicy, tell-all film, 'Becoming Chaz' finds its power in its theme. Without the ability to dig in for a truly exploratory documentary, Bailey and Barbato flesh out everything else. The viewer becomes privy not to the sensational aspects of this transition, but the finer points both for Bono himself and others struggling with their transgenderism. The documentary explores how hormones affect actions just as much as intent, how early children realize their trans feelings, what medical possibilities are open to them and the myriad of ways families can react to transition.

In fact, Chaz's own family sets up an interesting dichotomy of support. The Bonos embrace Chaz as if he's the long-lost son who's finally come home. Cher, on the other hand, struggles. There is a palpable separation between Cher and Chaz, which might seem surprising given the singer's status as a gay icon. However, through a frank interview with the filmmakers, one in which she struggles with pronouns and seems unable to think of her daughter as anything but a woman, Cher also begins to understand the transition by comparing it to her own experiences. Her thoughts are, at the same time, both frank and reserved, and in some ways, reveal so much more than a juicy tell-all ever could.

'Becoming Chaz' is a documentary where the viewer must be happy with the former rather than the latter. Though the audience glimpses Bono's private life, this isn't about Chaz; it's about his transition and how he becomes Chaz and what that means both for himself and his family during those first months. As such, it's a great primer to those interested in transgendered experiences and transitions, and those who desperately need a crash course.

Keep up-to-date with all of Moviefone Canada's Hot Docs 2011 coverage

Hot Doc a Day: 'Love Always, Carolyn: A Film About Kerouac, Cassady and Me'

Mark Wigmore — 2011-05-04T07:00:00+00:00

Hot Docs, North America's biggest documentary film festival, kicks off its 2011 run on April 28 in Toronto. Jam-packed with documentaries running through May 8, Moviefone Canada will be there from start to finish, offering up looks at some of the festival's noted films.

When myth becomes reality, is it worth pushing back with the truth? What if your truth is wrong?
These are the questions asked of Carolyn Cassady in 'Love Always, Carolyn: A Film About Kerouac, Cassady and Me'; forty years after the death of her iconic husband Neal, it seems the record on his life and the details of his legend are somewhat off by her count. But does anybody care?

If you haven't been influenced by the beat generation, you likely know someone who has. Your free-spirited girlfriend, a college buddy who was into everyone and everything, or that Deadhead guy you met at a party.

Jack Kerouac, Neal Cassady, Allen Ginsberg and William S. Burroughs were the poster boys for the group. Their post-WWII writings and the way they lived their lives has been studied, copied and celebrated for the better half of a century. Many attribute the existence of their tiny group as the blueprint to a hippie movement.

Kerouac's book 'On The Road' continues to inspire with its living-for-the-moment mantra, and tales of fly-by-the-seat-of-your-pants travel. The central character in the book is Dean Moriarty, a.k.a. Neal Cassady. There have been attempts to capture his wild and exotic essence by other writers too, including Hunter S. Thompson, Ken Kesey, Ginsberg and the chronicling of his later years in Tom Wolfe's 'The Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test.'

Some truth was bound to get lost in the legend.

Put away the images of wild dancing, drunken singing and juggling sledgehammers and there may be time to meet the husband and loving father of three -- this is the image that Carolyn Cassady is out to sell. She will admit he wasn't perfect, had his animal side, and would disappear for long stretches, but there was also the guy in the suit who just hung out at home. Approaching 90 years old, and now making her home in the UK, Swedish filmmakers Maria Ramström and Malin Korkeasalo have made a document that attempts to tell Carolyn's side of the story. It's hard to know whether they came with this in mind or not.

The end result is a wonderful journey of reflection that includes many of those good times, but is littered with pain, uncertainty and frustration. She and her kids are the living documents that plainly display the consequences of one man's inspiring, but often-selfish behavior.

Much of the drama in this doc is over the perceived legacy of their family name. While her children would like her to monetize some of her claim to his legend, Carolyn isn't so sure. While she resents the constant questions about the 'Neal' chapters in her life, she also revels in the attention she receives at the readings of her book, 'Off The Road.' She preaches that he wasn't the man many believe he was, but the juiciest documents of his existence happened while she wasn't around.

It's these complexities that make 'Love Always, Carolyn' a great and important addendum to the Neal Cassady story. For the Beat reader and historian, it's a must.

Screenings:
Tuesday, May 3, 7PM - Isabel Bader Theatre
Thursday, May 5, 12:45PM - TIFF Bell Lightbox 2
Sunday May 8, 9PM - Cumberland 3

For complete schedule and movie listings, visit the Hot Docs website.

Hot Doc a Day: 'If a Tree Falls: A Story of the Earth Liberation Front'

Mark Wigmore — 2011-05-03T07:00:00+00:00

Hot Docs, North America's biggest documentary film festival, kicks off its 2011 run on April 28 in Toronto. Jam-packed with documentaries running through May 8, Moviefone Canada will be there from start to finish, offering up looks at some of the festival's noted films.

There is a time in many young people's lives where getting involved in a protest seems like a good idea. It is a right in many countries, and well-functioning democratic societies promote these acts of dissent. The hope is that something positive will happen: policy change, business practices reined-in, or public opinion swayed. But what happens when nothing happens?

'If A Tree Falls: A Story of the Earth Liberation Front' is a documentary about these specific conditions.

For a group of activists concerned with the US forestry practice of clear-cutting and logging old-growth woods, protesting was encouraged, but it wasn't enough. Their secret acts of vandalism, property damage and arson put them in the official 'terrorist' category of crime, and the Bush Government was looking to make an example out of whomever they could catch.

This is the story of ELF, otherwise known as the Earth Liberation Front. Their involvement with millions of dollars worth of property damage and the various secret cells they created helped them become a priority for the FBI throughout the 2000s. Director Marshall Curry has done a fantastic job humanizing the experience of being arrested for these types of crimes. Careful not to get too preachy with his narrative, he has filmed a selection of ELF members, sympathizers and traditional protesters to tell the story of environmental activism on the US west coast.

At the heart of his doc is the sobering process Justice Daniel McGowan must face after being identified and arrested as an ELF member. Thanks to a major undercover operation that pitted members of the group against each other, the Brooklyn native was detained in 2005. The doc joins his family in more present times as they cope with his dire set of circumstances.

Daniel's straight-talking sister is perhaps his greatest supporter. Not a radical herself, she selflessly raises over a million dollars for his bail, gives him a home to live in while under house arrest and supports him as he navigates his way through the legal labyrinth of federal terrorism charges.

As Dan walks by Ground Zero in New York City, he ponders how his acts of frustration (that saw him burning down empty forestry buildings) put him in the same legal category as the 9/11 terrorists. Facing hundreds of years in prison, the plea deal he's offered will label him a terrorist forever, truly testing his commitment to the cause.

'If A Tree Falls' reminds us that taking a serious stance on political policy and industry standards is a game played at your own risk. What can start as idealism can turn to tragedy, and it is your job as a viewer of this doc to decide if that's right.

Screenings:
Tuesday, May 3, 7PM - Cumberland 3
Thursday, May 5, 4:30PM - TIFF Bell Lightbox 3

For complete schedule and movie listings, visit the Hot Docs website.

Hot Doc a Day: 'Dolphin Boy'

Mark Wigmore — 2011-05-02T07:00:00+00:00

Hot Doc a Day: 'The Redemption of General Butt Naked'

Mark Wigmore — 2011-05-01T07:00:00+00:00

Hot Docs, North America's biggest documentary film festival, kicks off its 2011 run on April 28 in Toronto. Jam-packed with documentaries running through May 8, Moviefone Canada will be there from start to finish, offering up looks at some of the festival's noted films.

Every year there are few films at Hot Docs that cut through the pack. 'The Redemption of General Butt Naked' stands as one of the most memorable stories to come out of this year's festival. Despite a giggle-inducing title, there are few laughs in the film. 'The Redemption of General Butt Naked' asks the question: Can one be redeemed through faith, even in the aftermath of committing countless murders and child sacrifice?

The backdrop of this story is the Liberian civil war, a bloody battle that kept its people in fear and misery for 14 years. The most feared group on either side of the conflict was a commando unit known as the Butt Naked Brigade. Lead by Joshua Milton Blahyi, this impossibly vicious man has been attached to human sacrifice, cannibalism, black magic, devil worship, the recruitment of child soldiers and the deaths of 20,000 Liberians. The crown jewel of his mythical status was his lack of clothes when battling the masses, a practice that made him feel invisible and resistant to enemy fire.

Joining up with the General in more recent times, the documentary uncovers that he now works as a Christian evangelist. His sermons are filled with bravado and emotion, and he uses his newfound profession as a way to unleash his incredible energy. Blahyi is trying to reclaim his battered reputation and earn back the respect of his countrymen, but his true nature is constantly up for public discussion. His mission is to spread the word of God, apologize to his thousands of victims, and be a spiritual leader to his now-grown group of child soldiers. The emotional conflict for the people on the screen is palpable. As the limitations of forgiveness and the road to justice come to a crossroads, the film takes on a thriller-like quality.

Along the way, Blahyi must contend with his family life, death threats, and a national tribunal that will judge his war crimes and ultimately decide his fate. The most moving moments of this documentary come when watching the General apologize to men, women and children who have suffered unimaginable pain because of him.

Award-winners at the Sundance Film Festival, filmmakers Eric Strauss and Daniele Anastasion have taken some heady subject matter here, and the execution is pitch-perfect. What could have been a dreary doc about war has been worked into a personal and energetic story that asks big questions about this very specific set of circumstances.

Its only flaw may be the watered-down details of General Butt Naked's crimes, but perhaps they spare us an even rougher ride.

Screenings:
Saturday, April 30, 9:45PM - TIFF Bell Lightbox 2
Monday, May 2, 3:45PM - Cumberland 2
Saturday, May 7, 9:45PM - Cumberland 2

For complete schedule and movie listings, visit the Hot Docs website.

Hot Doc a Day: 'The Lumberfros'

Mark Wigmore — 2011-04-30T07:00:00+00:00

Hot Doc a Day: 'Wiebo's War'

Mark Wigmore — 2011-04-29T07:00:00+00:00

Hot Docs, North America's biggest documentary film festival, kicks off its 2011 run on April 28 in Toronto. Jam-packed with documentaries running through May 8, Moviefone Canada will be there from start to finish, offering up looks at some of the festival's noted films.

How much do you know about Wiebo Ludwig? If you're like me -- not much.

Here's some basics: Wiebo and his family live near the gas-rich Peace Valley region of Northern Alberta. His compound holds several families who live off the land and practice a strict religious regiment. He has a big, bushy beard. Pictures of Wiebo Ludwig have been seen in magazines, newspapers, and even on international news broadcasts due to his association with bombings and sabotage related to the oil and gas industry. Some call him an eco-hero, others a terrorist.

Other than a few curious go-getters who have actually dug into the stories of the reverend and his cult-leader status, most people have branded him a religious lunatic or zealot, and left it at that -- but as 'Wiebo's War' shows, that might not be the case.

Enter director David York.

This Toronto-based filmmaker took the last couple of years to film the family, making his way to gas country in hopes of discovering the real goods on Wiebo and his beef with Big Oil. The tale he tells does what any great doc should do: it brings humanity to a cold and misunderstood set of headlines. Watch 'Wiebo's War' and it won't be so easy to simply label him as an eco-terrorist, or a patriarchal nut job who rules his roost with the word of God.

If there were a script for this doc, it would read something like 'Lord of the Rings.' Like the hobbits, these happy, relatively gentle people farm, pray and sustain themselves with the gifts that God left for them on their Trickle Creek compound. Enter an orc-like gas industry that stakes out the region in search of untapped resources, jobs for the thousands of residents nearby, and big money for its coffers. The land goes sour and the battle begins.

It seems Wiebo and his salt-of-the-Earth crew aren't all churning butter and raising roofs. Long before York starts filming, the Ludwigs are documenting the strange and sorrowful goings-on with their own video cameras. Twenty years of personal footage mixed with updated reflections captures the heartbreaking downfall of their livelihood. Alleged hydrogen sulphide leaks in the region make short work of their livestock, leave much of the family sick and produce a series of stillborn children. [Ed. Note: It's only fair to warn viewers of the graphic scenes that tell this part of the story. The images portrayed are sudden and without prompting.]

It's easy to get on-side with the family as their tale of hardship unfolds, but when things start blowing up, it gets sketchy. A series of gas-line bombings and protests at industrial well sites help to spur on several massive RCMP investigations of their compound. Surely the hundreds of reported incidents can't all be the work of the Trickle Creek gang, but the smirks on their faces and snide comments in this doc all but confirm some involvement.

Meanwhile, the oil companies use money, the law and a bulldozer mentality to stifle the outcry of the Ludwig clan. The tipping point of 'Wiebo's War' comes when York looks into the mysterious circumstances surrounding the death of a 16-year-old girl on the family property. Depending on your interpretation of the story told in this chapter, these scenes may be enough for you to hold personal court on the Ludwigs, sentence them to life and throw away the key. But put all the facts, maybes and alleged behavior of both Big Oil and the Trickle Creek clan into a bowl and see what you come up with.

'Wiebo's War' asks you to consider the money at stake, the scourge of Big Oil, and how you might react if your family was being threatened and no one was there to assist you. You will be surprised how many questions are left unanswered. A must-see at this year's Hot Docs.

Screenings:

Saturday, April 30 - 7PM - Isabel Bader Theatre
Tuesday, May 3 - 7:15PM - TIFF Bell Lightbox 4
Saturday, May 7 - 7PM - The Regent

For complete schedule and movie listings, visit the Hot Docs website.

Hot Doc a Day: 'POM Wonderful Presents: The Greatest Movie Ever Sold'

Mark Wigmore — 2011-04-28T07:00:00+00:00

Hot Docs, North America's biggest documentary film festival, kicks off its 2011 run today in Toronto. Jam-packed with documentaries running through May 8, Moviefone Canada will be there from start to finish, offering up looks at some of the festival's noted films.

A movie about selling ad-space within a movie seems like a curious and potentially boring premise. But it's brought to life thanks to the hilarious personality and ambitious creativity of Morgan Spurlock, the man who brought us the experimental McDonald's doc 'Super Size Me.'

The sensational documentary filmmaker is back, and this time, with 'POM Wonderful Presents: The Greatest Movie Ever Sold,' he wants to play in the vast and cash-flush sandbox of advertising. More specifically, he wants to sell product placement spots in his 90-minute feature film.

The art of co-promotion being used to get a film off the ground is explored to the point of absurdity and alarm in this commerce adventure, and Spurlock comes at the project with both humility and confidence.

The doc starts with what you might expect: failure. It seems most of the ad execs who give him a meeting (usually on their lunch hours, from the looks of it) are suspicious of what Spurlock is up to. The idea of making a movie about product placement by using money made from product placement is too meta for the safe-betting Madison Avenue types.

After some work with lawyers, a few favors from big thinker Richard Kirshenbaum, and the first sale to Ban bath products, things start to get interesting. For one, the title sponsor POM Wonderful comes on board. Lynn Resnick looks every part the unsure guinea pig when Spurlock first asks her team at POM Wonderful to be his sugar mama. While the title of this film gives away the outcome, it is a blast to see the entrepreneurial spirit of Spurlock at work.

Enter the cautionary figures of Ralph Nader and Noam Chomsky. While both men are having fun as Spurlock tempts them with sips of pomegranate juice and points out his brand new Merrell Shoes (a sponsor), they remind him that this farcical project could end up with corporate mega-brands using him, rather than the other way around. This is about as high as the drama reaches in 'Greatest Movie Ever Sold,' but the point comes across when Spurlock runs into some frustrating demands from his sponsors.

'Greatest Movie Ever Sold' builds before your eyes. When word gets out that a few brave brands have rolled the dice with the mischievous documentarian, the calls start coming in. Is the idea still pure? Or is the joke now on him? While dealing with his own troubles, Spurlock takes a few side trips to speak with other pillars of business and public life that are struggling with an ad-heavy world. Musicians, public school trustees, and even Donald Trump weigh in on the current state of brands and billboards.

One thing is for sure: This is not the serious tome that is Naomi Klein's 'No Logo.' Here Spurlock is fully engaged with brand partners, has corporate commitments, and while he is pouring hot sauce all over the big enchilada, he slowly transforms into an ingredient himself.

Screenings:
Thursday, April 28 - 6:30PM - Winter Garden Theatre
Friday, April 29 - 4:15PM - Isabel Bader Theatre

For complete schedule and movie listings, visit the Hot Docs website.

BREAKING: 'Restrepo' Director Tim Hetherington Killed in Libya

The Editors at IndieWire — 2011-04-20T13:50:00+00:00

From indieWire: Academy Award-nominated documentary filmmaker Tim Hetherington has been killed in Libya alongside photographer Chris Hondros, as reported by Business Insider. The tragic news was first posted on fellow photographer Andre Liohn's Facebook page (which was subsequently taken down), and confirmed by the A.P. and the AFP.

Hetherington co-directed last year's 'Restrepo' with journalist Sebastian Junger. The film won the Grand Jury Prize at the Sundance Film Festival and was nominated for Best Documentary at this year's Academy Awards. The film covers a year with one platoon in Afghanistan's deadliest valley. He was also the cinematographer in Ricki Stern and Anne Sundberg's 'The Devil Came on Horseback.'

Hetherington's last update on his Twitter feed read: "In besieged Libyan city of Misrata. Indiscriminate shelling by Qaddafi forces. No sign of NATO."

indieWIRE interviewed Hetherington alongside Sebastian Junger last year.

More on this story, as it develops.

(By Peter Knegt)

Tribeca Film Festival 2011 Preview: 20 Movies to Watch For

Jason Guerrasio — 2011-04-18T12:30:00+00:00

Ten years isn't a long time in the world of film festivals. Take, for example, the Cannes Film Festival which will celebrate its 64th year next month, or Venice, which is pushing 68 this fall. But in a decade's time the Tribeca Film Festival has been able to impress many as it has nudged itself into the extremely crowded spring festival season.

As you probably know by now, the festival was created in 2002 by Robert De Niro, Jane Rosenthal and Craig Hatkoff as a four-day fest to bring business back to Lower Manhattan after the attacks on Sept. 11, 2001. Since then it has grown to 12 days filled with red carpet premieres, panels, outdoor screenings and a day-long kids fair, while expanding from its original eponymous roots to the Chelsea neighborhood of Manhattan as well as the Lower East Side.

In celebration of Tribeca's 10th anniversary taking place April 20-May 1, the opening night film -- Cameron Crowe's documentary on Elton John, 'The Union' -- will have a free outdoor screening in Manhattan's Financial District as well as a performance by the Rocket Man himself. (Learn more about attending opening night here.) And if you can't make it to New York to see the fest firsthand, Tribeca has you covered. This year they've created Tribeca (Online) Film Festival, where you can watch select films online as well as video streams of live events. Select titles will also be available on video-on-demand.

Here's 20 films that's worth checking out at this year's fest. Which are you most excited to see?

'Angels Crest'
Tucked away in the Rocky Mountains, the small, tight-knit town of Angels Crest is shaken to its core when a tragedy occurs to a young boy. Jeremy Piven plays the local prosecutor who's supposed to make things right, though he's dealing with his own demons. Piven leads an ensemble cast that includes Thomas Dekker, Mira Sorvino, Kate Walsh and Lynn Collins.

'The Bang Bang Club'
Set in 1994 South Africa during the first free election post-Apartheid, four photojournalists risk their lives to capture the brutal civil war taking place. Ryan Phillippe (sporting a South African accent), 'Friday Night Light''s Taylor Kitsch and Malin Akerman star (think of 'Salvador' but with a sexier cast). Along with screening at the festival, the film is also available on VOD through Tribeca Film beginning April 20.

'Carol Channing: Larger Than Life'
We're starting to see a trend here. First Joan Rivers was highlighted in a doc last year, now it's Carol Channing's turn. Dori Berinstein's latest documentary spotlights the Broadway legend, mixing archival and current-day footage of the 90-year-old who still is as energetic today as when she was a fixture on the Great White Way. The film also includes appearances by Lily Tomlin, Debbie Reynolds and Barbara Walters.

'Catching Hell'
The Centerpiece Gala screening for Tribeca's ESPN Sports Film Festival, preeminent doc filmmaker (and Tribeca fest veteran) Alex Gibney highlights two of the best-known scapegoats in baseball lore: former Red Sox first baseman Bill Buckner and Cubs fan Steve Bartman. Investigating the events surrounding their infamous moments as well as the "curses" associated with their teams, Gibney reveals the absurdity created when fans find someone to blame their team's losses on.

'Everything Must Go'
Every once in a while Will Ferrell likes to throw us a curveball and get serious. Here he plays Nick Porter, who has just been fired from his job and gets home to find all his stuff on the front lawn, the locks changed and his wife gone. But instead of taking a few belongings and finding a room at a motel, he stays on his front lawn and in the process finds himself by undertaking a five-day yard sale of all his belongings. The film, based on Raymond Carver's short story 'Why Don't You Dance?', also stars Rebecca Hall, Michael Peña, Stephen Root and Laura Dern. Roadside Attractions opens the film May 6.

'God Bless Ozzy Osbourne'
The Prince of Darkness is revealed in this documentary by 'The Bachelor' creator Mike Fleiss and music video director Mike Piscitelli. You may be thinking, Didn't I see this on MTV already? Well, Ozzy may have showed us his foul-mouthed love for his family in the hit series 'The Osbournes,' but here Fleiss and Piscitelli follow him on the road for two years and in the process unlock the introspective side of this rock god.

'The Good Doctor'
Orlando Bloom plays a lonesome first-year medical resident named Dr. Martin Blake whose insecurities and mistakes have caused him to gain little respect from his superiors. Things don't get better after he meets teenage patient Diane (Riley Keough) and begins to secretly build a relationship with her. Orderly Jimmy (Michael Peña) realizes what's happening and blackmails him for painkillers, leading Blake to finally start fighting for self-respect. The film is directed by Lance Daly who made the 2008 festival favorite, 'Kisses.'

'A Good Old Fashioned Orgy'
The title kinda says it all. Jason Sudeikis plays Eric, a 30-someting party animal known for throwing huge parties at his dad's beach house in the Hamptons. But when his friends all start to settle down and his dad decides to sell the beach house, Eric comes up with a very realistic sendoff: an orgy. But it will take a little convincing to get everyone interested. The cast also includes Lindsay Sloane, Will Forte and Lake Bell. Samuel Goldwyn Films and Sony Pictures Worldwide Acquisitions will release the film in the summer.

'The Guard'
Premiering at this year's Sundance, this dark comedy stars Brendan Gleeson ('In Bruges') as Sergeant Gerry Boyle, a decorated cop with a few vices - drugs, prostitutes. But when a dead body linked to drug money brings the arrival of a straight-laced FBI agent played by Don Cheadle, Sgt. Boyle's limits are tested. The film will be released by Sony Pictures Classics later this year.

'Janie Jones'
On the road attempting a comeback with his band, Ethan Brand (Alessandro Nivola) gets shocking news from an old flame (Elisabeth Shue) that they have a 13-year-old daughter, Janie Jones (Abigail Breslin). Unfazed by the news and disinterested in taking responsibility, though the mom has left for rehab, Brand goes on with his partying ways with Janie in tow. However, when she shows her dad her talent for singing a connection blossoms. Nivola and Breslin demonstrate their singing abilities as they both perform the songs in the film. Also starring: Peter Stormare and Brittany Snow.

'Jesus Henry Christ'
Gaining attention as an award-winning short film in 2003, eight years later Dennis Lee has expanded his comedy of smart-aleck boy genius Henry James Herman into a feature. Starring Toni Collette, Michael Sheen, Jason Spevack and executive produced by Julia Roberts, we follow Herman (Spevack) as he gets kicked out of school only to get a scholarship to a top university. There he and his mom (Collette) cross paths with a professor (Sheen) and his daughter, leading to a comical friendship.

'Last Night'
Keira Knightley and Sam Worthington play Joanna and Michael Reed, a loyal New York City married couple who are tested with temptation after Michael heads off on a business trip with a sexy co-worker (Eva Mendes), leaving Joanna to grow concerned. Things get more interesting when Joanna's ex (Guillaume Canet) suddenly shows up. Available on VOD through Tribeca Film beginning April 20. See the first five minutes.

'Let the Bullets Fly'
China's all-time highest-grossing box office film, Jiang Wen directs and stars in this 1920s Western set in the Far East. After Pocky's (Jiang) planned hijacking of a train goes wrong and crashes killing the new governor on board, he decides to pose as the governor and share the money on board the train with the townspeople. However, when the town mobster (Chow Yun-Fat) realizes what's going on a bloody battle ensues (though filled with lots of witty satire and physical comedy).

'Limelight'
After gaining attention for his stylish look at the violent beginnings of the Miami cocaine trade in 2006's 'Cocaine Cowboys,' Billy Corben returns to Tribeca with a look at Peter Gatien, the man responsible for some of the most popular night clubs in New York City in the '80s and '90s, such as Tunnel, Palladium, Club USA and Limelight. The mixture of drugs and his clubs made Gatien the king of New York nightlife, though the constant pressure from then-Mayor Giuliani quickly led to the end of an era in the Big Apple.

'Newlyweds'
Closing this year's fest is Edward Burns' latest relationship dramedy. Shot in Lower Manhattan on an ultra-low budget, we follow Buzz (Burns) and Katy (Caitlin Fitzgerald) over three days as their honeymoon period is beginning to fade with the mixture of witnessing Katy's sister's marriage crumbling and other family issues coming to the surface.

'Revenge of the Electric Car'
It's not often documentary films warrant a sequel, but since Chris Paine's eye-opening 'Who Killed The Electric Car?' revealed how close we were to having an alternative to gas-running vehicles, the subject has become a hot-button topic. Here Paine follows four entrepreneurs - ranging from an auto industry legend to a do-it-yourself car whiz - who have dedicated their lives and reputations to become the first to get the electric car into the world market.

'Roadie'
After 20 years living the dream as a roadie for Blue Öyster Cult, Jimmy Testagross (Ron Eldard) is pulled back into reality when he gets fired leaving him no choice but to head back to his home in Queens. But with his mom battling dementia and his old crush (Jill Hennessy) married to a high school nemesis (Bobby Cannavale), Jimmy realizes going home isn't always easy.

'Treatment'
The producers of 2009 Sundance hit 'Humpday' reunite with one of the film's stars, Joshua Leonard, to make another low-budget comedy that deals with male relationships and growing up. Leonard (Leonard) and Nelson (Sean Nelson, who's also the co-director) are a best-friends-screenwriting-team who are now in their 30s and are desperate to sell their work. Leonard decides to get their latest script to a huge star, the only problem, she's in rehab. With Nelson's backing, Leonard gets into the same rehab facility leading to comical yet poignant situations that will test Leonard and Nelson's friendship.

'The Trip'
After spending 2010 defending his ultra-violent 'The Killer Inside Me,' Michael Winterbottom switches to comedy for his latest film, a feature-length version of his UK TV series starring Steve Coogan and Rob Brydon. Like the three's previous collaboration, 'Tristram Shandy: A Cock and Bull Story,' Coogan and Brydon play "themselves" as the two head out to the English countryside to review restaurants for a piece Coogan is guest writing for a newspaper. Filled with a lively back-and-forth that ranges from Coogan's love-life issues to their hilarious impersonations of Al Pacino and Michael Caine (not to mention beautiful shots of the country), Winterbottom puts an interesting twist on the road trip genre. IFC Films will open the film this summer.

'The Union'
Opening Tribeca with a free outdoor screening, Cameron Crowe's first film in six years (we're still trying to forget 'Elizabethtown') looks at the legendary career of Elton John and his collaboration with Leon Russell. Crowe also captures never-before-seen footage of the two working in the studio as heavyweights like Ringo Starr and Stevie Nicks drop by often to collaborate on John and Russell's album.