Tag Archives: Real-life figure

Call Me Lucky (2015) ☆☆☆1/2(3.5/4): Meet Barry Crimmins

Documentary film “Call Me Lucky” presents a talented and passionate comedian who was also a complex and compelling human being. While it is engaging to observe the considerable talent and spirit of this rather obscure comedian, the documentary also powerfully … Continue reading →

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They’ll Love Me When I’m Dead (2018) ☆☆☆(3/4): On Welles’ last completed film

As many of you know, Orson Welles’ filmmaking career was full of frustrations and disappointments. Although he drew lots of attention when he made his first feature film “Citizen Kane” (1941), it took many years for that film to be … Continue reading →

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Film Stars Don’t Die in Liverpool (2017) ☆☆☆(3/4): His romance with a fading film star

“Film Stars Don’t Die in Liverpool” will interest you especially if you are familiar with Gloria Grahame, one of the most famous actresses in Hollywood during the 1940-50s. While appearing in a number of notable classic films such “Crossfire” (1947), … Continue reading →

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The Happy Prince (2018) ☆☆☆(3/4): Last years of Oscar Wilde

“The Happy Prince” is a somber and melancholic drama about last years of Oscar Wilde, a famous Irish poet and playwright who was fallen to the bottom of misery and destitution just because of his love. While it is not … Continue reading →

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First Man (2018) ☆☆☆(3/4): Inside Neil Armstrong

“First Man” is an ambitious but curiously detached drama about an elusive man who took one small step which was also a giant leap for mankind. While there are superlative moments vividly showing what he went through during his long … Continue reading →

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22 July (2018) ☆☆☆1/2(3.5/4): A sobering docudrama on the 2011 Norway attacks

Paul Greengrass’s new film “22 July”, which was released on Netflix yesterday, is a sobering docudrama on the 2011 Norway attacks. While it is often very uncomfortable to watch especially during its first part which shows us what happened on … Continue reading →

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Jane Fonda in Five Acts (2018) ☆☆☆1/2(3.5/4): Being Jane

HBO documentary film “Jane Fonda in Five Acts” is a compelling examination of the life and carrier of Jane Fonda, a famous movie star who has also been an outspoken activist for many years. As she frankly recounts about her … Continue reading →

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Quincy (2018) ☆☆1/2(2.5/4): He’s still keeping on

Netflix documentary film “Quincy” broadly looks around Quincy Jones’ numerous achievements, and it is hard not to be impressed by how much this legendary musician achieved during last six decades. As shown at the end of the documentary, he produced … Continue reading →

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Final Portrait (2017) ☆☆☆(3/4): An erratic artist and his frustrated model

“Final Portrait” reminds me that some of great artists are difficult people to hang around with. Focusing on a long, problematic artistic process between an artist of undeniable genius and a man who admires him but becomes increasingly frustrated with … Continue reading →

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City of Joy (2016) ☆☆☆(3/4): From devastation to resilience

I like documentary films which enlighten me on unfamiliar subjects, and Netflix documentary film “City of Joy” is one of such cases. While looking into a small center for the female survivors of rape and other gender violences resulted from … Continue reading →

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