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The Big Screen: June 2010

By Tom White


With five docs having just opened this past Friday, Summer 2010 is in full effect. Among the recently opened, AJ Schnack's Convention, which takes a behind-the-scenes look at 2008 Democratic National Convention, showcases the cinematography of some of the brightest stars in the docmaking galaxy--Laura Poitras, Julia Reichert and Steve Bognar, Daniel Junge and Paul Taylor among them. Another June 4th opener, Tom Shepard and Tina DeFelicination's Whiz Kids follows four high school students in their quest to win the coveted Intel Science Talent Search prize; Shepard himself was a finalist in the Talent Search before embarking on his filmmaking career, so Whiz Kids brings him back to his original career path.   

June also brings to the big screen a handful of Sundance hits, including Ricki Stern and Annie Sundberg's Joan Rivers: A Piece of Work and Tim Hetherington and Sebastian Junger's Restropo--both of which will be featured in the June Documentary online--and Reed Cowan's 8: The Mormon Proposition, about the campaign by the Mormon Church for Proposition 8, the controversial 2008 ballot imitative in California that bans same-sex marriage.

Rounding out the month is Vikram Jayanti's long-awaited The Agony and the Ecstasy of Phil Spector, which Jayanti made during the famed music producer's first murder trial.

 

Opening:                    June 4
Venue:                        Cinema Village/New York City
Film:                           Burzynski
Dir.:                            Eric Merola               
Distributor:                Self-Distributed
http://www.burzynskimovie.com/

 

Burzynski is the story of a medical doctor and Ph.D biochemist named Dr. Stanislaw Burzynski who won the largest, and possibly the most convoluted and intriguing legal battle against the Food & Drug Administration in American history.
His victorious battles with the United States government were centered around Dr. Burzynski's belief in and commitment to his gene-targeted cancer medicines he discovered in the 1970s called Antineoplastons, which have currently completed Phase II FDA-supervised clinical trials in 2009 and will begin the final phase of testing in 2010.
When Antineoplastons are approved, it will mark the first time in history a single scientist, not a pharmaceutical company, will hold the exclusive patent and distribution rights on a paradigm-shifting medical breakthrough.
Antineoplastons are responsible for curing some of the most incurable forms of terminal cancer. Various cancer survivors are presented in the film who chose his treatment instead of surgery, chemotherapy or radiation--with full disclosure of medical records to support their diagnosis and recovery.
Burzynski takes the audience through the treacherous, yet victorious, 14-year journey both Dr. Burzynski and his patients have had to endure in order to obtain FDA-approved clinical trials of Antineoplastons.

Opening:                    June 4
Venue:                        IFC Center/New York City
Film:                           Convention
Dir.:                            AJ Schnack               
Distributor:                Sundance Selects/IFC
http://conventionfilm.com/

 

Filmed during the historic 2008 Democratic National Convention in Denver, Colorado, Convention focuses on the efforts of local Denver citizens as they host, report on and protest the massive event. In this breathtaking documentary, a team of uniquely talented cinematographers, producers and directors, led by accomplished documentary filmmaker AJ Schnack, assemble together in an unprecedented effort to cover the behind the scenes perspectives of this landmark moment in our country's history.  Through the intertwining stories of several protesters, reporters from the Denver Post, the Mayor of Denver and his staff, the convention planners, protest groups and many more, Convention delivers a complex, beautiful and completely unique portrayal of this historic event. 

Convention was produced by Jennifer Chikes, Britta Erickson, Shirley Moyers, AJ Schnack and Nathan Truesdell. It was filmed by Steven Bognar, Daniel Junge, Laura Poitras, Julia Reichert, Wayne Robbins, AJ Schnack, Paul Taylor, Nathan Truesdell and David Wilson.

 

Opening:                    June 4
Venue:                        IFC Center/New York City
Film:                           Cropsey
Dirs.:                           Joshua Zeman, Barbara Brancaccio                      
Distributor:                Antidote Films
http://cropseylegend.com/

 

Growing up on Staten Island, filmmakers Joshua Zeman and Barbara Brancaccio had often heard the legend of "Cropsey." For the kids in their neighborhood, Cropsey was the escaped mental patient who lived in the old abandoned Willowbrook Mental Institution, who would come out late at night and snatch children off the streets. Sometimes Cropsey had a hook for a hand, other times he wielded a bloody axe, but it didn't matter, Cropsey was always out there, lurking in the shadows, waiting to get them.

Later as teenagers, the filmmakers assumed Cropsey was just an urban legend: a cautionary tale used to keep them out of those abandoned buildings and stop them from doing all those things that teenagers like to do. That all changed in the summer of 1987, when a 12-year-old girl with Down syndrome named Jennifer Schweiger disappeared from their community. That was the summer all the kids from Staten Island discovered that their urban legend was real.

Now as adults, Zeman and Brancaccio have returned to Staten Island to create Cropsey, a feature documentary that delves into the mystery behind Jennifer and four additional missing children. The film also investigates Andre Rand, the real-life boogeyman linked to their disappearances.

Embarking on a mysterious journey into the underbelly of their forgotten borough, these filmmakers uncover a reality that is more terrifying than any urban legend.

 

Opening:                    June 4
Film:                           Living in Emergency: Stories of Doctors Without Borders
Dir.:                            Mark N. Hopkins                 
Distributor:                Truly Indie
http://www.livinginemergency.com/

 

For the first time in its history, a film crew has been allowed access to the field operations of the world largest medical NGO--Doctors Without Borders. Filmed in the war zones of Liberia and Congo, Living in Emergency follows four volunteer doctors as they struggle to provide emergency care in extreme conditions. Amidst the chaos, each volunteer must confront the severe challenges of the work, the tough choices and the limits of their own idealism.

 

Opening:                    June 4
Film:                           Whiz Kids
Dirs.:                           Tom Shepard, Tina DeFeliciantonio                      
Distributor:                Shadow Distribution
http://www.whizkidsmovie.com/

 

At a time when American teens lag behind other countries in math and science, Whiz Kids is a coming-of-age documentary that tells the story of three remarkably different yet equally passionate 17-year-old scientists who vie to compete in the nation's oldest, most prestigious science competition-the Intel Science Talent Search, in which over 2,000 students compete for prizes totaling more than $1.5 million. In the end, 40 finalists travel to Washington, DC to present their research to top scientists and vie for a $100,000 grand prize. Win or lose, these "whiz kids" raise questions about class, courage, personal sacrifice, success and failure, and in the process, learn as much about themselves as they do about science.

Over the past eight years, countries like China and India vastly increased support for research and development, while US funding remained largely stagnant. Not surprisingly, US teens now rank 24th in the world in math and science.

As global economies become increasingly competitive, America's future rests on the shoulders of our next generation. The main characters in Whiz Kids demonstrate that American students can meet that challenge.

Opening:                    June 10
Film:                           Rush: Beyond the Lighted Stage
Dirs.:                           Sam Dunn, Scott McFadyen                       
Distributor:                Alliance Films
http://www.rushbeyondthelightedstage.com/

 

Rush is one of rock's most influential bands, ranking third in most consecutive gold or platinum albums after the Beatles and the Rolling Stones. But despite having legions of devoted fans and being revered by generations of musicians, they have been ignored by critics and continually overlooked by the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Featuring never-before-seen- archival footage and interviews with some of today's most respected rock artists, Rush: Beyond the Lighted Stage explores the 40-year career and phenomenon behind what could be the world's biggest cult band.

 

Opening:                    June 10
Film:                           Joan Rivers: A Piece of Work
Dirs.:                           Ricki Stern, Annie Sundberg                      
Distributor:                IFC Films
http://joanriversapieceofwork.com/

 

Joan Rivers:A Piece Of Work exposes the private dramas of irreverent, legendary comedian and pop icon Joan Rivers as she fights tooth and nail to remain the queen of comedy. Filmed as a cinema vérité documentary, the film reveals a rare glimpse of the comedic process and the toxic mixture of self-doubt and anger that often fuels it.

Joan's story is both an outrageously funny journey and a brutally honest look at the ruthless entertainment industry, the trappings of success and the ultimate vulnerability of the life of a performer.

With unguarded access, the film cuts intimate scenes with Joan's personal archive creating a lush visual landscape and cinematic backdrop for the narrative as it unfolds.

Over the course of the year, Joan fights to reinvent herself and put herself back on top. She reveals in private that the years of exposure have taken a toll on her, leaving her raw and alone. Her longest lasting relationship is with her manager, whom she ends up firing during the course of filming, severing her last tie to her past. In a dressing room before a show, she exposes a much-guarded vulnerability revealing all she has left is her performing.

An inspiration to some, a plastic surgery whore to others, Joan Rivers' controversial personas are what continue to fascinate the public and draw audiences to her. The film provides a rare look at an iconic performer, stripped of her comedy masks and laying bare the truth of her life and inspiration.

 

 

Opening:                    June 14
Venue:                        Museum of Modern Art/New York City
Film:                           Reel Injun
Dir.:                            Neil Diamond            
Distributor:                Lorber Films
http://www.reelinjunthemovie.com/site/

 

Hollywood has made over 4,000 films about Native people; over 100 years of movies defining how Indians are seen by the world.

Reel Injun takes an entertaining and insightful look at the Hollywood Indian, exploring the portrayal of North American Natives through the history of cinema.

Traveling through the heartland of America, Cree filmmaker Neil Diamond looks at how the myth of "the Injun" has influenced the world's understanding--and misunderstanding--of Natives.

With candid interviews with directors, writers, actors and activists, including Clint Eastwood, Jim Jarmusch, Robbie Robertson, Sacheen Littlefeather, John Trudell and Russell Means, clips from hundreds of classic and recent films, including Stagecoach, Little Big Man, The Outlaw Josey Wales, One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest and Atanarjuat the Fast Runner, Reel Injun traces the evolution of cinema's depiction of Native people from the silent film era to today.

 

Opening:                    June 16
Venue:                        Film Forum/New York City
Film:                           Stonewall Uprising
Dirs./Prods.:               Kate Davis, David Heilbroner                     
Distributor:                First Run Releasing
http://firstrunfeatures.com/stonewalluprising.html

 

"It was the Rosa Parks moment," says one man. June 28, 1969: New York City police raid a Greenwich Village Mafia-run gay bar, The Stonewall Inn. For the first time, patrons refuse to be led into paddy wagons, setting off a three-day riot that launches the Gay Rights Movement.

Told by Stonewall patrons, reporters and the cop who led the raid, Stonewall Uprising recalls the bad old days when psychoanalysts equated homosexuality with mental illness and advised aversion therapy and even lobotomies; public service announcements warned youngsters against predatory homosexuals; and police entrapment was rampant. At the height of this oppression, the cops raid Stonewall, triggering nights of pandemonium with tear gas, billy clubs and a small army of tactical police. The rest is history.

 

Opening:                    June 18
Venue:                        Film Forum/New York City
Film:                           8: The Mormon Proposition
Dir.:                            Reed Cowan             
Distributor:                Red Flag Releasing
http://www.mormonproposition.com/

 

Director Reed Cowan initially planned on making a documentary about gay teen homelessness and suicide in Utah, but soon realized that the homophobia that prompts otherwise loving parents to kick teenagers out of their homes is deep-seated in current Mormon ideology. Cowan, who, with his fellow filmmakers, had experienced first-hand what it was like to grow up gay in Utah in the Mormon faith, turned his attention to the historic campaign by the Mormon Church to pass Proposition 8 in California believing that it was the cornerstone of an ideology that has worked for decades "to damage gay people and their causes." The film is their emotional outcry to what they found.

 

Opening:                    June 18
Venue:                        The Quad Cinemas/New York City
Film:                           The Nature of Existence
Dir.:                            Roger Nygard                       
Distributor:                Self-Distributed
http://thenatureofexistence.com/

 

What is the most important question there is? After exploring the phenomenon of Star Trek fans in the acclaimed documentary Trekkies, filmmaker Roger Nygard is taking on The Nature of Existence, traveling the globe to the source of the world's philosophies, religions and belief systems, interviewing spiritual leaders, scholars, scientists, artists and others who have influenced, inspired or freaked out humanity.

"I made a list of the eighty-five toughest questions I could think of," says Nygard, "Starting with biggest one: ‘Why do we exist?' And then I began interrogating the widest cross-section of humanity possible."

After a four-year, world-wide odyssey beginning in 2005, the filmmakers had over 450 hours of footage to boil down to an hour and a half, bring audiences the best and the most transcendental moments, and present a fascinating look at humanity and our Universe, as seen through the eyes of some of the most interesting people on our planet, and perhaps, some of the most interesting beings in our Universe.

 

Opening:                    June 25
Film:                           Restrepo
Dirs./Prods:                Tim Hetherington, Sebastian Junger                     
Distributor:                National Geographic Entertainment
http://restrepothemovie.com/

 

Restrepo is a feature-length documentary that chronicles the deployment of a platoon of US soldiers in Afghanistan's Korengal Valley. The movie focuses on a remote 15-man outpost, "Restrepo," named after a platoon medic who was killed in action. It was considered one of the most dangerous postings in the US military. This is an entirely experiential film: the cameras never leave the valley; there are no interviews with generals or diplomats. The only goal is to make viewers feel as if they have just been

through a 94-minute deployment. This is war, full stop. The conclusions are up to you.

 

Opening:                    June 25
Film:                           South of the Border
Dir.:                            Oliver Stone              
Distributor:                Cinema Libre
http://southoftheborderdoc.com/

 

There's a revolution underway in South America, but most of the world doesn't know it. Oliver Stone sets out on a road trip across five countries to explore the social and political movements as well as the mainstream media's misperception of South America while interviewing seven of its elected presidents. In casual conversations with Presidents Hugo Chávez (Venezuela), Evo Morales (Bolivia), Lula da Silva (Brazil), Cristina Kirchner  (Argentina), as well as her husband and ex-President Nėstor Kirchner,  Fernando Lugo  (Paraguay), Rafael Correa (Ecuador) and Raúl Castro  (Cuba), Stone gains unprecedented access and sheds new light upon the exciting transformations in the region.

 

Opening:                    June 30
Venue:                        Film Fourm/New York City
Film:                           The Agony and the Ecstasy of Phil Spector
Dir.:                            Vikram Jayanti                    
Distributor:                BBC Arenea/VIXPIX Films
http://filmforum.org/films/spector.html

 

Legendary pop music genius/record producer Phil Spector created the "wall of sound" behind some of the greatest hits of the '60s: "Be My Baby," "He's a Rebel," "Da Doo Ron Ron" and "You've Lost That Lovin' Feeling," to name just a few. Today he is imprisoned serving 19 years-to-life for the murder of B-movie actress Lana Clarkson. During his first trial (a hung jury), Spector gives a rare freewheeling interview to filmmaker Vikram Jayanti, filmed at his castle, seated before the white piano that he bought with John Lennon, for his Imagine album. He lucidly holds forth on his life and work: his father's suicide when he was a child, the process through which he achieved his distinctive sound, his friendship with Lennon, and his case that (despite Paul McCartney's position), he salvaged the Beatles' album, Let It Be. Then there is Spector's curious enmity toward Tony Bennett and Buddy Holly ("He got a postage stamp even though he was only in rock 'n' roll three years."), and a grandiosity that has him likening himself to Bach, da Vinci, Michelangelo and Galileo. And, yes, there is an endless parade of hairstyles and flamboyant outfits.