Munchausen’s by Proxy constitutes one of the more mysterious, and even bizarre, medical diagnoses in that it refers to a mother purposely making her child ill in order to fill her own unmet needs. As noted by psychologist Dr. Marc Feldman in this documentary, Claudine “Deedee” Blanchard represents one of the most severe cases seen, […]
Come take a leisurely stroll over the scenic Chinese countryside in the greatest of comfort—unlike that for the filming crew which lugged their equipment, trudging up and down mountains in all kinds of weather to allow us this indulgence. Disneynature’s Born in China, expertly directed by Chuan Lu and grandly photographed by six artists (Irmin
What kind of artistry does it take to make a film about cats in the city mesmerizing? The brilliant, sharp photography of this documentary by Ceyda Torun and her team makes the cats in Istanbul and the people who care for them come alive with their warmth and mutual regard for one another. It’s a
There are so many reasons to see this fascinating documentary about a Mongolian girl. First is the cultural lesson about eagle hunters who capture an eagle—preferably an eaglet in a nest—develop a nurturing relationship with it, and train it to catch food in the winter. Another reason to see it is the remarkable story of
A most amazing story! And if there are skeptics, that’s understandable. Nevertheless, after listening to This American Life’s (Podcast #556) reporting on this story last year, as well as the audiotapes obtained by the lovers, I’m inclined to believe it. Never underestimate a despot like Kim Jong-il! There is a saying among high officials in
Ah…Werner Herzog is one of my favorite filmmakers. Take this film, for instance, in which he mixes up technical jargon, scientific wonder, and humanitarian reflections while slyly slipping in bits of humor, such as—well, I won’t give it away, but when you hear an Elvis Presley song, you’ll likely agree with me. Lo and Behold
Frank Zappa is perhaps one of the most misunderstood pop artists ever. A composer, songwriter, performer, record producer, actor, and filmmaker, his range covered the genres of rock, jazz, jazz fusion, musique concrète, and classical. In the last four years of his life, he began composing classical works, some of which he recorded with the
After watching City of Gold, you will want to rush right out to Los Angeles and visit all the eating places talked about in this documentary about Jonathan Gold, who writes about food and restaurants in L.A. Numerous people appearing in the film (including people like Ruth Reichl, Calvin Trillin. and David Chang) remark about
In his usual, clever, playful style, Michael Moore decides he will “invade” other countries to see what he can bring back to America that will be useful to us.
