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2017 Documentaries


I have to be honest. I did not see many documentaries this year which totals about five including the Spielberg documentary I saw earlier this year. Even though they are interesting subjects, two reached out to me, one is the Spielberg movie, because I liked how he used his personal life in his movies that I did not notice. So, I'm afraid to say this was not a strong year for documentaries as a whole but in other cases, it is still great to explore different subjects that is either poetic or horrifying. So, here they are.


City of Ghosts, R, 3 stars

This documentary is a profound and disturbing look of behind enemy lines in Syria as they attempt to expose the ISIS human rights violations. This is a solid documentary of how the power of journalism is used for potentially for the greater good, however, director Mathew Heinemann displays the corrupt evil as a way for democracy for their country. The last image is truly terrifying even there is unnecessary sentimental tropes along the way.


Faces Places, PG, 3.5 stars

Directors Agnés Verda's and JR's passion project comes true as their commonalities of photographing and filming different images displays what a passion of art can truly be defined. Their delightful chemistry is what maintains the creative collaboration by displaying people with other images as great symbols of art. It is their friendship that sells the documentary and can inspire other people to do what they are passionate for, whether if it is filmmaking, photography or not.


SCORE: A Film Music Documentary, Unrated, 3 stars

Director Matt Schrader's documentary is celebrating the artists and their musicality with such soul and bravado that it tempts you not only watch the movies but listen to their music quite carefully. You have composers like Hans Zimmer, John Williams, Danny Elfman, Quincy Jones, Trent Reznor, Rachel Portman, etc., you name it. It is like delving back into pieces of history and favorite chapters of music that you want to revisit over and over again. Whoever likes movies and scores/soundtracks, you will like this documentary.


Whose Streets?, R, 3 stars

It is quite great and informative to explore what happened in the Ferguson uprising when Michael Brown was killed by the police and left on the streets for dead. It also parallels with the other movie about the Detroit City Riots, Detroit made by Kathryn Bigelow, which was a disappointment. However, it is a common double feature as to where we are as a country today compared to the past. Parents, artists and teachers around the country come on in as freedom fighters to be interviewed about it. I wished that this could have been made into a movie instead of a documentary because I wanted more.



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