Thanks to a certain current blockbuster film, almost everyone is now familiar with J. Robert Oppenheimer, the so-called father of the atomic bomb. And while Christopher Nolan’s film starring Cillian Murphy does indeed touch upon the fact that Soviet spies worked alongside him at Los Alamos, what became of those spies is not discussed in “Oppenheimer.” However, “A Compassionate Spy,” the new ... more >
INTERVIEWS
If you want to learn more about the Manhattan Project, filmmaker Steve James has just the documentary for you: “A COMPASSIONATE SPY” | INTERVIEW
"The story was, the U.S. entered the war and we were heroes"
[DOCUMENTARY]
Revisiting “KOKOMO CITY” for its theatrical run with director D. Smith | IN CONVERSATION
We learned about this film at DC/DOX, and now you can catch it in theaters
At DC/DOX last June I saw “Kokomo City,” which details the lives of four Black trans sex workers facing multiple hardships. Director D. Smith, a trans woman and a Grammy nominee, spoke with me via phone during DC/DOX—and with the film now set to play in theaters this weekend, our conversation has been reposted. How did you decide to make this documentary? To do something like this, you ... more >
“Every escape was wilder and savvier and more complex than the last”; filmmaker Landon Van Soest on making “THE JEWEL THIEF” available this week on Hulu
Given his notorious history of heists one might assume that Gerald Blanchard would stay out of sight. Or at least keep his mouth shut. Yet Blanchard’s narcissism, for it can be labeled as nothing else, will not allow him to stay mum about his life of crime. Thankfully, filmmaker Landon Van Soest gives Blanchard just enough rope to air out his dirty laundry for the whole world to enjoy in the new ... more >
“I really wanted to pull people into the room, invite them to be part of our family, and invite them to be there by my dad’s bedside”; ONDI TIMONER on the making of “LAST FLIGHT HOME” | INTERVIEW
500 hours of raw, personal footage about a father she loves
Ondi Timoner’s father Eli died in 2021 after an incredible career as a business executive. Even after a stroke in middle age—which resulted in his being exiled from the very airline he founded—Eli pressed on and lived his best life, leaving behind several children and grandchildren. Eli’s final years were difficult as he was in constant pain and suffering from COPD and congestive heart failure. ... more >
Our interview with music supervisor ANDREA VON FOERSTER, the songmaster behind “Yellowstone”
Ms. Von Foerster is an award-winning music supervisor for film, television, internet and advertising
Taylor Sheridan has nine shows on TV and more coming. The Oscar-nominated writer is the co-creator of “Yellowstone,” the cable TV modern western starring Kevin Costner that has racked up a rabid fanbase and been a serious moneymaker for the Paramount Network. Sheridan’s list of accolades—to say nothing of his bank account—will only continue to grow. Yet as famous as Sheridan is, it takes ... more >
The paths to justice are manifold. Reimagining prison sentencing with “THE RECALL: REFRAMED” dir. by Rebecca Richman Cohen | TALK
When Brock Turner was handed down a sentence of just six months in prison for a sexual assault case that occurred on the Stanford University campus in 2015, a collective outrage at the light sentence eventually led to a successful recall campaign against the judge who decided the case, Aaron Persky. Many activists, especially those who decried a wealthy white man such as Turner punished so ... more >
“I GOT A MONSTER”; documentary filmmaker Kevin Abrams on dissecting on film one of the American East Coast’s most egregious police corruption scandals | TALK
Documentary available for streaming and download
When Kevin Abrams started work on his documentary “I Got a Monster” in 2018, he was determined that retelling the story of Baltimore’s corrupt Gun Trace Task Force not traffic in “ruin porn,” a staple of the HBO series “The Wire.” “It’s nicknamed Charm City, and I really got why,” Abrams, a New Jersey native, said from his home in Los Angeles. “As an East Coast guy, going there and feeling the ... more >