There are shows from childhood that shape us for better or worse. Butterfly in the Sky, directed by Bradford Thomason and Brett Whitcomb, looks at the origins and struggles to bring the beloved PBS show Reading Rainbow to television. The documentary, aired at Tribeca, interviews the crew, educators, children from the show, and show’s host and star, LeVar Burton. Reading Rainbow inspired children to enjoy reading, and that impact is indelibly embedded in the foundation of countless people. Butterfly in the Sky takes us down memory lane and shows us what was happening behind those joyous scenes.
Sell/Buy/Date [SXSW ’22] Review
Sell/Buy/Date, a docudrama mixed in comedy, premiered at SXSW Festival. It stars Sarah Jones, with a story by her and David Goldblum that looks at the sex industry via the intersections of privilege. The documentary or, as Sarah Jones calls it “unorthodoc” is about Sarah Jones trying to make the documentary based on her play of the same name. Entertaining, honest in Sarah Jones’s confusion, Sell/Buy/Date skillfully touches on the main points regarding sex work, sex trafficking and decriminalization.
In Search Of Tomorrow Review
Science fiction films broaden ideas and possibilities for the present and future. Though each decade has memorable films and concepts in the sci-fi genre, the 80s were pivotal due to the vast ideas explored on the silver screen. Like how Romero’s Night of the Living Dead made a blueprint for zombies that all other films and shows followed, the 80s science fiction films crafted dystopian, futuristic worlds and ideas that most present-day science fiction movies pull from. In Search of Tomorrow discusses each year of the 80s and picks apart the film’s quality, vision, technology, practical and special effects, and moments that impact audiences.
Aftershock [Sundance ’22 Review]
Aftershock, directed by Paula Eiselt and Tonya Lewis Lee, personalizes the Black maternal mortality and morbidity epidemic in the United…
Satoshi Kon, The Illusionist: NIGHTSTREAM ’21 Review
Satoshi Kon, The Illusionist, playing at Nightstream’s virtual festival, written and directed by Pascal-Alex Vincent, looks at Satoshi Kon’s creations and impact on the industry and the challenges he faced. The documentary explores a man that, like his creations, was complex but loved the entirety of humanity.
Mary J. Blige’s My Life Review
Mary J. Blige’s My Life explores the emotions and life of musical icon Mary J. Blige during her sophomore album…
Accepted: Tragic Look At Education—Tribeca Review
Accepted is a documentary directed by Dan Chen that looks at the college preparatory school, TM Landry. The school touts…
Who We Are: A Chronicle Of Racism In America Is Both A Personal Journey And A National Discussion—SXSW Review
Who We Are: A Chronicle Of Racism In America is a documentary, directed by Emily and Sarah Kunstler and written…
Subjects of Desire Discusses The Dual Invisibility and Hypervisibility of Black Women’s Presence—SXSW Review
Subjects of Desire focuses on contestants for the Miss Black America beauty pageant. The documentary discusses issues of identity, Blackness,…
‘WeWork: or The Making And Breaking Of A $47 Billion Unicorn’ Entertains But Ignores White Men Charisma—SXSW Review
WeWork: or The Making And Breaking Of A $47 Billion Unicorn, written and directed by Jed Rothstein, looks at the…