A spoiler, and a good one, for one of Sundance’s best films of this year: Ryan White’s loving, luminous documentary “Come See Me in the Good Light” doesn’t end in darkness, or death, or even in the way its own filmmaker and subjects were expecting it to. Instead, the film, which follows genderqueer poet Andrea Gibson and their wife, fellow poet Megan Falley, as they wrestle with Gibson’s aggressive ovarian cancer, is a celebration of life in all its messy glory.
When White was brought on to the film by producer Tig Notaro (who joined him at our studio) and her producing partner Stef Willen, he expected the film would end with Gibson’s death. So did Gibson and Falley, who even joke about it in the opening scene. The spoiler? Gibson was on hand to celebrate the film’s premiere at Sundance last week.
“It...
When White was brought on to the film by producer Tig Notaro (who joined him at our studio) and her producing partner Stef Willen, he expected the film would end with Gibson’s death. So did Gibson and Falley, who even joke about it in the opening scene. The spoiler? Gibson was on hand to celebrate the film’s premiere at Sundance last week.
“It...
- 1/29/2025
- by Kate Erbland
- Indiewire
Spanish documentary sales outfit Jambika Docs is launching with a slate of three feature documentaries, including Alex Galan’s Territory.
Barcelona-based Jambika will acquire non-fiction content and sell it to theatrical distributors, international broadcasters, streamers, educational platforms and inflight partners.
The company is co-founded by Juan Solera and Jota Salinas. Solera is a sales executive who has worked for Arts Alliance Media, Scorpion TV and most recently as sales & acquisitions manager for UK-based documentary sales firm Sideways Film; while Salinas comes from the renewable energy sector, and will work on operations and strategic planning for Jambika.
Jambika will attend next...
Barcelona-based Jambika will acquire non-fiction content and sell it to theatrical distributors, international broadcasters, streamers, educational platforms and inflight partners.
The company is co-founded by Juan Solera and Jota Salinas. Solera is a sales executive who has worked for Arts Alliance Media, Scorpion TV and most recently as sales & acquisitions manager for UK-based documentary sales firm Sideways Film; while Salinas comes from the renewable energy sector, and will work on operations and strategic planning for Jambika.
Jambika will attend next...
- 1/9/2025
- ScreenDaily
In April 2010, Cathy Terkanian received a letter that would change her life forever. It was written by a social worker, who explained that the daughter Terkanian had given up for adoption 35 years prior had disappeared from her adoptive home in 1989. Driven by a need for answers, Terkanian enlisted the help of an amateur sleuth and local authorities and embarked on a 10-year quest to uncover what happened to her child.
Into the Fire: The Lost Daughterchronicles that quest, diving into the shadowy depths of a chilling true-crime story that feels almost impossible to believe. At the center of this labyrinthine tale, however, is the unbreakable bond between mother and child — and the power of maternal instinct across space and time.
Directed and produced by Ryan White, Into the Fire: The Lost Daughter is also produced by Jessica Hargrave, Matt Maher,...
Into the Fire: The Lost Daughterchronicles that quest, diving into the shadowy depths of a chilling true-crime story that feels almost impossible to believe. At the center of this labyrinthine tale, however, is the unbreakable bond between mother and child — and the power of maternal instinct across space and time.
Directed and produced by Ryan White, Into the Fire: The Lost Daughter is also produced by Jessica Hargrave, Matt Maher,...
- 9/12/2024
- by Amanda Richards
- Tudum - Netflix
Even weeks after the series finale's debut on Netflix, The Umbrella Academy season 4's Eiffel Tower plot hole is really bothering me. It's worth pointing out that I think Umbrella Academy's ending had a lot of problems. After a lot of time-hopping, intricately woven setup, there was very little pay off in the rushed, six-episode final outing. Season 4 takes place in the reset Umbrella Academy timeline the one the Hargreeves siblings made in season 3's conclusion. While the siblings lead mundane lives, a cult called The Keepers is gathering evidence of the existence of other timelines.
The Keepers' conspiracy theory hinges on the artifacts they collect objects, from newspaper clippings to Umbrella Academy-themed merchandise, that could only exist in another timeline. Although I found The Keepers' so-called "Umbrella Effect" compelling, the show's focus on shoehorning in Umbrella Academy Easter eggs might have led to the frustrating Eiffel Tower plot hole.
The Keepers' conspiracy theory hinges on the artifacts they collect objects, from newspaper clippings to Umbrella Academy-themed merchandise, that could only exist in another timeline. Although I found The Keepers' so-called "Umbrella Effect" compelling, the show's focus on shoehorning in Umbrella Academy Easter eggs might have led to the frustrating Eiffel Tower plot hole.
- 9/2/2024
- by Kate Bove
- ScreenRant
Spoilers are ahead for The Umbrella Academy season 4's ending.
The Umbrella Academy season 4 is packed with Easter eggs and references, reiterating the intricate timelines of the series. New characters Gene and Jean lead a cult called The Keepers, who collect Umbrella Academy "artifacts" from different timelines, which leads to some great Easter egg moments. Gabriel B's illustrations appear in every season and add a special touch to season 4's closing scene.
The Umbrella Academy season 4 has tons of Easter eggs and references hidden across its six episodes, which feels incredibly appropriate for a series that hops between different timelines. Although The Umbrella Academy season 4's ending has proved divisive among viewers, there's no denying the passion the folks involved with making the show have for Gerard Way and Gabriel B's graphic novel series. Picking up from where the third outing left off, the final season sees the Hargreeves siblings attaining new powers and,...
The Umbrella Academy season 4 is packed with Easter eggs and references, reiterating the intricate timelines of the series. New characters Gene and Jean lead a cult called The Keepers, who collect Umbrella Academy "artifacts" from different timelines, which leads to some great Easter egg moments. Gabriel B's illustrations appear in every season and add a special touch to season 4's closing scene.
The Umbrella Academy season 4 has tons of Easter eggs and references hidden across its six episodes, which feels incredibly appropriate for a series that hops between different timelines. Although The Umbrella Academy season 4's ending has proved divisive among viewers, there's no denying the passion the folks involved with making the show have for Gerard Way and Gabriel B's graphic novel series. Picking up from where the third outing left off, the final season sees the Hargreeves siblings attaining new powers and,...
- 8/25/2024
- by Kate Bove
- ScreenRant
Spoilers are ahead for The Umbrella Academy season 4's ending.
The opening minutes of The Umbrella Academy season 4 reveal a big Jennifer twist that ties her to The Cleanse. Dr. Jean and Dr. Gene showcase artifacts from different timelines, some of which highlight Jennifer's connection to The Cleanse. The suitcase holds evidence of The Umbrella Effect, illustrating the existence of various timelines as well as The Umbrella Academy.
The Umbrella Academy season 4, episode 1, "The Unbearable Tragedy of Getting What You Want," reveals a major twist within the first few minutes of the show's final outing, but it's subtle enough that most viewers will miss the clue on their first watch. Picking up six years after the events of The Umbrella Academy season 3's ending, the fourth outing finds the Hargreeves siblings living their separate, mundane lives. Part of the big timeline reset at the end of the previous season required...
The opening minutes of The Umbrella Academy season 4 reveal a big Jennifer twist that ties her to The Cleanse. Dr. Jean and Dr. Gene showcase artifacts from different timelines, some of which highlight Jennifer's connection to The Cleanse. The suitcase holds evidence of The Umbrella Effect, illustrating the existence of various timelines as well as The Umbrella Academy.
The Umbrella Academy season 4, episode 1, "The Unbearable Tragedy of Getting What You Want," reveals a major twist within the first few minutes of the show's final outing, but it's subtle enough that most viewers will miss the clue on their first watch. Picking up six years after the events of The Umbrella Academy season 3's ending, the fourth outing finds the Hargreeves siblings living their separate, mundane lives. Part of the big timeline reset at the end of the previous season required...
- 8/13/2024
- by Kate Bove
- ScreenRant
Quick Links Lila and Five Begin a Romantic Relationship Abigail Hargreeves Began the Cleanse The Origin of the Broken Timelines Is Revealed The Umbrella Academy Sacrifices Themselves to Save the Timeline
The following contains spoilers for The Umbrella Academy Season 4, now streaming on Netflix.
After four seasons of world-ending disasters and super-powered siblings bickering out of love, Netflix's The Umbrella Academy has come to an end. It's a bittersweet conclusion to the former child heroes who've put their lives on the line (whether willingly or forcibly) to save the world time and again. This time around, the cycle must be broken. The very thing that created them threatens the extinction of everything, so the only way to stop it is to erase The Umbrella Academy's existence entirely.
At the beginning of The Umbrella Academy Season 4, the siblings plus Lila reunite six years after being placed in a new timeline where they have no powers.
The following contains spoilers for The Umbrella Academy Season 4, now streaming on Netflix.
After four seasons of world-ending disasters and super-powered siblings bickering out of love, Netflix's The Umbrella Academy has come to an end. It's a bittersweet conclusion to the former child heroes who've put their lives on the line (whether willingly or forcibly) to save the world time and again. This time around, the cycle must be broken. The very thing that created them threatens the extinction of everything, so the only way to stop it is to erase The Umbrella Academy's existence entirely.
At the beginning of The Umbrella Academy Season 4, the siblings plus Lila reunite six years after being placed in a new timeline where they have no powers.
- 8/10/2024
- by Katie Doll
- CBR
On “The Umbrella Academy,” it was always about the end of the world. From the very first episode of the Netflix based on the comic by Gerard Way and Gabriel Bá, the superpowered siblings at the center were tasked with saving the world from themselves — again, and again, and again.
So it was only fitting that the series finale — aptly titled “End of the Beginning” — would tackle this problem head on, forcing Viktor (Elliot Page), Luther (Tom Hopper), Diego (David Castañeda), Alison (Emmy Raver-Lampman), Klaus (Robert Sheehan), Ben (Justin H. Min), and Five (Aidan Gallagher) to reckon with their own role in all the catastrophes they’ve witnessed and how they can set it all right once and for all. They broke the timeline just by being born, and the only way to stop infinite timelines and world-ending debacles is to remove themselves from the equation.
The truncated 6-episode season...
So it was only fitting that the series finale — aptly titled “End of the Beginning” — would tackle this problem head on, forcing Viktor (Elliot Page), Luther (Tom Hopper), Diego (David Castañeda), Alison (Emmy Raver-Lampman), Klaus (Robert Sheehan), Ben (Justin H. Min), and Five (Aidan Gallagher) to reckon with their own role in all the catastrophes they’ve witnessed and how they can set it all right once and for all. They broke the timeline just by being born, and the only way to stop infinite timelines and world-ending debacles is to remove themselves from the equation.
The truncated 6-episode season...
- 8/9/2024
- by Proma Khosla
- Indiewire
Number Five falling in love with his brother’s wife might be one of the cringiest things that you might have witnessed in The Umbrella Academy’s finale. I mean, their love story arc literally overshadowed the disgusting vomit scene in the second episode. But yes, the creators gave us some logic to make us feel better about it. They were trapped in the multiverse of madness for more than seven years, and developing such feelings for one another was nothing but natural. But before coming to their complicated relationship, we first need to understand why they were attracted to each other in the first place.
For Lila, it was pretty simple. She was going through a midlife crisis and had lost her identity while trying to raise kids and listening to the blabbering of her grumpy husband, Diego, all day long. She had always been a fun-loving lass who loved going on dangerous missions,...
For Lila, it was pretty simple. She was going through a midlife crisis and had lost her identity while trying to raise kids and listening to the blabbering of her grumpy husband, Diego, all day long. She had always been a fun-loving lass who loved going on dangerous missions,...
- 8/9/2024
- by Shikhar Agrawal
- DMT
Note: This story contains spoilers from “The Umbrella Academy” Season 4.
“The Umbrella Academy” came to a close with its Season 4 finale this week, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t a few last threads worth explaining.
The shortened final season still jammed quite a bit into just six episodes and the finale, in particular, was fit to burst. The story followed the Hargreeves siblings facing off once and for all with The Keepers in order to stop The Cleanse from ending the universe. The Keepers’ hope was that The Cleanse would end the many broken timelines once and for all, ensuring the main one was restored.
Five (Aidan Gallagher) learns in the finale — in a diner full of his variants, no less — that the marigold that arrived on Earth with Reginald (Colm Feore) and granted the Hargreeves siblings their powers branched the main timeline into the multiverse. Five is...
“The Umbrella Academy” came to a close with its Season 4 finale this week, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t a few last threads worth explaining.
The shortened final season still jammed quite a bit into just six episodes and the finale, in particular, was fit to burst. The story followed the Hargreeves siblings facing off once and for all with The Keepers in order to stop The Cleanse from ending the universe. The Keepers’ hope was that The Cleanse would end the many broken timelines once and for all, ensuring the main one was restored.
Five (Aidan Gallagher) learns in the finale — in a diner full of his variants, no less — that the marigold that arrived on Earth with Reginald (Colm Feore) and granted the Hargreeves siblings their powers branched the main timeline into the multiverse. Five is...
- 8/9/2024
- by Jacob Bryant
- The Wrap
This post contains detailed spoilers for the final season of "The Umbrella Academy."
"The Umbrella Academy" is over, and the Netflix sci-fi series managed to take down countless timelines and a whole family of superheroes with it. The show ended this week with a six-episode arc that messily, confusingly, and –- somehow –- satisfyingly closed the book on the story of the Hargreeves family once and for all. Along the way, unlikely pairings fell in love, long-suffering characters were redeemed, and Nick Offerman and Megan Mullally did a funky little dance.
But what does it all mean? Try to explain the emotional conclusion to "The Umbrella Academy" and you'll find yourself in need of a whiteboard to chart out the show's many alternate universe offshoots and vague scientific theories. As heartfelt as the end of the show is, it's not exactly logically airtight, and since season 4 has outpaced Gerard Way's comic books,...
"The Umbrella Academy" is over, and the Netflix sci-fi series managed to take down countless timelines and a whole family of superheroes with it. The show ended this week with a six-episode arc that messily, confusingly, and –- somehow –- satisfyingly closed the book on the story of the Hargreeves family once and for all. Along the way, unlikely pairings fell in love, long-suffering characters were redeemed, and Nick Offerman and Megan Mullally did a funky little dance.
But what does it all mean? Try to explain the emotional conclusion to "The Umbrella Academy" and you'll find yourself in need of a whiteboard to chart out the show's many alternate universe offshoots and vague scientific theories. As heartfelt as the end of the show is, it's not exactly logically airtight, and since season 4 has outpaced Gerard Way's comic books,...
- 8/8/2024
- by Valerie Ettenhofer
- Slash Film
Plot: The Hargreeves siblings have scattered after the climactic showdown at the Hotel Oblivion, which completely reset their timeline. Stripped of their powers, each is left to fend for themselves and find a new normal — with wildly varying degrees of success. Yet the trappings of their uncanny new world prove too hard to ignore for very long. Their father, Reginald, alive and well, has stepped out of the shadows and into the public eye, overseeing a powerful and nefarious business empire. A mysterious association known as The Keepers holds clandestine meetings believing the reality they’re living in is a lie and a great reckoning is coming. As these strange new forces conspire around them, the Umbrella Academy must come together one last time — and risk upsetting the shaky peace they’ve all endured so much to secure — to finally set things right.
Review: The Netflix comic book series The Umbrella Academy...
Review: The Netflix comic book series The Umbrella Academy...
- 8/8/2024
- by Alex Maidy
- JoBlo.com
Picking up where we left off in episode 2, The Umbrella Academy season 4 episode 3 gives us a little background on Jennifer, though it creates more questions than answers. The Hargreeves go to Reginald for an explanation, while Klaus navigates life with powers again. We break down the biggest moments from "The Squid and the Girl" right here!
Warning: Major spoilers for The Umbrella Academy season 4 episode 3 are below.
The opening of the third episode of season 4 shows us a news broadcast, where two fishermen have caught a huge squid. As they talk to an interviewer about their catch, they realize there's something inside of it trying to get out. When they cut open the squid, they're all completely shocked to find a little girl inside. When they ask her if she knows what's happened, all she says is: "The Cleanse." Creepy! A quick shot of Reginald is seen in the background.
Warning: Major spoilers for The Umbrella Academy season 4 episode 3 are below.
The opening of the third episode of season 4 shows us a news broadcast, where two fishermen have caught a huge squid. As they talk to an interviewer about their catch, they realize there's something inside of it trying to get out. When they cut open the squid, they're all completely shocked to find a little girl inside. When they ask her if she knows what's happened, all she says is: "The Cleanse." Creepy! A quick shot of Reginald is seen in the background.
- 8/8/2024
- by Natalie Zamora
- ShowSnob
The second episode of The Umbrella Academy season 4 takes place the morning after the Hargreeves siblings' dinner together, and they're feeling serious effects of those marigold shots.
Warning: Major spoilers for The Umbrella Academy season 4 episode 2 are below.
Luther wakes up, feeling incredibly hungover, and when he goes to work his boss suspects he's on drugs. He begins a performance and realizes he somehow has impressive strength, dancing with women in the audience and picking them up. His powers are coming back, of course, but he doesn't realize it yet. Diego delivers packages and is also amused by his strength, finding the ability to throw mail into mailboxes perfectly without having to get out of the truck. Five accidentally blinks (a.k.a. teleports) and takes a sick day from the CIA office, unsure of what's going on.
The Hargreeves' powers have returned!
At the strip club, Luther begins taking...
Warning: Major spoilers for The Umbrella Academy season 4 episode 2 are below.
Luther wakes up, feeling incredibly hungover, and when he goes to work his boss suspects he's on drugs. He begins a performance and realizes he somehow has impressive strength, dancing with women in the audience and picking them up. His powers are coming back, of course, but he doesn't realize it yet. Diego delivers packages and is also amused by his strength, finding the ability to throw mail into mailboxes perfectly without having to get out of the truck. Five accidentally blinks (a.k.a. teleports) and takes a sick day from the CIA office, unsure of what's going on.
The Hargreeves' powers have returned!
At the strip club, Luther begins taking...
- 8/8/2024
- by Natalie Zamora
- ShowSnob
The following contains spoilers for The Umbrella Academy Season 4, now streaming on Netflix.
Superhero stories are stuck in an era of repetitiveness. Nearly every dead superhero comes back to life in the Marvel and DC universes. Homelander always wins on The Boys. Netflix's The Umbrella Academy also suffered this flaw in its first three seasons -- all of which concluded with an apocalypse that the Hargreeves siblings escaped from by using time travel. Fortunately, the fourth and final season of The Umbrella Academy breaks this pattern.
The Umbrella Academy Season 3 went all out to show off how wacky and eclectic the series was. But sticking the Hargreeves siblings in a separate timeline with the Sparrow Academy characters and a new timeline involving a universe-resetting hotel led to eyebrow-raising confusion. So The Umbrella Academy took advantage of its new reset and relied on the meat and potatoes of what makes the...
Superhero stories are stuck in an era of repetitiveness. Nearly every dead superhero comes back to life in the Marvel and DC universes. Homelander always wins on The Boys. Netflix's The Umbrella Academy also suffered this flaw in its first three seasons -- all of which concluded with an apocalypse that the Hargreeves siblings escaped from by using time travel. Fortunately, the fourth and final season of The Umbrella Academy breaks this pattern.
The Umbrella Academy Season 3 went all out to show off how wacky and eclectic the series was. But sticking the Hargreeves siblings in a separate timeline with the Sparrow Academy characters and a new timeline involving a universe-resetting hotel led to eyebrow-raising confusion. So The Umbrella Academy took advantage of its new reset and relied on the meat and potatoes of what makes the...
- 8/8/2024
- by Katie Doll
- CBR
Finally, The Umbrella Academy is back! The Netflix fan-favorite has returned for a fourth and final season and all six episodes are now available to stream. The premiere, "The Unbearable Tragedy of Getting What You Want," introduces us to the Hargreeves now that they've settled into their new realities: the reset timeline where they no longer have powers. Remember when Reginald reset everything at the end of season 3? Yeah, the siblings have all but accepted they aren't superheroes anymore.
But all of that might just change in The Umbrella Academy season 4! The premiere episode is a great reminder of why we love this Netflix Original so much.
Warning: Major spoilers for The Umbrella Academy season 4 episode 1 are below.
It's been six years since the events of the season 3 finale, and the season 4 premiere opens up by introducing us to two new characters who will be very important in this installment.
But all of that might just change in The Umbrella Academy season 4! The premiere episode is a great reminder of why we love this Netflix Original so much.
Warning: Major spoilers for The Umbrella Academy season 4 episode 1 are below.
It's been six years since the events of the season 3 finale, and the season 4 premiere opens up by introducing us to two new characters who will be very important in this installment.
- 8/8/2024
- by Natalie Zamora
- ShowSnob
A PSA video for The Umbrella Academy season 4 reveals more about Nick Offerman's character, Gene Thibedeau. Offerman, along with his wife Megan Mullally, play The Keepers and may pose a significant threat to the Umbrella Academy. As the PSA video shows, Gene and Jean Thibedeau can challenge Reginald's authority in the new timeline.
The Umbrella Academy provides more insight into Nick Offerman's season 4 role. Offerman makes his series debut in the final season of the popular show, in which he plays a member of a mysterious organization known as the Keepers within the new timeline that the Hargreeves children find themselves in. The Umbrella Academy season 3 ended with the titular group trapped in this new timeline without their powers, with Reginald Hargreeves (Colm Feore) and his wife Abigail Hargreeves (Liisa Repo-Martell) alive in this reality as well.
A new video from Still Watching Netflix titled "The Umbrella Effect...
The Umbrella Academy provides more insight into Nick Offerman's season 4 role. Offerman makes his series debut in the final season of the popular show, in which he plays a member of a mysterious organization known as the Keepers within the new timeline that the Hargreeves children find themselves in. The Umbrella Academy season 3 ended with the titular group trapped in this new timeline without their powers, with Reginald Hargreeves (Colm Feore) and his wife Abigail Hargreeves (Liisa Repo-Martell) alive in this reality as well.
A new video from Still Watching Netflix titled "The Umbrella Effect...
- 8/4/2024
- by Matthew Rudoy
- ScreenRant
Stars: James Hong, Michelle Mao, Dante Basco, Dave Sheridan, Bai Ling, Anna Harr, Matthew Sato, Zac Albright, Gedde Watanabe, George Takei | Written by Zack Ward, Ace Underhill | Directed by Zack Ward
The Keepers of the 5 Kingdoms is the latest film in James Hong’s impressive career. It’s a career that goes back to the 1950s, and between then, and now he’s racked up over 450 credits as an actor, including Big Trouble in Little China, Kung Fu Panda, Batman: Soul of the Dragon and Everything Everywhere All at Once. He’s also written and directed a handful of films, most notably the 1989 horror film The Vineyard.
Here he provided the story the script is based on as well as playing Chuck Lee, the grandfather of the film’s heroine Patsy Lee. Patsy is a studious young woman who just wants to get a scholarship so she can go...
The Keepers of the 5 Kingdoms is the latest film in James Hong’s impressive career. It’s a career that goes back to the 1950s, and between then, and now he’s racked up over 450 credits as an actor, including Big Trouble in Little China, Kung Fu Panda, Batman: Soul of the Dragon and Everything Everywhere All at Once. He’s also written and directed a handful of films, most notably the 1989 horror film The Vineyard.
Here he provided the story the script is based on as well as playing Chuck Lee, the grandfather of the film’s heroine Patsy Lee. Patsy is a studious young woman who just wants to get a scholarship so she can go...
- 6/20/2024
- by Jim Morazzini
- Nerdly
Explore other unsettling true-crime series like Wild Wild Country and Jeffrey Epstein: Filthy Rich for shocking revelations. Dive deep into the dark world of big-cat collectors with Tiger King for a thrilling and controversial true-crime experience. Uncover the disturbing secrets behind unsolved murders in The Keepers for a gripping look at power and corruption.
This article discusses heavy themes and extreme real world violence, including murder and sexual assault.
The thrilling story of The Jinx recently came to an end as audiences witnessed how the real estate heir and convicted murderer Robert Durst managed to evade justice for so long. While the family of Dursts murdered wife, Kathleen, continues to seek compensation from the Durst estate for her death (via The Guardian), many viewers will be searching for another true-crime series to be captivated by. The Jinx brought up many pressing questions around justice, wealth, and those who used...
This article discusses heavy themes and extreme real world violence, including murder and sexual assault.
The thrilling story of The Jinx recently came to an end as audiences witnessed how the real estate heir and convicted murderer Robert Durst managed to evade justice for so long. While the family of Dursts murdered wife, Kathleen, continues to seek compensation from the Durst estate for her death (via The Guardian), many viewers will be searching for another true-crime series to be captivated by. The Jinx brought up many pressing questions around justice, wealth, and those who used...
- 5/28/2024
- by Stephen Holland
- ScreenRant
When the first season of “The Jinx” concluded in 2015, it did so with a bang. That March, Robert Durst’s mumbled confession — “Killed them all, of course” — became the catchphrase of news broadcasts, late night shows and everyday conversations. It also sparked a trend in the larger television landscape. After years of being sidelined as a niche interest or confined to low-budget endeavors, true crime documentaries were at the forefront of pop culture.
“The Jinx” was followed by other buzzy, critically-acclaimed installments in the genre such as “Making a Murderer,” “Amanda Knox” and “The Keepers” on Netflix and “Mommy Dead and Dearest,” “I’ll Be Gone in the Dark” and “The Vow” on HBO. But the man who unintentionally sparked this boom doesn’t necessarily see it as a good thing.
“When people say true crime, I think there might be a misnomer,” Andrew Jarecki, the director behind both seasons of “The Jinx,...
“The Jinx” was followed by other buzzy, critically-acclaimed installments in the genre such as “Making a Murderer,” “Amanda Knox” and “The Keepers” on Netflix and “Mommy Dead and Dearest,” “I’ll Be Gone in the Dark” and “The Vow” on HBO. But the man who unintentionally sparked this boom doesn’t necessarily see it as a good thing.
“When people say true crime, I think there might be a misnomer,” Andrew Jarecki, the director behind both seasons of “The Jinx,...
- 5/27/2024
- by Kayla Cobb
- The Wrap
Nearly ten year after the Emmy Award-winning first season, “The Jinx” is remarkably back on HBO. Andrew Jarecki, Marc Smerling, and Zac Stuart-Pontier’s engrossing docuseries about the string of murders connected to Robert Durst built to a now-infamous climax, and will return with more story to tell April 21.
Before that, it’s worth revisiting the 2015 series and decades of headlines it interrogates. “The Jinx” gripped its audience with mounting evidence against Durst and a scintillating narrative structure, but also quickly came under fire for manipulating the timeline and even Durst’s hot mic recordings for dramatic effect. In 2015, IndieWire’s Matt Brennan pointed out that “The Jinx” set an impossible standard for documentary drama — one that the series itself had arguably not cleared in the first place. Jessica Kiang wrote that “This is not Jarecki’s gotcha so much as it is a self-initiated, cloudily motivated performance piece of Durst’s,...
Before that, it’s worth revisiting the 2015 series and decades of headlines it interrogates. “The Jinx” gripped its audience with mounting evidence against Durst and a scintillating narrative structure, but also quickly came under fire for manipulating the timeline and even Durst’s hot mic recordings for dramatic effect. In 2015, IndieWire’s Matt Brennan pointed out that “The Jinx” set an impossible standard for documentary drama — one that the series itself had arguably not cleared in the first place. Jessica Kiang wrote that “This is not Jarecki’s gotcha so much as it is a self-initiated, cloudily motivated performance piece of Durst’s,...
- 4/18/2024
- by Proma Khosla
- Indiewire
Player-created alternate ending for Hogwarts Legacy adds depth and intrigue to Isadora Morganach's fate, leaving fans pondering "What if?" The current game ending falls flat for many players, offering simplistic choices and lacking significant impact or repercussions. With the upcoming summer update, the Hogwarts Legacy community eagerly awaits new features and improvements.
If the ending to Hogwarts Legacy left players cold, one fan has pitched an excellent alternative that would actually deliver a fairly compelling twist regarding the fate of Isador Morganach. While Harry Potter fans may have adored the game's faithful recreation of the magical school and the general Wizarding World, many have expressed disappointment regarding the story, believing it to be a fairly cliche narrative that doesn't end on a high. Fortunately, one imaginative player has concocted a significantly better conclusion that makes one ask, "What if?"
Posted to Hogwarts Legacy's Reddit by shbangabang, the user's speculative alternate...
If the ending to Hogwarts Legacy left players cold, one fan has pitched an excellent alternative that would actually deliver a fairly compelling twist regarding the fate of Isador Morganach. While Harry Potter fans may have adored the game's faithful recreation of the magical school and the general Wizarding World, many have expressed disappointment regarding the story, believing it to be a fairly cliche narrative that doesn't end on a high. Fortunately, one imaginative player has concocted a significantly better conclusion that makes one ask, "What if?"
Posted to Hogwarts Legacy's Reddit by shbangabang, the user's speculative alternate...
- 3/20/2024
- by Brad Lang
- ScreenRant
For almost a decade, streaming giant Netflix has continued to solidify itself as a home for terrific true crime content. From the instantly viral premiere of Making a Murderer in 2015, the service has continually generated incredibly well-made docuseries like The Keepers, Keep Sweet: Pray and Obey, The Tinder Swindler, and The Murdaugh Murders. While other platforms have struggled to generate programs that capture the world's attention, Netflix has the ability to create shows that don't rush through the details, taking the time to give their interviewees and the victims of the crimes they're discussing the time and attention they deserve. Their newest docuseries, Homicide: New York hopes to accomplish this same goal, as it discusses the infamous murders that have occurred in New York City throughout its history.
- 3/16/2024
- by Emily Cappello
- Collider.com
Baywatch star? Canadian icon? Animal rights activist? Playboy model? Nineties tabloid staple? Forget what you think you know about Pamela Anderson. A new Netflix documentary attempts to explore every facet of a woman who’s been in the spotlight — for better or worse – for over 30 years.
Directed by Ryan White, the as-of-yet untitled movie promises “an intimate portrait embedded in the life of Pamela Anderson as she looks back at her professional and personal path and prepares for the next steps on her journey.” White’s past credits include The Keepers, a Netflix docuseries investigating the cold case of murdered nun Catherine Cesnik in 1969.
Along with exclusive interviews with Anderson herself, viewers will have access to never-before-seen archival footage and personal journals to unpack her experience in Hollywood and beyond — in her own words this time.
Directed by Ryan White, the as-of-yet untitled movie promises “an intimate portrait embedded in the life of Pamela Anderson as she looks back at her professional and personal path and prepares for the next steps on her journey.” White’s past credits include The Keepers, a Netflix docuseries investigating the cold case of murdered nun Catherine Cesnik in 1969.
Along with exclusive interviews with Anderson herself, viewers will have access to never-before-seen archival footage and personal journals to unpack her experience in Hollywood and beyond — in her own words this time.
- 2/22/2024
- by Anne Cohen
- Tudum - Netflix
There is no dearth of true crime documentaries on Netflix. Most of these documentaries cover the ways in which the subject targeted women until the authorities finally tracked them down. Tinder Swindler, Night Stalker: The Hunt for a Serial Killer, The Keepers, and The Ripper are some examples of true crime documentaries released by Netflix, and the streaming giant has somehow aced this form of content. Yet another addition to this genre is Liza Williams’ Can I Tell You a Secret, which chronicles the story of a man who cyberbullied countless women in his vicinity. This two-part documentary miniseries was released on February 21, 2024.
The documentary begins with Zoe, Abby, and Lia, the victims of the stalker, discussing in detail how a random stranger contacted them on their phone through Snapchat and Instagram and began to bully them. It began as a normal conversation, which turned into a nightmare for the...
The documentary begins with Zoe, Abby, and Lia, the victims of the stalker, discussing in detail how a random stranger contacted them on their phone through Snapchat and Instagram and began to bully them. It began as a normal conversation, which turned into a nightmare for the...
- 2/22/2024
- by Smriti Kannan
- Film Fugitives
It might seem contradictory that the rise of short video clip popularity coincided with the popularity of long form journalism, but Netflix may be the common factor. The streaming network didn’t invent true crime documentation, but it helped shape the style, and keeps a vast repository of the hottest cold cases.
Real-life crime stories are riveting, whether the watcher is concerned about avoiding such events or solving them. There is something for every taste, from feature-length documentaries to full series. Not all crimes are equal under the laws of public opinion, but these are some of the most dangerously addictive true crime offerings currently available on Netflix.
Making a Murderer (2015)
Moira Demos and Laura Ricciardi’s 10-part documentary on Steven Avery catapulted Netflix to the top of the True Crime streaming game. Making a Murderer spurred the fascination with the genre more than any other series. Avery served 18 years...
Real-life crime stories are riveting, whether the watcher is concerned about avoiding such events or solving them. There is something for every taste, from feature-length documentaries to full series. Not all crimes are equal under the laws of public opinion, but these are some of the most dangerously addictive true crime offerings currently available on Netflix.
Making a Murderer (2015)
Moira Demos and Laura Ricciardi’s 10-part documentary on Steven Avery catapulted Netflix to the top of the True Crime streaming game. Making a Murderer spurred the fascination with the genre more than any other series. Avery served 18 years...
- 9/8/2023
- by Alec Bojalad
- Den of Geek
Before working on “Pamela, a love story,” director Ryan White admits that there was no one more skeptical about making a Pamela Anderson documentary than him. “I think that’s because, like a lot of people, I had all of these preconceived notions about who Pamela Anderson is or who she would be today and I wasn’t really interested in being a part of that story,” he tells Gold Derby during our recent Meet the Experts: TV Documentary panel (watch the exclusive video interview above). All of that changed for White when he got the chance to have a Zoom session with Anderson. “I was so fascinated with who she appeared to be in this little box in front of me and I thought, ‘Wow. If I’m this surprised right now, if we could show an audience who this woman really is, that could be the recipe for a great documentary.
- 8/15/2023
- by Charles Bright
- Gold Derby
Five documentary filmmakers will reveal secrets behind their projects when they join Gold Derby’s special “Meet the Experts” Q&a event with 2023 Emmy Awards nominees. They will participate in two video discussions to premiere on Thursday, August 10, at 6:00 p.m. Pt; 9:00 p.m. Et. We’ll have a one-on-one with our senior editor Charles Bright and a roundtable chat with all of the group together.
RSVP today to our entire ongoing contenders panel series by clicking here to book your free reservation. We’ll send you a reminder a few minutes before the start of the show.
Judy Blume Forever (Amazon Prime)
Synopsis: Judy Blume and the generations of readers who have sparked to her work. It will examine her impact on pop culture and the occasional controversies over her frankness about puberty and sex.
Bio: Leah Wolchok is an Emmy nominee for “Judy Blume Forever.” Her...
RSVP today to our entire ongoing contenders panel series by clicking here to book your free reservation. We’ll send you a reminder a few minutes before the start of the show.
Judy Blume Forever (Amazon Prime)
Synopsis: Judy Blume and the generations of readers who have sparked to her work. It will examine her impact on pop culture and the occasional controversies over her frankness about puberty and sex.
Bio: Leah Wolchok is an Emmy nominee for “Judy Blume Forever.” Her...
- 8/3/2023
- by Chris Beachum and Charles Bright
- Gold Derby
It is not uncommon for a major network or a streaming service to develop a film or series surrounding a real-life crime case. Some famous movies and series based on crime cases were Netflix’s The Trial of the Chicago 7 and The Keepers, Lifetime’s Cleveland Abduction, 2007’s Jake Gyllenhaal and Mark Ruffalo starred Zodiac, and many more.
One such true case that made headlines was the gruesome murder of Betty Gore back in 1980, famously known as the Candy Montgomery case. The 1990s Stephen Gyllenhaal-directed television film A Killing In A Small Town was based on this case. Over three decades after its release, we are back again with new shows based on this perplexing story. However, what’s unusual this time is that Candy Montgomery’s case is made into a series by not just one but two networks almost simultaneously.
Updated July 5, 2023: This article has...
One such true case that made headlines was the gruesome murder of Betty Gore back in 1980, famously known as the Candy Montgomery case. The 1990s Stephen Gyllenhaal-directed television film A Killing In A Small Town was based on this case. Over three decades after its release, we are back again with new shows based on this perplexing story. However, what’s unusual this time is that Candy Montgomery’s case is made into a series by not just one but two networks almost simultaneously.
Updated July 5, 2023: This article has...
- 7/6/2023
- by Ronald Rajan
- MovieWeb
Six TV documentarians will reveal secrets behind their projects when they join Gold Derby’s special “Meet the Experts” Q&a event with 2023 Emmy Awards contenders. They will participate in two video discussions to premiere on Tuesday, May 16, at 6:00 p.m. Pt; 9:00 p.m. Et. We’ll have a one-on-one with our senior editor Denton Davidson and a roundtable chat with all of the group together.
RSVP today to our entire ongoing contenders panel series by clicking here to book your free reservation. We’ll send you a reminder a few minutes before the start of the show.
This “Meet the Experts” panel welcomes the following Emmy contenders:
Dear Mama (FX)
Synopsis: It follows the life and legacy of Tupac Shakur and his mother, the Black Panther activist Afeni Shakur.
Bio: Allen Hughes is an Emmy nominee for “The Defiant Ones.” His career has included “Menace II Society,...
RSVP today to our entire ongoing contenders panel series by clicking here to book your free reservation. We’ll send you a reminder a few minutes before the start of the show.
This “Meet the Experts” panel welcomes the following Emmy contenders:
Dear Mama (FX)
Synopsis: It follows the life and legacy of Tupac Shakur and his mother, the Black Panther activist Afeni Shakur.
Bio: Allen Hughes is an Emmy nominee for “The Defiant Ones.” His career has included “Menace II Society,...
- 5/9/2023
- by Chris Beachum and Denton Davidson
- Gold Derby
On January 31, 2023, Netflix released “Pamela, a Love Story,” a documentary telling the story of Pamela Anderson in her own words. It is described as “an intimate and humanizing portrait of one of the world’s most famous blonde bombshells. ‘Pamela, a Love Story’ follows the trajectory of Anderson’s life and career from small town girl to international sex symbol, actress, activist and doting mother.”
Early reviews are stellar for the film from Emmy-nominated director Ryan White. It currently holds a perfect 100 freshness rating on Rotten Tomatoes, with an audience score of 88. Read our review roundup of “Pamela, a Love Story” below.
See Rian Johnson on planting ‘Glass Onion’ clues in plain sight and his ‘pretty cool’ Oscar nomination [Exclusive Video Interview]
Peter Bradshaw of The Guardian praises the star, writing, “Pamela Anderson is an authentically likable screen presence in this intimate, if somehow elusive, documentary portrait from Ryan White; it is about...
Early reviews are stellar for the film from Emmy-nominated director Ryan White. It currently holds a perfect 100 freshness rating on Rotten Tomatoes, with an audience score of 88. Read our review roundup of “Pamela, a Love Story” below.
See Rian Johnson on planting ‘Glass Onion’ clues in plain sight and his ‘pretty cool’ Oscar nomination [Exclusive Video Interview]
Peter Bradshaw of The Guardian praises the star, writing, “Pamela Anderson is an authentically likable screen presence in this intimate, if somehow elusive, documentary portrait from Ryan White; it is about...
- 2/1/2023
- by Vincent Mandile
- Gold Derby
In recent years, the documentary realm has been the place for cultural reappraisals of famous women torn asunder by the invisible hands of misogyny. A series of documentaries and investigative pieces surrounding Britney Spears, coupled with the fan-initiated #FreeBritney movement, led to the end of the pop superstar’s cruel conservatorship. A doc on Janet Jackson reassessed her unconscionable castigation in the wake of that Super Bowl wardrobe mishap, while a two-part docuseries at this year’s Sundance examined the nauseating child sexualization and commodification of Brooke Shields.
Netflix is...
Netflix is...
- 1/27/2023
- by Marlow Stern
- Rollingstone.com
by Nathaniel R
Director Ryan White and his new film "Good Night Oppy"
In October I had the pleasure of introducing director Ryan White to a warmly receptive audience at the 10th annual Middleburg Film Festival. They'd just screened his buzzy documentary Good Night Oppy and there was lots of love in the room. That's been a through line with the film wherever it's shown. The space exploration documentary has since received glowing notices and several awards including five wins at the Critics Choice Documentary Awards. The charming doc about two sister robots on Mars, "Opportunity" and "Spirit", who wildly surpassed initial expectations, also represents a change of pace for the director. He's always had range. His previous lauded projects have included films as varied as the Oscar finalist short Coded (2021) about the gay golden age illustrator J.C. Leyendecker, the Emmy-nominated political doc The Case Against 8 (2014), the Emmy nominated...
Director Ryan White and his new film "Good Night Oppy"
In October I had the pleasure of introducing director Ryan White to a warmly receptive audience at the 10th annual Middleburg Film Festival. They'd just screened his buzzy documentary Good Night Oppy and there was lots of love in the room. That's been a through line with the film wherever it's shown. The space exploration documentary has since received glowing notices and several awards including five wins at the Critics Choice Documentary Awards. The charming doc about two sister robots on Mars, "Opportunity" and "Spirit", who wildly surpassed initial expectations, also represents a change of pace for the director. He's always had range. His previous lauded projects have included films as varied as the Oscar finalist short Coded (2021) about the gay golden age illustrator J.C. Leyendecker, the Emmy-nominated political doc The Case Against 8 (2014), the Emmy nominated...
- 12/15/2022
- by NATHANIEL R
- FilmExperience
The first official photos for Pamela, a love story, the upcoming Netflix documentary, have arrived to take you down memory lane. In addition to the images, Netflix’s Pamela, a love story documentary will be released on the streaming platform on January 31, 2023. Unlike Hulu’s Pam & Tommy scripted TV series, which profited off of one of the most traumatic events of Anderson’s career, Netflix’s documentary is an intimate and humanizing portrait of one of the world’s most famous blonde bombshells. Pamela, a love story follows Pamela Anderson’s life and career trajectory from small-town girl to international sex symbol, actress, activist, and doting mother.
In Netflix’s Pamela, a love story documentary, the fair-haired icon reveals her thoughts about Hulu’s Pam & Tommy, the devastating events concerning the stolen tape, marriages, and misconceptions about who she is in the grand scheme we call life. The...
In Netflix’s Pamela, a love story documentary, the fair-haired icon reveals her thoughts about Hulu’s Pam & Tommy, the devastating events concerning the stolen tape, marriages, and misconceptions about who she is in the grand scheme we call life. The...
- 12/13/2022
- by Steve Seigh
- JoBlo.com
Netflix’s The State of Alabama vs Brittany Smith, a taut true-crime documentary from The Keepers director Ryan White, follows the distressing story of an Alabama mother who was charged with murdering a man she said raped her.
Smith’s case became the focus of an attention-grabbing New Yorker investigation, in part because Smith invoked a “stand your ground” defence. In over 30 US states, including Alabama, state law makes it legal to use lethal force to defend oneself against threats or even perceived threats. In this case, Smith was cornered in her own home by her assailant – an old acquaintance called Todd Smith – who told Smith he’d kill her if she called the police.
But her stand your ground defence failed. In fact, as journalist Elizabeth Flock, who serves as executive producer on the Netflix series, found, women are much less likely than men to successfully invoke “stand your...
Smith’s case became the focus of an attention-grabbing New Yorker investigation, in part because Smith invoked a “stand your ground” defence. In over 30 US states, including Alabama, state law makes it legal to use lethal force to defend oneself against threats or even perceived threats. In this case, Smith was cornered in her own home by her assailant – an old acquaintance called Todd Smith – who told Smith he’d kill her if she called the police.
But her stand your ground defence failed. In fact, as journalist Elizabeth Flock, who serves as executive producer on the Netflix series, found, women are much less likely than men to successfully invoke “stand your...
- 11/10/2022
- by Amanda Whiting
- The Independent - TV
Four top film documentary filmmakers will reveal secrets behind their projects when they join Gold Derby’s special “Meet the Experts” Q&a event with 2022/2023 awards contenders. They will participate in two video discussions to premiere on Wednesday, November 16, at 6:00 p.m. Pt; 9:00 p.m. Et. We’ll have a one-on-one with our contributing editor Charles Bright and a roundtable chat with all of the group together.
RSVP today to our entire ongoing contenders panel series by clicking here to book your free reservation. We’ll send you a reminder a few minutes before the start of the show.
This “Meet the Experts” panel welcomes the following Oscar and guild contenders:
Good Night Oppy (Amazon Prime)
Synopsis: The film follows Opportunity, the Mars Exploration Rover affectionately dubbed Oppy by her creators and scientists at NASA. Oppy was originally expected to live for only 90 days but she ultimately explored Mars for nearly 15 years.
RSVP today to our entire ongoing contenders panel series by clicking here to book your free reservation. We’ll send you a reminder a few minutes before the start of the show.
This “Meet the Experts” panel welcomes the following Oscar and guild contenders:
Good Night Oppy (Amazon Prime)
Synopsis: The film follows Opportunity, the Mars Exploration Rover affectionately dubbed Oppy by her creators and scientists at NASA. Oppy was originally expected to live for only 90 days but she ultimately explored Mars for nearly 15 years.
- 11/9/2022
- by Chris Beachum and Charles Bright
- Gold Derby
Click here to read the full article.
NASA missions and movie productions have more in common than you might think, according to Steve Squyres, a scientist who was the principal investigator of the Mars Exploration Rover Mission.
“There are way, way more good ideas for movies than there are movies that actually get made,” Squyres tells The Hollywood Reporter. “And there are way, way more good ideas for space missions than there are missions that actually get selected to fly. With space missions there’s even more money on the line. The time that it takes to make the thing is comparable or maybe longer. And if you fail, you fail big.”
Squyres has a unique perspective on the similarities between the space exploration and entertainment businesses, because both his brother and daughter work as film editors. But that perspective is deepening lately thanks to a new role the scientist...
NASA missions and movie productions have more in common than you might think, according to Steve Squyres, a scientist who was the principal investigator of the Mars Exploration Rover Mission.
“There are way, way more good ideas for movies than there are movies that actually get made,” Squyres tells The Hollywood Reporter. “And there are way, way more good ideas for space missions than there are missions that actually get selected to fly. With space missions there’s even more money on the line. The time that it takes to make the thing is comparable or maybe longer. And if you fail, you fail big.”
Squyres has a unique perspective on the similarities between the space exploration and entertainment businesses, because both his brother and daughter work as film editors. But that perspective is deepening lately thanks to a new role the scientist...
- 9/5/2022
- by Rebecca Keegan
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Pamela Anderson is telling her story, her way, with a new documentary set at Netflix.
Anderson announced the news on social media with a handwritten note on Netflix letterhead, which reads: “My life/ A thousand imperfections/ A million misperceptions/ Wicked, wild and lost/ Nothing to live up to /I can only surprise you /Not a victim, but a survivor /And alive to tell the real story.”
Anderson’s son Brandon Thomas Lee, who serves as a producer on the project, reposted the note on his Instagram story emphasizing the phrase, “The real story,” as did her younger son Dylan Jagger Lee.
Dubbed the “definitive documentary about the pop culture icon,” the film has been in the making for several years before landing at the streamer. Directed by Ryan White, the yet-to-be-titled documentary will feature exclusive access to Anderson, as well as archival footage and her personal journals.
The film’s...
Anderson announced the news on social media with a handwritten note on Netflix letterhead, which reads: “My life/ A thousand imperfections/ A million misperceptions/ Wicked, wild and lost/ Nothing to live up to /I can only surprise you /Not a victim, but a survivor /And alive to tell the real story.”
Anderson’s son Brandon Thomas Lee, who serves as a producer on the project, reposted the note on his Instagram story emphasizing the phrase, “The real story,” as did her younger son Dylan Jagger Lee.
Dubbed the “definitive documentary about the pop culture icon,” the film has been in the making for several years before landing at the streamer. Directed by Ryan White, the yet-to-be-titled documentary will feature exclusive access to Anderson, as well as archival footage and her personal journals.
The film’s...
- 3/2/2022
- by Angelique Jackson
- Variety Film + TV
They’re after you, and your wives and children! This Corman/VeSota/Ed Nelson shocker with the excellent poster is a Robert Heinlein knockoff that can’t quite sustain the paranoid pitch of other ‘parasitic possession’ sci-fi horror epics. One of the cheapest of the drive-in cheapies, it remains a must-see title just for the audacity of its ad campaign, and a random moment or two of spooky serendipity. Don’t get your hopes up if you’re coming to see Leonard Nimoy’s performance — unless his voice is enough to satisfy.
The Brain Eaters
Blu-ray
1958 / B&w / 1:85 widescreen / 61 min. / Street Date January, 2022
Starring: Ed Nelson, Alan Frost, Jack Hill, Joanna Lee, Jody Fair, David Hughes, Robert Ball, Greigh Phillips, Orville Sherman, Leonard Nemoy (Nimoy),, Doug Banks, Saul Bronson, Hampton Fancher.
Cinematography: Larry Raimond
Art Director: Burt Shonberg
Film Editor: Carlo Lodato
Written by Gordon Urquhart
Uncredited Executive Producer:...
The Brain Eaters
Blu-ray
1958 / B&w / 1:85 widescreen / 61 min. / Street Date January, 2022
Starring: Ed Nelson, Alan Frost, Jack Hill, Joanna Lee, Jody Fair, David Hughes, Robert Ball, Greigh Phillips, Orville Sherman, Leonard Nemoy (Nimoy),, Doug Banks, Saul Bronson, Hampton Fancher.
Cinematography: Larry Raimond
Art Director: Burt Shonberg
Film Editor: Carlo Lodato
Written by Gordon Urquhart
Uncredited Executive Producer:...
- 2/5/2022
- by Glenn Erickson
- Trailers from Hell
Nonfiction filmmaker Ryan White has explored queer American life in the past, with the HBO documentary “The Case Against 8” and the Apple TV+ docuseries “Visible: Out on Television.” He turns the clock farther back with the documentary short “Coded: The Hidden Love of J.C. Leyendecker.” Could it be his Oscar breakthrough?
J.C. Leyendecker was an artist in the early 20th century who created illustrations for advertisements and magazine covers. He was also a gay man who snuck homoeroticism into his male imagery, and while he enjoyed great success during his life, he isn’t as well remembered now as Norman Rockwell, who came after him. White tells his story with a combination of animation, interviews, and archival materials, with Neil Patrick Harris narrating in the voice of Leyendecker.
SEEFilm documentary roundtable panel: ‘Becoming Cousteau,’ ‘A Cop Movie,’ ‘My Name is Pauli Murray,’ ‘Simple as Water,’ ‘The Velvet Underground...
J.C. Leyendecker was an artist in the early 20th century who created illustrations for advertisements and magazine covers. He was also a gay man who snuck homoeroticism into his male imagery, and while he enjoyed great success during his life, he isn’t as well remembered now as Norman Rockwell, who came after him. White tells his story with a combination of animation, interviews, and archival materials, with Neil Patrick Harris narrating in the voice of Leyendecker.
SEEFilm documentary roundtable panel: ‘Becoming Cousteau,’ ‘A Cop Movie,’ ‘My Name is Pauli Murray,’ ‘Simple as Water,’ ‘The Velvet Underground...
- 12/3/2021
- by Daniel Montgomery
- Gold Derby
Jewish Story Partners, the non-profit film fund that launched six months ago, announced its second round of grant recipients on Monday. The winners came after an open submissions call that saw a 226% increase in participation from the first round.
An additional $280,000 has been awarded this year, bringing Jsp’s 2021 spend to $500,000 as they identify nonfiction work telling diverse Jewish stories. International filmmakers and fiction projects will be sought in the future. The group anticipates to hand out $800,000 in 2022 and $1 million by 2023.
New funders include the Lynn and Jules Kroll Fund for Jewish Documentary Films, Charles and Lynn Schusterman Family Philanthropies, Kronhill Pletka Foundation and Koret Foundation.
Monday’s grants will fund noted documentary filmmakers including: Kate Amend, Marilyn Ness, Pratibha Parmar, Dan Sturman and Ondi Timoner.
“Jewish documentary films are a window into the richness and complexity of the arc of Jewish history and Jewish lives today,” said Lynn and...
An additional $280,000 has been awarded this year, bringing Jsp’s 2021 spend to $500,000 as they identify nonfiction work telling diverse Jewish stories. International filmmakers and fiction projects will be sought in the future. The group anticipates to hand out $800,000 in 2022 and $1 million by 2023.
New funders include the Lynn and Jules Kroll Fund for Jewish Documentary Films, Charles and Lynn Schusterman Family Philanthropies, Kronhill Pletka Foundation and Koret Foundation.
Monday’s grants will fund noted documentary filmmakers including: Kate Amend, Marilyn Ness, Pratibha Parmar, Dan Sturman and Ondi Timoner.
“Jewish documentary films are a window into the richness and complexity of the arc of Jewish history and Jewish lives today,” said Lynn and...
- 11/22/2021
- by Matt Donnelly
- Variety Film + TV
MTV Documentary Films has acquired Imagine Documentaries and Delirio Films’ documentary short “Coded: The Hidden Love of J.C. Leyendecker.”
Directed by Ryan White, “Coded” tells the story of early 20th century gay illustrator J.C. Leyendecker, whose advertising work was often coded with LGBTQ imagery. Despite Leyendecker’s success — he had more Saturday Evening Post covers than Norman Rockwell — his legacy has largely gone unnoticed.
The film, narrated by Neil Patrick Harris, won the best documentary short award at the 2021 Tribeca Film Festival.
MTV announced the acquisition on Thursday morning.
“I’m thrilled to partner with [executive producer, MTV Documentary Films] Sheila Nevins and the team at MTV Documentary Films to bring ‘Coded: The Hidden Love of J. C. Leyendecker’ to a global audience,” White said in a statement. “The personal story of J.C. Leyendecker has been in many ways lost to history, so I hope ‘Coded: The Hidden Love of J. C.
Directed by Ryan White, “Coded” tells the story of early 20th century gay illustrator J.C. Leyendecker, whose advertising work was often coded with LGBTQ imagery. Despite Leyendecker’s success — he had more Saturday Evening Post covers than Norman Rockwell — his legacy has largely gone unnoticed.
The film, narrated by Neil Patrick Harris, won the best documentary short award at the 2021 Tribeca Film Festival.
MTV announced the acquisition on Thursday morning.
“I’m thrilled to partner with [executive producer, MTV Documentary Films] Sheila Nevins and the team at MTV Documentary Films to bring ‘Coded: The Hidden Love of J. C. Leyendecker’ to a global audience,” White said in a statement. “The personal story of J.C. Leyendecker has been in many ways lost to history, so I hope ‘Coded: The Hidden Love of J. C.
- 8/26/2021
- by Marc Malkin
- Variety Film + TV
With so much available on Netflix these days, some of the most captivating TV comes from true crime shows. If you haven't watched all the shows on this list you're missing on some great TV. Before we get started, here are a few shows that didn't quite make the list; honorable mentions to Manhunt, Real Detective, The Innocence Files, Cocaine Coast and The Staircase.
Dirty Money
Dirty Money isn't your typical crime docuseries. In its two seasons on Netflix , it covers a wide range of corporate corruption from the Volkswagen emissions scandal to Donald Trump and Jared Kushner. It also tackles what Point Comfort, TX went through in its fight with toxic chemicals as well as taking us to Malaysia in order to discuss their 6th Prime Minister, Najib Razak, who left the country in debt due to his massive loans and big parties.
Dirty Money even goes as far...
Dirty Money
Dirty Money isn't your typical crime docuseries. In its two seasons on Netflix , it covers a wide range of corporate corruption from the Volkswagen emissions scandal to Donald Trump and Jared Kushner. It also tackles what Point Comfort, TX went through in its fight with toxic chemicals as well as taking us to Malaysia in order to discuss their 6th Prime Minister, Najib Razak, who left the country in debt due to his massive loans and big parties.
Dirty Money even goes as far...
- 7/24/2021
- by JC Traversy
- MovieWeb
Peter Berg’s Film 44 production company has secured a first-look deal with Netflix to produce and direct live-action films and series, they announced jointly Monday.
“For me, in this moment, Netflix is the perfect creative fit,” Berg said in a statement. “I could not be more excited to get to work!”
“Pete Berg has created iconic television. Authentic, visceral and kinetic, Berg’s style has elevated storytelling for years and we are proud to welcome him to Netflix,” Brian Wright, head of overall deals at Netflix, said.
Tendo Nagenda, vice president of Netflix Film, added, “Pete makes movies that captivate and thrill us…We’re thrilled to have him and Film 44 officially at Netflix.” Berg and Netflix film chief Scott Stuber have worked together in the past, including on the films “Patriot’s Day” and “Kingdom.”
Berg, a director, producer and actor, is the founder of Film Forties, a...
“For me, in this moment, Netflix is the perfect creative fit,” Berg said in a statement. “I could not be more excited to get to work!”
“Pete Berg has created iconic television. Authentic, visceral and kinetic, Berg’s style has elevated storytelling for years and we are proud to welcome him to Netflix,” Brian Wright, head of overall deals at Netflix, said.
Tendo Nagenda, vice president of Netflix Film, added, “Pete makes movies that captivate and thrill us…We’re thrilled to have him and Film 44 officially at Netflix.” Berg and Netflix film chief Scott Stuber have worked together in the past, including on the films “Patriot’s Day” and “Kingdom.”
Berg, a director, producer and actor, is the founder of Film Forties, a...
- 3/29/2021
- by Diane Haithman
- The Wrap
Amazon Studios, Film 45, Amblin Television and Tripod Media are co-producing the upcoming feature documentary “Good Night Oppy” from director Ryan White.
With the support of NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory and Industrial Light & Magic, the film recounts the true story of Mars exploration rover Opportunity and the bond forged between the robot and the humans that created her. Opportunity, nicknamed “Oppy,” was originally expected to live for only 90 days, but ended up exploring the Red Planet for nearly 15 years.
“We are so thrilled to be working with these extraordinary partners to bring Oppy’s story to our global customers,” said Jennifer Salke, head of Amazon Studios. “The innovation and determination that made Oppy’s journey possible, and the spirit of discovery that drives the team at Jpl, are an inspiration. As we celebrate their achievements, we are delighted to also be working with the extremely talented filmmaker Ryan White, and...
With the support of NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory and Industrial Light & Magic, the film recounts the true story of Mars exploration rover Opportunity and the bond forged between the robot and the humans that created her. Opportunity, nicknamed “Oppy,” was originally expected to live for only 90 days, but ended up exploring the Red Planet for nearly 15 years.
“We are so thrilled to be working with these extraordinary partners to bring Oppy’s story to our global customers,” said Jennifer Salke, head of Amazon Studios. “The innovation and determination that made Oppy’s journey possible, and the spirit of discovery that drives the team at Jpl, are an inspiration. As we celebrate their achievements, we are delighted to also be working with the extremely talented filmmaker Ryan White, and...
- 3/5/2021
- by Natalie Oganesyan
- Variety Film + TV
Shortly after NASA landed its Curiosity and Perseverance rovers on Mars, a new documentary is in the works about another little robot that first captured hearts and minds: Opportunity, the Mars Exploration Rover.
The film about this “real-life Wall-e” is called “Good Night Oppy” and will be directed by “Assassins” filmmaker Ryan White. The heartwarming film shows how a robot that was only expected to be active for 90 days managed to explore Mars for nearly 15 years before making its final contact in June 2018. It’s about a robot traveling a planet on her own, but also about the literal connection and bond formed between human and machine.
Amazon Studios, Film 45, Amblin Television and Tripod Media are co-producing “Good Night Oppy,” which is currently in production and has the support of NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory (Jpl) and Industrial Light & Magic (Ilm). The documentary was even part of an intense bidding...
The film about this “real-life Wall-e” is called “Good Night Oppy” and will be directed by “Assassins” filmmaker Ryan White. The heartwarming film shows how a robot that was only expected to be active for 90 days managed to explore Mars for nearly 15 years before making its final contact in June 2018. It’s about a robot traveling a planet on her own, but also about the literal connection and bond formed between human and machine.
Amazon Studios, Film 45, Amblin Television and Tripod Media are co-producing “Good Night Oppy,” which is currently in production and has the support of NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory (Jpl) and Industrial Light & Magic (Ilm). The documentary was even part of an intense bidding...
- 3/5/2021
- by Brian Welk
- The Wrap
Filmmaker Ryan White says his documentary feature “Assassins” one of the hardest documentaries he’s made. White’s credits include: “Visible: Out on Television” and “The Keepers.”
The road to “Assassins,” now streaming on virtual cinema took White down into the underbelly of Malaysia, dark alleys, taxis and a dive into the North Korean regime. Kim Jong-nam — half-brother of North Korean dictator Kim Jong-un — was assassinated as he was preparing to board a flight. Doan Thi Huong and Siti Aisyah stood trial for the murder and assassination. However, they told their lawyer they believed they had been recruited for a reality TV show. On hearing that, White was interested in following the trail and trial.
As White told his story and discusses the film’s distribution, he says the release plan in the U.S. was a “bumpier road” because, “I think that feeling from corporations could be hacked in...
The road to “Assassins,” now streaming on virtual cinema took White down into the underbelly of Malaysia, dark alleys, taxis and a dive into the North Korean regime. Kim Jong-nam — half-brother of North Korean dictator Kim Jong-un — was assassinated as he was preparing to board a flight. Doan Thi Huong and Siti Aisyah stood trial for the murder and assassination. However, they told their lawyer they believed they had been recruited for a reality TV show. On hearing that, White was interested in following the trail and trial.
As White told his story and discusses the film’s distribution, he says the release plan in the U.S. was a “bumpier road” because, “I think that feeling from corporations could be hacked in...
- 12/15/2020
- by Jazz Tangcay
- Variety Film + TV
Last Updated: November 12, 2020 Are you finding yourself in the mood for murder, most foul? Well, we have you covered with our list of the Best Crime Series on Netflix. From docuseries like The Keepers to updated classics like Sherlock, not to mention Netflix originals Mindhunter and Bloodline, as well as British series like Happy Valley, there should be something to tempt you below. Like with our Best TV Dramas on Netflix, we have even more lists of TV subgenres on the streaming giant to share, including the Best Sci-Fi and Fantasy and Best TV Comedies, and more. …...
- 11/12/2020
- by Collider Staff
- Collider.com
Were two young women responsible for the assassination of Kim Jong-nam, the half-brother of North Korean dictator Kim Jong-un? That’s the question director Ryan White tries to explore in his bonkers documentary “Assassins.”
“Assassins” premiered at Sundance earlier this year and examines what pundits have called one of the wildest murder cases of the 21st Century. In 2017, Kim Jong-nam was assassinated at Malaysia’s international airport, with the entire act captured on security cameras in broad daylight. Two teenage girls could be seen grabbing Jong-nam from behind and covering his eyes with their hands.
What the movie hopes to determine is whether the girls knew that their hands were covered with Vx, a lethal nerve gas that left him dead within an hour. What at first appears to be a cut and dry case soon reveals that the girls supposedly believed they were participating in a video prank show for easy money.
“Assassins” premiered at Sundance earlier this year and examines what pundits have called one of the wildest murder cases of the 21st Century. In 2017, Kim Jong-nam was assassinated at Malaysia’s international airport, with the entire act captured on security cameras in broad daylight. Two teenage girls could be seen grabbing Jong-nam from behind and covering his eyes with their hands.
What the movie hopes to determine is whether the girls knew that their hands were covered with Vx, a lethal nerve gas that left him dead within an hour. What at first appears to be a cut and dry case soon reveals that the girls supposedly believed they were participating in a video prank show for easy money.
- 11/11/2020
- by Brian Welk
- The Wrap
‘Assassins’ director Ryan White and producer Jessica Hargrave investigate a bizarre political murder
John Le Carre or the late Ian Fleming could have come up with the plot of the new Greenwich Entertainment documentary “Assassins”: Two young women are accused of the 2017 assassination of Kim Jong-Nam, the half-brother of North Korea’s dictator Kim Jong-Un, in broad daylight at the Kuala Lumpur Airport by spreading Vx nerve agent on this face. Were they pawns of the ruthless Supreme Leader of North Korea, who in a Shakespearean move, wanted to cement his power or were the women working alone? Not surprisingly, North Korea denied any involvement in the murder.
Directed by Ryan White and produced by his longtime collaborator Jessica Hargrave, “Assassins” earned strong reviews at the Sundance Film Festival; it’s currently at 100% fresh on Rotten Tomatoes. Variety’s Owen Gleiberman called it “a terrific true-crime story, but also a documentary thriller about the new world order. We’re shown photos and videos of the young women,...
Directed by Ryan White and produced by his longtime collaborator Jessica Hargrave, “Assassins” earned strong reviews at the Sundance Film Festival; it’s currently at 100% fresh on Rotten Tomatoes. Variety’s Owen Gleiberman called it “a terrific true-crime story, but also a documentary thriller about the new world order. We’re shown photos and videos of the young women,...
- 11/4/2020
- by Susan King
- Gold Derby
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