Documentary Archives -

BREAKDOWN: 1975 MOVIE REVIEW At times, film has the power to give a voice to the voiceless and speak truth to a power that would ignore those voices. When a culture shifts its thinking and changes the method and way stories are told about people, and the world in general, a massive culture shift can […]

COVER-UP MOVIE REVIEW 1991 marks the year the world wide web officially launched and became available to everyone. A new way to discover and share truth was available to every man woman and child on this earth in one way or another. With this new technology a plethora of news, stories, and of course, entertaining […]

STARRING DICK VAN DYKE MOVIE REVIEW Go over to PBS online and do yourself the favor of watching Starring Dick Van Dyke for FREE! You have no excuse not to enjoy this beautiful documentary that celebrates the life, legacy, and unshakable charm of one of entertainment’s most enduring icons. This film traces Van Dyke’s journey […]

MR. SCORSESE SERIES REVIEW Martin Scorsese has been one of our most acclaimed filmmakers for so long, that it’s easy to forget his reputation and career weren’t always as secure as they are now. Scorsese has been the subject of many articles, books, and documentaries before, so it’s hard to imagine anything that hasn’t been […]

NOT JUST A GOOF REVIEW Alright, alright, Mickey’s a mouse, Donald’s a duck, Pluto’s a dog. What’s Goofy? If you stand by me and my fellow critics we may not be able to answer that question, but with Disney Plus on the 30th anniversary of A Goofy Movie presenting Not Just a Goof, you will […]

MAKE ME FAMOUS MOVIE REVIEW Writer/Director Brian Vincent presents the story of an artist community in the East Village of New York in the 1980s. Make Me Famous is about an artist community coming together and supporting each other in the pursuit of notoriety, fame, and the capability to keep buying paint and sharing their […]

THE ENFIELD POLTERGEIST SERIES REVIEW You’ve seen hundreds of thousands of films based on the Lutz family and their Amityville Horror but you’ve probably only seen tens of dozens of haunted house films based on the Hodgson’s! This isn’t your typical paint by numbers gas station bargain bin buy 1 feature starring Rob Schneider get […]

KING ON SCREEN MOVIE REVIEW When Stephen King released Carrie, his first novel, in 1974, the horror story initially received mixed reviews from critics. The novel’s unique blend of horror, psychological suspense, and coming-of-age themes garnered attention, but opinions were divided. Some critics praised King’s ability to capture the adolescent experience, create a sense of […]

SIDNEY MOVIE REVIEW What is a documentary and can it determine the measure of a man?  Sidney Poitier once said “Though history will accurately acknowledge my presence in those proceedings, my contribution was no more important than being at the right place at the right time, one in that series of perfect accidents from which […]

THIS IS GWAR MOVIE REVIEW Good evening and salutations Earth Humans, it is I, Chadderus Urungus, here to tell you about an evil, grotesque, heavy metal band called GWAR. Spawning from the sick minds of Dave Brockie (Lead Singer) and Hunter Jackson (Filmmaker), GWAR has been decapitating heads and squirting blood in audiences faces for […]

WORST ROOMMATE EVER SERIES REVIEW Peter Parker may have outgrown the stress of having to make rent but the rest of us can’t count on a rich uncle Stark’s drunken generosity to bail us out at 5 minutes to midnight. If you’re gonna live in the heart of the city with an easy commute to […]

LUCY AND DESI MOVIE REVIEW Seventy years after it first premiered, the I Love Lucy show is still gaining new fans, while the story of real-life power couple Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz continues to hold our attention. There’s no shortage of podcasts, biopics, and documentaries about their impact on the history of television, and […]

IMPERFECT MOVIE REVIEW Lewayne, Mindy, Trevor, and Chad are here to review a new documentary called Imperfect: The Film. It centers around a production of Chicago being performed by the Phamaly Theatre Company, based out of Denver. Imperfect is here to fight back historical trends in theater. It’s a film meant to put creative humans […]

TIGER KING SEASON 2 SERIES REVIEW Hey all you cool cats and kittens, The Screener Squad is here to give you the latest on your favorite Tiger King, Joe Exotic. The 2nd season picks up right after the release of season 1. All your favorite/worst people are back: Carol Baskins (although it’s all archival footage), […]

THE VELVET UNDERGROUND MOVIE REVIEW From director Todd Haynes (“Velvet Goldmine”, “I’m Not There”) comes “The Velvet Underground”, a lovingly crafted documentary about one of the most influential bands in the history of rock and roll. Blending pop with the avant-garde, and embracing taboo subject matter, the Velvets were never destined for mainstream success. Nevertheless, […]

INFESTATION: FANTASTIC FEST 2021: THE FINAL ROUND With out last, and seriously belated (sorry) look at this year’s Fantastic Fest films, Chris, Drew, Rae, and Neil look at the Palmes D’or winner at this year’s Cannes film festival about a female serial killer who gets impregnated by a car, “Titane”. Then it’s on to the […]

CLEANIN’ UP THE TOWN: REMEMBERING GHOSTBUSTERS MOVIE REVIEW As far as the talking head documentary format is concerned, this one came, it saw and it KICKED ITS ASS! That’s definitely the consensus among the crew reviewing “Cleanin’ Up the Town”, a retrospective documentary from director Anthony Bueno that chronicles the making of the beloved 1984 […]

ENEMIES OF THE STATE MOVIE REVIEW What would you do for your family if one of them suddenly got caught up in a crazy government conspiracy? That’s what the Dehart family finds out when their son Matt, an alleged hacktivist member of Anonymous and whistleblower, suddenly found himself fleeing the country with them when he […]

FOR MADMEN ONLY What can you say about Del Close? Wait, what do you mean you’ve never heard of Del Close? Or more accurately, I’m surprised if you don’t work in comedy and you HAVE heard of him. Which is a crime because the guy more or less single-handedly invented modern improv comedy, taught every […]

VAL MOVIE REVIEW He was Batman, Iceman, (not) Elvis, The Lizard King, and your Huckleberry. He’s played a Saint, a prophet, quite a few sinners, a porn star, and a bunch of cops and crooks. According to IMDB, since his screen debut in “Top Secret,” he’s been in at least a project a year nearly […]

ROADRUNNER: A FILM ABOUT ANTHONY BOURDAIN MOVIE REVIEW Anthony Bourdain, the beloved chef and TV personality who left us before we could really know him, is given a first class documentary tribute courtesy of director Morgan Neville (“Won’t You Be My Neighbor,” “20 Feet From Stardom”). The film offers a sweeping look at Bourdain’s life […]

SUMMER OF SOUL MOVIE REVIEW From talented multi-hyphenate Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson comes “Summer of Soul” an electrifying documentary about the 1969 Harlem Cultural Festival. For six consecutive weekends, the festival provided live music, comedy, dance, poetry and thought-provoking commentary to over 30,000 residents of Harlem, free of charge. That same summer, a mere 100 miles […]

RITA MORENO: JUST A GIRL WHO DECIDED TO GO FOR IT MOVIE REVIEW To quote Joan Crawford: “Let’s show them how a legend makes an entrance.” And what a legend we get to examine in the new documentary, “Rita Moreno: Just a Girl Who Decided to Go For It”. The film spotlights the titular ubiquitous […]

THE SPARKS BROTHERS MOVIE REVIEW From writer/director and Sparks superfan Edgar Wright comes the new documentary “The Sparks Brothers” an in-depth look at brothers Ron and Russell Mael, the creative force behind the band Sparks. After their first album failed to gain traction in the States, the Mael Brothers decamped to the UK, just in […]

STREET GANG: HOW WE GOT TO SESAME STREET MOVIE REVIEW 50 years ago, television for children changed forever when it took a trip down to Sesame Street. Jim Henson’s colorful, playful, Muppets and their human neighbors taught generations of children their letters, numbers, empathy, and compassion. On this review, Mindy leads her own colorful, playful, […]

THIS IS A ROBBERY: THE WORLD’S BIGGEST ART HEIST SERIES REVIEW What would you do if millions of dollars of art was stolen right under your nose? Netflix’s new true crime series, “This Is A Robbery: The World’s Biggest Art Heist” takes a look at the infamous heist of the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum in […]

TINA MOVIE REVIEW Anybody who’s anybody has an HBO documentary made about them. Few people have a story as compelling as Tina Turner, however. One of the few women in the world whose first name alone is synonymous with a combination of rock and soul, Turner’s tumultuous journey is front and center of one of […]

A GLITCH IN THE MATRIX MOVIE REVIEW The world may not be as it seems. In fact, it may not be a world at all. Not a physical one, anyway. This new documentary from the director of “Room 237” explores this idea that was initially proposed (at length) by author Philip K. Dick, that we […]

THE LAST BLOCKBUSTER MOVIE REVIEW At the height of its success, Blockbuster Video had over 9000 locations and was opening a new store every 17 hours. And then Netflix came and killed Blockbuster. Or did they? Interviews with former Blockbuster owners and executives tell a different story. Now reduced to a single store in Bend, […]

THE VOW MINISERIES REVIEW Mark Vincent and Catherine Oxenberg reminisce about the many years they spent in the self help cult NXIVM. With a staggering amount of hours of footage and audio recordings, the documentary goes beneath the better yourself attitude and uncovers a vile sex trafficking cult lead by a pathetic narcissist named Keith. […]

TOTALLY UNDER CONTROL MOVIE REVIEW Documentarian Alex Gibney took on an unenviable task, but an essential one: gathering together all the incontrovertible facts we know about the Coronavirus and the USA’s response to it, and assembled it into a timeline film. Yes, those who most need to watch it, still won’t, as anything they don’t […]

J.R. BOB DOBBS AND THE CHURCH OF THE SUBGENIUS Do you look at the people around you and ask why they’re all so damn….normal? Boring? You probably would have been a good candidate for the Subgenius. Started as a satire of capitalism/religion/government/damn near anything we’re all supposed to take for granted as ‘normal’, the two […]

DICK JOHNSON IS DEAD MOVIE REVIEW What do you do when you see that your beloved father is getting closer to the end of the party every day? Do you tell him you love him? Do you make sure he is closer to his family and loved ones? Do you review his memories and celebrate […]

JIMMY CARTER – ROCK AND ROLL PRESIDENT MOVIE REVIEW Who doesn’t love Jimmy Carter? The former President has pretty much eradicated guinea worm disease, helped build houses and even won the Nobel Peace Prize! But did you know he’s a hardcore music lover who can count country and rock royalty as some of his best […]

CLASS ACTION PARK MOVIE REVIEW Ah, the 80s. What a time it was. Neon colors. Arena rock. New Wave. No personal responsibility. Mass injuries. The smell of unclean water and iodine. Hey, it’s Action Park. Or, as this HBO doc would have it, “Class Action Park”. Unbelievably, this theme park in New Jersey managed to […]

HIGH SCORE MINISERIES REVIEW “High Score” is a new documentary series on Netflix which tells the story of how video games moved out of college computer labs, into arcades, and into our own living rooms. What started off as a way for programmers to amuse themselves has turned into a multi-billion-dollar industry. Spanning six episodes […]

DESERT ONE MOVIE REVIEW This latest documentary from two-time Oscar winner Barbara Kopple sheds light on the aborted military operation designated Operation Eagle Claw. For over a year Iranian revolutionaries held 52 Americans hostage inside the US Embassy. While publicly endorsing a diplomatic solution, President Jimmy Carter secretly ordered Delta Force to storm the embassy […]

HAPPY HAPPY JOY JOY MOVIE REVIEW How do you revisit the things you loved if you found out the person who created them was absolutely awful? The crazed-sensation (for adults and kids) Ren & Stimpy was one of those things that stopped the world for a moment, as everyone went, “Have you seen this crazy […]

I’LL BE GONE IN THE DARK MINISERIES REVIEW You guys have no idea how hard it is to be funny when you’re reviewing something like this. Adapted from the late Michelle McNamara’s book, the HBO documentary miniseries “I’ll Be Gone in the Dark” recently finished, detailing McNamara’s life and her obsession with solving the case […]

PRETENDING I’M A SUPERMAN: THE TONY HAWK VIDEO GAME STORY MOVIE REVIEW The remakes of Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 1 + 2 kickflip onto consoles September 4, 2020. What made these games such major hits that even all these years (and consoles) later are held up as so good as to be worthy of a […]

IMMIGRATION NATION MINISERIES REVIEW This Netflix documentary series consists of six episodes that take a front line look at the immigration issues under the Trump administration. Directed by Christina Clusiau and Shaul Schwarz, it’s the Netflix hit that Immigration and Customs Enforcement doesn’t want you to see. Torn apart families, deported veterans, overworked agents, and […]

MORGANA MOVIE REVIEW The decidedly NSFW documentary “Morgana” chronicles one woman’s journey from repressed housewife to feminist pornographer. After years in a loveless marriage, Morgana Muses gets a divorce but the thought of starting over as a lonely, overweight, fifty year old woman is just too daunting. She decides to treat herself to one last […]

RED PENGUINS MOVIE REVIEW After the collapse of the Soviet Union, their legendary Red Army hockey team was out of money, out of luck, and out of favor. Along comes the Pittsburgh Penguins to invest in the team and transition them from state property to capitalist success story. Things didn’t quite go the way they […]

FEAR CITY: NEW YORK VS THE MAFIA MINISERIES REVIEW By the 1980s, five mafia groups ruled New York City with an iron fist: the Gambino, Colombo, Bonanno, Lucchese, and Genovese families. Together they formed the powerhouse known as the Commission, with fingers in everything from sanitation to the garment district, construction to labor unions. This […]

INMATE #1: THE RISE OF DANNY TREJO MOVIE REVIEW F. Scott Fitzgerald famously wrote “there are no second acts in American lives”, but he might have changed his mind had he lived long enough to watch the new documentary, “Inmate #1: The Rise of Danny Trejo”. A drug addict and violent career criminal, Trejo spent […]

TIME WARP: THE GREATEST CULT FILMS OF ALL TIME – COMEDY AND CAMP The Time Warp documentary series comes to its conclusion (for now) with this entry that celebrates comedies, making this probably the most accessible of the entries in the series, campy films, which is essentially just films that got left out of part […]

THE GHOST OF PETER SELLERS MOVIE REVIEW No, this movie is not about the ghost of Peter Sellers haunting a film studio by reenacting his famous characters. As fun as that would have been, this is actually a very personal documentary about the catastrophic production of the 1973 movie, “The Ghost in the Noonday Sun”. […]

YOU DON’T NOMI MOVIE REVIEW In 1995, Paul Verhoeven’s “Showgirls” opened to terrible reviews, and poor box office. A notorious bomb, it derailed the careers of its writer, director, and leading lady, swept the Razzies, and has since become a byword for abject failure. Despite “Showgirls” horrible reputation (or perhaps because of it), the film […]

KATE NASH UNDERESTIMATE THE GIRL MOVIE REVIEW Back in the old days of 2007, a star had been born. Kate Nash flew onto the world stage with her hit pop song Foundations and a popular Myspace page. Unfortunately, like many rising artists, she went through many of the pitfalls that come with new celebrity status: […]

HAVE A GOOD TRIP: ADVENTURES IN PSYCHEDELICS MOVIE REVIEW There has been a decent amount of documentaries made about psychedelic drugs. Most chart the history or the science behind them. Some chart the cultural impact. This one should have been called, “So, You’ve Decided You’re Taking Psychedelic Drugs…”. A vast array of famous faces came […]