WE ♥ DOCS
Official Trailer for 'Bogart: Life Comes in Flashes' Biopic Documentary
"I never was happy... until I met THAT one." Which one? Freestyle Digital Media has revealed the official trailer for a documentary film called Bogart: Life Comes in Flashes, an intimate look back at the life of Hollywood icon Humphrey Bogart. Narrated in his own words from recordings, this is the first official real doc to explore the remarkable life & legacy of Hollywood legend and cultural icon Humphrey "Bogie" Bogart. Framed around the five key women in his life, including Lauren Bacall, the film intricately weaves together his most important relationships against a backdrop of world events. With rare footage and his own voice. Described as "a nuanced portrait of the man behind the myth, and a fresh perspective on the legacy of one of Hollywood’s most revered stars." This looks like an enchanting and lively look at an enormous figure in Hollywood history, focused on the ladies in his life. "I wanted this film to be a rich visual tapestry, woven from an abundance of Hollywood movies, carefully sourced contextual footage, stunning old photography, 20th century reportage, and newly shot scenes to create a potent, cinematic experience." Take a look below.
› Posted on October 16 in Documentaries, To Watch, Trailer | Comments
Official Trailer for 'Endurance' Doc About Shackleton's Sunken Ship
"Why we go, I cannot say..." National Geographic has revealed their official trailer for a documentary film called Endurance, the latest creation from the adventure doc duo E. Chai Vasarhelyi & Jimmy Chin (Free Solo, The Rescue, Wild Life, Nyad). However, they seem to be attached to have their names onboard, as it is also co-directed by the British doc filmmaker Natalie Hewit. In a legendary feat of leadership and perseverance, iconic polar explorer Sir Ernest Shackleton kept his crew of 27 men alive for over a year despite the loss of their ship in frigid pack ice. Over a century later, a team of modern-day explorers sets out to find the sunken ship. The Maritime Heritage Trust located his shipwrecked Endurance near Antarctica in 1915. Endurance tells the inspiring stories of two landmark expeditions – both bound by their shared grit & determination. Following its world premiere at the 2024 London Film Festival, National Geographic Doc Films will begin streaming this doc (on Disney+) starting in early November. These kind of discovery stories always intrigue me, following people doing things that no one else is doing out there. I've have to watch this.
› Posted on October 15 in Documentaries, To Watch, Trailer | Comments
Trailer for 'Yintah' Doc - Indigenous Women Fight to Save Their Land
"You are trespassing!" Netflix has revealed an official trailer for a documentary film called Yintah, which is the word for "land" in this tribe's language. This premiered at the True/False Film Festival earlier this year and has played at a number of other prestigious fests in 2024. The film focuses on the impact on the lives of the Wet'suwet'en people who live on unceded territory (in Canada), as they push back against and oppose the construction of multiple pipelines. Yintah is "about an anti-colonial resurgence—a fierce & ongoing fight for Indigenous and human rights in the face of a colonial government committed to seizing lands at gunpoint." Canada has authorized fossil fuel giants to build pipelines across Wet'suwet'en land. The result: a decade long clash between Wet'suwet'en land defenders and Canadian police seeking to seize Wet'suwet'en land at gunpoint. The story is about two Indigenous women and other land defenders fighting to hold onto their land. Looks like an empowering and vitally important doc spending time with the real people involved.
› Posted on October 14 in Documentaries, To Watch, Trailer | Comments
Doc Film 'No One Asked You' Trailer Showcasing Humor and Activism
"Here I can laugh about it, but in the courtroom I can't." The official trailer is out for a documentary film called No One Asked You, exploring the connection comedy and activism with a focus on abortion rights. From filmmaker Ruth Leitman, this premiered at the 2023 DOC NYC Film Festival last year and is opening next week just before the upcoming election. The film is "a bold call to action driven by the power of humor in social change, where joy prevails." No One Asked You follows the comedian and disruptor-extraordinaire Lizz Winstead (co-creator of The Daily Show), and her organization Abortion Access Front (website), as they crisscross the U.S. to support abortion clinic staff and bust stigma with comedy shows. Pop culture icons & next-gen comics fuel this 6-year road film activating small-town folks to rebuild vandalized clinics, expose all the wrongdoer politicians, anti-abortion extremists, and media neglect as the race to the bottom ensues and our rights burn down. Yep, this is the kind of fresh new take on activism we really do need right now. "This is a movement." I like her line about how at the end of the day they will celebrate joy above all.
› Posted on October 13 in Documentaries, Indies, To Watch, Trailer | Comments
Boxing in Victorian East End London 'A Thousand Blows' Series Teaser
"I have tasted death – life is much sweeter." Hulu has unveiled a first look teaser trailer for a series called A Thousand Blows, made for Disney+ in the UK arriving for streaming sometime in early 2025. The first two episodes are premiering son at the 2024 London Film Festival which just kicked off this week, hence this teaser dropping now. Created by Steven Knight, A Thousand Blows is inspired by the true-life stories of a group of characters battling for survival in the violent East End of London in the 1880s. It's about the fortunes (and challenges) of Hezekiah and Alec, two best friends newly arrived from Jamaica to the dirty & brutal streets of Victorian era London. Fighting for survival in the overwhelming melting pot of Victorian London's East End, they come up against Sugar Goodson – a dangerous, veteran boxer. The cast includes Malachi Kirby and Francis Lovehall as Hezekiah and Alec, from Jamaica, along with Erin Doherty, Stephen Graham as boxer Sugar Goodson, Jason Tobin, and James Nelson-Joyce. This is an exciting first look, will definitely get your attention. Still no final release date is set yet - hopefully sooner than later.
› Posted on October 11 in Documentaries, Streaming, To Watch, Trailer | Comments
Women of Music Doc 'Louder: The Soundtrack of Change' Full Trailer
"A lot of women before us paved the way to be as loud and proud as possible." HBO has revealed an official trailer for a documentary film called Louder: The Soundtrack of Change, yet another music history doc bout how music can change the world. Ready for streaming on Max next week. A celebration of music and a rallying cry across generations, genres, anchored by female icons whose songs & activism inspired the fight for equality, empowering all. Multi-platinum recording artist, actress, and entrepreneur Selena Gomez and bestselling author / political activist Stacey Abrams formed a unique bond during the 2020 elections, and, on the eve of another election, this film marks a new collaboration for the iconic duo. Gomez & Abrams passionately credit the legendary musicians Linda Ronstadt and Tracy Chapman for blazing the trails that provided them their motivation for their work. The film also features Chaka Khan, Melissa Etheridge, Linda Ronstadt, H.E.R., Mickey Guyton, Rhiannon Giddens, Kathleen Hanna, Martha Gonzalez, Puja Patel, Suzy Exposito, Clover Hope, and J Wortham. This looks like an inspiring, hopeful film about the power of music.
› Posted on October 11 in Documentaries, To Watch, Trailer | Comments
Official Trailer for Entrancing Doc 'Nocturnes' About Studying Moths
"As a species we haven't seen what the moths have seen." Grasshopper Film has revealed an official trailer for a compelling documentary film titled Nocturnes, an entrancing look at people who study moths in the mountains on the other side of the world. This doc premiered at the 2024 Sundance Film Festival earlier this year and earned mostly positive reviews from the few critics who saw it there. Amidst the lush Eastern Himalayan forests, moths convey a mysterious message. They are whispering something to us. In the dark of night, two curious observers shine a light on this secret universe. Together, they are on an expedition to decode these nocturnal creatures in a remote ecological "hot spot" on the border of India and Bhutan. The result is this deeply immersive feature film that transports audiences to a rarely-seen place and urges us all to look more closely at the hidden interconnections of the natural world, unraveling the secrets whispered by these enigmatic creatures. A whole film about moths? Yes but it's fascinating and so mesmerizing. Slow cinema about our world that should make you slow down and appreciate this spectacular planet even more.
› Posted on October 11 in Documentaries, To Watch, Trailer | Comments
The Definitive Story of Martha Stewart in 'Martha' Documentary Trailer
"What is more important? A marriage or a career? I don't know?" Strange answer... Netflix has unveiled an official trailer for a documentary film called Martha, the latest from director R.J. Cutler who also made this year's Elton John: Never Too Late doc. This is another new documentary about Martha Stewart, who has been profiled a few times before, notably in the film The Many Lives of Martha Stewart. This new film covers the breadth of her extraordinary life through intimate interviews with Stewart herself, who opened up her personal archives to share never-before-seen photos, letters, and diary entries. Through intimate and revealing interviews with the icon herself and those from her inner circle, R.J. Cutler's definitive doc film on Martha Stewart traces her rise from teenage model to her reign as the original influencer and America's first self-made female billionaire. This almost seems like part of the marketing strategy in support of her, as if they want to clean up her image, but there are tons of biopic docs like this out there these days. Take a look.
› Posted on October 11 in Documentaries, To Watch, Trailer | Comments
Trailer for Baseball Doc Series 'The Comeback: 2004 Boston Red Sox'
"Red Sox decided to compete - player for player, dollar for dollar." Netflix has unveiled the trailer for the sports documentary series called The Comeback: 2004 Boston Red Sox streaming in October during this final month of baseball season. By director Colin Barnicle (The Hobby: Collecting America's Pastime), an inside look at the iconic Red Sox baseball team and how this happened in 2004. This definitive series chronicles one of the greatest comebacks in sports history when the Boston Red Sox overcame a 3-0 series deficit to defeat their archrivals the New York Yankees en route to winning their first World Series title in 86 years and breaking the infamous "Curse of the Bambino" (more on that). As the title indicates, this happened in 2004 and it was a major moment in sports history (they beat the Yankees before beating the St. Louis Cardinals for the World Series victory that year). Barnicle explains that this docu series is about digging into it: "I want them to know how it happened – how an organization changed with new ownership, how the team was built from the front office and how the clubhouse came together." This looks pretty good.
A Wannabe Actor's Ponzi Scheme Examined in 'Bad Actor' Doc Trailer
"How could he possibly have done something this outlandish?" Neon has revealed an official trailer for a documentary film called Bad Actor, which plays more like a horror film than an actual documentary about something real. The full title is Bad Actor: A Hollywood Ponzi Scheme - wannabe actor Zachary Horwitz was desperate to make it big as a movie star. The only thing stopping him was talent. This doc is a juicy true story about deception, denial, fraud, and the seductive promise of fame and fortune. It premiered at the 2024 Tribeca Film Festival and is already on VOD to watch now. "With shocking revelations at every turn, the film questions the fabric of the entertainment business, where a fake it till you make it mentality blurs the lines between reality and facade in the cutthroat pursuit of success. It explores the vulnerability of investors who fell prey to Horwitz's charm and the industry's willingness to ignore red flags." Yep, it sounds like a horror story! People are really the most terrible when it comes to chasing money and fame. The worst.
› Posted on October 9 in Documentaries, To Watch, Trailer | Comments
Doc 'Slice of Life: The American Dream. In Former Pizza Huts.' Trailer
"When things continue to transform, beauty can come from it." Urtext Films has revealed an official trailer for a fascinating documentary film titled Slice of Life: The American Dream. In Former Pizza Huts. Yes, that is the full title, with both sentences! This is premiering at the 2024 SXSW Sydney Film Festival as well as the Chicago International Film Festival this fall in the US. What is it about? It recalls the origins of Pizza Hut, created in 1958 by two brothers from Wichita, KS. But since the era of Pizza Hut is pretty much over (or is it?), the film is also an examination of what these old Pizza Hut buildings have become. "From an LGBTQ+ church in Florida, to a karaoke bar in Texas, to a cannabis dispensary in rural Colorado..." This new feature doc is the work of Matthew Salleh & Rose Tucker, an award-winning Australian-born, Brooklyn-based filmmaking duo whose previous films include Barbecue and We Don't Deserve Dogs. Looks like a nice little film. This Mexican place seems very tasty - I'd like to stop by there & try some of their tacos sometime.
Official Trailer for 'Money Electric: The Bitcoin Mystery' Documentary
"If you dig deep enough, the inconsistencies will emerge." HBO has revealed the trailer for a documentary film titled Money Electric: The Bitcoin Mystery, another investigative look at Bitcoin and the world of cryptocurrency. This would play well as a double feature with Alex Winter's excellent doc Trust Machine: The Story of Blockchain a few years back. "In the future of money, who holds the power?" Indeed. In Money Electric: The Bitcoin Mystery, intrepid filmmaker Cullen Hoback dives into the origins of Bitcoin and the identity of its creator, Satoshi Nakamoto. The captivating new doc film offers a thrilling, globe-spanning investigation, with Hoback immersing himself with key players, uncovering never-before-seen clues, and humorously unraveling Bitcoin's meteoric rise. It's executive produced by Adam McKay (director of The Big Short), Todd Schulman, Cullen Hoback, and Taylor Jones. And it'll be streaming on Max later this month. I'm always fascinated by these kind of investigations, but they're never critical enough or hard-hitting when it comes to the danger of a world obsessed with crypto. We still have to keep waiting to see what comes next.
› Posted on October 4 in Documentaries, To Watch, Trailer | Comments
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