Documentary
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For her debut feature, documentarian Nam A-rum takes viewers on a fascinating and surprisingly intimate journey through the last three chaotic decades of South Korea’s political history. Framed by her… Read More
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This week on Radio 3’s Morning Brew I reviewed the fantastic documentary CITIZENFOUR, about Edward Snowden’s leaking of scandalous NSA activities, as well as summarising my recent interview with the… Read More
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One of the more notorious production debacles in recent memory, the maelstrom behind the scenes of New Line’s The island of Dr. Moreau (1996) is the subject of this candid… Read More
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In a rare example of inspired programming on behalf of the Hong Kong International Film Festival, Alejandro Jodorowsky’s new film The Dance of Reality was scheduled to play back-to-back with… Read More
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Captivating documentary in which a motionless, unobtrusive camera captures 11 separate journeys on the cable car up to the holy Manakamana mountain in Nepal. Through these brief episodes within the… Read More
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This music documenatary about an obscure black punk band from the 70s, is less about punk rock and more about wrestling with how best to honour the wishes of the… Read More
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One of the finest – and certainly my favourite – non-narrative films ever made, Godfrey Reggio’s beautiful work examines mankind’s relationship with the natural world through a kaleidoscope of juxtaposed… Read More
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British filmaker and self-confessed Stone Roses fan Shane Meadows chronicles the legendary Manchester band’s brief and heated comeback in fine style in this passionate documentary. Meadows takes the time to… Read More
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While first-time documentarian Kate Shenton clearly has the best interests of her subjects at heart, this documentary into the underground world of human suspension shows plenty of piercings, torn flesh… Read More
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A somewhat pedestrian documentary about a group of misguided eco-warriors becomes a captivating exercise in car crash voyeurism as the members of the bizarre Fuck For Forest campaign head from… Read More
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Not to brag, but Josh Johnson’s nostalgic documentary about the death of the VHS era and many films along with it, is chock full of people I know. This not-so-strange… Read More
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Chilean-born Alejandro Jodorowsky is responsible for some of the weirdest, most psychedelic movies of the 1970s. His breakthrough hit was the quasi-Western El Topo which become a monster hit on… Read More
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Strange yet intoxicating musical documentary that explores a variety of traditional and alternative forms of Japanese music. A turntable-spinning priest and eccentric lady who attempts to harness all the sounds… Read More
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While there is a 113-minute theatrical version of Robert B. Weide’s film available, all discerning fans of Woody Allen should do their upmost to seek out the full fascinating 195-minute… Read More
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Joshua Oppenheimer’s chilling, surreal and at times very funny documentary tracks down some of Indonesia’s most notorious death squad leaders, who are only too happy to recount and even act… Read More
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The favourite to win Best Documentary at the Oscars later this month is a fantastic piece of investigative journalism into what became of the folk singer Rodriguez. A Mexican-born Detroit… Read More
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I had put off watching this much-lauded documentary for most of 2012 for one reason or another, but after finally catching it today I don’t know why I waited so… Read More
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Quite possibly the most frightening film I’ve seen in years, Mads Brugger’s documentary takes him undercover into the most dangerous areas of Central Africa as he attempts to obtain diplomatic… Read More
The James Marsh film review archive 