Category Archives: For Preview Only

Julius Caesar’s Rome, a two-DVD set, carries its audience back to Ancient Rome, a civilization that was born in 753 BCE on the banks of the river Tiber in modern Italy and ended with the fall of Constantinople in modern … Continue reading →

Some unsung heroes of pop music get long-overdue recognition in Standing in the Shadows of Motown, a heartfelt documentary directed by Paul Justman. They called themselves the Funk Brothers, a talented group of a dozen or so musicians who were … Continue reading →

In this exquisite concert film directed by Jonathan Demme, Neil Young expresses modest hopes for his two-night stint at Nashville’s famed Ryman Auditorium, the home of the original Grand Ole Opry. He states he wants to “play well, share the … Continue reading →

War may be hell, but it can make for great television, as Ken Burns proves in his masterful 11-hour PBS series chronicling the deadliest war in American military history. The Civil War was a landmark TV event that held record … Continue reading →

Four of today’s hottest black comedians headline this Queens of Comedy video special, a follow-up to Spike Lee’s The Original Kings of Comedy film (although Lee does not direct here). Adele Givens, Mo’Nique (from UPN’s The Parkers), Sommore, and Laura … Continue reading →

You’re behind on your child support, your phone’s being turned off, and you owe money to the IRS — what do you do? Make a movie! At least that’s what beleaguered Wisconsin filmmaker Mark Borchardt decided to do in the … Continue reading →

Filmmaker Liz Garbus (The Farm: Angola, USA) documents the extraordinary story of Edith Hahn in The Nazi Officer’s Wife. Using old newsreel footage, personal photos, and interviews with Hahn, her daughter Angela, and various acquaintances, with narration by Susan Sarandon … Continue reading →

Wim Wenders’ documentary Buena Vista Social Club is about the adventures of Ry Cooder in Cuba. Cooder, best remembered by film fans for the wailing slide guitar theme of Wenders’ Paris, Texas, went to Cuba in 1996 to meet with … Continue reading →

Spike Lee’s When the Levees Broke is a television milestone that ranks with Edward R. Murrow’s Harvest of Shame as an unflinching document of a national disgrace. Over the course of four hour-long “acts” (plus, for this DVD, a newly … Continue reading →

By turns a concert film and a biographal portrait, I’m Your Manattempts to capture the elusive essence of poet and songwriter Leonard Cohen. Cohen’s music is represented by various artists performing at a tribute organized by the innovative producer Hal … Continue reading →