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Documentaries and such
Aug. 6th, 2025 02:42 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
gilda_eliseI seemed to have gone from a comedy kick to watching more documentaries. Still are some movies thrown in for good measure. But a couple of slow months helped by one with a bit more.
MOVIES WATCHED IN MAY
May 3-4 - The Four Seasons (2025)
Three suburban couples vacation together each season, but tensions arise when one couple splits up and the husband brings a much younger woman on subsequent trips.
Stars: Tina Fey, Will Forte, Kerri Kenney, Steve Carell, Colman Domingo, Alan Alda
I didn’t think it was as good as the movie, but still worth watching, especially considering the changes made to take into account the changing times.
May 27 - Garbo, Where Did You Go? (2024)
An urgent, timely and compelling portrait of Hollywood icon Greta Garbo, whose fame, isolation and loneliness still captures us.
Director: Lorna Tucker
Stars: Greta Garbo, Noomi Rapace, Orson Welles, Katharine Hepburn, Marlene Dietrich
I certainly understand why she gave up her career; I’m surprised more celebrities don’t. I didn’t know much about the woman before watching this, so it was quite interesting.
MOVIES WATCHED IN JUNE
Jun 7 - Good Night and Good Luck (2025)
A live broadcast of the Broadway play "Good Night, and Good Luck."
Directors: Micah Bickham, David Cromer
Stars: George Clooney, Mac Brandt, Will Dagger
I saw the 2005 movie and was interested in how this would hold up against it. It does. It was just as compelling. Certainly just as timely.
Jun 8 - The Fountain of Youth (2025)
Two estranged siblings join forces to seek the legendary Fountain of Youth. Using historical clues, they embark on an epic quest filled with adventure. If successful, the mythical fountain could grant them immortality.
Director: Guy Ritchie
Stars: John Krasinski, Natalie Portman, Eiza González, Stanely Tucci
Entertaining with a good cast. Maybe not a movie I’d watch again, but I’m glad I gave it a shot.
Jun 8 - Audrey: More Than an Icon (2020)
Filmmaker Helena Coan examines the remarkable life and career of actress, fashion icon and humanitarian Audrey Hepburn.
Director: Helena Coan
Stars: Audrey Hepburn, Alessandra Ferri, Francesca Hayward, Richard Dreyfuss
An amazing woman with quite a bit of tragedy in her life. She’s a favorite actress of mine, so I really enjoyed watching this.
Jun 8 - Sarah Silverman: Postmortem (2025)
After losing both parents, Sarah Silverman turns grief into comedy, finding humor in funeral planning and final moments with her mother while maintaining her characteristic wit.
Director: Sarah Silverman
Star: Sarah Silverman
Amazing how Silverman can find humor in the darkest situations. Well worth watching.
Jun 10 - The Farthest: Voyager In Space (2017)
It is one of humankind's greatest achievements. More than 12 billion miles away a tiny spaceship is leaving our Solar System and entering the void of deep space - the first human-made object ever to do so.
Director: Emer Reynolds
Stars
: Frank Drake, Carolyn Porco, John Casani
An amazing documentary about an amazing achievement. Hight recommended.
June 18 - Titan: The Oceangate Submersible Disaster (2025)
Titan: The OceanGate Disaster examines CEO Stockton Rush's quest to become the next billionaire innovator and the doomed underwater endeavor that called into question the price of ambition in the depths of the ocean.
Director: Mark Monroe
Stars: Stockton Rush, Emily Hammermeister, David Lochridge
Wow, it’s amazing that Rush was able to talk people into getting in his highly flawed submersible. The documentary glaringly shows how having too much money can make a person think that they can do no wrong.
Jun 28 - Cold Case: The Tylenol Murders (2025)
It explores 1980s Chicago deaths from cyanide-laced Tylenol capsules. The case led to tamper-proof packaging and became one of America's largest criminal investigations.
Stars: Jeff Flock, James Lewis, Michelle Rosen
I vividly remember when this happened. It was so strange. Horrifying that they never caught the person who did it.
Jun 29 - Grenfell Uncovered (2025)
Reveals decisions by officials and companies before the 2017 Grenfell Tower fire that made it preventable. Survivors, families, and firefighters share their accounts of the tragedy that took 72 lives.
Director: Olaide Sadiq
Stars: Mohammad Alhaj Ali, Omar Alhaj Ali, Peter Apps
Such a tragedy that didn’t have to happen. But could still happen again.
MOVIES WATCHED IN JULY
Jul 6 - Dune: Part 1 (2021)
Paul Atreides arrives on Arrakis after his father accepts the stewardship of the dangerous planet. However, chaos ensues after a betrayal as forces clash to control melange, a precious resource.
Director: Denis Villeneuve
Stars:Timothée Chalamet, Rebecca Ferguson, Zendaya, Jason Momoa, Oscar Isaac
So much better than the 1984 movie. Looking forward to watching the second half.
Jul 12 - Jaws @ 50: The Definitive Inside Story (2025)
A tribute to Jaws (1975), the movie that sparked a lasting fascination with the ocean's most misunderstood predator.
Director: Laurent Bouzereau
Stars: Steven Spielberg, Janet Maslin, Cameron Crowe, James Cameron, J. J. Abrams, Guillermo del Toro, Emily Blunt, George Lucas
I already knew most of the information about the making of the movie, but there was enough new stuff to make it worth watching.
Jul 26 - Death of a Unicorn (2025)
A father and daughter accidentally hit and kill a unicorn while en route to a weekend retreat, where his billionaire boss seeks to exploit the creature's miraculous curative properties.
Director: Alex Scharfman
Stars: Paul Rudd, Jenna Ortega, Will Poulter, Téa Leoni
Quite entertaining, though the ending was somewhat predictable. Still, I think it was worth the time.
Jul 29 - Secrets of the Civiil War (2019)
The land battles of the American Civil War are well known, but it's the war on the seas that shaped the outcome of the war. Maritime archaeologists and historians go in search of Civil War secrets, hidden deep underwater. Scientific data combines with computer graphics to drain the oceans to investigate the lost wrecks of the war.
Director: Marc Tiley
Stars: Russell Boulter, Craig Sechler, Craig L. Symonds
There were actually more “secrets” - such as the creation of the precursor to the MASH units used during the Korean War. Though maybe not the most professionally made, there was still quite a bit of information that I wasn’t aware of to make the documentary well worth watching.
MOVIES WATCHED IN MAY
May 3-4 - The Four Seasons (2025)
Three suburban couples vacation together each season, but tensions arise when one couple splits up and the husband brings a much younger woman on subsequent trips.
Stars: Tina Fey, Will Forte, Kerri Kenney, Steve Carell, Colman Domingo, Alan Alda
I didn’t think it was as good as the movie, but still worth watching, especially considering the changes made to take into account the changing times.
May 27 - Garbo, Where Did You Go? (2024)
An urgent, timely and compelling portrait of Hollywood icon Greta Garbo, whose fame, isolation and loneliness still captures us.
Director: Lorna Tucker
Stars: Greta Garbo, Noomi Rapace, Orson Welles, Katharine Hepburn, Marlene Dietrich
I certainly understand why she gave up her career; I’m surprised more celebrities don’t. I didn’t know much about the woman before watching this, so it was quite interesting.
MOVIES WATCHED IN JUNE
Jun 7 - Good Night and Good Luck (2025)
A live broadcast of the Broadway play "Good Night, and Good Luck."
Directors: Micah Bickham, David Cromer
Stars: George Clooney, Mac Brandt, Will Dagger
I saw the 2005 movie and was interested in how this would hold up against it. It does. It was just as compelling. Certainly just as timely.
Jun 8 - The Fountain of Youth (2025)
Two estranged siblings join forces to seek the legendary Fountain of Youth. Using historical clues, they embark on an epic quest filled with adventure. If successful, the mythical fountain could grant them immortality.
Director: Guy Ritchie
Stars: John Krasinski, Natalie Portman, Eiza González, Stanely Tucci
Entertaining with a good cast. Maybe not a movie I’d watch again, but I’m glad I gave it a shot.
Jun 8 - Audrey: More Than an Icon (2020)
Filmmaker Helena Coan examines the remarkable life and career of actress, fashion icon and humanitarian Audrey Hepburn.
Director: Helena Coan
Stars: Audrey Hepburn, Alessandra Ferri, Francesca Hayward, Richard Dreyfuss
An amazing woman with quite a bit of tragedy in her life. She’s a favorite actress of mine, so I really enjoyed watching this.
Jun 8 - Sarah Silverman: Postmortem (2025)
After losing both parents, Sarah Silverman turns grief into comedy, finding humor in funeral planning and final moments with her mother while maintaining her characteristic wit.
Director: Sarah Silverman
Star: Sarah Silverman
Amazing how Silverman can find humor in the darkest situations. Well worth watching.
Jun 10 - The Farthest: Voyager In Space (2017)
It is one of humankind's greatest achievements. More than 12 billion miles away a tiny spaceship is leaving our Solar System and entering the void of deep space - the first human-made object ever to do so.
Director: Emer Reynolds
Stars
: Frank Drake, Carolyn Porco, John Casani
An amazing documentary about an amazing achievement. Hight recommended.
June 18 - Titan: The Oceangate Submersible Disaster (2025)
Titan: The OceanGate Disaster examines CEO Stockton Rush's quest to become the next billionaire innovator and the doomed underwater endeavor that called into question the price of ambition in the depths of the ocean.
Director: Mark Monroe
Stars: Stockton Rush, Emily Hammermeister, David Lochridge
Wow, it’s amazing that Rush was able to talk people into getting in his highly flawed submersible. The documentary glaringly shows how having too much money can make a person think that they can do no wrong.
Jun 28 - Cold Case: The Tylenol Murders (2025)
It explores 1980s Chicago deaths from cyanide-laced Tylenol capsules. The case led to tamper-proof packaging and became one of America's largest criminal investigations.
Stars: Jeff Flock, James Lewis, Michelle Rosen
I vividly remember when this happened. It was so strange. Horrifying that they never caught the person who did it.
Jun 29 - Grenfell Uncovered (2025)
Reveals decisions by officials and companies before the 2017 Grenfell Tower fire that made it preventable. Survivors, families, and firefighters share their accounts of the tragedy that took 72 lives.
Director: Olaide Sadiq
Stars: Mohammad Alhaj Ali, Omar Alhaj Ali, Peter Apps
Such a tragedy that didn’t have to happen. But could still happen again.
MOVIES WATCHED IN JULY
Jul 6 - Dune: Part 1 (2021)
Paul Atreides arrives on Arrakis after his father accepts the stewardship of the dangerous planet. However, chaos ensues after a betrayal as forces clash to control melange, a precious resource.
Director: Denis Villeneuve
Stars:Timothée Chalamet, Rebecca Ferguson, Zendaya, Jason Momoa, Oscar Isaac
So much better than the 1984 movie. Looking forward to watching the second half.
Jul 12 - Jaws @ 50: The Definitive Inside Story (2025)
A tribute to Jaws (1975), the movie that sparked a lasting fascination with the ocean's most misunderstood predator.
Director: Laurent Bouzereau
Stars: Steven Spielberg, Janet Maslin, Cameron Crowe, James Cameron, J. J. Abrams, Guillermo del Toro, Emily Blunt, George Lucas
I already knew most of the information about the making of the movie, but there was enough new stuff to make it worth watching.
Jul 26 - Death of a Unicorn (2025)
A father and daughter accidentally hit and kill a unicorn while en route to a weekend retreat, where his billionaire boss seeks to exploit the creature's miraculous curative properties.
Director: Alex Scharfman
Stars: Paul Rudd, Jenna Ortega, Will Poulter, Téa Leoni
Quite entertaining, though the ending was somewhat predictable. Still, I think it was worth the time.
Jul 29 - Secrets of the Civiil War (2019)
The land battles of the American Civil War are well known, but it's the war on the seas that shaped the outcome of the war. Maritime archaeologists and historians go in search of Civil War secrets, hidden deep underwater. Scientific data combines with computer graphics to drain the oceans to investigate the lost wrecks of the war.
Director: Marc Tiley
Stars: Russell Boulter, Craig Sechler, Craig L. Symonds
There were actually more “secrets” - such as the creation of the precursor to the MASH units used during the Korean War. Though maybe not the most professionally made, there was still quite a bit of information that I wasn’t aware of to make the documentary well worth watching.
