The coming weeks can be a drag of early Oscar hopefuls (Steve Jobs) and near misses (Black Mass) but I’m taking a break after seeing The Martian at the Presidio Theatre in 3D (headache looming) to get some diverse programming in my system until the weekend.
Documentary
Movies Come in Pairs: The legacies of Disney & Jobs
In theatres and streaming online today is a pair of engrossing documentaries about two of the best salesmen known to man, Walt Disney and Steve Jobs.
These two men were owners of the zeitgeist in their respective times, capturing the imagination of and inspiring a generation. They exist with near mythical status and those who idolize them tend to ignore certain key aspects that don’t suit their narrative. Namely, that despite their raw talent and drive they were human and had many faults.
I’d like to start with Walt Disney.
Documentary Haven at The Roxie
This weekend is all about the documentary at the Mission’s own Roxie Theater.
Tomorrow evening the Roxie will be showing Happy Valley, Amir Bar Lev’s searing investigation into the danger of idol worship in sports and American society.
Details and tickets HERE
What I’m watching this week: Finding Vivian Maier at The Clay
Less a film review and more a recommendation, I’m going to see Finding Vivian Maier this evening and I think you should definitely join me!
This film entices me as it’s a documentary about the accidental fame of an artist, by which I mean Vivian being a woman who created art for herself and not the public. I love documentaries about art lacking in ego. I’m thinking of films like Herb and Dorothy, Journal de France, or Jazz on a Summer’s Day.
Here is the trailer
Particles, fevers and the documentary tradition
Out this week at the Landmark Theatres Embarcadero Center Cinemas is a small, yet potent documentary about a scientific experiment of “Edisonian” proportion.