Sundance 2012 Coverage
Middle of Nowhere
In her directorial debut, director and screenwriter Ava DuVernay tells the story of a young woman whose husband is sentenced to eight years in prison. Choosing to drop out of med school to stay close to him and have more time for visits and phone calls, Ruby (Emayatzy Corinealdi) supports her husband 100-percent through this hardship. … read more
An Oversimplification of Her Beauty
If a man like first-time director/screenwriter Terence Nance was as fascinated by me as he is by actress Namik Minter, my love-struck gaze would’ve been penetrating out of the silver screen rather than staring longingly into it from my seat amongst the audience of An Oversimplification of Her Beauty. … read more
The Law in These Parts
The Law in These Parts looks at the same issue as another World Cinema Documentary Competition film, 5 Broken Camera: Israel’s control over the West Bank. After seeing both films, it feels impossible to review one without referencing the other. Although both films cover essentially the same topic, the manner in which they are told and the perspective differ. … read more
We’re Not Broke
United States tax law is purposely complicated. This is why people hire accountants. Unfortunately, the complexity of the U.S. tax code is exactly what has allowed the majority of multi-billion dollar U.S. companies to evade paying taxes through the use of offshore tax havens. Turns out U.S. companies hire accountants too, often times ones who helped write portions of the tax code, or have spent time working for the I.R.S. … read more
The House I Live In
Inspired by director Eugene Jarecki’s relationship with his childhood caretaker, The House I Live In serves as a great introduction and overview of America’s 40-year-long war on drugs. Through a series of interviews with law enforcement officers, scientists, drug users, drug dealers, incarcerated individuals and the families of the incarcerated, Jarecki paints a vivid picture explaining that the violation of drug laws has become a multi-generational problem for poor Americans. … read more
China Heavyweight
In 1959, Chinese President Mao banned the sport of boxing for being too violent and American. Thirty years later, the ban was lifted and the communist country has embraced the sport in a fashion that can develop young children into proud representatives of their culture.
About Face
Portrait photographer turned director Timothy Greenfield-Sanders points a video camera instead of his usual photography setup at a group of the most celebrated models in “About Face” to discuss the history of the profession.
The Raid
Rama is the latest addition to an Indonesian SWAT team. They have been given an order overtake a 30-story building complex owned by a legendary gangster and housing the city’s worst criminals. With hundreds of henchmen prepared to die for their supplier, Rama is about to put his policing skills to the ultimate test. … read more
Filly Brown
An LA-bred Latina with some attitude and musical talent, “Mojo” Tonorio, aka Filly Brown (Gina Rodriguez), aspires to be a hip hop artist while dealing with various familial conflicts, including an imprisoned mother and a father struggling to keep his job. … read more
The Words
“The Words” is a fascinating multi-layered drama that sets one story upon another upon another, forcing viewers to question their own morals and the amount of compassion we can share with those who have made terrible mistakes. … read more