Since filmmaker John Maggio jumped from PBS‘s “Frontline” to HBO, he’s remade himself into a documentarian par excellence. 2017’s “The Newspaperman” tackled the storied life and career of Washington Post journalist/editor Ben Bradlee. 2019’s “Panic: The Untold Story Of The 2008 Financial Crisis” got up close and personal with the Great Recession and its aftermath.

Continue reading ‘A Choice Of Weapons: Inspired By Gordon Parks’ Trailer: New Doc Looks At The Career Of Legendary Photographer at The Playlist.

Acclaimed photojournalist Gordon Parks was something of a renaissance man. A photographer, writer, composer, film director, and activist—he imbued the American Black experience with a sense of gravitas, esteem, and pathos through his Black gaze. Referencing Parks’ same-titled autobiography, director John Maggio’s “A Choice Of Weapons: Inspired By Gordon Parks” showcases the famed photographer’s work for a new generation but does little to elaborate on the man incisively. 

Continue reading ‘A Choice Of Weapons: Inspired By Gordon Parks’: Is Slightly Out Of Focus [Tribeca Review] at The Playlist.

It’s been essentially over a year without in-person film festivals. Thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic of 2020, the SXSW, Cannes Film Festival, and Tribeca Film Festivals were all canceled last year. Venice and Toronto took place physically, but Venice was sparsely attended, and Toronto was mostly a festival for Canadians; U.S. and international critics had to “attend” the festival virtually, much like Sundance earlier this year.

Continue reading 2021 Tribeca Film Festival Preview: 15 Must-See Films To Watch & More at The Playlist.