We could write something really meaningful about documentaries and how they impacted the decade, changed our lives, made us cry, made us angry, gave us a call to action, or shined a light on something we otherwise might not know about. We could talk about the portraits of people we adored, people we lost, or chronicles of injustice or venality or obscure spotlights on little-known subjects. And we’ll do that, eventually, but right now, it’s Friday, and we just want to sleep and drink and possibly never wake up, so please enjoy our Best Documentaries of The Decade feature, this placeholder we may or may not update when we’re feeling alive, and our genuine thanks and appreciation for all your reading, sharing, clicking, etc.

Continue reading The Best Documentaries Of The Decade [2010s] at The Playlist.

There was a time when documentary filmmaking felt a little bit like the red-headed stepchild of the film industry, and, to be sure, they still tend not to challenge fiction features at the box office unless they’re furiously topical political manifestos like “March of the Penguins,” awe-inspiring testaments to the grandeur of nature like “Jackass 3D” or gross-out slapstick like “Fahrenheit 9/11.” But the rise of streaming services, and the fall of Western democracy, have given non-fiction filmmaking a new lease on life: not only are the incisive and dedicated perspectives of documentarians of all stripes more necessary than ever now to help us make sense of an increasingly senseless world, they also tend to be more available to us than ever before.

Continue reading The Best Documentaries Of 2017 at The Playlist.

The maxim goes that the truth will set you free, but the search for that truth can be a prison. The abyss and darkness of unknowing can be a heavy shroud to shoulder. Throughout his career, documentary filmmaker Errol Morris have revelled in throwing light on strange stories or investigating figures who have made curious chapters in history. However, “Wormwood” marks something new for the director, where his pursuit of the story is the story.

Continue reading Errol Morris’ ‘Wormwood’: The Truth Will Not Set You Free [Review] at The Playlist.

There are documentarians and then there are storytellers, and Errol Morris firmly fits in the latter category. While the director is best known for efforts like “Gates Of Heaven,” “The Fog Of War,” and “A Brief History Of Time,” his latest effort “Wormwood” probably falls more in line with his docu-drama classic, “The Thin Blue Line.” And Netflix has given the legendary filmmaker six episodes to unfold this fascinating story.

Continue reading ‘Wormwood’ Trailer: Errol Morris Explores The CIA, LSD & Mind Control at The Playlist.

The Telluride Film Festival has earned its reputation as one of the best-curated film events in the world and this year’s lineup is no exception. Contrary to popular opinion, the programmers don’t make their selections in regards to a film’s Oscar chances as much as whether they think it will challenge or captivate the faithful moviegoers who spend $780 (or more) for passes (it’s not a cheap fest, but to the regulars it’s movie heaven).

Continue reading Telluride Film Festival: 10 Most Anticipated Films at The Playlist.

The 44th Telluride Film Festival announced its main program Thursday morning and it includes a number of highly anticipated premieres as well as the always sought after second screenings of a few Venice Film Festival showcases.

This year’s lineup includes:

ARTHUR MILLER: WRITER (d. Rebecca Miller, U.S., 2017)
BATTLE OF THE SEXES (d. Valerie Faris, Jonathan Dayton, U.S., 2017)
DARKEST HOUR (d. Joe Wright, U.K., 2017)
DOWNSIZING (d.

Continue reading 2017 Telluride Film Festival Lineup Includes ‘Hostiles,’ ‘Lady Bird,’ ‘The Shape Of Water,’ More at The Playlist.

Given the firm grip Netflix has on true crime stories, it only makes sense that Errol Morris, who delivered the genre defining “The Thin Blue Line,” should come to the streaming service. Indeed, the director is taking a big swing with “Wormwood,” a miniseries based on a true story, and it looks compelling as hell.

Starring Peter Sarsgaard, Christian Camargo, Scott Shepherd, Molly Parker, Jimmi Simpson, Bob Balaban, Tim Blake Nelson, John Doman, Hillary Gardner, Michael Chernus, Jack O’Connell, and Chance Kelly, the six-episode series will tell the untold true story of the CIA LSD experiments, mind control, and the death of a family man.

Continue reading ‘Wormwood’ Trailer: Errol Morris Brings True Story Miniseries To Netflix at The Playlist.