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Made In Iowa
It's a story we've all heard before — a large manufacturer closes down and decimates a small Midwestern city. But this time, the narrative is different. Made In Iowa follows the story of Webster City, who made a comeback with the help of small business, saving itself from the Midwest rust.
Nobody Speak
It was the first shot in a war that could undermine the most highly prized value in the United States Constitution: Freedom of speech. When Gawker leaked the Hulk Hogan sex tape, billionaire Silicon Valley entrepreneur Peter Thiel saw his chance to get back at the publication for a slight against nine years prior. Thiel financially backed the Hogan in the lawsuit and crushed Nick Denton's Gawker into bankruptcy. Nobody Speak looks at the super rich and efforts among them to stifle speech by buying the press.
Jeff Koons
Intoxicating. Surprising. Controversial. These have all been used to describe the art of Jeff Koons. His work has had such an impact, the Museum of Contemporary Art held a gala to honor the artist, featuring this Scarlett Johansson-narrated documentary. With commentary from George Condo, Pharrell, Frank Gehry, Larry Gagosian, and Dakis Joannou., the eight-minute film takes a look back childhood and his early days as an artist, while also taking a closer look at what went into some of his most recognizable pieces.
Making Matchbox Cars in 1965
In 1953, the Lesney company of England began producing a miniature replica of the Queen's Coronation Coach. The success of the toy lead to a line of detailed miniature cars, sold under the Matchbox brand name — and the rest is history. This 1965 documentary shows how Matchbox cars were designed and manufactured with a painstaking attention to detail.
Johnny Physical Lives
He never sold out arenas. He never made the top of the Billboard charts. You can't stream his records. He won't be inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame — but he's a rock legend as much as anyone named Lennon, Bowie, or Vicious. Johnny Physical, aka Jonathan Neuman, fronted the New York-based band The Physicals. With Frankie Lines, Danny Animal, and Nick Fiction, The Physicals became a local phenomenon with Johnny fronting the band. But like so much in music, the story has a tragic ending. Johnny was diagnosed with leukemia and succumbed to the disease after a year-long battle. But gone doesn't mean forgotten. Johnny's brother Joshua made this portrait of Johnny, showing the person he was and keeping his memory alive.
Batman and Bill
Batman's secret identity isn't Bruce Wayne. The real man behind the mask is Bill Fingers. Comics to graphic novels to blockbuster movies, the name most frequently associated with the Dark Night is Bob Kane. But the majority of Batman, his enemies, and Gotham City sprung from the mind of Bill Fingers. Batman and Bill looks at who the real creative force behind one of the most popular superheroes of all time was, and the mission one man had of erasing another's legacy from his own creation. Batman and Bill premieres on Hulu May 6, 2017.
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Smith Attack Sunglasses
Building off the success of their PivLock quick-change eyewear line, Smith has once again jumped ahead with their all-new Attack series. These sunglasses feature magnet-guided snap-on temple pieces that mount directly on a single large lens, allowing the wearer to quickly adjust to changing light conditions without missing a beat. Other new features include a shaped cutout at the top of the lens for increased ventilation, an adjustable nosepiece for maximum wearing comfort, and a new range of ChromaPop lenses to help you keep your eyes on where you're going next.
Presented by Smith.
Brooklinen Sheets
You're going to spend a third of your life in bed — given much thought to the sheets you've got on there lately? Brooklinen can help. They're a Brooklyn-based startup, founded by a husband and wife team, dedicated to getting you top-quality bedding without the luxury price tag. Woven from 100% long-staple cotton, Brooklinen sheets are crisp, cool, and get better with every use. Keep it classic with all-white sheets, or mix-and-match to customize things to look exactly the way you want. Shop the best sheets ever now.
Presented by Brooklinen.
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Faking Nature
What you see in a documentary isn't always what happened. Like any other film, the magic is in the editing. Since animals aren't actors, a performance can't be caught on demand — it takes weeks, months, or even years to get what you're there to film. And shooting wild animals means putting a safe distance between you and your subject, which means the sound is often added in post production. DLSRguide examines how nature documentaries are humanized and edited for dramatic effect, sometimes with very little bearing on what happens in the field.
Big Time
Known for his abstract designs, Bjarke Ingels is one of the architectural greats of our time. His company Bjarke Ingels Group, or simply BIG, is responsible for the Google North Bayshore headquarters and the Two World Trade Center building. But as the trailer for the upcoming Kaspar Astrup Schröder-directed documentary shows, being on top can come at a price, as we see Ingels complain of headaches and head in for an MRI. For now, all we can do is speculate until the film debuts at the Copenhagen Architecture Festival on April 26, 2017.
The Sneaker Broker
Jordan has produced some of the most sought after sneakers out there. But say what you want, Kanye West's line of Yeezys for Adidas has added some new competition in the shoe game, and one guy is taking advantage of that. Known as 23Penny or Z, Yuanrun Zheng has made it his business to resell these sought after kicks for far more than they retail for, causing them to sell out in a matter of minutes. You may think this is shady or unfair, labeling him as a bad guy, but Zheng will gladly play the villain.
Five Came Back
During World War II, the conflict wasn't fought only on battlefields in Europe, but also on the silver screens in the States. With the war half a world away, the best way to bring the seriousness of the conflict home was through film. So the U.S. packed up five directors and sent them into war zones — where they captured the fight and its aftermath for the citizens back home. Narrated by Meryl Streep with appearances by Steven Spielberg, Francis Ford Coppola, Guillermo del Toro, Paul Greengrass, and Lawrence Kasdan, Five Came Back premieres on Netflix March 31, 2017.
McLaren
Although he passed away at just 32-years-old, only 12 of those were spent racing, Bruce McLaren's impact on the auto world is unsurpassed. Not only did he dominate the track as a driver, but his Formula One team is one of the most successful in history and his cars have seen the checkered flag in three Indianapolis 500 races, the 24 Hours of Le Mans, and 12 Hours of Sebring. This documentary follows his life and legacy through interviews with Mario Andretti, Jackie Stewart, his Le Mans co-driver Chris Amon, and his wife Patricia Broad.
Making Planet Earth II
In 2006, BBC broke boundaries with their documentary series Planet Earth. Ten years later, they hope to surpass its success with a sequel using the latest film techniques. Executive producer Mike Gunton, creative director Neil Nightingale, and producer Elizabeth White describe how they used ultra-high-definition, motion tracking, and other modern technologies to turn the nature documentary into a full-fledged cinematic experience.
When Darkness Falls
Since its inception in 1962, racers and spectators have made their way to the Daytona International Speedway for one of sports' most grueling endurance races. The 24-hour event takes place over an entire day, pushing drivers and their crews to not only battle their competition but also their own physical limits from sunrise to sunset. In this short documentary, those who know best describe what it takes to survive 24 Hours of Daytona.
AJS Tap Handles
A lot goes into choosing the right beer, and that unique lever behind the bar may play a bigger role than you think. From Budweiser to microbrews, AJS Tap Handles has been crafting unique works of art for 30 years. All of their pieces are made in the U.S. at their Random Lake, Wisconsin shop and include over 30,000 unique tap handles, ranging from snow globe-topped grains of wheat to intricate hand-painted kings.
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Rediscovering The Sherman Typeface
Syracuse University was looking to revamp their brand and enlisted the help of Pentagram. After finding a historical connection between the college's School of Journalism and famed type designer Frederic Goudy, the firm decided to start with a font he created in 1910 for publisher Fredrick Sherman. Using Sherman as a base, Brooklyn type designer Chester Jenkins revived the century-old typeface to live in the 21st century.
Becoming Warren Buffett
Just a kid from Omaha, Warren Buffett is now worth over $70 billion. But beyond the piles of cash, the master investor is also one of the most generous philanthropists in history, having pledged away 99 percent of his fortune to various charities. This HBO documentary goes behind the billions to chronicle the life and success of one of the richest men in the world. Premieres January 30, 2017 at 10 PM.
The Art of Suo Noodles
The process of making suo noodles dates back hundreds of years, originating in the Nanshan Village of China. For over 30 years, Lin Fagan and his family have kept the ancient tradition alive. They hand-pull the nine foot thread-like noodles every day in their home, taking 16 hours to make a single batch. With the town's senior resident holding the secret to these delicate noodles, the practice may soon become only a memory.
Eagles Of Death Metal: Nos Amis
On November 13, 2015, a group of terrorists opened fire in the Bataclan Concert Hall during an Eagles of Death Metal concert, killing 89 people. Just three months later, the band returned to Paris to finish the set. This documentary recounts the tragic events that took place that day, as well as what followed. Directed by Colin Hanks, the film will premiere February 13, 2017 on HBO.
2016 in Five Minutes
Dead rockstars, dead astronauts, dead actresses, dead civilians, the most bizarre election in US history — the highlights of 2016 weren't very high. This year has killed more music, killed more hopes, broken more dreams, and been more generally disgusting than few years in recent memory. But Vox put together this retrospective anyway, hitting all of the mostly low points of a year we'd all rather forget.
30 for 30: Nature Boy
Ric Flair ruled the ring with his flashy gear and over-the-top persona for over 40 years, and his success and popularity has remained unsurpassed. Although it was announced over a year ago, ESPN is finally giving the first look at its long-awaited Nature Boy special. The documentary will look back at the life and career of the two-time WWE Hall of Famer, with interviews with the man himself. There's no official release date yet, but the Rory Karpf-directed 30 for 30 is scheduled for sometime in 2017.
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The Harris Tweed Industry
On the Island of Harris and Lewis in the Outer Hebrides, Scotland, over 170 freelance weavers are keeping the Harris Tweed alive. The centuries-old tradition of hand-weaving the material was originally called "big cloth" and is even protected by its own act of parliament. In this short documentary, you get to see the colorful characters that make the famous fabric and the strong heritage behind it.
Beware The Slenderman
On May 31, 2014 in Waukesha, Wisconsin, a 12-year-old girl was lured into the woods and stabbed 19 times by two of her peers. Their reasoning — the Slender Man. The tall, faceless man in black has spawned panic and fear across the internet since his creation in 2009, even causing believers to experience amnesia and paranoia. In this documentary, Directer Irene Taylor Brodsky explores this internet folklore through interviews with the families of the victim and the perpetrators of this real life horror film, airing on HBO in January 2017.
The Globemakers
Bellerby & Co Globemakers is one of the last remaining globemakers in the world. Run by Peter Bellerby, the London studio hand-crafts every piece, taking anywhere between two to eight months to complete. From carpenters to painters, meet the 15 individuals that are keeping this lost art alive.
Ancient Inuit Tattooing
Modern tattooing methods aren't exactly pain-free, but ancient techniques look downright unbearable. After nearly losing traditional methods when missionaries colonized their communities, Artist Marjorie Tahbone is trying to revive the traditional Inuit tattooing practices. In this mini documentary, she demonstrates hand-poking and skin stitching and explains the importance of these markings to her heritage.
Before the Flood
Academy Award-winning actor Leonardo DiCaprio has teamed up with Academy Award-winning filmmaker Fisher Stevens to bring to the forefront the dangers of our changing climate. The documentary follows their three-year journey to pick the brains of global leaders who are working to prevent further damage being done to our planet, before it is too late. Now more than ever, sharing is caring because 21st Century Fox and National Geographic are going to donate $1 for every Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram share to the Wildlife Conservation Society.
Surfing On The Great Lakes
Peru-born Larry Cavero moved to Toronto, which couldn't be any less like the warm beaches of South America. With surfing running deep in his veins, Cavero had to find a way to ride the waves in an ocean-less city. Making lemonade out of lemons, he took advantage of the neighboring Great Lakes and found his own surf scene in the frigid waters.
The Keeper Of The Reels
Originally a fallout shelter for the U.S. president during the Cold War, this old underground nuclear bunker in Culpepper, Virginia is now home to the history of American film. The Library of Congress Packard Campus restores and preserves everything from Casablanca to Gigil and even stores negatives that are over 100 years old. In this mini-documentary, Archivist George Willeman takes you into the vaults to tour some of the oldest and most fragile films to ever come out of Hollywood.
The Forger
During his youth, Adolfo Kaminsky helped thousands of innocent lives during the Nazi regime by forging passports. Hiding their operations disguised as painters, he even managed to create 900 documents in one night to save 300 children. In this documentary, Kaminsky describes how his humble beginnings as a clothes dryer lead him to become one of the world's most important forgers.
