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Score
The visuals may tell the story, but the music will make audiences feel it. The Matt Schrader documentary goes even further behind the scenes and into the studios and recording sessions with some of Hollywood' biggest composers to see how they score some of the cinema's greatest films. Featuring interviews with Hans Zimmer, Thomas Newman, James Cameron, and many more, the film is now available on Amazon and iTunes.
Long Shot
Netflix is back with what looks to be another binge-worthy true crime documentary. The story goes, in 2003 Juan Catalan was arrested for the murder of a 16-year-old girl. Pleading innocence, he claimed that he had been at a Dodgers game along with 56,000 other people at the time. With no way to prove his whereabouts, the defense called their greatest witness — Larry David. Get the full story when Long Shot starts streaming September 29, 2017.
The Cancellation of The Tonight Show With Conan O'Brien
On June 1, 2009, Conan O'Brien took over the desk of The Tonight Show after long-time host Jay Leno stepped down. What many thought of as a win for the franchise, Conan had successfully hosted Late Night with Conan O'Brien for 16 years and appealed to a younger generation, turned out to be a total failure. After just seven months, O'Brien was bought out of his contract, making it the shortest run in the historic show's history. As we all know, Conan moved on to his current TBS gig and Jay Leno returned to being the most hated man in late-night TV.
The Aria of Babyface Cauliflower Brown
Babyface. Heel. You may think professional wrestling is a fake sport, but some view it as a real form of storytelling. One of those people is Cauliflower Brown. In this short documentary, the independent wrestler gets deep on his philosophy behind the craft.
Escapes
He ran away to Spain at 15 to be a flamenco dancer. He produced and wrote the script for Blade Runner and its sequel Blade Runner 2049. He's lived more of life than many of us could imagine. Escapes is the story of Hampton Fancher, starring the dancer, actor, and writer himself. Directed by Michael Almereyda and produced by Wes Anderson, Escapes comes to select theaters August 2017.
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.
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Leesa Mattress
You probably already know that the Leesa Mattress is sourced and crafted in the USA and that it's backed by elite athletes and over 10,000 verified five-star customer reviews. And maybe you've heard that Leesa is ordered online, built, compressed, rolled, and shipped directly to your door. But what you might not know is that beginning this month, customers can experience Leesa's American-made and expertly designed mattresses at 80+ West Elm locations across the U.S. And as always, Leesa will let you try their mattress in the comfort of your own home for 100 risk-free nights.
Presented by Leesa.
Hylete Verge II Short
Available in four different lengths, the HYLETE verge II short is the next best thing to custom tailored performance apparel. Inseams range from long to the shorter quad-cut allowing you to choose your perfect length. Each pair is made from the same flex-woven fabric, providing a lightweight, sweat-wicking barrier, while flex-knit panels stretch to accommodate your range of motion. They are finished off with a waistband that has a 4" stretch, two-way drawstring, and zippered side pockets to keep valuables in your pockets. Additional colors available.
Presented by Hylete.
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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.
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.
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Vague Grey Fade Submariner Watch
Vague Watch Co.'s Grey Fade Submariner gets its name from the dark grey bezel insert, meant to mimic the sought-after "ghost bezel" effect found on the faded black bezels of well-worn vintage sport watches. It's built with an automatic movement, meaning you'll never have to change a battery, as the watch is powered by the movement of your arm during wear. With a stainless steel case, a screw-down back, and a 100-meter depth rating, the watch is also rugged enough to handle some serious time in the water. On top of that, it ships with a sharp military-inspired case, watch tool, and a classic nylon NATO strap to switch out with the stainless oyster band.
Punkt MP 01 Phone
No apps. No camera. No nonsense. Designed by Jasper Morrison for Switzerland-based Punkt, the MP 01 Phone is meant to put the spotlight back where it belongs: on calls and messages. The 2-inch LCD display — protected by Gorilla Glass — is ideal for dealing with SMS messages, and the built-in noise cancellation ensures that your conversations sound great. It does have Bluetooth, since hands-free setups are handy, but without the need for a bevy of other radios, battery life is fantastic (it only needs charging every few weeks, instead of every few hours), and the soft-touch finish and angled back plate make it a pleasure to hold. Not to mention, we could all use the occasional social-media detox. In Punkt's own words, this is offline as the new luxury.
Height: 4.58" / Width: 2" / Thickness: 0.6" / Weight: 3.1oz
Requires a low-cost 2G GSM plan.-
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.
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.
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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.
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.
