Watch the trailers for three new or upcoming documentaries, including one that makes stray cats stars, and another about a comedian converting to Judaism.
documentary film
The Oscar documentary nominees, including a TV show
The nominees for the 89th Academy Awards were announced today, including those nominated for feature and short documentaries.
Tickled, out today, is a terrifying, Catfish-like documentary about tickling
In Tickled, a new documentary that’s being compared to Catfish, investigating competitive tickling videos leads a journalist into a world of legal threats.
Learn more and watch the trailer.
A super-brief documentary about, and illustrated by, The Oatmeal
Cartoonist Matthew Inman, aka The Oatmeal, describes the origins of The Blerch and talks about his life as a runner in this brief, 171-second documentary.
Why He Named Me Malala was the most difficult movie its Oscar-winning director ever made
An interview with Oscar-winning director Davis Guggenheim, whose film about Malala Yousafzai is airing on National Geographic Channel.
Two Oscar winners and an Emmy winner on Oscar doc sexism
Oscar-winning directors Davis Guggenheim and Alex Gibney, and Emmy-winning producer Kahane Cooperman, talk about sexism in documentary feature awards.
Queen of Versailles star Victoria Siegel, 18, is dead
David and Jackie Siegel’s daughter Victoria, 18, died Saturday. The Orlando Sentinel reports that she “was found unresponsive by deputy sheriffs at the Siegels’ ‘Seagull Island’ mansion on Green Island Cove just after 2 p.m. Saturday,” and that the cause of death is being investigated. Victoria had a central role in the documentary film The… continue reading
Oh my: George Takei’s documentary is online today
All-around awesome person George Takei has parodied The Bachelor, been fired on Celebrity Apprentice, and was part of a King of the Nerds challenge. Now he’s the star of a documentary about his present and past, from Japanese-American interned in the U.S. during World War II with his family to Star Trek star to universally beloved… continue reading
Queen of Versailles is becoming a reality show
The thrilling documentary Queen of Versailles is becoming a reality series, as NBCUniversal has signed Jackie Siegel for a six-episode series that will film a presentation reel over Labor Day weekend, The Orlando Sentinel reports. At the same time, David Siegel, the owner of Westgate resorts, just announced his purchase of the Orlando Predators. It’s… continue reading
Try not to be inspired by this man’s amazing passion and patience
I haven’t seen a film as simultaneously charming, inspiring, and thought-provoking as Tim’s Vermeer in a long time, perhaps ever. While the documentary details Tim Jenison’s quest to discover and reproduce how Johannes Vermeer painted in the 1600s, and explores ideas about art and technology, it’s ultimately just absurdly fun. Tim’s Vermeer is directed by… continue reading
20 Feet From Stardom, The Lady in Number 6 win Oscars
The two documentary films that won Oscars last night are 20 Feet From Stardom and the short The Lady in Number 6: Music Saved My Life. You can watch the nominees online or on demand, which I think should take less time than the telecast did. The star of the latter, Alice Herz-Sommer, died last… continue reading
How to watch the Oscar-nominated docs at home
The 10 films nominated for Best Documentary Feature (20 Feet from Stardom, The Act of Killing, Cutie and the Boxer, Dirty Wars, and The Square) and Best Documentary Short Subject (CaveDigger, Facing Fear, Karama Has No Walls, The Lady in Number 6, and Prison Terminal) are all available to watch online. CBS News has compiled… continue reading
Watch Stephen Hawking tell the extraordinary story of his extraordinary life
At the start of the film Hawking, Stephen Hawking, through his now-well-known computerized voice, says, “This film is a personal journey through my life, told in my own life. Come with me and I will tell you the story of how I became who I am.” PBS broadcast the film on TV last night and… continue reading
Sriracha: the reality TV show
There was a panic last week that Sriracha, the hot chili sauce that has a cult following and has inspired multiple cookbooks, would start to disappear. The potential shortage was because the City of Irwindale sued to shut down Huy Fong Foods’ new plant. However, a judge allowed the factory to continue production, though the… continue reading
Blackfish airs on CNN tonight, exposes SeaWorld’s shameful behavior
Tonight at 9 p.m. ET, CNN will broadcast Blackfish, the film about SeaWorld’s killer whale, Tilikum, that’s really about a lot more than that. It’s worth watching. The film is not as gorgeously shot, narratively engrossing, or polemic as The Cove, the Oscar-winning documentary about dolphin slaughter that plays like a real-life thriller. At first,… continue reading