The streaming landscape can feel endless. It’s not and we’re here to help. Netflix has hundreds of documentaries in its streaming library, but they’re not all created equal, and we’ve narrowed down the options for you with 25 of our top picks for the best documentary movies currently available to watch on the streaming platform. If you’re looking for something light and visually stunning, you’ve come to the right place. If you’re looking for something gruesome yet fascinating, there are options for you below. If you only have half an hour or 40 minutes to kill, Netflix has something for you.
So peruse our list below, and get watching!
“Athlete A” Netflix
One of the best documentaries in recent years, “Athlete A” works on multiple fronts: First, it effectively chronicles the abuse perpetrated by Larry Nassar, a former sports medicine physician who used his position...
So peruse our list below, and get watching!
“Athlete A” Netflix
One of the best documentaries in recent years, “Athlete A” works on multiple fronts: First, it effectively chronicles the abuse perpetrated by Larry Nassar, a former sports medicine physician who used his position...
- 11/3/2023
- by Kayti Burt
- The Wrap
Documentaries have the remarkable ability to open our eyes to the world’s realities, challenge our preconceived notions, and transform our perspectives. In an age where information inundates our lives from various sources, these cinematic works offer a unique and intimate platform to engage with issues that matter.
Related: 7 Best Mind-Expanding Documentaries
Over the years, certain documentaries have left an indelible mark, altering the course of public perception and, in some cases, even driving real-world change. This article delves into ten must-watch documentaries that have wielded the power of truth to reshape the way we view the world around us.
“Blackfish” (2013)
A Deep Dive into Captive Marine Life
This documentary hit me like a tidal wave. “Blackfish” pulled back the curtain on how marine animals are treated in captivity, specifically focusing on orcas at SeaWorld. It’s not all fun and games; the film peeled away the glossy exterior to...
Related: 7 Best Mind-Expanding Documentaries
Over the years, certain documentaries have left an indelible mark, altering the course of public perception and, in some cases, even driving real-world change. This article delves into ten must-watch documentaries that have wielded the power of truth to reshape the way we view the world around us.
“Blackfish” (2013)
A Deep Dive into Captive Marine Life
This documentary hit me like a tidal wave. “Blackfish” pulled back the curtain on how marine animals are treated in captivity, specifically focusing on orcas at SeaWorld. It’s not all fun and games; the film peeled away the glossy exterior to...
- 10/25/2023
- by Pia Vermaak
- buddytv.com
Exclusive: Mala Chapple has been elevated to President of Story Syndicate, the decorated production company of Liz Garbus and Dan Cogan, having made a significant mark there since joining as Chief Operating Officer in 2021.
In her previous role, Chapple oversaw production, business affairs and financial operations for the company. She also served as an executive producer of Harry & Meghan — the series on the royals that last year notched Netflix’s biggest-ever doc debut, with over 81.55M hours viewed globally in its first week of release — as well as the Netflix adventure-exploration series Unknown.
Going forward, Chapple will continue to steer the organization through ever-shifting market conditions, in concert with Garbus and Cogan. As she increases the scope of her responsibilities, Head of Documentary and Nonfiction Jon Bardin will assume additional oversight as far as day-to-day project management.
“As a creative company, how do you thrive in an evolving marketplace while remaining devoted to unique,...
In her previous role, Chapple oversaw production, business affairs and financial operations for the company. She also served as an executive producer of Harry & Meghan — the series on the royals that last year notched Netflix’s biggest-ever doc debut, with over 81.55M hours viewed globally in its first week of release — as well as the Netflix adventure-exploration series Unknown.
Going forward, Chapple will continue to steer the organization through ever-shifting market conditions, in concert with Garbus and Cogan. As she increases the scope of her responsibilities, Head of Documentary and Nonfiction Jon Bardin will assume additional oversight as far as day-to-day project management.
“As a creative company, how do you thrive in an evolving marketplace while remaining devoted to unique,...
- 7/11/2023
- by Matt Grobar
- Deadline Film + TV
Jurassic Park was nothing short of a phenomenon when it arrived in cinemas back in June 1993. Like Robert Muldoon being pursued by a pack of velociraptors, there was simply no escaping the clutches of what was a cultural phenomenon. But while much of the focus was on Steven Spielberg’s movie and its heady mix of stunning special effects and a shirtless Jeff Goldblum, what helped give Jurassic Park that extra bit of bite at the box office was the astonishing amount of merchandising surrounding the film.
Jurassic Park was ubiquitous that summer, whether it was the iconic Kenner line of toys featuring familiar characters from the film apart from Lex (blame Jurassic patriarchy), the Sega Genesis game that let you play as a raptor chomping on foolish humans, or the bizarre line of salami and beef jerky products that hit store shelves, life found a way.
Yet by far...
Jurassic Park was ubiquitous that summer, whether it was the iconic Kenner line of toys featuring familiar characters from the film apart from Lex (blame Jurassic patriarchy), the Sega Genesis game that let you play as a raptor chomping on foolish humans, or the bizarre line of salami and beef jerky products that hit store shelves, life found a way.
Yet by far...
- 6/21/2023
- by David Crow
- Den of Geek
“Did you know there’s a direct correlation between the decline of Spirograph and the rise in gang activity? Think about it,” Bart was warned during The Simpsons’ “Golden Era.” He says he will, but we know he won’t give it even a passing thought. The same could be said about the series in the 2010s. As viewership went down over the decade, the country splintered into opposing factions, without much thought. The citizens turned away from trusted media output, and after beating Gunsmoke as the longest-running, scripted primetime show in history, The Simpsons was an institution.
The decade opened with a big 20th anniversary premiere, “Once Upon a Time in Springfield,” promoted as the 450th episode of the series. It ran alongside a special, aired after a year’s buildup from Fox, called The Simpsons 20th Anniversary Special – In 3-D! On Ice!, directed by Morgan Spurlock (Super Size...
The decade opened with a big 20th anniversary premiere, “Once Upon a Time in Springfield,” promoted as the 450th episode of the series. It ran alongside a special, aired after a year’s buildup from Fox, called The Simpsons 20th Anniversary Special – In 3-D! On Ice!, directed by Morgan Spurlock (Super Size...
- 5/21/2023
- by Alec Bojalad
- Den of Geek
Stacey Offman, Jigsaw Production’s exec VP of development and production, is exiting the company to work as an independent producer, Variety has confirmed. Longtime Jigsaw producer Erin Edeiken to serve as head of production for Alex Gibney’s shingle going forward.
Offman, who is exiting on May 19, joined Jigsaw Productions in 2012. In her 11-year tenure at the documentary production company, Offman was part of the team that launched Jigsaw’s television branch as well as the creation of a vertical of non-fiction series and documentaries for an array of studios and broadcast partners.
Offman’s recent projects include Jigsaw’s “Dirty Money,” a six-part investigative series which exposed corruption and financial malfeasance in some of the most influential companies and industries. The series began streaming on Netflix in January 2018. In addition, Offman developed “Salt, Fat, Acid Heat,” a 2018 four-part Netflix culinary travel series based on Samin Nosrat’s book by the same name,...
Offman, who is exiting on May 19, joined Jigsaw Productions in 2012. In her 11-year tenure at the documentary production company, Offman was part of the team that launched Jigsaw’s television branch as well as the creation of a vertical of non-fiction series and documentaries for an array of studios and broadcast partners.
Offman’s recent projects include Jigsaw’s “Dirty Money,” a six-part investigative series which exposed corruption and financial malfeasance in some of the most influential companies and industries. The series began streaming on Netflix in January 2018. In addition, Offman developed “Salt, Fat, Acid Heat,” a 2018 four-part Netflix culinary travel series based on Samin Nosrat’s book by the same name,...
- 5/17/2023
- by Addie Morfoot
- Variety Film + TV
This month’s installment of Deep Cuts Rising features a variety of horror movies, with each one reflecting a special event or day in May.
Regardless of how they came to be here, or what they’re about, these past movies can generally be considered overlooked, forgotten or unknown.
This month’s offerings include a tense battle between mothers, a tale of evil in the suburbs, a fast-food slasher, a twisty wartime horror story, and an indie slow burn with a Hitchcockian vibe.
You’ll Like My Mother (1972)
Directed by Lamont Johnson.
The movie stars Oscar winner Patty Duke as young widow Francesca, who’s visiting her late husband’s mother (Rosemary Murphy) for the first time at a remote house in snowy Minnesota. Soon things take a turn when Francesca becomes not only stranded at her in-law’s house, but also drugged and taken prisoner.
Just in time for Mother...
Regardless of how they came to be here, or what they’re about, these past movies can generally be considered overlooked, forgotten or unknown.
This month’s offerings include a tense battle between mothers, a tale of evil in the suburbs, a fast-food slasher, a twisty wartime horror story, and an indie slow burn with a Hitchcockian vibe.
You’ll Like My Mother (1972)
Directed by Lamont Johnson.
The movie stars Oscar winner Patty Duke as young widow Francesca, who’s visiting her late husband’s mother (Rosemary Murphy) for the first time at a remote house in snowy Minnesota. Soon things take a turn when Francesca becomes not only stranded at her in-law’s house, but also drugged and taken prisoner.
Just in time for Mother...
- 5/1/2023
- by Paul Lê
- bloody-disgusting.com
Of all the unofficial holidays derived from an apocryphal bit police code, 4/20 is by far the most enduring. And just as “420” has gradually become entrenched as stoner shorthand for marijuana, the date April 20 has become an opportunity not just for college kids looking to indulge in a little extralegal fun, but also for drug law reformers and other advocacy groups to stump for a more reasonable national attitude toward America’s big green weed of choice.
And as marijuana laws have shifted over the years—from outright prohibition, to limited medicinal usage, to tightly regulated recreational use within certain states—marijuana themed movies have likewise evolved. Once upon a time, the only movies that even touched the subject of pot were hysterical propaganda pieces like Reefer Madness. Then, from the 1960s onward, weed became a popular (and hip) subject of broad comedy—in everything from Animal House to Annie Hall to Friday.
And as marijuana laws have shifted over the years—from outright prohibition, to limited medicinal usage, to tightly regulated recreational use within certain states—marijuana themed movies have likewise evolved. Once upon a time, the only movies that even touched the subject of pot were hysterical propaganda pieces like Reefer Madness. Then, from the 1960s onward, weed became a popular (and hip) subject of broad comedy—in everything from Animal House to Annie Hall to Friday.
- 4/20/2023
- by Matt Warren
- Film Independent News & More
Horrornews.net and legendary former Fangoria magazine editor Tony Timpone have formed a partnership to create the Screamings Screening Series, providing free advance showings of upcoming horror films and TV series in multiple cities. This new venture will give the horror genre a theatrical presence like never before, boasting celebrity appearances and highlighting films from the major studios to independent companies to streaming services.
For over 25 years, Timpone has previewed 200+ genre films from Universal, Columbia, Warners, Fox, Blumhouse, Lionsgate, IFC, Magnolia, Cinedigm, Gravitas Ventures, Screen Media and more. He forged some incredible horror memories with showings of Trick R Treat, 28 Weeks Later, Land of the Dead, It Follows, The Host, Hostel Part III, The Descent, Insidious: Chapter 3, Night of the Demons, Prevenge and American Zombie, just to name a few. Special in-person appearances included memorable directors and popular stars. The legacy will continue with Hnn!
“Nothing beats seeing...
For over 25 years, Timpone has previewed 200+ genre films from Universal, Columbia, Warners, Fox, Blumhouse, Lionsgate, IFC, Magnolia, Cinedigm, Gravitas Ventures, Screen Media and more. He forged some incredible horror memories with showings of Trick R Treat, 28 Weeks Later, Land of the Dead, It Follows, The Host, Hostel Part III, The Descent, Insidious: Chapter 3, Night of the Demons, Prevenge and American Zombie, just to name a few. Special in-person appearances included memorable directors and popular stars. The legacy will continue with Hnn!
“Nothing beats seeing...
- 2/28/2023
- by Michael Joy
- Horror Asylum
Food gurus like Anthony Bourdain and Stanley Tucci will no longer figure as prominently in the recipe for programming at CNN.
The pair are among the celebrities who helped pioneer a winning new formula at the outlet: Take viewers to places they couldn’t normally get to, add some beautiful shots of food or culture and, voila! The news outlet secured a new foothold in documentaries and docu-series that won the attention of top advertisers and could be played again and again.
Now, according to a memo from the Warner Bros. Discovery-backed outlet’s top executive, such ingredients are being put back on the shelf.
CNN is pulling back on production of the original series and films that have been a staple of its programming over the past decade. Series like Borudain’s “Parts Unknown” Tucci’s “Searching for Italy” and W. Kamau Bell’s “United Shades of America...
The pair are among the celebrities who helped pioneer a winning new formula at the outlet: Take viewers to places they couldn’t normally get to, add some beautiful shots of food or culture and, voila! The news outlet secured a new foothold in documentaries and docu-series that won the attention of top advertisers and could be played again and again.
Now, according to a memo from the Warner Bros. Discovery-backed outlet’s top executive, such ingredients are being put back on the shelf.
CNN is pulling back on production of the original series and films that have been a staple of its programming over the past decade. Series like Borudain’s “Parts Unknown” Tucci’s “Searching for Italy” and W. Kamau Bell’s “United Shades of America...
- 10/28/2022
- by Brian Steinberg
- Variety Film + TV
Click here to read the full article.
Unless otherwise noted, the accused denied some or all of the allegations against them.
2006 Tarana Burke
Activist Tarana Burke coins “Me Too” on MySpace.
2014
Oct. 17: Comedian Hannibal Buress’ riff about Bill Cosby resurfaces long-ignored rape accusations. An investigation of Cosby follows.
2016
July 21: Fox News chairman Roger Ailes is forced out amid allegations that he sexually harassed several women at the company.
Oct. 7: “When you’re a star, they let you do it” — The Washington Post publishes leaked Access Hollywood footage in which then-presidential candidate Donald Trump boasts of committing sexual assault.
2017 The Woman’s March of Jan. 21, 2017, set the stage for takedowns of alleged abusers like Matt Lauer.
Jan. 21: Millions of Americans take part in the Women’s March a day after President Trump’s inauguration.
March 19: Fox News ousts Bill O’Reilly following multiple harassment claims.
Oct. 5:...
Unless otherwise noted, the accused denied some or all of the allegations against them.
2006 Tarana Burke
Activist Tarana Burke coins “Me Too” on MySpace.
2014
Oct. 17: Comedian Hannibal Buress’ riff about Bill Cosby resurfaces long-ignored rape accusations. An investigation of Cosby follows.
2016
July 21: Fox News chairman Roger Ailes is forced out amid allegations that he sexually harassed several women at the company.
Oct. 7: “When you’re a star, they let you do it” — The Washington Post publishes leaked Access Hollywood footage in which then-presidential candidate Donald Trump boasts of committing sexual assault.
2017 The Woman’s March of Jan. 21, 2017, set the stage for takedowns of alleged abusers like Matt Lauer.
Jan. 21: Millions of Americans take part in the Women’s March a day after President Trump’s inauguration.
March 19: Fox News ousts Bill O’Reilly following multiple harassment claims.
Oct. 5:...
- 9/29/2022
- by Julian Sancton
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Voting has only just begun for select nominees at the 2022 WGA Awards. Drama series, comedy series and new series votes will be taken until Jan. 5, while voting doesn’t even open for original and adapted screenplays until Jan. 12 (with a deadline of Jan. 26). Nominations for the television categories, as well as new media, news, radio/audio and promotional writing awards will be announced on Jan. 13, with screenplay nominations announced Jan. 27. Final voting for all takes place between Feb. 2 and Feb. 16, with the winners being announced at the 74th annual ceremony on March 20.
Although it is still very early days for some of these categories, Variety breaks down where select series, scripts and categories stand so far.
Original Screenplay
The contenders in the original screenplay field are dominated by repeat WGA and Academy Award nominees with a few breakthrough tyro scribes in the mix. “King Richard,” penned by Zach Baylin (who...
Although it is still very early days for some of these categories, Variety breaks down where select series, scripts and categories stand so far.
Original Screenplay
The contenders in the original screenplay field are dominated by repeat WGA and Academy Award nominees with a few breakthrough tyro scribes in the mix. “King Richard,” penned by Zach Baylin (who...
- 12/30/2021
- by Danielle Turchiano and Malina Saval
- Variety Film + TV
Top streamers such as Apple and Netflix are reportedly bidding on a biopic about legendary Hollywood talent agent Sue Mengers, with Jennifer Lawrence tapped to the star in the lead role and Paolo Sorrentino on board to direct. Deadline confirmed the hot package is being shopped around, adding: “We hear that Apple is in the mix for the Sue Mengers project, and has read the script with Netflix also buzzed to be another contender for the project.”
Matthew Belloni, former editorial director of The Hollywood Reporter, also confirmed Apple and Netflix are two of the big contenders for Lawrence and Sorrentino’s Sue Mengers movie. Writing in his “What I’m Hearing…” newsletter, Belloni shared that the “Apple bid is in the $80 million range, says one source, including the $20 million-plus fee for Lawrence to star and produce with partner Justine Polsky via their Excellent Cadaver shingle.” John Logan, Lauren Schuker Blum,...
Matthew Belloni, former editorial director of The Hollywood Reporter, also confirmed Apple and Netflix are two of the big contenders for Lawrence and Sorrentino’s Sue Mengers movie. Writing in his “What I’m Hearing…” newsletter, Belloni shared that the “Apple bid is in the $80 million range, says one source, including the $20 million-plus fee for Lawrence to star and produce with partner Justine Polsky via their Excellent Cadaver shingle.” John Logan, Lauren Schuker Blum,...
- 8/9/2021
- by Zack Sharf
- Indiewire
Streamers Bidding On Superagent Sue Mengers Biopic Package With Jennifer Lawrence & Paolo Sorrentino
A big biopic project about famed talent agent Sue Mengers is being shopped around town Deadline has confirmed with Oscar winners Jennifer Lawrence circling and filmmaker Paolo Sorrentino attached. Lauren Schuker Blum, Rebecca Angelo and John Logan wrote the screenplay about the female agent who crashed the Hollywood boys club of agenting with her brandishing an outsized personality to go with her client list.
We hear that Apple is in the mix for the Sue Mengers project, and has read the script with Netflix also buzzed to be another contender for the project. Apple and Netflix did not return calls tonight when reached.
Mengers had stints at McA, ICM and Wma, and she repped a list of clients that at one time or other included Barbra Streisand, Candice Bergen, Peter Bogdanovich, Michael Caine, Dyan Cannon, Cher, Joan Collins, Brian De Palma, Faye Dunaway, Bob Fosse, Gene Hackman, Sidney Lumet, Ali McGraw,...
We hear that Apple is in the mix for the Sue Mengers project, and has read the script with Netflix also buzzed to be another contender for the project. Apple and Netflix did not return calls tonight when reached.
Mengers had stints at McA, ICM and Wma, and she repped a list of clients that at one time or other included Barbra Streisand, Candice Bergen, Peter Bogdanovich, Michael Caine, Dyan Cannon, Cher, Joan Collins, Brian De Palma, Faye Dunaway, Bob Fosse, Gene Hackman, Sidney Lumet, Ali McGraw,...
- 8/9/2021
- by Anthony D'Alessandro
- Deadline Film + TV
The siren heard over the opening seconds of “A Cop Movie” doesn’t emanate from a car at all, but from an actor, imitating the piercing sound of approaching police with her voice. That’s a fitting fake-out with which to begin Alonso Ruizpalacios’ astoundingly original look at what makes an effective Mexico City cop. Technically, this outside-the-box project could be classified as a documentary, though the “Güeros” director is anything but typical in his approach, which will probably play best to those who tune in blind. The film, which debuted at the Berlin Film Festival, will launch on Netflix, where it’s easy to be caught unawares by movies like “Dick Johnson Is Dead” which push the boundaries.
Gazing out through the windshield of a Mexico City squad car, the movie opens a lot your standard episode of “Cops”. María Teresa Hernández Cañas — or Teresa for short — receives a...
Gazing out through the windshield of a Mexico City squad car, the movie opens a lot your standard episode of “Cops”. María Teresa Hernández Cañas — or Teresa for short — receives a...
- 3/5/2021
- by Peter Debruge
- Variety Film + TV
When producers of reality TV are looking to reframe the narratives around their project from “trash” to “substance,” a common tactic is to refer to the show as a “social experiment.” Jeff Probst does it all the time on Survivor. Ashton Kutcher went so far as to deem a little show called Beauty and the Geek “the ultimate social experiment.”
It’s a strategy Nick Bilton, a longtime journalist making his directing debut, uses repeatedly on HBO’s Fake Famous. Whether that cements its place as the Morgan Spurlock-esque blend of weighty and frivolous it obviously intends ...
It’s a strategy Nick Bilton, a longtime journalist making his directing debut, uses repeatedly on HBO’s Fake Famous. Whether that cements its place as the Morgan Spurlock-esque blend of weighty and frivolous it obviously intends ...
When producers of reality TV are looking to reframe the narratives around their project from “trash” to “substance,” a common tactic is to refer to the show as a “social experiment.” Jeff Probst does it all the time on Survivor. Ashton Kutcher went so far as to deem a little show called Beauty and the Geek “the ultimate social experiment.”
It’s a strategy Nick Bilton, a longtime journalist making his directing debut, uses repeatedly on HBO’s Fake Famous. Whether that cements its place as the Morgan Spurlock-esque blend of weighty and frivolous it obviously intends ...
It’s a strategy Nick Bilton, a longtime journalist making his directing debut, uses repeatedly on HBO’s Fake Famous. Whether that cements its place as the Morgan Spurlock-esque blend of weighty and frivolous it obviously intends ...
CNN in March gave a handful of advertisers and ad-agency personnel a sneak peek of its ambitious six-part documentary series on late night, just days before New York City was shut down by the coronavirus pandemic. The project hasn’t been seen in public since. Weeks may lapse before it surfaces again.
Johnny Carson, David Letterman and Stephen Colbert no doubt make for compelling television, but so too at this moment does news about the nation’s health, a swirl of protests and President Trump’s shambolic tenure in the White House. Since March, CNN has had too much of all that to feature some other parts of its content pipeline.
“Given the unpredictability of the news environment, we thought it would best to postpone our CNN Original Series ‘The Story of Late Night,’” says Amy Entelis, executive vice president for talent and content development at CNN. “It is such a special series,...
Johnny Carson, David Letterman and Stephen Colbert no doubt make for compelling television, but so too at this moment does news about the nation’s health, a swirl of protests and President Trump’s shambolic tenure in the White House. Since March, CNN has had too much of all that to feature some other parts of its content pipeline.
“Given the unpredictability of the news environment, we thought it would best to postpone our CNN Original Series ‘The Story of Late Night,’” says Amy Entelis, executive vice president for talent and content development at CNN. “It is such a special series,...
- 7/13/2020
- by Brian Steinberg
- Variety Film + TV
Exclusive: Quiver Entertainment, an offshoot of eOne executive Berry Meyerowitz and onetime Lionsgate Films president Jeff Sackman’s Quiver Distribution, has acquired the rights to Kew Media Distribution’s library of 1,000 titles.
Kew Media Distribution went bust in February and administrator Fti Consulting has overseen the sale of its catalog, within which it included the international rights to shows including hit BBC drama Line Of Duty and the HBO/Channel 4 Michael Jackson documentary Leaving Neverland.
Nearly 40 companies expressed an interest in acquiring the library, which Fti then whittled down to nine potential buyers. It entered into exclusive talks with Quiver Entertainment after March 27. The financial details of the deal were not disclosed.
The sale has been far from straightforward. Prior to Kew Media Distribution going bust, a number of producers took action to terminate their contracts with the company after it failed to pay them royalties they were owed.
Kew Media Distribution went bust in February and administrator Fti Consulting has overseen the sale of its catalog, within which it included the international rights to shows including hit BBC drama Line Of Duty and the HBO/Channel 4 Michael Jackson documentary Leaving Neverland.
Nearly 40 companies expressed an interest in acquiring the library, which Fti then whittled down to nine potential buyers. It entered into exclusive talks with Quiver Entertainment after March 27. The financial details of the deal were not disclosed.
The sale has been far from straightforward. Prior to Kew Media Distribution going bust, a number of producers took action to terminate their contracts with the company after it failed to pay them royalties they were owed.
- 5/12/2020
- by Jake Kanter
- Deadline Film + TV
John Cooper wasn’t so sure about “Honeyland.” A year before the documentary about a Macedonian beekeeper would score two Oscar nominations, the future Sundance World Cinema Documentary selection didn’t resonate with the festival director as he entered his final year.
“I just didn’t get that film when I watched it,” said Cooper from his Sundance office during the 2020 edition of the festival, as he ended his 11-year run overseeing the event. “And I didn’t have to get it, because everyone else in the room loved it. It’s hard to find 125 films that you love, that you totally respect. I don’t pick all these films. I play the room.”
Cooper’s candid admissions about the flaws of the programming process speak to the unpredictable nature of running a festival, and how much of its impact begins with frantic behind-the-scenes debate. Each year’s program invites...
“I just didn’t get that film when I watched it,” said Cooper from his Sundance office during the 2020 edition of the festival, as he ended his 11-year run overseeing the event. “And I didn’t have to get it, because everyone else in the room loved it. It’s hard to find 125 films that you love, that you totally respect. I don’t pick all these films. I play the room.”
Cooper’s candid admissions about the flaws of the programming process speak to the unpredictable nature of running a festival, and how much of its impact begins with frantic behind-the-scenes debate. Each year’s program invites...
- 1/31/2020
- by Eric Kohn
- Indiewire
Each January, the Cinema Eye Honors allow the documentary community to celebrate the non-fiction achievements of the previous year with more energy and authenticity than any of the season’s other, bigger awards shows. In many ways, the 14th edition — which took place at the Museum of the Moving Image in Queens on Monday night — was a typical example, a loose production filled with jocular moments unique to the tight-knit non-fiction crowd. But it wasn’t devoid of somber moments.
The audience was filled with accomplished documentary filmmakers who cheered on their peers as they won in categories that ranged from cinematography to editing and graphic design, spreading the love for documentary achievements on virtually every level of the production process. As usual, the ceremony eschewed star power for presenters from the documentary world, including its host.
While the past five years have been hosted by “Hoop Dreams” director Steve James,...
The audience was filled with accomplished documentary filmmakers who cheered on their peers as they won in categories that ranged from cinematography to editing and graphic design, spreading the love for documentary achievements on virtually every level of the production process. As usual, the ceremony eschewed star power for presenters from the documentary world, including its host.
While the past five years have been hosted by “Hoop Dreams” director Steve James,...
- 1/7/2020
- by Eric Kohn
- Indiewire
“American Factory” won the top award at the Cinema Eye Honors for Nonfiction Filmmaking Monday night, and directors Steven Bognar and Julia Reichert were also honored for Outstanding Direction, for their documentary about a former General Motors plant that is given a second life by a Chinese manufacturer. The film was among several on the Oscars shortlist to win at the annual awards ceremony.
“American Factory,” which follows the changes that take place in a Dayton, Ohio suburb as a result of the factory’s change in ownership and examines the cultural clashes that come from a Chinese company opening up shop in the Us, has also won Critics’ Choice Documentary Awards for Best Political Documentary and Best Director, the Gotham Award for Best Documentary, and the International Documentary Association Award for Best Director.
It also won the Directing Award at Sundance, where it premieired before being acquired by Netflix...
“American Factory,” which follows the changes that take place in a Dayton, Ohio suburb as a result of the factory’s change in ownership and examines the cultural clashes that come from a Chinese company opening up shop in the Us, has also won Critics’ Choice Documentary Awards for Best Political Documentary and Best Director, the Gotham Award for Best Documentary, and the International Documentary Association Award for Best Director.
It also won the Directing Award at Sundance, where it premieired before being acquired by Netflix...
- 1/7/2020
- by Chris Lindahl
- Indiewire
Twelve years after Super Size Me, Morgan Spurlock’s first self-experimental delve into the fast food industry, the junk grub shunting documentarian returns with a not too hotly anticipated follow-up, but one that’s as surprisingly fun and enlightening as its predecessor. Instead of blitzing his body with McDonald’s for a month, Spurlock sets out to open his first fast food/ “fried” chicken restaurant; a shrewd marketing move considering the sequel and outlet will promote each other, but as a central concept, Super Size Me 2: Holy Chicken! lacks the lightbulb moment/ car-crash sales point compared to the original’s “what would happen if someone were to eat nothing but McDonald’s for a month?”. Yet Spurlock’s frontman charisma, film craft savvy and doc content make SSM2 as entertaining, edifying and educative as the original.
Spurlock relays his objective, aspirations and inspiration during the set-up then conducts market research by conversing with the public,...
Spurlock relays his objective, aspirations and inspiration during the set-up then conducts market research by conversing with the public,...
- 11/26/2019
- by Daniel Goodwin
- HeyUGuys.co.uk
In January, work and life partners Howard Cohen and Eric d’Arbeloff went to war.
Their 15-year-old film distribution and production company, Roadside Attractions, engaged in heated rounds of bidding for four titles playing at the Sundance Film Festival — the Cinderella story “Brittany Runs a Marathon,” the Mindy Kaling comedy “Late Night,” the political documentary “Knock Down the House” and the Ted Bundy biopic “Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile.”
They lost. They were outbid by what Cohen and d’Arbeloff estimate was as much as six times what they offered sales agents for the chance to roll out the movies to American audiences. Amazon Studios snapped up “Brittany” and “Late Night” for a combined $27 million. Netflix acquired “Extremely Wicked” and “Knock Down the House” for nearly $20 million.
“All four of those movies went to streamers, and arguably all four might have been better served by us,” says Cohen, reflecting...
Their 15-year-old film distribution and production company, Roadside Attractions, engaged in heated rounds of bidding for four titles playing at the Sundance Film Festival — the Cinderella story “Brittany Runs a Marathon,” the Mindy Kaling comedy “Late Night,” the political documentary “Knock Down the House” and the Ted Bundy biopic “Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile.”
They lost. They were outbid by what Cohen and d’Arbeloff estimate was as much as six times what they offered sales agents for the chance to roll out the movies to American audiences. Amazon Studios snapped up “Brittany” and “Late Night” for a combined $27 million. Netflix acquired “Extremely Wicked” and “Knock Down the House” for nearly $20 million.
“All four of those movies went to streamers, and arguably all four might have been better served by us,” says Cohen, reflecting...
- 10/23/2019
- by Matt Donnelly
- Variety Film + TV
Lyle Gamm, a documentary veteran who recently held forth at Participant Media, has joined CNN as senior vice president, current, at the news unit’s Original Series operation. He reports to Amy Entelis, executive vice president of talent and content development at CNN Worldwide.
Gamm replaces Lizzie Fox, who was recently made senior vice president of non-fiction programming at HBO Max, the soon-to-launch streaming outlet operated by parent company WarnerMedia.
Gamm has broad experience in documentaries, documentary series, investigative journalism and competition programming. He served as vice president of original programming for Participant’s Pivot TV, where he was the executive producer of “Secret Lives of Americans,” “Truth and Power,” “Angry Planet,” “Welcome To Fairfax” and “Hit Record on TV with Joseph Gordon-Levitt.”
Gamm is also an experienced freelance television producer. He worked closely with director and producer R.J. Cutler over the course of two decades. His credits with Cutler...
Gamm replaces Lizzie Fox, who was recently made senior vice president of non-fiction programming at HBO Max, the soon-to-launch streaming outlet operated by parent company WarnerMedia.
Gamm has broad experience in documentaries, documentary series, investigative journalism and competition programming. He served as vice president of original programming for Participant’s Pivot TV, where he was the executive producer of “Secret Lives of Americans,” “Truth and Power,” “Angry Planet,” “Welcome To Fairfax” and “Hit Record on TV with Joseph Gordon-Levitt.”
Gamm is also an experienced freelance television producer. He worked closely with director and producer R.J. Cutler over the course of two decades. His credits with Cutler...
- 10/7/2019
- by Brian Steinberg
- Variety Film + TV
Super Size Me 2: Holy Chicken Samuel Goldwyn Films Reviewed for Shockya.com & BigAppleReviews.net linked from Rotten Tomatoes by: Harvey Karten Director: Morgan Spurlock Screenwriter: Morgan Spurlock, Jeremy Chilnick Cast: Morgan Spurlock Screened at: Critics’ link, NYC, 9/14/19 Opens: September 6, 2019 When you see what goes into the chicken sold in fast food restaurants […]
The post Super Size Me 2: Holy Chicken, puts Morgan Spurlock on the same plane as Michael Moore appeared first on Shockya.com.
The post Super Size Me 2: Holy Chicken, puts Morgan Spurlock on the same plane as Michael Moore appeared first on Shockya.com.
- 9/24/2019
- by Harvey Karten
- ShockYa
Filmmaker Morgan Spurlock explored the unhealthy aspects of solely eating McDonald’s for one month in Super Size Me, and with Super Size Me 2: Holy Chicken he continues his exploration of the fast food industry.
This time out Spurlock takes on the seemingly impenetrable business of “Big Chicken.” In the documentary we witness Spurlock attempt to [...]
The post Morgan Spurlock Explores “Big Chicken” Business With ‘Super Size Me 2’ appeared first on Hollywood Outbreak.
This time out Spurlock takes on the seemingly impenetrable business of “Big Chicken.” In the documentary we witness Spurlock attempt to [...]
The post Morgan Spurlock Explores “Big Chicken” Business With ‘Super Size Me 2’ appeared first on Hollywood Outbreak.
- 9/24/2019
- by Hollywood Outbreak
- HollywoodOutbreak.com
When Super Size Me drew an Oscar nom and blew a lid off of how fast food franchises were fattening America, Morgan Spurlock became that rare celebrity documentary filmmaker, as identifiable in his first-person films as Michael Moore is in his. Spurlock got there by eating so much fast food that his skin greyed, his waistline bloated and his organs seemed on the verge of failing. For Super Size Me 2: Holy Chicken!, Spurlock takes on the guise of a chicken grower to illustrate lies that make consumers believe they are eating healthy when they aren’t, and exposes how the major poultry food manufacturers exploit the chicken farmers who take their eggs containing birds especially bred to grow so large, so quickly that it becomes a race to get them on supermarket shelves before their hearts explode and bones break because the birds simply cannot support their own weight.
- 9/23/2019
- by Mike Fleming Jr
- Deadline Film + TV
Nearly two years after documentary filmmaker Morgan Spurlock published a #MeToo mea culpa on Twitter that derailed his career and shuttered his 65-employee production company, he’s back this month with the release of his previously shelved sequel to “Super Size Me” and the launch of a pop-up chicken restaurant in New York City.
In an interview with Business Insider published on Thursday, Spurlock said he thought his Twitter confession in December 2017 showed the need for people implicated by #MeToo to “own up to their past and confidently move forward.”
In that much publicized confession, the filmmaker best known for “Super Size Me,” his seminal McDonald’s experiment, admitted to sexually harassing a female assistant of his and being unfaithful to every one of his romantic partners. He also described being accused of rape in college. “I am part of the problem,” he said.
Also Read: Morgan Spurlock Recalls Accuser...
In an interview with Business Insider published on Thursday, Spurlock said he thought his Twitter confession in December 2017 showed the need for people implicated by #MeToo to “own up to their past and confidently move forward.”
In that much publicized confession, the filmmaker best known for “Super Size Me,” his seminal McDonald’s experiment, admitted to sexually harassing a female assistant of his and being unfaithful to every one of his romantic partners. He also described being accused of rape in college. “I am part of the problem,” he said.
Also Read: Morgan Spurlock Recalls Accuser...
- 9/19/2019
- by J. Clara Chan
- The Wrap
In December 2017, deep in the early weeks of the #MeToo movement, documentarian Morgan Spurlock revealed in a confessional post that a woman he slept with in college “believed she was raped” and that he realized he was “part of the problem.” Within days, Spurlock had resigned from his Warrior Poets production company, his former partners pulled his sequel to his breakout doc “Supersize Me” from Sundance, and YouTube announced that it would not release the film, titled “Supersize Me 2: Holy Chicken!”
In a new interview with Business Insider, Spurlock discusses his experience over the past two years, including an attempt to contextualize his confession and its impact on his career. Despite his own post and an influx of followup stories that painted the environment at Warrior Poets as a “fratty boys’ club” and leveled new allegations at Spurlock’s partner Jeremy Chilnick (described as “a manager with inappropriate boundaries”), Spurlock is back.
In a new interview with Business Insider, Spurlock discusses his experience over the past two years, including an attempt to contextualize his confession and its impact on his career. Despite his own post and an influx of followup stories that painted the environment at Warrior Poets as a “fratty boys’ club” and leveled new allegations at Spurlock’s partner Jeremy Chilnick (described as “a manager with inappropriate boundaries”), Spurlock is back.
- 9/17/2019
- by Kate Erbland
- Indiewire
Morgan Spurlock is opening up about his #MeToo moment—and how he’s changed his life by going sober and trying to make amends to anyone he’d ever hurt.
The Super Size Me 2: Holy Chicken! director and star, 48, spoke to Jennifer Hutt on her SiriusXM radio show Just Jenny Monday where he said, “The past two years has been really revelatory,” after he admitted to sexual misconduct in a Twitter post on December 2017.
“It’s been a lot of me looking at the choices I’ve made over my life and it’s been a lot of bad and poor behavioral choices,...
The Super Size Me 2: Holy Chicken! director and star, 48, spoke to Jennifer Hutt on her SiriusXM radio show Just Jenny Monday where he said, “The past two years has been really revelatory,” after he admitted to sexual misconduct in a Twitter post on December 2017.
“It’s been a lot of me looking at the choices I’ve made over my life and it’s been a lot of bad and poor behavioral choices,...
- 9/10/2019
- by Alexia Fernandez
- PEOPLE.com
It’s hard to say that we really learned anything from the original Super Size Me, though a lot of of people might argue until they’re blue in the face about this. The deciding factor over how much a person learns is how much they really pay attention to what goes into their mouth. Morgan Spurlock makes some great points overall about the fast food industry, especially concerning the amount of literature that is and isn’t there in the actual establishments, but while his own healthy lifestyle is something that people can admit is a choice and a good one, what
Five Things We Learned from the Super Size Me 2 Trailer...
Five Things We Learned from the Super Size Me 2 Trailer...
- 7/21/2019
- by Tom
- TVovermind.com
In today’s film news roundup, Neon is re-releasing “Apollo 11”; “Sesame Street” gets moved; “Supersize Me 2” is set for Sept. 13; Will Ropp gets a “Silk Road” deal; and Apple makes a movie deal.
Re-launch
Neon will re-release Todd Douglas Miller’s documentary “Apollo 11” in theaters on July 20, the 50th anniversary of the first moon landing.
The run will also include weeklong engagements and special one-off showings in more than 100 theaters across top markets including New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Boston, Philadelphia, Chicago, Dallas, Houston, Atlanta and Miami.
“Apollo 11,” which was crafted from a newly discovered trove of 65mm footage and more than 11,000 hours of uncatalogued audio recordings, premiered at this year’s Sundance Film Festival where it won the editing prize. The film, which opened in theaters on March 1, will cross $9 million after the weekend’s anniversary re-launch and remains the top grossing documentary of the year.
Re-launch
Neon will re-release Todd Douglas Miller’s documentary “Apollo 11” in theaters on July 20, the 50th anniversary of the first moon landing.
The run will also include weeklong engagements and special one-off showings in more than 100 theaters across top markets including New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Boston, Philadelphia, Chicago, Dallas, Houston, Atlanta and Miami.
“Apollo 11,” which was crafted from a newly discovered trove of 65mm footage and more than 11,000 hours of uncatalogued audio recordings, premiered at this year’s Sundance Film Festival where it won the editing prize. The film, which opened in theaters on March 1, will cross $9 million after the weekend’s anniversary re-launch and remains the top grossing documentary of the year.
- 7/17/2019
- by Dave McNary
- Variety Film + TV
"Go forth and find your chickens!" Samuel Goldwyn Films has debuted an official trailer for Super Size Me 2: Holy Chicken!, the latest documentary by acclaimed documentarian Morgan Spurlock. This first premiered in 2017 at the Toronto Film Festival, but hasn't been released yet - arriving in theaters & on VOD in September this year. Spurlock's big directorial debut was the very successful doc Super Size Me, which originally premiered in 2004. He returns with a sequel, reigniting his battle with the food industry – this time from behind the register – as he opens his own fast food restaurant. We follow him every step of the way, from raising the poultry and conjuring recipes to designing the brand and scouting a location. Giving us another unique, fascinating Spurlock inside look at an industry that isn't as special as it pretends to be. I've always enjoyed seeing Spurlock dive into his own ideas, experimenting with...
- 7/15/2019
- by Alex Billington
- firstshowing.net
If you think that fast food restaurants have any sort of “healthy” options, filmmaker Morgan Spurlock is here to tell you the hard truth — that’s a bunch of bullshit. 13 years after making waves with his documentary “Super Size Me,” the director returns to take on the fast food corporations one more time in the upcoming sequel ‘Holy Chicken!’
As seen in the new trailer for ‘Super Size Me 2,’ Spurlock isn’t going back to his old ways and going on an all-fast food diet.
Continue reading ‘Super Size Me 2’ Trailer: Morgan Spurlock Aims To Create A 100% Honest Food Experience at The Playlist.
As seen in the new trailer for ‘Super Size Me 2,’ Spurlock isn’t going back to his old ways and going on an all-fast food diet.
Continue reading ‘Super Size Me 2’ Trailer: Morgan Spurlock Aims To Create A 100% Honest Food Experience at The Playlist.
- 7/15/2019
- by Charles Barfield
- The Playlist
He’s baaack.
13 years after his documentary Super Size Me brought about a horrified conversation surrounding the fast food industry, Morgan Spurlock is ready to take it all on again in Super Size Me 2. This time, Spurlock is going behind-the-scenes of the chicken industry to try and mount his own fast food restaurant, uncovering the unsavory details that go into a successful one.
In the People exclusive trailer, Spurlock, 48, goes after restaurants that tout food as “healthy” and “organic” while still using some of the same practices as ever. From getting his own chicken ranch to finding the right space,...
13 years after his documentary Super Size Me brought about a horrified conversation surrounding the fast food industry, Morgan Spurlock is ready to take it all on again in Super Size Me 2. This time, Spurlock is going behind-the-scenes of the chicken industry to try and mount his own fast food restaurant, uncovering the unsavory details that go into a successful one.
In the People exclusive trailer, Spurlock, 48, goes after restaurants that tout food as “healthy” and “organic” while still using some of the same practices as ever. From getting his own chicken ranch to finding the right space,...
- 7/11/2019
- by Ale Russian
- PEOPLE.com
Principal Communications Group partners Paul Pflug, Melissa Zukerman and Hans-Dieter Kopal have teamed with powerhouse cyber intelligence firm Edgeworth Security to launch Foresight Solutions Group.
The venture is six months in the making, but it launches at a timely moment and fills a clear industry need. The goal is to help studios, agencies and other corporate entities get ahead of crises where past inappropriate social media messaging and other indiscretions are unearthed and damage everything from movies to TV series, to the Academy Awards. Foresight is going to institute a vetting process, as well as a playbook to proactively handle those crises.
Celebrities, and their movies and series projects, are blowing up weekly because of articles and viral spreading of past bad behavior or inflammatory social media missives that reflect horribly in the optics of the #MeToo moment. The service will look to sign clients in all facets of entertainment,...
The venture is six months in the making, but it launches at a timely moment and fills a clear industry need. The goal is to help studios, agencies and other corporate entities get ahead of crises where past inappropriate social media messaging and other indiscretions are unearthed and damage everything from movies to TV series, to the Academy Awards. Foresight is going to institute a vetting process, as well as a playbook to proactively handle those crises.
Celebrities, and their movies and series projects, are blowing up weekly because of articles and viral spreading of past bad behavior or inflammatory social media missives that reflect horribly in the optics of the #MeToo moment. The service will look to sign clients in all facets of entertainment,...
- 2/4/2019
- by Mike Fleming Jr
- Deadline Film + TV
“Orange Is the New Black” star Yael Stone has come forward with accusations of sexual misconduct against veteran actor Geoffrey Rush.
In a story published by the New York Times Sunday, Stone, who plays Lorna Morello on the Netflix comedy, detailed incidents between her and Rush she says occurred when they co-starred in a production of “The Diary of a Madman” together, eight years ago in Sydney, Australia. She was 25 years old at the time and Rush was 59.
Stone’s claims that Rush sent her inappropriate text messages, tried to watch her shower, and exposed his penis to her while working on the show, come months after Rush sued an Australian tabloid for defamation over sexual misconduct claims made against him by an unidentified “King Lear” co-star, who was later revealed to be Eryn Jean Norvill.
Also Read: 'NCIS' Stars Defend Michael Weatherly After Sexual Harassment Scandal: 'I Know' This Man,...
In a story published by the New York Times Sunday, Stone, who plays Lorna Morello on the Netflix comedy, detailed incidents between her and Rush she says occurred when they co-starred in a production of “The Diary of a Madman” together, eight years ago in Sydney, Australia. She was 25 years old at the time and Rush was 59.
Stone’s claims that Rush sent her inappropriate text messages, tried to watch her shower, and exposed his penis to her while working on the show, come months after Rush sued an Australian tabloid for defamation over sexual misconduct claims made against him by an unidentified “King Lear” co-star, who was later revealed to be Eryn Jean Norvill.
Also Read: 'NCIS' Stars Defend Michael Weatherly After Sexual Harassment Scandal: 'I Know' This Man,...
- 12/17/2018
- by Jennifer Maas
- The Wrap
Oscar- and Emmy-nominated documentarian Morgan Spurlock has agreed to pay more than $1.17 million to Turner Entertainment Networks to settle a lawsuit over a female-focused docuseries he ended up not making. The project was shelved after he posted a confessional essay as the #MeToo movement was gaining strength.
The settlement (read it here) ends Turner’s lawsuit over the planned TNT docuseries Who Rules the World, whose logline says was to be about the most divisive and complicated issues facing women today, from the policing of their bodies and judgments of their family planning choices to the micro-aggressions they face in the media, the workplace and everyday life.
Production on the project was suspended a year ago after its producers severed ties with Spurlock. That move came days after the Super Size Me filmmaker posted a lengthy manifesto in which he admitted to being “part of the problem” as sexual harassment...
The settlement (read it here) ends Turner’s lawsuit over the planned TNT docuseries Who Rules the World, whose logline says was to be about the most divisive and complicated issues facing women today, from the policing of their bodies and judgments of their family planning choices to the micro-aggressions they face in the media, the workplace and everyday life.
Production on the project was suspended a year ago after its producers severed ties with Spurlock. That move came days after the Super Size Me filmmaker posted a lengthy manifesto in which he admitted to being “part of the problem” as sexual harassment...
- 12/15/2018
- by Erik Pedersen
- Deadline Film + TV
Filmmaker Morgan Spurlock’s company Warrior Poets will pay more than a million dollars in a lawsuit filed against him by Turner Entertainment Networks, according to court papers obtained by TheWrap.
According to a filing in federal court in California on Tuesday, Spurlock and his company Warrior Poets will pony up nearly $1.2 million in the legal action.
“The parties, Warrior Poets (‘Defendant’) and Turner Entertainment Networks, Inc. (‘Plaintiff’), have agreed to entry of this Final Judgment finally disposing of this action,” Tuesday’s filing notes.
“Judgment is entered for Plaintiff and against Defendant on all claims in the amount of $1,173,707,” the paperwork reads.
Also Read: Morgan Spurlock Sued Over Halted Project About Women's Issues
“The Parties waive any right to appeal,” the filing adds.
Spurlock was sued by Turner in March, after Spurlock’s late-2017 admission that he had engaged in sexual misconduct. Turner alleged that a project about women...
According to a filing in federal court in California on Tuesday, Spurlock and his company Warrior Poets will pony up nearly $1.2 million in the legal action.
“The parties, Warrior Poets (‘Defendant’) and Turner Entertainment Networks, Inc. (‘Plaintiff’), have agreed to entry of this Final Judgment finally disposing of this action,” Tuesday’s filing notes.
“Judgment is entered for Plaintiff and against Defendant on all claims in the amount of $1,173,707,” the paperwork reads.
Also Read: Morgan Spurlock Sued Over Halted Project About Women's Issues
“The Parties waive any right to appeal,” the filing adds.
Spurlock was sued by Turner in March, after Spurlock’s late-2017 admission that he had engaged in sexual misconduct. Turner alleged that a project about women...
- 12/14/2018
- by Tim Kenneally
- The Wrap
Morgan Spurlock has reached a settlement with Turner Entertainment Networks a year after he confessed to a history of sexual misconduct and walked away from a documentary series.
Spurlock’s company, Warrior Poets, has agreed to pay Turner $1,173,707, according to a final judgment filed in federal court in Los Angeles on Thursday.
In the spring of 2017, TNT announced that Spurlock would team with Sarah Jessica Parker to produce a show titled “Who Rules the World?” The series would focus on issues facing women, including the “policing of their bodies and judgments to their family-planning choices, to the micro-aggressions they face in the media, the workplace, and everyday life,” according to the announcement.
But on Dec. 14, 2017, as the #MeToo movement gained traction, Spurlock wrote a lengthy post saying he was “part of the problem.” In the post, he admitted to serial infidelities and said he had settled an allegation of sexual harassment from a former assistant.
Spurlock’s company, Warrior Poets, has agreed to pay Turner $1,173,707, according to a final judgment filed in federal court in Los Angeles on Thursday.
In the spring of 2017, TNT announced that Spurlock would team with Sarah Jessica Parker to produce a show titled “Who Rules the World?” The series would focus on issues facing women, including the “policing of their bodies and judgments to their family-planning choices, to the micro-aggressions they face in the media, the workplace, and everyday life,” according to the announcement.
But on Dec. 14, 2017, as the #MeToo movement gained traction, Spurlock wrote a lengthy post saying he was “part of the problem.” In the post, he admitted to serial infidelities and said he had settled an allegation of sexual harassment from a former assistant.
- 12/14/2018
- by Gene Maddaus
- Variety Film + TV
Season 18 of “Hell’s Kitchen” has turned the format tables a bit by welcoming back a Blue Team of past players – essentially giving them second chances to win — and pitting them against a Red Team of Rookies. So far, newbie Scott Popovic, a restaurant owner from Cleveland, and Jen Gavin, an Atlanta-based returnee from Season 4, have been booted off.
In this week’s exclusive clip, however, it appears another Rookie might bite the dust as Chris Mendonca of Boston appears to have allowed a pork chop to be cremated to a crisp in an oven meant to be used for fish. The burnt pig flesh is discovered just as Chef Gordon Ramsay – he who must be obeyed – calls out an order of a pork entrée for a VIP table where documentarian Morgan Spurlock of “Super Size Me” fame is seated and discovers it is barely done as sits on a grill.
In this week’s exclusive clip, however, it appears another Rookie might bite the dust as Chris Mendonca of Boston appears to have allowed a pork chop to be cremated to a crisp in an oven meant to be used for fish. The burnt pig flesh is discovered just as Chef Gordon Ramsay – he who must be obeyed – calls out an order of a pork entrée for a VIP table where documentarian Morgan Spurlock of “Super Size Me” fame is seated and discovers it is barely done as sits on a grill.
- 10/17/2018
- by Susan Wloszczyna
- Gold Derby
Even before he sets foot on the court in an NBA game this season, LeBron James has had quite a year. Continuing a steady stream of film and TV projects through his SpringHill Entertainment and longtime manager Maverick Carter, the basketball megastar has amassed an impressive list of development partnerships across the media landscape.
On the TV side alone, James has struck series deals with every broadcast network, many prestige cable outlets, and a streaming service to boot. Aside from the biggest title on his film docket, the long-awaited “Space Jam 2,” James has lent his stamp to a number of features that exist outside the basketball world.
And these aren’t solely ideas for the future, working their way toward a possible pickup. Since last fall, he’s helped produce all of the following films and programs:
high school football documentary “86 Blocks” for Fox Sports civil rights documentary “Rise...
On the TV side alone, James has struck series deals with every broadcast network, many prestige cable outlets, and a streaming service to boot. Aside from the biggest title on his film docket, the long-awaited “Space Jam 2,” James has lent his stamp to a number of features that exist outside the basketball world.
And these aren’t solely ideas for the future, working their way toward a possible pickup. Since last fall, he’s helped produce all of the following films and programs:
high school football documentary “86 Blocks” for Fox Sports civil rights documentary “Rise...
- 10/17/2018
- by Steve Greene
- Indiewire
YouTube and Roadside Attractions will partner up to theatrically release “Viper Club” starring Susan Sarandon, Matt Bomer, Edie Falco and Lola Kirke.
“Viper Club” will premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival and will be released in theaters on Oct. 26, as well as being available on YouTube Premium next year.
The theatrical partnership is a left turn — and a traditional one — for the service, as only a year ago they were prepared to disrupt the release window with a splashy $3.5 million Sundance acquisition, TheWrap previously reported.
Also Read: Susan Sarandon Among 575 Arrested in Washington DC at Protest of Trump Immigration Policy
YouTube Red bought Morgan Spurlock’s “Super Size Me 2: Holy Chicken,” with the intent to stream the film exclusively on their service for 6 months, then split profits down the middle with Spurlock for Svod and international deals. Plans were scrapped after Spurlock posted a complicated account of a...
“Viper Club” will premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival and will be released in theaters on Oct. 26, as well as being available on YouTube Premium next year.
The theatrical partnership is a left turn — and a traditional one — for the service, as only a year ago they were prepared to disrupt the release window with a splashy $3.5 million Sundance acquisition, TheWrap previously reported.
Also Read: Susan Sarandon Among 575 Arrested in Washington DC at Protest of Trump Immigration Policy
YouTube Red bought Morgan Spurlock’s “Super Size Me 2: Holy Chicken,” with the intent to stream the film exclusively on their service for 6 months, then split profits down the middle with Spurlock for Svod and international deals. Plans were scrapped after Spurlock posted a complicated account of a...
- 8/15/2018
- by Beatrice Verhoeven
- The Wrap
Documentaries are rarely big money makers, but we talk about them as having the power to influence change and motivate people to action in a way even narrative films cannot. So when a documentary does make a splash at the box office, it’s an even bigger surprise. This summer, “Rbg,” “Three Identical Strangers” and “Won’t You Be My Neighbor” are big hits when it comes to documentaries. And the Mister Rogers doc is well on its way to cracking this list of the top 15 grossing documentaries at the box office. This list is an interesting mix of political, nature and concert documentaries, and several of them likewise went on to win Oscars and critical acclaim. All numbers are domestic totals via Box Office Mojo.
15. “Monkey Kingdom” (2015) – $16.4 million
You’ll see a lot of Disneynature documentaries on this list. The newest of the bunch to crack the Top 15 is...
15. “Monkey Kingdom” (2015) – $16.4 million
You’ll see a lot of Disneynature documentaries on this list. The newest of the bunch to crack the Top 15 is...
- 7/12/2018
- by Brian Welk
- The Wrap
A California federal judge has ordered Morgan Spurlock's Warrior Poets production company to deposit money into an escrow account pending a legal fight over a planned TNT series titled Who Runs the World?
Turner Entertainment filed its lawsuit after Spurlock tweeted a lengthy post confessing to sexual misconduct. At the time, Spurlock was working on this TNT series, which would focus on issues facing women in today's world. Turner argued it was entitled to take over production of the project and sought a preliminary injunction aimed at stopping Spurlock and Warrior Poets from disbursing funds.
Last week, U.S. District Court ...
Turner Entertainment filed its lawsuit after Spurlock tweeted a lengthy post confessing to sexual misconduct. At the time, Spurlock was working on this TNT series, which would focus on issues facing women in today's world. Turner argued it was entitled to take over production of the project and sought a preliminary injunction aimed at stopping Spurlock and Warrior Poets from disbursing funds.
Last week, U.S. District Court ...
- 6/27/2018
- The Hollywood Reporter - Film + TV
Last September, prolific documentarian Morgan Spurlock debuted his latest offering — a somewhat secret followup to his career-making “Super Size Me,” entitled “Super Size Me 2: Holy Chicken!” — at the Toronto International Film Festival. The documentary sequel followed Spurlock as he took on the so-called “Big Chicken” industry by starting his own chicken sandwich shop as a way to expose the myriad ways the industry tricks its customers into thinking its poultry is “natural” or “free-range.” The film included not just eye-opening information about the poultry industry at large, but on-the-ground inside looks at the work of some of the farmers who are negatively impacted by the multimillion-dollar industry.
The film was a hit at the festival, bolstered by appreciative audiences and the gimmicky use of a food truck that doled out Spurlock’s own tasty “Holy Chicken” sandwiches. YouTube Red picked up the film — for both streaming and theatrical rights...
The film was a hit at the festival, bolstered by appreciative audiences and the gimmicky use of a food truck that doled out Spurlock’s own tasty “Holy Chicken” sandwiches. YouTube Red picked up the film — for both streaming and theatrical rights...
- 6/26/2018
- by Kate Erbland
- Indiewire
People often don’t know what’s good for them. Most of the time, the disconnect can be attributed to a lack of perspective — give someone a short-term solution, and they’ll happily create a long-term problem. It’s a phenomenon of human nature that capitalism has been all too happy to exploit, and thanks to recent “advances” in factory farming, the world is now literally eating itself to death.
So goes the premise of Christopher Quinn’s “Eating Animals,” an urgent but uncertain documentary that amplifies and expounds upon the argument Jonathan Safran Foer laid out in his 2009 book of the same name. That idea explains how we went from living off the land and killing only what we needed to where we are today: Breeding so many pigs that farmers in North Carolina are forced to create Pepto-Bismal-colored pools of “fecal marinade” behind their properties, these pink lagoons...
So goes the premise of Christopher Quinn’s “Eating Animals,” an urgent but uncertain documentary that amplifies and expounds upon the argument Jonathan Safran Foer laid out in his 2009 book of the same name. That idea explains how we went from living off the land and killing only what we needed to where we are today: Breeding so many pigs that farmers in North Carolina are forced to create Pepto-Bismal-colored pools of “fecal marinade” behind their properties, these pink lagoons...
- 6/13/2018
- by David Ehrlich
- Indiewire
When attending American film festivals, I’ve often felt a twinge of envy for the Cannes Film Festival’s competition section: Here, a festival’s competition slot is a rite of passage, where filmmakers establish themselves before moving on; there, it’s a permanent destination. Cannes’ competition houses few rookies and implies only a select few films deserve consideration for the venerable Palme d’Or, reflecting elitist standards specific to Gallic culture. While a little elitism can go a long way, it has the power to drive international debates and create grand discussions about the medium. At a moment of extreme uncertainty about the future of the movies, that comes in handy.
So why are there no major American film festivals celebrating homegrown auteurs? Among the major North American film festivals, only a handful of feature competition sections carry a measure of prestige, but the Sundance Grand Jury Prize stands...
So why are there no major American film festivals celebrating homegrown auteurs? Among the major North American film festivals, only a handful of feature competition sections carry a measure of prestige, but the Sundance Grand Jury Prize stands...
- 4/18/2018
- by Eric Kohn
- Indiewire
Documentary filmmaker Morgan Spurlock continues to deal with fallout from his tweeted #MeToo admissions last December in which he described himself as “part of the problem,” and detailed a history of sexual misconduct that reached back to his college days.
Turner Entertainment Network quickly moved to distance itself from Spurlock and his production company, Warrior Poets, which had been working on a TNT documentary series Who Rules The World?, focused on women’s issues. It suspended production and determined within a matter of days that neither he nor the studio could work on the series in the wake of the admissions.
In a lawsuit filed in March, Turner sought a return of the production funds, asking the court to issue a preliminary injunction that would prevent Warrior Poets from co-mingling project funds with any other accounts.
The Super-Size Me director filed a response Monday in U.S. District Court in Los Angeles,...
Turner Entertainment Network quickly moved to distance itself from Spurlock and his production company, Warrior Poets, which had been working on a TNT documentary series Who Rules The World?, focused on women’s issues. It suspended production and determined within a matter of days that neither he nor the studio could work on the series in the wake of the admissions.
In a lawsuit filed in March, Turner sought a return of the production funds, asking the court to issue a preliminary injunction that would prevent Warrior Poets from co-mingling project funds with any other accounts.
The Super-Size Me director filed a response Monday in U.S. District Court in Los Angeles,...
- 4/17/2018
- by Dawn C. Chmielewski
- Deadline Film + TV
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