Clint Eastwood has played bad good guys, good bad guys, and has directed more than few yarns about certified American heroes. Sully, his latest tale about individual triumph, deals with the real life American nice guy Chesley “Sully” Sullenberger. On January 15, 2009 the captain safely guided US Airways Flight 1549 to an emergency water landing on the Hudson River. The maneuver became known as “The Miracle on the Hudson.” The Airbus A320 had lost two engines and ‘thrust’ following a “bird strike.” With a combination of skill and courage, Sully saved the lives of all 155 passengers. He and his crew received a Congressional Resolution recognizing them for “heroism, calm under pressure, and dedication to the safety of passengers on board.” Sully was awarded the French Legion of Honor. So where is the conflict? Where are the good guys and bad guys?
Eastwood has taken a (READ MORE!)

Ron Howard’s new documentary The Beatles: Eight Days a Week — The Touring Years begins with one word — “Ringo.” On the screen we see the legendary drummer’s Oyster Black Ludwig drum kit, stenciled with famous Beatles “drop-T” logo. “In the beginning it was so easy,” muses the drummer. We’re poised for a trip down memory lane or, if you were born after 1960, for a galvanizing lesson about one of the most formidable musical phenomena of the 20th century. Unlike any other Beatles documentary, this one succeeds in graphically presenting the hysteria of the few years when the band played live and toured the world. Testimonials also make clear the enormous cultural and musical significance of these early days. As African-American comedian Whoopi Goldberg attests: “We never thought of them as white guys, they were the Beatles. That I could do things the way I want to, I got from them.”
Beyond rallying together an entire post-war generation, inspiring a Read more more !!

 Author: The JT Leroy Story is a documentary about a hoax that rocked the literary world in 2006. Directed by Jeff Feuerzeig, the film is full of jaw-dropping revelations, multiple fictions, role playing, and complicated psychological gamesmanship. Like many people, including the director, I had not heard about the scandal, though when it erupted it was deemed the “literary hoax of the century.” In 1999, JT Leroy published Sara, a horrific story of a young boy, a homeless runaway and drug addict, who worked as truck-stop prostitute in San Francisco. Ultimately, Sara is a story of ... READ ON !!

British director Andrea Arnold’s approach to film treads a thin line between fiction and reality. She often makes  use of  improvisation, exploring the lives of marginalized working class kids by casting non-professional young performers. She has won three consecutive Cannes Jury Awards. Red Road (2006) was shot largely under Dogme 95 rules of austerity: authentic locations, hand-held cameras, no special lighting, with no extraneous action. Fish Tank (2009) presented casting discovery Katie Jarvis as a rebellious 15 year-old living in British Public Housing. Arnold’s direction elicited a strong performance from Jarvis, who met the challenge of being convincing in a highly charged storyline that revolved around an affair with an older man played by the estimable Michael Fassbender.
Arnold’s new film, American Honey, explores the lives of ... READ MORE