A personal journal of film and documentary reviews, and reviews of anything else that intrigues me.
Australian and New Zealand Films
Julia Redmond and Rhian Skirving, “Change My Race” (2013) This SBS production is a disturbing enquiry into a new trend known as “deracialisation” in which young…
Gabriela Cowperthwaite, “Blackfish” (2013) It’s as much advocacy journalism as documentary and makes no apologies for aiming at the heart as much as the brain: “Blackfish”…
Australian and New Zealand Films
Jeni Clevers (producer), “The Big Blue” (2006) There’s an area in the Southern Ocean just south of South Australia and south-eastern Australia near Tasmania where every…
Dror Moresh, “The Gatekeepers” (2012) An astonishing and powerful documentary about the Israeli internal intelligence security agency Shin Bet as seen through the eyes and viewpoints…
Ed Schehl, “A Silent Forest: the Growing Threat, Genetically Engineered Trees” (2011) Narrated by Canadian geneticist David Suzuki, this documentary warns of the dangers genetically engineered…
Nick Alhmark / Vice, “Sisa: Cocaine of the Poor” (2013) Distressing to watch, yes, but this is a story that has to be told. VICE reporter…
Richard Rowley, “Dirty Wars” (2013) Part documentary, part personal testimony, this is a searing documentary following investigative journalist Jeremy Scahill across the Middle East and the…
Australian and New Zealand Films, British Films
Janice Sutherland, “Murdoch (Part 2)” (2013) As I suspected, the second half of this series turns out to be a damp squib: it’s basically a rundown…
Australian and New Zealand Films, British Films
Janice Sutherland, “Murdoch (Part 1)” (2013) Here be the story of the rise and rise of the global media mogul Rupert Murdoch and his empire News…
Robert Greenwald, “Outfoxed: Rupert Murdoch’s War on Journalism” (2004) An impassioned documentary intended to rouse its mainly American audience to action, “Outfoxed …” exposes in considerable…