There?s a lot of things that are special about Leo Spellman. As a Holocaust survivor, Leon Spellman made his career as one of Toronto?s Premier band leaders. Living a life marked by joy, the music that he created was memorable for many and gave people an opportunity to come together and celebrate in the post-war…
New Orleans is a city built on culture.? Directed by Ryan Suffern and Frank Marshall, Jazz Fest: A New Orleans Story attempts to tap into the energy of ?Nawlins by focusing on its iconic music festival. Recorded in 2019, the film gives the iconic festival its moment in the sun. With 7,000 musicians on 14 stages over…
We?ve always had a fascination with dinosaurs.? It seems like every generation of kids seems to have been amazed by these gargantuan beasts that stomped the Earth millions of years ago. From Jurassic Park to Walk with Dinosaurs, many attempts have been made to capture their majesty and power, some better than others. With Prehistoric Planet though, Apple TV+ has created…
Alas, somethings rotten in the state of North Carolina. And it?s not just the pig waste. Directed by Shawn Bannon, The Smell of Money takes the viewer into the depths of the American pork industry. Processing tens of thousands of pigs per day, Smithfield Foods remains the lead powerhouse in the North American pork industry. However, through…
Directed by Cody Sheehy, Make People Better tells the story of Dr. He Jiankui, a Chinese geneticist who made waves by producing the world?s first genetically-edited babies in 2018. Although Dr. He?s work was feted at first by the Chinese government, the ensuing pandemonium over the ethical implications of his work quickly led to his disappearance. As…
Directed by Andrew Moir, Don?t Come Searching is an unflinching look at what it means to struggle with the oncoming view of death and the strength it takes to keep going. Committed to caring for his family in Jamaica, Delroy Dunkley?s financial situation demands that he leave them for six months each year for seasonal work in…
Directed by Matt Sarnecki,?The Killing of a Journalist?begins with the brutal murder of Slovakian journalist Jan Kuciak and his fianc?e, Martina Kusnirova in February of 2018. Having built a reputation for investigating financial improprieties amongst the elite, Kuciak had begun to focus his energy on exposing suspected criminal Marian Kocner which, unbeknownst to him, put…
Fifty years ago, the goddess of film criticism, Pauline Kael, called Norman Jewison?s Fiddler on the Roof ?the most powerful movie musical ever made.? I wouldn?t dream of disputing that assessment. To be sure, Fiddler is not only among the most powerful musicals, but among the most emotionally powerful films. As the fiftieth anniversary has…
?He?s still the most popular athlete in Los Angeles, and that?s saying something.? There is just something about Earvin ?Magic? Johnson that make you want to like him. Maybe it?s the smile that lights the whole world. Maybe it?s the way he can either put the ball in the hoop or pass it off (without…
No matter the species, everyone needs a home. Directed by Alastair Fothergill and Jeff Wilson, Disneynature?s Polar Bear follows the journey of a mother and her cubs as they attempt to navigate the incredibly challenging environment ahead of them. From struggling to find food and safety to staving off predators, these polar bears struggle to survive in…
