Licensed to Kill (1997)

Director:
Arthur Dong

IMDB

Synopsis:
In 1977, documentary filmmaker Arthur Dong was attacked by four youths who shouted anti-gay epithets at him as they beat him severely. This incident led Dong to a long personal investigation of the reasoning and motivations behind gay bashing; this film was the culmination of Dong's study of homophobic violence, in which he interviews seven men convicted of murder in hate crimes against homosexuals as they try to explain why and how they did what they did. The stories range from men who believed that gays were wealthy and weak, and therefore easy targets for robbery and murder, to others who are convinced that God has condemned homosexuals and that they were somehow doing "the Lord's work." Several other men said that their murders of gay men stemmed from shame and confusion over their own latent or active homosexual desires, and one man simply and chillingly states, "I don't have any opinion whatsoever for homosexuals, except they oughta all be taken care of." Licensed to Kill was voted Best Documentary at the 1997 Sundance Film Festival and was shown on PBS as part of their showcase for non-fiction films -- P.O.V.

Family Fundamentals (2002)

Director:
Arthur Dong

IMDB

Synopsis:
While many Christian Fundamentalist sects firmly believe that homosexuality is a violation of God's law and a mortal sin, a growing number of Fundamentalist parents have had to come to terms with the fact that their children are gay or lesbian, and documentary filmmaker Arthur Dong focuses on a handful of young adults who have come out to staunchly conservative families, and been forced to confront the pain and confusion that can cause. Brett Matthews, the son of a Mormon bishop, was dismissed from the Air Force after his homosexuality became public knowledge, and must now face ostracism by his parents. Kathleen Bremner, the leader of a Pentecostal congregation, is also the mother of a lesbian woman, Susan Jester (and the grandmother of a gay man, David Jester); she has since joined a group that advocates "reparative" therapy for homosexuals. And Brian Bennett spent 12 years working for conservative California congressman Bob Dornan. Bennett and Dornan became quite close, with the congressman often saying he felt as if Bennett was his adopted son, but that changed when Bennett chose to come out of the closet. Family Fundamentals was screened in competition at the 2002 Sundance Film Festival.

The Black Power Mixtape 1967-1975 (2011)

Director:
Göran Olsson

IMDB

Synopsis:
In the late '60s, after the assassination of both Malcolm X and Martin Luther King, the civil rights movement in America gave way to a more militant breed of activists who were demanding greater self-determination for the African-American community and the right to defend themselves against a system they felt was stacked against them. A number of journalists for Swedish television were fascinated with the rise of the Black Panther Party and the larger Black Power movement, and on several occasions sent film crews to the United State to interview major figures in the African-American militant community. Filmmaker Göran Hugo Olsson has used some of this archival footage as the basis for the documentary The Black Power Mixtape: 1967-1975, which includes vintage interviews with Angela Davis, Eldridge Cleaver, Huey P. Newton, Stokely Carmichael, Bobby Seale, Louis Farrakhan, and other key figures in the Black Power movement. The newsreels are accompanied by recent interviews with artists, activists, and cultural historians who discuss this volatile period in American history, including Harry Belafonte, Abiodun Oyewole, Melvin Van Peebles, and many others. The Black Power Mixtape was an official selection at the 2011 Sundance Film Festival.

Page One: Inside the New York Times (2011)

Director:
Andrew Rossi

IMDB

Synopsis:

In an era when newspapers are becoming increasingly obsolete, director Andrew Rossi offers a glimpse behind the scenes of the newsroom that has kept America informed for generations yet now struggles to remain relevant as more readers turn to the Internet to stay informed on current events. With their reputations on the line and the Internet Sword of Damocles hanging over their heads, the editors and writers at The New York Times battle accusations of inaccuracy, and embrace blogging as a means of retaining readers who might otherwise allow their longtime subscriptions to expire.

12th & Delaware (2010)

Directors:
Heidi Ewing, Rachel Grady

IMDB

Synopsis:
The two sides of the abortion debate in America literally face one another in this documentary from filmmakers Heidi Ewing and Rachel Grady. In Fort Pierce, Florida, a women's heath care center is located at the corner of 12th and Delaware. On the same corner, across the street, is another women's heath care center. However, the two centers are not in the same business; one provides abortions along with a variety of other health services, while the other primarily offers counseling to women considering abortion, urging them to keep their babies. In 12th and Delaware, Ewing and Grady offer a look inside both offices, as pro-life counselors give women a mixture of concern and disinformation about terminating their pregnancies and the pro-choice medical staff struggles to work under the frequent threat of violence against them. The film also examines the handful of protesters who stand outside the abortion clinic, confronting both patients and staff as they enter and exit. Produced for the HBO cable network, 12th and Delaware received its world premiere at the 2010 Sundance Film Festival.

Welcome Calculate

Dear documentary lovers,

as of today we have a new author/poster on this blog. As you have noticed I haven't been much active for quite some time now mainly because of crash of not one but two computers...well, that sucked, and also for another reasons which I rather not discuss.

Anyway Calculate will be bringing you more interesting docs and hopefully together we will achieve that this blog once again will be regularly updated with new content.

Cheers

Blood Into Wine (2010)

Director:

Ryan Page and Christopher Pomerenke

IMDB

Review:

As a huge Tool fan I cannot explain what it means to see Maynard do something that he likes in his own nature as he always has a strange veil of confusion around him. This doc is made totally to Maynard's style or the style that he wants us to see. Some scenes even made in classic Tool manor. Also there is a few words about his new project Puscifer and of course a lot of talk about wine. I enjoyed every minute of this doc and really made my day. This doc is a must have for every Tool, A Perfect Circle or Puscifer fan, but non the less for every other documentary lover.
P.S: Notice front cover.

Paradise Lost 3: Purgatory (2011)

Director:

Joe Berlinger and Bruce Sinofsky

IMDB

Review:

Long awaited third sequel is here. After nearly 20 years spent in prison for the crime(s) they did not commit, Jason Baldwin, Damien Wayne Echols and Jessie Miskelly are free by plaguing guilty to the crime. This is by far the most interesting documentary of the Paradise Lost serial as the information that is presented to the viewer is simply incredible. I could write tons of text about it and but I won't simply because I want you to experience it for yourself. Don't miss this gem of cruel reality.

Sick Humor (2003)

Director:

Vikram Jayanti

Review:

Well as many of the uploads that I upload but forget about them, this one was also on that list. It's been uploaded for months but I simply forgot about it. Lets look a little bit in the world of sick (or dark) humor. Note that some people might be offended as these jokes are...well let's say inappropriate.

Tabloid (2010)

Director:

Errol Morris

IMDB

Review:

A documentary on a former Miss Wyoming who is charged with abducting and imprisoning a young Mormon Missionary. As all of the previous Errol Morris docs this one is a splendid work of art also. Definite must watch!