Joel Whitaker

The image from the documentary All Light Everywhere. It shows two separate images layered over each other. The first a yellow hued image of the sun, and the second a man with scientific equipment attached to his head.

Top of the Docs #39 – Sundance: All Light, Everywhere

By: Joel Whitaker 11th Feb 2021

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One of the hidden gems from this year’s Sundance, Anthony has quietly made one of the most vital documentaries of the year, one that shows nearly 50 years on that Harry Caul’s breakdown in trust was more than justified.

Image shows Ron and Russell Mael, the eponymous Sparks brothers, holding up window frames.

SUNDANCE REVIEW: ‘The Sparks Brothers’ (2021) is a Fantastic Celebration

By: Joel Whitaker 8th Feb 20215th Feb 2021

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Wright’s sense of humour combined with the Mael brothers’ helps the film shine and really brings out the joy in their music.

Image shows the silhouette of an axe wielding man in a misty forest.

SUNDANCE REVIEW: ‘In the Earth’ (2021) is Anything But Minor

By: Joel Whitaker 3rd Feb 202131st Jan 2021

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Gruesome, gigantic, and abrasive – In the Earth is a shining example that British horror is still going strong.

Image from the documentary Time (2020). It is a black and white image of a couple kissing in a car.

Top of the Docs #36 – LFF Special: ‘Time’ (2020)

By: Joel Whitaker 29th Oct 202028th Oct 2020

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Garrett Bradley, a first-time filmmaker, brings us perhaps the most damning indictment of the system yet, with her film Time.

Image from the film 'The Year of Discovery'. A car is on fire in a city street, with a large gathering of people stood away from it.

Top of the Docs #36 – Berwick Special: The Year of the Discovery (2020)

By: Joel Whitaker 8th Oct 20208th Oct 2020

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Luis Lopez Carrasco’s second feature explores this supposedly glorious year in Spanish history through the lens of Cartagena.

Image from the film The Emperor's Naked Army Marches On. A man peers out of a window holding a microphone.

Top of the Docs #35 – The Emperor’s Naked Army Marches On (1987)

By: Joel Whitaker 24th Sep 202024th Sep 2020

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The Emperor’s Naked Army Marches On follows Kenzo Okuzaki, a sixty-two-year-old veteran, who took part in Japan’s campaign in New Guinea during World War Two.

Image shows Mayor Marty Walsh delivering a press conference.

Top of the Docs #34 – TIFF Special: City Hall (2020)

By: Joel Whitaker 17th Sep 202017th Sep 2020

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Veteran documentarian Frederick Wiseman takes his unique lens and applies it to his home-town of Boston, taking us right to the heart of City Hall.

Image shows Ruth (Jessy Barden) standing in front of an industrial plant.

TIFF INDUSTRY SELECTS REVIEW: ‘Holler’ (2020) Impresses With Biting Criticism

By: Joel Whitaker 14th Sep 202014th Sep 2020

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Precariousness of employment in America is something of a hot topic at the moment. With a President repeatedly promising more jobs despite record unemployment, Nicole Riegel’s debut Holler (2020) looks into the heart of industrial America and creates a coming of age film that captures the essence of Trump’s presidency.

Image depicts a pregnant woman being filmed giving birth in a small apartment.

Top of the Docs #33 – Extreme Private Eros: Love Song 1974

By: Joel Whitaker 10th Sep 2020

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In his film Extreme Private Eros: Love Song 1974 (1974) Kazuo Hara throws this general rule out of the window, creating an intensely intimate portrait of his ex-wife, radical activist Takeda Miyuki.

Image shows a protest march for the victims of asbestos related illnesses in Sennan, Japan, with family members holding banners and pictures of loved ones.

Top of the Docs #32 – ‘Sennan Asbestos Disaster’ (2016)

By: Joel Whitaker 3rd Sep 20204th Sep 2020

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In his 2016 documentary Sennan Asbestos Disaster, Kazuo Hara tracks the eight-year long struggle of people seeking state compensation for asbestos related damage in Sennan, Osaka.