Documentary DVD & Blu-rays 2009 List

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Paper Heart PG-13

Even though performer Charlyne Yi doesn't believe in love, she bravely embarks on a quest to discover its true nature - a journey that takes on surprising urgency when she meets unlikely fellow traveler, actor Michael Cera.
Michael Cera, Nicholas Jasenovec, Sandra Murillo, Elise Salomon, Charlyne Yi, Jake Johnson
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It Might Get Loud PG

The electric guitar has dominated popular music for the last half century. Anyone who has ever plugged into an amp understands its power. So does the average stadium crowd. But if you have too much exposure to amateurs, you might forget the incredible range of expression that the creation pioneered by Les Paul can achieve in the hands of masters.

Director Davis Guggenheim, well-known for his Academy Award-winning documentary "An Inconvenient Truth", deepens our appreciation for going electric by bringing together three virtuosos from different generations: Jimmy Page of Led Zeppelin, The Edge of U2 and Jack White of The White Stripes. "It Might Get Loud" weaves together their stories to reveal how each of them developed a unique sound.

Unlike rock 'n' roll documentaries that focus on backstage drama, this one concentrates on the music, giving us intimate access to the creative process. Each guitarist describes his own musical rebellion: Page against the saccharine pop of the sixties; The Edge against the self-indulgent solos of the seventies; White against the soulless bass machines of the eighties. The film also travels to the locations that left a mark on each player. Page visits the stone halls of Headley Grange where "Stairway to Heaven" was composed. In Dublin, The Edge pulls out the original four-track rehearsals of "Where the Streets Have No Name." And in Tennessee, White describes being inspired by the raw style of bluesman Son House. What's more, we see each musician play new work that has yet to be released.

The trio comes together for a jam session, during which they demonstrate their varying tastes in gear, from Page's double-neck guitar to The Edge's array of accessory pedals to White's cheap plastic instrument. Contrary to the stereotype that rock 'n' rollers are sullen and guarded, these three display an infectious joy when discussing their craft. Anyone who has ever played air guitar along with a Zeppelin song will be thrilled watching Page mimic the licks of one of his own favourites, Link Wray's "Rumble."

You don't need to be an aficionado to enjoy the pleasure of this company. This film might not affect how you play, but it will change how you listen.
Peter Afterman, Thomas Tull, Davis Guggenheim, Lesley Chilcott, Carson Hood, Jack White, The Edge, Jimmy Page

Capitalism: A Love Story R

"Capitalism: A Love Story" will explore the root causes of the global economic meltdown and take a comical look at the corporate and political shenanigans that culminated in what Moore described as “the biggest robbery in the history of this country” - the massive transfer of U.S. taxpayer money to private financial institutions.
Michael Moore
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Unmistaken Child

The documentary follows the journey of a Tibetan monk in search of the reincarnation of his master.
Nati Baratz

Food, Inc. PG

A documentary about the food processing industry.
Robert Kenner, Elise Pearlstein
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Enlighten Up! NR

Filmmaker Kate Churchill is determined to prove that yoga can transform anyone. Nick Rosen is skeptical but agrees to be her guinea pig.
Kate Churchill, Jonathon Hexner

A Wink and a Smile NR

Ten ordinary women learn the art of the striptease when they dive into the glamorous world of burlesque.
Deirdre Allen Timmons

Anvil! The Story of Anvil NR

After making a promise to keep rocking forever at age 14, the members of Anvil!, now in their 50s, begin work on their 13th album.
Sacha Gervasi

Every Little Step R

Follows the plight of real-life dancers as they struggle through auditions for the Broadway revival of "A Chorus Line."
Adam Del Deo, James D. Stern

Outrage

An indictment of closeted politicians who lobby for anti-gay legislation in the U.S.
Kirby Dick

earth G

The first film in the Disneynature series, "Earth," narrated by James Earl Jones, tells the remarkable story of three animal families and their amazing journey across the planet we all call home. "Earth" combines rare action, unimaginable scale and impossible locations by capturing the most intimate moments of our planet's wildest and most elusive creatures. Directors Alastair Fothergill and Mark Linfield, the acclaimed creative team behind the Emmy Award®-winning "Planet Earth," combine forces again to bring this epic adventure to the big screen, beginning Earth Day 2009.
James Earl Jones, Alastair Fothergill, Mark Linfield

Valentino: The Last Emperor NR

A documentary about the life of legendary fashion designer Valentino.
Matt Tyrnauer, Matt Kapp

In a Dream

A renowned mosaic artist, who for the past 30 years has covered more than 40,000 square feet of Philadelphia top to bottom with tile, mirror, paint, and concrete.
Jeremiah Zagar

Tyson R

"Tyson" is acclaimed indie director James Toback's stylistically inventive portrait of a mesmerizing Mike Tyson. Toback allows Tyson to reveal himself without inhibition and with eloquence and a pervasive vulnerability. Through a mixture of original interviews and archival footage and photographs, a startlingly complex, fully-rounded human being emerges. The film ranges from Tyson's earliest memories of growing up on the mean streets of Brooklyn through his entry into the world of boxing, to his rollercoaster ride in the funhouse of worldwide fame and fortunes won and lost. It is the story of a legendary and uniquely controversial international athletic icon, a figure conjuring radical questions of race and class. In its depiction of a man rising from the most debased circumstances to unlimited heights, destroyed by his own hubris, "Tyson" emerges as a modern day version of classic Greek tragedy.
James Toback, Mike Tyson

The Garden NR

The Garden is an look at the struggle between urban farmers and the City of Los Angeles and a powerful developer who want to evict them and build warehouses.
Scott Hamilton Kennedy

Trouble The Water NR

An aspiring rap artist and her streetwise husband, armed with a video camera, show what survival is all about when they are trapped in New Orleans by deadly floodwaters, and seize a chance for a new beginning.
Tia Lessin, Carl Deal

The Fox & the Child G

The story centers on a young girl and her friendship with the eponymous animal. An adult female narrator will relate the tale as a memoir of her childhood. The film will combine nature documentary footage with the aforementioned fictionalized story.
Luc Jacquet

Morning Light PG

Fifteen young sailors...six months of intense training... one chance at the brass ring. This exciting true-life documentary tells the inspiring story of a group of intrepid and determined young men and women, on the cusp of adulthood, as they embark on life's first great adventure. Racing a high-performance 52-foot sloop in the Transpac, the most revered of open-ocean sailing competitions, the crew of "Morning Light" matches wits and skills in a dramatic 2,300-mile showdown against top professionals. From their earliest training sessions in Hawaii conducted by world-class teachers through their test of endurance on the high seas, they form an unbreakable bond in the process of becoming singular team that is greater than the sum of its parts.
Mark Monroe, Roy E. Disney, Leslie DeMeuse

Our City Dreams NR

Filmed over the course of two years, "Our City Dreams" is an invitation to visit the creativespaces of five women artists, each of whom possesses her own energy, drive and passion. Thesewomen, who span different decades and represent diverse cultures, have one thing in commonbeyond making art: the city to which they have journeyed and now call home - New York.
Chiara Clemente

Nursery University

The oddly competitive process of nursery school admissions.
Marc H. Simon, Matthew Makar

Jonas Brothers: The 3D Concert Experience G

The Jonas Brothers head to the big screen—in Disney Digital 3-D™—in a high-energy Walt Disney Pictures rockumentary feature film event from director Bruce Hendricks ("Hannah Montana/Miley Cyrus: Best of Both Worlds Concert"). The film blends excerpts from the Brothers' red-hot "Burning Up" concert tour, including guest performances from Demi Lovato and Taylor Swift, with exclusive behind-the-scenes footage, off-the-wall segments, a never-before-heard song ("Love Is On Its Way"), swarming fans and a lot of JB-style humor—giving fans never-before-seen insights into the lives of Kevin, Joe and Nick.
Alan Sacks, Bruce Hendricks, Arthur Repola, Phil McIntyre, Kevin Jonas, Johnny Wright, Joe Jonas, Nick Jonas

Of Time and the City NR

The film is both a love song and a eulogy to the directors birthplace of Liverpool. It is also a response to memory, reflection and the experience of losing a sense of place as the skyline changes and time takes it toll.
Terence Davies, Roy Boulter, Sol Papadopoulos, Tim Pollard

Religulous R

Comedian Bill Maher examines the presence of religion in big news stories of recent years, from Muslim riots over cartoons to the Ten Commandments in front of courthouses, a born-again Christian in the White House and Scientology in the birthing room.
Bill Maher, Larry Charles, Jonah Smith, Palmer West

Roman Polanski: Wanted and Desired NR

Examines the public scandal and private tragedy which led to legendary director Roman Polanski's sudden flight from the United States.
Marina Zenovich, Roman Polanski, Mia Farrow, Andrew Braunsberg

King Leopold's Ghost

This documentary focuses on Belgium's King Leopold II, who cruelly ravaged the Congo in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
Don Cheadle, James Cromwell, Pippa Scott, Alfre Woodard