
In 2009, veteran documentarian and filmmaker Brigitte Berman released Hugh Hefner: Playboy, Activist and Rebel, a film about the life and legacy of Hugh Hefner. Expanding on Hefner's influence not only as a celebrity figure but as a catalyst for social awareness, discussion and change, Berman continues to break new ground in Playboy: After Dark, Speaking Out in America. In this doc, Berman details the run and lasting influence of Hefner's two short-lived television shows Playboy: After Dark (1969-1970) and Playboy's Penthouse (1959-1960). Part entertainment segments, part talkshows, the programs featured numerous celebrity guests and covered a diverse range of subjects during their respective runs, including race, integration, environmental changes and free speech. With the story told through interviews and a collection of archived footage, this documentary makes it clear how and why both programs deserve their spots in television history.
With 'The Last Movie Stars,' filmmaker and fanboy Ethan Hawke cracks the facade of Hollywood's last golden couple, but reveals a couple who were committed to each other before all else.
Even with its straightforward premise, “Richard Jewell” is ramped up by exceptional drama. In all honesty, the performances are out of this world. As Jewell, Paul Walter Hauser becomes a walking representation of gullibility. His bumbling antics create the perfect hero, and very quickly, we feel the societal heat that surrounds our protagonists.
Passing is a visually stunning portrayal of Larsen's story with an inclusive cast, and the performances of Thompson and Negga are sensational.
Adrian Chiarella’s Leviticus is a beautiful, poignant, enraging, gut-wrenching, and heartbreaking film about the trauma and harm conversion therapy inflicts on young queer people. Even though its classification as horror holds, the emotional bond between the two main characters, Naim and Ryan, elevates the story into a realistic romantic drama on par with Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind.
Court TV shows offer uncritical eyes on the systemic inequalities of the legal world.