In the first five minutes of the Pau Masó's latest film “Complete Strangers, the audience is treated to a visual homage to Brian De Palma and the Italian giallo films (whether on purpose or just by accident), as the camera tracks a figure in long dark hair and a stylish coat while they navigate their way to what will turn out to be a sexual rendez-vous.

As the unknown character

Raise your hand, all you movie lovers and cinema buffs who hardly hesitate when asked what is the most important movie ever made or, alternatively, what it the best film of all times, before you answer, “Citizen Kane.”

“Mank,” David Fincher’s movie about the script of that brightest of all gems, was originally written a few years back by Fincher’s father and called “American.” Now, starring

David Fincher’s “Mank” is not a film for casual moviegoers. This is an absolute truth. It is a highly stylized piece taken from a decades-old screenplay from David Fincher’s father, Jack and ghost co-written and reshaped by son David and Eric Roth. This is a film that has essence and a old-school sensibility when it comes to how to film it but, unfortunately, it is also a film which never fully realizes the drive and power of its subject, Oscar-winning

In the wild and uncertain world of music Shane MacGowan reached for them both. But Julian Temple’s documentary is far from a rise and fall film that takes pleasure in the destructive behavior of its subject. “Crock of Gold: A Few Rounds with Shane MacGowan” is the kind of film that tells the story of the musician/writer/poet’s life while getting to the spark that began the fire burning within him. We get to the very depth of him

Anyone who loves or is knowledgeable about music knows what the name and the ever-so-unique man defines. Alex Winter’s fantastic documentary, “Zappa,” was made possible by being one of the most successful Kickstarter campaigns since crowdfunding became a thing. In only one month’s time the campaign achieved over a million dollars. Frank Zappa’s legacy is strong. Winter was granted unrestricted access to Zappa’s archives and uses

Alan Ball continues to amaze with his explorations of the human condition, not just for gay Americans but for anyone who has ever had a secret, felt at war with himself or seeks to better his or her situation. The writer of “American Beauty” and creator of the HBO series “Six Feet Under” has written and directed a new film, “Uncle Frank,” that explores many of the themes common to all of Ball’s work, and does so in a thoroughly compelling

If living in this world has taught us nothing else, it is that we have long learned that when those in power lie and manipulate facts, a serpent of deceit is born and slithers through our societies devouring what is true and fair.

“Collective” is a Romanian film that examines cutting through bullshit fed to the public by corrupt people in power in order to get to the facts and achieve justice.

Han Van Meegeren was such a cunning, apt artist that he convinced the world his own paintings were actually painted centuries earlier by Dutch master Johannes Vermeer. In fact, such a believer in his own talent was Van Meegeren that during World War II, he sold one of his phony Vermeers to Hermann Göring himself.

The postwar aftermath of this incredibly unlikely but true tale forms

“The Devil All the Time” is the excellent adaptation of the deliciously nasty and viciously grim novel from Donald Ray Pollock, who also narrates the film. This is the kind of southern pulp that grabs its audience by the hair and places them among the violent nature of its characters, all the while weaving a down-home gothic tale soaking in religiosity.

But this is far from the wistful

Like nearly all film festivals in 2020, DOC NYC has switched to a virtual paradigm this year, but the quality of nonfiction films coming out of this celebration of the factual is still wondrous. The festival kicks off Wednesday and goes on until the 19th. There are so many great offerings this year, and it’s nearly impossible to catch them all, but here are some quality entrants to keep on your radar.