Filmmakers Sebastian Junger and Nick Quested trace the long, long path of Central American migrants “caravaning” to the United States through treacherous areas of Mexico run by the cartels and narcotraffickers.  This intriguing doc examines the issue from all sides, from the poverty endemic in much of the Americas all the way up to U.S. foreign policy.  Fortunately, the filmmakers give us a few subjects front and center, including a pregnant

Incredibly, California didn’t rescind its eugenics laws until 1979.  If that weren’t shocking enough, then “Belly of the Beast” will surely raise eyebrows as the doc traces the ugly forced sterilization of incarcerated women in the Golden State.  The doc’s main subject, Kelli Dillon, was incarcerated for defending herself from an abusive husband in a heightened moment that resulted in his death.  While in prison, she developed abdominal

(during all of this week, Screen Comment’s Eric Althoff gives readers his take on the choicest films from the 2020 crop of AFI Docs, the world’s premier documentary film festival which took place online this year due to the coronavirus) Julia Reichert and Steven Bognar, who won last year’s Oscar for best documentary for their film “American Factory,” are back to shine their cameras on a largely forgotten

Spike Lee’s latest film “Da 5 Bloods” is a film that speaks to the times, loud and clear. When Lee was filming the movie last year, how could he have known that it would be touching on exactly what we are going through right now? That question is answered in many ways throughout this allegorical piece but none as stronger as the scenes which bookend this firecracker of a movie. The very first shot is footage of Muhammad Ali’s

(during all of this week, Screen Comment’s Eric Althoff gives readers his take on the choicest films from the 2020 crop of AFI Docs, the world’s premier documentary film festival which took place online this year due to the coronavirus). He was one of the most famous fixers of the last century, who rubbed elbows with everyone from Joseph McCarthy to then-real estate tycoon Donald Trump.  But Roy Cohn, the pugnacious New York attorney who took on

Major League Baseball’s 2020 season has been mothballed for months thanks to covid-19, and even when the truncated schedule begins in late July, it’s doubtful that, for health reasons, there will be any fans in attendance.

There’s no way that filmmaker AJ Schnack could have foreseen this when he started work on his “30 for 30” documentary “Long Gone Summer” a few years ago, but it may have proved

(during all of this week, Screen Comment's Eric Althoff gives readers his take on the choicest films from the 2020 crop of AFI Docs, the world's premier documentary film festival which took place online this year due to the coronavirus)

A more timely documentary there might not be the rest of this year, as director Daniel Lombroso trails some prominent figures of the alt-right as they travel the world, make speeches

As Hollywood-backed horror films get dumber and more predictable, independent and foreign horror filmmakers continue to give genre fans unique and finely crafted cinematic experiences.

Harold Holscher’s debut feature film was well received at the 2019 Fantasia film festival and with good reason. “The Soul Collector” (originally titled “8”) is a smart and well-made horror tale that is quite effective and light years ahead of most of today’s

“A fictional biography” is a phrase that usually doesn’t work when it comes to films. Of course, when telling the story of a real person or event, some dramatic license is necessary and sometimes warranted. The new film, “Shirley,” tells the story of horror writer Shirley Jackson that features events that never took place. And that is just fine. Jackson is best known for her 1960 horror novel

With the current style of Hollywood thrillers that tend more toward flashy camerawork and preposterous chase scenes and situations, one feels appreciative when a film comes along that creates the proper atmosphere to fit its subject matter. Director George Popov’s latest UK-set film is a mood piece with a supernatural motif that is one of the more aesthetically-pleasing thrillers I’ve seen in quite a while.