Greetings again from the darkness. The often-barefooted Joan Baez absolutely built a legacy of activism and social consciousness through the civil rights movement, Vietnam protests, prison reform, environmental issues, and other causes, making her easy to admire. Her music made her rich and famous, and has left a mark and influenced many others This documentary was initially intended to cover her farewell tour in 2018 at age 78, and while it is structured around that tour, the three co-directors, Miri Navasky, Maeve O’Boyle, and Karen O’Connor, have ended up with an intimate look that covers more of Joan Baez the person, than Joan Baez the talented singer.
The film opens with a clip of a very young Joan performing. This is fitting because at age 18 she became an overnight sensation thanks to the Newport Festival and the cover of Time Magazine. Ms. Baez provides a great deal of personal insight for the film, and speaks to her three lives: a public life, a private life, and a secret life. The public life is Joan Baez the singer and activist. The private life is Joan’s relationship with her sisters, Pauline and Mimi, and her secrets – too many of which are shared here – involve the therapy she has been involved with since she was 16 years old.
By ‘too much’, I am referring to the prolonged and detailed discussions about her mental illness, depression, and therapy sessions. In fact, the final product here feels like a therapy session for Joan. It’s one thing to share the struggles in hopes that you can inspire others to get the help they need, but this one goes a step too far. Joan discusses the childhood abuse she and her sister “may” have suffered at the hands of her father. Mind you, she doesn’t remember anything specific, but her therapist has made this scenario likely, so it has become a reality for Joan. While I fully support therapy, the idea of putting this on the table during this documentary is inexcusable to me.
Other segments are more befitting of the platform as Joan admits she was a bit lost after Vietnam because she no longer had a cause to support. Of course, the next few decades provided many opportunities for her, but the ‘need a cause’ comments provide insight into her persona … as does the notebook she wrote at age 13 entitled, “What I Believe” …an early indication that her observation skills were special. Hearing her speak of how Bob Dylan broke her heart is fascinating, especially as we note the painted portrait of him hanging over her piano – and the fact that she speaks of him frequently. She did meet her husband, journalist David Harris, while both were in jail, which has made for a fun story over the years, and we learn that their son Gabriel accompanied her on the final tour.
Somehow the filmmakers never mention Joan’s performance at Woodstock, but we do get a clip of her presence at Martin Luther King’s “Freedom” speech, and learn she was heavy into quaaludes for eight years. She discusses how being of half-Mexican descent impacted her life, and she’s credited with leading the Peace Movement. The only issue with any of this is how deeply the film dives inside her head. Bringing her depression and mental struggles to the forefront is a valuable service, but dragging a deceased parent into this affects how we view Joan Baez and the film. Fare thee well, Joan. Fare thee well.
Opens in NYC theaters on October 6, 2023, and then other markets on October 13.
Posted by David Ferguson 
Greetings again from the darkness. Dog people vs cat people. There have been scientific studies on the personality of those who fall on one side or the other. Surprisingly, this dog lover agreed to review a cat movie … an agreement based on the assurance that all relevant cats would be on screen and not in my lap. Australian director Sarah Jayne Portelli opens with some spectacular aerial shots of Malta, an island (archipelago) in the Mediterranean Sea dating back to 5900 B.C. She gives us a brief overview of its history, and then discloses that she lived on Malta for four years and was intrigued by the cats.
Greetings again from the darkness. Despite his 30-year career and devotion to independent cinema, none of writer-director Kevin Smith’s films have ever really clicked with me. Because of this, I was hesitant to review Malcolm Ingram’s documentary on the filmmaker whose rabid fan base adores him. What a pleasure (and relief) to report that it turns out Kevin Smith is much more likable and relatable than his movies, at least for me.
Greetings again from the darkness. Although I was too young to attend Woodstock in 1969, I vividly recall the first time I saw the 1970 concert film, as I was stunned by the energetic performances, the dedicated attendees, and the mass of people making the best of rain, drugs, and music. By this time, I was attuned to Hendrix, The Who, Joplin, and most of the others, but the band that shook me was Santana. Familiar with only one song, “Evil Ways”, off their debut album, I was mesmerized by the pure force of their live “Soul Sacrifice” performance – the relentless drumming of Michael Shrieve (20 years old) and the blazing guitar work from band leader Carlos Santana (a 22-year-old).
Greetings again from the darkness. Remember that time you paid pop star Brittany Spears one million dollars to jump out of a birthday cake at your party? Or the times you paid huge appearance fees to celebrities like Leonardo DiCaprio, Jamie Foxx, and Paris Hilton to hang around your lavish parties? If not, then you’re no Jho Low. And thank goodness for that. Jho Low was in cahoots with then Prime Minister Najib Razak to siphon billions from a fund designed to assist Malaysian citizens. Their fund was called 1MDB (1 Malaysian Development Berhad) and thanks to researchers and whistleblowers, this film from Cassius Michael Kim lays out a textbook case of corruption, fraud, and greed.
Greetings again from the darkness. There have been many great writers over the years, yet only a handful of these have become celebrities themselves … in contrast to celebrities who become “writers”. Tom Wolfe was one whose personality was as big (sometimes larger) than his books. Sporting the trademark white suits that had him labeled “a dandy”, making frequent talk show appearances and numerous public book readings and speeches, Wolfe achieved the celebrity status that evidently was important to him. Richard Dewey’s documentary is based on the “Vanity Fair” article written by Michael Lewis (“Moneyball”, “The Big Short”, “The Blind Side”), who also appears on screen here providing insight into Wolfe the writer and Wolfe the man.
Greetings again from the darkness. Let’s begin with this: Danny Wu’s documentary ties legendary filmmaker Orson Welles into one of the most tumultuous periods of history. This is done not so much in a FORREST GUMP or ZELIG style, but more like one of those push pin boards Claire Danes used in “Homeland” by looping red thread around all the key characters and events. Wu opens with Webster’s 1913 definition of an “American” – originally applied to the aboriginal inhabitants, now applied to descendants of Europeans born in America, and especially to the citizens of the United States.
Greetings again from the darkness. Although not one of those Americans mesmerized by every move made by the Royal Family, I have long admired Queen Elizabeth II for the manner in which she conducted herself in public. Having served as Monarch for seventy years at the time of her death, the Queen displayed a rare and much appreciated decorum throughout her lifetime in the public eye. In fact, director Fabrizio Ferri begins the film by asking citizens to describe her in one word, and what we hear is no surprise: consistency, constraint, strong, constant, respect. Obviously, she was Queen for the entire life of most British citizens, so her passing was an emotional jolt.
Greetings again from the darkness. Obsession. Commitment. Dedication. Devotion. Pursuit of perfection. Whatever this is, it goes deeper than imitation. Akio Sakurai has spent thirty-plus years trying to become … well, let’s use his quote: “I want to be Jimmy Page.” Yes, Akio is not paying tribute to his guitar hero, and he zooms past the definition of fanboy. Director Peter Michael David chronicles Akio’s dream (over 8 years), and the film left me with conflicting emotions. Should I be in awe of Akio’s guitar-playing, or should I be worried about the mental state of someone so focused on being someone else?
Greetings again from the darkness. When the musical geniuses we respect and admire speak in awe and wonderment about another musician, we know it’s time to pay attention. Of course, Wayne Shorter has long been recognized as a Jazz giant, and unfortunately he passed away earlier this year. For this three-plus hour documentary, director Dorsay Alavi interviews such renowned artists as Joni Mitchell, Sonny Rollins, Carlos Santana, and Herbie Hancock. It’s fascinating to hear those on top of the mountain express high-level respect for Shorter using such descriptions as greatness, visionary, and genius.
