Greetings again from the darkness. So why did John Lennon and Yoko Ono leave England to live in New York? This film provides the answer. Where did they choose to live? The film provides the answer. Why did John perform his only full post-Beatles concert in 1972? This film provides the answer. Why did they become so politically and socially active during those first 18 months in the States? This film provides the answer. And if you ever wondered how John felt about American television, well you guessed it … this film provides the answer.
Where did all of these answers come from? Well, Oscar winner Kevin Macdonald (ONE DAY IN SEPTEMBER, 1999; THE LAST KING OF SCOTLAND, 2006; MARLEY, 2012) co-directs with Editor/co-director Sam Rice-Edwards and they focus on a very brief timeline, so that we might better understand John Lennon and Yoko Ono. You might think you know all you need to know about this famous couple, but the filmmakers, along with Producer Sean Ono Lennon, ensure that you see and hear clips you haven’t seen or heard before.
Much of this is centered around John’s only full post-Beatles concert in 1972, entitled “One to One”. Its purpose was to raise funds for kids through Willowbrook State School. And that’s not the only storyline about a kid – it turns out, one of the reasons John and Yoko moved to the states was her hope in reuniting with a long-lost daughter named Kyoto. It’s just one of the elements of the film that makes this much more of a personal story than simply a recap of celebrities.
The film also works as a snapshot of the era. President Richard Nixon (one clip shows him sporting a maroon blazer), extremist Jerry Rubin, “The Mike Douglas Show”, Dick Cavett, Attica, Andy Warhol, and Billy Graham all have their moments. The attempted assassination of George Wallace is shown, as are numerous TV ads, TV series clips, and some news reports. The Vietnam War and Watergate are featured, yet somehow Allen Ginsburg reciting an ode to wiping one’s rear-end nearly steals the show.
We’ve all seen clips from Lennon’s One to One concert, and here they are remastered and sound terrific. “Instant Karma”, “Hound Dog”, “Cold Turkey”, “Imagine”, “Give Peace a Chance” are all shown, but it’s the scorching version of “Come Together” that really stands out. Of course, we are subjected to Yoko’s onstage banshee screeching … though thankfully near the end of the film, she gets a more heartfelt chance to actually sing.
During the film, the contrast with Nixon is obvious. John and Yoko are sincerely committed to peace, love, and justice, while Nixon’s politics for power stands opposed. The recreation of John and Yoko’s small apartment in the Village is quite something to behold – and remarkable when compared to the photographs and archival footage. When John describes his early obsession with TV as ‘a window into the world’ and a replacement for the fireplace of his youth, we gain even more insight into the man known mostly for his music and quips. In 1973, John and Yoko moved from the small apartment in the Village to the swanky Dakota building. His wish for the couple to be remembered as “two lovers” comes closer to reality with this film. Some of their home movies (with Sean) are played as the runtime ends.
In IMAX theaters on April 11, 2025
Posted by David Ferguson
Greetings again from the darkness. It’s been more than forty years since cancer took the life of 35-year-old Andy Kaufman, and we still don’t know how best to describe him: actor, comedian, illusionist, performance artist, prankster, or something more bizarre. It’s like no one knew ‘the real Andy’, and whether that was his intent or not, that’s the feeling we are left with after watching this bio from Alex Braverman.
Greetings again from the darkness. The list of icons known by a single name is relatively short and includes such luminaries as Elvis, Prince, Cher, Bono, Beyonce, and Sting. Immediately recognizable with only her first name, Liza Minnelli also fits right in. Documentarian Bruce David Klein has delivered a tribute to her early years as the daughter of worshipped idol Judy Garland and famed film director Vicente Minnelli, and outlines her own path to stardom after tragedy to being recognized as one of the greatest performers of all time.
Greetings again from the darkness. Most Americans can’t name their county’s Chief Medical Examiner-Coroner. However, when one person held the position in Los Angeles County from 1967 through 1982, it’s understandable that he spent an inordinate amount of time in press conferences and TV interviews. Dr. Thomas Noguchi has been described as a “Renaissance Man” – a doctor, chef, and artist, as well as a pursuer of fame. Co-directors Ben Hethcoat and Keito Ideno present the story of Dr. Noguchi, “Coroner to the Stars”.
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Greetings again from the darkness. Realistically speaking, there should be more words for ‘friendship’, designating the multiple levels on which ‘being friends’ can occur. If Financial Advisors can have “A” (like Warren Buffett), B, C, and D (like me) clients, then wouldn’t it be reasonable for us to have levels of friendship for those we entrust with our kids and a house key versus those we meet periodically for happy hour, or those we acknowledge in the grocery store with a wave and a smile? OK, so while the viability of friendship by ranking is not likely, this latest from Josh Greenbaum (BARB AND STAR GO TO VISTA DEL MAR, 2021) introduces us to a friendship we can all strive for.
Greetings again from the darkness. Almost all little kids imagine themselves as Superman, a larger-than-life figure who accomplishes incredible things … while flying through the air! Filmmakers Ian Bonhote and Peter Ettedgui collaborate again, this time to tell the story of the man who became Superman on screen for a new generation, and then, after a horrible accident, became a real-life inspiration and advocate for so many folks around the world. We also note that it’s impossible to tell the Christopher Reeve story without also gaining insight into his equally determined wife and caregiver, Dana Reeve.
Greetings again from the darkness. Apologies in advance for any improper labels or descriptions included here. This documentary dates back fifty years to when the term “gay lifestyle” was acceptable. Further to the point, the focus is on Studio One, a West Hollywood disco for gay men. It took a while for the doors to open for other persuasions in what is now referred to as LGBTQ+. Filmmaker Marc Saltarelli really delivers a history lesson – not just for a landmark building, but for an era when gay men were sometimes arrested for simply walking down the street together.
Greetings again from the darkness. It’s been 60 years since ‘Beatlemania’ hit the United States. As impressive as Taylor Swift’s ascendance has been, it pales in comparison to the cultural impact of the Fab Four those many years ago. Documentarian David Tedeschi, working with raw footage shot by brothers and renowned documentary collaborators, Albert Maysles and David Maysles, takes us back to those frenzied 14 days of The Beatles’ first U.S. trip, including the infamous appearance on “The Ed Sullivan Show”.
Greetings again from the darkness. While we have grown accustomed to movies about war, this documentary is a true and stunning war movie. There are no special effects or stunt doubles or guns with blanks. The bombs are as real as the three people bringing us an all too intimate look at the war.