MUSK (2026, doc)

October 14, 2026

Greetings again from the darkness. A four-hour documentary would be overkill for most individuals, but when the subject is Elon Musk, the run time seems fitting, if not a bit short. This profile was put together by Oscar winner Alex Gibney, one of the best documentarians working today. His previous work includes ENRON: THE SMARTEST GUYS iN THE ROOM (2005); TAXI TO THE DARK SIDE (2007); STEVE JOBS: THE MAN IN THE MACHINE (2015); the first Elizabeth Holmes doc, THE INVENTOR: OUT FOR BLOOD IN SILICON VALLEY (2019), and this year’s KNIFE: THE ATTEMPTED MURDER OF SALMAN RUSHDIE.

With Musk refusing to meet with Gibney, the solution is to create an AI image of Elon (a man who questions if we are living in a simulation) and have it recur throughout the film, vocalizing the man’s own words. Gibney and team compiled a database of all public statements made by Musk over the years, and this combined with his actions and insight from journalists, baby mamas, his parents, and others who have crossed paths provide the often stunning material presented. Regardless of your impression of Elon Musk … entrepreneur, inventor, visionary, something more dastardly … you will surely find some new information in Gibney’s remarkable documentary.

Gibney questions why we allowed Musk to take on so much power and have such influence. He then provides the background that includes his companies: Zip2 (transitioning the phone book to the internet), Paypal (from which he was removed), Tesla, SpaceX, StarLink, Twitter/X, and XAI/Grok. Details are provided on how he profited from the sale of his first business, how he was removed from power at Paypal, and thanks to Martin Eberhart (the actual founder of Tesla), we learn how Musk manipulated facts to present himself as the company’s founder. Some of the most gut-wrenching sights occur as Tesla’s AutoPilot is covered. What we learn is really quite despicable – the ad spouting AutoPilot features was fake … the programming was occurring in the backseat of the car as it was self-driving. Everyone would call that false advertising, while most would call it fraud. Sadly, multiple deaths occurred due to the system’s faults.

Musk has fathered more than a dozen children via multiple women (the exact numbers of either are uncertain), and we hear from three of these women. Justin Musk has written a book entitled, “The Starter Wife”, and she comes clean about their relationship and their kids. Pop singer Grimes speaks to her uneasiness at clips showing their son X on Musk’s shoulders at the White House. Influencer and fellow baby mama Ashley St Clair also spills some tea – and speaks to her willingness to turn down millions from him to keep quiet. None of this shines a positive light on Musk, yet it helps us understand why he seems focused on building his own legacy of kids. A discussion of the ‘woke mind virus’ leads directly to his trans daughter Jenny.

The first half of the film is scary, but the second half is downright ‘run for the hills (or another planet)’ harrowing. Elon’s true motives become clear. Between the Tesla cameras, the work on DOGE, and StarLink, Musk understands the value of building a database unlike anything previously built, while at the same time gutting the agencies that might regulate or control his companies. He’s able to combine government data (where he and his team had full access) with public and private domains to put him in control of more information than anyone has ever possessed. This is where his power and influence gains strength.

Gibney shows us how the cult of Elon supports a misogynist and egomaniac. To his credit, Musk has learned to deal with failures by continuing to move forward, regardless of the cost. Tech reporter Kara Swisher and other journalists offer specific insight to what they’ve observed over the years, and how he used the “Twitter playbook” when running DOGE. However, perhaps the most chilling interviews come from Elon’s own father in South Africa and former United States Ambassador to the UN, Samantha Power, who details exactly how costly and tragic the cuts to USAID were to children who depended on the aid.

If Gibney underplays any aspect, it’s Musk’s involvement in politics. He mentions the hundreds of millions in donations, and touches on the ‘dark money’ contributions through 501(c)(4), but an entire documentary could be created for how this influences elections. The film’s best line is: “Trump had the power to keep Musk in money, and Musk had the money to keep Trump in power.” As a country, that’s where we are. Is Elon Musk a genius or is he insane? Arguments can be made for both. This is a man who once said ‘with AI we are summoning the demon’, yet now his own XAI, Grok, is fully intertwined with the United States military. There are no guard rails in place. We often watch great horror movies like PSYCHO and THE SHINING for escapism. But the real horror is what’s happening right now in real life, and we can now include this documentary from Alex Gibney to the list.

Opening in theaters on October 16, 2026

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Posted by David Ferguson

KNIFE: THE ATTEMPTED MURDER OF SALMAN RUSHDIE (2026, doc)

September 17, 2026

Greetings again from the darkness. Seeing someone get violently attacked is horrifying, whether that be live or a video replay. An additional adjective can be added, ‘shocking’, when the attack occurs on a public figure in a public place. Such is the case when author Salman Rushdie was ambushed on stage at Chautauqua Institute (NY) in 2022. The attacker used a knife to stab Rushdie 14 times. One of the best documentarians working today, Alex Gibney (ENRON: THE SMARTEST GUYS IN THE ROOM, 2005; and an Oscar winner for TAXI TO THE DARK SIDE, 2007), brings this story to the screen based on Rushdie’s 2024 memoir “Knife: Meditations After an Attempted Murder”.

Salman Rushdie makes for quite an eloquent narrator of his own story, and you are likely familiar with him as the target of Iranian Ayatollah Khomeini-issued fatwa in 1988, after Rushdie released his book, “The Satanic Verses.” A bit of quick math tells you that, at the time of this attack, Rushdie had lived more than thirty years with a death threat following him around. Mr. Gibney structures the film in intertwined pieces, including the attack, Rushdie’s hospital and recovery stint, the recordings by his wife, his earlier background as a writer, and his post-attack return to writing.

The film opens with Rushdie on stage at the event that would change his life, yet miraculously, not end it. Gibney elects not to show the video of the attack until much later in the film, however, the early images of Rushdie in the hospital bed make it clear just how violent this attack was. Rachel Eliza Griffiths is a renowned writer and Rushdie’s fifth wife. The video and photos she took of him in the hospital are incredibly personal, while also documenting his amazing recovery from a near-death attack. She understands the importance of documenting his recovery, and it’s clear these two adore each other.

Rushdie tries to recall those early days in the hospital, and one of his most vivid memories is a dream sequence involving Death from Bergman’s 1957 THE SEVENTH SEAL (a clip is included), and we also get scenes from TWELVE ANGRY MEN (1957) and PSYCHO (1960), two classic movies in which knives played a prominent role. Our first look at Rushdie’s injured eye is stunning, and as we learn more about his severe injuries, we can’t help but wonder just how he recovered so quickly and maintained such a positive outlook.

This is a man who uses language at an elevated level, and despite living most of his adult life under threats, his writings are often inspirational and about freedom of expression, especially in regard to religion. The archival footage of his early years provides a profile of a man who has always had the courage to write and say what he felt needed to be expressed. Amazingly, he was cleared to leave the hospital after six weeks, and Gibney films Rushdie’s return to the very stage (on Day 401) where the attack took place. It’s an emotional moment, and one Rushdie says brings him full circle and allows him to make peace … although neither Rushdie nor his wife mention the attacker’s name (a young man likely to spend the rest of his life in prison). Perhaps the most powerful words come not from the filmmaker or either of the talented writers, but rather when Rushdie recalls a lesson learned from his parents: “What can’t be cured, must be endured.”

Opening in theaters on September 17, 2026

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Posted by David Ferguson

WISE GUY: DAVID CHASE AND THE SOPRANOS (2024, doc)

September 6, 2024

Greetings again from the darkness. Being the creative force behind what many consider to be the best TV show of all time – one that changed the face of television – is both a blessing and a burden. David Chase is that man, and his often dour disposition hides the creative genius behind “The Sopranos” (1999-2007). Oscar winning documentarian Alex Gibney (TAXI TO THE DARK SIDE, 2007; ENRON: THE SMARTEST GUYS IN THE ROOM, 2005) re-creates Dr. Melphi’s office for his sit down with Chase, and it’s a smooth move to encourage Chase to open up in the same setting where his creation, Tony Soprano, often let his guard down. This is not really meant as an introduction to garner new fans for reruns, but rather as a tribute to David Chase and a peek behind the curtain for hardcore fans.

Don’t worry … it’s not three hours of two guys talking. Gibney complements Chase’s insight with a treasure trove of clips and interviews and background details, really serving up a deep dive for those who considered this show to be must-see TV. Chase actually quotes one of the best lines from the series when he says, “’Remember when’ is the lowest form of conversation”. By the end of the first (of two) part, many will be amazed at just how much of the show was inspired by David Chase’s actual life and large Italian family. You might also be amazed at how fragile the environment can be for even the most successful of TV shows.

Chase lets us in on some personal details, and nothing is more personal than his proclamation, “My mother was nuts.” Fans will eat up the segment on Nancy Marchand, the veteran actor who played Livia, Tony’s mother. Chase said Ms. Marchand just “had it” (what he wanted for the character based on his own mother). It’s also interesting to learn that Chase’s early career aspirations were for movies, not television. In fact, he envisioned this as a movie starring Robert DeNiro and Anne Bancroft.  Of course, no one would back him, and when he converted it to a series, none of the networks had an interest either. It took upstart HBO, who at the time was only beginning the transition from Movies and Sports to series. The reception of “Oz” (1997) and “Sex and the City” (1998) set the table for HBO to give the green light to the risky venture that itself eventually set the table for shows such as “Breaking Bad”.

The conversation between Gibney and Chase is interspliced with clips from the show, as well as family video and pictures. Chase walks us through how the main characters were cast, and it’s fascinating to watch the rough cuts of auditions – some who made it, and some who didn’t (including former Cornell star RB and “Hill Street Blues” actor Ed Marinaro). This gives us a true behind-the-scenes glimpse at how things came together. We also hear from some of the show’s writers who explain just how stressful things could get in the writers’ room, even though HBO gave them significant creative control.

There are segments featuring Michael Imperioli, Steve VanZandt, Lorraine Bracco, Tony Sirico, and Drea de Matteo. Perhaps the most enjoyable is watching Edie Falco (who was the last one cast in the principal cast) as she explains there were no “trigger warnings” for the show. She states it was just like real life, complete with racism, sexism, misogyny, and violence. It’s hilarious hearing how sensitive Sirico was about his hair, and Drea walks us through her character’s ending – just after Lorraine Bracco explains what happens when David Chase invites you to dinner.

There are clips of the infamous “ducks” from the pilot, and Chase comments on the critical raves that immediately rolled in – plus the pressures of additional seasons. Writer-Producer Terrence Winter joined the show in the second season, and he’s interviewed here. Winter has since gone on to write and/or produce projects such as “Boardwalk Empire” and THE WOLF OF WALL STREET (2013), the latter of which got him an Oscar nomination.

The deaths of Nancy Marchand and series star James Gandolfini are handled with grace, including a clip of an emotional Chase speaking at Gandolfini’s funeral. We hear about the toll playing Tony took on Gandolfini, and how some of the cast were there for him in times of darkness and need. Gandolfini died in 2013 at age 51 from a heart attack. It’s interesting to learn that Chase only directed two episodes himself – the first and the last. And speaking of the finale, we see clips of Holsten’s and hear “Don’t Stop Believin” while reliving how that finale shocked viewers and generated so much discussion. Chase addresses this by saying, “The truth is …”

Premiering on HBO/Max on September 7, 2024 (Parts 1 and 2)

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Posted by David Ferguson