We now live in a world where documentary filmmaking is constant. Through TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube, many of us are fed a near-ceaseless stream of moving images drawn from the everyday, in the form of memes, skits, jokes, rants, in-depth critical analyses, and “look at this cool thing” slices of life. The downside of this is that we also live in a world where it’s getting harder and harder to trust what we see, because we don’t always know who’s behind those images, or why they were posted. Is that footage of a riot happening right now at some campus protest, or is it an old clip from another country, repurposed to look like breaking news? The best documentaries of this year came from trusted names: veteran filmmakers capable of finding stories in unexpected places and presenting them in ways that feel personal, meaningful and, above all, true. These films are set in prisons, museums, summer camps, and Hollywood recording studios. They feature activists, psychics, sperm donors, and movie stars. They mostly avoid gimmicks — there’s no Lego here — to focus on intimacy. They can’t be reduced to a one-minute loop or taken out of context. They demand that audiences sit with them in toto , both while watching and afterward. While they didn’t make this list, it’s worth acknowledging some documentaries from this year that tackled life in the internet and influencer age head-on, in ways that were thoughtful, entertaining, and moving. Consider this an honorable mentions list: The Remarkable Life of Ibelin (about a man who died young but lived a full secret life within World of Warcraft ), Skywalkers: A Love Story (about two young lovers who bond over filming themselves climbing up dangerously high urban spaces), and Seeking Mavis Beacon (about a search for the real-life model for a popular piece of typing software). These were all movies meant to make audiences think and feel, and they’ll likely be talked about in the years to come. Dahomey Where to watch: In theaters Though relatively short in running time, this haunting and meditative film about repatriated West African artifacts covers over a century of shared history between French colonists and the country now known as Benin. Director Mati Diop covers the return of 26 statues and other art pieces from Paris’ Musée du Quai Branly, following all the mundane steps it took to box them up, ship them off, and then put them on display again in their original home. Diop eschews conventional narration, choosing instead to include a voice-over from one of the statues, reflecting on all it has seen. Most of the words in Dahomey come from the locals who attend the exhibit and then argue — pointedly — about what these works represent and what they have to say, if anything, about their past and present. Daughters Where to watch: Netflix There’s an equal amount of hope and heartbreak in this film, which documents a special program that arranges for incarcerated men to attend a dance with their daughters — if they’re willing to complete a series of counseling sessions about what it means to be a good father. Natalie Rae co-directed Daughters with Angela Patton, one of the leaders of Girls for a Change, which offers resources and guidance to young women whose lives have been affected by poverty and crime. The documentary spends time with both the kids and their dads, in both the weeks leading up to the dance and in the weeks after, to tell a story about how broken families can have moments of unity and healing. Ernest Cole: Lost and Found Where to watch: In theaters The latest documentary from the ambitious Haitian filmmaker Raoul Peck is similar to his 2016 masterpiece I Am Not Your Negro , in that it too ruminates on racism with the help of an influential artist’s unfinished project. Ernest Cole: Lost and Found uses the words of the acclaimed South African photographer Ernest Cole (read by LaKeith Stanfield) to tell Cole’s story: about how his pictures documenting apartheid’s cruelty shocked the conscience of the world, and about how after he achieved a measure of fame in the art and journalism worlds, he struggled to complete a series of photos that would document American poverty. The film is both a biography and an exhibition, bringing some rarely seen images out of the archives and explaining how they came to be. Flipside Where to watch: Prime Video (subscription or free with ads), free with a library card on Hoopla Over 25 years after Christopher Wilcha captured Generation X at its most “oh well, whatever, never mind” in his 1999 documentary The Target Shoots First , he checks back in with a film that explains what he’s been doing since. In short: He’s been paying the bills doing commercial work while starting a bunch of documentary projects that for one reason or another he’s been unable to complete. Flipside is a clever exercise in recycling, taking these unused pieces and finding a new purpose for them in a reflective documentary about aging and regret. If Wilcha weren’t such a disarmingly earnest fellow, this hodgepodge doc might seem terribly self-indulgent. But these fragments — which cover everything from a struggling New Jersey record store to Ira Glass’ attempt to turn This American Life into a musical — combine into an affecting meditation on the artistic impulse. Girls State Where to watch: Apple TV Plus A sequel to the Emmy-winning 2020 documentary Boys State , the new film from directors Jesse Moss and Amanda McBaine moves the action from Texas to Missouri, taking place at a politics-themed summer camp where high school girls recreate the functions of a state government. They run for offices, draft resolutions, and hear court cases — all on the same college campus where Missouri Boys State is holding a similar program, albeit with more personal freedom and curricular rigor. As with the earlier film, Moss and McBaine stay away from simplistic political points, and they avoid painting their subjects as heroes or villains because of what they believe. Instead, Girls State shows compassion for a group of young ladies who earnestly intend to make new friends and learn leadership skills. The Greatest Night in Pop Where to watch: Netflix On the evening of Jan. 28, 1985, dozens of the era’s most popular recording artists arrived at a Hollywood recording studio to record their vocal parts for “We Are the World,” a charity single raising money for Ethiopian famine relief. The sessions were run by Lionel Richie and Quincy Jones, who told the stars to “check [their] egos at the door.” But as the fun and fascinating documentary The Greatest Night in Pop shows, the real key to this session wasn’t in juggling all the different personalities but in managing the limited time they had to devote to the project. Through archival footage and new interviews, director Bao Nguyen reconstructs an exhilarating, exhausting night — stretching into the wee hours of the morning — where the likes of Stevie Wonder, Bob Dylan, Cyndi Lauper, and Bruce Springsteen were all bandmates, working together for a common cause. Look Into My Eyes Where to watch: Available for digital rental/purchase on Amazon, Apple TV Are professional psychics charlatans? Or are they more akin to therapists, helping their clients process feelings of grief and alienation? Lana Wilson’s Look Into My Eyes supports the latter argument, while also offering another provocative theory: that psychic readings are like improv theater, with both participants working together to create catharsis. Wilson combines testimonials from New York psychics — many of whom also work in the performing arts — with extended footage of their sessions, allowing the audience to experience the human connections that emerge whenever one person looks closely and empathetically at another. Night Is Not Eternal Where to watch: Max For the past decade, Nanfu Wang has been making documentaries that explore the ways authoritarianism’s ripples wash over — and swamp — ordinary citizens. Most of her work has been about her native China, while also touching on her adopted home, the United States. Night Is Not Eternal is a little bit about both, but it’s more about Cuba, as seen through the eyes of the activist Rosa María Payá Acevedo. A veteran of resistance politics whose family has been fighting for freedom since the early years of Fidel Castro’s regime, Acevedo leads Wang into a different kind of dissident culture, with a deep distrust of leftist politics. Through conversations and personal reflections, Wang considers how even social movements with similar aims can’t be painted with a broad brush. Soundtrack to a Coup d’Etat Where to watch: Theaters This essay-film takes a striking approach to the Cold War, quickly cutting together archival TV clips and text from old books and newspapers to create a sort of cinematic collage. The resulting picture covers three intertwining themes: the battle for control of the United Nations between American- and Soviet-aligned leaders, the rising popularity of jazz music around the world, and the decolonization movement in Africa. Gradually a story emerges about how the U.S. relied on its cultural exports to help spread democracy publicly, while privately the foreign policy wonks worked to keep resource-rich African nations under European control — and all while the socialist bloc used American racism as a propaganda tool. Soundtrack to a Coup d’Etat director Johan Grimonprez doesn’t make any of these points explicitly, but rather lets the audience stew in a swirl of images and sounds, immersing them in a politically complicated era. Spermworld Where to watch: Hulu Filmmaker Lance Oppenheim flirted with the mainstream this year with his buzzy HBO miniseries Ren Faire , about the backstage melodrama at a venerable Texas Renaissance festival. But for a more concentrated dose of Oppenheim’s offbeat approach to documentaries, the movie to watch is Spermworld , which follows three men who offer their semen to women who can’t afford a conventional sperm bank. Shot like an art film — with an eye for color and light, and an emphasis on small, quirky moments — Spermworld is only partly about the practical realities of this strange subculture. It’s more about the urge to procreate itself, and how clumsy, fragile, and beautiful the whole process can be. Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story W here to watch: Available for digital rental/purchase on Amazon, Apple TV It’s not easy to take a story as widely known as Christopher Reeve’s and make it feel fresh. When the Superman star was paralyzed in a horse-riding accident in 1995, his injury and subsequent advocacy was covered in depth by the media, all the way up to his death in 2004. For this film, though, co-directors Ian Bonhôte and Peter Ettedgui had access to rare home-movie footage, supplemented with interviews with Reeve’s family and excerpts from the audiobooks of his memoirs. Following the lead of its title, Super/Man is divided evenly between stories about Reeve’s movie star heyday and stories about his post-accident life, cutting back and forth between the two, making it clear that the man who could fly had bad days, the man in the wheelchair had good days, and both inspired millions. Will & Harper Where to watch: Netflix The concept of this funny, poignant road trip documentary is simple. Will Ferrell, one of the most likable comedians of his era, drives across the country with a close friend and collaborator he’s known since Saturday Night Live . The twist? The friend, Harper Steele, recently transitioned, and this will be the first extended time these two spend together since the change. Their bond remains strong, which is what makes Will & Harper so affecting. These two can talk about anything. And they both have a lot to learn: Harper about what it’s like for Will to walk around all the time as a goofy celebrity, and Will about the dozens of daily slights that make it harder for Harper to live as her true self. Best of the Year Entertainment Movies Polygon Lists Polygon Picks Special Issues What to Watch
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EAGAN, Minn. (AP) — The Minnesota Vikings waived cornerback Akayleb Evans on Saturday in another setback for their beleaguered 2022 draft class. Evans started 15 games last season, but he had been relegated to a special teams role this year after the Vikings added veteran cornerbacks Stephon Gilmore and Shaquill Griffin. Evans was a fourth-round pick out of Missouri, one of three defensive backs among Minnesota's first five selections in 2022. Lewis Cine (first round) was waived and Andrew Booth (second round) was traded earlier this year. One of their second-round picks, guard Ed Ingram, lost his starting spot last week. Evans was let go to clear a roster spot for tight end Nick Muse, who was activated from injured reserve to play on Sunday at Chicago. The Vikings ruled tight end Josh Oliver out of the game with a sprained ankle. AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/NFL
Olivia Hussey, star of the 1968 film 'Romeo and Juliet,' dies at 73Jets' defense likely shorthanded vs. high-powered Bills' offense in Week 17 | Sporting NewsPhiladelphia (8-2) at Los Angeles Rams (5-5) Sunday, 8:20 p.m. EST, NBC/Peacock BetMGM NFL odds: Eagles by 3. Against the spread: Eagles 6-4; Rams 4-6. Series record: Eagles lead 23-20-1. Last meeting: Eagles beat Rams 23-14 in Inglewood, Calif. on Oct. 8, 2023. Last week: Eagles beat Washington 26-18; Rams beat New England 28-22. Eagles offense: overall (5), rush (1), pass (22), scoring (7). Eagles defense: overall (1), rush (7), pass (2), scoring (6). Rams offense: overall (17), rush (26), pass (T-7), scoring (21). Rams defense: overall (23), rush (18), pass (22), scoring (22). Turnover differential: Eagles plus-2; Rams plus-4. RB Saquon Barkley. Barkley combined for 198 scrimmage yards and two scores, rushing 26 times for 146 yards (5.6 average) while adding two receptions for 52 yards against Washington. With 1,137 rushing yards through 10 games, Barkley only trails Baltimore’s Derrick Henry for the NFL lead. He had his sixth 100-plus yard rushing game this season, which is the most in the NFL. S Kam Kinchens. The rookie third-round pick from Miami had eight tackles, one tackle for loss, an interception and a forced fumble against the Patriots as he continues to come on strong. Kinchens has three picks in the past three games. Eagles QB Jalen Hurts vs. Rams’ defensive line. Hurts shredded Los Angeles for 303 yards passing and 72 yards rushing last season despite the presence of superstar DT Aaron Donald. After Donald retired, the Rams turned to a committee approach to get after the passer, and it has worked with rookie OLB Jared Verse and DT Braden Fiske fitting in well next to second-year OLB Byron Young and DT Kobie Turner. But they can only unleash their excellent pass rush skills by limiting Philadelphia on early downs. Hurts has been at his dual-threat best over the past five games, accounting for 15 total touchdowns (six passing, nine rushing) against two turnovers. Eagles defensive end Bryce Huff had surgery on his left wrist on Thursday, a move that could allow him to return toward the end of the season. ... WR DeVonta Smith (hamstring) and DT Milton Williams (foot) each missed practice this week. ... Rams RT Rob Havenstein (ankle) looks to be trending toward a return this week. Havenstein sat out the previous two games because of the ailment. The Eagles have won all three games in Los Angeles since the Rams moved back in 2016. ... Overall, Philadelphia has won seven of the past eight. The only setback came in Week 2 of the 2020 pandemic season. Barkley has passed 100-plus scrimmage yards in eight of 10 games. That is tied with LeSean McCoy (2011) and Brian Westbrook (2007) for the most by an Eagle through 10 games. His 198 yards were his second most as an Eagle (199 in Week 9). ... The Eagles have allowed two passing touchdowns during their winning streak. Only one opponent has topped 200 passing yards against them in this stretch, with Cincinnati throwing for 222 in Week 8. ... Hurts leads all NFL quarterbacks with 11 touchdown runs and is second only to Henry's 13 scores for the Ravens. ... WR A.J. Brown leads the league in receptions of 30 yards or longer. He is averaging 18.7 yards per catch, the best mark of any player with at least 30 grabs. ... Even before he hurt his wrist, Huff struggled in his first season in Philadelphia with just 2 1/2 sacks and four quarterback hits. His snap count has dipped since he was injured ahead of a game earlier this month against Jacksonville. Huff had 17 1/2 sacks in four seasons with the Jets before he signed a three-year, $51 million free-agent deal with the Eagles. ... Philadelphia has run for at least 150 yards and two touchdowns in five straight games, something it hadn't accomplished since 1949. ... Rams WR Puka Nacua caught his first touchdown of the season in New England. He has at least seven receptions and 98 yards in three of his past four games, with only a second-quarter ejection in Seattle having limited Nacua since he returned from a knee injury. ... WR Cooper Kupp has 614 receptions through his first 98 games, which is fourth most in NFL history through 100 games. Julio Jones (619) is third. ... RB Kyren Williams averaged a season-high 5.7 yards per carry, finishing with 86 yards on 15 attempts versus the Patriots. ... Verse has 11 tackles for loss and 4 1/2 sacks through his first 10 games. Verse is pressuring the quarterback on 20.2% of pass rush snaps, which ranks second in the league overall. ... The Rams were 2 of 8 (25%) on third down against New England, their third straight game converting 25% or worse. ... QB Matthew Stafford has not been sacked in each of Los Angeles’ past three wins. Don’t be discouraged using Stafford, Kupp and Nacua against Philadelphia's pass defense. All three put up solid fantasy numbers in last season’s meeting, even as the Eagles sat on the ball for nearly 38 minutes. Stafford had 222 yards and two scores, finding Kupp eight times for 118 yards and Nacua seven times for 71 yards and a touchdown, so they'll find ways to produce. AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/NFL
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SEOUL: South Korea’s suspended president Yoon Suk Yeol authorized the military to fire their weapons if needed to enter parliament during his failed bid to impose martial law, according to a prosecutors’ report seen by AFP on Saturday. The 10-page summary from former defense minister Kim Yong-hyun’s prosecution indictment report, which was provided to the media, also says Yoon vowed on December 3 to declare martial law three times if necessary. Yoon, who was stripped of his duties by the National Assembly this month, is under investigation for his short-lived attempt to scrap civilian rule, which plunged the country into political turmoil and led to his impeachment. Yoon’s lawyer Yoon Kab-keun dismissed the prosecutors’ report, telling AFP it was “a one-sided account that neither corresponds to objective circumstances nor common sense”. As lawmakers rushed to parliament on December 3 to vote down Yoon’s martial law declaration, heavily armed troops stormed the building, scaling fences, smashing windows and landing by helicopter. According to the prosecution indictment report, Yoon told the chief of the capital defense command, Lee Jin-woo, that military forces could shoot if necessary to enter the National Assembly. “Have you still not got in? What are you doing? Break down the door and drag them out, even if it means shooting,” Yoon told Lee, according to the report. Yoon also allegedly told the head of the Defense Counterintelligence Command, General Kwak Jong-keun, to “quickly get inside” the National Assembly since the quorum for the martial law declaration to be lifted had not been met. “So quickly get inside the National Assembly and bring out the people inside the chamber, and break down the doors with an axe if necessary and drag everyone out,” the report quotes Yoon as saying at the time. After lawmakers rushed inside parliament and voted 190-0 to nullify Yoon’s declaration in the early hours of December 4, the report says Yoon told Lee, “Even if it’s lifted, I can declare martial law a second or third time, so just keep going.” ‘Ugly truth’ The report also included screenshots of senior defense officials’ messages from the day of the martial law declaration. It said there was evidence that Yoon had been discussing declaring martial law with senior military officials as early as March. The declaration followed a budget tussle between Yoon’s party and the opposition. Days later, Yoon in a speech apologized for the “anxiety and inconvenience” and promised there would not be a second declaration of martial law. Ex-defense minister Kim was arrested over his role in the failed martial law bid. Opposition Democratic Party lawmaker Kang Sun-woo said in a statement on Saturday that “the prosecution has laid bare the undeniable ugly truth about Yoon Suk Yeol, the treasonous ringleader”, adding that he must be “arrested immediately”. South Korea’s Constitutional Court held its first preliminary hearing on the validity of Yoon’s impeachment on Friday. The court will also decide the fate of Yoon’s replacement, Han Duck-soo, who was impeached Friday over his refusal to complete Yoon’s impeachment process and bring him to justice. Tens of thousands of Yoon supporters and opponents held rival mass rallies in central Seoul on Saturday. “The martial law was legal, and president Yoon did it because of the insurrectionary opposition Democratic Party,” said 31-year-old Danny Ko, holding the slogan “Legal martial law, Invalid impeachment!” “The Democratic Party will impeach (acting president) Choi Sang-mok like Han, and the country will go mad.” An anti-Yoon crowd was gathered nearby holding signs such as: “A new leader for the new year” and “Arrest Yoon Suk Yeol”, with many singing along to K-pop songs and John Lennon’s “Imagine”. “I felt so relieved when Han was impeached, he was also part of the insurrection” Kwak Min-jeong, 25, told AFP. Holding a glow stick, Kwak said she would keep protesting until “democracy was achieved”. “We are holding it to show our commitment, and unlike a candle, it will never go off,” she said. — AFP
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