Film: The Future of Theaters, Michelangelo, Instagram Influencers

Governor Cuomo has given New York City theaters the go-ahead to reopen, but returning to normal is no

Feb 26, 2021 • View in browser

Governor Cuomo has given New York City theaters the go-ahead to reopen, but returning to normal is no easy matter. I discuss how the pandemic has impacted various trends in the world of film. This week, we also feature films about the Boy Scouts, defunct online worlds, Michelangelo, feminist activism, and more. Enjoy!– Dan Schindel, Associate Editor for Documentary

The Future of Theaters and Streaming

From "Dune"

In light of news that movie theaters will soon be reopening in New York City, as well as the fact that Warner Bros. will be premiering all its blockbusters simultaneously in theaters and online this year, I discussed the possibilities for the future of moviegoing.

Latest Reviews

SIN, a Gritty and Sublime Biopic of Michelangelo Andrei Konchalovsky’s film depicts an artist full of ambition, paranoia, loathing, and regret. Paul D'Agostino, David Boffa, and Thomas Micchelli

Exploring the Abandoned Spaces of the Internet The web series Preserving Worlds asks us to consider the value of past-their-prime sites like Second Life. Justine Smith

Fake It ’Til You Make It: A Documentary Peels Back the Veneer of Online Influencers The crew of Fake Famous generated followers for aspiring Instagram celebs, demonstrating the artifice of internet success. Hrag Vartanian

When More Than 5,000 Workers Resisted Rupert Murdoch’s UK Media Takeover The documentary Wapping: The Workers’ Story recounts a pivotal moment in UK labor history. Sophie Monks Kaufman

9to5 Strikes at a Missing Piece of Feminist History In the late 1970s and early ’80s, women office workers banded together in a labor movement that sprouted up in 25 cities across the country. Eileen G'Sell

A Documentary Lays Out the Boy Scouts Sex Abuse Scandal Church and the Fourth Estate investigates one of the tens of thousands of cases of alleged sexual abuse within the BSA, as well as Scouting’s links to the LDS Church. Nathan Smith

SPONSORED Stream Werner Herzog's new documentary NOMAD. Now on MUBI in the US. Nomad: In the Footsteps of Bruce Chatwin retraces the life of author Bruce Chatwin. This deeply personal tribute celebrates Chatwin’s passion for the nomadic life and reflects on Herzog’s own lifelong affinity for the spirit of adventure.MUBI is a curated streaming service featuring beautifully hand-picked films. Get 30 days free: mubi.com/hyperallergic

What to Stream

The Olympic Auditorium before a boxing match (1972) (photo by Theo Ehret, courtesy Theo Ehret estate)

Lexis Olivier-Ray delves into the new film 18th and Grand, which profiles the history of a legendary Los Angeles boxing arena.Sophie Monks Kaufman looks at a pivotal moment in labor resistance to Rupert Murdoch’s takeover of the UK media through the lens of the new film Wapping: The Workers’ Story. The Asian Art Museum has shared some of the short films featured in its forthcoming exhibition After Hope: Videos of Resistance with Hyperallergic. Emily Wilson talks to the curators of the exhibition about the films.This week’s streaming roundup features documentaries about video games, from tales of indie development to the battle for the Donkey Kong world record.

The YouTube channel Atrocity Guide catalogs some of the most unusual historical episodes and trends that have mostly gone unknown. The latest episode tackles psychoanalyst John C. Lilly’s odd attempts to teach dolphins to speak human language in the 1960s.

The Dolphin House

Until we can see you in the theater again, stay safe!

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