MOVIE - Three Identical Strangers

PG-13 (1:36)

Limited release 6/29/17

Viewed 8/16/18 with Sandy at Carlisle Theater
IMBd:  7.7

RT Critic: 96   Audience:  88
Critic's Consensus:  Surreal and surprising, Three Identical Strangers effectively questions the nature of reality and identity.

Cag:  3.5

Directed by Tim Wardle

NEON

My comments:  A documentary that starts out with great exuberance and gets darker and darker as the layers of these three guys' stories are peeled.  Nature versus nurture.  Three identical triplets, separated at birth ... what happens when they "meet" each other 20 years later?  A true story.  I had no idea going into this that it was a documentary or any idea about anything other than that it was about triplets, which added to the experience.  Quite fascinating, actually.

RT/ IMDb Summary  Three strangers are reunited by astonishing coincidence after being born identical triplets, separated at birth, and adopted by three different families. Their jaw-dropping, feel-good story instantly becomes a global sensation complete with fame and celebrity, however, the fairy-tale reunion sets in motion a series of events that unearth an unimaginable secret -- a secret with radical repercussions for us all.

MOVIE - Searching for Sugarman

PG-13 (1:26)

Limited release 7/27/12

Viewed t Crossroads

RT Critic: No reviews  Audience: 92

Cag: Excellent film

Directed by Malik Bendjelloull

Actors: none-this is a documentary (other than its "star," Sixto Rodriguez

A synopsis from Fandango: In the late ‘60s, a musician was discovered in a Detroit bar by two celebrated Motown producers who were struck by his soulful melodies and prophetic lyrics. They recorded an album that they believed was going to secure his reputation as one of the greatest recording artists of his generation. In fact, the album bombed and the singer disappeared into obscurity amid rumors of a gruesome on-stage suicide. But a bootleg recording found its way into apartheid South Africa and, over the next two decades, it became a phenomenon (as big as The Beatles). Two South African fans then set out to find out what really happened to their hero. Their investigation led them to a story more extraordinary than any of the existing myths about the artist known as Rodriguez. This is a film about hope, inspiration and the resonating power of music.

My comments:  I loved going into this with no knowledge or expectations other than hearing people say they really enjoyed it.  It slowly works its way to a few surprises and is really well done; an interesting and satisfying documentary.

MOVIE - Capitalism, A Love Story

Really interesting, but choppy
Released Oct. 2, 2009
NR (2:07)
Nov. 28, 2009 at Century Gateway with Fran
RT: 75% cag: Pretty much the same, I guess
Director: Michael Moore

The top 1 percent of this country has the wealth of the lowest 95 percent. Unimaginable. Unbelievable. This time, Michael Moore goes after the the banks, the CEO's that run the government, insurance policies that are taken out by companies on their employees (with the company as the beneficiary), the low pay of airline pilots, worker-owned companies.....big business...big business...capitalism....

It's all interesting, but I'm not quite sure how some of it fits together. It's not at all seamless. And I, as a watcher, and left thinking....OKAY, if that's so, what can I DO???? There's no insight into that.