Documentaries managed to find an even broader audience this year, with streaming services like Netflix and Hulu doubling down on non-fiction, both as producers and distributors of new unscripted films and TV shows. But whether they screened in theaters, at home or at film festivals, these documentaries were the best of the best:
10. “Scotty and the Secret History of Hollywood”: Matt Tyrnauer’s portrait of legendary Tinseltown “procurer” Scotty Bowers had plenty of vintage show-biz dish, but it also raised interesting questions about who decides when and how Lgbtq history is “appropriate” to share with the masses.
9. “Hale County This Morning, This Evening”: Equal parts visual poem and ethnographic documentary, RaMell Ross’ debut film examines a handful of residents of the titular Alabama county as his camera turns quotidian moments into something breathtaking and magical.
8. “Bathtubs Over Broadway”: Besides providing a fascinating glimpse into the industrial musical...
10. “Scotty and the Secret History of Hollywood”: Matt Tyrnauer’s portrait of legendary Tinseltown “procurer” Scotty Bowers had plenty of vintage show-biz dish, but it also raised interesting questions about who decides when and how Lgbtq history is “appropriate” to share with the masses.
9. “Hale County This Morning, This Evening”: Equal parts visual poem and ethnographic documentary, RaMell Ross’ debut film examines a handful of residents of the titular Alabama county as his camera turns quotidian moments into something breathtaking and magical.
8. “Bathtubs Over Broadway”: Besides providing a fascinating glimpse into the industrial musical...
- 12/13/2018
- by Alonso Duralde
- The Wrap
As a society, we do a terrible job of talking about mental illness. We do a worse job caring for people struggling to recover from their illness or to manage their symptoms. In Sandra Luckow’s personal documentary, “That Way Madness Lies,” viewers get to see just how ill-equipped healthcare and law enforcement officials are at helping some of their most vulnerable populations.
Sandra and her brother Duanne grew up in the Pacific Northwest in the ’80s. The documentary dotes on these fond memories and photos of family ski trips near Mount St. Helens, and how Duanne’s love of film helped inspire Sandra to pick up a camera. The four members of the family were all creative in their own way: their father, Gerald, liked to restore cars, which Duanne later made his business. Their mom, Dolores, spent her free time making miniature homes and models. Before Sandra dove into the world of filmmaking,...
Sandra and her brother Duanne grew up in the Pacific Northwest in the ’80s. The documentary dotes on these fond memories and photos of family ski trips near Mount St. Helens, and how Duanne’s love of film helped inspire Sandra to pick up a camera. The four members of the family were all creative in their own way: their father, Gerald, liked to restore cars, which Duanne later made his business. Their mom, Dolores, spent her free time making miniature homes and models. Before Sandra dove into the world of filmmaking,...
- 12/12/2018
- by Monica Castillo
- The Wrap
“Sharp Edges” (as in blades) is the perfect title for a documentary about Tonya Harding. But who would have had the prescience to think of that title a decade before her infamy? Last year, when “I, Tonya” came out, there were those (like me) who flipped for it, and those who didn’t. The appearance this week of “Sharp Edges,” a documentary about Harding made in 1986, eight years before the incident that made her famous, isn’t likely to change minds in either camp. Yet as an “I, Tonya” believer, I watched this fascinating found object of a movie, directed by Sandra Luckow as her senior-thesis project at Yale, eager to see if it supported or undercut the vision of Tonya Harding and her demons put forth by Craig Gillespie’s audacious awards-bait docudrama. What it reveals, to me, is how close to the truth of Harding’s life “I,...
- 7/5/2018
- by Owen Gleiberman
- Variety Film + TV
Neon has picked up the worldwide rights to Sharp Edges, a 1986 documentary about Tonya Harding, the subject of the 2017 Margot Robbie starrer I, Tonya, which Neon also released.
Neon plans a one-week theatrical run beginning Friday in Los Angeles and New York City, and an awards season campaign. Sharp Edges was made by Yale University student Sandra Luckow as part of her senior thesis and portrays a 15-year-old Harding going to her first National Figure Skating Championships.
The film includes interviews with Harding and her now-infamous mother, Lavona Golden, played by Oscar winner Allison Janney in I, Tonya, the ...
Neon plans a one-week theatrical run beginning Friday in Los Angeles and New York City, and an awards season campaign. Sharp Edges was made by Yale University student Sandra Luckow as part of her senior thesis and portrays a 15-year-old Harding going to her first National Figure Skating Championships.
The film includes interviews with Harding and her now-infamous mother, Lavona Golden, played by Oscar winner Allison Janney in I, Tonya, the ...
Neon has picked up the worldwide rights to Sharp Edges, a 1986 documentary about Tonya Harding, the subject of the 2017 Margot Robbie starrer I, Tonya, which Neon also released.
Neon plans a one-week theatrical run beginning Friday in Los Angeles and New York City, and an awards season campaign. Sharp Edges was made by Yale University student Sandra Luckow as part of her senior thesis and portrays a 15-year-old Harding going to her first National Figure Skating Championships.
The film includes interviews with Harding and her now-infamous mother, Lavona Golden, played by Oscar winner Allison Janney in I, Tonya, the ...
Neon plans a one-week theatrical run beginning Friday in Los Angeles and New York City, and an awards season campaign. Sharp Edges was made by Yale University student Sandra Luckow as part of her senior thesis and portrays a 15-year-old Harding going to her first National Figure Skating Championships.
The film includes interviews with Harding and her now-infamous mother, Lavona Golden, played by Oscar winner Allison Janney in I, Tonya, the ...
Neon has acquired worldwide rights to “Sharp Edges,” a 1986 documentary about Tonya Harding competing at the National Figure Skating Championships at the age of 15.
Yale University student Sandra Luckow made the film as part of her senior thesis. It follows Harding going to her first National Figure Skating Championships, where she placed sixth. The movie includes interviews with both Harding and her mother, Lavona Golden.
The documentary provided background for the cast and filmmakers of “I, Tonya” and clips from the film have been licensed over the years in numerous shows ranging from “60 Minutes” to ESPN’s “30 for 30,” and most recently for “20/20’s” “Truth and Lies: The Tonya Harding Story” special.
Neon handled the release of the biopic “I, Tonya,” directed by Craig Gillespie and written by Steven Rogers. It centers on the 1994 attack on her rival Nancy Kerrigan. Margot Robbie (who also produced) stars as Harding and Allison Janney plays Golden.
Yale University student Sandra Luckow made the film as part of her senior thesis. It follows Harding going to her first National Figure Skating Championships, where she placed sixth. The movie includes interviews with both Harding and her mother, Lavona Golden.
The documentary provided background for the cast and filmmakers of “I, Tonya” and clips from the film have been licensed over the years in numerous shows ranging from “60 Minutes” to ESPN’s “30 for 30,” and most recently for “20/20’s” “Truth and Lies: The Tonya Harding Story” special.
Neon handled the release of the biopic “I, Tonya,” directed by Craig Gillespie and written by Steven Rogers. It centers on the 1994 attack on her rival Nancy Kerrigan. Margot Robbie (who also produced) stars as Harding and Allison Janney plays Golden.
- 7/2/2018
- by Dave McNary
- Variety Film + TV
Neon, which scored three Oscar nominations this past awards season for I, Tonya, has acquired rights to Sharp Edges, the 1986 documentary made by a Yale grad student featuring then-15-year-old Tonya Harding in her first U.S. Figure Skating Championship run.
The docu, which became invaluable background to Margot Robbie and the I, Tonya team as they made the feature film, will now get a one-week theatrical release beginning July 6 at Los Angeles’ Music Hall and New York’s Village East Cinema, with filmmaker Sandra Luckow in attendance for several Q&As during the run. The docu hits VOD on July 17 and Hulu on August 3.
The film includes interviews with Tonya and her mother Lavona Golden, the latter played by Allison Janney in I, Tonya earning her the Supporting Actress Oscar.
The docu, which became invaluable background to Margot Robbie and the I, Tonya team as they made the feature film, will now get a one-week theatrical release beginning July 6 at Los Angeles’ Music Hall and New York’s Village East Cinema, with filmmaker Sandra Luckow in attendance for several Q&As during the run. The docu hits VOD on July 17 and Hulu on August 3.
The film includes interviews with Tonya and her mother Lavona Golden, the latter played by Allison Janney in I, Tonya earning her the Supporting Actress Oscar.
- 7/2/2018
- by Patrick Hipes
- Deadline Film + TV
Distributor plans one-week theatrical launch in New York, La on July 6.
Neon has picked up worldwide rights to the documentary Sharp Edges, a companion piece to I, Tonya that features ice skater Tonya Harding in her early competitive years.
Former Yale University student Sandra Luckow directed the film 32 years ago as part of her senior thesis.
Sharp Edges follows Harding as she heads off to her first National Figure Skating Championships and includes interviews with both Harding and her now infamous mother, Lavona Golden.
Neon top brass said the documentary provided background for the cast and filmmakers of I, Tonya,...
Neon has picked up worldwide rights to the documentary Sharp Edges, a companion piece to I, Tonya that features ice skater Tonya Harding in her early competitive years.
Former Yale University student Sandra Luckow directed the film 32 years ago as part of her senior thesis.
Sharp Edges follows Harding as she heads off to her first National Figure Skating Championships and includes interviews with both Harding and her now infamous mother, Lavona Golden.
Neon top brass said the documentary provided background for the cast and filmmakers of I, Tonya,...
- 7/2/2018
- by Jeremy Kay
- ScreenDaily
Allison Janney might be about to win her first Academy Award for her playing Tonya Harding’s mother Lavona Golden in I, Tonya — but her portrayal isn’t exactly like the real-life woman according to someone who knows her.
Harding’s childhood friend Sandra Luckow tells People that the movie stretched some truths when it came to Harding’s allegedly abusive mother.
“In some ways, I have to say that she was no more cruel than a lot of skating mothers at the ice arena,” Luckow says. “She just did it with a lot more honesty. Did Mrs. Harding yell...
Harding’s childhood friend Sandra Luckow tells People that the movie stretched some truths when it came to Harding’s allegedly abusive mother.
“In some ways, I have to say that she was no more cruel than a lot of skating mothers at the ice arena,” Luckow says. “She just did it with a lot more honesty. Did Mrs. Harding yell...
- 1/27/2018
- by Ale Russian
- PEOPLE.com
I, Tonya, an unconventional biopic about the unconventional, embattled yet iconic '90s figure skater, is based on "irony free, wildly contradictory and totally true" interviews with Tonya Harding and her one-time husband, Jeff Gillooly. (We're told as much via title card at the start of the movie.)
While the conflicting details of those discussions constitute the crux of the film, many key moments in Harding's life have played out in front of the cameras, allowing for a side-by-side comparison of actual events and as restaged by Margot Robbie as Tonya Harding. Either watch these videos before seeing I, Tonya, out now, or come back afterward to truly appreciate how closely the movie nails it.
The Real Tonya Harding, Then and Now
Donning an array of permed wigs and bedazzled unitards, Robbie plays Harding from her teenage years into her 20s -- then via makeup and prosthetics, she is aged up to play Harding at 44. This vintage news reel...
While the conflicting details of those discussions constitute the crux of the film, many key moments in Harding's life have played out in front of the cameras, allowing for a side-by-side comparison of actual events and as restaged by Margot Robbie as Tonya Harding. Either watch these videos before seeing I, Tonya, out now, or come back afterward to truly appreciate how closely the movie nails it.
The Real Tonya Harding, Then and Now
Donning an array of permed wigs and bedazzled unitards, Robbie plays Harding from her teenage years into her 20s -- then via makeup and prosthetics, she is aged up to play Harding at 44. This vintage news reel...
- 12/8/2017
- Entertainment Tonight
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