Overlooked & Underrated Docs & Features (click on broll or dschwartz for all his posts)

All The Rage: Saved By Sarno
“It’s a real practice-killer.” Roy Seidenberg, MD, on the impact of John Sarno’s book, “Healing Back Pain”

Produced by David Beilinson, Michael Galinsky, and Suki Hawley, “All The Rage” shares crucial information about Dr. John Sarno’s approach to treating back pain, and tells the story of filmmaker Galinsky’s healing from back pain and the making of this documentary.

Sarno discovered the mind-body connection early in his medical career, and distilled it to a simple yet challenging idea: Most back pain is caused by emotional trauma. Heal the trauma, heal the back. Over his career countless numbers of people have been spared the risks of surgery and medications (one risk of which is addiction) and, instead, have been relieved of back pain by focusing on their feelings. Sarno’s “Healing Back Pain: The Mind-Body Connection” has sold more than a million copies and been translated into many languages.

Galinsky and company’s interviews include those of Tom Harkin, Howard Stern, John Stossel, Larry David, and Andrew Weil. Many grateful patients also appear. The combination of Sarno’s thoughts together with the experiences of these patients provide a compelling argument for self-examination the moment pain emerges—or, better yet, to do so as a preventative.

Dr. Seidenberg also makes a convincing case. Sarno’s approach is reducing his clientele—but he’s grateful, of course, for the opportunity to make a difference in his patients' lives.

Our host and narrator, Galinsky is also a subject of the film—one of the many patients who suffered from intense pain. We follow him through years of suffering. His healing is an emotional demonstration of the power of Sarno’s thinking and approach.

I prescribe "All The Rage" for all those suffering from back pain and for those who do not want to get back pain.

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/storyofpain/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/TheStoryOfPain

All The Rage plays San Francisco's 4 Star Theater for one week starting November 3.

D. Schwartz October 27, 2017

Human Flow: Global Immigration
“I want the right of life, of the leopard at the spring, of the seed splitting open—I want the right of the first man.” Nazim Hikmet, Turkish Poet, (1902-1963)

Ai Weiwei’s “Human Flow” is as challenging to view as it is imperative to view. In two hours, the legendary artist/activist/filmmaker takes viewers to the Middle East, Afghanistan, Europe, Africa, and the United States. We see heart-breaking images, hear heart-breaking stories of migrants, and the horrors these 65.6 million face every day—many for decades, for whole lives, for generations.

Weiwei peppers this epic film with quotations and poems, as well as activists sharing their experience and perspectives. The cinematic craft—vision, sound, and music—is standard-bearing, awe-inspiring.

“Human Flow” is utterly stunning. I will be shocked if it does not win the Academy Award for Best Feature Documentary.

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HumanFlowMovie/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/HumanFlowMovie

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/humanflowmovie/

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/gp/video/detail/B075VJNKZC

D. Schwartz October 26, 2017

Tickling Giants: The Epic Journey of Bassem Youssef, MD
Back in the old days, when Jon Stewart was hosting 'The Daily Show,' he had a guest on named Bassem Youssef who was introduced as ‘Egypt’s Jon Stewart.’ Even with my cursory—to be generous to yours truly—knowledge of Middle East politics, religion, and culture, I had a bad feeling about this.

It’s about authoritarian leadership. Like diarrhea and smart-phone addiction, us humans are vulnerable to this ilk of leadership. Back in the Jurassic period Erich Seligmann Fromm wrote about it in the tragically ignored 'Escape From Freedom'.

Fast forward to the 21th century. Sara Taksler made a movie about Youssef’s Egyptian show he entitled ‘The Show.’ She tells two stories in her film, “Tickling Giants”. The first is about Youssef who was so inspired by Jon Stewart’s brand of political satire that he left his surgical practice and emulated ‘The Daily Show’ for the people of his homeland.

The other story Taksler covers is that of Egypt’s recent political history focusing on the country’s dalliance with freedom of speech. The brief affair’s inevitable end led to Youssef and family’s departure from Egypt, and immigration to the United States.

“Tickling Giants” is well produced and thoroughly engaging. Those two cinematic virtues are not the only reasons, though, to make sure you see the film. Us people of the United States of America are emulating Egypt’s struggle with this quaint idea of freedom of expression.

“Tickling Giants” is available on iTunes, etc.

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TicklingGiants/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/Tickling_Giants

D. Schwartz October 18, 2017

Sonic Sea: Saving Whales from Human Enterprise
“I listen to the world, and to me song is life. It is the essence of who we are. And, it joins us all.”

Christopher W. Clark, Ph.D.
Johnson Senior Scientist, Bioacoustics Research Program, Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology


Directed by Michelle Dougherty and Daniel Hinerfeld, and narrated by Rachel McAdams, “Sonic Sea” calls for much more awareness of, and constructive responses to our damaging of marine life via the many sounds of industry and military operations piercing our oceans. In one hour us viewers are educated about us humans’ lethal practices and how we can alter them to save lives.

Fifteen authorities and activists describe their work and findings, and articulate what can be done now to make improvements. Whether we will do so is an open question. In any case, the purpose of this film is, of course, to be another catalyst for constructive initiatives on our part for our oceans and its magnificent creatures. Sylvia Earle, a superstar of ocean activism, and Sting, a superstar, are among the interviewees.

“Sonic Sea” is available from the film’s website.

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SonicSeaFilm/

D. Schwartz October 11, 2017

Long Strange Trip: Four Hours with the Dead and their Mates
I write this review particularly for those who never heard of The Grateful Dead, never heard their music, and/or have preconceived notions and permanently installed negative attitudes toward the band. I certainly did. I was a progressive rock snob. It took a massive amount of peer pressure and a measure of life experience to see the band, to listen to their songs.

Amazon’s "Long Strange Trip" is, on the surface, about The Grateful Dead. The film is well-funded, artfully crafted, and takes the viewer on a 3 hour and 58 minute outline of the band’s history.

Note the film’s title. It does not contain the band’s name. The film is more about Jerry Garcia, a tragically wounded folk hero, than it is about the band. To tell the story of the Dead would take many more hours. Better to read books about the band, especially “A Long Strange Trip: The Inside History of The Grateful Dead” by Dennis McNally who also appears frequently in this film.

Although I found myself entertained and fascinated by all the music of, and information about the band, it was Garcia’s story that touched my heart. Wounded by multiple childhood tragedies, and seemingly trapped by the behemoth called ‘The Grateful Dead,’ Garcia could not escape his demons, and we could not escape the deep pain of his untimely passing.

This clarification about the film is not a disparagement of this epic documentary. The film has great power; and as a testimony to such I offer a quote from Owen Gleiberman’s March 17, 2017 “Variety” magazine review: “...the ultimate recommendation I can give the movie is this: I'm one of those people who can't stand the Grateful Dead... yet I found “Long Strange Trip” enthralling. For the first time, it made me see, and feel, and understand the slovenly glory of what they were up to, even if my ears still process their music as monotonous roots-rock wallpaper."

The band members and many other interviewees struggle to define the band’s music. Early on in the film’s first ‘Act’ McNally shares a particularly succinct view of their music and its impact:

“It’s a real challenge, if you’re not already a deadhead, to love The Grateful Dead. Because there’s so much distraction. But, if you ignore the rabid fans, and ignore the entire lack of all the expected elements of American entertainment, then you will find there’s a richness that fills your soul.

“The Grateful Dead explored freedom, and they were the cutting edge of a phenomenal re-examination of American values. For me, The Grateful Dead were the most American of all bands because each musician that started that band came from a completely different place musically, and they somehow managed to make it work.

“You got a bluegrass banjo player, you got a blues harmonica player, you got a folky guitarist, R&B drummer, you got a (sic) avant-garde classical composer picking up the bass, and not long after that, a marching band drummer. And, oh, by the way, a genius lyricist who created, in his lyrics, a non-literal hyper-Americana.

“And you take all these streams, and you dissolve egos with acid [LSD], and you stir vigorously. That’s Grateful Dead music.”

"Long Strange Trip" is currently streaming via Amazon Prime. As of this writing I was unable to find if it is or will be available on disc.

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LongStrangeDoc/

D. Schwartz October 8, 2017

HAPPENING: A Clean Energy Revolution
“HAPPENING” is James Redford’s most personal film, and I mean that literally. The veteran filmmaker hosts and narrates his journeys across America, and includes his daughter and wife in the story.

Redford is making a point. Renewable energy is happening—rapidly.

He visits a variety of clean energy sources—from very small to enormous—speaking with their representatives, learning about the current state-of-the-art in providing renewable energy to the world. There are two over-arching forces of change at work: The need to reduce pollution and global warming, and the positive economic impacts of renewable energies.

The film’s highest drama is in Las Vegas, Nevada, where a very large group of citizens petition the state’s decision to end financial incentives to install solar panels for homes and businesses. Redford and future American President Mark Ruffalo present at this standing-room-only meeting. Countless other petitioners are in front of the building.

The petitioners’ arguments to reverse this damaging decision are incontrovertible. Yet, said arguments fall on deaf ears and cannot sway the pre-purchased ‘no’ votes of the three public utilities board members who are not there in person, but with seemingly dead faces appear only on a large video screen. The promising, nascent solar power industry is virtually killed. That, however, is not the end of the story.

I am grateful for, and have learned from each and every film Redford has shared—and this one is no exception.

The film plays at the Mill Valley Film Festival on October 7 and 9.

"HAPPENING" is an HBO documentary film.

D. Schwartz October 4, 2017

Norwegian Auto-Immune Doc: I Was the Old Nansy Again
Nansy was suffering from the deleterious effects of multiple sclerosis, she found the off-label drug Low Dose Naltrexone (LDN), and experienced a dramatic reduction of symptoms. Her doctors were skeptical: the result didn’t fit in with their world view of expensive, high-side-effect-laden treatments.

Author Julia Schopick and I met on Facebook. She shared her book, Honest Medicine, with me, and in it I discovered the prescription pharmaceutical called Low Dose Naltrexone (LDN). I was immediately intrigued. It is powerful, inexpensive, and has very low to no side effects. Julia and I are now working on a book devoted exclusively to LDN. With Julia’s help I found a respected source for LDN, and have now taken it for a year and a half, so that I would be able to speak and write from experience. The closest I got to a side effect was my dream life became richer for a few weeks.

This YouTube documentary is an episode of the Norwegian television program "Vårt lille land” (“Our Small Country”). English subtitles are included. In a very short 22 minutes the film covers a lot of territory. We get an outline of the drug’s history, its use in treating autoimmune disorders, the struggles patients experience securing a prescription for it, and the life-changing help LDN provides.

LDN is a global people’s movement. There are websites, Facebook groups, books, and videos—and even an internet radio program—devoted to the drug and its value. This brief documentary is a perfect introduction. You may find more information about LDN via LDNinfo.org.

Here’s the film's link:

D. Schwartz September 21, 2017

HEAL: Mind-Body-Spirit
Written, produced and directed by Kelly Noonan Gores, “HEAL” takes the viewer on a journey through the natural healing and health world. At least 17 practitioners and experts are interviewed speaking of the many ways outside of conventional medicine that people are finding healing and wellness. Gores also interviews several patients who have experienced dramatic recoveries through these methods.

In addition to being a journalist, yours truly wrote a doctoral dissertation for the California Institute of Integral Studies on non-medical healing. “HEAL” is the finest, most inspirational cinematic introduction to this world of healing I have experienced to date. The film is well crafted, covers a lot of territory, and provides hope to many.

When it comes to holistic health I have two major concerns. The first has to do with the challenge of securing the most effective help. There are now many sources of substances, processes, methods, and procedures available. When it comes to making a decision as to what methods to utilize I’ve come to the conclusion that the practitioner’s skill and compassion is more important than the particular method. This puts the onus on the individual and/or their helpers in choosing the most appropriate method(s) and the most able practitioner(s)—which brings me to the second concern.

Money. With rare exceptions, natural health treatments are not covered by insurance. Although they may be massively less expensive than the conventional medical treatments for serious diseases, many of these natural treatments can be expensive for those of us in the lower or middle classes.

Kudos to filmmaker Gores for tackling this difficult issue in her film. This is the first time I’ve experienced a leader in the field acknowledging this painful economic challenge. Finding ways to bring suffering patients together with talented practitioners is the next big step in the natural health world. The challenge is especially daunting, of course, since the United States is trapped in a profit-based health care system. It will take a massive cultural shift in values to make quality health care a human right in the United States, and to include natural healing methods in that right.

See the film’s website for information on screenings.

D. Schwartz September 21, 2017

Obit: To Make the Dead Live Again
From the film: “It’s counter-intuitive, ironic even, but obits have next to nothing to do with death—and, in fact, absolutely everything to do with the life.”
__________________

Vanessa Gould is one of those documentary filmmakers who is not prolific. I’ve seen all two of her films: “Between the Folds” about origami, and now “Obit” about the obituary writers of The New York Times. Although those two topics are light years apart, they share the quality, the passion of a master filmmaker.

Appropriately enough, the writers tell the story in “Obit”. They speak of the history of obituaries, and the challenges of writing a nano-biography—a flawless, instantly engaging 600 to 900 word piece—in a few hours time. The goal is to get the piece in the morning edition.

If you are a famous or infamous person, you can reduce your obituary writer’s stress—and, therefore, increase their lifespan—by dying anytime from early evening through early morning. An afternoon passing spells trouble for the writers. Also, don’t die too young, they will not have an ‘advance’ ready for you—a pre-written obituary.

Obviously, obituaries make a tough topic. Gould has met the challenge, she has created a flawless, instantly engaging 93 minute piece.

"Obit" is distributed by Kino Lorber.

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/OBITfilm/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/OBITthefilm

Trailer: https://vimeo.com/108186599

D. Schwartz September 7, 2017

Unacknowledged: An Exposé of the Greatest Secret in Human History
“Unacknowledged” is the second documentary about UFO/alien phenomena produced by Dr. Steven Greer, M.D. It is the most sophisticated, well-crafted film on the topic I have seen to date. The epistemological power of the film is the inclusion of politicians, scientists, bureaucrats, and intelligence agents and officials speaking about the phenomena.

The existence of extraterrestrial intelligence is a given, of course. Greer focuses, instead, on the politico-economic issues and dynamics that suppress evidence and provide misinformation—including false flag events the most outrageous of which is a plan to use human reproductions of alien crafts and technology to create a global false flag attack. Greer also explores ‘free energy’ providing information from Nicholas Tesla’s work as well as references to alien technology already in human hands.

The film concludes with a utopian vision of our planet free from pollution, and a human population that has access to virtually free, non-polluting energy sources. Although I value a world free of pollution, and human beings living in a global society based upon political, social and economic justice, Greer’s particular expression of his vision is my nightmare. In this vision human beings could and would continue our over-population of the ecosphere to the detriment of our natural world which has already been and continues to be massively devastated.

My sour note, though, is not intended to discourage the reader from seeing this film. It is inevitable that ‘full disclosure’ of UFO/alien phenomena will occur in our lifetime. In the chance my statement is accurate, I suggest you see Greer’s film.

I also suggest you see Greer’s website of evidence, as well as his site, The Disclosure Project.

“Unacknowledged” is directed by Michael Mazzola, and distributed by The Orchard. I found the film on Netflix.

As I do for my reviews of documentaries about UFO/alien phenomena I include below a chapter entitled ‘Extraterrestrial Intelligence’ from my autobiography:

“A man hears what he wants to hear and disregards the rest.”
Paul Simon

“It is hard to fill a cup that is already full.”
Moat

“There are more things in Heaven and Earth, Horatio, than are dreamt of in your philosophy.”
The Guy Who Wrote Shakespeare’s Plays


It began at grocery store checkout stands. Magazine racks displaying the latest copy of ‘The Inquirer.’ Occasionally there would be a front page photo of an alien accompanied by some outrageous headline. After so many exposures to tabloid stories and photos it became obvious aliens have really broken bad. They have an unquenchable anal fetish. Of all the possible things ‘in Heaven and Earth’ they would want from us humans! Probing our butts?!

I paid no attention. The existence of alien life and intelligence could not be proved or disproved. Unless one has a direct experience, it’s just someone’s story or evidence. In our cyber era that idea is more pertinent being that we can create all sorts of evidence. I ignored anything and everything about extraterrestrial intelligence. I was, and still am, struggling to find my own.

Then, a few things happened.

First, the repetition of stories of that ilk from various other sources. Movie movies—E.T., Close Encounters. A television movie, Roswell, staring Dwight Yoakam, Martin Sheen, Kyle MacLachlan, and Xander Berkeley. I began to take more seriously the metaphor of the monolith from 2001: A Space Odyssey as a symbol which intimates alien interventions in our evolution—they contributed to our DNA. We have met the aliens, and they are us.

I saw Fire in the Sky, a movie based upon a 1975 experience in Arizona. The experiencer, Travis Walton, had his Fifteen Minutes of Fame by sharing his story in his book of the same name. The controversy surrounding the event was not so much the event itself as it was the taking of lie detector tests by several witnesses. Most of them passed the test two consecutive times. The probability of that result—if the participants were lying—is less than miniscule.

Two students in my graduate program spoke with me of their experiences. I knew both, and found them to be serious, reliable sources of information. These were particularly sobering conversations.

Around 1980, I learned that the then governor of New Mexico had filed an FOI request with the United States government for information related to the 1947 ‘Roswell Incident.’ Anyone could request a complimentary copy of the material subsequently shared by our government with the Governor’s office. I requested, and six months later received a thick 9X12 manila envelope. I went through the dozens or more pages of this report. A large number of the paragraphs were redacted. Why?

I watched “Sightings,” a television series about metaphysical phenomena including aliens and UFOs which was on the air during the years 1992-1997. Henry Winkler—Fonzie from ‘Happy Days’—was one of the show’s producers. What stood out was the large number of distinguished military and law enforcement officials who shared experiences of UFOs.

I watched three seasons of The History Channel’s series, ‘Ancient Aliens’. These programs included lots of cheesy stories and ideas—but they also featured utterly mystifying evidence that pointed to alien interventions in our past.

In the mid-1980s I met a DJ from a major FM pop station at a party. As we spoke I learned he had been an air traffic controller early in his career. He told a supervisor he saw a UFO, and was told there would be serious repercussions for him if he were to go public with his experience.

I read two books—“Abduction” and “Passport to the Cosmos”—by the late John Mack, M.D., a Harvard psychiatrist who found himself treating people suffering from PTSD who vividly recounted alien abductions. Predictably, the Harvard establishment attempted to have Mack kicked out. They failed.

Mack died tragically and ironically while attending a London conference on the after-death state. Taking field research to the extreme, he was hit by a drunk driver.

Crop Circles: Over the decades I’ve heard about circles with simple or elaborate designs appearing—many overnight—on Earth. These are epistemologically challenging phenomena. With our Internet, and especially, Facebook, I have been able to keep up with the appearance of new circles. Perhaps it is a limit of my imagination, but I simply cannot conceive how—with the more elaborate designs—a group of humans can create these designs in the dead of night; and, if they do, how they have not been video recorded in the act of creation.

Where is the ‘win’ in believing or disbelieving in extraterrestrial intelligence? Your choice is nothing more or less than an aspect of your identity, your character. Some on both sides of the question benefit by advancing their respective positions publicly. Some pay a price for doing so.

If and when there is mass experience of alien intelligence and/or governments of powerful nations acknowledge such intelligence, the identity of our entire species, our world view, will be threatened and altered—to make an understatement. This time period would be called “AD’—‘After Disclosure’, and there are those who believe we already live in humanity’s AD.

BTW: It’s utterly obvious to me that they were here before we were.

D. Schwartz September 1, 2017

Dare to Drum: Music and Drama in Dallas, Texas
John Bryant’s “Dare to Drum” follows the creation of a piece of music entitled: ‘Gamelon D’Drum’ described as a musical synthesis of pitch, rhythm, and orchestration, performed with the Dallas Symphony Orchestra. A group of Texas-based professional percussionists called D’Drum conceived and produced this project with an idea to expose audiences to percussion instruments from around the world. In addition to securing the Dallas Symphony, the group signed on prolific film composer Stewart Copeland for the music.

The film takes viewers to sites around the world and sounds of a cornucopia of exotic percussion instruments many of which were played in the piece. We also experience the birth pangs of a ground-breaking work of art.

Yes, “Dare to Drum” is about the writing and performing of a musical composition, but on a deeper level it is a revelation of the intense, transcendental passions that drive musicians and composers. In addition to the music and seeing the creative process at work, there is no want for unexpected drama in this story.

The Kino Lorber disc includes the full 30-minute live performance.

Full Disclosure: My license plate is DRMBEAT

D. Schwartz August 25, 2017