se7en187

Very interesting documentary about Eddie Adams, the legendary photographer whose career spanned 13 wars, 6 US presidents, and 50 years of movie stars. His most famous picture is that of a Vietcong being shot during the war by a Saigon police chief.

His friends and co-workers talk about Adams, who died a few years ago, and say how much he influenced them and how much his photos influenced the American people. There are a lot of interviews with Adams before he died that the director found while rummaging through piles of tapes in Adams' photo studio. People like Peter Jennings and Tom Brokaw and Kim Phuc (she was the girl running naked on the street during Vietnam with severe burns) are interviewed as well.

The stories of his time in Vietnam are amazing, especially the moment he took that famous photograph. Apparently that photograph is what influenced Michael Cimino to make The Deer Hunter.

I also had no idea that among other things, Adams is the one who took the photo of Clint Eastwood that became the poster for Unforgiven.

This was a great documentary, I really enjoyed it.

I saw this at the Waterfront Film Festival in Saugatuck, Michigan.

Yonkers Joe stars Chazz Palminteri as the title character, a great con artist who makes a lot of money from working the tables at casinos. He and his girlfriend Janice (Christine Lahti) have a pretty good life. But then Joe gets a call from an institution telling him that his son Joe Jr. (Tom Guiry) who has Down's Syndrome is being disruptive there and thus must be taken out. Joe doesn't know how to take care of his son and this new change in his life is ruining a lot of his plans and ways of making money. Over time, the father and son try to live with each other while at the same time try to help each other out.

This film had a great cast. Palminteri was wonderful as Yonkers Joe, a conflicted and confused parent who doesn't know how to take care of his troubled son. Lahti is a delight trying to play the role of the one that hopes to ease the tension and make Joe Jr. feel like he's welcome. And Tom Guiry is excellent and very believable as Joe Jr. Someone after the screening even asked the director if the actor who played Joe Jr. really had Down's Syndrome. Guiry gives a lot of depth to the character, making Joe Jr. both entertaining and emotional.

There are many clever moments throughout the film, all of the con acts are fun to watch. The dialogue is well written and the plot unravels nicely. The scenes in Las Vegas are also very well shot in all of the different locations.

With a talented cast and crew, Yonkers Joe is a great and enjoyable film that people she really look out for.

This was the opening night film at the Waterfront Film Festival in Saugatuck, Michigan.

Doubletime is a fun and energetic documentary following two Double Dutch teams who are heading to Harlem to compete in an international competition at the Apollo Theater. In the film we see some of the members from North Carolina's Bouncing Bulldogs and South Carolina's Double Dutch Forces and we meet the two trainers. These kids put everything they've got into competing and they are extremely impressive. It's unbelievable the things they can do with jump ropes.

The film is well structured showing all of the training that goes into preparing for the competition while giving some history to some of the kids. There are some great shots in the film showing all of the techniques and stunts they perform, it's really fun to watch.

This is an exciting film that focuses on an event that many take for granted. It's hard to believe that such wild things can take place with just a couple of people and some rope.