All articles by David Kempler

Albert Maysles’s final documentary follows the lives of passengers on the Empire Builder, the Amtrak train that travels from Chicago to the West Coast.

Polish director Andrzej Witold Wajda’s final film is a very powerful look at how a government can destroy opposition opinion. It’s especially timely now.

I had always heard that the government didn’t go after the banks after the 2008 crash. Turns out that they went after a tiny bank in NYC’s Chinatown. This Steve James documentary examines the absurdity of it.

A pleasant, odd couple buddy flick gets better as it goes, but by the time it really gets going, it’s over.

A blander-than-bland look back at a prominent German writer in the 1930s. It’s hard to imagine less happening in 106 minutes.

Liev Schreiber stars as Chuck Wepner, the Bayonne Bleeder, who inspired Sly Stallone to make another little movie about a boxer.

François Ozon’s latest isn’t his best work, but it’s easily good enough for you to invest some cash and time.

This year’s nominees for Best Short Film (Live Action) feature both serious and light-hearted entries, but one is a clear-cut winner.

This year brings us a fresh batch of thought-provoking short documentaries, many of which highlight the ravages of war.

In Animated Shorts, there’s nothing particular to recommend this year, though a couple stand out slightly from the rest .