Directed by Stephanie Soechtig and Jeremy SeifertRating ***** Last December I reviewed the excellent book Toms River about the damage caused by the decades-long dumping of chemical pollutants into the waters and land surrounding a rural New Jersey community. As disturbing as that story was, the dumping occurred years ago and only affected people living […]
Review of An American Sickness
January 25, 2019 By Leave a Comment
American Sickness: How Healthcare Became Big Business and How You Can Take It Back by Elisabeth Rosenthal Rating ***** American Sickness by Elisabeth Rosenthal is an exhaustive, detailed look at the American healthcare system. The author examines every facet of healthcare, going back to the beginning in order to understand how we have gotten to […]
Two must see Netflix documentaries
January 20, 2019 By Leave a Comment
Abducted in Plain Sight directed by Skye BorgmanRating ***** Let me warn you up front. This documentary is going to make you outraged. You will be outraged by the actions of the parents. You will be outraged by the way the perpetrator managed to continue his twisted actions with impunity. Abducted in plain sight tells […]
Review of the Netflix Docuseries The Innocent Man
December 22, 2018 By Leave a Comment
Directed by Clay TweelRating ***** In reading about wrongful convictions, I’ve come across a number of outrageous stories about our inept criminal justice system. There is the story of the young black teen who police just happened to spot walking along the road and decided to bring him in for questioning because he was black […]
Review of The Line Becomes a River
December 19, 2018 By Leave a Comment
Review of The Line Becomes a River: Dispatches from the Border by Francisco Cantú Rating *** Author Francisco Cantú’s The Line Becomes a River is an up close and personal look at the issue of immigration. Cantú worked as a border patrol officer. He speaks Spanish and travels regularly between Mexico and the U.S. He grew […]
Best of Everything Nonfiction for 2018
December 15, 2018 By Leave a Comment
Below are the top nonfiction books, films, and documentaries from EverythingNonfiction.com. These are the top books and films reviewed by everythingnonfiction.com this past year. This list does not necessarily represent the top books and films released or published in 2018. Books Alone: Orphaned on the OceanWithout Mercy: Obsession and Murder Under the InfluenceA False Report: […]
Two Nonfiction Films Quick Takes
December 12, 2018 By 1 Comment
Bohemian Rhapsody written by Anthony McCarten and Peter Morgan and directed by Bryan Singer and Dexter Fletcher Rating **** 1/2 Bohemian Rhapsody is an entertaining look at Queen and frontman Freddie Mercury. Rami Malek gives an Oscar-worthy performance. The supporting characters are mostly underdeveloped with the exception of Lucy Boynton who plays Mary Austin, Freddie’s […]
Review of the Podcast Bag Man
December 7, 2018 By 2 Comments
Written and Produced by Rachel Maddow and Mike Yarvitz rating ***** I was sixteen years old when the events involving President Nixon and his Vice President Spiro Agnew took place. I was aware of Watergate and the resignation of Nixon. I can’t say that I had any recollection of Spiro Agnew. I wish I had […]
Review of Almost Anywhere
November 30, 2018 By Leave a Comment
Review of Almost Anywhere: Road Trip Ruminations on Love, Nature, National Parks, and Nonsense written by Krista Schlyer Rating *** Almost Anywhere tells the story of three people: the author Krista Schlyer, her husband Daniel, and their friend Bill. When Daniel passes away unexpectedly from cancer, Krista and Bill set out on a cross-country journey, […]
Review of Toms River
November 7, 2018 By 2 Comments
Review of Toms River: A Story of Science and Salvation written by Dan FaginRating ***** When I was in my early forties, my wife and I had a baby girl who was born with a rare condition known as a congenital diaphragmatic hernia. Our daughter Allison did not survive. We didn’t know what led to […]
Review of First Man
October 30, 2018 By Leave a Comment
Review of First Man Written by Josh Singer Directed by Damien ChazelleRating *** If this film gets any nominations in any category at this year’s Oscar’s, I’m going to be pissed. This film proves that if you don’t have a good script you can’t make a good movie no matter how much money and talent […]
Review of Making a Murderer Part Two
October 27, 2018 By 2 Comments
Review of Making a Murderer Part Two by Laura Ricciardi and Moira DemosRating ***** At the end of the first Making a Murderer docuseries I was confident that Brendan Dassey was innocent. I had some reservations about Steven Avery, but there was enough reasonable doubt that had I been on the jury I would have […]
Review of The Sentence
October 22, 2018 By 1 Comment
Review of The Sentence written and directed by Rudy ValdezRating **** This site is full of stories about our broken criminal justice system. This excellent HBO documentary gives an up close and personal look at mandatory sentencing through the eyes of one family. Cindy Shank is a mother of three when the police arrest her […]
Review of Incident at Big Sky
October 19, 2018 By 1 Comment
Review of Incident at Big Sky: The Inside Story of the Search for Two Savage Killers in Montana Written by Johnny France and Malcolm McConnellRating ***** A father and son, Don and Dan Nichols, spend a year in the mountains of Montana. They are survivalists. The twenty-year-old son is devoted to his father, but he […]
Review of Nomadland
September 28, 2018 By Leave a Comment
Review of Nomadland: Surviving America in the Twenty-First Century by Jessica BruderRating **** I recently saw a video that demonstrated the many features of a Volkswagon camper van. On the outside, it looked like a nondescript passenger van. But once inside the van transformed into a very livable space complete with kitchen and bathroom. My […]
