This week, we present films with heroes who are met with extraordinary personal challenges.  A teenage girl bounced from one foster care to another in First Match, a young boy with polio achieves phenomenal success in the documentary Itzhak, and we tip the hat to Easter Sunday with an old classic, and winner of 11 Academy Awards, that touches on the subject of Jesus with Ben Hur (1959). 

First Match is available on Netflix
Itzhak is still in limited theaters.  Click here for showtimes.
Ben Hur is available on Amazon, Vudu, GooglePlay and iTunes.

​See Trailers below:

SXSW is  in full swing in Austin this week, so we decided bring you 3 of the more recent music docs.  Terrific movies that have played the fest circuit these past few years, now available on digital platforms.  Gary Numan Android in LA LA land – which I saw at SXSW a couple years back.  A Life in Waves, about music composer Suzanne Ciani, and finally Colin Hay: Waiting for My Real Life to Begin.
 
Gary Numan: Android in LA LA land
 Numan took the sound of early electronica and fused it with strong images of his on stage alter-egos, to invent something totally unique.  Seemingly coming from nowhere and topping the charts with songs about the merits of being an android and the solitude of car interiors, he took the planet by storm.  Although hugely successful in his early career, life for Numan was far from easy.  Gary achieved all his success with Asperger’s syndrome, at a time when the general public knew or cared little about the condition, the media world wasn’t kind, he was labeled a freak and was attacked by a vicious music press.   Depression, anxiety, near bankruptcy and a long period in the wilderness followed.  However, a renewed passion for writing and performing thankfully came into Gary’s life, upon meeting his wife Gemma, herself a childhood Numan fan.  Gemma inspired Gary to get back into the studio and back on the stage.  He's never looked back since and has gone on to produce some of his best work, forever pushing the boundaries of musical innovation.

The movie is available on iTunes or on their website:  http://www.numandroid.com/

A Life in Waves 
Played in last year’s sxsw.  This doc explores the life and innovations of composer and electronic music pioneer, Suzanne Ciani. From her earliest days learning the piano, to her multi-million dollar advertising ventures, to her successes in the world of New Age music, to her recent re-connection with her beloved Buchla synthesizer, the film is a journey into Suzanne's mind, offering a feminine glimpse into the often complicated world of electronic music.
 
Visit their website for more background on the film - http://www.alifeinwaves.com/
See the movie at Amazon, yoututebe, google play, vudu or iTunes
 
Colin Hay: Waiting for My Real Life to Begin  
A movie I had the pleasure of showing in the Naples Intl ff – This movie presents the inspiring story of Colin Hay, acclaimed singer-songwriter and former Men At Work frontman.
 
At once universal and wholly singular, the film asks what happens when the spotlig ht fades and the fame goes away. From the dizzying heights of multiplatinum rock-stardom to the staggering lows of artistic obscurity and addiction, the film traces Colin’s long, slow climb back to relevance and resonance.

Ultimately, commitment to his craft and the development of a truly one-of-a-kind stage show have set Colin on the path that has led to a deeply satisfying solo career, one that is still ascending.  With sold-out shows, critically acclaimed albums and a word-of-mouth reputation for providing one of the finest nights out a music fan could ask for, Colin finds himself at the top of his powers and just getting started. This is a music documentary unlike any other.
 
Learn more about this great film at https://www.colinhayfilm.com/
See the movie on Amazon, youtube, google play – or iTunes 

This week, we celebrated International Women’s day.  As we can see, now more than ever, there are many calls to action with regard to supporting women.  Learn more here.
 
In this podcast, we honor 3 strong female personalities and talents.  See Allred is the Netflix doc presenting Gloria Allred and her Voice for Change. Followed by a music doc, Janis: Little Girl blue, certainly one of the most talented and outspoken rockstars ever.

We close with Atomic Homefront, a terrific documentary from HBO, by Rebeca Cammisa.  All she did was produce, direct and serve as director of photography.
  
Seeing Allred
You might have a certain opinion about attorney Gloria Allred, based on how she's perceived in the media, but this documentary proves there's much more. From her tough childhood to being a voice for abused women (having been raped herself), this movie certainly sheds new light on Allred.  A Netflix Original, this is where to see the movie right now.
 
Janis: Little Girl Blue
Archival footage and interviews highlight the life and career of singer-songwriter Janis Joplin, from her musical rise in the 1960s to her battle with alcohol and drug addiction..  One of the most iconic rockstars of all time, a tragic and misunderstood figure who blazed new creative trails before her death in 1970 at age 27.  You can see the film on Netflix Amazon, iTunes, Vudu, GooglPlay
 
Atomic Homefront – an HBO documentary
In 1942, the U.S. government chose downtown St. Louis as a processing center of uranium for the first atomic bombs. Over the next 25 years, the radioactive waste from this processing center was moved to sites throughout the city’s northern and western suburbs and eventually dumped into the West Lake Landfill in North St. Louis County. But until recently, many residents living near the landfill were unaware the waste had become a ticking time bomb.
 
Directed by Rebecca Cammisa (the Oscar-nominated HBO documentaries God Is the Bigger Elvis and Which Way Home), the documentary Atomic Homefront exposes the lasting toxic effects nuclear waste can have on communities.  This film is still playing film festivals and is currently on HBO
 
For more info on this movie, and how to take action, visit  https://www.atomichomefront.film/take-action/