Source: @NikkiWulf via Twitter
With the release of films as diverse as Get Out, Beauty and The Beast and Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 2, 2017 is already shaping up to be a big year for cinema. However, there remains much more to look forward to across the rest of the year – and not just when it comes to big blockbuster releases, either.
Some terrific documentaries have been released in recent years, from Asif Kapadia’s Oscar-winning Amy to Kriegman and Steinberg’s film about Anthony Weiner’s 2013 New York mayoral campaign, and there’s plenty to look out for this year, too.
Here we take a look at just a few of the documentaries that we’re looking forward to watching over the coming months.
Girls and Gaming
Although eSports has not yet broken through into the mainstream, the industry is huge and revenues are expected to reach $696 million this year alone. As Master Mazuma’s eSports blog outlines, the area has grown to such an extent in recent years that fans can even now bet on top matches related to Call of Duty and Rocket League. This whole area comes under the spotlight in Fight Like A Girl, a new film by Agustin Gonzalez and Nicole Maldonado which follows the trials of three female Super Smash Bros players. Expected to provide a real insight into being a woman in the world of eSports, it will be released in the fall.
Making a Classic
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The rock group, The Beatles, is shown in 1967. From left, are: Ringo Starr, John Lennon, Paul McCartney; and George Harrison.(AP Photo/ho)”beatles 2” (CC BY 2.0) by beatles maniac11
Now for something completely different. As films like Amy have shown, music is a popular topic for documentary makers to explore. It Was Fifty Years Ago Today! Sgt Pepper & Beyond has been created by Alan G Parker to mark the 50th anniversary of the Beatles’ seminal album. Expected to receive a cinematic release, the film will look at the period from 1966 when the band chose to stop touring and the sources of inspiration they drew from during the making of the record. Contributors are set to include John Lennon’s sister Julia Baird and the band’s original drummer, Pete Best.
Knowing the Score
Another music-based documentary to keep an eye out for is Score: A Film Music Documentary, which is being released in theaters in the US in mid-June. As you might be able to tell from the title, Matt Schrader’s film examines the important role soundtracks play in movies and features contributions from some of the world’s biggest names including Hans Zimmer, John Williams and Danny Elfman. As well as discussing the art of creating a score, the film will also look back at the making of some of the film world’s most famous music, from Jaws to James Bond.
True-crime Drama
Netflix has come up with some fascinating films in recent years, from its breakout hit Making A Murderer to its more recent examination of the case of JonBenet Ramsey. It is revisiting the world of true crime in the coming months with its new series called The Keepers, which is set to look at the unsolved murder of Sister Cathy Cesnik. The teacher was found dead in Baltimore in November 1969 and a host of theories went on to emerge regarding what happened. We will say no more to ensure there are no spoilers.
A Great Starting Point
So many great documentaries have been or are being released across 2017, so it is safe to say that the examples above are only the tip of the iceberg. However, if you only get a chance to watch, we’re sure these films will prove to be a great starting point.
