Rank(2006)

Olympia: Part One – Festival of the Nations(de)

Commissioned to make a propaganda film about the 1936 Olympic Games in Germany, director Leni Riefenstahl created a celebration of the human form. This first half of her two-part film opens with a renowned introduction that compares modern Olympians to classical Greek heroes, then goes on to provide thrilling in-the-moment coverage of some of the games' most celebrated moments, including African-American athlete Jesse Owens winning a then-unprecedented four gold medals.

Olympia: Part Two – Festival of Beauty(de)

Commissioned to make a propaganda film about the 1936 Olympic Games in Germany, director Leni Riefenstahl created a celebration of the human form. Where the two-part epic's first half, Festival of the Nations, focused on the international aspects of the 1936 Olympic Games held in Berlin, part two, The Festival of Beauty, concentrates on individual athletes such as equestrians, gymnasts, and swimmers, climaxing with American Glenn Morris' performance in the decathalon and the games' majestic closing ceremonies.

Night and Fog(fr)

Filmmaker Alain Resnais documents the atrocities behind the walls of Hitler's concentration camps.

Runnin' Rebels of UNLV(en)

From 1973 to 1992, the hottest action in Las Vegas was the University of Nevada, Las Vegas men's basketball team and their controversial coach Jerry Tarkanian. Led by 'Tark the Shark' and a rotating group of future NBA stars, the team became a dynasty as they went on to four NCAA Final Fours, winning one NCAA title in 1990, before collapsing in scandal and controversy.

Germany: A Summer's Fairytale(de)

A documentary of the German national soccer team’s 2006 World Cup experience that changed the face of modern Germany.

Goal!(en)

This entertaining documentary of the World Cup Soccer tournament of 1966 follows the 15 countries competing for the sport's most coveted prize. Nigel Patrick narrates, with commentary provided by Brian Glanville. The executive producer spent $336,000 on the production and used 117 cameras to record nearly 48 hours worth of action. Four editors were employed to created the final 108-minute feature.

Divine Horsemen: The Living Gods of Haiti(en)

This intimate ethnographic study of Voudoun dances and rituals was shot by Maya Deren during her years in Haiti (1947-1951); she never edited the footage, so this “finished” version was made by Teiji Ito and Cherel Ito after Deren’s death.

The Dangers of the Fly(es)

The Dangers of the Fly is an educational film made by Ernesto Gunche and Eduardo Martínez de la Pera, also responsible for Gaucho Nobility (1915), the biggest blockbuster of Argentinean silent cinema. De la Pera was a talented photographer, always willing to try new gadgets and techniques. This film experiments with microphotography in the style of Jean Comandon's films for Pathé and it is part of a series which included a film about mosquitoes and paludism and another one about cancer, which are considered lost. Flies were a popular subject of silent films and there are more than a dozen titles featuring them in the teens and early twenties.

Bola de Nieve(es)

Documentarian Jose Sanchez-Montes turns his attention towards the late Cuban musician Ignacio Villa, known throughout the world as Bola de Nieve (Snowball), with this 2003 biographical documentary entitled simply Bola de Nieve. A master pianist, Bola de Nieve was a mainstay through the middle portion of the 20th century, with his music almost omnipresent in South America cinema throughout those formative decades. With Bola de Nieve's famous statement "I'm a sad person, but my songs sound happy" in mind, Sanchez-Montes also looks at the influence of the musician's African heritage and homosexuality upon Bola de Nieve's unique musical style.

David Beckham: Infamous(en)

David Beckham, a household name, footballing icon and at one point the most hated man in England. A comprehensive look at David Beckham's footballing career focusing on his England redemption, World Cup dreams, trial by media and becoming brand Becks. From humble beginnings in Leytonstone to achieving England's most capped outfield player, winning the illustrious treble and becoming the highest-paid player of all time, Beckham truly is a modern-day phenom. Taking on brand deals and appearances Beckham became the most commercially valuable player in the world playing for Goliaths, Manchester United, Real Madrid and AC Milan. There is no doubting the commercial success of brand Becks and when a player wins as much silverware as Beckham, there's no doubting their playing career either.

Clarkson: Thriller(en)

Welcome to my all new DVD Thriller, which, as the name suggests, is all about thrills at the wheel. Aston Martin’s gentleman thug, the DBS, takes on its rivals from Italy. The lightweight Lamborghini Superleggera battles it out on the track with Ferrari’s 430 Scuderia and my test of the best takes me to the breathtaking roads of the Swiss Alps, the no limits German autobahn – and, er, Norfolk.

The Real Cancun(en)

Sixteen American college students drink, flirt, fight and canoodle during their Spring Break vacation in Cancun, Mexico.

The History in the Gaze(es)

The film portraits the stage previous to the outbreak of the Mexican Revolution, from the end of Porfirio Díaz´ government, the social volatility, the ephemeral government of Madero and the presence of the working class in the figures of Villa and Zapata, until the signing if the Constitution of 1917. All of this through moving images, filmed during those events mainly by the Alva brothers, filmmakers of that time. Those images let us perceive the contradictory and shuddered glance of the people of that period.

Running for His Life: The Lawrence Phillips Story(en)

Feature length documentary examining the troubled life and tragic death of college football standout and talented NFL running back Lawrence Phillips, whose scars of childhood abuse and abandonment haunted him throughout his career.

The Devil and Daniel Johnston(en)

This 2005 documentary film chronicles the life of Daniel Johnston, a manic-depressive genius singer/songwriter/artist, from childhood up to the present, with an emphasis on his mental illness and how it manifested itself in demonic self-obsession.

Playboy: Playmate Playoffs(en)

This 'educational documentary' features 10 gorgeous playmates competing against each other in various athletic activities, all of which involve either skimpy, very revealing bikinis or wet t-shirts. There's watersliding, pie relays, hose downs, rodeo riding and of course an impromptu mud wrestling display at the end. Chuck Woolery does a decent job of hosting it and it's actually quite entertaining aside from the awesome chicks. I'm surpised they didn't make any more of these. Probably has something to do with the fact that two of the girls get injured during the contests. The gals seem a bit of a throwback to the days of the "all-natural" beauty. And seeing the well endowed Roberta Vasquez bouncing in the relay race is a thing of beauty. If you're into hot 80's chicks, I suggest you check this out. IMDB lists this as a documentary.

Your Mommy Kills Animals(en)

The King of Kong: A Fistful of Quarters(en)

In this hilarious arcade showdown, a humble novice goes head-to-head against the reigning Donkey Kong champ in a confrontation that rocks the gaming world to its processors! For over 20 years, Billy Mitchell has owned the throne of the Donkey Kong world. No one could beat his top score until now. Newcomer Steve Wiebe claims to have beaten the unbeatable, but Mitchell isn't ready to relinquish his crown without a fight. Go behind the barrels as the two battle it out in a vicious war to earn the title of the true King of Kong.

The U.S. vs. John Lennon(en)

A documentary on the life of John Lennon, with a focus on the time in his life when he transformed from a musician into an antiwar activist.

Shape Your Body(fr)

Features intense workouts developed by Radu, New York's toughest trainer. Radu and Cindy developed the two comprehensive workouts, which require only two hand weights, designed for alternate days, plus an extra 10-minute jump-start mini-workout.