This Week In Documentary: 'Dig! XX,' 'Grand Theft Hamlet,' & 'Local One'
Theatrical & Streaming Releases - New & Recommended - January 17-23, 2025
Among the many displaced in Los Angeles due to the ongoing wildfires, we have learned that another documentary filmmaker has lost her home and much of her work. Ondi Timoner, the award-winning director of Dig!, We Live in Public, and Last Flight Home, lived in Altadena, California, which has been mostly wiped out by the Eaton Fire. At the time, Ondi and her wife, Morgan, were out of the country. Footage for past and current projects was destroyed along with journals and equipment.
If you know Ondi, you won’t be surprised to see that she’s staying strong and positive, continuing to promote her latest films, which include The INN Between and Dig! XX. Coincidentally enough, the latter hits theaters this Friday and is our Pick of the Week. In addition to rushing out to see that new version of Dig! if you can — or even if you can’t — you may help Ondi, Morgan, and Ondi’s son, Juki, get back on their feet as they pivot and rebuild by contributing to the GoFundMe set up in their name.
Additionally, David Timoner, who is Ondi’s brother and an editor (he worked on Dig! and Dig! XX), lost his Altadena home in the Eaton Fire, and there’s also a GoFundMe set up for his family. Meanwhile, documentary filmmaker Tracy Droz Tragos (Rich Hill), whom we wrote about last week, has had a GoFundMe page created on her behalf. Please help these artists if you’re able.
Now, on to this week’s highlights, listings, and coming attractions, including our Pick of the Week. Please consider becoming a paid subscriber to receive more in-depth highlights and reviews in the future. Or, use that money to help someone in need, whether due to the fires or some other misfortune.
Nonfics Pick Of The Week: Dig! XX (2024)
I had already marked Dig! XX for the Pick of the Week before hearing the news about its filmmakers’ tragic loss and circumstances. Now I really hope for its success as it hits theaters nearly a year after premiering at Sundance ‘24. Somewhere between a Director’s Cut and a companion piece, this new version of 2004’s Dig! is longer but also features an alternate perspective with new narration from The Brian Jonestown Massacre’s Joel Gion. Dig! XX doesn’t replace Dig! so much as it enhances the story.
For those unfamiliar with the original, Dig! (and now Dig! XX) follows the late ‘90s trajectories of two bands, The Dandy Warhols and The Brian Jonestown Massacre. One briefly becomes a big success while the other all but self-destructs. At various times, the band members, particularly their frontmen, are friends or rivals. The new film comes across as BJM’s story more than that of the Dandys, who seemed to be the protagonists of the pair 20 years ago. Dig! XX also provides updates on how it’s going for each band and where their relationship with one another stands lately.
Here’s an excerpt from my review of Dig! XX that was published last January:
“Dig! XX may not be a better film than Dig!, but it’s certainly more comprehensive. The 40 minutes of new content consists of extended scenes and inserted bits that better explain or provide context to parts of the original that weren’t clear. Now viewers get to see what happened just before The Brian Jonestown Massacre’s infamous Viper Room fight, allowing for a better understanding of the tension between the band members at that moment rather than letting it come across as a common occurrence of discordance or self-sabotage, as it does in the original cut.”
In addition to reading the whole review, I recommend checking out my interview with Ondi Timoner and David Timoner, plus special guests, about the point and process of turning Dig! into Dig! XX. Sadly, the part of the conversation where we discuss adding more footage for further extended cuts is likely moot now that Ondi has probably lost all of the original footage in the fire.
Dig! XX opens in theaters on Friday, January 17.
Other Documentary Highlights
The Aristocrats (2005)
As we get closer to Sundance time, we’ll be celebrating the anniversaries of many past documentaries that premiered at the film festival. This year marks the 20th anniversary of my first Sundance, which I covered for a zine called Read. I wasn’t a documentary junkie then, nor did I professionally focus on nonfiction films, and although I kept hearing about The Aristocrats during my time in Park City, it didn’t sound interesting enough for me to check it out then. The feature premiered at the film festival on January 22, 2005, in the U.S. Documentary competition program.
Following its theatrical release that summer, I caught up with the film and realized it was the funniest documentary ever made. Directed by Penn Jillette and Paul Provenza, The Aristocrats presents a notorious joke told several different ways by a who’s who of comedians, and while making us laugh it also makes us understand why we’re laughing. Ten years ago, I included the documentary on a list for Paste magazine of movies that deconstruct comedy. I’d also include it on any list of extremely R-rated documentaries that you can’t show your kids as it gets very raunchy.
The Aristocrats is currently streaming on Prime Video, Peacock, Tubi, Kanopy, Pluto TV, Crackle, Shout! TV, and Fandango at Home.
ASC, BAFTA, PGA & WGA Nominations
Several awards bodies announced nominations last week, some of them after a delay due to the L.A. fires. Before we get to the three guilds, here are this year’s BAFTA nominees for Best Documentary (and where to watch them):
Black Box Diaries (Paramount+ with Showtime)
Daughters (Netflix)
No Other Land (In Theaters On 1/31)
Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story (Max)
Will & Harper (Netflix)
These are the three DPs nominated by the American Society Of Cinematographers for their Documentary Award (and where to watch their contenders):
Michael Crommett for Photographer Episode 3: “Dan Winters Life is Once. Forever.” (Hulu, Disney+, Tubi, Prime Video, and Fandango at Home)
Michael Dweck and Gregory Kershaw for Gaucho Gaucho (Jolt)
Andrey Stefanov for Porcelain War (In Theaters)
Nominees for the PGA Award for Outstanding Producer of Documentary Motion Picture were announced previously, but last week the Producers Guild of America added more categories, including Outstanding Producer of Non-Fiction Television. You can find those nominees below (and where to watch them).
30 for 30 (ESPN)
Conan O’Brien Must Go (Max)
The Jinx - Part Two (Max)
Steve! (Martin): A Documentary in 2 Pieces (Apple TV+)
Welcome to Wrexham (Hulu)
Additionally, the Netflix documentary The Greatest Night in Pop is nominated for the award for Outstanding Producer of Televised or Streamed Motion Pictures.
As for the Writers Guild of America, here are their four nominees in the Documentary Screenplay category (and where to watch them):
Jim Henson Idea Man (Disney+) - Written by Mark Monroe
Kiss the Future (Paramount+) - Written by Bill S. Carter & Nenad Cicin-Sain
Martha (Netflix) - Written by R.J. Cutler
War Game (VOD) - Written by Tony Gerber & Jesse Moss
And here are the WGA Awards nominees for Best Documentary Script (and where to watch them):
The American Vice President (PBS) - Written by Michelle Ferrari
The Cancer Detectives (PBS) - Written by Gene Tempest
Dante Episode 1: “Inferno to Paradise” - Written by Ric Burns and Riccardo Bruscagli
Poisoned Ground: The Tragedy at Love Canal (PBS) - Written by Jamila Ephron
The Space Race (Hulu and Disney+) - Written by Mark Monroe
Crisis: Behind a Presidential Commitment (1963), Freedom on My Mind (1994), & I Am Somebody (1970)
This Monday is Martin Luther King Jr. Day, and TCM will be showing a few relevant documentaries covering events from the Civil Rights Movement that night and Tuesday early morning. Robert Drew’s medium-length documentary Crisis: Behind a Presidential Commitment shows the clash between President John F. Kennedy and Governor George Wallace over the integration of the University of Alabama in 1963.
The Oscar-nominated feature Freedom on My Mind chronicles the Mississippi voter registration drive of 1961-1964. I Am Somebody is a short that follows the continuation of MLK’s work (it features Ralph Abernathy and Coretta Scott King) with a look at a 1969 strike of 400 Black women hospital workers in Charleston, South Carolina.
David Lynch: The Art Life (2016)
With the passing of David Lynch last week, the internet has been full of tributes to the filmmaker’s cinematic work. There were some short documentaries among that work, but I want to honor him with a recommendation of Rick Barnes, Olivia Neergaard-Holm, and Jon Nguyen’s David Lynch: The Art Life. In this feature documentary, according to our review, “we get Lynch telling stories from his youth, primarily in voiceover, intercut with scenes from his artistic process as a painter, as well as home videos, photographs, and images of his paintings.” I also recommend reading our interview with Jon Nguyen about the film and Lynch, revealing more about the one-of-a-kind artist.
David Lynch: The Art Life is currently streaming on Max and The Criterion Channel.
The Disappearance of My Mother (2019)
Beniamino Barrese’s The Disappearance of My Mother is one of those documentaries where a filmmaker turns their camera on their famous parent who doesn’t want to be the subject of a documentary. Barrese’s mother is the iconic Italian model Benedetta Barzini, who later denounced her profession. As I wrote six years ago, I’d still like to read a psychoanalyst’s take on this film. For now, you can read my review of The Disappearance of My Mother. Here’s an excerpt:
“By the end, I came to appreciate the battle between mother and son, even enjoying it like some kind of intense sporting match, though it’s hard to ignore the fact that, all the while, I’m on her side, and ironically that means I’m technically against the very documentary that is making me aware of my own dilemma. Who doesn’t love a good paradoxical film viewing experience?”
The Disappearance of My Mother begins streaming via the Kino Film Collection on Thursday, January 23.
Golden Tomato Winners
Last week, Rotten Tomatoes revealed its Golden Tomato winners for 2024, including Netflix’s Will & Harper, the best-reviewed documentary of the year. Runners-up in the category include Dahomey (MUBI), Daughters (Netflix), Jim Henson Idea Man (Disney+), and Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story (Max). In the Best Docuseries category, Wise Guy: David Chase and the Sopranos (Max) came up on top while American Nightmare (Netflix), Jerrod Carmichael Reality Show (Max), In Restless Dreams: The Music of Paul Simon (MGM+), and Steve! (Martin): A Documentary in 2 Pieces (Apple TV+) rounded out the list of nominees.
Four documentaries also followed the winner Wicked in the Best Music Movies category: Beatles ‘64 (Disney+), The Greatest Night in Pop (Netflix), I Am: Celine Dion (Prime Video), and Music by John Williams (Disney+).
Grand Theft Hamlet (2024)
How would you like a documentary that makes think of both the COVID-19 lockdowns and the L.A. fires? Grand Theft Hamlet was made during the former, chronicling a virtual production of Hamlet staged completely within the video game Grand Theft Auto Online. That game’s fictional world, Los Santos, is very faithfully based on Los Angeles, right down to the landscapes surrounding stand-ins for the Hollywood Bowl and the Santa Monica Pier, both of which have been at the forefront of the wildfire flames this month and both of which feature prominently in the film.
Giving extra meaning to the term “players” (either way, depending on which meaning you’re starting from), Grand Theft Hamlet follows two actor friends, Mark and Sam, who can’t do their jobs in the real world during the pandemic. After coming up with the idea to perform virtually in the video game, they bring in Sam’s filmmaker wife, Pinny, to document the whole thing. They hold auditions, meet and befriend some very strange and intriguing characters, and ultimately broadcast a live stream of their big show, all while trying not to get killed (in the game) by random users wandering into their rehearsals or NPC cops doing the job they’re programmed for.
I’ll admit I wasn’t looking forward to Grand Theft Hamlet as I have an aversion to documentaries made with or in online video game graphics, a la The Remarkable Life of Ibelen and We Met in Virtual Reality. But this film doesn’t take its environment so seriously, and it ultimately succeeds by being completely committed to the one visual theme and tone. It helps that it’s actually pretty funny at times, partly because of the contrast between the narrative objective and the medium.
Also, it had to be Shakespeare — he’s the most adapted and adaptable playwright to any medium — and it had to be Hamlet, to work. The latter, particularly its famous “To be or not to be…” speech, perfectly fits with the existential aspects of both the real-world pandemic and the virtual world of the game. It’s an inspiring film, proving that creativity endures, art will find a way, and the show must go on. Just try not to be triggered by shots where the fake L.A. is on fire.
Grand Theft Hamlet opens in theaters on Friday, January 17.
Local One (2025)
Whether you’ve had a chance to see Stephen Maing and Brett Story’s Union or not, Local One offers a short update on or an independently necessary reportage of what’s been going on with the organized Amazon workers. They’re still awaiting official recognition from the company, which doesn’t seem to be coming, and last month, employees at many facilities in the U.S. went on strike. Maing and Story also directed this 10-minute documentary spotlighting that effort and the latest information. It makes Union seem like only one battle won in an ongoing war, and hopefully encourages viewers to keep on following the story.
Local One is streaming below via Field of Vision on Vimeo.
Separated (2024)
From my previously published review of Errol Morris’s Separated:
“A new documentary from Errol Morris is always worthy of being showcased, even if Separated is not among his very best. The film does a great job of communicating the terrible decision of the Trump Administration to allow immigrant children to be taken from their parents when these families cross the border illegally. It’s kind of overstated, in fact, with some points made more than once. Separated could probably have been a short or medium-length documentary if it were tighter and removed an unnecessary dramatized illustration of the process spread throughout the film.”
Separated will be released on DVD on Tuesday, January 21.
Documentary Release Calendar 1/17/25 - 1/23/25
Friday, January 17, 2025
Dig! XX (2024) - An extended version of Ondi Timoner’s classic 2004 music documentary Dig! about the friendship and rivalry between The Dandy Warhols and The Brian Jonestown Massacre. Read our review of Dig! XX. (In Theaters)
The Face Behind the Mask (1938) - A short film in MGM’s Passing Parade series that examines the possible identities of the famed Man in the Iron Mask. (TCM)
Grand Theft Hamlet (2024) - A documentary about a production of Hamlet staged inside the video game Grand Theft Auto. (In Theaters)
Ladies Only (2021) - A documentary about a train car for women only in Mumbai. (True Story)
Left Behind (2025) - A feature documentary about mothers working to establish the first public school in New York City for children with dyslexia. (In Theaters)
Magic of Disney Lookout Cay at Lighthouse Point (2025) - A documentary about Disney’s new cruise destination in the Bahamas. (National Geographic)
My Best Friend’s an Animal Season 2, Episodes 3 & 4: “Spud, Digger, and Tommy” & “Toto, Banksi, and Lucy” - The latest episodes of this docuseries about friendships between humans and wild animals. (National Geographic Wild)
NFL Icons Season 4 - A docuseries that celebrates football stars throughout history. (MGM+)
On Location with: Fame (1980) - A short documentary about the making of the movie Fame. (TCM)
Yellowstone Wolves: Succession (2025) - A documentary about wolves in Yellowstone National Park. (National Geographic)
Saturday, January 18, 2025
Believe It or Not (Second Series) #10 (1932) - This installment of the Robert L. Ripley documentary franchise features a golf course made from Civil War trenches, a Sioux artist who paints upside down, and more. (TCM)
Bermuda Cockleshells (1957) - A short installment in the Sportscope series about a Bermuda Fitted Dinghy sailing race. (TCM)
To Catch A Smuggler: Mediterranean Season 2, Episode 6: “Explosive Alert” - The latest episode of this spinoff docuseries involving the Spanish Coast Guard and drug traffickers. (National Geographic)
My Best Friend’s an Animal Season 2, Episodes 3 & 4: “Spud, Digger, and Tommy” & “Toto, Banksi, and Lucy” - The latest episodes of this docuseries about friendships between humans and wild animals. (Hulu and Disney+)
Say Amen, Somebody (1982) - A feature documentary about the American gospel music scene. (TCM)
Sunday, January 19, 2025
The Capital City: Washington, D.C. (1940) - A short documentary installment of James A. FitzPatrick’s TravelTalks travelogue franchise that explores Washington, D.C.’s famous buildings and monuments. (TCM)
Monday, January 20, 2025
I Am Somebody (1970) - A short documentary about Black women hospital workers who went on strike in Charleston, South Carolina, in 1969. (TCM)
Nationtime (1972) - A documentary by William Greaves (Symbiopsychotaxiplasm: Take One) about the 1972 National Black Political Convention in Gary, Indiana. (TCM)
Reckonings (2022) - A documentary about the push for reparations following the Holocaust. (In Theaters)
Wattstax (1973) - A concert film starring Stax Records artists at the 1972 Watts Summer Festival. (Free Screening In Los Angeles)
Tuesday, January 21, 2025
Bible Land Passages (2016) - A history docuseries focused on the biblical regions of Jerusalem, Dan, Mount Gilboa, Qumran, and Northern Israel. (DVD)
Climate for Change (2025) - A documentary about circularity, a production process with zero waste. (DVD)
Crisis: Behind a Presidential Commitment (1963) - A short documentary by Robert Drew (Primary) following President John F. Kennedy and Robert Kennedy as they face off against Governor George Wallace over the integration of Black students at the University of Alabama. (TCM)
Dark Sanctuary: The Story of the Church (2025) - A feature documentary about the Dallas goth club The Church. (DVD and Blu-ray)
Extraordinary Ecosystems (2022) - A nature documentary about extraordinary ecosystems and their creatures. (DVD)
Freedom on My Mind (1994) - An Oscar-nominated feature documentary about the Mississippi voter registration drive of 1961-1964. (TCM)
Gladiator: The Real Story (2024) - A history documentary on Rome’s gladiatorial games. (DVD)
Hard Knocks: In Season With the AFC North Episode 8 - The latest installment of the Hard Knocks franchise follows the titular NFL division, including the Baltimore Ravens, Cincinnati Bengals, Cleveland Browns, and Pittsburgh Steelers. (HBO/Max)
Hermeticism And The Hermetic Order Of The Golden Dawn (2025) - A documentary about the titular secret society. (DVD)
The Incredible Journey: Daniel (2019) - A docuseries about the titular biblical figure. (DVD)
The Insanity of God (2016) - A documentary about an American couple on a missionary pilgrimage in Somalia. (DVD)
Life Below Zero Season 22, Episode 14: “Explosive Alert” - The latest episode of this docuseries following secluded life in Alaska. (National Geographic)
The Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Story (1951) - A medium-length documentary presenting footage from new MGM movies of that year. (TCM)
MGM Parade Show #23 (1956) - This installment of the Hollywood-focused docuseries showcases the MGM films Anchors Aweigh, The King Without a Crown, and The Last Hunt. (TCM)
Separated (2024) - A feature documentary by Errol Morris (The Fog of War) about U.S. immigration policies that break up families. (DVD)
Silvio Rodriguez: My First Calling (2020) - A short documentary about the titular Cuban songwriter. (Ovid)
Tito, Margot & Me (2022) - A documentary about dancer Margot Fonteyn and the Panamanian diplomat Tito Arias. (DVD)
To Dye For: The Documentary (2024) - A documentary about synthetic dyes made by filmmakers with a life-altering sensitivity. (DVD)
Transformation (2023) - A feature docudrama about five individuals recovering from substance addiction. (DVD)
Universe (1976) - A short documentary narrated by William Shatner about our universe. Bundled in the box set Outer Space Documentaries Collection. (DVD)
Who's Out There? (1975) - A short documentary narrated by Orson Welles about the possibility of extraterrestrial life. Bundled in the box set Outer Space Documentaries Collection. (DVD)
Wednesday, January 22, 2025
23 Foreigners — Our Brothers (2024) - A feature documentary about Resistance fighters killed by firing squad during World War II. (Ovid)
Fugitive Hunters Mexico Season 1, Episode 4: “Hiding in Plain Sight” - The latest episode of this new docuseries involves traffickers dealing in drugs and guns. (A&E)
Homicide Squad New Orleans Season 1, Episode 5: “Predator on the Loose” - The latest episode of this new docuseries involves a man sexually abused and murdered. (A&E)
Murder Under the Friday Night Lights Season 4, Episode 3: “A Cheerleader’s Reject” - The latest episode of this true-crime docuseries involving high school football and murder looks into the death of a cheerleader. (Investigation Discovery)
UFOs: Investigating the Unknown Season 2, Episode 3: “Scientists on the Cutting Edge” - The latest episode of this docuseries on UFOs involves the technology being used to search for them. (National Geographic)
Thursday, January 23, 2025
Diane Warren: Relentless (2024) - A feature documentary about the titular award-winning songwriter. (MasterClass)
The Disappearance of My Mother (2019) - A documentary by Beniamino Barrese about his mother, the fashion model Benedetta Barzini. Read our review of The Disappearance of My Mother. (Kino Film Collection)
Lost Treasures of the Bible Season 1, Episode 6: “The Real King Herod” - The latest episode of this biblical history docuseries looks into the story of King Herod. (National Geographic)
UFOs: Investigating the Unknown Season 2, Episode 3: “Scientists on the Cutting Edge” - The latest episode of this docuseries on UFOs involves the technology being used to search for them. (Hulu and Disney+)
Sneak Peak At What’s Coming Soon
1/24 - Liza: A Truly Terrific Absolutely True Story - A feature documentary about Liza Minnelli. (In Theaters)
1/27 - Ladies and Gentlemen…50 Years of SNL Music - A documentary by Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson (Summer of Soul) and Oz Rodriguez about music performances on Saturday Night Live. (NBC)
1/31 - Time Passages - A “time traveling” documentary by Kyle Henry about his own family as his mother’s health declines. (In Theaters)
2/6 - Moment of Fear - A docuseries about how people overcome the trauma of surviving dramatic events. (Viaplay)
2/7 - Paint Me a Road Out of Here - A documentary centered around a 1971 painting intended for the incarcerated women on Riker’s Island. (In Theaters)
2/13 - Sly Lives! (aka the Burden of Black Genius) - A feature documentary by Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson (Summer of Soul) about Sly and the Family Stone. Find it on our list of the most anticipated documentaries of 2025. (Hulu)
2/25 - Forgotten Hero: Walter White and the NAACP - A documentary about the titular civil rights activist and NAACP leader. (PBS)
2/27 - Devil in the Family: The Fall of Ruby Franke - A three-part docuseries about the titular YouTuber who went to prison for child abuse. (Hulu)
Great edition, Chris! There are some great docs at the New York Jewish Film Festival as well. Ain't No Back to a Merry-Go-Round is a very timely look at the Civil Rights movement and how a MD Jewish community helps to stop segregation at a local amusement park in 1960. The Other is a fairly comprehensive and balanced look at the Israel-Palestine conflict, made before the Hammas attacks of Oct. 7, 2023.