Steve Warshaw and Gabe Polsky RED PENGUINS
photo credit Pamela Powell
BEST DOCS:
RED PENGUINS: You can’t make this sh** up. Gabe Polsky ( “Red Army” 2016) recounts the events of the mid ‘90’s as the Pittsburgh Penguins get involved to help save Russia’s hockey future. Polsky’s primary subject is Steve Warshaw, the marketing genius who plunged head first into the murky waters of Russian politics, the mob, and the KGB. With incredible found footage and current interviews with all those involved, we get an insider’s view and better understanding of a country whose politics appear intermingled with ours.
AND WE GO GREEN: Fisher Stevens and Leonardo DiCaprio take us to the sport of Formula-E, a Formula 1 race that utilizes the most innovative green technology that will perhaps dramatically change the future of the automotive industry. But more than an educational documentary, Stevens accelerates the story with character studies of the complicated drivers behind the wheel.
The Venice Film Festival winner “Joker” didn’t make my list. While it is an intriguingly dark and disturbing backstory for DC universe character of The Joker, its appeal lies solely with the fans of this genre.