Documentary Reviews and Features | Little White Lies

Genre Documentary

Woman in aqua loungewear with child riding stuffed giraffe toy in luxury home interior.
Review

Generation Wealth

by Hannah Strong

Lauren Green field surveys the influence of affluence in this captivating documentary.

4
Anticipation
4
Enjoyment
3
In Retrospect
Green lawn with people relaxing, working on laptops, and socialising in an urban setting.
Review

Ex-Libris: The New York Public Library

by Lillian Crawford

Frederick Wiseman delves deep into one of New York City’s most beloved public institutions.

5
Anticipation
5
Enjoyment
5
In Retrospect
Large industrial domed structures under construction, surrounded by scaffolding and workers. Black and white image depicting a complex engineering project.
Review

The Opera House

by Lillian Crawford

This archive doc chronicles the history of New York’s storied Metropolitan Opera.

4
Anticipation
3
Enjoyment
2
In Retrospect
Three young men with curly hair, smiling and embracing each other outdoors.
Review

Three Identical Strangers

by Matthew Eng

Tim Wardle revisits a ripped-from-the-headlines phenomenon in a docu-study full of surprises.

3
Anticipation
4
Enjoyment
3
In Retrospect
Hands on Steinway piano keys, with feathery white hair in foreground.
Review

Ryuichi Sakamoto: Coda

by Lillian Crawford

Don’t miss this sensitive and intuitive portrait of the iconic Japanese film composer.

4
Anticipation
4
Enjoyment
4
In Retrospect
Bare, tangled branches; dark, gnarled trees in a dense, shadowy forest.
Review

Arcadia

by Adam Lee Davies

Director Paul Wright embarks on an archive-footage odyssey across Britain’s vast cultural landscape.

3
Anticipation
3
Enjoyment
3
In Retrospect
Portrait of a Black woman with natural hair, gazing intently. Dramatic black and white tones create a pensive, thoughtful expression.
Review

Boom for Real

by David Jenkins

Sara Driver’s profile of Jean-Michel Basquiat doubles as a rich portrait of New York City in the 1970s and ​’80s.

3
Anticipation
4
Enjoyment
3
In Retrospect
A person's face partially obscured by rope, with a microphone visible.
Review

Tranny Fag

by David Jenkins

On the life of a poverty-stricken Brazilian trans performance artist disco poet in remission from cancer.

3
Anticipation
3
Enjoyment
3
In Retrospect
Two men standing in front of a backdrop with the number 54 displayed, one wearing a light coat and the other in a suit.
Review

Studio 54

by Thomas Hobbs

This profile of the 1970s New York disco nirvana is a rollicking examination of American excess.

3
Anticipation
4
Enjoyment
4
In Retrospect
Nude figure of a person crouching on a beach, shown in black and white.
Review

Lek and the Dogs

by Phil Concannon

Maverick British filmmaker Andrew Kötting serves up another remarkable audio-visual experience.

2
Anticipation
4
Enjoyment
4
In Retrospect