Daily Archives: June 17, 2014

Legendary talent manager Shep Gordon, the subject of the documentary Supermensch, lounges topless, in a very 1970s-esque pose

Supermensch: The Legend of Shep Gordon

Film Reviews

A documentary about its titular talent manager, Supermensch: The Legend of Shep Gordon, directed by writer-actor Mike Myers, has the potential to be a slice of yawning, self-congratulatory star-fuckery of the highest order. After all, in addition to its famous director, it has plenty of recognizable celebrities who all line up to sing the praises of its subject. And yet, thanks to whip-smart pacing, this warm-hearted and unfussy nonfiction valentine emerges as an engaging portrait of a life less ordinary — a man who embraced and promulgated selflessness, even while, in his early days, indulging in druggy partying and frequently sporting a T-shirt that read, “No head, no backstage pass.” For the full, original review, from Paste, click here. (Radius/TWC, R, 84 minutes)

Code Black Redux

Ephemera

Ryan McGarry’s Code Black, which debuted at the Los Angeles Film Festival last year, opens June 20 in New York City at the IFC Center and June 27 in Los Angeles at the Landmark Theater, before expanding throughout the summer in more than a dozen more cities. Turning up the knob on cinematic advocacy to 11, the film unfolds from 2008 through 2012, painting a fairly dire portrait of an American health care system on the verge of outright collapse. For my original review of the movie, click here.