By Gregory Crofton Buffalo is known for cold-weather football, lake-effect snow, chicken wings and now, at least in my mind, an artist named Spain Rodriguez. Rodriguez grew up in Buffalo, New York. His name at birth was Manuel, but he…
Leonard Bernstein Was Unemployed, Then His Dream Came True
By Gregory Crofton At 25, after bumping around New York City without a consistently paying job, Leonard Bernstein got a call from “God.” Really it was a conductor named Artur Rodziński on the phone, and he told a young Bernstein…
‘Finding Kendrick Johnson’ investigates a covered up murder that’s heart-breaking and maddening
By Gregory Crofton Director Jason Pollock (Stranger Fruit) is back with another indie doc that investigates the sudden death, and probable murder, of a young Black man. The 17-year-old Kendrick Johnson was found dead in a high school gym, his…
‘WOODSTOCK 99’ Offers Up Shocking Archival Footage Along With a Heavy Dose of Morality
By Jonathon Norcross Woodstock 99: Peace, Love, and Rage is the first installment in HBO’s freshly launched Music Box docuseries. Executive produced by Bill Simmons, the creator of ESPN’s wildly successful 30 for 30 series, Music Box aims to do…
Anthony Bourdain Travels Through His Heart of Darkness in ‘ROADRUNNER’
By Gregory Crofton Director Morgan Neville (40 Feet from Stardom, Won’t You Be My Neighbor?) was on a mission with this film to help the world deal with the sudden death of chef, author and television star Anthony Bourdain at…