THE ACT OF KILLING Review 9

THE ACT OF KILLING Review

After the overthrow of the Indonesian government in 1965, the new regime declared that anyone determined to be a communist is to be executed. The executions were not carried out by the military itself but by hired guns. Typically these death squads were run by local gangsters. No one responsible for these war crimes has ever been made to answer for these atrocities that cost untold numbers of people their lives. Decades later, directors Joshua Oppenheimer and Christine Cynn commemorate this dark period in Indonesian history by focusing their cameras on the men responsible.

BLACKFISH Review 9/10

BLACKFISH Review

Release Date: July 19th, 2013 (Limited)
Director:
MPAA Rating: PG-13
Film Pulse Score: 9/10

In 2010 Dawn Brancheau, a trainer at Sea World, was killed by an Orca by the name of

GASLAND PART II Review 8/10

GASLAND PART II Review

Release Date: July 8th, 2013 (HBO)
Currently Available on HBO GO
Director:
MPAA Rating: NR
Film Pulse Score: 8/10

Josh Fox’s Gasland Part II takes all the information learned about natural gas

FIRST COUSIN ONCE REMOVED Review 9

FIRST COUSIN ONCE REMOVED Review

first cousin once removed The contrasting comfort and horror of losing your memory, to know and not know at once, is the inherent reality of Alzheimer's Disease. If you are to experience it, you are afforded the relief in allowing yourself to forget your weaknesses, faults, and mistakes, but that is paired against the absolute threat of not knowing the person before you in the mirror, next to you at your house, or staring at you from a collection of photos on your mantel.

GIDEON’S ARMY Review 8

GIDEON’S ARMY Review

Easily one of the most stressful and toughest jobs we have in this country is that of a public defender. With huge caseloads, little pay, and people’s lives on the line, it’s not a glamorous profession. You won’t see a public defender driving a nice sports car, or having billboards with their face plastered on them, but their role in our criminal justice system is much more noble, essential, and under-appreciated than any other. The toughest place to be a public defender is the American South, and that just so happens to be where Dawn Porter’s documentary Gideon’s Army takes place.

AMERICAN REVOLUTIONARY: THE EVOLUTION OF GRACE LEE BOGGS Review 8

AMERICAN REVOLUTIONARY: THE EVOLUTION OF GRACE LEE BOGGS Review

There’s just something utterly captivating about hearing someone who’s nearly one hundred years young talk about life. Not just to talk about what they’ve seen or what parts of history they recall the most but just about living, about making a difference, about taking a stand. The tagline for Mel Gibson’s Braveheart was “Every man dies. Not every man really lives.”

Kickstart Sunday: BACK IN TIME

Kickstart Sunday: BACK IN TIME

Every week on Film Pulse we like to highlight a film that is currently being crowd-funded, in order to promote unique and interesting independent film projects. Kick your week off right by donating to this filmmaker and help them make

LA Film Fest 2013: CASTING BY Review 6.5

LA Film Fest 2013: CASTING BY Review

Release Date: August 5th, 2013 (HBO)
Director:
MPAA Rating: Unrated
Film Pulse Score: 6.5/10

Films just don’t cast themselves.  Despite what they may say directors don’t cast their movies per se.  Ultimately