Documentary

A new documentary about Paul McCartney, his life after the breakup of The Beatles and the formation of his band Wings is streaming on Amazon Prime Video. The film was made by our guest, Morgan Neville. He also directed documentaries about Fred Rogers, Anthony Bourdain and Orson Welles, as well as many prominent musicians, and has won an Oscar, Emmy and Grammy. Morgan Neville spoke with FRESH AIR's Ann Marie Baldonado.

filmmaker Julia Loktev. Her latest film, "My Undesirable Friends: Part I - Last Air In Moscow," is a 5 1/2-hour documentary structured in chapters, following a close-knit group of independent Russian journalists and activists during 2021 and early 2022 as the Russian government branded reporters foreign agents in the months leading up to and just after Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

Brooks is the subject of a new two-part HBO documentary, Mel Brooks: The 99 Year Old Man! TV critic David Bianculli reviews the documentary, plus we listen back to archival interviews with Brooks.

Ben Stiller on hsi new documentary "Stiller and Meara: Nothing Is Lost". The film is about his parents, comedy duo Jerry Stiller and Anne Meara.

HBO premieres a documentary film called "My Mom Jayne." It marks the directorial debut of "Law & Order: SVU" star Mariska Hargitay, who sets out in the film to learn about her mother, who died in a car accident when Mariska was 3. Her mother was Jayne Mansfield, the famous movie star of the 1950s and '60s. Our TV critic David Bianculli says that "My Mom Jayne" turns out to be much more intimate and full of genuine surprises than he expected.

Our film critic Justin Chang says the documentary drama hybrid "Caught By The Tides" is one of the best and most unusual new movies he's seen this year. It's the latest from the acclaimed Chinese filmmaker Jia Zhangke, and it draws from footage that he began shooting in 2001 to tell a story of two lovers who separate and reunite over roughly two decades.

Questlove's new documentary called "Sly Lives! (AKA The Burden Of Black Genius)" is about the impact of Sly Stone and his band Sly and the Family Stone on music and culture.

David Bianculli reviews Wise Guy, a documentary about the landmark HBO series. Plus, we listen back to archival interviews with creator David Chase, and actors Michael Imperioli and Lorraine Bracco.

Coppola, who died April 12, was an assistant art director on the 1963 film Dementia 13 when she met, and soon married, its director, Francis Ford Coppola. Originally broadcast in 1992.

Sixteen years after "Food, Inc.," investigative journalist Eric Schlosser, along with bestselling author Michael Pollan, are back with "Food, Inc. 2," a sequel to the documentary that sparked a national conversation about the economic, environmental, and health impacts of our industrialized food system. "Food, Inc. 2" focuses on corporate consolidation, which Schlosser reports gained steam during the pandemic.

Sue Bird, the greatest point guard in women's basketball history. She retired in 2022 from the WNBA. A new documentary about her called "Sue Bird: In The Clutch" is available for rent or purchase on Apple TV, Amazon Prime Video, Vudu, and Wolf On Demand.

Shields has worked as a model and an actor. A two-part Hulu documentary looks at her childhood roles and the toxic culture that perpetuates misogyny. Originally broadcast April 4, 2023.

Lina Lyte Plioplyte is a documentary filmmaker. Her new documentary is called "Periodical." It's now streaming on Peacock.

The comic/filmmaker is the subject of a new HBO documentary, Defending My Life, directed by his longtime friend Rob Reiner. In 1996, Brooks spoke about his early career in stand-up.

Mstyslav Chernov is a video journalist and filmmaker. His new documentary, "20 Days In Mariupol," premieres on PBS FRONTLINE on Tuesday, November 21. The film will also stream on YouTube, FRONTLINE's website, in the PBS app and on the PBS Documentaries Prime Video channel.

David Byrne was a founding member of the band Talking Heads, one of the seminal bands of the punk, new wave period of the '70s. They recorded eight albums between 1977 and when they stopped playing together in 1988. If you love their music or if you never saw or heard them, this is a great time to watch the 40th anniversary edition of their concert film "Stop Making Sense," which is playing in theaters. It's newly restored with a remastered soundtrack.

The late spy novelist is the subject of a new documentary by Errol Morris, The Pigeon Tunnel. Le Carré worked for MI5 and MI6 early in his career. Originally broadcast in 1989 and 2017.

ALICIA ROTH WEIGEL, one of three intersex people profiled in the new documentary “Every Body.” Also, JULIE COHEN, the director of the documentary.

Gottlieb, who died June 14 at 92, edited Joseph Heller, Toni Morrison, John le Carré and, for more than 50 years, Robert Caro. We listen back to an interview with Gottlieb from just a few months ago.

As controversy swirls around the benefits Thomas and his wife Ginni received from a conservative billionaire, filmmaker Michael Kirk examines the couple's path to power in a new PBS documentary.