GOOD 2014 DOCS

     2014 was a spectacularly good year for documentaries. Two of my top three films for that year were docs, and there were many other very good ones.

     Finding Vivian Maier is the fascinating and almost unbelievable story of a quiet low-key Chicago woman who took the most astonishing photographs. She was a nanny for all of her adult life. She never married and was unassuming and very private. Almost nobody knew what she was up to with that old camera. The film depicts how John Maloof stumbled on a cache of nearly 100,000 pictures after Ms. Maier's death. It also presents interviews with the few people who knew her, and a generous helping of those wonderful photos. You will be dazzled!

     Roger Ebert was my very favorite film critic. He died in 2013 after a long struggle with a cancer that took away his voice and half of his face but none of his spirit. Life Itself tells the story of his career and life. He and Gene Siskel invented the television movie review program in the 70's. Their discussions and sometimes heated arguments were the stuff of TV legend. Roger wrote for the Chicago Sun-Times and Gene for the Chicago Tribune. They got together once a week to vote thumbs up or down for the latest releases. 

     Keep On Keepin' On is the true story of the unlikely friendship between 93-year-old jazz trumpet legend Clark Terry and 23-year-old blind piano prodigy Justin Kauflin. The music is wonderful and the interaction between these incredible talents is so good you won't want it to end. 

     Whitey: The United States Vs. James Bulger tells the story of how the title figure hid in plain sight from the FBI for 16 years. He was indicted for 19 murders and suspected of committing many more. Because he was thought to be an informant, the bureau let him slide for a long time. When the law finally caught up with him, his FBI handler tipped him off and he high-tailed it. The film doesn't exactly shower glory on the FBI. We're used to the Feds being the bad guys in TV shows and movies, but this story is true!

     Elaine Stritch: Shoot Me is about the fabulous life and career of the title character, who entertained on Broadway, TV and film for over 70 years. Her body was ravaged by diabetes and various other illnesses, but her spirit was undaunted and she performed well into her 80s. Her performance as Alec Baldwin's hateful mother on 30 Rock is vintage Stritch. Mr. Baldwin and numerous other entertainers weigh in on their experiences with Ms. Stritch in an entertaining film about a show biz legend.

     All of the films in this article are available on DVD and for streaming. All are definitely for grown-ups.