San Francisco's Doc Fest returns with a great virtual lineup

Photo courtesy of Popmotion Pictures.

To those looking for entertainment from the comfort of your home, I point your attention to Doc Fest, also known as the San Francisco Documentary Festival. It’s an eclectic gathering of movies from all over the world, and their lineup this year continues to impress.

Celebrating its nineteenth birthday, Doc Fest is adapting to the times and going virtual this year. It’s unfortunate for those looking for the camaraderie of seeing movies in a dark room, but the good news is you can view all of their titles safely from your home. Their titles promise to appeal to every type of filmgoer, and the following few selections are some of the best.

BLEEDING AUDIO

Have you heard of the Bay Area band The Matches? If not, you’re not alone, but you’ll want to catch up with their music after seeing this passionate and inspiring film. Their fans are legion and, as depicted by director Chelsea Christer, will stop at nothing to show their appreciation. The band’s ups-and-downs are chronicled through a lens of love and care rarely seen in documentaries, and “Bleeding Audio” is sure to make new fans discover their music.

INSERT COIN

If you grew up during the video game craze of the 90’s, then you will instantly recognize the humongous arcade machines that took up valuable real estate at your local hangouts. A lot of quarters were pumped into those machines with the promise of endless entertainment, and “Insert Coin” focuses on one of the most popular and influential companies of that seminal moment, Midway Games. The backstory of how their most accomplished games came to be (which include “Mortal Kombat” and “NBA Jam” among others) is just part of this very engrossing documentary.

THE LAST BLOCKBUSTER

Love them or hate them, Blockbuster Video revolutionized how movies were seen at home. Some saw them as a mecca for finding the perfect VHS rental among the many selections available and others as corporate bullies who priced smaller mom-and-pop rental stores out of business. “The Last Blockbuster” tackles both sides of the issue, starting out as a love letter to the Blockbuster chain but eventually focusing on its questionable business tactics, leading to the closure of all its locations except one. At the time of filming, this sole survivor was running in Bend, Oregon but has since been repurposed as a Blockbuster-themed Airbnb. “The Last Blockbuster” captures the short window of time before the rental store’s transition by interviewing the eclectic hard-working staff and celebrity movie buffs who share their own memories of renting Blockbuster tapes.

THE PALINDROMISTS

To some, a palindrome is just a word that reads the same backwards and forwards, but, to the subjects of this new documentary, it is a way of life. These dedicated culturists see palindromes everywhere, to the point where we witness them train and eventually compete in the World Palindrome Championship. This niche competition is hosted by New York Times crossword puzzle editor Will Shortz, and his interactions with these lively contestants are some of the strongest scenes on display. The film takes its subject matter seriously when most films would do the opposite, and that’s a huge part of what makes “The Palindromists” work so well.

RIPLIST

Seven friends come together once a year to wager on something most of us wouldn’t dream of: a celebrity death pool. To this unique group of players, putting your wager on which artist is most likely to die in the next twelve months is anything but cruel. They not only delight in putting together their lists of potential victims, but their manic energy becomes very infectious in this standout title.

ROY’S WORLD: BARRY GIFFORD’S CHICAGO

Author Barry Gifford may be best known for his collaborations with director David Lynch (“Wild at Heart” and “Lost Highway”), but it’s a different kind of work that takes center stage in this latest project. “The Roy Stories” are Gifford’s autobiographical account of 1950’s Chicago told through many different mediums including voiceover, animation and confessional. The film plays in a dream-like state and washes over you with a melancholy for a lost period of history.

More information on Doc Fest can be found through their site at sfindie.com