Watch Murderball (2005) Online

R, 1 hr. 25 min.
Documentary, Sports & Fitness, Special Interest
Directed By: Henry-Alex Rubin , Dana Adam Shapiro
Written By: Dana Adam Shapiro
In Theaters: Jul 22, 2005 Limited


MurderballBetter known as Wheelchair Rugby, Murderball is a game created by quadriplegic athletes that is every bit as aggressive as the name would lead one to expect; played with bone-breaking intensity, a typical game of Wheelchair Rugby involves plenty of trash-talking, a few head-on collisions, and the occasional player being thrown from his modified wheelchair. The game has become an official event at the Paralympics, a worldwide competition for handicapped athletes, and the United States and Canada have become fierce rivals in the event. When Joe Soares was dropped from the top-seated American team, he angrily retaliated by signing on as coach for the Canadian team, which he led to an upset victory for Team Canada in the games.

In 2004, filmmaker Henry Alex Rubin and journalist Dana Adam Shapiro followed both teams as they traveled to Athens, Greece, for the 2004 Paralympics, documenting the fierce competition between the two teams (especially the Americans, bitterly stung by what they saw as Soares' betrayal). Murderball offers an up-close look at the 2004 Wheelchair Rugby tournament, as well as the personal stories of the athletes who are passionate, driven, and determined to win -- as one of them says, "I'm not here for a hug, I'm here for a medal." Murderball earned an enthusiastic reception in its premier screenings at the 2005 Sundance Film Festival. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

 7.7

Murderball (2005)

Watch Surfwise (2007) Online

R, 1 hr. 33 min.
Documentary, Sports & Fitness, Special Interest
Directed By: Doug Pray
In Theaters: Sep 1, 2007 Wide
On DVD: Jul 29, 2008
US Box Office:$0.2M



Surfwise
As far as raw eccentricity is concerned, few American families could top the Paskowitzes. The patriarch, Dorian "Doc" Paskowitz, began life on a commendable, even enviable course, with an M.D. under his arm, rippling sandy-haired good looks, and experience almost single-handedly teaching the country of Israel how to surf. But in the years to follow, bitterness and inveterate disappointment ensued as Dr. Paskowitz tried to settle into a conventional existence. Two broken marriages and a medical career that Dorian would later describe as "miserable" left him clawing his way out, desperate for an "alternative" lifestyle. He soon met, courted, and married his third wife, a ravishing, sexy young woman named Juliette; these two free spirits jointly decided that they would live life, budding family in-tow, on the open road, in a series of low-budget trailers.
As one child after another cropped up over the course of a decade, the family toured the country winning one surfing competition after another, and Dr. Paskowitz accepted low-rent medical jobs for the poor that reeled in little to no income. In theory, this all seemed idealistic, even utopian; in reality, Dorian Paskowitz was reportedly a severe disciplinarian who denied his children the benefits of school and financial security, forced everyone to stick to an almost unbearable diet of a gruel-like substance, and -- even more alarmingly -- felt comfortable having open and noisy sex with his wife, with the children only a few feet away. In time, as one child after another grew up, left the clan, and attempted to survive, they found it difficult, if not impossible to function in the day-to-day world without the education, social skills, and monetary know-how that so many young adults take for granted. With his documentary Surfwise, filmmaker Doug Pray tells the Paskowitzes' strange, bewildering, and ultimately heartbreaking story via incisive interviews with family members, still photographs, and telling archival footage. ~ Nathan Southern, Rovi

 7.2

Surfwise (2007)

Watch Racing Dreams (2009) Online

Racing Dreams
Racing Dreams follows three kids during a pivotal, career-making or breaking year, who dream of one day racing in NASCAR.Academy Award nominated director, Marshall Curry (Street Fight), takes us into the lives of Annabeth (11 years old), Josh (12), and Brandon (13) as they compete for the World Karting Association's National Championship. Clocking speeds of up to 70 mph in extreme racing karts, these young racers hope to follow the scores of great NASCAR drivers who got their start in racing's version of the little league.As they race their way through the year-long Championship series, they also navigate the treacherous road between childhood and young adulthood. In intimate moments of young love and family struggle we experience a time in life when allof us are just beginning to figure out who we are. -- (C) Official Site

PG, 1 hr. 35 min.
Documentary, Action & Adventure, Sports & Fitness, Special Interest
Directed By: Marshall Curry
In Theaters: May 21, 2010 Wide
On DVD: Nov 1, 2010

 6.8

Racing Dreams (2009)