Searching For Sugarman

This is a documentary about a musician from the 1970's. His name was Jesus Rodriguez. He was discovered in Detroit by two producers there. They put out an album with him, but the album never went anywhere for some reason. The record label ended up dropping him after his second album dropped and didn't sell either.
Somehow, though, the first album made its way to South Africa just when the country was in transition due to apartheid. It became a cult album, and ended up selling half a million copies there, but no one knew anything about him. There were stories, though. One was that Rodriguez had lit himself on fire on stage; another was that he had shot himself on stage.
In the late 90's two men who had wondered all these years what had really happened decided to made a web site dedicated to finding out the true story.
What they end up finding out was amazing. I won't ruin the story here, but rest assured, if you invest the time it takes to watch this, you will come away with hope for humanity.
This documentary was directed by Malik Bendjelloul, and the two men at the heart of the search were Stephen "Sugar" Segerman, and Dennis Coffey. Thank goodness for amateur sleuths. Thank goodness for music with the power to heal.

"This Must Be The Place"

Sean Penn could not be farther away from how I've ever seen him, and he could not have been more wonderful. In this film he plays Cheyenne, an aging rock star put out to pasture in Ireland with his wife of 35 years played with heart by Frances McDormand.
Cheyenne's life plays out in uneventful ways from day to day. He only leaves home to spend time with a friend he mentors like a daughter, or to visit that girls mother. His routine rarely varies. He tells his wife at one point that he thinks he's depressed. She seems to feel he's just bored.
The turning point in the film occurs when he gets news from the States that his father is dying. By the time he gets there, his father has passed. While he is at his childhood home, Cheyenne finds some of his fathers writings, and these set the stage for the rest of the movie.
The writings speak of the father's passion to find the man who was his main tormentor while he was a boy in Auschwitz. Cheyenne doesn't think his father loved him, but feels a deep responsibility to take on his cause none-the-less.
This quest takes Cheyenne on a journey across miles, and across time. The people he meets along the way changed him, and this movie changed me, as only the best films can. I continue to be haunted by the images in this film, and by its message. Never have I seen a character change so much, while still remaining true to his core values and commitment. .
 The acting was strong in this film by everyone. Besides the aforementioned, Judd Hirsh, as Mordecai Midler the self-professed Nazi killer, and the great-grandson of the Nazi Cheyenne was looking for, played by Grant Goodman, were especially strong.

Do yourself a favor, and accompany Cheyenne in his quest. You will be glad you did.