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July 10, 2019
Feasting on New Documentaries
I managed to catch 25 films at
the Seattle International Film Fes-
tival in May and June--my idea
of heaven! There is significant
overlap with the earlier Portland
International Film Festival, but
SIFF runs twice as long so there
is plenty of reason to make the in-
vestment in a trip to Seattle to see
things that may have only a short
theatrical release. This week I’ll
cover the documentaries I saw,
and I’ll cover the remaining fea-
ture films next week--and where I
can, I’ll let you know where you
can find them. There’s something
for everyone.
Many of the best films were
profiles of people worth knowing
about. My favorite was “David
Crosby: Remember My Name,”
in which the most notoriously he-
donistic and troubled member of
Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young (and
the various other configurations in
which they performed) reflects on
the life he has lived hard. I real-
ly hope that Crosby is as honest
and likeable as he comes off here;
even while he acknowledges what
an often insufferable friend and
bandmate he has been and how
he has alienated everyone he has
every played with, Crosby comes
off as relentlessly real and doesn’t
make excuses. It is a compelling
window into the world of the ‘60s
and ‘70s when their music was
breaking new ground¬, full of
o PinionAted
J udge
The new documentary ‘David Crosby: Remember My Name’ is a
compelling window into the world of the 1960s and 70s, reflecting
on the singer’s past drug addiction, personal tragedies and
conflicts with bandmates.
interesting stories (like how Joni the documentary exploration of
Mitchell communicated that she Piazzolla’s life. “Piazzolla, the
was breaking up with Crosby) and Years of the Shark” worked re-
beautiful music that stands the test markably well in opening his story
of time. And Crosby, now 78, still and also in helping me understand
tours and write songs and sings why I should care—so much so
like an angel. He’s the classic that it motivated me to seek out his
example of an artist whose spirit music. The film makes good use
shines through time and his own of archival footage and record-
failures. The film opens theatrical- ings made available by Piazzolla’s
ly this month.
son, and presents a compelling
I knew nothing about the fa- picture of what shaped this driven
mous bandoneon composer and and confident change maker--the
musician Astor Piazzolla and little
C ontinueD on p age 4
about tango music before seeing
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Clark County Lifts Pot Ban
Women’s World Cup Repeat
The U.S. women’s national team
defended their status as World Cup
champions, shutting out the Neth-
erlands in the final on Sunday, 2-0,
and earning America’s fourth cup.
Superstar Megan Rapinoe opened
the scoring, notching a penalty
kick goal in the 61st minute, and
a breakaway goal minutes later by
midfielder Rose Lavelle helped
clinch the match.
Latino Leader Seeks Office
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Carmen Rubio,
the executive
director of the
nonprofit Lati-
no
Network,
formed a po-
litical
action
committee on
Monday
run
for
election
in the May 2020 Primary to re-
place Portland City Commission-
er Amanda Fritz who will retire
when her term ends at the end of
2020. Rubio, previously served as
policy director under former May-
or Tom Potter and then with City
Commissioner Nick Fish.
by
D arleen o rtega
The Clark County Council vot-
ed last week to remove a ban on
marijuana businesses in the unin-
corporated area, joining the city
of Vancouver and other locations
like Portland and other cities and
states where regulated pot sales
are legal under state law.
Man Admits Death Threats
Kermit Tyler Poulson, 40, plead-
ed guilty last week to one count
of transmitting threatening com-
munications with the intent to ex-
tort Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler.
Poulson threatened to firebomb the
mayor’s home if he did not imme-
diately fire a Portland police officer
involved in an on-duty shooting.
Chief Assails Protest Masks
In response to
violent protests,
Portland Police
Chief Danielle
Outlaw
last
week suggest-
ed that the city
should
charge
people if they
wear a mask to
commit a crime. “In other states,
you’ll see that it’s illegal to wear a
mask during the commission of a
crime,” Outlaw said.
Warren on Racial Gap
Democratic 2020 hopeful Eliz-
abeth Warren last week said if
elected president she would sign
executive orders aimed at ad-
dressing the wage and employ-
ment leadership gap for women
of color, punishing companies and
contractors with historically poor
records on diversity and equality
by denying them contracts with
the federal government.
Pelosi Adapts Trump Slogan
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi
argued Monday that President
Trump’s push to include a citizen-
ship question on the 2020 census
is an effort to “make America
white again” an adaptation of his
campaign slogan. Pelosi and oth-
ers argue the citizenship question
could result in racial minorities
being undercounted so that leg-
islative maps can be drawn more
favorably for Republicans.
GOP Leader Defends Gibson
James Buchal, the chair of the
Multnomah County Republican
Party agreed to defend right wing
Patriot Prayer leader Joey Gibson
in a $1 million civil lawsuit filed
by the owner of the Cider Riot pub,
the Willamette Week reported.
Gibson was sued by the business
after a confrontation with antifas-
cist demonstrators outside the bar
last May.