Fog City Mavericks

The main problem with Fog City Mavericks isn't so much....it omits many the most memorable SF-set pictures ( Vertigo , Point Blank , Petulia ) in favor of a few Finding Nemo sketches....The city in Gary Leva's relentlessly reverential documentary on Bay Area filmmaking is painted not just as a mellow artists' enclave.... ... Full Review

The documentary is more a catalogue of admiring portraits and reminiscences than a structured, objective documentary.....Coppola's home movies of his parents are a treat....The film might have worked better....the old photographs, behind-the-scenes footage, pristine film clips and amusing stories --.... ... Full Review

The two focal points of Mavericks are Lucas and Coppola, who united under the American Zoetrope production company and struggled to give an independent voice to the crowded, small-minded film business. Its wonderful to watch these filmmakers recall their moments of stimulation, along with hesitation, as they achieved some of their wildest dreams. ... Full Review

Gary Leva's documentary Fog City Mavericks tries to encompass them all, making a case for the city as a welcoming place for innovation and art. Still, while Fog City Mavericks is far too uncritical and mainstream-minded, his interviewees' anecdotes are interesting, and a line can undeniably be drawn from Muybridge to the experimenters at Skywalker Ranch and Pixar Animation. ... Full Review