Jonathan Berman Movies
In 1968 members of San Francisco's Mime Troupe and Digger Movement decided to separate from society and form their own community, known as the Black Bear Ranch, to reconnect with nature and experience a different way of life. At the turn of the new century the resilient counterculture settlement was still active at the base of majestic Mount Shasta, and filmmaker Jonathan Berman traveled to the eighty-acre tract to explore just how the Black Bear Ranch continues to thrive despite the concerns of their suspicious neighbors and the ever-present eyes of the F.B.I. Life is lived at a different pace at the Black Bear Ranch, and now, as nostalgic members of the commune openly discuss just how life in the community has changed over the years, outsiders can finally see precisely how the bold social experiment has continued to defy all predictions regarding its longevity. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
An ordinary guy with a crooked friend discovers no good deed goes unpunished in the comedy On The Run. Albert (Michael Imperioli) is having a quiet evening at home when he gets a call from his old pal Louie (John Ventimigila), whom he hasn't heard from in years. There's a good reason for this -- Louie's been in prison. Ever since childhood, Louie has never been able to stay out of trouble, though whenever they're together, the blame for Louie's indiscretions always seems to fall on Albert's shoulders. Louie calls Albert to tell him he's just broken out of jail and would like Albert to meet him at the bus station. Albert calls the police to tell them a fugitive is due on the next bus, but he soon thinks better of it and makes a dash to the depot, hoping to warn Louie in time. Louie manages to evade the cops, but Albert soon finds himself stuck with Louie for the evening, as he's dragged along for a progressively more dangerous series of misadventures where he's always left holding the bag. Though directed by a Portuguese filmmaker and financed by French and Portuguese production companies, On the Run was filmed on location in New York City, with English dialogue and a primarily American cast. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Michael Imperioli, John Ventimiglia, (more)
- 1999
Documentary filmmaker Jonathan Berman takes a personal look at a childhood friend who took a somewhat different path in his career: he's a bank robber. Near the end of a ten-year stretch in prison, Berman's buddy Paul talks on-camera about his youth and what led to his life in crime; Paul (who's last name is never mentioned) is charismatic and very talkative, but he's also edgy and obviously not very stable. After his release, Paul pays a visit to Jonathan in Manhattan (which violates the conditions of his parole) and hangs out with his old buddies, who are torn between their desire to help a friend and their understandable need to keep at arm's length from someone with the potential to be dangerous and unstable. My Friend Paul was shown in 1999 at the Slamdance and South By Southwest film festivals. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
