What to watch: Movies for the media

This trio of films have all found audiences with the general public, but may have particular resonance with journalists, photographers, and related members of the media.

Finding Vivan Maier

“Finding Vivan Maier” is both an introduction to the work of the prolific street photographer, as well as a dive into who she was and why she spent decades working as a nanny without seeking to show her work. Her work only came to light when a collector happened upon many thousands of Maier’s negatives, which were readily appreciated by the public, if not by MOMA. For those who are new to her images, both the pictures and the backstory will fascinate.

Nightcrawler

For me, the funniest scene in “Nightcrawler” is when Jake Gyllenhaal yells, “Freelance!,” thinking it will solve all problems. It’s hard to look away from his depiction of a creepy crime-and-crisis-chasing videographer who seizes any opportunity that he thinks may benefit him.

Citizen Four

Since you’re reading this online, “Citizen Four” is likely to make you reconsider some of your own uses of the internet. You probably already know the broad strokes about Edward Snowden, the whistleblower who leaked proof of NSA surveillance activities, had his US passport revoked, and subsequently sought asylum in Russia. Filmmaker Laura Poitras focuses on footage of the quiet before the storm, namely the days in Hong Kong when Snowden shares the info and its implications with journalists.