‘Project Greenlight’ Review: Max Reboot Excels With Candid Look at Highs and Lows of Filmmaking

Produced by Issa Rae, Kumail Nanjiani and Gina Prince-Bythewood, the docuseries is essential viewing for lovers of atypically blunt reality shows

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Issa Rae, Kumail Nanjiani and Gina Prince-Bythewood in "Project Greenlight: A New Generation." (Jessica Perez/Max)

For aspiring filmmakers, appreciators of how the sausage is made and lovers of atypically blunt reality messiness, “Project Greenlight: A New Generation” is essential viewing. From the Max reboot’s welcome focus on inclusive expansion, its gutsy willingness to show its subjects’ warts in extreme close-up and ultimate promise for a better tomorrow, this is easily the best season of the reality show, which first aired in 2001, and will easily be the best reality show of the year.

Gone are original producers and sometimes on-camera superstars Matt Damon and Ben Affleck. In their place are new producers and mentors Kumail Nanjiani, Gina Prince-Bythewood, and Issa Rae (who even makes a joke about Damon and Affleck “rolling in their graves”).

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