CALIFORNIA TYPEWRITER

With the rise of computers and smart phones, typewriters are teetering on the edge of obsolescence—much to the chagrin of nearly everyone profiled in this insightful mash note to the analog machine. CALIFORNIA TYPEWRITER is named after a cozy store in Berkeley, California that plays a major role in the documentary. Run by Herbert Permillion III and his family, the business is depicted trying to balance financial security with its decades-long passion for selling and restoring typewriters. They aren't the only engaging characters, however. There's artist Jeremy Mayer, who uses typewriter parts to assemble human-like sculptures, and expert Martin Howard, who's on a quest to add a legendary, rare Sholes and Glidden machine to his collection. Nuanced typewriter testimonials from super fans Tom Hanks (who has over 250 machines in his collection), musician John Mayer, playwright Sam Shepard, and author David McCullough add incisive perspective. CALIFORNIA TYPEWRITER is a love letter to the enduring societal, historical, creative, and artistic value of these machines. –A.Z.