must-see doco: "the art of the steal"

director don argott's thrilling doco (which arrives in US cinemas in february 2010) follows an us VS them outright war when it comes to art. the teams in question: dr. albert c. barnes, art lover and the brains behind his very own billion-dollar collection housed in south merion, a small suburb near philadelphia and retard philly officials who will do anything to get their grubby hands on the goods. so impressive was the assortment of impressionist, postimpressionist, and modernist art that even matisse declared the barnes foundation as "the only sane place to view art in america." long story short, courtroom drama's ensue, barnes heads up to heaven, his carefully strategized will with instructions for the future of the works becomes undone (shady stuff indeed) and by the end of it, if you're not shouting at the cinema screen then congratulate yourself on controlling your composure. ps. barnes rules! pss. i'm never, ever going to philly!