The pairing of one of Hollywood's renowned directors and America's greatest living architect has resulted in one of the most engaging documentaries to come along in a long time -- and it's at the Sunrise Theater in Southern Pines Tuesday, Oct. 24, and Wednesday, Oct. 25.

Director Sydney Pollack ("Out of Africa," "Tootsie," "The Way We Were") has collaborated with his good friend, architect Frank Gehry, to bring us "Sketches of Frank Gehry," a different kind of documentary. This one celebrates the genius of Gehry while getting up close and personal to understand how these architectural works of art came to be. Pollack doesn't just provide the usual third-person point of view; he's a part of the film, making the entire presentation very informal and off-the-cuff.

The "sketches" part of the title actually has a dual meaning. Not only is the film a series of sketches about Gehry's life, it also refers to his unorthodox method of bringing an idea to life. His designs run the gamut, from his most famous -- the Guggenheim Museum Bilbao in Spain -- to actor Dennis Hopper's home in Santa Monica. Other visually stunning achievements are the Walt Disney Concert Hall in Los Angeles and the Jay Pritzker Pavillion in Chicago. As one viewer of the film noted, "A regular building is a police artist's sketch. A Frank Gehry building is a Picasso painting."

Gehry made the original request to his longtime friend Pollack that they "do something" together -- which has ensured that the film is as much Gehry's as Pollack's. The audience is likely to find this a documentary that entertains and amazes.

Rated PG-13 and running 90 minutes, "Sketches of Frank Gehry" will be shown for two nights only -- Tuesday, Oct. 24, and Wednesday, Oct. 25, at 7:30 p.m. at the Sunrise Theater located at 250 NW Broad Street in Southern Pines. The tickets are $7 for adults and $5 for children under 12. The movies are commercial free. Beer, wine, bottled water, sodas, candy, nuts and popcorn with real butter are available.

For more information, call 910-692-3611 or go to www.sunrisetheater.com.