Favorite Documentaries

[LAJennifer]

Now that I have filled up my Netflix cue with suggestions from the Foreign Films and Horror Movies threads - I thought I would give you my favorite documentaries.
My all time fave is called "The Staircase" - it is on 2 discs, with 8 parts (episodes) and it was so riveting I watched them all straight through. Please read the summary below, but please resist the urge to research the case or google the outcome before you watch the film.
Synopsis from Netflix:

"From award-winning documentary filmmaker Jean-Xavier de Lestrade comes this real-life, gripping courtroom drama that chronicles the case of author Michael Peterson, who stood trial in 2003 for the murder of his wife, Kathleen. With unprecedented access to Peterson''s lawyers, his family and others involved in the proceedings, de Lestrade offers viewers an intimate look at the judiciary process and the mystery surrounding this high-profile case.

Other favorites are:
"Devil''s Playground" (about the Amish tradition of Rumspringa, where teens decide for themselves whether or not to follow the church)

"Born Into Brothels: Calcutta''s Red Light Kids"

"Murder on a Sunday Morning" (another by Jean-Xavier de Lestrade about a reopened murder case in which a 15 year old African American boy was accused of murdering a woman in Florida and the police corruption involved) - this one will absolutely break your heart. Again, don''t google if you plan to watch.

 

[Tacori E-ring]

Okay this sounds like a porno, but it isn''t! I promise! If you want a good laugh rent "Hands on a Hardbody." It is about one of those radio contests where a bunch of people keep a hand on a truck and whomever touches it the longest wins the truck...Also, I can''t remember the name but I really like the documentary about the NYT''s crossword puzzle.

 

[iluvcarats]

I thought that Grizzly Man, the story of Timothy Treadwell was riveting. I t is about a man who lives among grizzly bears in Alaska.

 

[LAJennifer]

Date: 10/9/2008 9:45:43 PM
Author: Tacori E-ring
Okay this sounds like a porno, but it isn''t! I promise! If you want a good laugh rent ''Hands on a Hardbody.'' It is about one of those radio contests where a bunch of people keep a hand on a truck and whomever touches it the longest wins the truck...Also, I can''t remember the name but I really like the documentary about the NYT''s crossword puzzle.

Adding to Netflix now. Thanks Tacori.

 

[LAJennifer]

Date: 10/9/2008 9:50:06 PM
Author: iluvcarats
I thought that Grizzly Man, the story of Timothy Treadwell was riveting. I t is about a man who lives among grizzly bears in Alaska.

Yes, I saw that one too - I was in awe, and Ohhhh the ending!

 

[Elmorton]

In the past, I've assigned for my students to watch a documentary and write an essay critique. Of course most students go straight to the Michael Moore films, but they have written about some off-the-beaten path ones, too. It's a really fun assignment for me to read. I wish I could remember titles, but right now all I can recall are topics - long day

One that I saw recently that was waaay too long but really interesting was The Corporation - it was really interesting, insightful, and a little bit funny, and I was completely engrossed in one yesterday evening that was on Iowa Public Television about Mexican and South American garment workers who fought against Forever 21 for unfair wages, but unfortunately I missed the beginning - I'd love to know what that was called so I could Netflix it.

 

[VRBeauty]

Date: 10/9/2008 9:45:43 PM
Author: Tacori E-ring
Okay this sounds like a porno, but it isn't! I promise! If you want a good laugh rent 'Hands on a Hardbody.' It is about one of those radio contests where a bunch of people keep a hand on a truck and whomever touches it the longest wins the truck...Also, I can't remember the name but I really like the documentary about the NYT's crossword puzzle.

Wordplay? That was a fun movie!

I'm dealing with mind fuzz -- can't contribute anything of my own right now.

 

[miraclesrule]

I love documentaries. One of my favorites was "Crude Awakening" about the oil crisis.

I just ordered the one on Rupert Murdoch and the one on WalMart. I decided to watch some actual movies for entertainment as well. Just to break up the depression that sometimes results from too many documentaries.

 

[Tacori E-ring]

Date: 10/10/2008 1:22:44 AM
Author: VRBeauty

Date: 10/9/2008 9:45:43 PM

Author: Tacori E-ring

Okay this sounds like a porno, but it isn''t! I promise! If you want a good laugh rent ''Hands on a Hardbody.'' It is about one of those radio contests where a bunch of people keep a hand on a truck and whomever touches it the longest wins the truck...Also, I can''t remember the name but I really like the documentary about the NYT''s crossword puzzle.

Wordplay? That was a fun movie!


I''m dealing with mind fuzz -- can''t contribute anything of my own right now.

I swear (no one ever talks about it) but when you have a baby your memory melts. "Wordplay" sounds familiar. Where they show how the crossword is made and that contest right? I thought it was very interesting.

 

[littlelysser]

I'm a total documentary hound.

My ALL TIME FAVORITE is the documentary series is the 7up Series.

Basically, an English director decided to interview a group of 12 English children, from different socio-economic groups. And he interviews them at 7, 14, 21, 28, 35, 42, and 49. He started in like 1962 or something.

It is absolutely amazing to watch these kids as they grow into adults...their trials and paths their lives take. Really fantastic and engrossing stuff.

I will tell you that 7up and 14up are not as interesting...only because really how interesting is a 7 year old??

But they are just fantastic documentaries.

49up came out this past year...And I'm really sad that I'm going to have to wait another 6 years to see how they are all doing.

"A State of Mind" - A group of BBC journalists got access to N.Korea and filmed two young girls preparing for something called the "Mass Games." It will totally rock your world.

Some others that I've really enjoyed -
"Murderball"
"Walmart, the high cost of low price"
"Enron, the smartest guys in the room"
"Bowling for Columbine"
"Control Room"
"Grey Gardens"
"Country Boys"

Oh, and I also really liked Born into Brothels and Grizzly Man.

I absolutely LOVE documentaries. I like to call them High Brow reality tv!

 

[princesss]

For the Bible Tells Me So is one of my all-time favourites. The documentarian goes around and talks with biblical scholars and fundamentalists and a few families that have been in the public eye with openly out members, and talks about the intersection of homosexuality and religion.

Jesus Camp and Hell House (might be all one word, I''m not sure) were really interesting. I watched them for my anthro class on religion and was completely riveted. It was interesting for me to see not only the way the people in the movie acted and thought, but to see the documentarian''s perspective in the way they (they''re two separate documentarians) juxtaposed scenes and edited the movies.

Born into Brothels and The Staircase are on my Netflix list. As is (it''s not a documentary, but based on the minutes of a meeting) Conspiracy, about the meeting of Nazi leaders where they developed the Final Solution. It should come today, and I''m going to have a great movie day tomorrow. I can''t wait.

 

[vespergirl]

Check out The Wild Parrots of Telegraph Hill - I didn''t think it would be something I liked, but I thought it was great.

 

[MichelleCarmen]

Mine is the Planet Earth Series.

 

[Miranda]

http://www.amazon.com/National-Geographic-Inside-North-Korea/dp/B000M2E34K

This one is very powerful. I had my kids watch it (12 and 14). It was eye opening for them.

 

[Dreamgirl]

Fast Food Nation is pretty good...

 

[VRBeauty]

Date: 10/10/2008 10:02:45 AM
Author: Tacori E-ring

Date: 10/10/2008 1:22:44 AM
Author: VRBeauty

Date: 10/9/2008 9:45:43 PM

Author: Tacori E-ring

Okay this sounds like a porno, but it isn''t! I promise! If you want a good laugh rent ''Hands on a Hardbody.'' It is about one of those radio contests where a bunch of people keep a hand on a truck and whomever touches it the longest wins the truck...Also, I can''t remember the name but I really like the documentary about the NYT''s crossword puzzle.

Wordplay? That was a fun movie!


I''m dealing with mind fuzz -- can''t contribute anything of my own right now.

I swear (no one ever talks about it) but when you have a baby your memory melts. ''Wordplay'' sounds familiar. Where they show how the crossword is made and that contest right? I thought it was very interesting.

Did the documentary you remember include snipets of Jon Stewart and Prez. Clinton doing crossward puzzles? If so, that was Wordplay!

BTW I hear you on the memory melt. The same thing happened to me when I went through another rite of passage involving a drastic change in hormone levels (and I''m not talking puberty

). We should start a thread on our personal experiences with fluctuating hormones -- the side effects that no one wants to talk about or admit to. Heck, maybe I''ll start it one of these days!

 

[PawnShopHustler]

Guns Germs & Steel

I saw The Jewish Americans on public television this weekend & it was VERY interesting (don''t know any Jews or anything about Jewish people). I didn''t know they faced so much discrimination & persecution here in the US. I think I''m going to order this series.

 

[miraclesrule]

OMG, Born into Brothels was disturbing!! I loved it though.

I have watched so many that I can''t even remember them. I did like Supersize Me. I have never eaten at McDonalds since then.

I just ordered the one on WalMart. I just finished watching "OutFoxed", but even the documentary proved to annoying for me to watch.

I still liked March of the Penquins.

 

[somehowcollide]

Oh, I love me some documentaries. I used to have a Blockbuster online account and would watch many at a time. I am going through a phase right now, and I think (as miracles mentioned) that documentaries just make me too somber at the moment...

Anyway, here is a GREAT site that doculovers should check out http://www.bodocus.com/ It's a categorized list of the best online documentaries. Some are short and easy and of course there are longer ones, some series as well if I remember correctly. Really, something for everyone and best of all they are all available online

I also love foreign films and have found lighthearted ones in that genre. Bollywood films are extra cheesy, but the industry is moving towards more intricate story lines these days. Over the summer I visited Hong Kong and watched a few Cantonese films on my way there, they were quite entertaining!! Modern Japanese films are very well crafted as well. Also, because I am going through my anti-documentary phase right now, I have started watching a lot of classics particularly Audrey Hepburn films. IMHO, there is no modern-day actress who can fill her shoes. She's absolutely timeless...

ETA: Sorry for the ramble ::blushing::

 

[katamari]

So many good docs already mentioned. I will try to stick to new recommendations, but I have to strongly second (or third) Born into Brothels, Country Boys, and The Corporation.

Other suggestions:

Hoop Dreams - best documentary ever!
Spellbound
Maxed Out
Who Killed the Electric Car?
Life and Debt - awesome!
T-Shirt Travels
Hip Hop: Beyond Beats and Rhymes
Favela Rising
Wrestling with Manhood
Bling - might be an interesting watch for PSers

I should stop now, but there are just so many excellent documentaries.

I also love the entire PBS Frontline series. You can watch most of them online here including Country Boys.

 

[MichelleCarmen]

Everyone is picking such serious ones! I love positive documentaries. One sad one I did see was "maxed out," about credit card debt and people comitting suicide over having debt amounts around $12K

 

[MommaBear]

zeitgeist
conspiracy theories...
very cool and makes you wonder.

http://www.zeitgeistmovie.com/

 

[coatimundi_org]

Word Wars --scrabble documentary. I love scrabble!
Spellbound
Fog of War

and many already mentioned...

 

[LAJennifer]

Everyone has really great suggestions! Thanks to all of you.

I just remembered another really good one: The Farmer''s Wife

From Netflix: By following Darrel and Juanita Buschkoetter, a Nebraska farm couple struggling to bring in their crop while keeping their union intact, filmmaker David Sutherland''s engrossing documentary reveals marriage''s realities, for better or for worse. When an early frost threatens the harvest and forces the Buschkoetters to moonlight, they watch their relationship disintegrate. Can they rebuild their bond through faith, determination and counseling?

 

[ladypirate]

OK, so we just watched a great documentary that no one has mentioned yesterday: King of Kongs. It''s about a guy challenging the reigning champion for all time high score in the Donkey Kong classic arcade game.

I know it sounds so lame, but it''s really really awesome. We had a friend lend it to us and were surprised by how into it we got.

 

[fleur-de-lis]

To add a few new ones, as well as to second some great ones already mentioned:

March of the Penguins
Enron: Smartest Guys in the Room
An Inconvenient Truth
Fog of War
Deep Water
Who Killed the Electric Car?
King of Kong

 

[arjunajane]

hey Jennifer, I will watch anything in the "Hot Docs" series - always a great mix of education and entertainment, lots of ones about music etc.
Not sure if you can hire it though..?