Don't think this qualifies as a documentary ...

I loved watching Steve Irwin handle alligators - broke my heart when the stingray freak incident took him out. :(

just watched "the muslims are coming!" and aside from a couple of icky moments i really enjoyed the documentary :)

A brief history of time.
 

Errol Morris (The Fog of War) turns his camera on one of the most fascinating men in the world: the pioneering astrophysicist Stephen Hawking, afflicted by a debilitating motor neuron disease that has left him without a voice or the use of his limbs.

An adroitly crafted tale of personal adversity, professional triumph, and cosmological inquiry, Morris's documentary examines the way the collapse of Hawking's body has been accompanied by the untrammeled broadening of his imagination.

Great. I appreciate the information. Thanks!

Secrets of the Vatican
 

Pope Benedict made history when he announced his resignation. In his wake he left a bitterly divided Vatican mired in scandals. Frontline goes inside the Vatican to unravel the remarkable series of events that led to the resignation that shook the world. Frontline gives a first-hand account of the final days of Benedict's papacy and the current battle to set the Church on a new path under Francis.
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This was a fascinating look at the power and control struggles within the church hierarchy under both Pope's and how each dealt with it differently.


Trigger warning tho.


Half of this is about sexual abuse by priests and is very graphic in details.

Rabbit Proof Fence

The hidden epidemic : heart disease in America
 

This excellent documentary looks at the impact that heart disease has on most Americans. As the No. 1 killer in this country, heart disease accounts for more deaths than all cancers combined.

In addition to stories of everyday people, some only in their teens, this program looks at the famous Framingham Heart Study that has been going on for nearly 60 years. New advances are being made daily in discovering both causes and treatments, and there are many things one can do to reduce risks and forestall problems.

The documentary is followed by a Larry King interview with five leading health experts that examines preventive strategies in greater detail.

And, does a decent job delineating the differences between males and females in the development and treatment of heart disease.

Unnatural causes : is inequality making us sick?
 

A four-hour documentary series arguing that "health and longevity are correlated with socioeconomic status, people of color face an additional health burden, and our health and well-being are tied to policies that promote economic and social justice.

In sickness and in wealth: "What connections exist between healthy bodies, healthy bank accounts and skin color? Follow four individuals from different walks of life to see how their position in society, shaped by social policies and public priorities, affects their health"

When the bough breaks: "African American infant mortality rates remain twice as high as for white Americans. African American mothers with college degrees or higher face the same risk of having low birth-weight babies as white women who haven't finished high school. How might the chronic stress of racism over the life course become embedded in our bodies and increase risks?"

Becoming American: "Recent Mexican immigrants tend to be healthier than the average American. But those health advantages erode the longer they've been here. What causes health to worsen as immigrants become American? What can we all learn about improved well-being from new immigrant communities?"

Bad sugar: "O'odham Indians, living on reservations in southern Arizona, have perhaps the highest rate of Type 2 diabetes in the world. Some researchers see this as the literal 'embodiment' of decades of poverty, oppression, and loss. A new approach suggests that communities may regain control over their health if they can regain control over their futures"-

Place matters: "Increasingly, recent Southeast Asian immigrants, along with Latinos, are moving into long-neglected African American urban neighborhoods, and now their health is being eroded as a result. What policies and investment decisions create living environments that harm, or enhance, the health of residents? What actions can make a difference?"

Collateral damage: "In the Marshall Islands, local populations have been displaced from their traditional way of life by the American military presence and globalization. Now they must contend with the worst of the 'developing' and industrialized worlds: infectious diseases such as tuberculosis due to crowded living conditions, and extreme poverty and chronic disease, stemming in part from the stress of dislocation and loss"

Not just a paycheck: "Residents of Western Michigan struggle against depression, domestic violence and higher rates of heart disease and diabetes after the largest refrigerator factory in the country shuts down. Ironically, the plant is owned by a company in Sweden, where mass layoffs, far from devastating lives, are relatively benign because of government policies that protect and retrain workers"

Super Skyscrapers
 

Follows the creation of four extraordinary skyscrapers, showcasing how they will revolutionize the way we live, work, and how we protect ourselves from potential threats, both from the environment and terrorist attacks. Episodes include: One World Trade Center; One57; Shanghai Tower; and The Leadenhall Building.

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Very interesting tho not quite as in depth as i expected.

Was amusing to see men, all men no women, be so excited about what amounts to erecting a giant penis.

It's a Girl's World
 

It's a Girl's World takes us inside the tumultuous relationships of a clique of popular 10-year-old girls. Playground bullying captured on camera shows a disturbing picture of how these girls use their closest friendships to hurt each other to win social power in the group.

Meanwhile, their parents struggle through denial and disbelief as they become aware of the serious consequences of this behaviour.

By comparison, the tragic story of a 14-year-old girl is a stark reminder that social bullying can spiral out of control. Believing she had no other choice, Dawn-Marie Wesley killed herself after enduring months of rumours and verbal threats.

This documentary shatters the myth that social bullying among girls is an acceptable part of growing up.

Shoah


Though I find it unbearably painful to watch...I cannot imagine it not affecting and changing anyone who sees it.

This sounds fascinating, how did you watch it?

I checked Netflix which has a 'very long wait' which in my experience is accurate, amazon does not have it, nor YouTube. Was this a library find?

Billy Jean King
 

For the first time, American Masters profiles a sports figure: Billie Jean King, a determined woman who has been a major force in changing and democratizing the cultural landscape.

This new documentary traces the incredible life of the single most important female athlete of the 20th century as her 70th birthday nears.

American Masters looks back to the 12-year-old Long Beach, California, girl who played tennis on public courts, observed disparity and, as she soared athletically, never stopped trying to remedy inequality.

During her professional tennis career, King won 39 Grand Slam titles, helped form the Virginia Slims Series (pre-cursor to WTA Tour), founded the Women’s Sports Foundation and Women’s Sports magazine, and co-founded World TeamTennis (WTT). Her competitiveness on the circuit was matched by her efforts on behalf of women and the LGBT community, and her commitment to prove there is strength in diversity.

In American Masters Billie Jean King, King presents her own story with perspective from fellow tennis stars that played alongside her or were influenced by her, among them Margaret Court, Chris Evert, Ilana Kloss (King’s partner), Maria Sharapova, Serena and Venus Williams, Caroline Wozniacki, and members of the Virginia Slims Circuit “Original 9,” including Peaches Bartkowicz, Rosie Casals, Julie Heldman, Nancy Richey, and Valerie Ziegenfuss.

The film also features new interviews with a diverse cast of characters from King’s unparalleled life: former U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, friend and fellow activist Sir Elton John, feminist icon Gloria Steinem, Bobby Riggs’ son Larry and “Battle of the Sexes” trainer Lornie Kuhle, King’s brother Randy Moffitt and ex-husband Larry King, and Valerie Jarrett, Senior Adviser to President Obama, who chose King as the first female athlete to be awarded with the Presidential Medal of Freedom. King is also a member of the President’s Council on Fitness, Sports and Nutrition.

Through these interviews and archival footage, the film illustrates the life of a woman whose journey became not just a battle for personal glory but a sociopolitical battle for equality for all.
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Absolutely loved it.

I bet. Amazing interviewees. I will be sure to check this out. No Martina? Disappointing, yet not surprising, I guess. What year is this? Thanks for posting.

Amazing
 

Human Planet is an awe-inspiring, jaw-dropping, heart-stopping landmark series that marvels at mankind's incredible relationship with nature in the world today.

Uniquely in the animal kingdom, humans have managed to adapt and thrive in every environment on Earth. Each episode takes you to the extremes of our planet: the arctic, mountains, oceans, jungles, grasslands, deserts, rivers and even the urban jungle.
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This is one I saw recently , it's very good ! its about Bob Forrest and his addiction. a real talented man


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Stephen Hawkings
 

Answering that age old question of are we alone in the universe.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jVpZlQbXJ60

Honor Diaries
 

Honor Diaries, a film about women's rights, features nine courageous women's rights advocates with connections to Muslim-majority societies. These women, who have witnessed firsthand the hardships women endure, are profiled in their efforts to affect change, both in their communities and beyond.

The film gives a platform to exclusively female voices and seeks to expose the paralyzing political correctness that prevents many from identifying, understanding and addressing this international human rights disaster. Freedom of movement, the right to education, forced marriage, and female genital mutilation are some of the systematic abuses explored in depth.

Fed up
 

Narrated by Katie Couric, the film blows the lid off everything that was known about food and exercise, revealing a 30-year campaign by the food industry, aided by the U.S. government, to mislead and confuse the American public. Exposing the hidden truths contributing to one of the largest health epidemics in history, it follows a group of families battling to lead healthier lives and reveals why the conventional wisdom of 'exercise and eat right' is not ringing true for millions of people.

Kobi darling, where can one find this film? Am very interested! Thanks :rrose:

a short doco...
 

awesome-ness:

http://sfglobe.com/?id=14064&src=share_fb_new_14064

Loved it. Thanks for sharing!

The Roosevelts: an intimate history
 

Profiles Theodore, Franklin, and Eleanor Roosevelt, three members of the most prominent and influential family in American politics.

It is the first time in a major documentary television series that their individual stories have been interwoven into a single narrative.

This seven-part, 14 hour film follows the Roosevelts for more than a century, from Theodore's birth in 1858 to Eleanor's death in 1962. Over the course of these years, Theodore would become the 26th President of the United States and his beloved niece, Eleanor, would marry his fifth cousin, Franklin, who became the 32nd President of the United States.

Together, these three individuals not only redefined the relationship Americans had with their government and with each other, but also redefined the role of the United States within the wider world.

The series encompasses the history the Roosevelts helped to shape: the creation of the National Parks, the digging of the Panama Canal, the passage of innovative New Deal programs, the defeat of Hitler, and the postwar struggles for civil rights at home and human rights abroad. It is also an intimate human story about love, betrayal, family loyalty, personal courage, and the conquest of fear.

Through The Wormhole - Science Channel
 

Official site.

I have 4 seasons to go thru. Just fascinating stuff. Must see for science buffs.

America : imagine the world without her.
 

The blurb from the jacket says:

What would the world look like if America never existed? Dinesh D'Souza, bestselling author and creator of 2016: Obama's America, explores this fascinating question in this stirring, thought-provoking documentary. Through re-enactments of landmark events in America's history and insightful interviews with leading historians, D'Souza brings us face-to-face with the brave heroes who built a great nation, and offers a powerful defense against critics intent upon the shaming of America.'

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Dinesh D'Souza seems to fancy himself as the Michael Moore of the far right wing. Yet, he lacks the clarity, vision, and focus.

His alternative interpretation of history is thought provoking but Im not sure how much of it is fact vs word voodoo. (He beats me hands down in word voodoo-ism).

He vacillates between shaming, blaming, validating, and vilifying, entire groups of people, all with an annoying melodramatic soundtrack.

Overall, I dont have a freakin clue what this documentary was supposed to be about. But, it will piss off a lot of different groups of people.

Jake Shimabukuro: Life on Four Strings

Freaking Amazing!

"Jake Shimabukuro opens up about his virtuoso skills on the ukulele, which have transformed all previous notions of the instrument's potential."

Streaming on Netflix, probably others.

Independent lens: Muscle Shoals

Currently airing on many PBS stations and streaming online this documents the history of an american recording studio.

"Located on the banks of the Tennessee River, Muscle Shoals, Alabama is the unlikely breeding ground for some of the most creative and defiant music in American history.
Under the spiritual influence of the "Singing River" as Native Americans called it, the music of Muscle Shoals is some of the most important and resonant of all time. "I'll Take You There", "Brown Sugar", "When a Man Loves a Woman", "I Never Loved A Man the Way That I Loved You", "Mustang Sally", "Tell Mama", "Kodachrome", and "Freebird" are just a few of the tens of thousands of tracks created there.

At its heart is Rick Hall who founded FAME Studios. Overcoming crushing poverty and staggering tragedies, he brought black and white musicians together to create music that would last for generations while also giving birth to the unique 'Muscle Shoals sound' and the rhythm section 'The Swampers'.

In this movie legendary artists including Aretha Franklin, Greg Allman, Bono, Clarence Carter, Jimmy Cliff, Mick Jagger, Etta James, Alicia Keys, Wilson Pickett, Keith Richards, Percy Sledge, Steve Winwood and others bear witness to the magnetism and mystery of Muscle Shoals and why it remains a global influence today."

If you've ever wondered about the origin of one of the most beautiful Christmas carols, The Huron Carol, this documentary tells the story.

Boredom
 

The first serious documentary on boredom.

Director Albert Nerenberg asks why the subject of boredom has been so religiously avoided and shows that boredom isn't what one thinks it is. The film's breakthrough research suggests boredom is likely a state of stress. It may also be killing people. Perhaps the powers that be would rather people not know that, especially if one is inside some kind of educational institution or dead end job.

Note Bonus features: Revolutionary accelerated unboring version (48 min.) for the easily bored.


Informative, cute, funny, and based in neuroscience. Interesting stuff.

Public Speaking (2010 Documentary with Fran Liebowitz

A Path Appears
 

"A unique and essential 4.5-hour documentary series addressing the roots of gender inequality, the devastating impact of poverty and the ripple effects that follow, including: sex trafficking, teen-pregnancy, gender-based violence, child slavery and the effective solutions being forged to combat them."

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Intense and some segments were very difficult to watch. Major trigger warning.

"Living with Lincoln" - while not my favorite, is very engaging and nicely woven through a century. On HBO currently in rotation.

The Rise and Rise of Bitcoin (2014)
96 min | Documentary, History, News | 10 October 2014 (USA)

A computer programmer becomes fascinated with the digital currency Bitcoin, and through his involvement in the Bitcoin community, we learn about the impending global impact of this amazing new technology.

I had heard of Bitcoin but had no idea what it truly was until this very interesting documentary.

Terms and conditions may apply
 

Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policies are connected to every website. This film explores the intent hidden within these unread and ignored agreements, and reveals what corporations and governments are legally taking from people and the outrageous consequences that result from clicking "I accept."

Cast: Margaret Atwood, Danah Boyd, Orson Scott Card.

Hotline
 

I just watched Going Clear: Scientology and the Prison of Belief , a really interesting brand-new documentary about how nuts Scientology is. Apparently the Church of Scientology forbids it's members from watching it...or anything in the news about Scientology. L. Ron Hubbard was insane!