Your Favorite Documentaries

[Fatale]

I think I've probably listed this film before in this thread, but I'm just so fond of it.

"I Like Killing Flies". It's about the smallest restaurant you have ever seen and the cantankerous, philosophical, greasy guy who cranks out amazing cuisine, scattering gems all the while.

[PearlsNLace]

The Gulabi gang is the subject of the 2010 movie Pink Saris by Kim Longinotto and the 2012 documentary Gulabi Gang by Nishtha Jain.


The first is more film than documentary but the story is powerful and reminds me how strong women are.

It is about women who, at 20,000 strong, have banded together to fight against abuse, rape, and child brides.

Things are changing in India, I am confidant that these women warriors are fundamental, if not direct instruments, to that change.

[femmeInterrupted]

I Errol Morris.

Love most of his work.

LOVE watching stuff like BBC's Blue Planet, and Human Planet. BluRay makes it spectacular!

Haven't seen The Invisible War, although it's come highly recommended--need to sort of gear up for that one.

Really liked Cave of Forgotten Dreams by Werner Herzog.

[Girl_On_Fire]

Pink Ribbons, Inc. is a very eye-opening documentary about the dark side of the pink ribbon campaign for breast cancer.



Has anyone else seen it?

[Kätzchen]

My day began very early with going out shopping for groceries before the sun came up and by the time I had called for a cab to bring me home (with food in tow), I had no idea how that ride would change my plans today. My cab driver had an interesting pair of shades on and I asked him if they were late 60s Vaurnet shades and our conversation, as he drove me home, led to me finding out about a documentary that was only in town for today.

I went to see: Sugarman

It was such a great story about a lesser known man from Detroit - an indie artist, I guess one might say - who apparently was so talented that no one took notice of him. Yeah. Anyway, woven throughout the hour and a half film, I learned about how his recordings ended up in South Africa and for years, he had such a huge following - cult-like, almost.

It really opened my eyes to how the music industry is such a cut-throat business and that artists who are well-known stars by today's standards, are not even half as talented as Sixto Rodrigues (Sugarman).

The film had only three showings today and I happened to be able to walk into the late morning showing of this documentary. I have a feeling it will earn some awards this year at Sundance... it's that good.



Here's a trailer I found for the film on YouTube:



PS/ if you get the chance to see it in your town, I say go see it!
I haven't said much about what a person finds out in the film:
I don't want to spoil it for people.... But seriously, it's very good.

[Jean_TX]

There are two documentaries that I found remarkable:

The first was presented on the PBS show Nova and was entitled "Dimming The Sun". It described the effect of air clarity on global warming and, surprisingly, explained that some of our efforts to reduce air pollution have been counterproductive.

The second memorable documentary was presented on the PBS show Frontline and was entitled "The Jesus Factor". This program described the rise in political power of the evangelical movement and the manner in which George Bush used this power to attain the presidency.

[maryam]

Originally Posted by Jean_

There are two documentaries that I found remarkable:

The first was presented on the PBS show Nova and was entitled "Dimming The Sun". It described the effect of air clarity on global warming and, surprisingly, explained that some of our efforts to reduce air pollution have been counterproductive.

I haven't seen it, but I'm going to see if we can get it on the Roku via one of their services. It's interesting that you bring it up because I was talking with a group of people about where we were on 9/11. Both myself and a younger cousin (who was in kindergarten at the time) said that one of our strongest memories of that time was no planes. They had grounded planes worldwide and the atmosphere got so clear that it affected the average temperature that year. We both remember really blue skies and I remember going out to the observatory nearby with my telescope to take advantage of the incredibly clear skies that week.

Okay, in an effort to stay on topic.... I love Ken Burns but was disappointed in the Dust Bowl. I think he kinda phoned that one in. Jazz was much better! But the best one I've seen lately was the Machine that Made Us, which is about Johann Gutenberg. It was interesting to see what he went through. People were really freaked out by what he was doing and one of the biggest, scariest things about it was that parts of the ruling classes realized that more books, made cheaply would put more more information in the hands of the poorer classes. An educated populace was a scary thing!

[Kobi]

Originally Posted by Girl_On_Fire

Pink Ribbons, Inc. is a very eye-opening documentary about the dark side of the pink ribbon campaign for breast cancer.



Has anyone else seen it?

I ordered it after you posted this. Was an excellent movie containing much information to ponder about the treatment of cancer, the cancer/medical/corporation industry, the marketing of fund raising etc. Interesting and disturbing.

[Kobi]

Teddy Roosevelt.....an American Lion.

Another of those movies about a politician with a social conscience who saw, understood, fought for, and brought about changes in government, and redefined its purpose in the lives of the everyday person.

TR was quite a character who had no qualms taking on the captains of industry and loosening their stronghold on the American way of life. Fascinating man, fascinating philosophy, fascinating history.

[Girl_On_Fire]

Originally Posted by Kobi

I ordered it after you posted this. Was an excellent movie containing much information to ponder about the treatment of cancer, the cancer/medical/corporation industry, the marketing of fund raising etc. Interesting and disturbing.

I think eventually what it all boils down to is money. How to keep the wheel turning. It's the "sick care" industry in action. Sad, but true. A revolution is needed.

[always2late]

I just watched a short doc called "Birders: The Central Park Effect." I had no idea that so many species of birds made a stop in Central Park during their migrations! Now I'm thinking that a trip to NYC is definitely in order!

[dreadgeek]

In no particular order:

Cosmos -- Dated graphics but still a classic

The Elegant Universe -- If you want to know what quantum mechanics really is, what relativity really is and what string theory really is you can do absolutely no better than this.

The Fabric of the Cosmos -- If you want to know what space-time really is and where physics is, at present, this is where to go.

Inside North Korea

Kimjongilia -- More about North Korea

The God Who Wasn't There

Becoming Human -- If you want a better understanding of how Homo sapiens became what we are, this is a great place to start.

Guns, Germs and Steel -- Fantastic overview of why some societies are rich and some are not.

The Ascent of Money -- Fascinating look at how banking was invented. Also, one gets a treatment of the Rothchilds that is blissfully absent either the conspiracy theories or anti-Semitism that usually rears its head whenever this family is mentioned.

Science of Dogs

Dogs Decoded

The Medici: Godfathers of the Renaissance

The Crash of Flight 447 -- If for no other reason than there's the coolest demonstration of a phenomena called super-cooled air. A pitot tube in a wind tunnel is hit with air where the water vapor is cooled below freezing. No ice forms on the pitot tube. Then a tiny bit of dust is introduced and ice forms *instantly*. My writing does not do justice to how insanely cool this phenomena is.

Gunner Palace -- Fascinating look at the Iraq War.

Cheers
Aj