Your Favorite Documentaries

[RockOn]

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.

[aishah]

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

[Kobi]

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.

[DapperButch]

Originally Posted by Kobi

Dapper, it is out on dvd now. Ordered a copy from the library. I think I even saw free episodes on you tube.

I am still working my way through all the episodes. I liked all of the first disk - about WW2, Truman, Roosevelt, and Henry Wallace - a new hero in my book. Watched those episodes 3 times each - there was much pre WW2 history intersectionality to wade through.

Working on disk 2 now - the Cold War (boring me at the moment), the 50's, JFK, Johnson Nixon and Vietnam.

Great. I appreciate the information. Thanks!

[Kobi]

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.

[WildHorses]

Rabbit Proof Fence

[gotoseagrl]

Becoming Chaz
Prodigal Sons
Out Late
Titanic's Final Mystery
Bully

[Kobi]

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.

[Kobi]

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"

[Kobi]

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.

[Kobi]

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.

[C0LLETTE]

Shoah


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

[Kelt]

Originally Posted by Kobi

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.

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?

[Kobi]

Originally Posted by Kelt

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?

Yes, a library find.

[Kobi]

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.

[DapperButch]

Originally Posted by Kobi

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.
--------------

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.

[Kobi]

Originally Posted by DapperButch

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.

The documentary was done in 2013. Is out on dvd now. Here is the link

[CyberStud]

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.

[StillettoDoll]

This is one I saw recently , it's very good ! its about Bob Forrest and his addiction. a real talented man

[CyberStud]

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

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