Documentaries...

POSTED BY: Kwicko
UPDATED: Thursday, July 29, 2010 01:47
VIEWED: 3413
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KWICKO

Saturday, July 24, 2010 3:53 AM

Okay, I'm bored with television, and I'm bored with movies, at least at the moment. I'm moving on to documentaries. I've started a list, but I'm looking for ideas on other things that I might have overlooked.

In the last couple weeks I watched Food, Inc. and The Fog Of War. Food, Inc. nearly brought me to tears.

On my list are

Who Killed the Electric Car?
Standard Operating Procedure
Gasland
Countdown to Zero
Waltz With Bashir
Why We Fight

and a few others. Gasland and Countdown to Zero are just out (Gasland on HBO, CtZ in theaters), so will likely have to wait until DVD release.

What others am I missing?

AURaptor's Greatest Hits:

Friday, May 28, 2010 - 20:32 To AnthonyT:
Go fuck yourself.
On this matter, make no mistake. I want you to go fuck yourself long and hard, as well as anyone who agrees with you. I got no use for you.

Friday, May 28, 2010 - 18:26 To President Obama:
Mr. President, you're a god damn, mother fucking liar.
Fuck you, you cock sucking community activist piece of shit.
... go fuck yourself, Mr. President.

PIRATENEWS

Sunday, July 25, 2010 7:59 AM

Fahrenheit 911
911 The Road to Tyranny
September 911 Surprise
Monopoly Men
America Freedom to Fascism
Hidden Wars of Desert Storm
Endgame

Beware Zeitgeist Juice

PIZMOBEACH

Monday, July 26, 2010 1:00 PM

Loves me some documentaries.

Last one we saw was Maya Lin - designed the Vietnam memorial in DC. Very interesting - you can imagine how vets didn't like the idea of an asian woman making their memorial, can't say I blame them.

Since Michael Moore, documentaries seem more about pushing an agenda or even an investigative journalist bent, which is fine and welcomed until it gets like some of Moore's last films, more about him. Trying to punk Dick Clark in a van in a deserted parking lot... my favs go back to the more purist fly-on-the-wall style.

anyway...

Food Inc. should be required viewing for anyone who eats food! Horrific - maybe that's why people don't want to watch it?

You could have a double feature with that and King Corn -
http://www.kingcorn.net/ More corporate food villainy and political corruption.

and wash it down with Beer Wars -
http://beerwarsmovie.com/ Did I mention corporate villiany? Yeah, this is more Moore. Well done though. They could have easily filmed one on Soda Wars, Coke v Pepsi.

Who Killed the Electric Car? Confirms that we consumers are weak and corps don't care about making great products. BUT, big picture, to expect them to care about anything other than $$$ is silly and naive.

For some old School documentaries, for the film maker who put the genre on the map, you should watch some Errol Morris films.
http://errolmorris.com/

Vernon, FL or Gates of Heaven

Sadly, those films are pretty flat now because of YouTube, I even see some Vernon, FL parodies ON Youtube.

Best new documentaries? An unlikely source: ESPN. Their 30 for 30 series - have not seen that many but the ones I have seen have been great.

http://30for30.espn.com/

The Two Escobars was incredible. 2 hour doc on Pablo and Andres Escobar about corruption and soccer in Columbia. I know, sounds DRY as hell! We started watching and could not stop. And I want the soundtrack.

HBO - I can't remember the name of the filmmaker, but HBO used to show films by this guy in NY (early 90's?), just himself on the street following petty criminals around watching them shoplift and miss their probation hearings, getting stoned and getting bailed out of jail.... more required viewing for all high school kids, like real life The Wire.

Scifi movie music + Firefly dialogue clips, 24 hours a day - http://www.scifiradio.com

BIGRICHARD

Monday, July 26, 2010 1:23 PM

A few more recent ones:

The Cove
Burma VJ
The English Surgeon
My Neighbour My Killer
Man on Wire
Collapse
Sergio
Encounters at the End of the World (Werner Herzog)

I can definitely personally recommend all of these, except for Collapse, which I am seeing this Saturday at the local film festival. I've heard nothing but great things about it though.

KWICKO

Monday, July 26, 2010 2:23 PM

Thanks, y'all.

Man on Wire is fantastic. I grabbed it the day it was released on DVD, just on prior good reviews I'd heard.

Errol Morris is high on my list, after seeing The Fog of War. I just picked up his "Standard Operating Procedure" yesterday, so I'll be giving that a whirl.

I've caught most of the Michael Moore stuff, and while he makes good points, more and more he just seems to be out to do gags and stunts. Fahrenheit 911 seemed to be his peak.

Loved Food, Inc., although it was very heartbreaking. Who Killed the Electric Car is also high on my list to watch soon.

AURaptor's Greatest Hits:

Friday, May 28, 2010 - 20:32 To AnthonyT:
Go fuck yourself.
On this matter, make no mistake. I want you to go fuck yourself long and hard, as well as anyone who agrees with you. I got no use for you.

Friday, May 28, 2010 - 18:26 To President Obama:
Mr. President, you're a god damn, mother fucking liar.
Fuck you, you cock sucking community activist piece of shit.
... go fuck yourself, Mr. President.

PDCHARLES

Monday, July 26, 2010 7:29 PM

I have seen a few of the ones mentioned here.
There are a few more good ones I've seen recently but cannot place the name ATM.

Here's a good one... Documents the explosion of gov't dollars towards the endless war on drugs. connections to iran-contra, private prisons, etc.

http://www.americandrugwar.com/

and another... this sheds a lil light on what is really happening in this region of the world. One shocking momment I recall, in a world of black magic, a Tutsi warlord/general goes to a room for prayer to a Jesus Christ effigy.

http://www.hbo.com/index.html#/documentaries/reporter/synopsis.html

BYTEMITE

Monday, July 26, 2010 7:52 PM

Quote:
HBO - I can't remember the name of the filmmaker, but HBO used to show films by this guy in NY (early 90's?), just himself on the street following petty criminals around watching them shoplift and miss their probation hearings, getting stoned and getting bailed out of jail.... more required viewing for all high school kids, like real life The Wire.

That does sound good, although can you get in trouble for not attempting to intervene in a crime in progress, if he's following these guys around and knows what they're up to? Seems like this is borderline accessory.

PIZMOBEACH

Monday, July 26, 2010 8:00 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by Bytemite:
Quote:
HBO - I can't remember the name of the filmmaker, but HBO used to show films by this guy in NY (early 90's?), just himself on the street following petty criminals around watching them shoplift and miss their probation hearings, getting stoned and getting bailed out of jail.... more required viewing for all high school kids, like real life The Wire.

That does sound good, although can you get in trouble for not attempting to intervene in a crime in progress, if he's following these guys around and knows what they're up to? Seems like this is borderline accessory.

He was making Film, obsessed by his muse, and probably didn't give a fig.

Plus, it would have just added to the film.

Scifi movie music + Firefly dialogue clips, 24 hours a day - http://www.scifiradio.com

PIZMOBEACH

Monday, July 26, 2010 8:13 PM

I'm not sure if these are the guys I'm remembering, but if not they have a very similar style and subject interest:

http://www.renaudbrothers.com/

"The Renaud Brothers are currently producing a one hour NBC special on Gun Violence in Chicago, Illinois. NBC News anchor Lester Holt will provide the on-air talent. The special will air this summer."

http://www.dctvny.org/documentaries/dope-sick-love

"Co-Produced by DCTV & HBO.

When you're a junkie, the money comes and goes - and so does the high. Do relationships stand a chance among addicts? Meet Matt & Tracy and Sebastian & Michelle - two NYC couples looking for love, and fixes, in all the wrong places.

A startlingly candid verité documentary, Dope Sick Love follows two drug-addicted couples as they eke out a bare-bones existence on the streets of NYC, desperately trying to score cash to pay for their next fix."

Scifi movie music + Firefly dialogue clips, 24 hours a day - http://www.scifiradio.com

OPPYH

Tuesday, July 27, 2010 3:44 AM

Great thread Kwicko.
I'm a documentary fanatic, and I may have a few new favorites after checking some of these out.

My favorites are:

-American Dream.

-Hoop Dreams.

-Stevie.

-American Movie.

-Crumb. My absolute favorite documentary.

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