Help- what are your favorite documentaries?

[pipersmom]

Word Wars.. about pro scrabble players.

The guy who did "Super Size Me" also did a series called "30 Days", I'm sure you could prob find it somewhere on the web.

 

[ogreenlee]

There was that comedian that did SuperHigh Me. lol

 

[Imzadi]

Is anyone here a filmmaker looking for ideas? Every few months or so someone shows up on the budget board who is afraid of losing their house but will not cancel their Disney trip.I think a documentary on this would be interesting and timely. Maybe it would help me understand the thought process, I dunno.

Somehow, I think Disney would get wind of that kind of documentary filming and put a stop to that one. They wouldn't want people coming to their financial senses.

I was up until 4am last night watching the 7 Up series. I am halfway through 21 now. To me, many of them look so much older than 21.

I thought that documentary had to give up on that project years ago as most of the children objected to being filmed as they got older, saying their privacy was being invaded and that they never had been given a choice when they were young. Is it still going? Have they been able to get enough footage of participants?

 

[DisneyLover83]

The producer of Super Size Me has another movie out called Food Inc. Dh and I watched it the other night and it was interesting. I am not sure I can grocery shop in the same manner after watching it!

 

[LoraJ]

Somehow, I think Disney would get wind of that kind of documentary filming and put a stop to that one.




I thought that documentary had to give up on that project years ago as most of the children objected to being filmed as they got older, saying their privacy was being invaded and that they never had been given a choice when they were young. Is it still going? Have they been able to get enough footage of participants?

It's still going. I think one dropped out completely from what I have read. And some skipped a few. Not sure. The last one I see is 49 Up. I guess there would be a 56 Up in 2012?

 

[starrzone]

You guys all rock! I am a self-described documentary NUT, and I love reading what people have watched, like and recommend. Please keep them coming, and ask friends, neighbors, and the mailman what they would recommend too!

 

[JR6ooo4]

of course don't forget the mock-umentaries.

spinal tap (about the rock band)
medusa (about madonna's movie)
best in show
waiting for guffman
incident at loch ness

what others...

Mikeeee

 

[JR6ooo4]

I also liked the director's wife's documentary of the making of apocalypse now.

Mikeeee

 

[starrzone]

of course don't forget the mock-umentaries.

spinal tap (about the rock band)
medusa (about madonna's movie)
best in show
waiting for guffman
incident at loch ness

what others...

Mikeeee

LOVE THESE!!!! They are a couple of my and my best friend's favorites. Eugene Levy and Catherine O'Hara are some Canadian comedy geniuses!

 

[OK!]

I actually had to look this up to find the name: "Mysteries of the Black Death"

http://www.amazon.com/Secrets-Dead-Mystery-Black-Death/dp/B00008G91B

An Inconvenient Truth
102 Minutes That Changed America
The First Saturday in May (sort of a niche appreciation, but still a good flick)

Ditto this one, as well as "Seven Days in September."

 

[N.Bailey]

Another good one is, Paper Clips.

Synopsis from Netflix:

Whitwell Middle School in rural Tennessee is the setting for this documentary about an extraordinary experiment in Holocaust education. Struggling to grasp the concept of 6 million Holocaust victims, the students decide to collect 6 million paper clips to better understand the enormity of the calamity. The film details how the students met Holocaust survivors from around the world and how the experience transformed them and their community.

http://www.netflix.com/WiMovie/Paper_Clips/70012789?trkid=1211017

My next one will be,
Roman Polanski: Wanted and Desired


I'm intrigued by anything from the Manson murders. I'm sure it goes way beyond that with Roman Polanski at the center, but that's my main reason for wanting to watch it.

 

[N.Bailey]

It's still going. I think one dropped out completely from what I have read. And some skipped a few. Not sure. The last one I see is 49 Up. I guess there would be a 56 Up in 2002?

I'm not sure if I saw 49 Up yet or not. I know they were skipping titles for what was available on instant watch. I thought I'd watched this one though. Is it the one where the guy who wanted to be a jockey bought a nice home in another country in Europe?

I might be wrong.

I know for one of them, 1 guy did decide to stop participating in the series. He said he felt like there was nothing left to add that he hadn't done at an earlier time. If that's what you're talking about, he did participate in the following 7 year episode. Maybe another backed out that I'm not aware of though?

I don't think they made the 56 one yet. 49 was released in '05 according to Netflix.

 

[LoraJ]

I'm not sure if I saw 49 Up yet or not. I know they were skipping titles for what was available on instant watch. I thought I'd watched this one though. Is it the one where the guy who wanted to be a jockey bought a nice home in another country in Europe?

I might be wrong.

I know for one of them, 1 guy did decide to stop participating in the series. He said he felt like there was nothing left to add that he hadn't done at an earlier time. If that's what you're talking about, he did participate in the following 7 year episode. Maybe another backed out that I'm not aware of though?

I don't think they made the 56 one yet. 49 was released in '05 according to Netflix.

Oh man. I meant 2012. Will correct.
I am on 42 now. 35 is not on instant watch.

 

[ogreenlee]

Oooh, I forgot about this one. This one is pretty cool!!

http://www.whatthebleep.com/

 

[N.Bailey]

Oh man. I meant 2012. Will correct.
I am on 42 now. 35 is not on instant watch.

That's what Netflix LOVES to do. While I liked the series, I didn't quite like it enough to wait on hard disks. The one guy does come back for 49 Up.

 

[N.Bailey]

BTW, if someone sees something they'd like to watch but it's not on instant watch at Netflix, check youtube. They have a few there. That's where I watched Ken Burn's Civil War and a newer movie (I don't think it was a documentary, but wouldn't swear to it), on Anne Frank.

 

[hellokitty86]

Grey Gardens! Hands down my new fave documentary.

That's what I was going to recommend! It is one of my favorites too.

 

[N.Bailey]

I just watched, Roman Polanski: Wanted and Desired and I am completely blown away. I never really studied his case (have researched the Manson murders to death), so most of it was new to me, but if you believe in the American justice system, you'll not be able to walk away from this feeling that he should be extradited back to the states to face sentencing and a possible jail term. This is one of the biggest cases of prosecutorial misconduct I have ever heard of. Even prosecutors have gone on the record with the illegal maneuverings from the judge in the case. I know documentaries are often 1 sided, but everyone from the victim, to the defense and everyone in between is well versed in how Polanski's rights were so clearly violated.

I'm all for punishment for illegal actions, but not at the expense of someone's right to due process. That's what is suppose to make the American justice system the best in the world.

http://www.netflix.com/WiMovie/Roman_Polanski_Wanted_and_Desired/70084138?trkid=1211018

 

[KikiFan]

Eh I would take that documentary about Polanski with a grain of salt. It's incredibly one sided and not totally accurate. Even on of the primary witnesses in the movie has now admitted that he lied.

Two of my favorites that I haven't seen posted here:

The Education of Shelby Knox. - it's the story of an amazing girl in Lubbock - trying to battle city hall and get sex education taught in the schools. This was at a time when the pregnancy rate in Lubbock lead the nation. It's a very interesting look at one of American's most conservative cities.

Man on Wire - it's the story of the French man that became obsessed with tight rope walking between the Twin Towers in NYC. Its all about how he trained for the event and what they went through to sneak into the towers and do the actual walk. The movie is packed with actual footage. It's really nice to see the towers in their original glory and to see the history not related to the tragic events.

And I just have to say how wonderful "Paperclips" really is. It's really about so much more the Holocaust - the really amazing thing is how this little back wards community was completely changed by the project.

 

[Peg In The Pound]

I just caught Spike Jonze's documentary on Maurice Sendak (Tell Them Anything You Want: A Portrait of Maurice Sendak). Incredibly beautiful and forlorn.