I really like alot of the stuff Vice TV does. Granted there not full length documentaries, but at any rate, they have some episdoes on Netflix (The Vice Guide to Travel). Definitely recommend The Vice Guide to North Korea episode.
Great thread! I’m a big fan of documentaries. Thanks for all the recommendations so far. Some of my favorites have already been mentioned, so here are some that I don’t think have been mentioned in this thread yet: Mein liebster Feind - Klaus Kinski (My Best Fiend) Videocracy The Cove The Treasures of Long Gone John Hästpojken (The Horse Boy) Food, Inc. Bananas Bowling for Columbine Super Size Me Also... I really enjoyed the Planet Earth series.
I'm also a big fan of music documentaries. I see "The Devil and Daniel Johnston" and the Anvil doc has already been mentioned. I'd highly recommended those as well. On the top of my head, I'd also recommend these: Scott Walker: 30 Century Man Fearless Freaks Made in Sheffield - The Birth of Electronic Pop ‘DiG!’ The Last Waltz Metallica: Some Kind of Monster Don’t Look Back Also, the "Classic Albums"-series are quite enjoyable. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Classic_Albums
That's one of my favorites. The Human Planet series is also really good. Same concept except it shows different peoples and how they adapt to their environments.
<Seriously amazing! Marwencol You're Gonna Miss Me Salesman High School Miles Electric In The Realms of The Unreal My Best Fiend Another State of Mind ... to name just a few....
Just watched Oliver Stone's South of the Border last night. As someone who knows little about South American politics (or anything for that matter) I found it very interesting. I think it's very one-sided, but it's a side that goes unreported here so I can forgive Stone for not asking tough questions of Hugo Chavez and the other presidents of S.American countries. I think it tells you more about the United States than it does about S.America.
I looked through my collection and the only other one I thought people here might be interested in is "Confessions of a Superhero". http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1016164/ after watching the film, feel free to google for the video of Batman being disrespectful to tourists and getting his face smashed.
Doc's are my Fav's Great films Baraka King of Kong The Union Strain Hunters- Only on YouTube Exit through the gift shop Style Wars The Atomic Cafe + I just got watching one on Kurt and Courtney Love Called "Kurt and Courtney" not to bad. kinda goes into the controversy about Kurt may have been murdered
"Kurt and Courtney" is some nasty stuff. Love's father, what a creep! I get a kick out of the craziest conspiracy theory that came out of that movie, tough, namely that Love had El Duce murdered because he dared to suggest "the truth." Please.
Great skateboard documentaries: Chlorine - pool skating history Fruit of the Vine - super 8 lofi film Drive- Mike Vallely story visits Ian Mackaye / Dischord house We get some amazing documentaries on U.K. tv. Just watched an Arena special on crime writer James Ellroy that was outstanding called Feast of Death. http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b0 ... _of_Death/
For all the folks who dig the grizzly man, check out cat dancers http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1333635/ people who LOVE animals and LOOOOOOVE animals some more. wild cats and a love triangle. absolutely horrifying and completely impossible to stop watching. oh, and has anyone seen the K.A.R.P. documentary? A great NW band documentary worth checking out if it's in your city. http://karplives.com/schedule
Let's revive this thread a bit, there are so many worthy films that haven't been mentioned. One that I am suprised no one has brought up at all is Paradise Lost. I recently watched the full trilogy, now that HBO has released the final film. If you aren't familiar with them, they deal with the case of the West Memphis three. And if you have not followed the story then you definitely need to sit down and watch each of them. At over two hours apiece, it is an endeavour, but worth it. The case (and therefore the films) could drag on into a thread all by themselves - so I will try to keep it short. Scary stuff. Watch it with some friends and expect a lively debate. The justice system is a vital part of any organised society, and therefore rightfully deserves scrutiny.
my recent documentary watch list: King of Chinatown http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1651898/ the story of Justin Wong, US Street Fighter gaming circuit champion and some guy with a stinky powerglove riding his coat tails. Bringing Godzilla Down to Size http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1276943/ film about Toho's miniaturization technique, why they made films with a guy in a rubber suit, as well as the three actors who have worn the godzilla suits over the years. Manga Mad http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1796555/ I have not finished this one yet but it covers Japan's obsession with Manga.
Speedo http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0372536/ Murderball http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0436613/ American Movie http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0181288/ and the aforementioned Marwencol, all very worthwhile....
Well I won't be attending, but the arrival of Hot Docs always makes me pretty excited. North America's largest documentary festival, this year has a special focus on international themes. The festival kicks off today with screenings of Ai WeiWei: Never Sorry. So many great films, check it out if you can. http://www.hotdocs.ca/
It's so great that no matter how much time you spend poking around for interesting media with a unique approaches there will always be something else that just escaped your awareness and you wish had been a part of your life forever. I just stumbled on another such gem in Cane Toads: An Unnatural History (1988, Mark Lewis). I don't want to say too much about it, at only 47 minutes it's not like much of your time will have been wasted, but please trust me when I say that this engaging and hilarious little biscuit is the gentle and less-substantial cousin of Gates of Heaven and Vernon, Florida, the wholy un-cosmic kin of Fata Morgana, and would pair nicely as an antidote to Dead Alive. Oversold? Maybe, but I don't think my grin is going away any time soon.
I watched The Act of Killing over the weekend and am still recovering from it. Incredibly tough to sit through, but ultimately highly rewarding. A truly bold and brilliant humane and cinematic achievement. Blackfish is also mandatory viewing.
Has anybody seen Plastic Galaxy: The Story of Star Wars?? I watched a 10 minute sample a few months ago and I'm debating over the price of the DVD + shipping to Australia.. http://www.plasticgalaxymovie.com/ Shame they don't offer a digital download.. Picked up a couple of digital releases recently including Stripped (fantastic range of extras) and Rewind This! http://www.strippedfilm.com/ http://buy.rewindthismovie.com/
Some I've seen on Netflix that were pretty rad - With Great Power: The Stan Lee Story Fightville Heckler H.H. Holmes: America's First Serial Killer I Survived BTK Indie Game Bully A Band Called Death Jiro Dreams of Sushi Bones Brigade Erasing Hate Ray Harryhausen: Special Effects Titan Being Elmo
This just in: Hello folks. It’s been a long time since I’ve written to you. I’m doing it now because I’m offering a new film on my site and app called “Check It”. Check It is a documentary that I saw a little over a year ago at the Tribeca film festival here in New York. Steve Buscemi is an executive producer on the film and we were, at the time, winding up production of our series “Horace and Pete”. Anyway Pete, I mean Steve! invited me to a screening of this film and I went because he’s a good guy. The film knocked me right over. It was an amazing emotional ride. It was funny and moving, I learned a lot and it gave me a lot to think about after. "Check It" was made over 4 years. Directed by Toby Oppenheimer and Dana Flor. It’s about a gay black street gang in DC (the only one documented in the country) made up of kids who were living on the streets and easy targets for violence and harassment. They started this gang to protect each other. They made a family where they didn’t have one. It’s not an easy film. It takes on life right where the rubber hits the road. What made me love it was just the kids themselves. They are like any kids, like anyone’s children. They are trying to cope against terrible odds, they are funny and full of hope and life. Their lives are difficult and complex. They are very generous in sharing this with the filmmakers and you, if you watch the film. The film also portrays a wonderful guy who is a social worker and he looks after the gang and tries to influence them to have a better life. That guy is an inspiration. Also a young guy who teaches them fashion and is incredibly patient and focused, trying to teach kids who live on the streets, and give them guidance when all they’ve known is neglect and violence. Also there’s a guy who is teaching one of the kids to box. All these people are examples that show that the will to reach out and help someone with consistency and love is everywhere. Look, I know this isn’t what you’re expecting from me. Nor am I the guy you’re expecting to get this film from. I guess that’s why I’m doing this. When I saw this film, I knew that no one I know will ever see it. Documentaries are MUCH harder to make than the things that I do and they are FAR more expensive to the filmmakers in terms of their time and their lives and their emotional energy. And nobody much watches them. Those who do watch documentaries are usually people who are likely to be interested in the subject they cover already. But what a great value there is in showing people films about something that just isn’t on their radar. So that’s why I asked Steve, and Wren Arthur, who produced the film, if I could host "Check It" on my site so that lots of people can see it who may not have had it put in front of them. I do this with great confidence because it’s a powerful film and I know that, whoever you are, you’re going to love it. Check It can be bought, like everything else on my site, for 5 dollars. A simple pay and then download or stream process, or even more easily on my app, where you can just pay and watch with one click on any device or on your Apple TV. I cut together an introduction, mixed with their trailer, which you can watch on YouTube or you already have on your device if you have my app installed. Anyway, that’s it. I hope you all have a terrific summer. I hate the word terrific. But it just fits there so well. Best wishes, Louis CK
