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Let's talk about some documentaries (every ep of Connections available for free!)
Rankenphile
Passersby were amazedby the unusually large amounts of blood.Registered User, Moderator Mod Emeritus
Passersby were amazedby the unusually large amounts of blood.Registered User, Moderator Mod Emeritus
I've had some bullshit flu for like this whole week, so the only thing I've been able to really do is get caught up on television and movies. When I'm feeling particularly shitty, I always reach for documentaries and educational content, because I'm a giant nerd and that's what I like. So let's talk about some good documentaries and series, especially ones available on the various streaming subscription sites.
Personally, I love documentaries about travel, art and culture. Especially travel. For some reason I am obsessed with adventure documentaries about travelling the open road. A couple I've been going through recently:
180 Degrees South: Conquerors of the Useless
A particularly pretty and interesting journey where a guy hops a boat and travels to Patagonia to hike up some crazy mountain, stopping at Easter Island and having basically the perfect life along the way.
Top Gear UK
I like Top Gear, especially their travel episodes. In particular, however, their Vietnam special was mind blowing. Absolutely incredible. I'd never realized what an incredible and diverse landscape it was, and I must have watched that particular episode four or five times. A friend of mine that I work with was actually inspired by that episode to take the same trip, and completed it a few years ago. Even if you don't care for the Top Gear hosts (and I wouldn't blame you), the Vietnam episode is worth giving it another chance.
Long Way Round
International Handsomeman Ewan McGregor and his bug-eyed pal Charley Boorman take a 20,000 mile motorbike ride from London to New York by heading east, through 12 countries over the course of 115 days. Still working my way through the series and enjoying it thoroughly. Years later they made another series, Long Way Down, where they basically rode from London to Cape Town, South Africa. Baller as hell. Both series are available on Netflix.
Feasting on Asphalt
I fuckin love Alton Brown and his work. Feasting on Asphalt is the complete dream for me. Exploring small town America by way of back woods highways and diners. Unfortunately, I can't seem to find it streaming anywhere. Anyone know a good source?
Of course, there's other types of documentaries I recommend, including:
The Other F Word
A look at how a bunch of punk rock musicians deal with raising a family while also trying to reconcile the conflict of their anti-authoritarian lifestyle with being an authority figure by necessity. Frequently hilarious, often heart wrenching. Duane Peters of US Bombs, in particular, is incredibly candid, but Fat Mike of NoFX and Fat Wreck Chords steals the show in every scene he's in. Also for some reason it has a lot of footage of that dude from Everclear, which seems a little out of place. It also follows Jim Lindberg of Pennywise and his personal struggle with touring and being away from his family. I saw it in the theater when it came out in 2011, really glad to see it showed up on Netflix.
Nitro Circus: The Movie
In the same vein as Jackass with a little less dicks and poop, Nitro Circus is basically Travis Pastrana and his buddies doing dumb-ass stuff to entertain each other, risking life and limb and looking super badass in the process. I can't get enough of this shit.
Jackass
Of course. The fucking epitome of dumb dudes doing anything for a laugh. Yeah, Bam Margera is a spoiled little asshole, but who cares? Laugh at him when he gets hurt and cries. Marvel at the unique insane genius that is Johnny Knoxville. Wonder what pit of hell spawned the human nergling Steve-O. Watch Ehren McGhehey fail stunts over and over again and get really, really hurt. Watch Dave England take another poop. Miss Ryan Dunn and be mad at him for driving drunk like an asshole. Jackass is basically the perfect fucking American documentary. This is what you fought and died for, Baby Boomers. This is your legacy.
That's a bunch, but there's a shitload more out there. What do you like?
Personally, I love documentaries about travel, art and culture. Especially travel. For some reason I am obsessed with adventure documentaries about travelling the open road. A couple I've been going through recently:
180 Degrees South: Conquerors of the Useless
A particularly pretty and interesting journey where a guy hops a boat and travels to Patagonia to hike up some crazy mountain, stopping at Easter Island and having basically the perfect life along the way.
Top Gear UK
I like Top Gear, especially their travel episodes. In particular, however, their Vietnam special was mind blowing. Absolutely incredible. I'd never realized what an incredible and diverse landscape it was, and I must have watched that particular episode four or five times. A friend of mine that I work with was actually inspired by that episode to take the same trip, and completed it a few years ago. Even if you don't care for the Top Gear hosts (and I wouldn't blame you), the Vietnam episode is worth giving it another chance.
Long Way Round
International Handsomeman Ewan McGregor and his bug-eyed pal Charley Boorman take a 20,000 mile motorbike ride from London to New York by heading east, through 12 countries over the course of 115 days. Still working my way through the series and enjoying it thoroughly. Years later they made another series, Long Way Down, where they basically rode from London to Cape Town, South Africa. Baller as hell. Both series are available on Netflix.
Feasting on Asphalt
I fuckin love Alton Brown and his work. Feasting on Asphalt is the complete dream for me. Exploring small town America by way of back woods highways and diners. Unfortunately, I can't seem to find it streaming anywhere. Anyone know a good source?
Of course, there's other types of documentaries I recommend, including:
The Other F Word
A look at how a bunch of punk rock musicians deal with raising a family while also trying to reconcile the conflict of their anti-authoritarian lifestyle with being an authority figure by necessity. Frequently hilarious, often heart wrenching. Duane Peters of US Bombs, in particular, is incredibly candid, but Fat Mike of NoFX and Fat Wreck Chords steals the show in every scene he's in. Also for some reason it has a lot of footage of that dude from Everclear, which seems a little out of place. It also follows Jim Lindberg of Pennywise and his personal struggle with touring and being away from his family. I saw it in the theater when it came out in 2011, really glad to see it showed up on Netflix.
Nitro Circus: The Movie
In the same vein as Jackass with a little less dicks and poop, Nitro Circus is basically Travis Pastrana and his buddies doing dumb-ass stuff to entertain each other, risking life and limb and looking super badass in the process. I can't get enough of this shit.
Jackass
Of course. The fucking epitome of dumb dudes doing anything for a laugh. Yeah, Bam Margera is a spoiled little asshole, but who cares? Laugh at him when he gets hurt and cries. Marvel at the unique insane genius that is Johnny Knoxville. Wonder what pit of hell spawned the human nergling Steve-O. Watch Ehren McGhehey fail stunts over and over again and get really, really hurt. Watch Dave England take another poop. Miss Ryan Dunn and be mad at him for driving drunk like an asshole. Jackass is basically the perfect fucking American documentary. This is what you fought and died for, Baby Boomers. This is your legacy.
That's a bunch, but there's a shitload more out there. What do you like?
Rankenphile on
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Documentary about fracking from a guy with a banjo and gas mask. Horrifying, but good.
The Last One, about the last batch of appalachian moonshine made by one of the last prohibition-era moonshiners. Awesome stuff.
I really liked this movie when I saw it: following 8 kids training for and competing in the national spelling bee.
It's crazy how tense and stressed out they get over this competition.
Fog of War, on the other hand, is a pretty dang gripping table about Robert McNamara's time as an important guy. It's also on YouTube in its entirety.
Jiro Dreams of Sushi
a sweet doc about the best sushi chef in the world, just beautiful
Le Cirque: A Table in Heaven
doc about a stellar restuarant in nyc and the stress of everyday business. I've eaten there before, it was divine!
I also found Helvetica a bit on the boring side despite still finding it interesting. I enjoy Gary Hustwit's other two docs Objectifed and Urbanized a lot more, especially Objectifed.
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The Kings of Pastry talks about the highest award given to pastry chefs in France, and possibly the world. Only 16 people compete in this version of the awards, that is only held once in 4 years. It is very interesting to see people invest their whole life into this pastry.
An interesting look into performance art,
Marina Abramović: The Artist is Present is a documentary about an exhibit at MOMA that consists solely about sitting opposite the artist for several minutes, saying nothing, which continues for several months.
Louis Theroux has made a large amount of documentaries about the edges of society, both western and global, where he intentionally comes close and remains opinionated, though almost always respectful. From WCW wrestling, to porn stars, to death row, zionists in the west bank and law and disorder in Johannesburg.
One of the most headshaking episodes is the two parter on a Miami Jail.
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PSN- AHermano
Also in the travel well not documentary but series I like all of Paul Mertins series especially the one he did in India.
Whores' Glory is one documentary that I've watched recently that I thought was very well done. It's available right now on Netflix streaming, their description is:
"This compassionate documentary examines the daily routines and experiences of prostitutes in Thailand, Bangladesh and Mexico."
It's a very raw documentary (not in a bad way, just very straight to the point and unashamed), and incredibly interesting.
Orgasm Inc. is another that comes to mind, it takes a look at the pharmaceutical industry and the efforts of that industry to create/capitalize on 'female sexual dysfunction'. Has some very funny moments despite being about a fairly serious topic. It is also (at the time I write this) available on Netflix streaming.
Kimjongilia:
Senna:
Man on Wire:
Marwencol:
Terry Pratchett - Choosing to Die (2011)
Goes through the legalized euthanasia available to some, and shows the experience one might have when making use of those services.
Introduces you to a few different folks who have chosen this path, and their reasons for doing so.
e: after finding this again, i sat down to rewatch it. it's just so well done.
I can listen to that dude forever
On a more serious note, I really enjoyed Parking Lot Movie (which I think someone here actually recommended):
one of my all-time favorites: Heavy Metal Parking Lot, a half hour documentary filmed in the parking lot of a Judas Priest concert in 1986.
Which also reminds me, all three of the Decline of Western Civilization films are must-watches. Especially the first two, and especially the second one. Fun fact: they were all directed by Penelope Spheeris, who also directed Wayne's World.
Between the Folds is about Origami
both as art and application
it is freaking awesome
used to be on netflix streaming, only on dvd there now
I don't know if it is still on Netflix, but you should definitely watch Rivers and Tides. It's a slow burn, but the artwork that the dude does in there is absolutely stunning and beautiful, and is almost always out of found natural materials incorporated into their own landscape in amazing and simple ways.
I like Not Rated, but it's a rather disingenuous kind of filmmaking.
The Century of the Self is a long but interesting documentary on how marketing and propaganda married to birth Public Relations at the start of the 20th century by trying to exploit human behavior. There are successes and failures in regards to that.
it's about an Australian documentarian who wants to stop a mining company from mining coal seam gas in her suburb, so she tries to do a documentary about it but she can't get interviews with anyone in the mining company
so eventually she says 'fuck it' and says she'll just make a propaganda film against coal seam gas miners, but she doesn't really know how to make a propaganda film. so she decides to go to learn from the masters
and goes to North Korea
so she meets all these North Korean filmmakers and they're fucking hilarious and awesome and she makes a short film based on all of Kim Jong Il's rules for film directing, because of course he had rules for film directing
it's really, really, really good
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b01k0fs0
I'll second Whores' Glory, if you can stomach both the topic and the incredibly rough lives being depicted. It's done almost entirely without judgment and, yeah, really interesting.
They have a massive empire of fashion and hipster nonsense media that is generating huge amounts of money that is being poured into some of the best investigative journalism on the planet. It's kind of amazing.
The Atomic Cafe is a classic, black humorous American documentary film from 1982. I'm positive this film and its brand of humor had a lot of influence on the Fallout series.
Dark Side of the Moon is a 2002 French fake documentary which makes the claim that the footage of the moon landing was recorded in a studio with help from director Stanley Kubrick. It features "guest appearances" from such people as Christine Kubrick, Henry Kissinger and Donald Rumsfeld. At its heart, it's a showcase of the deceptive techniques available to documentary filmmakers and other media creators. I watched this a long time ago and also in a version which retained the original element of misleading subtitles, so I don't know how well it holds up!
by which I mean I really expect to be emotionally scarred by Blackfish
I can't find a way to tell her it's fake without being an asshole.