Favorite Documentaries

[n3ro]

Name some of your favorites documentaries you have seen.

I recently saw Going Clear With Scientology which was pretty good.

Some memorable ones were HBO's Life Of Crime 1 and 2.

A&E's Underboss and Mob Hitmen.

[Air tree]

"Jiro Dreams of Sushi" was pretty great.

[Lpwl]

I'm currently watching "The Salt of the Earth" :

[Jokrik]

The Cove, it's like watching real life Ocean Eleven but not for casino

I'm gonna try Jiro

[nubbinator]

I'm not a huge documentary person, but I thoroughly enjoyed all of these:

• Spellbound - lighthearted and fun look at the national spelling bee
• Jesus Camp - disturbing documentary about kids at a fundamentalist Christian camp.  Reminds me of my childhood and the nuttiness there.
• Wordplay - same people who made Spellbound.  I fun look at the New York Times Crossword and crossword competitions.  Includes segments with John Stewart.
• Restrepo - straight forward no punches pulled look at a US outpost in Afghanistan.
• Exit Through the Gift Shop - documentary about the art world, namely Banksy.  Controversial since there are two schools of thought about it.  I'm of the school that it's a giant prank Banksy is playing designed to mock the art world.  Others believe it's serious.
• Marwencol - guy makes a little town for dolls and creates a world all around them.  Heartwarming and heartwrenching at the same time.
• Senna - an honest look at one of the greatest race car drivers of all time
• Pina - an absolutely stunning look at the life and choreography of the legendary Pina Bausch.  It's an almost too intimate at times, but also gives a beautiful look at her work and inspirations
• The Art of the Steal - an interesting look at the ongoing legal battles over one of the most important art collections in America
• The Queen of Versailles - simultaneously depressing and fulfilling.  It started off as a look inside the world of the rich and powerful and turned into an almost voyeuristic view of a family falling from wealth and their world collapsing around them, even while delusions of wealth persist.  Leaves you feeling bad for them, yet, at the same time, feeling like they get what they deserved for being scumbags.
• Paperclips - a look at a school project about the Holocaust that turned into a massive project that no one could have predicted.
• The September Issue - a look inside the Vogue September issue and everything that goes into it.  It's been described as the real life The Devil Wears Prada.

I've also been meaning to watch The Artist is Present.  I've seen a clip where she met with a former lover and, even though no words were exchanged, it was one of the most emotional things I've seen in a long time.

[katushkin]

If you liked Restrepo, you would like Armadillo. It's about the Danes in Afghanistan, pretty kickass.

I loved:

The 30 for 30 series of shows about various sporting events and teams throughout the last 30 years or so.
Chef's Table - a set of 6 shows on Netflix about different chefs across the world, and their attitude towards food
Anything by Louis Theroux
World at War - Classic WW2 documentary narrated by the iconic Laurence Olivier. The best WW2 documentary ever made.
Stop at Nothing - a chilling look at the story behind Lance Armstrong's rise, fall, rise and fall again in the world of cycling. Really shows his dark side, and just what incredible lengths him and his team went through to cheat their way to the top.
The Smartest Guys in the Room - Documentary about Enron, and how the half a dozen people at the top of the tree ****ed over everyone who worked for them

[fohat.digs]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lessons_of_Darkness

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Gatekeepers_%28film%29

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dBa8bS_vZkM

[nubbinator]

Armadillo was meh for me.  Korengal was good though.

I also forgot Bulletproof Salesman.  Interesting movie.

[katushkin]

Armadillo was meh for me.  Korengal was good though.

I also forgot Bulletproof Salesman.  Interesting movie.

I've got Korengal on my list on Netflix. I should really watch it.

[wlhlm]

What I've enjoyed:

• Smash Bros Documentary
• Press Pause Play
• Indie Game: The Movie
• Reformat the Planet (about the Chiptunes scene in New York)

[iamtootallforthis]

Bigger, Stronger, Faster- From imbd- "An examination of America's win-at-all-cost culture from the perspective of bodybuilding and performance enhancing drugs, as it focuses on a pair of siblings chasing their dream."
Bontoc Eulogy
Waltz with Bashir- Highly recommend
Titicut Follies

[katushkin]

Pumping Iron as well. Those guys in the 70s were insane.

[iamtootallforthis]

Pumping Iron as well. Those guys in the 70s were insane.

Generation Iron as well. About the newer generation.

[hwood34]

"Jiro Dreams of Sushi" was pretty great.

+1

the cove was good too

[Darkside]

• Planet Earth: Incredible nature documentary series about our planet and the different habitats it contains. Probably my favorite nature documentary of all time.
• Dear Zachary: If you want to watch this one, do not read about it beforehand or watch any trailers. That's all I'll say about it.
• Citizenfour: This is a recent favorite of mine. It documents Edward Snowden and his journey from the moment the director (Laura Poitras) received his encrypted messages about NSA spying till the present day of him living in Russia.
• Witch Hunt: Dozens of innocent, working class parents in Bakersfield, California are wrongly convicted of child molestation.
  
  

[demik]

I'm not a huge documentary person, but I thoroughly enjoyed all of these:

• Spellbound - lighthearted and fun look at the national spelling bee
• Jesus Camp - disturbing documentary about kids at a fundamentalist Christian camp.  Reminds me of my childhood and the nuttiness there.
• Wordplay - same people who made Spellbound.  I fun look at the New York Times Crossword and crossword competitions.  Includes segments with John Stewart.
• Restrepo - straight forward no punches pulled look at a US outpost in Afghanistan.
• Exit Through the Gift Shop - documentary about the art world, namely Banksy.  Controversial since there are two schools of thought about it.  I'm of the school that it's a giant prank Banksy is playing designed to mock the art world.  Others believe it's serious.
• Marwencol - guy makes a little town for dolls and creates a world all around them.  Heartwarming and heartwrenching at the same time.
• Senna - an honest look at one of the greatest race car drivers of all time
• Pina - an absolutely stunning look at the life and choreography of the legendary Pina Bausch.  It's an almost too intimate at times, but also gives a beautiful look at her work and inspirations
• The Art of the Steal - an interesting look at the ongoing legal battles over one of the most important art collections in America
• The Queen of Versailles - simultaneously depressing and fulfilling.  It started off as a look inside the world of the rich and powerful and turned into an almost voyeuristic view of a family falling from wealth and their world collapsing around them, even while delusions of wealth persist.  Leaves you feeling bad for them, yet, at the same time, feeling like they get what they deserved for being scumbags.
• Paperclips - a look at a school project about the Holocaust that turned into a massive project that no one could have predicted.
• The September Issue - a look inside the Vogue September issue and everything that goes into it.  It's been described as the real life The Devil Wears Prada.

I've also been meaning to watch The Artist is Present.  I've seen a clip where she met with a former lover and, even though no words were exchanged, it was one of the most emotional things I've seen in a long time.

jesus camp was really ****ed up. i feel for those kids.

but at the same time, one of the greatest gifs came out of it

[baldgye]

The Wire

[n3ro]

Definately need to check out Jesus Camp, thanks for other suggestions also.

[beehatch]

Basically every single Louis Theroux documentary. All of them are on youtube except maybe the ones released this year and last.

[R1N3]

Dark Days

I rewatched it again last year and, for me, this documentary holds up.

[Signature]

I enjoyed jesus camp. Plaease don't watch the hammer maniacs, it scarred me for life...

[rowdy]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Life_After_People

[Air tree]

Basically every single Louis Theroux documentary. All of them are on youtube except maybe the ones released this year and last.

I really enjoy his documentarys, even more his early and more humorous and backhanded ones.