This is Current TV's list of "50 Documentaries to See Before You Die." So far I have watched 19 out of 50, in which I indicated below with an *. Looks like I have some work to do! The ones I have watched on this list have mostly been really good films. There are definitely documentaries I would take off this list and ones that I believe should have made the cut but this isn't my list. I linked the ones that are streaming on Netflix currently. They are the ones with the titles in orange. Hope this is useful to all you documentary buffs out there!
I have now watched well over 200 documentaries on Netflix. It's impossible to review them all as much as I'd love to. There is just no way I can keep up! So, I have decided to recommend a handful of movies you should consider watching every once in a while. These are movies that I have enjoyed but will probably never have the time to do a full review of them. Here are five documentaries that I think you might like!
Deliver Us From Evil
Release Date: 2006
Running Time: 1hr 43min
"This unsettling Oscar-nominated documentary from filmmaker Amy Berg investigates the life of 30-year pedophile Father Oliver O'Grady and exposes the corruption inside the Catholic Church that allowed him to abuse countless children. Victims' stories and a disturbing interview with O'Grady offer a view into the troubled mind of the spiritual leader who moved from parish to parish gaining trust ... all the while betraying so many."
This documentary is dark and disturbing, especially if you have children of your own, but fascinating. It does not make the Catholic Church look good at all but we must not be so quick to judge. I liked this movie but it may have been a little too much for me. It was also pretty long and felt like it. Check it out and tell me what you think!
7 out of 10 Jell-O Molds
The Education of Shelby Knox
Release Date: 2005
Running Time: 1hr 16min
"Small-town Texas teenager Shelby Knox becomes an advocate for sex education (and the local media's so-called "Sex Ed Girl") when she tries to improve the county's sky-high teen pregnancy rate by challenging her high school's policy of teaching abstinence. In this documentary from Marion Lipschutz and Rose Rosenblatt -- which uses footage shot over a three-year period -- the action unfolds almost effortlessly, revealing a stunning transformation."
The Education of Shelby Knox can be quite relatable if you are Mormon or Evangelical. This documentary explores whether or not we should be teaching abstinence in sex-ed or promote protection. Well if you want to know my opinion we should definitely be educating teens on how to use protection. This is also the opinion of Shelby Knox, a high school student in Texas who is trying to change her school's policy on how sex-ed is taught. This is a good movie. It's all about staying true to your beliefs, standing up for what you believe in, and equality of all people. It's a winner!
9 out of 10 Jell-O Molds
The Order of Myths
Release Date: 2008
Running Time: 1hr 17min
"Dating back to the 1700s, Mobile, Alabama's Mardi Gras celebration is the oldest in the country -- and it's still going strong today. With the annual event as its focus, this documentary explores the city, its mystical societies and race relations. Tens of thousands of enthusiastic revelers descend upon downtown Mobile each year to take part in a variety of colorful parades, balls and festivities. Margaret Brown's work was nominated for Best Documentary for the Independent Spirit Awards."
Wow! Talk about segregation still existing in America. This documentary uncovers how racism is still very present in the South. It's almost like they made this up in Hollywood. The white people are all rich, throw classy wine tasting parties on plantation-like mansions, and belong to secret societies. The black people are not invited to their Mardi Gras celebration and have a much lower budget and less fancy Mardi Gras. There are the white people's Mardi Gras king and queen representing the city of Mobile and the black people's king and queen representing the city. I watched this film because I remember watching a hilarious viral video of the people of Mobile Alabama thinking there was a leprechaun in their neighborhood. So I was naturally intrigued by a film based in this city. Check this movie out! (also see the viral video of the leprechaun below)
8 out of 10 Jell-O Molds
The Hollywood Complex
Release Date: 2011
Running Time: 1hr 24min
"The itch for stardom starts early in America, and this documentary captures the pressure of auditions on kids, shepherded by their obsessed parents. The hard truth is that the crowds of wannabe actors applying guarantee that few will find success."
Here's a film about crazy mothers chasing dead dreams of being famous Hollywood actresses through their children. Some are a lot more crazy than others of course but they all have unrealistic expectations and dreams. One little girl is from Colorado! She and her mother are probably the most sensible of the bunch. I'll let you in on a secret... none of the kids in the documentary become famous. So what!? This is a fun documentary to watch. This is the most light of all the documentaries on the list so tell me what you think after you watch it!
8 out of 10 Jell-O Molds
Please Vote For Me
Release Date: 2007
Running Time: 58min
"Though China's government is Communist, the third grade election for the prestigious position of Class Monitor at the Evergreen Primary School in Wuhan is being decided by a democratic vote. In this enlightening documentary, filmmaker Weijun Chen captures all the action as the three candidates -- two boys and a girl -- go all out to win: performing in a talent show, debating each other and delivering speeches to their classmates."
Democracy in a communist country! This documentary was funny. If you think elementary age children are sweet and innocent you are BLIND! Some of these children, particularly the boys running for Class Monitor, are brutal! They will do anything to win the votes of their classmates. The parents are just as bad. So did little Chinese children learn what democracy is all about or learn any sort of valuable lesson from participating in a class election? No. P.S. The fat boy is the best! He will go far. ;)
Release Date: 2005
Running Time: 1hr 40min
Rated: R
Bears are not your friend. I promise! I wish someone could have told that to bear enthusiast Timothy Treadwell. I'm sure you all remember Timothy, except you might remember him as the grizzly man. He's the one that got eaten by a grizzly bear a few years back. Yeah, that guy! It was a pretty big deal since everyone knew he spent his summers living among bears in Alaska's Katmai National Park and Preserve. I remember when this documentary actually came out. I was 16 or 17 years old. Everyone went to go see the movie to see if they would show Timothy getting attacked and killed by the bear since everyone believed there was “footage” of the tragedy. Well, this may be a spoiler alert but they DO NOT show the footage of the killing. Their camera was operating during the time of the attack but the camera lens was on so only audio exists. Oh and guess what! He wasn't the only one that got killed. His girlfriend, Amie Huguenard was also killed. So basically what I am saying is that it is poor judgment to encounter a bear...Anywhere!
The film is done by German director Werner Herzog. I've really enjoyed the other documentaries I've seen done from him. I thought he was French up until recently. He narrates all the movies I've seen of his and I swear he sounds like a French man. Apparently he is German. I guess I can't hear the distinction between German and French accents. Herzog's most recent documentaries include Encounters at the End of the World, Cave of Forgotten Dreams, and Into the Abyss, all of which are streaming on Netflix. They are definitely worth watching. Grizzly Man is one of Herzog's best.
The film is primarily original footage of Timothy Treadwell's adventures living in Alaska during the summer. Herzog extracted over 85 hours of raw footage that Timothy shot over the last five years of his life. He also interviewed friends and family members to make what is Grizzly Man. This film does not have many boring moments in it. Treadwell had distorted views on how he was saving the bears and was not afraid to express it to his camera. There would be moments in which he would be talking soft and gentle to the bears and all the animals that he lived with and the next shot of him freaking out completely, usually on how humans are not doing the right thing. He never clarifies why living with wild grizzly bears is helping save them. It didn't make sense to me. He felt that being near them, touching them, and giving them all names was protecting them. The bears were already protected though. Timothy spent most of his time on a preserve. There was no hunting of the bears where he stayed. He also wasn't going around and educating people about bears. He just liked to live like a recluse and stay in the mountains like a wild man. I wouldn't say Timothy Treadwell was all insane but at least half insane. You just have to judge for yourself. I think he was genuine and believed deeply in what he was doing.
Like I mentioned above, they do not show any kind of footage of Treadwell or Huguenard getting attacked nor do they play any of the audio but people who have listened to the attack describe it in the film. It's honestly a good thing that they didn't playback any audio because just what the people described happening was horrific. Timothy Treadwell's ex-girlfriend, who owns the tape with the attack, is told by director Werner Herzog to destroy it. I don't believe that she has done so but it's not a bad idea to completely get rid of it all.
This film was shocking, moving, and at times uncomfortable. I really liked it though! The content was just really intense. It was a well made documentary. I liked Herzog's Cave of Forgotten Dreams more than Grizzly Man but it definitely comes in at a close second place. I must warn that there are some swearing fits that Timothy has a few times in the film. He really gets upset! I have always felt that swearing within a movie is not as nearly as bad as violence or sex. It's funny how we can get so offended by someone using a swear word to express their anger but it's totally okay to see someone get shot in the back of the head. I don't swear and I usually am not around many people who do but it doesn't bother me that much. As long as the movie doesn't have excessive or really unnecessary swearing I'm not usually offended. That being said, there are probably a handful of people who would feel really uncomfortable with these parts of the movie. I do believe that these parts of the movie are necessary so we get an in-depth look into all the different sides of Timothy Treadwell, his best and his very worst. There isn't any sex or nudity and there isn't much violence other than two bears fighting each other, which is crazy awesome to watch, and Treadwell's angry outbursts. Technically, there isn't any gore as far as them showing much stuff but it is very intense in how they describe Treadwell and Huguenard's death. I have to give this movie 9 out of 10 Jell-O molds. It was really well made and is able to employ an emotional reaction to the film. Do I recommend it? Well, that is a tough question because I would highly recommend it to some and not so much to others. I recommend it because of it's wonderful editing, directing, and compelling story but don't recommend it to some because of it's intense content and profanity. This is a film that you should watch with your spouse or significant other. Use your ClearPlay filter to edit the movie if you need to ;)! Although, it might cut out all the scenes of them talking about the bear attack. I'm conflicted, because I really liked the documentary but it is definitely not for everyone. I guess my best advise is to watch at your own risk.
Imagine a country where hundreds...no, thousands of little girls are gymnasts and practice hours and hours everyday to participate in a spectacle in which they perform complicated routines in-sync in front of the entire country and their beloved leader. They believe that their leader was born on top of a holy mountain in a storm and that a bright star lit up the sky the moment of his birth. They have one television station run by the government and they have a deep hatred for The United States of America. If you're wondering if such a place exists, it does. It's a little place you might be familiar with known as North Korea. At the time that the film came out their leader was the late dictator Kim Jong Il.
In this documentary a British crew is granted permission to enter into the country that has been both mysterious and secretive for decades. Many fellow Americans assume that these people believe they are oppressed and live life with no freedom but the fact of the matter is that these people love the way they live and believe wholeheartedly in their communist lifestyle. Their leader is almost a supernatural being to them. It's actually quite astonishing to watch. They all are taught in school and in everyday life how revolting the Americans are. They believe that they should never stop fighting us because we will damage their way of life and ravage their country. Their hatred stems from the havoc America caused their country back in the 1950's. Let's just say they never forgot and we are seen as enemies forever to them. Because they live a communist lifestyle the government allocates where they live, what they watch, how they are taught, even where they can go. It's a very intriguing peek into these people's lives. They follow two young girls in the documentary practicing to be in what the country calls the Mass Games. These young girls, along with hundreds of other young children practice hours everyday for months in hopes of performing for Kim Jong Il. Wow! All I can say is wow... these people are a lot different from us.
This film grabbed me from the very beginning. The most fascinating element of the documentary was the love they feel towards their dictator. It's hard to imagine people living like they do in the world today. It's not like they are living out in the sticks or anything, but they have to get permission to do just about anything. Wouldn't it be crazy if you had to get permission to go an hour away to go visit your grandma?! Most of the people go to another city or region of the country only a handful of times in their lives. The games that they train for are a wonder to watch. It's all visually spectacular! This film really gives you a glimpse of how different people are compared to us in the world. I really thought this documentary was cool. My husband watched it with me as well. I think he also found it to be engaging. I seem to watch a lot of super cool documentaries by myself. Whenever I pick something to watch with my husband or someone else I am almost always let down! I don't know why I discover all the best documentaries alone. This time it wasn't the case. I was super happy about the quality of this film.
I give A State of Mind 8 out of 10 Jell-O molds. I thought it was a very interesting topic that doesn't hold any type of bias or judgment on these people's lives. It was a little slow in certain areas of the film but it was overall interesting. I like how they show how the people view the world and their everyday lives but it sometimes takes away what the focus is supposed to be on which is the Mass Games. The girls they follow don't seem to be particularly interesting or any more special than the other girls around them but it's not that big of a deal. The real focus isn't necessarily the riveting personalities of the girls but how people in North Korea live and their Mass Games. Because of the context of the film I would say this is Bishop approved. I would feel fine watching it with my Bishop and probably President Monson but it is a kind of mature subject manner so that's why I'm not going as far as Thomas S. Monson approved. I don't remember any swearing or violence in the film. There is definitely no sexual content. It's very informative and opened my eyes to some things that I didn't really know about. I would recommend it. Just don't watch it if you're feeling like you want something light and comedic.
So Larrin and I have been renting movies that are hard to get or that are not yet out on DVD on iTunes lately. We recently rented Cleanflix, a documentary all about the company Cleanflicks which edited out violence and swearing from movies for Mormons. Hopefully I can write a review for that sooner than later. The other movie we rented was Comic-Con: Episode IV - A Fan's Hope. It's a new Morgan Spurlock (the Super Size Me guy) film. It's the first film he's made that he isn't in. Anyway, in the Comic-Con documentary they feature a man named Chuck Rozanski who is the owner of Mile High Comics, America's biggest comic book store and distributor. Guess where Mile High Comics is located? None other than Denver, Colorado! It just so happened that their gigantic warehouse was open today to the public so we just had to go check out the biggest comic book store in America. I don't read comics but this place was super awesome! They had so many cool geek things and millions, literally millions of comics. It was a real treat. Oh, and guess who was there? The one and only Chuck Rozanski. My husband and I just had to go introduce ourselves and tell him we saw him in the documentary. So he might not really be a real celebrity but it was surreal meeting someone in real life when you just saw them in a movie you watched last night. We talked for a good ten minutes or so about the movie. He was a really nice guy and it was fun seeing and talking to him there. I didn't know if he would actually be there at the store today. It was pretty cool. Good day! If you like geeky stuff or are married to a geek like I am you would really enjoy this film. I loved it! I definitely recommend it. Check out this trailer and tell me what you think! Also below is the Mile High Comics website if you live in the Denver area and want to check it out.
Um....yeah. This is a film about dumpster diving. I was like, “Oh man, that sounds hilarious! I bet this will be pretty cool. My mom is here and she likes to salvage old things nobody wants. I bet she'll like this one!” Boy was I wrong. In fact my mother now thinks I have terrible taste in movies because we watched this.
My mother came up to Denver in December to be there when our baby was born. I convinced her we should watch a documentary one night as I was 9 months pregnant and didn't feel like doing much like most 9 month pregnant women are. I often like to randomly go through Netflix find titles I think are interesting and then read the synopses. I then usually look on www.rottentomatoes.com to see if anyone reviewed the movie and if the general consensus was favorable. Sometimes if I think the subject looks interesting enough I skip the step of looking it up. Also, sometimes movies just aren't reviewed. This was the case for this film. It wasn't reviewed, but I felt strongly enough to go through and watch it because of its subject. I was sort of embarrassed because I picked such a lemon. It just wasn't good. The only thing I'm glad about watching it is that it was parodied by the TV show Portlandia and it was hilarious (see below).
The movie is basically about a bunch of crazy people who get into dumpsters at grocery stores and take out thrown away food that is usually expired and take it home to their families to eat. These are not homeless people who don't have a choice either. These are young adults, may I use the use “hippie hipsters”, that have decent homes and jobs (maybe?). What I'm trying to say is that these people are not poor. They are just extreme environmentalists living in the city trying to convert you with their clipboards out in front of Starbucks trying to get you to sign a petition to save the rainforest. You know, those people. I'm sure I just offended someone reading this now! I don't hate these people I just think they are going about saving the Earth the wrong way and their tactics of converting people to be like them is just poor.
The documentary follows a couple families and their friends as they eat dumpster chicken that has been sitting out in a hot dumpster all day long. Honestly I couldn't keep track of who was who in this documentary. They try so hard to be different than everyone in society but they are all the same person in their little groups. Sorry, I can't tell any of you guys apart! The film is extremely biased and basically is propaganda to try to convert you to dumpster dive too. Really? Do you really think you can convince people to go get in a dumpster after watching this film? Their tactics of converting people is terrible. The people do seem to be genuine in what they believe in which is a good thing but it's just too extreme for me and I think most people.
I have to give this film 3 out of 10 Jell-O molds. I give them a 3 for effort and for believing in what they are doing. It is true that Americans throw out a ridiculous amount of food every year but going and getting it back out in a dumpster is not the way to change the way we live. I really wish that their message wasn't so extreme or I would totally be behind them. This is just not realistic. There isn't anything bad in the film just that it's poorly made. Technically you could watch it with anyone but I'm going to give it a watch with your spouse/significant other rating. Save yourself the embarrassment from watching it with anyone else. This film just wasn't for me and I'm afraid most people as well.
Have you ever wondered who the people
operating the muppets on Sesame Street and all the other Jim Henson
creations were? Well, you are in for quite a treat if you watch Being
Elmo: A Puppeteer's Journey. I grew up watching Sesame Street and
have always loved the Muppets. If you at any point in your life you
have watched any of Jim Henson's shows this would be a very
interesting documentary to watch.
The movie follows the man who operates
and voices one of the most recognizable and beloved muppets: Elmo. If
I had to guess I would figure Elmo's voice came out of a soft and
gentle woman. Instead Elmo's puppeteer is a bald sort-of tough
looking black male named Kevin Clash! It is so weird to hear the
voice of Elmo coming out of this man's mouth. The documentary tells
Kevin Clash's story and how he became a puppeteer, including his
relationship with Jim Henson. Kevin came from very modest beginnings
in Baltimore. He was teased by kids in the neighborhood because of
his interest in becoming a puppeteer, but the teasing stopped when
Kevin was able to land a television spot on a local television show
in Baltimore. Kevin's ultimate goal was to become part of Jim
Henson's family of puppeteers. He was able to form a relationship
with one of Jim Henson's puppet-builders, Kermit Love, and the rest
was history.
The film is heart-warming, I dare say,
in a good way. Kevin is able to bring a few pieces of felt to life
and bring joy to so many children. The most awesome thing to watch is
how the children react to Elmo when he operates the puppet. The kids
don't even acknowledge that Kevin's hand is in the puppet and that
he's making Elmo talk. The children just absolutely adore Elmo and
it's sort-of touching. I really enjoyed this film. I'm actually not a
big Elmo fan but I don't think you need to be to like this
documentary. Kevin's story is really amazing. Elmo's story and how he
came to be is super interesting. Watching the children interact with
Elmo is touching and how Kevin is able to mentor and use Elmo to do
good in his community is awesome.
I would find an hour and a half of your
time to sit down and watch this one. I highly recommend it! I give
this film 9 out of 10 Jell-O molds and it is definitely Thomas S.
Monson approved. I watched this documentary about a month or two back
so my memory has faded some on everything that occurs in the film but
I can't think of anything questionable or uncomfortable in it. I'm
pretty sure this is family friendly through and through. I kind of
feel like I keep writing about all the awesome documentaries and that
I say you should watch all of them but I swear there are plenty of
films I didn't care too much for. I just want you all to know about
all the cool ones first! I promise I'll write about one I didn't care
for soon. Trust my judgment guys, this is a great one to watch!
