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10 Documentaries You MUST See
May 21, 2008 Posted in Buzz
There is something to be said for a film made for more than pure entertainment. I’ve always loved non-fiction, and therefore, I’ve long been a shamelessly flamboyant fan of the documentary. Since I find that a lot of people get lost in the whirlwind of Hollywood mainstream film, I’ve put together this list of documentaries you MUST check out.
DiG! Captures 7 years, via intimate footage, of the bands The Dandy Warhols and The Brian Jonestown Massacre. It details their trials and triumphs and struggles and successes. More importantly, it provides for a real, first hand look of how difficult being in a band can actually be.
Following eight teens who are on a mission to win a spelling bee, this movie introduces the viewers to the kids’ parents, their practice routines, and the generally weird world of competition spelling.
You may be a fan of Adrian Grenier, or you may not. Regardless, his documentary is amazing. It is about his quest to find his father, who he grew up without. It’s emotional and simultaneously intelligent.
Even if you ARE religious and a firm believer in Christianity, particularly Pentecostal beliefs, you should still see this movie. It documents children who are away at ‘Jesus’ Camp. It’s intense, informative, and a total must see.
Didn’t you want to be a ballroom dancer when you were in grade school? No? Well, some New York City public school kids did and this film follows them around and shows their determination to make something of themselves…by dancing.
You may or may not agree with everything this film presents to you, but I still think you need to see it. It helps you to question basically everything you have ever known and if nothing more, it will give you some perspective.
Some people in L.A. dress up as superheroes every single day of their lives. They make their money through tips. It’s pretty ridiculously amazing and this film allows you to get into the head of L.A.’s best known superheroes.
Two crazy lovers are so passionate about each other (and emotionally destructive) that a woman actually returns to her lover 16 years after he blinds her by throwing acid in her face. If you think your relationship is insane, check out this movie.
Don’t like Bob Dylan? Doesn’t matter. This film is a classic. It is shot beautifully and trails Dylan’s career.
What if you adopted 11 kids? And what if they were all special needs children? This film follows a woman around who has admirably done just that.
[Got any other Doc recommendations? Let us know!]
Tell us what you're thinking...
Lindsay Lohan's New Photo Shoot Is Full of Cleavage
Someone Tried to Extort The Duggars… So They'd Be Cancelled
So Snoop Dog Recorded a Rap About Porn
Lady Gaga Is Starting a Social Media Site for Her Fans
Kris Humphries Has Some Interesting Divorce Demands
kristen says:
Wed, 21st May 20085:15 am
my kid could paint that
and
devils playground
are both amazing documentaries as well
imdb them
B says:
Wed, 21st May 20085:24 pm
My mom is watching Jesus Camp right now. Weird, ha.
Any who, I think everyone should also see Paper Clips. It had me in tears at the end.
swan_pr says:
Wed, 21st May 20085:44 pm
The revolution will not be televised
Why we fight
War made easy
Wal-Mart: The High Cost of Low Price
Who killed the electric car
New York Doll
Claire says:
Wed, 21st May 20087:23 pm
"Girls Like Us" is fantastic. It's from the 90s, but it won a ton of awards.
Hillary says:
Wed, 21st May 20089:02 pm
The Trials of Darryl Hunt is phenomenal.
Jessica - FSU says:
Thu, 22nd May 20084:13 am
I second Devil's Playground and Crazy Love.
My documentary tastes seem to lean towards intensely depressing because my favorites are probably the Paradise Losts 1 & 2 about the West Memphis Three and the murders in the Robin Hood Hills.
Capturing the Friedmans and Deliver us from Evil also (but probably not in the same night.)
Derek says:
Thu, 22nd May 20086:24 am
also OutFoxed is a good one.
arie says:
Fri, 23rd May 200810:38 am
Thin – HBO doc follows several women in an inpatient eating disorder facility.
Mike says:
Fri, 6th Jun 20085:56 am
You can watch most of those documentaries on http://www.johnlocker.com
IMReader says:
Sun, 19th Apr 200912:46 pm
I'm going to have to disagree with you on What the bleep Do We Know. I think it can really only confuse most people, labeling quackery as quantum physics.
a_rhodes says:
Sun, 19th Apr 20093:39 pm
Under Our Skin
Comrade Ampersand says:
Sun, 19th Apr 20094:08 pm
I love Jesus Camp.
Also Grizzly Man is a must see, even if the reasons include some of the worst narration ever and a dude that gets eaten by a bear (its one of those movies that is a lot better than it sounds). Always good for a laugh or two.
devine says:
Sun, 19th Apr 20096:59 pm
i think everyone should see taxi to the dark side paper clips was brillent to
Lugh says:
Sun, 19th Apr 20098:07 pm
Zeitgeist
Zeitgeist: Addendum
Some of the stuff is out there. Requires a lot of fact checking but the 10% that I have verified is more than enough for me.
Toxis says:
Mon, 20th Apr 20091:26 am
don't bother with |what the bleep do we know" its a movie created by a sect
to promote it's believe system which is totally bogus. Almost all the "facts" that they show there are bogus. There's only one real scientist there, who said that his interview was edited, cut and that was not that he meant. The other "scientist" show there are the members of this sect. One of them is chiropractor
so yea, don't waste your time on this ^&%$&%t I can't however comment the other mentioned above, coz i haven't seen them
Doc Lover says:
Mon, 20th Apr 20092:05 am
"Paragraph 175" is an engrossing and emotional journey.
from Wikipedia-
"The film chronicles the lives of several men who were arrested by the Nazis for homosexuality under Paragraph 175, the sodomy provision of the German penal code, dating back to 1871.
Between 1933 and 1945, 100,000 men were arrested under Paragraph 175. Some were imprisoned, others were sent to concentration camps. Only about 4,000 survived.
In 2000, fewer than ten of these men were known to be living. Five come forward in the documentary to tell their stories for the first time, considered to be among the last untold stories of the Third Reich."
shawn says:
Mon, 20th Apr 20092:05 pm
MonsterCamp, American Movie and American Beer are also good.
Emily says:
Mon, 20th Apr 20092:49 pm
Mickey Mouse Monopoly is a good one.
Brendan says:
Mon, 20th Apr 20094:19 pm
I'm surprised nobody has mentioned Murderball. I teared up throughout the film.
Patrick says:
Mon, 20th Apr 20094:34 pm
The Endurance – Ernest Shackleton Story
This documentary should be seen if you have an adventurous spirit. Original footage of an expedition to Antarctica gone wrong. Not one of them died when they all should have.
Qua says:
Mon, 20th Apr 20094:43 pm
This Film is Not Yet Rated is one of the best documentaries ever made.
Travis says:
Mon, 20th Apr 20094:46 pm
Check out Darius Goes West at http://www.dariusgoeswest.com
Its about a boy with muscular dystrophy who, at age 15, has never left his town of Athens, Georgia. MD is the number one killer among children in the world, and his brother died of it when he was 19. Several UGA college students take Darius on a cross-country trip, documenting the adventure while spreading the word about MD and handicap accessibility in America. He's now 19 and going strong.
I definitely recommend this documentary. THE best I've ever seen. As an added bonus, $17 of the $20 DVD goes to the Charlie Fund to find a cure, while the other $3 goes to make more DVDs!
Cyclonus says:
Mon, 20th Apr 20096:16 pm
I like
Wal-Mart: The High Cost of Low Price
Zeitgeist
and Super High Me
Omar says:
Mon, 20th Apr 20096:16 pm
The F Word has some interesting documentary on the usage and history of that word, with a lot of great commentary from people like Hunter S Thompson and Alanis Morissette, among many many many others.
This Film is Not Yet Rated is just maddening. The documentary takes a look at the Motion Picture Association of America and its COMPLETELY ARBITRARY rating system. After seeing this, I started completely ignoring film ratings.
laubklein says:
Mon, 20th Apr 20096:25 pm
My ten are:
The Times of Harvey Milk
Why We Fight
No Direction Home
Sherman's March
Berkley in the Sixties
The Last Waltz
Seeing Red
Capturing the Friedmans
The Weather Underground
Manson
Thin Blue Line
Strange List two by Scorsese and one by Morris…Oh Well…
laubklein says:
Mon, 20th Apr 20096:27 pm
This Film is Not Yet Rated…
completely arbitrary or a submission of female sexuality…that's what I saw in that film…rampant sexism…but maybe I'm nuts…always possible…
Mike says:
Mon, 20th Apr 20096:31 pm
How about Fog of War? Its pretty much just an interview with MacNamara, but its fascinating and pretty frightening.
And Zietgeist isn't a documentary, its a goddamn conspiracy theory. You can't make a documentary out of speculation
Matt says:
Mon, 20th Apr 20096:33 pm
Murderball.
nathan says:
Mon, 20th Apr 20096:55 pm
i just saw "Anvil! The Story of Anvil" last night and i thought it was one of the best documentaries i have ever seen. the real life spinal tap except you actually want them to succeed
Zach says:
Mon, 20th Apr 20098:10 pm
What the Bleep do We Know is actually very inaccurate. Many of the facts cited in that film that apparently show how little we understand about the universe are not entirely true. The portrayal of the Heisenberg Uncertainty Principle is particularly misleading.
Joshua says:
Mon, 20th Apr 20098:57 pm
PLEASE do not tell people to watch What the -BLEEP- Do We Know? The movie is an ignorant fusion of partial-fact, complete fiction, and an iTunes visualizer. The movie was written and created by members of a New Age community, not scientists or anyone with any understanding of the concepts they invent explanations for. The real problem with this movie is how simply the concepts are stated. No legitimate science source is available for the layperson in the same accessible format as What the Bleep. Resist the urge, and don't watch this crap.
Adam says:
Mon, 20th Apr 20099:00 pm
Tarnation
Its a doc about a child raised by his grandparents and mother, who has severe mental illness. It is very touching and at times frightening.
Tom says:
Tue, 21st Apr 200912:19 am
King of Kong: A Fistful of Quarters
A hilarious insight into the world of retro arcade gaming. Totally gripping.
Jake says:
Tue, 21st Apr 20096:34 am
dark days
Jonas says:
Tue, 21st Apr 20098:57 am
Land of Night and Fog. It was filmed in 1956 and is about the Nazi death camps. It was one of the first looks at the holocaust and is a must see for anyone interested in documentaries or the Holocaust
jay says:
Tue, 21st Apr 20099:47 am
religulous is one of the best documentaries i have ever seen. bill maher completely points out every hole in the bullshit known as religion and god
also watch a documentary on child soldiers in Africa – Invisible Children
gern says:
Tue, 21st Apr 200910:34 am
Sharkwater is also a must-see. The trade in shark fins is the second most profitable, right behind drugs, and just as abominable.
100 million sharks are killed EVERY YEAR, mostly for their fins to make shark fin soup. Ironically, shark fins have very, very little flavor. The soup is made with lots of other ingredients and the fins only add texture. It's a status symbol.
Ban finning! Boycott China!
oli says:
Tue, 21st Apr 200911:16 am
zeitgeist and money as debt, for sure…
Eric says:
Tue, 21st Apr 200911:19 am
Another AMAZING documentary is "Darius Goes West." It is one of the best movies I've ever seen and you all should check it out – dariusgoeswest.com.
Dallas says:
Tue, 21st Apr 200911:37 am
My Kid could paint, was spectacular
Walmart:High cost of a low price, is slanted but worth watching
NOBODY HAS MENTIONED?
SUPERSIZE ME
I am shocked actually.I guess people assume that everyone knows about it?
The Corporation, is really long but you should definatly watch it.
hedpe09 says:
Tue, 21st Apr 200911:40 am
i'd have put up loosechange911…
kdiddy says:
Tue, 21st Apr 200911:47 am
Dear Zachary: A Letter to a Son About His Father.
CRAZY good!!
Sharon says:
Tue, 21st Apr 200912:16 pm
Beyond The Gates of Splendor (2005) ~ excellent, awesome, touching, moving, beautiful story…..from NetFlix description:
This documentary tells the extraordinary story of five American missionaries who, in 1956, traveled to the Amazon basin of Ecuador, where they were killed by the Waodani, an intensely violent tribe of indigenous people. Upon learning of the murders, family members of the slain men took up the missionaries' work with the Waodani, ultimately bringing peace to the savage culture through their teachings of love and forgiveness.
Sdzing says:
Wed, 22nd Apr 20097:19 pm
Watch "Overnight" about the making of The Boondock Saints. It shows how being an asshole can ruin your life.
Scott says:
Tue, 28th Apr 20091:14 am
Nice list. Many of these docos are available on my site – Online Documentaries 4 U – all free streaming.
Austin says:
Sat, 2nd May 200912:14 pm
Zeitgeist Addendum in this list man?
Thats a must see…since it goes into the monetary system which is a major root cause of all corruption.
What the Bleep do we know? is pretty good as well, I am actually off to watch Jesus Camp now…sounds intriguing
chaospet says:
Wed, 6th May 200911:37 am
“What the Bleep Do We Know” is a horribly misleading film, full of lies and distortions of what Quantum Mechanics actually says. Please do not recommend it, all it does is spread confusion.
Other than that, good list.
znakomstva says:
Sun, 21st Jun 20097:06 am
знакомства
bumrodgers says:
Sat, 11th Jul 20098:44 pm
surfwise
crazy movie about this doctor how travels with his wife and litter of kids in a tiny camper. no school, just surfing. its shows how they grew up and what everyday life was like
bra boys
documents the notorious australian surf gang from there troubled beginnings to today. narrated by aussie actor russel crow.
Will says:
Wed, 5th Aug 20098:53 pm
Can't believe nobody's mentioned Waltz with Bashir.
Best film of 2008.
Erica says:
Sat, 19th Sep 20099:54 am
Super Size Me was a pretty good documentary also. I went to a seminar hosted by Morgan Spurlock and he was so nice, and gave us all the story behind the thought of this movie. I don't fast food anymore…
Did we all forget Michael Moore? I know some people hate him, but he does have some good documentaries out there…
spm-master spm-maste says:
Fri, 9th Oct 20095:03 am
SUPERSIZE ME
I am shocked actually.I guess people assume that everyone knows about it? http://tvoya.taynavkontakte.ru/
Tom says:
Thu, 29th Apr 20104:59 pm
Zeitgeist and What the Bleep are both pretty much fiction.
Zeitgeist is debunked in the following site and the author did a great job, very thorough. i'm not even going to get into What the Bleep, if you really care you can find the answers in Google, but the movie is more fiction than not.
http://conspiracyscience.com/articles/zeitgeist/
the more you know.
also seconding Religulous to be added to the list, it's a great example of how a documentary should be.
anon says:
Sat, 8th May 20106:27 pm
I love Jesus Camp as well because it helped me tell others about my personal experiences growing up Pentecostal (a stricter sect than the one in the movie though). Definently recommend, and take my word for it there are many children today in this "religion".
Christine says:
Sat, 2nd Jul 20118:45 pm
Waltz with Bashir is one of the best movies I've seen in a long time!
prof. brian damage says:
Thu, 29th Sep 201111:05 pm
You are an idiot if you bought into WHAT THE #$*! DO WE KNOW? look at the credentials of the people involved – Ramtha's School of Enlightenment? Yeah that is a completely reputable organization and not a bunch of space crazies just like scientologists.