Documentary Recommendations?

[alliwantistruth]

There was a topic about this on the old forum, which was really interesting to read, and to get some good ideas from - I thought it would be good to start it up again!

[paperbackwriter]

What types do you like?

[Zealous Lace]

If you're into medical documentaries one of the best to watch is called Anatomy for Beginners. The series is conducted by Dr Gunther von Hagens and Professor John A. Lee where they explain the main systems in the body (circulation, movement, digestion, and reproduction) through diagrams, human models, and -the most controversial aspect- live autopsies.
Here's a link to full episodes from Channel 4's YT:
http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLAD28807C7BBB0733
If you can handle the medical gore, the series is brilliant, unique, and very informative. There are also 2 more in the same (mind the pun) vein where Dr Gunther explores illness, and emergency medicine.

[melencolia]

If all you want is truth then go to cuttingthroughthematrix.com. Also listen to Roy Master's podcasts. At least that's what I do.

[melencolia]

... and vigilantcitizen.com

[meltymints]

I would really recommend Fat Head.. kinda low budget but it has good information. It's a response to Supersize Me, so it's about nutrition and food! I think it's on Netflix.. or it was at least.

[melencolia]

the last testament of george harrison.
creeped me the hell out, but it was interesting.

[alliwantistruth]

paperbackwriter: Ermmmmm I don't really know. A lot? I guess if I had to define it, I'd say I like ones that are a bit quirky, or health related, or science/history. - so meltymints yours sounds really interesting (health-related)
zealouslace: thanks! That sounds right up my alley!
melencolia : hahaha very funny, nice play on my UN ;p I will have a look at those suggested, thankyou

Oh you guys! You all have such good suggestions, and I want to watch them all now, but I have to go and be social this evening! </3

[melencolia]

Just as a warning.. cuttingthroughthematrix pretty much changed my life and made me super paranoid/a little depressed/socially awkward for about 2 years.

[Rosewynn]

Anyone see any interesting documentaries lately?

I am hoping to get some idea for some good ones to watch.

Right now I am watching The Elephant in the Living Room.

The Elephant in the Living Room takes viewers on a journey deep inside the controversial American subculture of raising the most dangerous animals in the world, as common household pets. Set against the backdrop of a heated national debate, director Michael Webber chronicles the extraordinary story of two men at the heart of the issue - Tim Harrison, an Ohio police officer whose friend was killed by an exotic pet; and Terry Brumfield, a big-hearted man who struggles to raise two African lions that he loves like his own family. In the first of many unexpected twists, the lives of these two men collide when Terry's male lion escapes its pen and is found attacking cars on a nearby highway. Winner of 5 Best Documentary Awards, the film courageously exposes the shocking reality behind the multi-billion dollar exotic pet industry with stunning photography, inspiring storytelling and unprecedented access into a world rarely seen, right in our own backyard.

It's pretty good but a tad slow.

[Slagg]

Walmart: The High Cost of Low Price. A SERIOUS eye-opener.
Earthlings. Chronicles the mistreatment of animals in daily culture and commerce. Though, not to be watched if you are squeamish or have a weak stomach, as the footage is raw amd explicit.
The Matthew Sheppard doc.
Supersize Me, if you haven't already.
Then there's this great one about Pakistani widows who run their own pickle-making business, and the struggles they face both as widows, and as female entrepreneurs in Pakistan. Happy watching!! ♡♥♥

[Kandake]

That sounds interesting. Its something that I have been noticing O_o I don't get the exotic pet appeal of such dangerous animals as pets.

Ken Burns made a documentary last year about a very interesting and sad court-case called the Central Park Five. It got nominated for best Documentary too. I love his Civil War and Jazz series, he is a gifted storyteller.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AehmA3hTLmA

[Rosewynn]

Thanks to both of you for the suggestions!

I want to try Earthlings but even the ASPCA commercials kill me. I don't know if I can handle it.

[Angie V]

Thanks to both of you for the suggestions!

I want to try Earthlings but even the ASPCA commercials kill me. I don't know if I can handle it.

Watch Food Inc and see if you can handle that because if you can't, then there is so way in hell you'll be able to handle Earthlings.

[Sonia]

56 Up was just released in the US! I mentioned it in the old forum, but Up is a British documentary series that has taken a group of kids since they were 7 and revisited their lives every 7 years. The original goal was to determine whether a child's social class/environment determined his or her future. It's really fascinating.

[Slagg]

56 Up was just released in the US! I mentioned it in the old forum, but Up is a British documentary series that has taken a group of kids since they were 7 and revisited their lives every 7 years. The original goal was to determine whether a child's social class/environment determined his or her future. It's really fascinating.

That DOES sound interesting! I'll bet that social class had very little to do with the child's success as opposed to social and parental pressures, stigmas and normalities .

[well wait idk]

wow i want to watch that! I also want to watch earthlings but I seriously don't know if I can make it through it, same with the cove, it just sounds so so so devastating to watch, something you can't forget :s

for ones ive liked:
food inc - definitely makes you want to go vegan, i cut out a lot of that food after watching
6 days to air - about the making of south park
happy - about how people living in different situations around the world achieve happiness
religulous - about organized religion, not recommended if you're strongly religious and cant take criticism
solitary confinement - talks about the damaging effects that solitary confinement has on inmates and how it increases the re-incarceration rate

[Rosewynn]

Yay! I have a lot of new ones lined up to watch now.

religulous - about organized religion, not recommended if you're strongly religious and cant take criticism

Did you see Jesus Camp? I was oddly fascinated by it. lol

[thismustbetheplace]

I love documentaries!

I watched the documentary Thin recently, on patients at an anorexia clinic. It was really really good, although not for the faint of heart (I tend to like depressing documentaries).

Frontline is a show on PBS that has a lot of great documentaries on a wide range of topics, available free on their website (and they are only an hour long in most cases)

[Rosewynn]

I love documentaries!

I watched the documentary Thin recently, on patients at an anorexia clinic. It was really really good, although not for the faint of heart (I tend to like depressing documentaries).

Frontline is a show on PBS that has a lot of great documentaries on a wide range of topics, available free on their website (and they are only an hour long in most cases)

Thin is added to my list. I too like sad/morbid documentaries as well as the 'happy' ones. TBH I don't think there's ever been a documentary I have watched that I really hated. I always forget Frontline has their episodes online! I need to bookmark that. I think the saddest one I have seen was The Suicide Tourist.

Five months after being diagnosed with ALS, Craig Ewert arrived in Switzerland for his scheduled suicide. A story about struggling
to live ... and deciding when to die.

I highly suggest it though a warning: You actually see him take the drug(s) and pass away so it's pretty intense.

Another 'morbid' one I liked was The Bridge.

From January through December 2004, Steel used 10-to-12-person crews to train his cameras day and night on this landmark — using both close-up lenses and wide angle shots to see the full expanse of the bridge. By the time he finished, he had taped 23 of the 24 suicides that occurred that year. Now he has released a documentary called “The Bridge” that shows some of the jumps. The film has produced both praise and condemnation for his choices.