My favorite non-musical documentaries!
I've been watching Current TV's 50 Documentaries to See Before You Die, hosted by Morgan Spurlock. That got me thinking about my own favorites and here they are! So far, King of Kong is the only film from my list to make the show. I should point out that I haven't seen many of the films on Current's countdown, so I've got a lot of catching up to do!
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- DirectorTim HetheringtonSebastian JungerStarsThe Men of Battle Company 2nd of the 503rd Infantry Regiment 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat TeamJuan 'Doc RestrepoDan KearneyA year with one platoon in the deadliest valley in Afghanistan.A riveting film that shows the full effects of war on both soldiers and civilians. It's also surprisingly apolitcal and, as far as I can tell, doesn't take sides on the "should we be there" issue. It simply tells the story of this platoon and their expiriences.
- DirectorToni MyersStarsLeonardo DiCaprioScott D. AltmanMegan McArthurAn IMAX 3D camera chronicles the effort of 7 astronauts aboard the Space Shuttle Atlantis to repair the Hubble Space Telescope.Even though I didn't actually see it in 3D, this film still managed to completely blow my mind! It combines stunning mission footage with amazing computer graphics. This a Total Perspective Vortex on film (though it isn't tortuous at all, quite the opposite, in fact).
- DirectorSeth GordonStarsSteve WiebeBilly MitchellMark AlpigerDie-hard gamers compete to break world records on classic arcade games.You wouldn't think a documentary about competitive arcade gaming would be interesting. Well, you'd be wrong. It turns out the two primary subjects, Steve Wiebe and Billy Mitchell, are each really fascinating in their own way. It's David and Goliath, with joysticks!
- DirectorKeith FultonLouis PepeStarsTerry GilliamJohnny DeppJeff BridgesTerry Gilliam's doomed attempt to get his film, The Man Who Killed Don Quixote (2018), off the ground.This film is not a "making-of", but an "unmaking-of". This was originally intended to be a DVD featurette about the making of Terry Gilliam's "The Man Who Killed Don Quixote". However, Quixote turned out to be a "film that didn't want to be made". Everything that could go wrong, did go wrong, culminating in a biblical flash flood! This is simultaneously hilarious and heartbreaking. If you like this, be sure to check out Fulton and Pepe's other Gilliam doc, "The Hamster Factor and Other Tales of Twelve Monkeys", available on the Twelve Monkeys DVD.
- StarsNigel SpiveyVilayanur RamachandranStefano MariottiniDocumentary series looking at the influence of art on the current day situation of our society.A must-see, even if you're not interested in art history. It explains how art (especially primative art) has influenced nearly every facet of modern culture.
- DirectorLaurence GreenStarsFelicity FanjoyChris LandrethRyan LarkinExplores the life and work of Ryan Larkin, as well as the making of Chris Landreth's short film Ryan (2004).A documentary about the making of the Oscar winning animated short "Ryan" and about the life of that film's subject, the legendary Oscar-nominated Canadian animator Ryan Larkin. Larkin disappeared from the film world after falling into drugs and alcohol and, as seen in "Alter Egos", was living as a beggar on the streets of Montreal. He died of lung cancer in 2007. "Ryan" is incorporated into this film, in many ways making "Alter Egos" a kind of super-extended version of "Ryan". I know it sounds confusing, but really isn't. Just see it!
- DirectorAngela ChristliebStephen KijakStarsJack AngstreichEric ChadbourneBill HeidbrederThis documentary about the culture of intense cinephilia in New York City reveals the impassioned world of five obsessed movie buffs. The filmmakers expose this delightfully deranged cult by capturing the daily lives of its members. Interviews in movie houses, on the street and in the homes of the subjects tell the story of each individual. Many cannot hold a job, or choose not to. All of them have demoted the importance of the real world, giving all of their attention to the fantasy world of the movies. These human encyclopedias of cinema see two to five films a day, and from 600 to 2,000 films per year. Many have no physical sex lives, living instead in a world of romance with stars like James Dean or Audrey Hepburn. In Cinemania, Hollywood's biggest fans become the true stars. This is the story of their lives, their memories, their unbending habits and the films they love.This film documents the lives of five super-obsessed New York City cinephiles who literally schedule their entire lives around film screenings. None of them have real jobs; they get by on disabilty, unemployment, and (in one case) an inhertitance. Their social interaction, for the most part, is with other cinephiles. They don't watch TV, videos, or DVDs (with one exception). My favorite part is when one of the subjects claims that he wouldn't want to make love to Rita Hayworth unless it was in black-and-white. By turns, fascinating and disturbing.
- DirectorRobert GreenwaldStarsDouglas CheekWalter CronkiteBob McChesneyDocumentary on reported Conservative bias of the Rupert Murdoch-owned Fox News Channel (FNC), which promotes itself as "Fair and Balanced". Material includes interviews with former FNC employees and the inter-office memos they provided.Anyone who think Fox News is truly "fair and balanced" needs to see this film. It's a real eye-opener. Unlike Restrepo, this film definately has a politcal agenda, but that doesn't make it any less true.
- StarsRick BakerCraig BarronRudy BehlmerAn in-depth look at the genesis, production, and legacy of King Kong, one of the most influential films ever made.This is probably the best making-of documentary I've ever seen (aside from Lost in La Mancha). As much as I love King Kong, the story behind the scenes is almost more interesting than the film itself. This doc is more than enough reason to own the two-disc King Kong DVD.
- DirectorHarry MosesStarsTeri HortonTod M. VolpeBen HellerIn this documentary, veteran filmmaker Harry Moses exposes the controversy in the world of high priced artwork. He paints a vivid picture of how art is bought and sold in America.If you've ever looked at "high art" and thought, "big deal, anyone could paint that", you might want to give this movie a shot. Teri Horton, a 73 year-old truck driver, bought a painting at a thrift store for $5, only to later discover that it could be a genuine Jackson Pollock. The film chronicles her attempts to authenticate the painting and to be taken seriously by the art world.