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posted March 4, 2010 11:48 AM PST

Good documentaries

So thanks to Netflix, I remembered that my favorite film genre is documentaries. There happens to be a shit ton of these docs available to watch now via streaming, and I've been catching up. If you like informative and entertaining documentaries, these all come highly recommended:

Dear Zachary -
Holy shit. This is probably the most heart wrenching thing I've ever watched. But it was worth it. You get about twenty minutes into it and realize you're obligated to finish it and see how it plays out. It's about a guy doing a documentary about the life of his best friend, who was murdered. I can't go into more detail than that without ruining it, because I feel like the way the information is revealed is part of what makes it so powerful. In fact, I'd go so far as to recommend that if you DO watch this, do not read the Netflix description at all. Go in blind.

The Botany of Desire -
This one poses the question of "are plants working for us, or are we working for them" by detailing the evolutionary success of four different plants (apples, tulips, marijuana & potatoes), and how their ability to capitalize on human desire is directly responsible for that success. I learned more about all four of those plants, and their history, than I ever knew before. Well, except for maybe marijuana. I knew all that shit.

Not Quite Hollywood -
This one is about the fledgling Australian movie industry in the 70s and 80s, specifically the ozploitation genre films. To be fair, this documentary has a lot of tits in it. And that's a good thing, because they're great tits. But I liked this one because it does a great job of encompassing those films, what they meant to the people making them, and the country as well. The 70s happened to be a bright time for independent films in the US, specifically New York City, but it was equally so for the Aussies. Thanks to this movie, I've got a huge list of films I need to check out now.

The Atomic Cafe -
This isn't really a documentary. It's more of a compilation of archival footage about the atomic bomb. But what makes it so interesting is that you could show this film to any film school Editing 101 class as the perfect example of how to use editing to create a subtext. Most of these films were used as propaganda pieces back in the day, but in this movie they've been compiled together in such an artful way that they basically expose all of the ridiculousness of the atomic arms race and the hysteria that surrounded it.

The Union: The Business Behind Getting High -
This is a pot documentary. But it also has the distinct honor of being the only pot documentary I ever thought was any good. Even if you go into watching this one knowing as much as I do about the plant, you will still be surprised by some of the information presented... as well as the lengths that people will go through to grow and distribute the plant despite all of the risks.

King Corn -
This is what corn subsidies, HFCS and monoculture have wrought. Farmers barely able to keep their heads above water, and an inedible corn plant that has become the source for a majority of the cheap carbohydrates we consume today.

Kings of Kong -
We've talked about this one. It's great. Not just great because of the characters and material involved, but great because it shows that no matter how small of a social circle you're working with, there will always be people who strive for recognition (whether they deserve it or not), and will resort to anything to get it. Ruthless politics infects even the most harmless organizations too.

Second Skin -
It's a great documentary about people who have blurred the lines between fantasy and reality with World of Warcraft and Second Life. It's a little bit sad, but a lot funny. Considering that I spend all of time at work logged in to IFHY, I'm sure a lot of this applies to me as well. I will not forsake my job, wife or health to log in to IFHY however, and these guys do.

Pageant -
Drag queens. 52 drag queens. Why do you need another reason to watch this? I just gave you 52.

The Garden -
This is the story of the largest urban community garden in the US. The land was publicly owned by the city, but secretly sold to a developer without any notice given to the farmers who had transformed the previously barren, polluted, and dangerous vacant lot into a garden of eden. The city had claimed the property from the owner in 1988 with eminent domain, and paid him $5 million dollars for it, which was the fair market value at the time. In 2003, they sold it back to him for the same price... a serious injustice to taxpayers, as the land was worth significantly more than that. The farmers may have been using the land for free, but they had a right to know that it was available to be purchased so they could raise the money for it (which they did.) In the end, it becomes clear that what transpired was a corrupt back room deal made by a city official and a "community organizer" with ulterior motives. Good, but sad.

On the list:
Heavy Metal in Bagdhad
Radio Bikini
The Seven Up series (look it up, it looks awesome)
Helvetica
Who the %$#! is Jackson Pollack?
The Life of Mammals
The Life of Birds
Encounters at the End of the World
Infamy
Wild China
You're Gonna Miss Me
Michael Palin: Pole to Pole
Michael Palin: Around the World in 80 Days
400 Years of the Telescope
Independent Lens: The Atom Smashers
Horatio's Drive: America's First Roadtrip
Manufactured Landscapes
Absolute Zero: Nova
A Certain Kind of Death

And a ton more... Those are just the highest rated ones. Out of all the genres available to watch instantly on Netflix, the documentaries genre EASILY has the highest rated films of all. The first five pages are all 4+ stars.

last updated March 5, 2010 11:36 AM PST