On Watching Documentaries

I’ve been on a major documentary kick lately (and if you follow me on Twitter, you may have already realized this!). There’s something special about getting immersed in these real-life stories, learning new things all the time, and being touched by the people in them.

If you want to watch one, I’ve got a bunch to share! And, as you will see, a lot of them are centered around a few key topics that really interest me: Crime, religion and various forms of art. Here are some of my faves, some I’ve seen recently and some that are on my must-see list. (Note: All of the following documentaries are available via Netflix)

5 of My Favorite Documentaries

• The September Issue: The making of the year’s most coveted edition of Vogue magazine, the September issue. I used to want to be a fashion writer, and I’ve always had a fascination with Anna Wintour, how she lived her younger rebel years, rose through the magazine’s ranks without any higher education, kept that signature bob going, unapologetically wears fur and developed her reputation is the most powerful beezy in fashion! The fashion and the images are stunning, the people are extraordinary, and the film is an intriguing peek into a world I love!
  
• Man on Wire: Re-living the tale of a group of people who broke into the World Trade Center during the final stages of its construction, to cross the two buildings by tightrope
  
• Very Young Girls: An intimate look into the lives of teen girls (some as young as 13 or 14) trying to get out of the life of sex trafficking (prostitution) they were forced in to, and an organization trying to help them
  
• The Art of the Steal: Learning how a few intrusive and over-ambitious individuals and groups, and the city of Philadelphia, unjustly took control of the Barnes Foundation and robbed it (and its founder) of its incredible art collection
  
• Dear Zachary: When Dr. Bagsy was murdered by his ex-girlfriend, Shirley, his lifelong friend Kurt decided to travel the world and connect with everyone who knew him. The project took on new life when Shirley announced she was pregnant, and Kurt continued the film, just as much for the new child as himself. Bagsy’s parents moved to Canada to try and get custody, but they never would, and baby Zachary would never see the film, as the family was rocked by unimaginable tragedy yet again. The story is heartbreaking and the emotions are raw.
  

8 Documentaries I’ve Seen Recently

• American Mormon: Two young LDS men set out across the United States to try and find out what average Americans think about Mormons. Some think they’re like the Amish, some think they’re polygamists, and one guy even thinks they’re descendants of lizards! Yes, our country is that misinformed!
• Soul Power: Following performers like James Brown, B.B. King and Bill Withers as they head out to a 1974 music festival, set alongside the famous Rumble in the Jungle boxing match between famed heavyweight champions Muhammad Ali and George Foreman in Zaire, Africa.
• Tyson: A riveting look into life of Mike Tyson, one of the greatest boxers, and most controversial sports figures and celebrities, of all time. He’s a figher, father, husband, and felon — More importantly, though, he’s troubled and confused. And he shares it all.
• Cropsey: Two young adults investigate a mythical child killer they grew up hearing about on Staten Island, and their town’s journey when a real-life homeless man is arrested for kidnapping and murdering young children.
• Super High Me: What started out as a joke turned into one man’s (comedian and noted stoner Doug Benson) comparison between 30 days without marijuana and 30 days of heavy, almost constant, marijuana use. His interviews some key figures in the campaign to legalize marijuana in California, casual users, medical marijuana patients, and other comedians are mixed with footage of dispensary raids
• Twist of Faith: A young boy endured sexual abuse by a Catholic priest. Years later, as a firefighter, husband and father, he drives down the street of his new home, only to realize that the priest that assaulted him is only a few houses away. This leads to him taking an active role in pursuing some kind of justice within the church and his family, and in a national organization that helps church abuse victims. There is a very moving scene where Jeff tries to explain to his grade school-aged daughter some of what he experienced as a child.
• The Comedians of Comedy – The Movie: No tricks, no drama, just an honest look at some brilliant comedians (Patton Oswalt, Brian Posehn, Zach Galifianakis and Maria Bamford) on tour. And it’s a comedy club-free tour, a renegade one, with performances in rock clubs and theatres across the country!
• Gangland – Bullets Over Hollywood: A study of Hollywood’s portrayal of mobsters in the movies, including clips of some of my favorite films and notorious gangsters (GoodFellas, The Godfather, Al Capone) and interviews with true A-listers (James Caan).
• Prodigal Sons: Transgender woman Kim returns to her childhood home for the first time in 20 years, and hopes to reconnect with her high school friends and classmates and estranged, adopted brother. He faces issues of his own, suffering from a head injury that causes major personality changes and violent rages, being unwilling and unable to accept his sister’s sex change or his other brother’s homosexuality, and finding out that his biological grandparents were Orson Welles and Rita Hayworth.

6 Documentaries On My Must-See List:

• It Might Get Loud: Electric guitar magic with three of the best musicians and guitar players around, Jack White, The Edge and Jimmy Page
• Exit Through the Gift Shop: Trying to find and document a famed and secretive street artist in Los Angeles
• Helvetica: Everything about the famous typeface, and a look into typography and graphic design and how they affect culture
• This Film is Not Yet Rated: Trying to expose the hypocrisy of the MPAA and the people and systems it uses to rate films
• Bomb It: Exploring the art of graffiti, including its history and some of the most famous graffiti artists from around the world
• Note by Note – The Making of Steinway L1037: The year long journey of building and perfecting a Steinway grand concert piano

I wanna know, what’s your favorite documentary? Recommend anything for me to see?

Xoxo,
Tiera