It can be difficult finding a good documentary to watch. Forget going to Blockbuster or Hollywood Video… their “Special Interest” selection doesn’t have much to choose from- maybe they have a few good films, but they mostly offer concert videos, Anime, and if you’re lucky they’ll have a copy of one or two Michael Moore movies. But if you look carefully, perhaps on the internet or at an alternative book/movie store, you can find a worthwhile documentary.
Here is a list of movies I have found through lots of searching that are pretty interesting, you can often find them on YouTube, their own websites (like Zeitgeist:TheMovie), or at any alternative media source.
1. Orwell Rolls in His Grave
This documentary is about how the media is not doing it’s job of being objective and neutral. With all media (tv, cable, newspapers, etc) owned by only 8 corporations (many with ties to the Republican party) we really aren’t hearing the whole story on many issues. Some stories are ignored completely- like the 2000 election recount. It’s a good movie to see, even though think we all already know that Marie Osmond fainting shouldn’t be on the 6:00 news- something is obviously amiss. Check out www.orwellrollsinhisgrave.com
2. The War on Democracy
John Pilger wrote and directed this movie, it looks at past events where the US supported dictators in Latin America (Chile & Pinochet, Anti-Chavez in Venezuela, Guatemala, etc.). The film looks at the sneaky backing of dictators, how the United States either knew about and/or supported dictator take-overs (like when Chavez was kidnapped). It is interesting to see that part of Latin America’s history- for me, we didn’t learn about any of this in school. Pilger also interviews an ex-CIA official, who acts like a complete ass and doesn’t do anything for getting people on his ’side.’ http://www.warondemocracy.net/
3. Zeitgeist: The Movie
This is a little extreme, but it’s interesting. www.zeitgesthemove.com
4. Thin
This is a documentary that follows three women in an eating disorder clinic. It looks at each of their stories, what led them to that point. It isn’t super depressing or anything, but if you’re interested in that subject this is one of the few movies about it. I watched it on YouTube.
5. Baraka
This isn’t really a documentary, but you can probably find it in the Special Interest section at your local video store. There is no talking, just music playing with different images that shows nature and the effects of civilization- it isn’t depressing- a good movie to watch when you’re high maybe? It is a remake, the original is good too, I just can’t remember the name.
6. Sicko
I’m sure you’ve heard reviews of this recent release, whether or not you like Michael Moore, you have to admit that he does a good job with this film.
7. Scratch
This documentary is about turntablism, and whether or not you like this type of music it’s a really good movie. It shows you that the art of scratching is just that- an art. I personally love seeing how much time and knowlege goes into things like that. Sometimes I think to myself “wow, those ___ are so lucky they fell into ___.” This movie really shows you that these guys have a skill and talent, it’s not a simple form of music and they really really know their stuff!
8. DIG
This one is about the quick rise and fall of a band called The Brian Jonestown Massacre. The lead singer is kind of nuts, but a musical genius. The songs are really good and the band (when they existed) was beyond entertaining. It’s too bad they are no longer together but I guess when you have so much talent and mental illness it’s difficult to get along!
Have you seen “Tarnation?” “My Architect?” “Releasing the Freemans?” “Stevie?” All great documentaries!
By: moonbeammcqueen on December 15, 2007
at 10:10 pm
No I haven’t… but I will surely check them out as soon as I get back home! I always love a good documentary, and am trying to stay away from all the doom and gloom government ones… thanks for the suggestions!!
By: leakyfaucet on December 15, 2007
at 10:19 pm
cool, ill check out ” Orwell Rolls in His Grave”, i though zeitgeist was good, i’d like to see it without the religious stuff but i guess they are trying to paint a full picture of mankinds submissive nature, youtube “zeitgesit alien” i think that will give you a deleted scene that is simular to scientology in it’s BS
By: chris on May 14, 2008
at 5:44 am
There has been books writen about zeitgeist; the religion part. And how it is false and all this. The funny thing with this is, by doing this, zeitgeist has exposed the myth behind horoscopes. It was the idea that got everyone upset, and i agree.
Now we have a problem, because of this, people look beyond anything else that zeitgeist had to say. it was just an idea.
Now the second zeitgeist has come out… “Zeitgeist Addendum”
Zeitgeist Addendum is the best documentary i have ever seen. It looks beyond conditioning. Chris I understand that you were offended by the religion part of the first documentary. Im 18 and all my life i was brought up a christian. But something didnt feel right. Every now and then i stop where ever i am and look around. when this happens to me, somehow i separate myself from the world and look at it from outside looking in. Everyone is depressed and trying to cope with their dead end jobs and their lack of knowledge as to why they live this way. When i found this documentary, (zeitgeist addendum) it was like i found what i had been searching for.
when you watch zeitgeist, you have to try your hardest to realise that you have been brought up a certain way.
You have to be “Open Minded”. Be open to possibility
separate your emotions from the documentary and keep the posibilities there!
Over the last few months i realised somthing important…Paradoxes.
Have you noticed the paradox within you. please let me explain…
when a person is conditioned to believe something, they will stand up for it and close their eyes to other possibilities.
however when many people are conditioned to believe in something, the excuse given to the offender is “Well look at all these people, they believe in it too, it must be real. If it was false then im sure others would have said something”. but they themselves close their eyes to possibilies. If i had said to you at the start of this that i was a christian then you probably would have read this conversation a lot better than if i said that i was an atheist.
It doesn’t matter what i am. beacuse behind everone there are reasons for what they believe. for most people in my opinion they dont have good enough reasons to keep believing or living the routine. and most of the time they wont change because they are scared to because of losing what they think they have. so when we expose these unefficient reasons why people believe what they believe, they become free. the result of this is usually they hate you and they love you. ive learned that a few times from expereince so far.
an example is the “Terrorist”
we all believe there are terrorists and that they are stupid horrible violent people. Continuosly says the media…
this is the hardest one to comprehend at present because it offends too many people to say they are not terrorists. or that mabey there is more to it than meets the eye?
what are they really?… “freedom fighters” or do they even exist? How do you know? All the News corporations in US are owned by 8 different companies. Filtered by the government. if the government said peewee hermon was a terrorist and they captured some images of him with a gun or a tuban and posted it on the news… people wont question but believe it…
beacuse everyone is offended by just the “possibility” that we are being lied to.
please dont think of me as some fool or random who doesnt know what hes talking about… and please dont label me as anything other than attempting to be open minded, im not apart of any religion you could label me under. i believe religion is just a word for group of people who have the same values and way of living.
nothing i have said was meant to be personal. sorry if that offends you… its just that i think its time we all became open minded and started asking the uncomfortable questions. look beyond how funny or attractive somthing is and dive into the hard stuff like does it really exist?
The most important thing i know is… There is a reason/s for everything… and if you can figure out what those reasons are, then you can fully understand a situation.
I suggest you watch the second zeitgeist, the whole thing, and then tell me what you think.
or if anyone has anything to say or oppose me, please let me know, because im not affraid to be wrong.
_-=Mr Drift=-_
By: Mr Drift on May 11, 2009
at 12:48 pm
i’ve recently watched snuff and found it really good, it takes up a lot of themes in connetion to snuff films, very interesting. totally recomend it
By: simo on July 14, 2009
at 1:37 am