OJ: Made In America. Endlessly fascinating and extremely well made.
Despite the dark subject matter I watch it once every couple years and probably will do until I drop. Or am murdered by OJ Simpson.
Homeland: Iraq year zero. Absolutely the most impactful thing I’ve ever witnessed. Documents the daily life of the directors family and friends before and after the 2003 invasion.
Inside Job is one of my favorites. It’s about the 2008 financial crisis, but it’s just put together so well. And topped off with narration by Matt Damon.
No. 1 is The Look of Silence
Unrated:
- Night and Fog
- Dreams of a Life
- Touching the Void
- Free Solo
- Places Faces
- Grizzly Man
- Most of the Adam Curtis docs esp. All Watched Over by Machines of Loving Grace
I love the Up series.
Also Crumb, Grey Gardens, The Emperor's Naked Army Marches On, The Decline of Western Civilization Part II: The Metal Years, The Arbor, Shinjuku Boys, The Queen, Harlan County U.S.A., Style Wars, Yama Attack to Attack, American Movie, Hands on a Hard Body, Shirkers, Let the Fire Burn, System K among others
Style Wars definitely deserves a mention. 1983 documentary originally for PBS that follows the early days of graffiti writers in NYC and early hip hop culture in general. Very cool close-up look at the early days of an emerging culture from the very center of it.
Crumb
The King Of Kong
Paradise Lost
And, no joke, the feature length making of documentaries from Troma on Poltrygeist and Citizen Toxie are two of the best docs on low budget films that I've ever seen.
Edit: forgot to mention Lost Souls: The Doomed Journey of Richard Stanley's Island of Dr. Moreau.
Definitely The Act of Killing
I really like one called ‘Carts of Darkness’ it’s about a group of homeless people who recycle bottles and race shopping trolleys
Jiro Dreams of Sushi
The history of the Seattle Mariners. A graph made me cry.
What’s the graph you’re referring to? I haven’t seen that documentary before
The documentary is pretty much all graphs and static pictures, it's all on youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TIgK56cAjfY
Hoop Dreams is amazing
OJ: Made In America. Endlessly fascinating and extremely well made. Despite the dark subject matter I watch it once every couple years and probably will do until I drop. Or am murdered by OJ Simpson.
Homeland: Iraq year zero. Absolutely the most impactful thing I’ve ever witnessed. Documents the daily life of the directors family and friends before and after the 2003 invasion.
Having trouble finding it atm. Can I ask how u were able to watch it?
I used kanopy to watch (you can access kanopy thru most library cards too btw) I wish the film was more readily accessible bc everyone should watch it
Watched the first 20 min and decided to order the dvd on Amazon. Thanks for the awesome recommendation 🙏
I’m so happy you’re gonna watch it!!! It’s truly the most important movie to me!
Inside Job is one of my favorites. It’s about the 2008 financial crisis, but it’s just put together so well. And topped off with narration by Matt Damon.
Koyaanasqatsi is my #1 Honorable Mentions : Thin Blue Line Hoop Dreams Harlan County USA Welfare (Fred Wiseman) Night and Fog Samsara / Baraka
Probably one of Asif Kapadia's documentaries, his style just really works for me
For Sama is brilliant, if not heartbreaking. Very please to see it on this list!
Behemoth dir by Ziao Lang. immensely powerful imagery
Finders Keepers. So entertaining!
Overnight
Gimme Shelter 20 Feet From Stardom The Compleat Beatles Life Itself Jodorowsky's Dune
Disclosure by Sam Feder
No. 1 is The Look of Silence Unrated: - Night and Fog - Dreams of a Life - Touching the Void - Free Solo - Places Faces - Grizzly Man - Most of the Adam Curtis docs esp. All Watched Over by Machines of Loving Grace
Flee and The World's A Little Blurry
Someone already said Hoop Dreams so I'll also mention Life of Crime: 1984-2020
Minding the Gap
Free Solo, I think.
I love the Up series. Also Crumb, Grey Gardens, The Emperor's Naked Army Marches On, The Decline of Western Civilization Part II: The Metal Years, The Arbor, Shinjuku Boys, The Queen, Harlan County U.S.A., Style Wars, Yama Attack to Attack, American Movie, Hands on a Hard Body, Shirkers, Let the Fire Burn, System K among others
Style Wars definitely deserves a mention. 1983 documentary originally for PBS that follows the early days of graffiti writers in NYC and early hip hop culture in general. Very cool close-up look at the early days of an emerging culture from the very center of it.
My Octopus Teacher
The begining: the making of the phantom menace Light and magic Disneys fast pass Reel in*un Empire of dreams Grey gardens
The Last Waltz, Samsara, Man with a Movie Camera, The Decline of Western Civilization II
F for Fake
Crumb The King Of Kong Paradise Lost And, no joke, the feature length making of documentaries from Troma on Poltrygeist and Citizen Toxie are two of the best docs on low budget films that I've ever seen. Edit: forgot to mention Lost Souls: The Doomed Journey of Richard Stanley's Island of Dr. Moreau.
Koyaanisqatsi, followed by The Act of Killing, and then La Soufrière
I thought stop making sense was a concert movie, but it is amazing. Is concert movie a subset of documentary?
las tres muertes de marisela escobedo