I haven't seen all that many, but of the few I've seen, these are my fave:
10. Crumb
An eccentric cartoonist who takes the idea of artistic integrity to it's most purest/extremist definition. Watching this guy talk about how he practically discovered his sexuality by riding his aunt's leg as a child, one can easily come to the conclusion of just how "weird" Crumb is. And yet, once you "meet" his family, it's he who comes off as the most normal one of the bunch.
9. Grizzly Man
While we're on the subject of taking things to the extreme, this film follows a man's journey into the world of the grizzly bear.
Or as some may say, his journey into the gullet of the grizzly bear.
Now don't quote me on this,
but I heard that there's a rumour that this guy's remains were fined a citation by park officials.
For breaking the forest rule that states "Do not feed the bears".
8. Fahrenheit 9/11
Since I hate self-limiting & mind-narrowing labels like "conservative" & "Liberal", I refrain from letting too many people I know I watched this or any of Michael Moore's films (only those few people who really know me & are aware that I dislike participating in bullsh#t-slinging debates). Because, political partisanships aside, this is a good watch just for the sake of watching a good documentary unfold, done by an excellent film-maker.
7. Hoop Dreams
A quality documentary that follows the detailed ups & downs that can come from trying to move up in the world of basketball. Here, the process is captured by following the real lives of two promising high school players as they try to reach for the promise that their favorite sport can potentially offer.
6. Brother's Keeper
A community from Smalltown U.S.A comes together for one of their own.
Well....
one of their own that came "outta the the abandoned basement of society", which we have all seem to deny exists. Until, that is, the media comes arunnin' to shine it's light of "subjective truth" upon it.
A story that starts out macabrely weird & ends up macabrely moving.
5. Jesus Camp
Back when I was a kid, I was sent to a Jesus camp for one summer.
I even earned a badge for being able to whistle thru my stigmatas.
4. Hearts of Darkness: A Filmmaker's Apocalypse
With events like rented military helicoptors being called off during a scene of Apocalypse Now, so they can go engage in an actual combat for an actual war that was going on at the time
& then Martin Sheen having a heart attack between shooting scenes, all happening during the filming of this movie, the true story of how this flick was made is almost as surreal & engaging as the actual movie itself.
3. Streetwise
An emotionally wrenching ending, because it's real life & not a script. This film focuses those who are easily forgotten & brings to the surface their reality & all the drama & emotion that the world of escapism entertainment can never really compare to.
2. 42 & Up
Taking the film segments of the various people chosen for this project as children & watching 'em up against the segments of them as adults, it's almost spooky on it's perspective & can beg the question, at what point in life do humans lose the expressionisms of freespiritness that naturally comes with being a child & become the more restrained walking representive of a crushed spirit that many adults can easily end up as?
1. Anne Frank Remembered
Not so much for any kind of "craftsmanship" as a film, but more on the scale of the message that can result from seeing how this real-life situation unfolded.
As with everyone else, sometimes, it gets pretty easy for me to forget how good I really have it in life. Every time I watch this movie, & hear the part when Anne writes in her diary of her waiting for things to get back to normal, as a viewer who knows that for her it never will, it serves as a great reminder to me that not taking things for granted is an act of appreciation that should never wait until tomorrow. The only existing moving-figure footage of Anne that is included in this documentary, truly serves to enhance the importance of this lesson of gratitude.
Reply to Topic
