Sure, it’s nice to have a few days off from classes over Easter weekend. But aren’t you going to miss feeling like you’re learning? Luckily, Netflix has about a million sick documentaries. For some inexplicable reason, I went on a major docu-kick while I was abroad and watched nearly all of them. Here are ten films I found particularly thought-provoking and entertaining.
Social Activism
Jesus Camp (2006) – This 2007 Best Documentary Oscar nominee takes a look at Kids on Fire School of Ministry, an evangelical Christian summer camp. While the filmmakers maintain that they were trying to create an objective film about the evangelical Christian community, interviews with the camp director, pastors, and several campers give the impression that this particular culture raises young children to be advocates for the religious right. If you want to watch a film that makes you mad and reminds you that you have strong opinions about things, Jesus Camp gets the job done. 7.5/10 on the Alex scale.
Miss Representation (2011) – If you’re anything like me, this film will make you even madder than Jesus Camp does. Written, produced, and directed by actress Jennifer Siebel Newsom, Miss Representation explores and deconstructs how women are portrayed in mainstream media. Too few women behind the camera results in inaccurate and one-dimensional portrayals of women on the screen. This film sparked a call-to-action social media campaign, starting with the twitter handle @RepresentPledge and spawning the hashtags #askhermore and #notbuyingit to call out sexist interviews and advertisements. 10/10.
Blackfish (2013) –This documentary revolves around Tilikum, an orca who was captured off the coast of Iceland in 1983 and has been in zoos and sea life exhibits ever since. In the past 30 years, he has been involved in the deaths of two trainers and one Sea World visitor – and he’s still performing at Sea World Orlando today. What’s more, Tilikum isn’t the only captive orca to become violent. How ethical are these pools really? To what extent is Tilikum’s rage a product of his environment? You’ll never look at SeaWorld the same way again. 8.5/10.
True Crime
Tabloid (2010) –Errol Morris, director of The Thin Blue Line (the OG Serial, of sorts, which got a wrongfully-convicted man exonerated), tells the story of Joyce McKinney, a former beauty pageant queen accused of kidnapping and raping Mormon missionary Kirk Anderson in 1977. The incident – eventually known as the “Mormon Sex in Chains Case” – was a major tabloid story in the UK, prompting a circulation war between two magazines trying to publish the most scandalous account. Tabloid is more than a tale of “he said, she said;” it’s a unique case study of why we find particular stories more gossip-worthy than others and how we commodify them. 7/10.
The Imposter (2012) – In 1994, thirteen-year-old Nicholas Barclay went missing from his Texas home. Three years later, he turned up in Spain – with a new hair color, new eye color, and new French accent. Remarkably, his family welcomed him home without much questioning. The film is meant as an in-depth look at the case, in particular, but I would have liked to see a bit more analysis of the Imposter himself. 6/10.
Foodie
Jiro Dreams of Sushi (2011) – Jiro Ono, 85-year-old sushi master, embodies passion and dedication. He has spent literally his entire life perfecting the art of sushi-making – and absolutely is he an artist. Never have I ever seen food look so beautiful. Jiro runs Sukibayashi Jiro, a Michelin three-star restaurant in a Tokyo station, where one plate of sushi costs $300 and reservations must be made three months in advance. What Jiro has sacrificed to advance his craft illustrates a drive for success only a handful of people will ever witness. 9/10.
Somm (2012) – Much like Jiro dedicates his life to sushi, sommeliers dedicate their lives to wine. This film follows four men as they prepare for the Master Sommelier exam – a prestigious distinction with one of the lowest pass rates of any test in the world. In order to know what wine to pair with certain foods, the best sommeliers can identify the wine, the year, and the origin by smell alone. These candidates eat, sleep, and breathe wine in their studies as well as their free time. Their dedication is astounding. 7.5/10.
Biography
Monica and David (2009) – Filmmaker Alexandra Codina recorded the first few months of her cousin Monica’s marriage. Watching this couple with Down syndrome interact and build their lives together is both heartwarming and enlightening as they overcome challenges most newlyweds never have to face. At the same time, you can see how their marriage is, in almost every way, just like any other. Of all the documentaries I’ve listed here, this one most adequately qualifies as a “feel-good” film. 7.5/10.
Behind-the-Scenes
Twenty Feet from Stardom (2013) – The 2014 Academy Award winner for Best Documentary Feature profiles the lives and careers of backup singers. We know their music, but we don’t know who they are. Finally, these artists get the recognition they deserve. Some choose to sing backup in order to avoid the pitfalls of fame, but others find the low-profile career burdensome. This film is a fun exploration of an underappreciated art. 9/10.
I Know That Voice (2013) – Another underappreciated craft: voice acting. This skill is popularly perceived as a lesser art form than on-screen acting, but this documentary makes clear the hard work and talent that goes into voiceovers. Most voice actors even embrace the physicality of their characters when recording; we just don’t see it. As the voices from Futurama, The Simpsons, Rugrats, and Spongebob Squarepants discuss, this work isn’t so different from stage or film acting. 8/10.