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Thread: Documentaries

  1. #1
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    Documentaries

    Been watching a few documentaries lately and I've found I really love them. I get really caught up in them and find myself more attached than if a normal film were on. Topics and subjects I normally wouldn't find interesting are suddenly fascinating. Basically a well done documentary is brilliant. A couple of well known ones I have seen lately are The Tillman Story and The Cove. Both were amazing and have opened my eyes a little more to what goes on around the world.

    The Tillman story looks into the life of Patrick Tillman, an ex NFL player who left the game to join the army. He was killed and the documentary exploits the governments attempts to cover up the true story of what happened.

    The Cove follows a group of activists and their work to exploit the fishery's abuse of dolphins and their attempts to get the message out to the world to stop the slaughters going on in Japan.

    Both are amazing works if you haven't seen them. I don't have a huge list of documentaries I want to see but I would like to hear about some that you guys have seen and enjoyed. Catfish has it's own thread here, but is good. As well as 'A letter to Zachary'.

  2. #2
    Legend Mik's Avatar
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    We dont talk about A Letter to Zachary.

  3. #3
    Whaddaya think about that 1_Pablo_Angel's Avatar
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    That's made me google it. Now I'm downloading it. Not sure I really want to watch it though

  4. #4
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    You do and you dont.

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    Thanks.

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    I had no idea what it was about. I think I mentioned it in the thread, but while watching it I realized it all happened basically in my backyard.

  7. #7
    Legend Mik's Avatar
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    Dont watch it.

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    It's downloaded now... I'll probably get round to seeing it eventually but it always takes me fucking ages. And I don't think this is one to watch with THE LADS.

    When I finally do I'll either thank you for the warning through my tears or call you a massive faggot

  9. #9
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    Just thank him now.

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    Turning back time Kdestiny's Avatar
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    The Cove was really well done. I also recommend This Film is Not Yet Rated as well. Interesting film about the movie rating systems and how they try to find out who rates the film.

  11. #11
    Noli Timere Messorem The_Mike's Avatar
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    This Film Is Not Yet Rated was really interesting. It gives a good look at how censorship by any other name is still censorship, and how the MPAA are not really accountable to anyone and go to rather extraordinary lengths to keep themselves hidden so they cannot be challenged. One really telling story from it was how a scene with a woman masturbating through her underwear gave one movie an automatic NC17 rating while American Pie maintained an R despite a scene of a guy jacking off with the aid of a pie. It's a shame that NC17 is basically death for a movie, it is pretty much a useless category now unless you deliberately want to prevent a film's widespread release. The UK gets by fine with 18 movies getting mainstream releases, so I wish the US were willing to do the same with their more explicit or difficult films.

  12. #12
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    Watched some decent documentaries recently.

    Best worst movie - a film about Troll 2, a film so bad it has a cult following. Some hilarious scenes throughout, including the mental Italian director who refuses to accept that his film is a bit of a joke. Good 7/10

    Bobby Fischer Against The World - About the genius chess player and subsequent loon. Really loved this. He's certainly an intriguing character. 8/10

    Recommend me some moreeeeeeeeeeeee

    oh, also watched touching the void. thought both of the men that the story was centred around were bellends. meh 5/10

  13. #13
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    Food Inc is one of the more memorable documentaries I've watched over the last few years. Goes over the American food industry and the many many things wrong with it.

  14. #14
    Alf
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    My thread about Documentaries looks like it has been pruned.

    Anyway.

    A Letter To Zachary is incredible. It's a must watch. But we can't really tell you much about it. Just watch it.

    I'd also reccomend:

    The King Of Kong
    Thin Blue Line
    Helvetica
    Capturing The Freedmens
    DIG! (incredible insight into the self destruction of a band)
    Spellbound
    Grizzly Man (although I find it hard to watch, there is one particualarly harrowing scene where you don't see anything but the reaction of the director says it all...)

    There is also this british guy who has done loads of excellent documentaries about a range of subjects (like the Tu Pac vs Biggie fued). I can't remember his name but they are superb.

  15. #15
    Football, bloody hell!
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    I've seen letter to zachary.. on the iplayer after that thread you (i think) made about it. Felt like going on a murderous rampage towards the end.

    Haven't seen Helvetica, Dig! or Spellbound from that list. Will get them watched. Cheers.

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    X Ringo's Avatar
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    Watched Emir Kusturica's Maradona recently. Kusturica is great on camera and who doesn't love watching Maradona's rants? I reckon people who don't like football would find it worth watching too.

  17. #17
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    alf, helvetica, an hour and a half documentary about fonts? This better be good.

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    .

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    one of the absolute BEST documentaries I've ever seen, and one that you never see on recommend lists is An American Movie.. here's my review from the movie review thread:


    Watched an absolutely brilliant documentary yesterday.

    It's called 'An American Movie' (1999) and follows an aspiring film-maker as he tries to complete his first real picture.

    Mark, our aspiring filmmaker, is a Napoleon Dynamite like character. He is a recovering alcoholic and drug user, he lives in a trailer and hasn't a penny to his name. In fact, his main source of funding for the film was an extremely old uncle who reluctantly agreed to loan him $3,000 in exchange for a production credit that he really couldn't care less about.

    If there's a film out there that contains a better collection of one-liners than this one then I'm yet to see it. Mark's best friend in particular is good for a laugh. It's quite possible that he has a kind of brain disability due to some horrid acid trip, still, despite a complete inability to put together a coherent sentence, he is almost virtuoso like on the guitar He is a gormless simpleton, but like I said, very funny.

    [ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OeAX7OFVyWs"]Mike's Drug Experience - YouTube[/ame]

    Although hilarious, it's story is ultimately quite a sad one. It's a different take on the American dream and I enjoyed it quite a bit.

    http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0181288/

    8/10

  20. #20
    World Champion lotjx's Avatar
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    I recommend Fog of War with McNamara going through his days working with Kennedy and LBJ. Its a good lesson of how not to fuck up foreign relations.

  21. #21
    Gylfi Pleasure SheltonLondon's Avatar
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    King of Kong was an absolutely amazing documentary, great story and characters, couldn't have created better characters for that story.

    Slight cheese fest but More Than A Game, a documentary about LeBron James' high school basketball team is a favourite of mine, really interesting story and really well made. I'm not even a basketball fan particularly but really enjoyed it.

    The Greatest Movie Ever Sold by Morgan Spurlock is a good watch as well, takes a little while to get going but is a really good concept and explains a hell of a lot about advertising in TV and film.

    Sure there are plenty of others, I will add them when they spring to mind but would recommend all of those.

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    Hoop Dreams released by Criterion has been recently shown on Current TV in the UK and is often remarked as one of the best docs of all time. Three hours running time and to do with basketball and inspirational stuff is all I know, not something that interests me on the surface but I have heard too many good things to pass on it so will be watching it this week.

    Also, Jesus Camp, about kids recruited into Christianity though summer camps, supposed to be somewhat creepy.

    I was gifted with SHOAH for my birthday this year, a huge doc about the holocaust put out by Eureka's Masters Of Cinema collection and it is the most intense, moving, terrible and emotional film (or set of films) I've seen. Along with Night & Fog, these are the must own docs about the holocaust and the warnings to not repeat the past.

  23. #23
    Legend Mik's Avatar
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    Got to teach a documentary unit starting next week.

  24. #24
    Alf
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    I found hoop dreams a bit boring and actually lacking in message/inspiration.

  25. #25
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    It's certainly not in the same class as 'Do I not like that'

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    Quote Originally Posted by Mik View Post
    Got to teach a documentary unit starting next week.
    Show them 'Letters...'

    Cripple them emotionally for life.

  27. #27
    X Ringo's Avatar
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    If you're going to show them a 9 hour holocaust documentary, make it Shoah. Easily the best 9 hour holocaust documentary I've ever seen.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Alf View Post
    I found hoop dreams a bit boring and actually lacking in message/inspiration.
    Actually one of the first negatives I've heard to be honest. Will have to see how I feel after watching it, I just dont always have three hours to sit and watch something that could easily be regretabble afterwards.

  29. #29
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    "Murderball" was also a very memorable documentary that I saw in my youth.

    Evolves around a group of men who are paraplegics, but are still involved in this brutal full-contact sport that is similar to rugby in wheelchairs. Was quite something..

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    Quote Originally Posted by Alf View Post
    I found hoop dreams a bit boring and actually lacking in message/inspiration.
    Ditto. I didn't end up finishing it actually.

  31. #31
    Gylfi Pleasure SheltonLondon's Avatar
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    You should watch More Than A Game then.... lovely stuff.

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    Quote Originally Posted by SLARE View Post
    Show them 'Letters...'

    Cripple them emotionally for life.
    Its already on the scheme of work. I'm not messing about.

  33. #33
    Simon
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    Quote Originally Posted by SheltonLondon View Post
    Slight cheese fest but More Than A Game, a documentary about LeBron James' high school basketball team is a favourite of mine, really interesting story and really well made. I'm not even a basketball fan particularly but really enjoyed it.
    Watching this now, fantastic so far. Romeo and Dru are DUDES.

  34. #34
    That Just Happened! Dr Isaac Yankem DDS's Avatar
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    Paradise Lost 1 and 2.

    They are about the West Memphis Three.

  35. #35
    Simon
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    Just in the middle of watching The King of Kong right now, very enjoyable stuff. Billy Mitchell is a great villain.

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    Watched it with my class last week, they loved it.

    We waited until the end of the film to review it though. We also tend to watch films in one sitting.

  37. #37
    Simon
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    I was watching it at work during a quiet period, I don't get the opportunity to sit and watch for two solid hours unfortunately. Also how long are your classes that you can watch films in one sitting, when I was at school our classes were 70 minutes max.
    Last edited by Simon; October 31st, 2011 at 1:00 PM.

  38. #38
    Simon
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    What do you make of the idea that it's an allegory for the Western world? To me it was just an interesting story in itself, that didn't particularly stand for some wider issue. Billy Mitchell was a very enjoyable baddie though, nice of him to clarify his position by growing an evil beard.

  39. #39
    Legend Mik's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Simon View Post
    I was watching it at work during a quiet period, I don't get the opportunity to sit and watch for two solid hours unfortunately. Also how long are your classes that you can watch films in one sitting, when I was at school our classes were 70 minutes max.
    1 hour 45 minutes. Its not school mate, college.

  40. #40
    Simon
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    Just finished watching talhotblond. Shit is fucked up.

  41. #41
    Simon
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    Just watched Grizzly Man. It's a very moving and sad story but at the same time Tim Treadwell was a fucking weird guy with a very warped and unrealistic view of wildlife.

  42. #42
    Legend Mik's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Simon View Post
    Just finished watching talhotblond. Shit is fucked up.
    I heard from some of my students it was very good. Have you seen Catfish?

  43. #43
    Simon
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    Yeah, this was similar but more dramatic. It was more focused on the outcomes etc whereas from what I remember of Catfish it was more concerned with the psychological side of things. Without meaning to simplify things too much, talhotblond is a lot nastier whereas Catfish was above all a sad story.

  44. #44
    Simon
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    Anyone want to recommend some more good docs that haven't been mentioned in here?

  45. #45
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    Quote Originally Posted by Simon View Post
    Anyone want to recommend some more good docs that haven't been mentioned in here?
    Man on Wire, Project Nim, Lake of Fire, Confessions of a Superhero, The Interrupters.

    The Interrupters & Project Nim are from last year. The director(James Marsh) for Project Nim also did Man on Wire, and The Interrupters is from the same director(Steve James) that did Hoop Dreams.

  46. #46
    Simon
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    Thanks, I already have Man On Wire and Lake Of Fire but I'll get the rest of them.

  47. #47
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    Dear Zachary.

  48. #48
    Alf
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    Even reading the title breaks my fucking heart.

  49. #49
    Simon
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    I think I've got that downloaded somewhere as well, well reminded chaps.

  50. #50
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    Si, there's a decent one on BBC4 tonight at 10. If a Tree Falls. About the arson attacks on timber companies etc and environmental movement.

  51. #51
    Alf
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    http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode...eration_Front/

    Here's the one BEEBER is on about. It's good. It's about protest.

    Some of the footage of the police putting mace in chained up peoples eyes from an inch out is shocking. And the copper saying "If you do not move, you will experience.... pain..." is a bit mental.

  52. #52
    Simon
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    I watched A Lion Called Christian earlier, a clip of which went viral a couple of years ago:

    [ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=btuxO-C2IzE"]Christian the lion - YouTube[/ame]

    Great documentary, quite short at 45 minutes but going into great depth about Christian's story - he was born in England, sold at Harrods and raised over here before eventually being released into the wild when he was a couple of years old.

    As you would expect it's not as saccharine and neat as that famous clip suggests, but it's a beautiful film and shows a far greater emotion than you get from that short clip. The early parts are also very interesting when he was in the UK - until 1976 and the Endangered Animals law was made, it was legal to just walk around the streets with a lion on a lead. There's loads of footage of them just piling him into their car and driving around like he's in Austin Powers.

  53. #53
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    Watched Being Elmo over the weekend. It is cool, but by no means great. It gave some insight to the guy that plays Elmo, but not enough for me. Maybe he wouldn't let then delve too far into his personal life. I just feel they could have gotten more.

  54. #54
    World Champion Brian M.'s Avatar
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    Really? I watched it over the weekend as well and thought it was fantastic. Gave a lot of great insight on how difficult it actually is to perform one of the Muppets. I didn't really need to know too much about his personal life. It was supposed to be a documentary on the professional aspect of his life, and they did show how that puts strains on other aspects.

  55. #55
    Manure Cactus Lem's Avatar
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    The QPR - 4 Year Plan doc that aired on BBC 2 the other night is well worth a watch. A really interesting insight into areas us football fans are rarely exposed to. It almost acts as an indictment of modern day football ownership and greed. Recommended.

  56. #56
    Gherkin Seanny One Ball's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Simon View Post
    Just finished watching talhotblond. Shit is fucked up.
    The fact that they fill a documentary with pictures of the actual lassie that was being impersonated by her mum and led a guy to murder is insane.

    Great documentary but utterly insane to make the real lassie such a visible and massive part of the film.

    I watched King of Kong last night, it was brilliant but I did a bit of reading afterwards and some of the occurences have been falsely timelined in that film. Steve Wiebe isn't as epic a victim as the film portrays...however Billy Mitchell is supposedly far worse in real life, so much so that the producers decided not to add more than they had to for fear of demonising the guy.
    He still comes off as a complete goon, the lad Kuh is absolutely pitiful though. I really wanted to punch his dick inside out.

    If you aint seen Catfish yet try and catch that, Capturing The Friedmans is an epic that you will be puzzled and amazed by...and finally Michael Moore did a documentary about healthcare called Sicko that is pretty brilliant too.



    - The Original Dirty Old Man -

    Quote Originally Posted by Mark Twain
    Annihilation has no terrors for me, because I have already tried it before I was born --a hundred million years --and I have suffered more in an hour, in this life, than I remember to have suffered in the whole hundred million years put together.
    Quote Originally Posted by wardy View Post
    I would fuck Kimber James and other trannies of similar attractiveness.

  57. #57
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    I am a huge fan of documentaries and watch alot of them on Netflix

    watched a fantastic documentary about the NYC Nightclub called Limelight

    As the owner of legendary hotspots like The Limelight, Tunnel, Palladium, and Club USA, Peter Gatien was considered by many as the undisputed king of the 1980s New York City club scene. The Ontario native, whose trademark eye patch made him stand out in a crowd, built and oversaw a chain of nightclub ventures that brought thousands of patrons per night during its peak years. However, after years of legal battles and police pressure spearheaded by Mayor Rudolph Giuliani's drive to crackdown on the city's nightlife scene during the mid-1990s, Gatien's was deportated to Canada, bringing an end to his presence and influence in the city's nightlife scene. The documentary features interviews with numerous people involved in the club's scene, as well as key informants in Gatien's high-profile trial. Produced by Gatien's daughter, Jen, and Alfred Spellman, and directed by Billy Corben (who previously directed the film "Cocaine Cowboys") the documentary documents the rise and fall of Gatien and his nightclub empire


  58. #58
    Gherkin Seanny One Ball's Avatar
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    Zombie Girl: The Movie

    Watch it, it's superb.

  59. #59
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    Blackfish.

    Basically a film to reveal the truth about Seaworld and their Orca training. Thought it would go a bit more into how they train the whales, but it's very interesting in the approach it took. A great deal focuses in on Tilikum and you wonder how they've allowed this to happen. I highly recommend it, type of film that grabs you the whole way through.

  60. #60
    Simon
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    Sheeeeeit I need to see that I'm fascinated by the whole SeaWorld death thing.

  61. #61
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    Yeah, it exposes quite a bit more that I've not come across in the news. Mostly because it was covered up.

  62. #62
    Simon
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    Just watched Blackfish, Hurley. Great doc.

    There wasn't much I hadn't heard or seen before (I have read up a bit about the various incidents) but the level of detail was fascinating, particularly the former Seaworld trainers. It's kind of sickening how pervasive the need for profit is in the world nowadays...I mean I cannot imagine ever being of the mindset that you would dare cover up a tragedy and even cynically try to divert blame towards the person killed in order to protect your takings. It's crazy but I guess that is the way of the world now.

    The research into killer whales' brains was incredible and made it all the more saddening that they are kept in captivity when their emotional responses are so much further developed than previously realised. In an ideal world the guy at the end would be right, and in fifty years we will look back on Seaworld and the like as barbaric...but while there is a market for it and the companies have enough money to fight any legal challenges, I just don't see how it will stop.
    Last edited by Simon; September 17th, 2013 at 8:11 AM.

  63. #63
    Drink Champion Clive Plasma's Avatar
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    Watched West of Memphis and The Central Park Five the other day. Both very interesting documentaries about groups being wrongly accused and then convicted based on their beliefs, hobbies, social groups or ethnicity. Also highlights the media coverage, and the way in which they love to drag any suspect through the mud presented with limited facts, yet when they are freed or found not guilty, little to no attention is given.

    It is pretty hard to believe that in the face of limited evidence, they were actually convicted...

  64. #64
    I don't do tricks
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    I watched Dragonslayer at the weekend. Documentary about a complete waste of an ex-skateboarder. Reviews of this seem to be misty eyed hipsters thinking it's amazing and other people who hate the complete aimlessness. I couldn't really hate the guy as he pisses his life away to nothing, I couldn't help but feel that the older generation let younger people down by letting them make exactly the same sort of empty mistakes that has happened for the last few decades. He leaves the mother of his child to pick up some young girlfriend who just seems the definition of a trophy and she sits seemingly not trying to get any wrinkles on her clothes.

    I think it's just that these people are allowed to make basic mistakes without being given advice that getting a few hundred dollars and trying to start a new life of freedom doesn't really get you anywhere for very long. On one hand, it's pretty easy to hate the deatbeat. I think the admiration for him is very naive - he appears to have a lot of freedom, but really it's just a lack of fear which just means he has his same numb, dopey smile of whatever, man as the wheels come off his life. The scene in the cinema where he exposes his jealousy sort of completely shits on the notion of being a free spirit but he doesn't seem to realise it.

  65. #65
    tag champ
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    I'm pretty excited to see this.



    Probably my favorite strip. Only Far Side can rival it. It's finally coming to my local indie film theater

  66. #66
    1-800-Call-My-Bluff Fro's Avatar
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    Calvin and Hobbes is definitely the best comic ever.

    You guys should check this out, my best friend from high school made it:


  67. #67
    Simon
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    The Hip Hop Hoax is available on iPlayer at the moment.

    Californian hip-hop duo Silibil n' Brains were going to be massive. No one knew the pair were really Scottish, with fake American accents and made up identities. When their promising Scottish rap act was branded "the rapping Proclaimers" by scornful A&Rs, friends Billy and Gavin reinvented themselves as LA homeboys. The real deal. The lie was their golden ticket to a dream life. With confessions from the scammers, insight from the music execs they duped and doodle reconstructions, the film charts the roller coaster story of the highs of the scam and the lows of madness and the personal toll the deception took. A film about truth, lies and the legacy of faking everything in the desperate pursuit of fame.
    Quality blag.

    http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode..._Hip_Hop_Hoax/

  68. #68
    Drink Champion Clive Plasma's Avatar
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    The Crash Reel





    Fifteen years of verite footage show the epic rivalry between half-pipe legends Shaun White and Kevin Pearce, childhood friends who become number one and two in the world leading up to the Vancouver Winter Olympics, pushing one another to ever more dangerous tricks, until Kevin crashes on a Park City half-pipe, barely surviving. As Kevin recovers from his injury, Shaun wins Gold. Now all Kevin wants to do is get on his snowboard again, even though medics and family fear this could kill him. We also celebrate Sarah Burke who crashed in Park City and died January 19, 2012.
    Well worth a watch. Even if you're not into Snowboarding, it is incredibly good viewing.

  69. #69
    Intercontinental Champion Melly's Avatar
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    I love docs. I just watched a holocaust documentary this week called "Night and Fog." One of the most unsettling, disturbing things I have watched in a long time. Very graphic, hard to watch, but well worth it.

  70. #70
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    Quote Originally Posted by Clive Plasma View Post
    The Crash Reel







    Well worth a watch. Even if you're not into Snowboarding, it is incredibly good viewing.
    Yeah, this is a pretty good documentary. Can't help but admire Kevin's determination. Even if you think he's an idiot for going back at things, you have to give him credit for not giving up.

    I remember the whole Sarah Burke incident, but honestly didn't hear about Kevin until the film. Incredibly sad situations that put things into perspective pretty quickly for those viewing.

  71. #71
    mouth breather
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    Not sure if it was recommended in this thread but I watched "Restrepo" a few nights ago. About a U.S company assigned in Afghanistan's Korangal Valley which was dubbed the most dangerous place on earth a few years ago. Pretty harrowing stuff.

    I've been on a bit of a documentaries trip the last week or so. Started off after downloading Blackfish. The collapsed dorsal fins. Watched Catfish last night as well which gave off mixed feelings of sadness and disturbance for both parties. I was getting pretty bored with it/wasn't sure what the big deal was literally right at the point where they realize the song covers weren't really original song covers. All got weird from there.

    Rotten tomatoes is great for finding documentaries.

  72. #72
    Drink Champion Clive Plasma's Avatar
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    The Documentary Thread

    I know that there is a 'movies' thread, and that I have my own movie thread, but one thing I am always on the look out for is new documentaries. I thought it would be good to separate it out from the movie thread, as documentaries cover TV too. I did check and couldn't find one already?

    Anyway, no matter who you speak to, someone will have a favourite, and while I could list a lot that I have seen, it would be much more interesting to open it out and see what docs other people like.

    I will however put this one up that I just watched;



    http://virungamovie.com

    "A group of brave individuals risk their lives to save the last of the world's mountain gorillas; in the midst of renewed civil war and a scramble for Congo's natural resources."

    It's streaming on Netflix, and it was excellent. Anyone managed to catch this yet?

    Aside from that, have you seen any recently? Any all time favourites?

  73. #73
    Not Elected to Read McBain's Avatar
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    Just spotted this thread.

    I also really like a good documentary. The recent Bob Marley was particularly good I thought, and otherwise my favourite doc-maker is Louis Theroux.

    The Inside Job thing was pretty powerful stuff too.

    Not watched a good one in a while so may check out that Virunga, although wildlife isn't exactly an interest of mine. That said, Attenborough's stuff is always a good watch. Assuming it's less focused on the animals though and more the difficult context they're in? Could be interesting.

  74. #74
    Simon
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    Not as deep as a lot that will come up here, but the Football Manager documentary "An Alternative Reality" was an enjoyable geekfest

  75. #75
    The Stale Smell of Excess Jimmy Zero's Avatar
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    I love a good documentary. Even though I'm not a huge sports person, I really enjoy watching sports documentaries.

    The 30 for 30 series by ESPN (most of which are available on Netflix streaming) is really really good. I particularly enjoyed the Bo Jackson one.

    Has anyone else noticed a trend of really poorly done documentaries since websites like Kickstarter gained in popularity? I've watched a few of these crowd sourced docs and, generally, they're terrible. Not in terms of the technical stuff, but the actual content. The Bill Watterson (creator of Calvin and Hobbes) doc, in particular, was absolute garbage. It was an hour and a half of pure hero worship and had nothing to say, or new info to share. I'm sure there are good ones out there, but the crowd sourced documentaries I've seen are really bad.

  76. #76
    Titty Master Jordo's Avatar
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    Dear Zachary is an absolute gut punch of a doc. Good though

  77. #77
    Isaiah 40:30-31 Hero!'s Avatar
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    My post from the last time we did this

    Quote Originally Posted by Hero! View Post
    I tend to watch a lot of documentaries on Netflix, most of them are pretty damn good. The ones i've seen recently:
    Quote Originally Posted by Hero! View Post

    Seoul train - About North Korean Refugees trying to escape through China
    Kimjongilia - Former North Korean prisoners describe their escapes
    Somewhere Between - Follows 4 different families with daughters adopted from China
    Kumare - A filmmaker pretends to be a guru and manages to gather a pretty interesting following
    Bully - About bullying. Pretty damn heartbreaking
    Erasing Hate - Former skinhead's journey to having his racist facial & hand tattoos removed

    And one I watched a while back, but if it's still on there, it's most definitely worth a watch:
    Dear Zachary - After his childhood friend is murdered, this filmmaker sets out to make a film for his friend's newborn son to show him the man his father was. This one is fucking tragic and will leave you in tears if you're a softie.



  78. #78
    Nerd Pervert Gary J's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Jordo View Post
    Dear Zachary is an absolute gut punch of a doc. Good though
    I don't think I've ever been as angry as I was after watching Dear Zachary. It really did reduce me to a blubbering mess even just reading the title now makes me nearly tear up.

    The Tillman Story is a pretty good documentary I also enjoyed King Of Kong.

  79. #79
    Not Elected to Read McBain's Avatar
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    Interesting teaser for Adam Curtis's new one.

  80. #80
    Drink Champion Clive Plasma's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by McBain View Post
    Just spotted this thread.

    I also really like a good documentary. The recent Bob Marley was particularly good I thought, and otherwise my favourite doc-maker is Louis Theroux.

    The Inside Job thing was pretty powerful stuff too.

    Not watched a good one in a while so may check out that Virunga, although wildlife isn't exactly an interest of mine. That said, Attenborough's stuff is always a good watch. Assuming it's less focused on the animals though and more the difficult context they're in? Could be interesting.
    Virunga is worth a watch McBain, much more to it than just Gorillas. You can easily see why they chose to present the documentary from that perspective though, creates more of an emotional investment in the crisis as opposed to a political and economical one.

    I might be biased because I love Extreme Sports, but this one was one of my favourites last year;


  81. #81
    Intercontinental Champion Melly's Avatar
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    I love documentaries too.

  82. #82
    Drink Champion Clive Plasma's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by McBain View Post

    Interesting teaser for Adam Curtis's new one.
    I'm ashamed to say I hadn't heard of this fella before. I've just gone through and watched a load of his stuff on vimeo, it's incredibly interesting.

    The Century of Self is amazing, looking at the way in which the study of psychoanalysis was used to instigate consumerism in early 1910's USA.

    I also just watched the second episode of 'The Trap', about how mathematics and targets were introduced by Labour to quantify everything, yet our natural competitive 'gaming' nature creates devious ways to achieve what we need to do to 'survive', even to the detriment of others. It also looks at the pharmaceutical companies determining whether or not we are 'normal' through a series of surveys, and how that then began to filter into self-diagnosis and an increase in the request for things like Prozac.

    Some of the points go over my head, but from first thoughts his work is certainly worth seeking out on Vimeo. It's so detailed and well researched.

  83. #83
    Window Licker MikeHunt's Avatar
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    King of kong

  84. #84
    an affront to god mth's Avatar
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    We watched Virunga a few weeks back. Very good and interesting, bit eye-opening for me, one of those things where it's so different from the world you live in. Also, it's a lot less about the gorillas than you'd think. They're in there but are really not the focus despite what most blurbs seem to imply. On the one hand, as a gorilla fan, was a bit disappointed but on the other hand, I learned about stuff I didn't expect to learn about, so that's a good thing. The young journalist in it is one badass chick, much respect for her.

  85. #85
    Simon
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    King Of Kong is great. A bunch of mad geeks obsessing over something of literally zero importance. Billy Mitchell is the greatest screen villain of the 21st Century.


  86. #86
    Nerd Pervert Gary J's Avatar
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    Billy Mitchell is great. He comes across better in Chasing Ghosts. The guy who is Captain Awesome is the guy who comes across as a bigger cock.

  87. #87
    Nerd Pervert Gary J's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by MikeHunt View Post
    King of kong
    I would imagine you are happy with the upcoming hollywood remake of King Of Kong. It's called Pixels and has Peter Dinklage in the role of a mullet haired former Donkey Kong Champion.

  88. #88
    Simone turdpower's Avatar
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    Anything by Louis Theroux.

  89. #89
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  90. #90
    GP OG Percussion's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Jimmy Zero View Post
    The 30 for 30 series by ESPN (most of which are available on Netflix streaming) is really really good. I particularly enjoyed the Bo Jackson one.
    Love 30 for 30.

    My favorite so far is Elway to Marino. Told by Marvin Demoff, the agent of both John Elway and Dan Marino, and as recalled through the diary he kept leading up and throughout the draft, it chronicles all the twists and turns of picks 1 through 27. The bumbling Colts trading the first pick due to Elways demands, George Steinbrenner thinking he might land Elway as a Yankee, the Raiders almost landing the first pick and Elway, I believe the Cowboys were looking to move to land Marino later as well.

    As a complete draft nerd this story was a goldmine.

  91. #91
    Turning back time Kdestiny's Avatar
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    Elaine Stritch: Shoot Me

    I recommend this highly. I loved it due to my theatre background, but she was a funny lady who did not want to ever stop working. May she rest in peace.

  92. #92
    Noli Timere Messorem The_Mike's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Gary J View Post
    I don't think I've ever been as angry as I was after watching Dear Zachary. It really did reduce me to a blubbering mess even just reading the title now makes me nearly tear up.
    This intrigued me as I couldn't imagine it being that bad, so I hit up the google machine and read a summary. I actually feel ill now. Good god. I'll have to get around to the documentary at some point.

  93. #93
    KIKI MUTEMBE BBF's Avatar
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    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F3Lem0oZ_54

    This is a great documentary. Some touching bits and some genuine LOL moments at the brilliant behaviour of the villagers.

  94. #94
    Drink Champion Clive Plasma's Avatar
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    I fucking love Botton. Land Rover.

  95. #95
    KIKI MUTEMBE BBF's Avatar
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    I've got a few of the text books and a train set from there. Amazing place.

    'Did you really slip over?' 'No I don't think so'. John Chaddington is a marvellous human.

  96. #96
    Gherkin Seanny One Ball's Avatar
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    Anyone ever seen Capturing the Friedmans or Brother's Keeper?

    Those two films and the cases are very hard viewing but they are excellently documented and hard to wrap your head around.

  97. #97
    Drink Champion Clive Plasma's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Seanny One Ball View Post
    Anyone ever seen Capturing the Friedmans or Brother's Keeper?

    Those two films and the cases are very hard viewing but they are excellently documented and hard to wrap your head around.
    I couldn't finish Brothers Keeper, I just found it really difficult to follow and got bored quite quickly.

    Capturing the Friedmans is mental. Very surreal documentary.

    I've got the following down as rated on my IMDB profile. I've probably seen a lot more, but I've ordered it by highest rated to lowest rated for those that are interested;


  98. #98
    X Ringo's Avatar
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    Capturing The Friedmans is mad.



    Also, The Act of Killing is still one of the most incredible pieces of work I've seen anywhere ever.

  99. #99
    I don't do tricks
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    Just watched Tavarataivas (My Stuff)

    Doesn't feel like a documentary because of the way it's shot, and is self made. Finnish bloke puts everything he owns in storage and is allowed to retrieve one item a day. Nothing drastic happens but it's a nice gentle examination of your relationship with stuff.

  100. #100
    Drink Champion Clive Plasma's Avatar
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    Fucking A! I had tickets to see that at this Film Festival but double booked myself. Didn't realise it was available to watch now.

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