Recommend me a documentary....
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From: Northern New Jersey...or as we say it "Sopranos Country USA"
I don't want the discussion to go off topic, so I will ask people to refrain from bashing my picks:
I can recommend anything by Michael Moore. Now some will say things are being presented in a certain way, but he has a certain kind of touch that actually makes things interesting. But of all of his films, Bowling for Columbine is probably the one to seek out.
Also anything by Errol Morris is good. "Deliver Us From Evil" is amazing, but it can be difficult to watch. American Movie is fantastic, as is Hoop Dreams, Born into Brothels, Enron; The Smartest Guys In The Room, The Corporation, Wilco; I am Trying to Break Your Heart, The Kid Stays In The Picture, Murderball...almost anything that was listed above.
Lastly, check out the documentaries that come with the movie "Dust Devil", the one about the Holy Grail and the Nazis search for it is incredible. As well as the other two. The Secret Glory, Voice Of The Moon, and The White Darkness are the names.
I can recommend anything by Michael Moore. Now some will say things are being presented in a certain way, but he has a certain kind of touch that actually makes things interesting. But of all of his films, Bowling for Columbine is probably the one to seek out.
Also anything by Errol Morris is good. "Deliver Us From Evil" is amazing, but it can be difficult to watch. American Movie is fantastic, as is Hoop Dreams, Born into Brothels, Enron; The Smartest Guys In The Room, The Corporation, Wilco; I am Trying to Break Your Heart, The Kid Stays In The Picture, Murderball...almost anything that was listed above.
Lastly, check out the documentaries that come with the movie "Dust Devil", the one about the Holy Grail and the Nazis search for it is incredible. As well as the other two. The Secret Glory, Voice Of The Moon, and The White Darkness are the names.
#27
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Jesus Camp
I could not take my eyes away from this film. The fact that there are people out there who take religion and the bible so literally really scares the shit out of me.
Also...
When Stand-Up Stood Out
Indie Sex
Fuck (yes, that is actually the name of the doc)
Trekkies (I'm not a Star Trek fan but this doc is hilarious)
I could not take my eyes away from this film. The fact that there are people out there who take religion and the bible so literally really scares the shit out of me.
Also...
When Stand-Up Stood Out
Indie Sex
Fuck (yes, that is actually the name of the doc)
Trekkies (I'm not a Star Trek fan but this doc is hilarious)
Last edited by aJOHNymous; 02-04-08 at 09:12 AM.
#28
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From: Region Free
Originally Posted by macnorton
I don't want the discussion to go off topic, so I will ask people to refrain from bashing my picks:
Originally Posted by Wolf359
Anyone have any suggestions for similar, slice of life type films like this?
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From: Northern New Jersey...or as we say it "Sopranos Country USA"
Originally Posted by Yakuza Bengoshi
I don't want to go off topic either so let's all try to keep in mind what the OP asked for:
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From: Region Free
Originally Posted by macnorton
I feel I answered the question correctly. Although I guess my definition of slice of life is different I suppose.
A slice of life story is a category for a story that portrays a "cut-out" sequence of events in a character's life. It may or may not contain any real plot, and often has no exposition, action, conflict, or denouement, with an open ending. It usually tries to depict the every-day life of ordinary people.
Try as I might I can't come up with any definition of a slice-of-life doc broad enough to include Nazis looking for Holy Grails, and Michael Moore polemics about gun control, other than perhaps "A documentary featuring humans."
Last edited by Yakuza Bengoshi; 02-01-08 at 10:11 AM.
#32
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From: Rocky Mountain High
Originally Posted by beesonosu
"I Want Something Creepy Yet Thought-Provoking" Doc:
Capturing the Friedman's
Capturing the Friedman's
Also, don't know if it could be catergorized technically as a documentary, more of a re-enactment with documentary-style interviews: Touching the Void.
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#36
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Thanks everyone for the suggestions. There are several I am going to rent. Looking over my collection I realize I have one that nobody mentioned and I really like it a lot.... Trekkies.
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From: Region Free
Originally Posted by Wolf359
Looking over my collection I realize I have one that nobody mentioned and I really like it a lot.... Trekkies.
#38
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^^
Oops. Just didn't see it for some reason. Sorry jpoppe and GREAT suggestion!
Oops. Just didn't see it for some reason. Sorry jpoppe and GREAT suggestion!
#40
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Originally Posted by Wolf359
^^
Oops. Just didn't see it for some reason. Sorry jpoppe and GREAT suggestion!
Oops. Just didn't see it for some reason. Sorry jpoppe and GREAT suggestion!

Just saw Trekkies 2 this weekend. Wasn't nearly as good as the first, but still had some interesting "characters."
Side note: I just checked out the IMDB page for the geeky mulleted (sp?) kid from the first movie and he's actually become a pretty successful guy in the special effects arena.
link: http://imdb.com/name/nm0462933/
#41
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Deliver Us From Evil - horrifying, enraging, redemptive, hopeful. As moving a film as I've ever seen that shows the very best and very worst of humanity.
Why We Fight - watch John McCain shudder as a call from Dark Lord Cheney interrupts his interview!
Gates of Heaven/Vernon Florida - see 'em both if only to remind yourself what a wacky, wacky, and totally amazing country this is. And hopefully always will be. Stories straight outta Griel Marcus' "old, wierd America".
Iraq in Fragments - only very slightly out-of-date, and perhaps the best opportunity to see what life is like on the ground, in the muck, very much in harm's way. We follow a Sunni kid living in Baghad, before being plunged into the midst of Sadr's Mahdi army in the Shia south, and finally on to a Kurdish family of shepherds in the North. Amazing cinematography, startling imagery, and the most inside look at Iraq, post-invasion, I've seen.
Why We Fight - watch John McCain shudder as a call from Dark Lord Cheney interrupts his interview!
Gates of Heaven/Vernon Florida - see 'em both if only to remind yourself what a wacky, wacky, and totally amazing country this is. And hopefully always will be. Stories straight outta Griel Marcus' "old, wierd America".
Iraq in Fragments - only very slightly out-of-date, and perhaps the best opportunity to see what life is like on the ground, in the muck, very much in harm's way. We follow a Sunni kid living in Baghad, before being plunged into the midst of Sadr's Mahdi army in the Shia south, and finally on to a Kurdish family of shepherds in the North. Amazing cinematography, startling imagery, and the most inside look at Iraq, post-invasion, I've seen.
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From: United States
Originally Posted by Wolf359
Thanks everyone for the suggestions. There are several I am going to rent. Looking over my collection I realize I have one that nobody mentioned and I really like it a lot.... Trekkies.
#43
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I just watched OSWALDS GHOST by Robert Stone. It's about how own notions of the JFK Assassination have shaped politics and our views about ourselves today.
Robert Stone is really an excellent filmmaker. He also directed RADIO BIKINI, which is one of my favorite documentaries of all time. He's so good because he doesn't try to shove a point of view down your throat, he just offers you all of the information in an interesting way, and subtly leads you to a conclusion, although he never insists upon it.
With any documentary, I just want the information. The sermonizing isn't interesting to me. I'll figure it out myself, thanks.
Robert Stone is really an excellent filmmaker. He also directed RADIO BIKINI, which is one of my favorite documentaries of all time. He's so good because he doesn't try to shove a point of view down your throat, he just offers you all of the information in an interesting way, and subtly leads you to a conclusion, although he never insists upon it.
With any documentary, I just want the information. The sermonizing isn't interesting to me. I'll figure it out myself, thanks.






