What documentaries would you recommend watching and why?

18 points by joddystreet 7y ago ↗ HN

I always thought documentaries to be boring and that changed after watching - Icarus (Netflix): about state-sponsored doping scandal in Russian Olympics teams - Amazing! Now I want to explore the world of documentaries, on any topic; I just want to expand my worldview.

11 comments

[ 2.7 ms ] story [ 33.4 ms ] thread

phakding 7y ago ↗

Three from top of my head: 1. The square - it was on Netflix, may still be 2. The known unknown 3. Jesus camp

justaguyhere 7y ago ↗

Jesus camp was scary.

I don't know if these fall under documentary category, but I enjoyed SAMSARA and BARAKA, because of their music and stunning cinematography

https://www.amazon.com/Samsara-Ron-Fricke/dp/B00AYQNOFI/ https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00AO9NDY2

siquick 7y ago ↗

Hypernormalisation by Adam Curtis

Incredible insight into the current geopolitical climate and how actions in previous years have had huge ramifications to what's happening now.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HyperNormalisation

staunch 7y ago ↗

Mary Beard's documentaries are some of the only accurate ones on ancient Rome. Luckily some of them are available on YouTube.

Pompeii: Life And Death

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k0zBG5R7TXU

Meet the Romans

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rggk_H3jEgw

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9JFw8M4PBUI

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1UvG0LDeYBA

Caligula

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PhiJcedqTjM

Ultimate Rome Empire Without Limit

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4WIISgDsUrE

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W18k428ugaE

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vxCzAehdF38

Also, there's a subreddit for this https://old.reddit.com/r/Documentaries/

slipwalker 7y ago ↗

I liked "Betting on zero" from netflix ( https://www.netflix.com/title/80108609 ).

PerfectElement 7y ago ↗

Earthlings

https://vimeo.com/209647801

Because it will change the way you see the relationship between humans and animals.

daslicious 7y ago ↗

The Fog of War https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0317910/

Robert McNamara gives his accounts of WWII and Vietnam wars.

He was a senior member of the White House administrations and saw a lot.

itronitron 7y ago ↗

wormwood >> https://www.netflix.com/title/80059446

mj_tom 7y ago ↗

I'd recommend "Jiro Dreams of Sushi" on Netflix. It's a really interesting look into the mind of someone seeking perfection and mastery of their craft.

superasn 7y ago ↗

I recently saw one called "What the health" and "in defence of food" (better) about how USDA is in bed with The meat, egg, sugar and pharma industry and how their guidlines are just plain wrong if not harmful.

I've been reading about this lots and lots to the effect that I've reduced my non veg intake to once a week and yes my health has improved a lot since too. But ymmv and it's definitely worth a watch even if you don't agree to hear their viewpoints.

yesenadam 7y ago ↗

All documentaries by: Scott Noble (available free at his site http://metanoia-films.org/), Patricio Guzman, Werner Herzog, Adam Curtis, The Yes Men.

Other great documentaries: Man with a Movie Camera, Sherman's March, Burden of Dreams, Bus 174, My Winnipeg, How to Start a Revolution, Merchants of Doubt, Silenced (2014), the Corporation (2003), Man on Wire, The Parking Lot Movie, Land of Look Behind, Intangible Asset No. 82, Brasileirinho, Jodorowsky's Dune, Revolution OS, Facebookistan, The King of Kong, Kumaré, McLibel, Harlan County USA

Why? Because they're amazing, important, will change your life etc. Sorry I don't have hours to go into detail. Enjoy!

ps I found a lot of these by googling best documentaries lists, IMDb lists etc. I judge whether to watch movies/docos by reading 2 or 3 pages of user reviews on IMDb, occasionally Ebert or Urban Cinefile etc also.