Essential documentaries to watch

[teh_gunslinger]

Reminds me a bit of that horrible Ben Stein documentary Expelled. What a crock of shite that was, lies and assumptions from start to finish.

Expelled was hilarious. Or at least laughable. Good God, they did their best to paint a picture of the big bad scientists trampling free thought, and linking evolution and atheism to Nazi Germany. It was like reading posts on a Christian forum, no objective analysis, no critical thought and no humour. At least Religulous, inane as it were was funny.

And from a technical standpoint it was so damn ham fisted. No subtlety, no finesse. Just pictures of nazi parades with narration extolling the horrible ways of science. It was like if a guy who never saw a good documentary tried to make one.

So I'd say it's worth seeing, if only to get a good laugh. Just expect your toes to hurt a bit after all the cringing they have to do.

And I laughed even more about the whole fiasco when they expelled P.Z. Meyers from a screening (though they apparently didn't think Richard Dawkins were a problem to let in).

 

[C117]

I don't know if it counts as a documentary, but I think everybody should see Downfall.

 

[thenumberthirteen]

Planet Earth. If you've not watched it yet, then go out, buy the box set, and prepare for some of the greatest images of the natural world you will ever see. And it has David Attenborough.

It's fantastic. I have it in Blu Ray and by god it looks amazing.

I would also second Carl Sagan's Cosmos.

 

[Liberaliter]

Everything by Louis Theroux. I love that man.

 

[Da Joz]

March of the penguins and the most hated family in america.

 

[LinkMcCloud]

One word:
Helvetica

 

[Spaghetti]

The Fog of War

The whole documentary is an interview with former US Defence Secretary Robert McNamara. He gives an amazing insight into the Vietnam War and the Cuban Missile Crisis. A MUST watch if you are in anyway interested in the history of the Cold War

 

[C.G.B.S]

Just watched a good one called "This Film is Not Yet Rated" is about the USA's film rating system and basically how its a pile of B.S.

 

[Beartrucci]

I don't really watch documentaries but I saw Metal: A Headbanger's Journey the other day and that was pretty good.

 

[DividedUnity]

Anything by Louis Theroux. That man is a genius and its so easy to watch his programs.

Also any nature documentarys by David Attenborough. That mans voice is just so awesome.

 

[RebelRising]

Haxan is a great documentary/mockumentary about witchcraft from the Silent Era. Funny, imaginative, and informative, the tongue-in-cheek tone presents the Middle Ages very well.

Goodbye, Uncle Tom's title has not aged well, but this Italian pseudo-documentary transports the filmmakers back to the American South to interview slaveholders, slave-traders, slaves, preachers, and the like. Politically incorrect, but it remains the most uncompromising depiction of that time yet.

Warlords is a gripping account of the relationships between Stalin and Hitler, Churchill and Roosevelt, Churchill and Stalin, and Roosevelt and Stalin. Chock full of intrigue, deception, and instantly quotable moments, this stylistic account of the diplomatic dynamics between the major players of World War II is fascinating.

 

[Fulax]

Power of Nightmares. Three-part documentary about the rise of Islamic extremism and neo-conservatism.

Yellowstone. Three-part documentary about Yellowstone national park by the BBC. Narrated by the guy who plays Harry in Spooks, if that rings any bells.

The Secret Life of Chaos. Documentary about chaos theory.

Anything David Attenborough ever has and ever will do. Particularly Planet Earth, The Blue Plantet and Life

PBS Frontline have some very good docs, particularly the ones on the Iraq war. http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/view/

 

[Dexiro]

Religilous. At least i think that counts as a documentary.