Review Your Fave/Recent Documentaries

[Hippasus]

yeah.. Baseball is my favorite Burns' docu-series. My opinion, I think it has/will have more lasting value that his overesteemed The Civil War.

I enjoyed his one entitled Jazz.

 

[Elvis P]

I enjoyed his one entitled Jazz.

He has a new one coming out about country music.

 

[Babe Ruth]

In Search of Ancient Mysteries (1973).

Classic TV documentary hosted by Rod Serling. Cool (but mostly flimsy) theories on aliens visiting ancient cultures of Earth. Watched it on YouTube..

Rod Serling, c'mon.. gotta like that.

 

[Babe Ruth]

Let there be Light.

A documentary originally filmed shortly after WW2, showing the treatment of vets suffering from PTSD, battle-induced anxieties, etc.
It is slow (& hard to hear) in parts, but interesting. I was surprised how enlightened & compassionate PTSD treatment was for that era.. I guess there might be some unfair misconceptions/understandings of old school psychiatric treatments (?) Hopefully the vets in this doc went on to live relatively happy, healthy lives. It's currently on Netflix.

I read that this footage was withheld by the Army for 35 years..

 

[Babe Ruth]

Reluctant Saint: Francis of Assisi. (2003)

Good hour long biography on St. Francis of Assisi.. I watched it on YouTube. Covers the major historical & spiritual events of his life. Pretty good.

Incidentally, does anyone look at this thread anymore..

 

[kihei]

The Cave which focuses on a female doctor in charge of a dedicated but small crew of other physicians and specialists who work out of literally a bunker near Damascus where both Syrian and Russian war planes unnecessarily keep bombing the area over and over again. The documentary is powerful, moving and deeply disturbing. These are among the most courageous people on the face of the earth in my opinion.

 

[frisco]

Inside Job-Financial Global Meltdown of 2008-09 recanted. 7.0/10

Steve McQueen: The Salvation Of An American Icon-McQueen bio focuses on his late in life conversion to Christianity. 8.5/10

Man On Wire-High wire walker straddles the Twin Towers in the 70's. 6.0/10

The Days Of Our Lives-Story of Freddie Mercury and Queen. 8.0/10

Keppel Road-Bee Gee history. 8.0/10

History Of The Eagles-Kind of self-explanatory. 7.0/10

O.J. Made In America: The Simpson saga goes really deep into THE TRIAL and historical L.A. race relations, etc., 9.0/10.

Some of these aren't too recent but within the past decade at least. Want to see Viet Nam and Country Music by Ken Burns.

My Best-Carey

 

[kook10]

Anyone else watch American Factory? It is about a Chinese auto glass manufacturer opening a factory in a closed GM plant in Dayton Ohio. They sell the deal as the Chinese working hand-in-hand with the Americans, but it becomes clear the Chinese have different ideas. It was a very good watch and very eye opening.

On Netflix

 

[Frankie Blueberries]

Anyone else watch American Factory? It is about a Chinese auto glass manufacturer opening a factory in a closed GM plant in Dayton Ohio. They sell the deal as the Chinese working hand-in-hand with the Americans, but it becomes clear the Chinese have different ideas. It was a very good watch and very eye opening.

On Netflix

I saw it at the DOXA documentary film festival last year - loved it. Fascinating to see the cultures clash and how they view each other. Produced by the Obamas as well.

Has anyone here seen Wild Wild Country? I watched it a while back, but from what I can recall (and without spoiling much), it's about a cult led by an Indian guru but is still predominantly populated by Americans, that set up a utopian village right next to a small town in Oregon. The locals aren't too happy about it and tension builds. The documentary provides interviews from some of the key members of the cult, but in present time (2018), so you get to hear their opinions with the benefit of hindsight.

 

[chicagoskycam]

I'm really interested in the McMillions doc coming out tonight on HBO, it's about the Monopoly scam that went on years ago with Mcd.

 

[Babe Ruth]

..anyonehere seen Wild Wild Country? I watched it a while back, but from what I can recall (and without spoiling much), it's about a cult led by an Indian guru but is still predominantly populated by Americans, that set up a utopian village.. The documentary provides interviews from some of the key members of the cult, but in present time (2018), so you get to hear their opinions with the benefit of hindsight.

yeah, binge watched it about a year ago. Compelling & disturbing..

In the mid 90s I went thru a phase where I was studying/sampling a lot of different religion & philosophy. I read several of Rajneesh's books, without ever being aware of the (prior) drama surrounding his cult, etc.
Like u state, there is a lot of interesting hindsight in the docuseries.. but it's surprising to me that people did (& still) fall in to these personality cults. Especially since Jonestown was still fresh in American consciousness, no (?) The Rajneesh colony is less well known than Jonestown or the Manson Family.. and may end up as another unheeded cautionary tale.

 

[chicagoskycam]

1st episode of McMillions on HBO was really good, it's a total of six episodes.

 

[Babe Ruth]

Batman & Bill (2017)

Documentary about an author, who sought and secured credit for Batman's unrecognized co-creator Bob Finger. Compelling (& tragic in some ways) account..

I give it a 7 (on 10 pt scale).

 

[spintheblackcircle]

1st episode of McMillions on HBO was really good, it's a total of six episodes.

Seen the first two. I knew the story, but wasn't sure how it could be THAT interesting. But holy shit, that lead FBI agent is AWESOME.

 

[chicagoskycam]

Seen the first two. I knew the story, but wasn't sure how it could be THAT interesting. But holy shit, that lead FBI agent is AWESOME.

It even gets crazier, like you can't write the shit that went on with this case. I knew the cliff notes of this thing but it gets really good with so many different characters. The finale is this Sunday.

 

[spintheblackcircle]

It even gets crazier, like you can't write the shit that went on with this case. I knew the cliff notes of this thing but it gets really good with so many different characters. The finale is this Sunday.

Just watched the 3rd episode, jesus you ain't lyin.

 

[Frankie Blueberries]

This was pretty insane and gross.

 

[Babe Ruth]

I started watching a documentary series Hunting Nazi Treasure

I started w/episode 5: The Mystery of Rommel's Gold. It's an admitted misnomer, the episode explains that Rommel didn't extort the gold.. it was a more obscure German, but.. Basically documents the account of a Nazi demanding gold from a North African Jewish community (known for it's jewelry artistry, etc). Interesting at times, some nice scenery, film location around Tunisia. But, spoiler alert, their search for the looted gold was completely fruitless.
It was an average watch, probably check out another episode.

 

[kingsholygrail]

These aren't exactly documentaries, but this seems like the most suitable place to mention them.

I just ran across these stellar YouTube videos that show minute by minute how several famous battles, most from the Pacific theater of WWII, went down. They're like nothing that I've seen before, but have wished that documentaries could be more like. They do a better job of describing what actually happened than so many actual documentaries that are longer.

If you like WWII history, especially the battles in the Pacific, give these a watch.






(That last one is the coup de grace and shouldn't be missed. I'm looking forward to Part 2).

I fear we may never get part 2 to Midway.

 

[Osprey]

I fear we may never get part 2 to Midway.

Yeah, I check every now and then to see if he's made it yet. Seemingly, he just does these in his spare time and they take an extraordinary amount of time. I believe that Part 1 was his first video in something like 8 months, so they either take that long or he's had less spare time. It's been about a year since, so he's overdue for Part 2. Maybe getting to stay home a lot during this pandemic will give him the time to finish it.

 

[Babe Ruth]

It even gets crazier, like you can't write the shit that went on with this case. I knew the cliff notes of this thing but it gets really good with so many different characters.

Basic Hulu is offering the McMillions series thru a temporary HBO upgrade.. I watched first 3 episodes today. It is an intriguing scam.. but I actually am bored by all the individual creeps they're profiling. Seems like they could've condensed/streamlined the story telling, with the same net effect (?)
I'm surprised by the candor of all the conspirators.. I assume the final episode will explain their immunity deals/statute of limitations, etc.

 

[chicagoskycam]

Basic Hulu is offering the McMillions series thru a temporary HBO upgrade.. I watched first 3 episodes today. It is an intriguing scam.. but I actually am bored by all the individual creeps they're profiling. Seems like they could've condensed/streamlined the story telling, with the same net effect (?)
I'm surprised by the candor of all the conspirators.. I assume the final episode will explain their immunity deals/statute of limitations, etc.

It was probably a couple of episodes too long but some of the characters are definitley worth it.

 

[Babe Ruth]

Truth and Lies: Waco (2018)

A network news special, looking back at the Waco standoff.
In spite of it's title, not a lot of objective truth (or lies really). It's more an accounting of how the participants felt and/or perceived the negotiations as they progressed. FBI agents, a few Davidian survivors, & some on-scene reporters recollect. Nothing really new or insightful.. but not bad. Currently on Hulu..

 

[Desdichado93]

"Guldfeber". Guldfeber – stölderna på Kungliga Myntkabinettet

A three part documentary series about the theft of 25 million SEK worth of historically unique and valuable coins.

Man acquitted of selling stolen coins from museum - Radio Sweden

 

[Babe Ruth]

All the Pizza.

An Italian immigrant going around profiling (& bonding with) Americans who make and love pizza. One installment where he goes to a pizza industry convention in Vegas, an episode where he delivers pizzas for a night around LA. Not deep, but not bad.. on Hulu, 7 episodes I think..