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Ask HN: What are some of the best documentaries you've seen?

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Re: Ask HN: What are some of the best documentaries you've seen?

#131

Post by antisthenes »

nsfmc wrote: post #125

Adam Curtis' short "Oh Dearism" ( https://thoughtmaybe.com/oh-dearism/ ) 12 minute mini-documentary is a good ramp up to his longer movies and is a critique of the failings of television news media in the late 20th century. My favorite of his is "Bitter Lake" ( https://thoughtmaybe.com/bitter-lake/ ), a haunting "how did we get here" view of the middle east. His 3 part miniseries "All Watched Over By Machines of Lovi…

Oh boy.

How can you mention Adam Curtis without mentioning 'The Century of the Self' series?

Re: Ask HN: What are some of the best documentaries you've seen?

#132

Post by minimaster »

qcoh wrote: post #117

I really like Alone in the Wilderness, which is about Dick Proenneke building his log cabinby hand and living a solitary life in Alaska.

I was so happy to see somebody else mention this great movie. I just love the tranquility and watching him build all those things.

Re: Ask HN: What are some of the best documentaries you've seen?

#133

Post by wahern »

The Kid Stays in the Picture: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Kid_Stays_in_the_Picture

It's an autobiographical film about somebody you probably don't know or would ever care to know. It primarily uses collage (e.g. photographs, press clippings) for the visuals, narrated by the subject.

What's most memorable is just how darn good the film is. It's like your uncle presenting an Oscar-worthy slideshow in his basement. It felt like a masterpiece of film making. No film has ever left such an impression on me. I deeply appreciated and was in awe of its artistic merit. But I haven't seen it since its original release. Maybe it really only works on the big screen or similar environment.

Re: Ask HN: What are some of the best documentaries you've seen?

#134

Post by todd8 »

Crumb. Its about the iconic counter-cultural cartoonist Robert Crumb (creator of the 1960s/1970s underground comics Fritz the Cat, Keep on Trucking, etc.). The Wikipedia entry for it[1] says (along with other accolades):

"Crumb was met with wide acclaim from critics, earning a 95% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Gene Siskel rated Crumb as the best film of the year...Roger Ebert gave the film four (of four) stars, writing that 'Crumb is a film that gives new meaning to the notion of art as therapy.'"

[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crumb_(film)

Re: Ask HN: What are some of the best documentaries you've seen?

#135

Post by tcpekin »

platz wrote: post #30

Restrepo is a 2010 American documentary film about the Afghanistan war. The 2nd Platoon is depicted defending the outpost (OP) named after a platoon medic who was killed earlier in the campaign. The huge success of this film and what separates it from the hundreds of other war pictures is that Junger puts us right in the middle of the action without any political agenda. He simply decides to film these groups of sold…

This film is truly something else. Few documentaries have been as impactful to me as this one.

Re: Ask HN: What are some of the best documentaries you've seen?

#136

Post by nsfmc »

antisthenes wrote: post #131
nsfmc wrote: post #125

Adam Curtis' short "Oh Dearism" ( https://thoughtmaybe.com/oh-dearism/ ) 12 minute mini-documentary is a good ramp up to his longer movies and is a critique of the failings of television news media in the late 20th century. My favorite of his is "Bitter Lake" ( https://thoughtmaybe.com/bitter-lake/ ), a haunting "how did we get here" view of the middle east. His 3 part miniseries "All Watched Over By Machines of Lovi…

Oh boy. How can you mention Adam Curtis without mentioning 'The Century of the Self' series?

ok, i love that series, but i am not sure i would necessarily recommend it as a starting point (plus i felt like i had maxed out on recs) but i strongly endorse it as a great series!

Re: Ask HN: What are some of the best documentaries you've seen?

#140

Post by mhjas »

anfractuosity wrote: post #2

I really loved 'Jiro Dreams of Sushi', showing how much care and effort he puts into making it: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1772925/

I think it was pretty good, but it failed to leave a lasting impression. Maybe I have just seen too many similar things.
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