Documentary recommendations

Parent Cafe
21

<p>He may also wish to listen to books on tape (free from most libraries). That was how my SIL has whiled away time during and after treatments when she wants something to occupy her without making her exert herself too much. She doesn’t feel like reading & sometimes just is happy to listen without watching anything in particular.</p>

22

<p>Sorry out your BIL.</p>

<p>I really enjoy all the American Experience programs. They are PBS, but may be available from libraries.</p>

23

<p>Louder Than a Bomb…about high school poetry slam competion.</p>

24

<p>Thank you again. I have ordered a few of these from Amazon for my BIL. Books on tape is a good thought as well. </p>

<p>They are all going into my personal Netflix queue. Great suggestions.</p>

<p>Boy, I’ll tell you - cancer is tough. I have such respect for everyone toughing out treatment.</p>

25

<p>Big River Man – about Martin Strehl who swims the entire Amazon river. It is an absolutely amazing, funny, disturbing, incredible movie. Ten minutes into the film you will be online trying to verify that it is all true. It is.</p>

26

<p>^^YES Big River Man!</p>

<p>I’ll add…
PBS documentary on Andy Warhol
Roy Lichtenstein documentary
RESTREPO
The Cove
Food, Inc.
Helvetica</p>

27

<p>I liked King of Kong…about these nerdy guys who play Donkey Kong.</p>

<p>It’s fun and easy going. Good laugh out of it.</p>

<p>There are alot of good ones you can watch via Netflix “Watch Instantly.”</p>

<p>The Collapse was also good, screws with your optimism a bit…maybe not good for someone in recovery.</p>

28

<p>The public library system I use has a digital media catalog with eAudio selections and eVideo along with eBooks. I just downloaded three eAudio selections to my iPod. (Currently the site list 4725 fiction selections, 1083 nonfiction selections, and then still you can look through biography, mystery, science fiction, classic literature, performing arts [classic radio programs included]. I could continue, but you get the idea.) Anyway, check your library. Figuring out how to do it might be the hard part - at least, it was for me. Then my daughter stepped in and fixed me up in no time.</p>

29

<p>Another “Man on Wire” fan, and it’s being highlighted on Comcast ON Demand, now. </p>

<p>“From the Earth to the Moon” -my very “un” -scientific sister raved so much about this Tom Hanks HBO collaboration, I had to buy it. Loved it!</p>

<p>[Amazon.com:</a> From the Earth to the Moon (Four Disc Collector’s Edition): FROM THE EARTH TO THE MOON: Movies & TV](<a href=“http://www.amazon.com/Earth-Moon-Four-Disc-Collectors/dp/0783114222]Amazon.com:”>http://www.amazon.com/Earth-Moon-Four-Disc-Collectors/dp/0783114222)
Originally broadcast in April and May of 1998, the epic miniseries From the Earth to the Moon was HBO’s most expensive production to date, with a budget of $68 million. Hosted by executive producer Tom Hanks, the miniseries tackles the daunting challenge of chronicling the entire history of NASA’s Apollo space program from 1961 to 1972</p>

30

<p>Another David Attenborough narrated documentary we love is “Planet Earth”. All about the wonders, and wonderfully unusual things to be found in nature. Animals we never knew existed. Incredible cinematography and very soothing to watch.</p>

31

<p>^^^^ 21 year old daughter raved so much about Planet Earth we bought for grandparents last year. I haven’t seen it, so didn’t want to mention.</p>

32

<p>Planet Earth is definitely worth watching. We own the DVD set but it’s often played on the Discovery Channel or National Geo. It’s very long and done in episodes, so it’s easy to stop and start. I think it started as a TV show and was filmed in High Def. It’s really quite stunning and interesting.</p>

<p>[Amazon.com:</a> Planet Earth: The Complete BBC Series: David Attenborough: Movies & TV](<a href=“http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000MR9D5E/?tag=googhydr-20&hvadid=3053902791&ref=pd_sl_7cand6qm0_e]Amazon.com:”>http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000MR9D5E/?tag=googhydr-20&hvadid=3053902791&ref=pd_sl_7cand6qm0_e)</p>

33

<p>Does he like politics? If so I would suggest this movie:</p>

<p>[The</a> Promise of New York-a Raul Barcelona motion picture](<a href=“http://www.thepromiseofnewyork.com/]The”>http://www.thepromiseofnewyork.com/)</p>

<p>A blogger turned stand-up comic, an obsessive political gadfly and a high-school math teacher compete against each other and arch rival incumbent Michael Bloomberg for the post of New York City mayor. As these ordinary citizens take politics into their own hands, The Promise of New York explores the meaning of democracy and the identity of a city with hilarious irreverence and thought-provoking sensitivity.</p>

34

<p>If laughter is the best medicine, the documentary you’re looking for is “Okie Noodling 2”.
It’s about people fishing for enormous catfish with their bare hands. Has to be seen to be believed.</p>

<p>[OKIE</a> NOODLING 2](<a href=“http://okienoodling.com/]OKIE”>http://okienoodling.com/)</p>

35

<p>Winnebago Man is droll and hilarious; Exit Through the Gift Shop, though light hearted, is the most thought provoking film I’ve seen in a long time. Highly recommend both of them if he’s looking for docs that are less serious. Also loved King of Kong mentioned above.</p>

36

<p>This one isn’t on DVD yet, but it’s playing in theaters now in a number of cities. It does sound a little odd, but it’s gotten great reviews and I know someone who saw it recently and liked it:</p>

<p>[Marwencol</a> - ABOUT MARWENCOL](<a href=“http://www.marwencol.com/about/]Marwencol”>About — Marwencol)</p>

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<p>[Not</a> Child’s Play | Psychology Today](<a href=“http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/geek-pride/201011/not-childs-play]Not”>Not Child's Play | Psychology Today)</p>

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<p>More at link; a gallery of photos of the dolls is at <a href=“http://www.marwencol.com/gallery/[/url]”>http://www.marwencol.com/gallery/&lt;/a&gt;, and reviews are collected at <a href=“http://www.marwencol.com/reviews/[/url]”>http://www.marwencol.com/reviews/&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;

<p>I was told the reason for the beating – a reason that he slowly remembers and slowly becomes part of his life again – but won’t disclose it here in case anyone wants to go see the documentary.</p>

37

<p>“The Rape of Europa” I did not go through the entire thread and see what has been recommended, but this film is the best documentary I have ever seen. It is the story of what happened to the art in Europe during WW2. How the museums and governments and individuals tried to hide and protect it from the Nazis. What the Nazi stole and how and what was recovered. I saw it on PBS a couple of years ago. I sat in my kitchen watching it and I had to stand up every 5 or 10 minutes because I couldn’t believe what I was seeing. While it is the story of evil people it is also the story of many brave and amazing people and what they did to preserve Europe’s artistic heritage. Here is the website you can watch a trailer here: [The</a> Rape of Europa](<a href=“http://www.rapeofeuropa.com/]The”>http://www.rapeofeuropa.com/) you can buy it on Amazon. I don’t know why I don’t buy myself a copy.</p>

<p>I am sending my thoughts and prayers to your brother in law and his family for a successful recovery!</p>

38

<p>If your BIL is into investing and crime investigations, he will find this series very interesting:</p>

<p>[American</a> Greed: Documentary: Movies & TV](<a href=“http://www.amazon.com/American-Greed-Documentary/dp/B002SF9Y7A]American”>http://www.amazon.com/American-Greed-Documentary/dp/B002SF9Y7A)</p>

<p>I did.</p>

<p>If he is a nature fan, Planet Earthis a must have documentary. We also enjoyed David Attenborough’s The Life of Birds.</p>

<p>I wish him a speedy recovery.</p>

39

<p>I just wanted to mention that the subject of "“Marwencol” is also covered on one episode of the “This American Life” series mentioned above (and this is already available on NetFlix).</p>

40

<p>I want to add my praise for “Man on a Wire” and “Fog of War”. Both are quite engrossing and haunting.</p>

<p>I have a friend who is reading “The Rape of Europa” and loves it, and I’ve heard great things about the documentary too. </p>

<p>Other good ones are “Supersize Me” - about the dangers of fast food, “Mine” - about pet custody issues after hurricane Katrina, “Rivers and Tides” - where you can watch Andy Goldsworthy at work on his art projects, “Spellbound” - about kids who participate in the National Spelling Bee, and “Murder on a Sunday Morning” - about a Florida public defender’s efforts to free an African American boy charged with murder. </p>

<p>You could check this list too - [The</a> Documentary Blog The Documentary Blog’s Top 50 Documentaries of the Decade](<a href=“http://www.thedocumentaryblog.com/index.php/2010/01/05/the-documentary-blogs-top-25-documentaries-of-the-decade/]The”>http://www.thedocumentaryblog.com/index.php/2010/01/05/the-documentary-blogs-top-25-documentaries-of-the-decade/)</p>

<p>I also loved the HBO series “Rome” and “John Adams”, and if he’s in the mood for some medical humor, you could get him one of the seasons of “Nurse Jackie” as well.</p>