Your Favorite Documentary?

Not stating my opinion one way or the other on Barbara Wa-Wa...
I'm saying that she gives real interviews,
while Weird Al edits together fake interviews...
the same way MM edits together fake documentaries​
 
One that hasn't been mentioned, but stirred my interest in documentaries many years ago is the "7 Up" series by Michael Apted.
 
I just read through the whole thread, and was a little surprised to see that no one mentioned "Planet Earth." Not a feature film, but great documentary work nonetheless.

Also I enjoyed "Capturing the Friedmans" in addition to many others already mentioned.
 
i hated An Inconvenient Truth. giving a oscar to that film would be like giving a nobel price for peace to mr gore.
oops, they did??????

my choice, in no particular order:
iraq in fragments
my country my country
jesus camp
the fog of war
tokyo ga
buena vista social club
the agronomist
the boy who plays under the buddhas of bamyian
grizzly man

many others, i'll think about
 
I just finally got around to "Jesus Camp," and was really blown away. Good Docu! Shot w 2 DVX100A's.
 
I just finally got around to "Jesus Camp," and was really blown away. Good Docu! Shot w 2 DVX100A's.

For sure! The directors commentary on Jesus Camp's delicate topic was awesome! It's almost impossible to keep the interview/commentary neutral on such a charged topic (indoctrinating kids to evangelical/fundamental religion), but somehow director's Rachel Grady and Heidi Ewing pulled it off. Still, some got shook up with things like the kids speaking in tongues, the the distributor (Magnolia Pictures) didn't like the documentary being screened at Michael Moore's Traverse City Film Festival. But that's minor collatoral damage considering the nature of the film. Anyway, in today's world with disparate religious factions, the movie offered a rare glimpse of how religion is infused into the minds of children. Cudos to the directors and the Pentecontals and particularly summer camp leader Becky Fischer for allowing their summer camp to be videotaped.

IMHO, this film definitely earned its nomination for the 2007 Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature.


Warm Regards, Michael
 
for sheer cinematography, check out Yo Soy Cuba made by some russian filmmakers in the 60's I believe. There's one tracking shot through a cigar factory that i still can't put my finger on exactly how they pulled it off...amazing great film
 
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