An Impossible Job: ILX's 40 Favorite Documentaries

*AWOBMOLG

If you're going to praise something, at least get its name right. 'All Licked Over By Machines of Loving Grace'? (lol xp)

Not gonna retread why I hated it in detail, though - pretty sure I posted a few annoyances on the dedicated thread.

I didn't know a thing about Adam Curtis until this conversation started. This is good. (Not sure how I'll see this stuff if it's BBC, though.)

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

www.rapidshare.com

most of them are on youtube or google video

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eOlwbaPe2os

Not one for downloading films, and really hate watching anything longer than a short clip off the computer.

^^ 'generation very much in character'

i doubt the good old beeb would sue. like 'la plays itself' i don't think it could be put on dvd even if there were a market, because it uses loads of copyright material. (like broadcast is governed by different rules than dvd or something.)

I voted for one Adam Curtis: The Mayfair Set.

(at least, I think I did)

"la plays itself" is a gay porn film. just sayin'

You did vote for The Mayfair Set, yes. And there is an Adam Curtis film in the top 25.

i haven't seen AOLOLBLOGOMG

Either The Trap or Power of Nightmares, prob. the latter

xp

"la plays itself" is a gay porn film. just sayin'

― A41 (admrl), Friday, August 12, 2011 7:43 PM (1 minute ago) Bookmark

wrongly naming that film has become just an annoying thing that i do.

It's actually a really interesting film, I mean both of them are. u shld check it out

why do u h8 shermy's march amon

― https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_i_qxQztHRI (Princess TamTam), Friday, August 12, 2011 2:12 PM

not sure, iirc it was really long and the narrator seemed overly-sedate. just total snooze-fest. should i watch it again, its been years since i've seen it

Limp Bizkit is surprisingly front and centre in this thread.

I do keep on getting confused by the auto-embed of TamTam's display name.

i havent seen it in a long time myself, but i gave it 5 points anyway. i need to watch it again

im hoping that it confuses someone into clicking on it looking for a hot documentary clip

Wow, I had no idea this was in progress. "Gleaners & I" is so good, and casually profound. "WR: Mysteries of the Organism" I can't stand. "Winged Migration" I can watch all day. The perfect example of a doc that shows you something common from such a (literally) different angle it changes the way you think about said something, in this case, um, wings. But man, are those flapping/gliding wings so cool.

Wd have voted for LA Plays Itself if I knew we were opening up slots to gay porn.

im hoping that it confuses someone into clicking on it looking for a hot documentary clip

I'm stealing your idea for something.

xpost So we can discuss the "doc"/"not a doc" veracity of full penetration and non-waxed ass.

I showed Winged Migration to my two grade 6 science classes last year, and most of them were pretty attentive through most of it.

The only thing I really remember about Winged Migration is that I bought a bottle of wine and some brie and crusty bread to consume while I watched it.

that really sounds delicious

Obviously I provided my students with wine and crusty bread.

wd do the same w/ showing a class Sex Positive

three of mine placed so far. (i was the other shoah voter if it makes you feel any better morbs.) (on the other hand, i voted for fog of war.) enjoying this so far. thanks, c.

whoops, make that four. i figure about another three have a shot. the other three, not so much.

i think i have ~10 that still have a shot at placing.

Oh man I haven't had a chance to read through this yet but I'm psyched that brother's keeper placed. I gave it a lot of points iirc. I think I may have voted for hated too but I can't remember.

Brother's Keeper is so heartbreaking, the non-fiction equiv. of "A Simple Plan."

Loved it, have to see it again.

Fans of Anvil who wished it had more pathos and OCD dramedy should check out Driver 23, which is almost a companion piece to American Movie (American Metal?). I didn't vote for any of those but they'd make my Top 100.

Josh you were the one who recommended it to me on the netflix thread! :)

I thought Brother's Keeper was really quite boring

i would love to see driver 23 but it is oop yes?

also how in the world is brothers keeper boring

Like, it bored me. It seemed realllllly drawn out and ultimately rather pointless. It just wasn't "well-crafted" (can't think of a better term, sorry)

huh. experiences differ etc i guess

i found it engaging but i wasn't really blown away. it's a unique and sad story, but formally it's a very familiar kind of doc.

i guess i can see that - the story outweighed the style for me prob - which is super true of one of my other choices but im not saying anything because i am still holding out hope that it places

oh yeah i'm not making a style v. substance argument here. i mean i prefer to have both, but "transparent style" is also a style etc etc.

i need to revisit it, but like admrl, i was left v v cold by BK a few years ago.

apologies for not participating in this (seventeen would have made it, i bet!), good work getting this together clemeneza, etc. but srsly fuck the canon, it's missing almost everything i love.

clemenza*

here's a question i meant to ask during the nominations thread, but forgot to: has anyone on ilx ever MADE a doc?

yes, someone on this thread is a very good filmmaker