Documentaries

As I mentioned a few weeks ago, I've been watching a lot of documentaries lately. In addition to being entertaining, a well made documentary is great way to broaden your mind. I am particularly interested in the social and cultural pieces. Here are some of the films I watched recently:

1. Dear Zachary: A Letter to a son about his father- This was my favorite. While it is absolutely heartbreaking, it's also touching and hopeful. I think it's better not to know too much about this film before watching it. Just have some tissues nearby and Netflix it. It's streamable.

2. The Business of Being Born- This was recommended by a friend. I want children someday but I had never given any thought to the whole process of giving birth. This was an informative and eye opening film about the system in which babies are born in the United States. Even if you don't plan on giving birth anytime soon, or ever, I still recommend this title. We were all born.... right?

3. After Innocence- This film tells the stories of men who have been exonerated (usually from DNA evidence) and freed from prison after years of living behind bars. It is frustrating and inspiring at the same time.

4. A Certain Kind of Death- The premise of this film is: What happens to a person when they die without any next of kin? It's not as morbid as it sounds. This is a piece that systematically explains a process that happens every single day. This might not appeal to a broad audience, but I thought it was fascinating. It reiterates the fact that in the end, our stuff is just stuff and our bodies...well, you get the idea. My sister posted this quote on her blog and it's relevant here: "Whatever you want to do, do it now. For life is time and time is all there is." (Gloria Steinem)

5. Capturing The Friedmans- This film is unique because it chronicles a (dysfunctional) family during through their own home videos. It is rare to see a film with so much original footage.

6. King Corn- Two college kids plant an acre of corn and document it's journey from the field to your dinner plate. Basically, food and drink products contain a lot of corn and it's not a good thing. This was humorous and informative, but it wasn't my favorite. As far as food documentaries go, I really want to see Food Inc., but I'm putting it off because I'm afraid it will take the joy out of eating.

This is just a list of the documentaries that I've seen lately. There are so many fabulous ones out there. What are your favorites?