If you're plagued with too much free time (oh, the horror!), or just simply can't decide what to watch, here are some documentaries you should consider watching!
1. "Going Clear: Scientology and the Prison of Belief"
You've most likely heard about this one. This 2015 documentary about Scientology is insane. It discusses the basis of the Church of Scientology and explores the relationship that celebrities have with the church. The film tells the stories of members who left the church and the things that they went through.
I will never be able to look at Tom Cruise the same again.
2. "Finding Vivian Maier"
"Finding Vivian Maier" is very interesting, but definitely not as emotionally overwhelming as "Going Clear". It shows filmmaker John Maloof's process of finding a box of negatives at an auction and publishing the images. The documentary explains Maloof's struggle to find out anything about the photographer — her name was Vivian Maier, but after that, the picture becomes blurry and he outlines his attempts to piece the puzzle together.
This is a very interesting film and doesn't require any interest in art. It explores the identity of Vivian Maier and the process of finding out who she was rather than her art.
3. "She's Beautiful When She's Angry"
A powerful chronicle of the feminist movement from 1966 to 1971. Filmmaker Mary Dore explores some of the important leaders in feminism and the protests involved in the movement. While there are countless feminist documentaries out there, this one also tells stories of the minorities involved, including LGBT+ and African American women.
It's a powerful film that documents the worldwide revolution and what sparked it.
4. "The Perfect Human Being"
This is a documentary series done by writer and interviewer Bas Heijne about technological adjustments to the human being. The first few episodes discuss aging as a disease, choosing the sex of your baby, human enhancement, and choosing a different personality.
The series is published by the Dutch company VPRO, and is a fascinating (and intimidating) look at the possibility of manipulating nature, and it discusses the ethical controversies regarding many processes within this field.
5. "The Wolfpack"
This film was released in 2015 and was praised in film festivals. It follows seven children who were raised home-schooled, practically locked into their apartment by their overprotective father. Their journey out in the world, after so many years of being taught not to trust people, is an incredible thing to witness.
Their social skills were mainly based on movies, as was their worldview. This hobby of theirs, the only one they could really have, became a big passion as they recreated movies, creating props and typing up scripts. "The Wolfpack" gives us a fascinating glimpse into what their world was like for the years they were shut off from the rest of the world.
This is, of course, just a small collection of the great documentaries that are out there. With the time you have off for holidays, take a few hours to follow some incredible stories or learn about human enhancement. Get some friends together to watch or, like me, sink into your bed with Ben & Jerry's Americone Dream and your computer on your lap!
