The world of Netflix is full of tantalizing decisions, choices upon choices, happy endings and some of the worst acting I've ever witnessed. Picking quality shows to entice the brain and keep the mind vibrant can sometimes be hard. These are just a few documentaries I put on to have background noise but ended up becoming intensely entranced by:
1. Cooked (2016)
"When we learned to cook is when we became truly human" ( -Michael Pollan).
This is a four part documentary series that explores food through focusing on the elements: fire, water, air and earth. Michael Pollan, an award winning food writer and author, addresses the difference between a corporation's food preference and a 'real' person's cooking. Pollan describes cooking as an act of generosity and love and delves into the history of cooking and the ways it has evolved up to this point.
2. Exit Through The Gift Shop (2010)
This film was intended to be a documentary of the infamous graffiti artist, Banksy. The amateur videographer, Thierry Guetta, who started the film project was, “..actually a lot more interesting than I am” as Banksy puts it. Although Guetta’s initial quest was to document the growing underground world of street art, he became submerged in the lifestyle and ultimately became an artist himself...
3. Rolling Papers (2015)
With laws regarding marijuana in Colorado differing so greatly from some of its fellow states, the legislative example they set allows new territory on the issue to be explored. The documentary makes mention of the newspaper industry's declining significance in a world where advancing technology makes printed press near obsolete. Adapting to new trends and publishing useful, reliable information is becoming more crucial than ever. As you explore the inside workings of medicinal and recreational dispensaries there is a noticeable focus on the regulation and implementation of mandatory testing of legal cannabis.
Also, the music in this film had me jammin'.
4. DamNation (2014)
“Inspiration can be a very dangerous thing” (-Ben, the narrator)
Dams and hydro electric power represent a pivotal part of U.S History. Resource development was taken way too far, at one point having more than 75,371 dams over three feet tall in the United States. An equivalent to that of one dam being built everyday since Thomas Jefferson was the current President. Not only having an outstanding economic effect on our environment, dams affect tribes and cultures who depend(ed) on their native watershed to thrive.
5. We Are Legion: The Story Of The Hacktivists (2012)
This film is about the workings, operations and beliefs of the self proclaimed "hacktivist" community known as Anonymous. Seeing themselves as protesters and political activists, Anonymous rises up when there are threats towards free speech and privacy preservation. The group carries an association with illegal activity, however, most of the members of Anonymous are law abiding citizens.
6. Tiger: Spy In The Jungle (2008)
With the assistance of some unlikely videographers and customized camera equipment, this mini series helps you experience a new intimacy with the wild. The elephants are your backbone as you journey through the jungle to follow a family of tiger cubs who are just trying to learn ‘how to tiger.’ Being generally informative, there is also a quite jovial inflection that produces a sense of innocence that's not normally associated with these fierce felines.
7. The Art Of Organized Noize (2016)
"The only time in history that a hip hop act won a Grammy for album of the year... a diamond album, mind you." (- L.A. Reid)
The art of Organized Noize is a production trio known for their unique and incendiary 'beats'. Rico Wade, Ray Murray and Sleepy Brown, the members of Organized Noize, are pioneers who shaped the scene of 90's hip hop music and Atlanta's 'Dirty South' persona. The film is guided by comments from Outkast, Cee-Lo, P Diddy, Organized Noize themselves and many other influential musical artists.
Even though there's an array of awesome documentaries to choose from on Netflix, these were just some that really resonated with me. These films explore my favorite subjects in life, like food, music, nature, art and people. Add a couple of these to your Netflix queue and put them on for the snowy season, because as we all know... Winter is coming...
