Documentary recommendation thread

Agent Coulson · 10-03-2020 10:24pm #1

The Documentary forum has been blended into the TV forum and lost down the pages so I though a thread to recommend documentaries might be a good idea.

All the streaming sites are making some great documentaries right now.

I'll start with McMillions from HBO.

Martin Tyler AgueroooOO · 15-03-2020 6:39pm

Watched Hilary today and found it really interesting if she had shown this side of herself before the last election I think she might be in power today and by god do we need a real politician as the leader of the world right now not a reality tv host.

Dots1982 · 15-03-2020 6:45pm

Capturing the Friedman’s is a classic

Mantis Toboggan · 15-03-2020 7:03pm

Last 3 I watched on Netflix and all very good.

Don't f*** with cats,
abducted in plain sight,
wild wild Country.

HeidiHeidi · 15-03-2020 7:05pm

The Dirty Money series on Netflix is great, looking forward to getting into the second series.

16-03-2020 7:12am

The Ascent of Man. It might be nearly 50 years old but it is a classic from what’s been called the “golden age” of (BBC) tv documentaries. I watched it in my late teens when it was first shown and am now rewatching it on DVD. Dr Jacob Bronowski wrote and presented it. As relevant now as it was then.

Muppet Man · 16-03-2020 7:28am

Still reckon “Senna” was one of the very best documentaries ever. It doesn’t matter if you know nothing about his sport, it’s far more about the man. My wife watched it with me and even she was weeping at the end.

Basq · 16-03-2020 7:43am

Dear Zachary: A Letter to a Son About His Father (2008)

Must have watched this about 3 or 4 times and it doesn't get any easier to watch.

A series of gut punches punctuate this enthralling watch.

Though go in blind.. that's all I say. The less you know, the better!

Tipsy McSwagger · 16-03-2020 8:20am

Basq wrote: »

Dear Zachary: A Letter to a Son About His Father (2008)

Must have watched this about 3 or 4 times and it doesn't get any easier to watch.

A series of gut punches punctuate this enthralling watch.

Though go in blind.. that's all I say. The less you know, the better!

One of the most overrated documentaries of all time. Interesting story but I just couldn’t get past how badly made/edited it is.

Martin Tyler AgueroooOO · 17-03-2020 10:30am

Killer Inside: The Mind of Aaron Hernandez on Netflix was really interesting.

eviltwin · 17-03-2020 10:35am

There's Something Wrong with Aunt Diane. I think the full doc is on Netflix

For the Bible Tells Me So and Blackfish, both on Netflix

Hodors Appletart · 17-03-2020 12:00pm

Paradise Lost Trilogy, and the other doc about the same case West of Memphis are brilliant docs, watch the 3 parter first

About the murder of a child in america and the way the system fúcked up

Tom Mann Centuria · 17-03-2020 12:02pm

Anything by Ken Burns.

Mantis Toboggan · 17-03-2020 12:25pm

Apollo 11 on Netflix is fantastic.

Martin Tyler AgueroooOO · 17-03-2020 6:09pm

Pandemic on Netflix.

maudgonner · 17-03-2020 11:39pm

I'm thinking of launching a campaign to get RTÉ to dedicate one of their channels to 24-hour rolling repeats of Hands*. It's just the kind of comfort TV we need right now.

(*Correctly washed, of course)

Martin Tyler AgueroooOO · 18-03-2020 10:01am

maudgonner wrote: »

I'm thinking of launching a campaign to get RTÉ to dedicate one of their channels to 24-hour rolling repeats of Hands*. It's just the kind of comfort TV we need right now.

(*Correctly washed, of course)

That would be reality tv would it not.

Venom · 20-03-2020 7:59pm

Mantis Toboggan wrote: »

Last 3 I watched on Netflix and all very good.

Don't f*** with cats,
abducted in plain sight,
wild wild Country.

I haven't seen the first two but Wild Wild Country is an amazing and riveting watch in a how the hell could something like that happen in real life :eek:

Mam of 4 · 20-03-2020 8:05pm

Venom wrote: »

I haven't seen the first two but Wild Wild Country is an amazing and riveting watch in a how the hell could something like that happen in real life :eek:

It's so crazy it's nearly unbelievable isn't it? !

Give Abducted In Plain Sight a watch , and let us know what you think :pac:

Mantis Toboggan · 20-03-2020 8:25pm

Venom wrote: »

I haven't seen the first two but Wild Wild Country is an amazing and riveting watch in a how the hell could something like that happen in real life :eek:

If you think the last one is wacko watch the first two.

Andrea B. · 20-03-2020 8:32pm

maudgonner wrote: »

I'm thinking of launching a campaign to get RTÉ to dedicate one of their channels to 24-hour rolling repeats of Hands*. It's just the kind of comfort TV we need right now.

(*Correctly washed, of course)

Watched them on youtube. Real trip down memory lane. Excellent archive. Loved "power of the metal'. Mother and all doing manhole covers.

Venom · 20-03-2020 10:09pm

Mam of 4 wrote: »

It's so crazy it's nearly unbelievable isn't it? !

Give Abducted In Plain Sight a watch , and let us know what you think :pac:

Added to my must see list

Mantis Toboggan wrote: »

If you think the last one is wacko watch the first two.

I find shows/docs about cruelty to animals very hard to watch :mad::(

As for my recommendations....

Super Size Me - fast food
Holy Chicken - more fast food
Food Inc - even more food
Icarus - Russian doping scandal
Roger and Me - Death of the American car industry

generalgerry · 21-03-2020 12:22am

I agree with many of the above.

From those mentioned above, particularly good
Icarus - What a trip, starts off as one movie and ends up being another.
Killer Inside (Aaron Hernandez) - This is the most recent one, really enjoyed it, although ep 2 went off on a bit of a tangent.
There's Something Wrong With Aunt Diane - This is a fascinating wtf happened, as the family try to prove that she was not drink driving.

The OJ : Made In America is brilliant as well.

anewme · 21-03-2020 12:25am

Mantis Toboggan wrote: »

Last 3 I watched on Netflix and all very good.

Don't f*** with cats,
abducted in plain sight,
wild wild Country.

Didn't like abducted in Plain sight.

Wild wild country was brilliant. I've watched it twice now and would watch it again. The Bagwan had me actually laughing out loud at his antics.

anewme · 21-03-2020 12:34am

LA 92 is a very tough watch. My heart was in my mouth watching it.

I had to turn off The Trials of Gaebriel Fernandez.

Auschwitz, The Nazis and the Final Solution is a BBC 2 documentary series from 2005. I was engrossed in it in 2005 and watched it again on Netflix.

The Devil Next Door is also really good.

Blackfish very sad.

anewme · 21-03-2020 12:45am

Venom wrote: »

Added to my must see list

I find shows/docs about cruelty to animals very hard to watch :mad::(

As for my recommendations....

Super Size Me - fast food
Holy Chicken - more fast food
Food Inc - even more food
Icarus - Russian doping scandal
Roger and Me - Death of the American car industry

If you like dogs, watch dogs on Netflix.

Two of the series are really good.

Bravo Zeus tells the story of a Refugee who had to leave his dog in Syria. Get your hankies out.

Ice on the water is about a 10 year old labrador in Lake Como. Beautifully shot.

Mantis Toboggan · 21-03-2020 8:14am

Seen it already but there's a very good documentary coming to Netflix on the 30th.
Three identical strangers, about 3 teenagers who meet by chance and discover they're identical twins, well worth a watch.

SEPT 23 1989 · 21-03-2020 8:29am

This is an absolute masterpiece

The King of Kong: A Fistful of Quarters

Muppet Man · 21-03-2020 9:25am

12 sports documentaries listed here on RTEs website

Some of which are already mentioned above by other folks

21-03-2020 9:30am

Amy is excellent. Really changed my opinion on Amy Winehouse.

Short Game was or is on Netflix about child pro golfers, very entertaining

Electric Nitwit · 21-03-2020 9:30am

Someone on boards pointed me to this website but I forget who so can't credit them!

Anyway, this has loads of good docs to stream: https://www.documentarymania.com/home.php

Agent Coulson · 21-03-2020 2:53pm

Channel 4 tonight Saturday the 21st of March at 9pm.

Diego Maradona.

anewme · 21-03-2020 6:25pm

Agent Coulson wrote: »

Channel 4 tonight Saturday the 21st of March at 9pm.

Diego Maradona.

I'm not into football but I love personal stories so will watch this. It's got great reviews.

flower tattoo · 21-03-2020 6:33pm

Just started The Tiger King on Netflix
I'm engrossed after one episode

anewme · 21-03-2020 6:51pm

flower tattoo wrote: »

Just started The Tiger King on Netflix
I'm engrossed after one episode

Friend just text me about that. Said theres not one sane person in it.

rubadub · 21-03-2020 6:52pm

Both trailers might give away a bit too much. Honest liar is about James Randi (famous magician and skeptic) 2nd about national enquirer in the US

enricoh · 21-03-2020 7:04pm

Tt3d - a documentary following guy Martin and a few other road racers competing at the isle of man. It's on YouTube , not sure bout Netflix.

Blondie919 · 21-03-2020 7:14pm

enricoh wrote: »

Tt3d - a documentary following guy Martin and a few other road racers competing at the isle of man. It's on YouTube , not sure bout Netflix.

You should check out Speed is my Need on Netflix

bcklschaps · 21-03-2020 7:26pm

The Staircase ...its about true crime and is available on YouTube, very good.

MrSquishSquash · 21-03-2020 7:52pm

A few of those I enjoyed I can remember:

The Fog of War - https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=hcAyzbMvF7k

The World at War (1973) - https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=0b4g4ZZNC1E Approx 20+ hours

There was a great one on Napoleon & another on the formation of Russia I've forgotten but if it comes to mind I will post them.

maudgonner · 21-03-2020 8:18pm

Blondie919 wrote: »

You should check out Speed is my Need on Netflix

Road, about the Dunlop brothers, is amazing, even if you have no interest in bikes or motorsport.

RichT · 21-03-2020 8:41pm

Two not mentioned yet, but very good IMO......

The Keepers

The Keepers is a seven-episode American documentary web series that explores the unsolved murder of nun Sister Cathy Cesnik, who taught English and drama at Baltimore's Archbishop Keough High School, and her former students' belief that there was a cover-up by authorities after Cesnik suspected that a priest at the school, A. Joseph Maskell, was guilty of sexual abuse of students

Had to resist the urge to throw something at the TV screen when I watched The Keepers. Very very frustrating watch!

The Jinx: The Life and Deaths of Robert Durst

From Andrew Jarecki and Marc Smerling (the Oscar nominees behind Capturing the Friedmans), comes The Jinx: The Life and Deaths of Robert Durst, a six-part examination of the reclusive millionaire at the heart of three killings spanning four decades.

Robert Durst, the scion of a New York real estate empire, has long been a suspect in the notorious 1982 disappearance of his wife, Kathie. Further suspicion was raised with the unsolved killing of his confidante, Susan Berman, thought to be a key witness in the investigation into Kathie's disappearance in 2000, as well as the subsequent killing and dismemberment of a neighbor in Galveston, Texas. Durst has consistently maintained his innocence.]

Mike Guide 69 · 21-03-2020 11:09pm

Watching the Diego Maradona documentary on channel 4 ,made by the same crowd who did the brilliant documentary on Senna.

Like Senna ,Maradona documentary has loads of personal footage which gives a unique insight into his flawed genius.Some of the stuff he was doing off the pitch when he was playing for Napoli was unreal

There’s even commentary from the late great Jimmy Magee on a World Cup Match at Italia 90 in the documentary........

statesaver · 21-03-2020 11:11pm

No Stone Unturned 2017
1994 Loughinisland massacre.

Dir; Alex Gibney

zweton · 21-03-2020 11:36pm

Mike Guide 69 wrote: »

Watching the Diego Maradona documentary on channel 4 ,made by the same crowd who did the brilliant documentary on Senna.

Like Senna ,Maradona documentary has loads of personal footage which gives a unique insight into his flawed genius.Some if the stuff he was doing off the pitch when he was playing for Napoli was unreal

There’s even commentary from the late great Jimmy Magee on a World Cup Match at Italia 90 in the documentary........

Just finished watching this...wow so good.

Mic 1972 · 22-03-2020 10:59am

Mike Guide 69 wrote: »

Watching the Diego Maradona documentary on channel 4 ,made by the same crowd who did the brilliant documentary on Senna.

Like Senna ,Maradona documentary has loads of personal footage which gives a unique insight into his flawed genius.Some of the stuff he was doing off the pitch when he was playing for Napoli was unreal

There’s even commentary from the late great Jimmy Magee on a World Cup Match at Italia 90 in the documentary........

Maradona is one of the best documentaries i watched last year, i loved everything about it, from the money/drugs/corruption/self-destruction to the 80s real footage giving a sense of that that incredible decade really was about

Mic 1972 · 22-03-2020 11:05am

RichT wrote: »

Two not mentioned yet, but very good IMO......

The Keepers

The Jinx: The Life and Deaths of Robert Durst

I started The Jinx last night and I'm totally hooked already

QueenRizla · 22-03-2020 2:48pm

flower tattoo wrote: »

Just started The Tiger King on Netflix
I'm engrossed after one episode

I’ve watched so many documentary series and loved them like The Jinx, the Stair Case, making a murderer etc.
Tiger King is far and away the most crazy, nut job Filled roller coaster of a ride. Maybe it’s quarantine but Jesus Netflix have pulled it out of the bag. Have to pause and process it all. I thought they were actors at first.its absolutely mental.

Michellenman · 22-03-2020 5:01pm

Mic 1972 wrote: »

I started The Jinx last night and I'm totally hooked already

I’ve watched all the episodes at least 4 times over the years and my heart still races in the last episode, you’re in for a treat.

Mic 1972 · 22-03-2020 6:26pm

Michellenman wrote: »

I’ve watched all the episodes at least 4 times over the years and my heart still races in the last episode, you’re in for a treat.

that's what i heard, no spoiler please!!!!

Roanmore · 22-03-2020 6:38pm

Watched a few over the last week

The Jinx - superb
Tell me who I am - tough watch, pretty messed up. About identical twins, one has an accident and loses his memory, the other twin fills him in on their life but all is not as it seems
The Pharmacist - Again tough watch, starts off with a guy trying to find his sons killer and leads in to the whole opioid crisis. The main guy is a hero but at times he'd annoy the hell out of you. It's shocking how Oxycontin really took the US by storm
Andy Murray - Resurfacing: He's not everyones cup of tea but this is excellent about the hip operations he has and his rehabilitation. Was close to home for us as my wife had similar operations although she didn't try to play professional tennis afterwards

Kidnapped in plain sight - wow, that it was a parody first, shocking when you discover how it is real

Documentary recommendation thread

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