Monday 24 November 2014

Winter Viewing list: Top 10 Documentaries





To quote Game of Thrones ‘winter is coming’. The air is getting crisper, the trees barer and the hours of precious daylight are dwindling. So what better way to embrace the long dark evenings than to snuggle up on the sofa with a hot chocolate (Baileys optional) and explore this extraordinary planet we call home by watching a documentary? Not always the easiest thing to watch, they may make you squirm uncomfortably, question your morals or even simply shed a tear. This is, however exactly why you should watch them. A good documentary has the power to improve our awareness and thus impact the world and our collective future. Not all documentaries are life changers, but the good ones are influential, provocative and enlightening.



Here are my absolute favorites:

1 - Waste Land 
A touching story about the lives of those who work on the biggest waste disposal site in Rio de Janeiro and the transformation that occurs when Vix Muniz, an artist of international acclaim decides to visit them.

               


2 - Born into Brothels: Calcutta's Red Light Kids
A heartwarming tale of what can happen when someone believes in the children of Calcutta's prostitutes.  

               

3 - Darwin's Nightmare
Documenting the consequences of fishing Nile perch in Lake Victoria. This not only explores why the local people starve when there is a plentiful supply of fish, but also exposes the African gun trade. 

                

4 - Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations
A raw, rollicking ride across the globe with food critic, chef and writer Anthony Bourdain. Full of adventurous charm, piercing wit and sagacious insights about cultures all over the earth. 

                

5 - Jiro Dreams of Sushi
One man's quest for the perfect piece of sushi. 85-year-old Jiro Ono has dedicated his life to his passion. Now his son and heir Yoshikazu must prove his worth.

               

6 - The Cove
A gritty and gruesome exploration of a cove in Japan where dolphins are brutally abused and executed.

                  

7 - Life in a Day
Can you remember what you were doing on the twenty-fourth of July 2010? Filmed by people all around the world, this shows what it is like to be alive on a single day and acts as a time capsule for future generations. 

               

8 - Food Inc.
Showing what really goes on inside America's mass food production and the harmful effects it has on independent farmers as well as the environment and livestock. 

               

9 - Advanced Style

Seven inspiring New Yorkers prove that you do not have to fade into the background when you get old. 


                


10 - I Bought a Rainforest

Shot over 3 episodes, this chronicles what happens when wildlife photographer Charlie Hamilton James purchases 100 acres of Peruvian Rainforest in the hope of stopping illegal logging. It is, however, riddled with more problems than he could have ever imagined.

              

               


Please let me know of any great Documentaries you have watched recently......





















7 comments:

  1. These are great suggestions. I saw The Cove a couple of months ago and absolutely wept- Blackfish is a good watch too, into the Orca trade in aquariums. I also like Cowspiracy and Pandora's Promise, though will have to check some of the ones you mentioned out too :)

    www.thetechgypsy.com

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I also couldn't stop weeping through The Cove - Thanks for the other suggestions I will definitely check them out :)

      Delete
  2. haven't watched a good documentary in a while and some of these sound pretty great! thank you for sharing!
    following you on bloglovin' and twitter. hope you'll look for me too. see you around!


    a possible fantasy

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi - yes I am following you to - love your blog :) please keep an eye on mine to as some exciting things coming.

      Delete
  3. Have you watched Blackfish yet? That documentary really went under my skin.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi, no I have not had a chance to see it yet, but its on the top pf my list! Thank you for the recommendation.

      Delete
  4. I am a big documentary fan, I haven't even heard of most of these so I will have to have a look and see if I can find them somewhere! I recently watched the Queen of Versailles, my mum was given it on DVD as a stocking filler but I think it's on Netflix. It was actually really interesting, it was about a woman who was married to a property tycoon in America and their effort to build the biggest house in the whole country, and what happens to that dream and their personal finances when the recession hits. Surprisingly good.

    http://noranoraa.blogspot.co.uk

    ReplyDelete