Although the insane plot inventions of Hollywood’s elite writing teams generally provide the gravitational pull that draws viewers to the movies (and $ to the box office), from time to time producers and directors find that the reality also has its fair share of poignant and compelling stories to tell. Therefore, from time to time society lavishes another entry into the documentary genre, and the story of a small group of people is exposed for all of humanity to soak up and consider. While they rarely attract the benefits of their arrogant sibling genres, documentaries, when done right, linger in the viewer’s mind and subconscious much longer than any cheesy action movie or comedy. Here we have a list of five of the best documentaries produced in the history of television; the criteria are very personal, so there is room for disagreement.
1) Hoop Dreams – This inspiring documentary tells the story of two aspiring basketball players from their beginnings in the ghetto to their eventual success in the professional sports arena. The resonance the film had with American audiences when it was made was so tremendous that it will always be a classic.
2) Bowling for Columbine: Michael Moore shot to new heights based on the amount of money he made and the audience he garnered in the US and around the world. The film marked a before and after in documentary cinema. Moore’s treatment of a very serious and heavy subject earned him the adulation of the general public.
3) Winged Migration – This nature documentary is simply breathtaking. The unprecedented number of hours logged to create this film produced a truly unique product; The camera shots that are achieved are spectacular, and should be seen on an HD set, since the filming was done in high definition, and the excellent chronicle of the lives of our avian friends is a curious but moving way to explore the subject of our impact on the planet and the importance of ecological preservation.
4) An Inconvenient Truth: Despite speculation that this documentary would be marred by its narrator’s political affiliations, when released it displayed nothing but the highest degree of excellence in reporting on one of the world’s most looming problems. . Good work, no matter which side of the environmental debate you choose to be on.
5) Salesman – A bizarre and heartbreaking story of door-to-door salespeople selling expensive Bibles to poor Catholics and the ensuing moral problems that haunted them. This old classic earns its place on this list because, despite the passage of time, the introspection and healthy debate that this type of film produces in society is timeless and priceless.
There you have it, my personal favorites. Surely there are many more deserving titles, because in a genre like this, which delves into such important issues, it is difficult to say which issues are more important than others. Hence my attempt to show a few different problems on my list. All of these documentaries are still shown, some more than others, sometimes on air, but most likely on cable or satellite television. Look at them!
