You’ve binged on Making a Murderer, Serial 2 is causing heated dinner debates over whether or not it is as good as Serial 1 and you finished The Jinx ages ago…
Here’re 8 incredible documentaries to tuck into for January:
The Wolfpack
Raised by their parents in near-total isolation, the six Angulo brothers obsessively watch and reenact their favourite films in a bid to escape their stifled existence.
Touching the Void
Based on the book by climber and writer Joe Simpson,Touching the Void explores friendship, trust, betrayal and survival against the epic backdrop of the hostile Peruvian Andes.
Capturing the Friedmans
Andrew Jarecki (of The Jinx) originally set out to make a film about New York’s favourite children’s entertainers when he learned that one of the clowns was the son and brother of two men accused of mass child molestation. With his earlier project set aside, Jarecki set out to capture the Friedmans though hundreds of hours of family home videos as well as interviews with the members of this disintegrating family.
West of Memphis
Boasting many of the same themes as Making a Murderer, corruption, supposed wrongful conviction and classism in America (and arguably in legal processes world wide), West of Memphis is truly fascinating.
Death on the Stairs AKA The Staircase
Novelist, Michel Peterson’s wife is found dead at the bottom of the stairs… The 8 chapter series strives to find the truth of what really happened to her. It’s Jinx-like to the max: There’s money, privilege and a family divided.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M-W-S6kQ1mc
The Imposter
A 12-year-old boy goes missing in Texas. Three years later he’s found in Spain. But now he’s speaks english with an accent and he looks completely different? Weird, sad and WEIRD. Watch it.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=67cMet52mL4
The Internet’s Own Boy
The story of Aaron Swartz, prodigy, co-founder of Reddit, activist and kind of a hacking, cyber Robin Hood who died at 26 years of age.
Dear Zachary: A Letter to a Son about his Father
*DON’T GOOGLE IT.*
When filmmaker, Kurt Kuenne’s best friend, Andrew Bagby is murdered by his girlfriend, a wide circle of family and friends are left reeling from the shock. Then they discover that his murderer is carrying his child. If that sounds a bit Jerry Springer-ish, don’t worry this film is a sensitive and beautifully made tribute to love, friendship, family and incredible survival in the face of the most unimaginable tragedy.
I’m just going to say it a second time… Do not Google this one. Just watch it but be warned it is truly one of the most harrowing films ever made.
