ASSORTED

BOX OF DOCS:

THE 1st MONDAY.

I recently realized that I’ve enjoyed a majority of the documentaries I’ve watched in my life. Isn’t that kinda wonderful? The same cannot be said for “narrative” movies, as the distinction goes. So I’ve decided to celebrate this revelation by recommending most of the feature length documentaries I’ve seen that I like. It’s quite a long list, so I’m going to break it up by posting a random handful of titles every Monday until the well runs dry. There won’t be any rhyme or reason to these selections, the only common thread being non-fiction filmmaking. The quality of these movies (in my eyes, mind you) range from masterpieces to merely good enough. But I’ve deemed each and every one worth my time. They just might be worthy of yours.

Follows social activist Sampat Pal Devi and her Gulabi Gang (aka Pink Gang) as they combat violence against women in India.

Charts Anthony Weiner’s futile fight back to the top as he runs for mayor of New York City. You probably won't be able to look away from this endlessly entertaining study of a sick, stubborn man.

This early Ken Burns film tells the fascinating and surprisingly moving story of how the iconic titular landmark came to be.

The heartbreaking and haunting tale of an adult film actress who contracts HIV.

A meditative look at how mankind’s industrial fingerprint has literally changed the face of our planet.

Introduces us to an “academy” of seniors in Jerusalem who meet weekly in a cemetery to discuss life, Jewish culture, read poetry and, of course, eat lunch.

As a child, Daniel Lutz was a “victim” of the infamous Amityville horror. Here he tells his side of the story, which is that everything you’ve heard is true… and then some. It’s a fascinating portrait of delusion.

Despite seriously terrifying threats from the Taliban, we watch as professional Pakistani squash player Maria Toorpakai Wazir’s career thrives.

Perhaps the definitive cinematic dissection of the Church of Scientology. Scary stuff.

Mark McKinney, mostly known for his comedic abilities, sets out to perfect his Richard III with the help of legendary theatre director Robin Phillips, whose life story is woven into the narrative.

In 1947, badass Norwegian adventurer Thor Heyerdahl famously sailed across the Pacific Ocean in a hand-built raft. He was smart enough to bring a camera along and filmed his entire expedition.

When just about everyone assumed he was dead, Charles Nelson Reilly put on a one-man-show recounting his extraordinary life. Someone had the good sense to film it.