ASSORTED

BOX OF DOCS:

THE 6th MONDAY.

This is part of an ongoing series. The previous entries:

The 1st Monday

The 2nd Monday

The 3rd Monday

The 4th Monday

The 5th Monday

Here’s what I recommend this week…

The life of Howard Ashman, the mastermind behind the “Little Shop of Horrors” musical and all your favourite songs from Disney’s “The Little Mermaid” - to name only a few achievements of his short life. This movie is presented in a really unique way, simply using voice-overs rather than cut-aways to what they call “talking heads”. It keeps the focus entirely on Ashman, who deserves all the attention he can get.

The always brilliant Laura Poitras looks at the occupation of Iraq, primarily focusing on an Iraqi doctor with political aspirations. You might be surprised, as I was, by how much his family’s dynamic reminds you of your own. Poitras’ signature fly-on-the-wall approach is especially effective here as it rightfully humanizes all involved. In my humble opinion this is one of the most essential war films ever made.

Watch Rick Zakowich, who has always struggled with his overweight appearance, come to the profound and moving realization that, rather than losing weight, acceptance is the best form of self-care. I highly recommend that everyone, and I mean everyone, watch this documentary. It’s available for free on the National Film Board of Canada’s website.

Two guys wonder what they’re made of… to the extent that they have their hair analyzed to see what’s growing out of them. The answer? Corn.

Behind the scenes look at Bill Clinton’s 1992 presidential campaign, refreshingly starring the real brains behind the operation, George Stephanopoulos and James Carville. You don’t have to be a political junkie to enjoy what is, at its roots, a great work-place character study. Although, knowing what we know now, there’s an impending sense of doom looming over the whole thing; history has made this one extra compelling.

Young men and women get jobs working on a cruise ship along the longest river in Asia. They navigate both a changing China and being thrown into a world of Western wealth. It’s all very relatable - whether you’ve ever tipped someone carrying your bags or received a tip for carrying bags. Ultimately unbiased, introspective, thought-provoking and presented with a calming delicacy.

Merciless look at how most food makes its way to our tables. Not only does it highlight all that’s concerning about the process, it tinkers around with solid solutions as well. It’s startling to realize that we, as consumers, resemble cattle in a herd as much as, well, cattle in a herd. There are no shortage of docs that examine the very modern problem of manufacturing our food - but this one is so compressive and well made that I consider it definitive.