Documentaries Reviewed

Documentaries reviewed by sisters

[documentariesreviewed]

Done the Impossible

Done the Impossible: The Fans' Tale of Firefly and Serenity

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

Viewing: Netflix Instant

If you have loved Firefly and Serenity then this is the documentary for you. If you have not seen Firefly and Serenity then you should go start now, I'll wait. Now this documentary is not the most well made and it has slow parts and awkward transitions but it truly tells the story of a passionate and committed fandom. It tells how the fans of a tiny, cancelled TV got a motion picture made. It made me be proud to be a fan (and made me even more of a Joss fangirl) but it also got me excited about being passionate about things. I hope that this movie could inspire more people to go out and do the impossible for the things that they are passionate about.

-Megan 

[documentariesreviewed]

God Loves Uganda

God Loves Uganda 

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Viewing: Neflix Instant 

I am not sure what I was expecting when I started watching this documentary but it was not this. This shows the power and persuasiveness that Christian Missionaries can have on a nation and it is not very good in this case. Due to the teaching of a few people (who I believe to be misguided) the nation of Uganda turned to violence against the LGBT community. It is crazy to watch the things that are done in God's name. I know that I will be researching organizations a lot more throughly more to make sure I know what the things I am supporting are doing. I highly recommend this documentary but with a word of caution that they do not represent a middle ground of strong biblical teaching very well.  

-Megan

[documentariesreviewed]

The World Before Her

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Viewing: Netflix Instant

This documentary was fascinating. It juxtaposes a Hindu nationalist group’s girls camp with the Miss India beauty pageant. This is so powerful because the viewer is forced to see the apparent differences between the...

[documentariesreviewed]

The World Before Her (2012)

The World Before Her

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Viewing: Netflix Instant

This documentary was fascinating. It juxtaposes a Hindu nationalist group's girls camp with the Miss India beauty pageant. This is so powerful because the viewer is forced to see the apparent differences between the two, but also the similarities that they have. I would suggest this documentary if you are interested in the modern movement in India or just want to learn more about what these young Indian girls are facing as they grow up in this country. It was a really thought provoking documentary and left me feeling unsure of who I was supposed to feel for more. My heart breaks for these girls whose worth is wrapped up in their looks or their fight for their families approval. Worth watching. 

-Brianna

I too thought this was a very interesting documentary. It is interesting how many things influence people to do different things. The culture that the Hindu girls were immersed and the one of the pageant girls was strikingly different and yet at the same time very similar. They were all wholeheartedly wrapped up in a type of lifestyle that brought them self worth. I don't fall on either side of this culture that was portrayed but I find them to be fascinating. 

-Megan

[documentariesreviewed]

Girl Model (2011)

Girl Model

Rating: 2 out of 5 stars

Viewing: Netflix Instant

Ugh. This documentary. Half of me wanted to love it and half of me wanted to hate it. According to IMDB, this is "a documentary on the modeling industry's 'supply chain' between Siberia, Japan, and the U.S., told through the experiences of the scouts, agencies, and a 13-year-old model" and that is what it is about. I wish it had had a clearer message. The model's story was heartbreaking. The scout's story was sad. The agencies stance was confusing. I was left with heartbreak over what is happening to these poor models, but I'm not sure that was what I was supposed to leave with. All in all, I would have liked this documentary a lot more if it was made better. But the quality wasn't that good, and the story was not put together well. 

Watch it if you want... That's all I have to say.

-Brianna

[documentariesreviewed]

Jig

Jig

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Viewing: Netflix Instant

Another dance documentary watched, another dance documentary loved. It is seriously my favorite genre of documentary. Jig follows competitors as they train for the 40th Irish Dancing World Championships. What more do I have to say to make you want to watch it? It's incredible to watch these dancers train and see how much hard work they put into their dancing. All I can say is wow, and watch this documentary. 

- Brianna

[documentariesreviewed]

Fame High

Fame High

Rating: 4 out of 5

Viewing: Netflix Instant

I think we are a little addicted to watching documentaries about talented teenagers. Especially dancers. It's crazy. This particular film follows students attending Los Angeles County High School for the Arts (LACHSA), also known as Fame High. These students are musicians, dancers, and actors, and some of them have crazy parents. The parents were almost more entertaining to watch than the students. I loved seeing these students plan for the future as they followed their passions. The only reason this didn't get five stars is because I didn't love it as much as I loved other dance documentaries I have seen, like First Position. All in all, watch it if you like seeing talented kids follow their dreams. 

- Brianna and Megan

[jeremyflowers]

[documentariesreviewed]

Ultimate simplicity leads to purity.

[documentariesreviewed]

Jiro Dreams of Sushi

Jiro Dreams of Sushi

Rating: 4 out of 5

Viewing: Netflix Instant

I had sushi for lunch right before watching this documentary which was a good thing because this leaves you craving sushi. This film follows Jiro, a sushi master running his restaurant in Japan at the age of 85. His passion for sushi is evident and it was amazing to see him doing the same thing he has been doing for 75 years and still do new and fresh things with it. One of my favorite things about this documentary was how it showed Jiro and his two sons dedication to making sushi and making the best sushi they can. In a world of "I want it fast and I want it right now", it was refreshing to watch people slow down and focus on making something the best that they can possibly make it. So, go get some good sushi to eat and then watch this documentary and get inspired to follow your dreams. 

- Brianna

[documentariesreviewed]

Note by Note: The Making of Steinway L1037

Note by Note

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

Viewing: Netflix Instant

This documentary is one of the best, if not the best, that I have ever seen. It was absolutely fascinating to see the journey of the making of Steinway L1037, from picking out the wood in Alaska to having a pianist play it in the Steinway basement in New York. I had the opportunity to visit the Steinway & Sons place in New York and I touched some of the pianos that are in this documentary and got to see pianos that have been played by fantastic artists from all over the world, so it was amazing to see all of the hard work that goes into making each and every Steinway. It makes me proud to own and play a Steinway. I would highly recommend watching this documentary to anyone. 

- Brianna

[documentariesreviewed]

Beware of Christians

Beware of Christians

Rating: 2 out of 5 stars

Viewing: Netflix Instant

So I was expecting to really like this documentary. It sounded really cool, four college guys trying to live for Jesus, but I ended up being disappointed. I wasn't disappointed by anything they discovered or any of the points they made but the movie was just not interesting. They tried to make it about Christianity but it ended up being more about four guys taking a trip together and doing a bunch of random stuff. Yes, they discovered some things out about their faith along the way but I am not sure a five week tour of Europe was essential to get them to that point. All in all I don't think I would recommend this documentary to anyone.

-Megan 

[documentariesreviewed]

Between the Folds

Between the Folds

Rating: 3 out of 5 stars

Viewed: Netflix Instant

We both started doing origami for fun as small kids so we were really intrigued by this documentary. Between the Folds looks at several different origami artists who span generations and several different countries. It was absolutely amazing to see what these artists have created and the amazing folds and creases that they make in paper to make it do what they want it to do. The documentary was fairly short, just under an hour, so it was easy to watch in just one sitting. It was not an amazing documentary, the narrator had a really annoying voice and the way it was put together did not flow very well, but it was worth watching to see the amazing origami creations and to see people passionate about what they do. So all in all, we would recommend this to anyone who loves origami or math!

- Megan and Brianna

[documentariesreviewed]

Craigslist Joe

Craigslist Joe

Rating: 4 of 5 stars

Viewing: Netflix Streaming

We found this movie by browsing through documentaries on Netflix and we thought it looked interesting. The documentary is about a guy who decided to live off of Craigslist for 31 days. He left his house with no money and a promise of no contact with any family or friends. He got a camera guy to follow him around and they both went out for a month. He started in LA and ended up going all the way around the country (and even into Mexico). THis project was very interesting in the people that he met and the amount that people are willing to share in their lives with complete strangers. The reason we didn't give this movie 5 stars is because there were a few parts that were not great for younger viewers or mixed company as one of the people he stayed with was a Dominatrix. Although, however, this was a great documentary full of fun stories and a true look at living off of the kindness of others. 

-Megan and Brianna

[documentariesreviewed]

Seamless

Seamless

Rating: 3 out of 5 stars 

Viewed: Netflix Instant

I was really excited to watch this documentary after reading the description. It sounded like a little bit of fashion, a little bit of Project Runway, and a little bit of good old fashioned competition that would make for a great documentary. But I was a bit disappointed. The documentary as a whole was a little lacking. I wished that it had something more in it, maybe more personal stories from the designers...something that would make me be emotionally invested in the stories a bit more. All in all though, it was an interesting documentary that took a good look at the problem that is the aging populace of the fashion industry and what to do about it. If you like watching documentaries about the fashion industry, I would suggest it, but otherwise, I wouldn't bother watching it. 

- Brianna

[briesmit-blog]

9 Documentaries

My sister, Megan, and I watched several documentaries over the holiday season and started a blog on Tumblr to document (pun unintended) our documentary journey. So, without further ado, here is my first Wednesday list of the new year!

1. Nursery University

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[documentariesreviewed]

One Day in September

One Day in September

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

Viewed: Library Rental

I watched this video because of a school assignment and I remember sitting in front of the television enthralled by what I was watching. Some describe it as a thriller, and it definitely views more as a movie than a documentary. One Day in September documents the events of the day during the 1972 Munich olympics in which Jewish athletes were captured by Palestinian terrorists. This documentary is not for the faint of heart, but it is somewhat necessary to know about the evil that is in this world. This documentary is extremely well done and I would recommend watching it. 

- Brianna

[documentariesreviewed]

Bill Cunningham New York

Bill Cunningham New York

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

Viewed: Netflix Instant

We watched this documentary because of my love of anything having to do with fashion and my sister's willingness to watch whatever with me. This documentary follows Bill Cunningham, a street style photographer in New York, as he works and lives his passion. It was fascinating to see how fashion has changed in the many years that Bill Cunningham has been documenting and it was touching to see how many people love and appreciate him for the beauty that he sees in the world around him. This documentary is inspiring and wonderful and we would suggest it to everyone! 

- Megan and Brianna