Simply More of the Best-The Docs

 

Like I said, my list of my favorite films of the 21st century (see previous: SIMPLY THE BEST)  is incomplete, so I took another dive to round up a few worthy documentaries. Again, there are more, but this should tide you over until the cows come home. Where did they run off to anyway?

THREE IDENTICAL STRANGERS

Triplets separated at birth finally coming together made for a fascinating character study times three.

20 FEET FROM STARDOM

So many music docs to choose from, but I preferred the unsung heroes like the studio musicians of THE WRECKING CREW and MUSCLE SHOALS. This one about backup singers took the prize though.

DICK JOHNSON IS DEAD

A filmmaker puts her dying father through a series of possible death scenarios on film, helping the two of them cope with his inevitable demise. Sounds morbid? Sure. The resulting film is more of a celebration of life that you might imagine.

ROOM 237

Conspiracy theorists invade the film world, this time with Stanley Kubrick's adaptation of THE SHINING. Even the skeptical can't deny the fascination this film exudes. Maybe lil' Stevie King would actually concur if he removed the stick Stanley stuck up his ass.

CUTIE AND THE BOXER

Sweet-ass love story of a pair of artists, navigating their married life after 40 years together as she finally emerges from her husband's shadow. About time.

THE DEVIL AND DANIEL JOHNSTON

A manic depressive singer/songwriter, long existing in the shadows, finds his way into the sunlight at long last. SEARCHING FOR SUGAR MAN about the "lost" musician known as Rodriquez would be a great companion piece.

WINGED MIGRATION

After this hypnotizing film, I became a huge fan of Canadian geese, mainly because they flock to this area. Yeah, they're huge pains in the ass, crap everywhere and take their goddamn time to cross the road in traffic. People are worse.

CITY OF GOLD

So many food pics to choose from, I went with this about LA restaurant critic Jonathan Gold who championed many an underdog in the face of trendiness.

KING OF KONG: A FISTFUL OF QUARTERS

This rivalry of video game nerds is a whole lotta fun, especially to mock. I used to be one. Now I declare myself a geek and proud of it.

AKA MR. CHOW

Having no clue who this guy was beyond the owner of a bunch of restaurants, I came away inspired by a man who can constantly reinvent himself. Maybe it's frustrating for those who are close to him, but it makes for a great story. 

THE WOLFPACK

A great bookend to THREE IDENTICAL STRANGERS, another family saga about a group of kids who were locked away in a New York apartment, closed off from the outside world by their wacky  tyrannical father. They learn about life from the movies. Kinda like me.

There you have it. Seek these out and see if your assessments coincide with mine. If you want to compare notes, you know where to find me.  

(Sorry. POOP CRUISE didn't make the cut.)