The weather is getting a bit chilly, making it the perfect time to cozy up with your blankets and BumbleBars. On these cool fall nights, we love snuggling up to watch a good documentary! There are so many fascinating documentaries available through Netflix, Hulu, YouTube, etc. We made a list of our 10 favorite, must-see documentaries to share with you! Check it out:
Liz (CEO) Favorites:
• Meet the Patels – The film explores the expectations surrounding marriage in the Patels’ first-generation Indian immigrant family and in wider American society. Watch here.
• Last Days in Vietnam – During the chaotic final weeks of the Vietnam War, the North Vietnamese Army closes in on Saigon as the panicked South Vietnamese people desperately attempt to escape. On the ground, American soldiers and diplomats confront the same moral quandary: whether to obey White House orders to evacuate U.S. citizens only—or to risk punishment and save the lives of as many South Vietnamese citizens as they can. Watch here.
• Last Train Home – Last Train Home documents the Life of the Migrant Worker in China. Watch here.
Hannah (Designer) Favorites:
• Indie Game: The Movie – Witness a portrait of a new breed of artist: the video game designer. At first, the only way to make it as a designer in the video game industry was to work with major developers. Now a new breed of independent auteurs has taken their industry by storm. Watch here.
• Winter on Fire – A civil rights movement erupts in the Ukraine after a peaceful student protest quickly morphs into a violent revolution. The Oscar-nominated Netflix documentary Winter on Fire: Ukraine’s Fight for Freedom presents viewers with a story of everyday citizens facing down brutal riot police controlled by Ukraine’s then-President Viktor Yanukovych, backed by Russian President Vladimir Putin. Watch here.
• BlackFish – The story of Tilikum, a captive killer whale that has taken the lives of several people, underscores problems within the sea-park industry, man’s relationship to nature, and how little has been learned about these highly intelligent mammals. Watch here.
• Batkid Begins – The documentary follows Miles Scott, an American child, and cancer survivor. His wish was to be “Batkid”, a sidekick of the eponymous comic book superhero Batman. Once the request went out, thousands of volunteers, city officials, businesses and supporters rallied to turn San Francisco, California into “Gotham City” – the fictional home city of Batman, on November 15, 2013. Watch here.
Aimee (Office Guru) Favorites:
• Thank You Del – Thank You Del is the story if the godfather of improv comedy, Del Close, made with love by the UCB and director Todd Bieber. It should be noted that I was probably in the room while most of the live footage was shot at the Del Close Marathon. It was fun stuff. Read more here.
• On The Cusp, Off The Cuff – On The Cusp, Off The Cuff is a documentary about four New York area improvisers and their struggles toward success and recognition. Includes Sasheer Zamata, who was still two years away from being cast on SNL when she participated in this documentary by director Nate Dern. Watch here.
• We Cause Scenes – We Cause Scenes is about Improv Everywhere, the collective run by Charlie Todd what is responsible for the Annual No Pants Subway Ride and lots of other super cool, totally funny crowd-sourced happenings around the world. I participated in one where people were encouraged to help finish a relay race in Manhattan and then give interviews like they had just won. It was fun. Watch here.
