The Documentary Addiction: The Sequel

I am slightly obsessed with documentaries. If you know me well, this is not new information. In fact, I even included it in the “About Me” page on this blog when I started writing over a year ago. In the many changes of my life over the last couple years, documentaries have been one of my consistent companions. A friend recently recommended I read a biography and to convince me she described it as “a paper documentary”, so yes— I may have a problem.

My last recommended list was kind of a random group of the first couple movies that came to mind, but I’ve tried to do the next couple lists (yes. . . I have multiple lists to come) in some kind of categorical grouping. This bunch of movies fits very loosely under a “science” theme. So queue some of these up for this weekend! And then let me know what you think. And PLEASE leave me your recommended favorites that would fit in the science category in the comments. You know I’ll watch them.

Science. . . ish Documentaries- 

King Corn: Did you know corn is in everything we eat? Like, everything. For realz. This was an interesting look at where corn goes once it leaves the farm, but I think what I enjoyed watching most was seeing two city boys learn how to farm an acre of corn. As a city girl who gardens, it was interesting to see what kind of transition it would be to try and become an instant farmer. My big take away— If you don’t think there’s much corn in your diet, you’re probably wrong.

Chemerical!: I am cheap. My cheapness outranks many of my other priorities, so it’s nice to see my desire to create a healthy environment for my kids and my desire to not spend much money overlap. This documentary looks at one family’s journey to eliminate toxic cleaning products and replace them with natural ones. And I don’t mean “natural” like super expensive ones. I mean “natural” like vinegar. And baking soda. And more vinegar. Now this is a solution I can get behind. My big take away— While it will never be a problem in this house, it is possible to be too clean.

The Polio Crusade:  I started this documentary one night when I couldn’t sleep. It was about 2 a.m. and I thought, “This documentary is all dry and boring and black and white. I’ll be asleep in fifteen minutes.” And the more I watched it the more awake I got. I was right in the middle of trying to make vaccination decisions for our kids and this movie was very instrumental in helping me see the value and beauty of vaccines. It profiles the doctors looking for a cure, the race against time for kids becoming infected, and the solutions that were tried before a vaccine was developed. Fascinating stuff. My big take away— It is hard for us to put ourselves in the shoes of parents watching their children fall mysteriously ill with this paralyzing disease, but it’s important that we not forget why we do what we do when it comes to vaccinations.

The Lobotomist:  I have a degree in psychology, so I find the history of mental illness and its treatment to be particularly fascinating. This documentary did not disappoint. Bizarre. Hard to watch. Heartbreaking. It’s hard to figure out who the crazy people are— the ones with mental illness or the ones suggesting they remove a chunk of somebody’s brain. It is also really sad to watch families wrestle through how to get the best help for someone they love who is struggling so desperately. My big take away— Brains are important.

Bad Blood:  This is one of the few documentaries I’ve watched that also reeled Brian in, so take that as an extra endorsement. This one details the discovery that blood infected with HIV was being given to hemophilia patients and their struggle to get better regulation of the blood supply. If you like medical mystery type movies, this is a great one and also very informative about hemophilia. Where the polio documentary reminds us why medicine is awesome, this one reminds us why regulation is necessary. My big take away— I need to have more compassion for families who are constantly dealing with the medical establishment because it’s a vulnerable position to be in.

Bananas!:  This movie is. . . odd. I don’t even know how to categorize it. Is it a movie about the oppression of banana workers? A movie about the harmful chemicals that are used in major farming operations? A David and Goliath story about an unconventional lawyer standing up for the little guy? I guess it’s all of those things. This movie is interesting if you like legal drama, which I kind of do. My big take away— My cheap bananas cost somebody quite a lot.