DOCUMENTARIES TO CRAFT TO

basically a list of my fav docs

i love documentaries.

maybe its because i write “creative nonfiction”, so im drawn to other people’s stories. maybe its because i like to learn. maybe its because im super nosey. its probably all of the above. but whenever idk what to watch or cant decide on a movie or show, i watch a documentary.

i have a google doc where i keep track of all the documentaries ive seen, partially because i also love lists, but also because whenever i say like documentaries, people usually ask what documentaries i like or would recommend, but also because sometimes ive been like oh have i seen that? and it turns out, i have!

the list is now up to 385 documentaries.

the types of docs i usually go for are usually about: sex work, true crime (though less so recently), anything about niche subcultures, fashion, art.

DOCUMENTARIES TO CRAFT TO:

WTF docs

• abducted in plain sight this has since been turned into a drama series on peacock, (“a friend of the family”), but this doc is about the kidnappings (thats right. its not a typo, PLURAL KIDNAPPINGS) of jan broberg by their family friend. it’s wild.

• clash action park a doc about a theme park in new jersey, action park, and the wild ass and dangerous rides. super entertaining, shocking to see how long this park was around.

• fake famous suuuuuper fascinating about the world of influencers and social media. watch this and then read allie rowbottom’s aesthestica

• the final member so there’s apparently a PENIS MUSUEM in iceland, that has all kinds of dicks in it, but it’s missing a human wiener, which is to be the crowning jewel in the collection. this is the story of the museum, and the quest to score a real life human dick for the museum.

• Three Identical Strangers three identical triplets were separated at birth, and then reunite/discover each other at 19. it get’s fucked up!

• tickled - a new zealand journalist writes an article about a “competitive endurance tickling competition”, and then starts to get bullied by the tickle company’s producer when he reaches out for an interview, because they don’t want to “associate with a homosexual journalist” IT GETS REAL WEIRD FROM THERE.

• Voyeur in the 70s, a guy buys a motel so he can fulfill his voyeurism kink using specially designed CEILING VENTS, and watch people fuck etc. he starts writing the writer/journalist gay talese who then writes about him for the new yorker. its weird and fun.

• The Curious Case of Natalia Grace god help you if you encountered me a few weeks after i watched this. juliet escoria first told me about it, and then i was so obsessed after watching it was ALL I COULD TALK ABOUT for SEVERAL WEEKS. ive seriously already gotten like, 5 other people to immediately watch it. it’s amazing, and sad. basically, this family adopts this girl who is a little person. they are told she is 6 years old, but when they take her home and give her a bath she has pubes, and so they are like THIS IS AN ADULT WOMAN. but IS SHE?

• The Woman Who Wasn’t There ok this one is about a woman who faked being a 9/11 survivor. which is honestly kind if iconic? she also made up a fiance who died in 9/11, which is the adult version of “no i totally have a boyfriend, he just goes to a different school/we met at camp” etc. my favorite part is the lie she told about said fake fiance, and how he took her to maui to propose to her and have a faux wedding and told everyone “they got maui-rried”.

some MUST SEE classics

• bronies: the extremely unexpected adult fans of my little pony ok, this is an older one but a goodie if you havent seen it yet. i initially watched it thinking its gonna be about a bunch of perverts, but now im here for the bronies.

• i think were alone now another “oldie” (from 2008) about people who are in love with/stalking the 80s pop singer Tiffany

• paris is burning - from 1990, and about NYC drag queens and balls. if you’re a fan of beyonce’s renaissance album, rupaul, rupauls drag race, or drag or even culture today (as so much if is it stolen from black women and black queer culture), you need to watch this documentary.

• The Jinx another true crime classic. ive heard from a few people it starts off slow (i never felt this way? maybe its because the doc starts off in galveston tx, and i grew up going to the beach there?) but STICK WITH IT.

• The King of Kong: a fistful of quarters about competitive arcade gaming, and this one guy, steve wiebe, and his quest to beat billy mitchell’s high score in donkey kong.

ok somehow i got into running documentaries?

i dont run, i will never run. if god wanted me to run he wouldnt have given me this mommy milkers. but i really have loved these three running documentaries.

• skid row marathon so a criminal court judge in LA was invited to the midnight mission by a guy he had sentenced to prison after he was released and decides to start a running club. the people who participate and stay sober get to do an international marathon each year. i cried, then immediately sent money to the skid row marathon club (then a few weeks later, received a really lovely handwritten note back from the club for my donation. so nice!)

• The Barclay Marathons: The Race that Eats its Young, i first heard about the barclay marathon in the book the empathy exams by leslie jamison, and was stoked to get to learn more about it in this documentary. these people are insane.

• Just. One Mile. another insane race, but this one is a mile loop that has no ending, and just goes until one person is standing. the only prize for winning are bragging rights, and a quilt made by the ppl who started the race’s mom. i think these runners are also crazy, but make really good points about the power of the mind and focusing on what’s right in front of you.

docs from 2023

• demons and saviors this just came out on hulu a few months ago. 3 episodes about christina boyer, who was a kid psychic with alleged paranormal abilities, then alleged to have killed her 3 year old as an adult. fascinating and heartbreaking. def not what i was expecting.

• telemarketers another short docuseries that just came out this year, about an insane work environment, and the wild ass world of “donation based” telemarketing. i laughed and cried while watching this.

• BS High - another from hbo max this year, about a guy who creates like, a fake high school, and recruits football players because he wants to create an elite athletic high school? and somehow bullshits his way onto espn which ends up a total disaster. this one is crazy because the guy who did all this participates in the doc, but also heartbreaking for all the kids whose lives he fucked up with this shit.

• The Supermodels a docuseries from appletv about the 90s supermodels naomi campbell, christy turlington, cindy crawford, and linda evangelista. super fascinating look of the history of these famous women, the rise of the “supermodel”, and also about how fame/social media/etc has changed all of that today.

• Love has won: the cult of mothergod this is currently still airing as i write this post, and the final episode comes out next sunday, but ALL WILL BE OUT by the time this hits your inbox. crazy story about a woman who starts a cult where everyone calls her mom. what’s interesting to me, is usually with cult docs, the people participating are now former members are are kinda like “yeah isnt this insane?” but as of the end of ep 2, it still seems like most of these people are down for their mommy god.

docs about niche subcultures/worlds

• The million dollar duck i love the federal duck stamp. ive already talked about it in a pervious post. this documentary is all about the federal duck stamp competition, and some of it’s competitors. trust me when i say it’s more entertaining than it sounds.

• Blurred Lines: Inside the Art World a doc about the art world, diving into the roles of artist, curator, gallerists, donators, collectors, etc. really interesting, really frustrating at some parts, pretty eye opening.

• well groomed i first saw this at the 2019 milwaukee film festival. well groomed goes into the wild ass world of competitive creative dog grooming.

• hobby horse revolution like bronies, i went into this thinking oh great, i cant wait to be snarky and make fun of these people, and left thinking this is such a nice hobby, and that teen girls are SO POWERFUL and amazing.

• pigeon kings ok, i love pigeons but still didnt expect to love this documentary as much as i did. i laughed, and cried watching this doc about pigeon rolling competitions, and the men in south central LA who participate in them.

docs that didn’t really fit into the previously mentioned categories

• The Gospel According to Andre i fell in love with andre leon talley, the famous fashion journalist and editor at large of vogue, while watching this doc and reading his memoir, the chiffon trenches.

• Country Music a film by ken burns this is a looooong one, like most of ken burns’ stuff, but a wonderful look of the history of country music. i believe this doc can make a country fan out of anyone. a really great choice if you have a lot shit you’re hot gluing to something, or bedazzlin something, or whatever big project you’re working on.

• an honest liar the story of the life of james “the amazing” randi, who has spent his life debunking fake psychics, and other paranormal stuff. super interesting!

• FAIR PLAY ok i think EVERY STRAIGHT MAN, and EVERY HETERO COUPLE should watch this doc. especially before moving in together. i had to break it up into two nights because i got so HEATED watching it. all about the division of labor in relationships. i legit think more men watching this could potentially lead to less divorce.

• hellier bing bing bing. elle nash introduced me to this one, and then we got troy james weaver to watch it, and it was all we could talk about for a while. about the supernatural, aliens, cave goblins, etc.

• lorena i grew up hearing so many jokes about lorena bobbit, the woman who infamously chopped off her husband’s penis, but like most people, didnt know the whole story. am now steadfast #teamlorena, and wish she would have chopped off more than her ex husband’s dick.

• plaster caster - about the artist and groupie "cynthia plaster caster”, who would cast the wieners of rockstars, including jimi hendrix

OK THANKS LOVE YOU BYEEEEEE

plz lmk if you’ve seen any of the above or plan to watch them, or if you have any doc recs for me.