The House I Live In
It’s impossible to ignore what you see in filmmaker Eugene Jarecki’s almighty take down of America’s bogus “War on Drugs.” He reveals in detail the way the ruthless policy only serves to make the vulnerable more vulnerable and forces the police to work even harder in a broken system seemingly designed just to give them something to do. Then there’s the money factor…

Tags: gritty, documentary, political, policy, drugs, crime, government, police, criminals, punishment, social, cultural, prison, talking heads, interviews, informative,  rebellious, crime documentary, biographical, confrontational, samsidat.

Kumare
A crowd-splitter for sure, this documentary exploring the need for religious or spiritual healers in the West is an interesting take on our vulnerability and naivete but ultimately our ability to help ourselves. I personally thought it was a bit of an ego trip for the film maker and the ending is a bit of a cop out but I’ve been shouted down by other viewers so see what you think for yourself.

Tags: independent, documentary, religion, reality, spirituality, heartfelt, yoga, Eastern, India, America, comic, social, cultural, makeover, dupe, twist, inspirational.

 

Rugrats
Just for kicks, you know. But look, if you only watch one episode of Rugrats (and that’s a healthy amount), watch season 2’s “Aunt Miriam/The Inside Story.” In the first part, Tommy’s Great Aunt Miriam comes to visit her cousin, Grandpa Lou. Their dynamic is a cute parallel of the Tommy/Angelica relationship and the babies mistake Miriam for a giant, alien ant. In the second part, Chuckie swallows a watermelon seed so the babies have to shrink themselves with a “lazy beam” and go inside Chuckie’s body before it grows inside him.

Tags: tv, kids, children, family, comedy, adventure, satire, cute, nostalgic, oddball, wacky, 90s. 

 

Hey Arnold! The Movie.
A friend recently asked me who my political role model is. If I’m honest, even at 27, my political role model is a dewy-eyed, soft spoken football-headed elementary school kid called Arnold (of course I didn’t tell the friend that). He’s a lefty do-gooder with a pair of bonkers anarchists for grandparents, a well-meaning capitalist for a best friend and a Chinese country western singer for a housemate. Netflix don’t have the series available but they’ve got Hey Arnold! The Movie online if you’re feeling nostalgic.

 Tags: cute, children, kids, tv, family, adventure, social, inspirational, comedy. 

Chasing Ice

One of the most unforgettable documentaries I have ever seen, Chasing Ice offers a look at what is happening to the Earth’s melting glaciers and why it’s being ignored right now. The cinematography is stunning and the science is explained brilliantly. It focuses on the ice itself but also the environmental photographer James Balog who sets in place a series of time-lapse cameras. The film itself does fawn over Balog in an American kind of way but it’s not like he’s undeserving.

Tags: biographical, environment, documentary, climate change, informative, educational, topical, news, social, government, politics, controversial.