A Word from Will: Five Documentaries to Help You Become “Well-Watched”
In conversation a few days ago, a friend brought up his belief that in the modern day, it is better to be well-watched than well-read; that is, it is better to have watched more films than to have read more books.
I disagreed at first, but later thought more about what it would mean to be “well-watched.” Surely there are movies that are simply a detriment to society (i.e. Sharknado 5), but no doubt there are many documentaries and films that are worth watching.
So for your reading pleasure, I have decided to list off my five favorite documentaries in order, just in case any person out there would like to become “well-watched.”
- The Girl in the River: The Price of Forgiveness
This doc follows the story of a young Pakistani girl, Saba, who was one of the only people to have survived an “honor killing,” a somewhat common practice in Pakistan in which one kills a relative (usually a woman) who they believe has dishonored their family.
Saba had “dishonored” her family by running away and marrying a man from a poorer family. Her father shot her and threw her into the river; because she survived, she was able to shine a light on a brutal and perspective-shattering Pakistani tradition that claims on average more than 1,000 lives a year.
- Jim & Andy: The Great Beyond
On a lighter note, this doc will likely be a favorite of you have any sense of humor at all. It has this very “behind-the-scenes” feel to it, and it should, given that it uses about 100 hours of behind-the-scenes footage to document how renowned actor Jim Carrey remained in character as Andy Kaufman throughout the entire production of his 1999 film, “Man on the Moon.”
If you’re like me, you’ll probably laugh at some points in the film, be confused most of the time while watching and may start to develop a somewhat unhealthy fascination for Carey’s method-acting ability to the point that you start Googling “Does Jim Carey have multi-personality disorder?”
- Heroin(e)
The current opioid epidemic in the U.S. is probably one of those things you hear a lot about from other people but don’t know a lot about. This doc is here to fix that.
It documents the struggles and heroism of the emergency crews who work tirelessly to combat the rise of deaths related to opioid overdose in Huntington, West Virginia, once a booming manufacturing town that was taken down by an influx of hard drugs. Footage shows not only how prevalent opioid use is in rural America, but also how the problem leads to an endless cycle of intergenerational poverty and the normalization of broken homes.
- 13th
If there was ever an Oscar category for “brutally honest film about a problem people like to forget about,” this one would undoubtedly win. “13th” is an expose that highlights the racial divide in America and the U.S. justice system which bolsters itself through the disproportionate mass incarceration of African-Americans.
The film connects the economic history of slavery and racist post-Civil War legislation to give evidence of a prison-industrial complex, wherein African Americans are targeted by private prison contractors to satisfy market demands and economic incentives. It shows how the scars of slavery are still very visible within this country today; it is especially a must-see for anyone who is quick to dismiss or ignore the racial disparity in our society.
- City of Ghosts
It’s easy to get caught up in the headlines of the wars in Syria—to read about the country’s mass conflict and become desensitized to the atrocities that happen there every hour. This documentary, if nothing else, ensures that viewers will no longer be desensitized.
It follows a media activist group called “Raqqa is Being Slaughtered Silently”—subtle name, I know—whose members have risked their lives to shed light on the savagely violent reign of ISIS in their hometown of Raqqa, Syria. It conveys the terror and fear of the streets in Raqqa like no New York Times article can.
And if you’re still reading this far, it’s probably because you, too, are one of the seemingly few who see the value in documentaries (congrats on being a cool human being!). If that’s the case, shoot me an email with some of your favorites that ought to be on this list; I’m always up for suggestions.