I gave up cable television some time ago in favor of an all-internet entertainment lifestyle. As a result I have been downloading a lot of content via my AppleTV. While I still enjoy the occasional Hollywood blockbuster I have found myself drawn to documentaries as of late. Here is a short list of some of my recent favorites (overviews provided by the film studios).
Objectified (5 Tongues)
Great for : Design Junkies
Objectified is a feature-length documentary about our complex relationship with manufactured objects and, by extension, the people who design them. In his second film, director Gary Hustwit (Helvetica) documents the creative processes of some of the world’s most influential product designers, and looks at the creativity at work behind everything from toothbrushes to tech gadgets. What can we learn about who we are, and who we want to be, from the objects with which we surround ourselves? (Buy on Amazon)
Food, Inc. (5 Tongues)
Great for : Health and animal lovers
Tapped (4 Tongues)
Great for : Anyone who drinks water or cares about our planet
Disclosure : I am an iTunes and Amazon affiliate.
I am terrified to watch Food, Inc; but I am interested in it. I hadn’t heard of the other two – thanks for the tip.
@Tammy McDaniel (@tammymcdaniel):
You will definitely think twice the next time you want to eat a burger or chicken sandwich. I am by no means a vegetarian, quite the opposite… I love meat. However, Food Inc. does raise your awareness of where the food we eat each day comes from.
There is no easy fix. World food demand is outpacing world food production. We all want our food fast, cheap and good for us but the reality is we can’t have it all.
For my part I have made a conscious decision to buy more organic food but I realize that may not be an option for all people. Organic food is way more expensive and the availability is minimal. In my grocery store less than 5% is dedicated to organic food. I am hoping the more organic products I buy the more they will eventually carry at a lower cost to all shoppers.
There’s a great documentary about IKEA, how it was founded, how they design products and basically everything about the ethos of their company. Don’t remember the title of the doc, but it aired on the Trio channel (before they shut down). Look around for it, it was very informative.
@Dan Meneely:
IKEA is one of my favorite companies. I will have to check that out.
Site for some odd Docs, and old school weird tv:
http://5minutestolive.com/
Best one I have ever seen:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DjlhjdHREFs
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Devil_at_Your_Heels
@Stan Makowski:
That video is crazy!! I am buying a jet car… you want to be the driver?
Sure, now If I could just squeeze in a fire proof suit….damn you ihop pancakes!!!!@Ted Murphy: