Written by Harris Kassim
Have you ever realized that documentaries almost never had a proper theatrical release like all the other blockbusters and comedy films? Thank God for Netflix, now we can stream all of the great documentaries that we might have missed throughout the years. Here, I have listed down a few that you might actually have an interest in.
SHIRKERS
This is a story about a lady named Sandi Tan and two of her best friends who tried to make an indie film back in 1992, with Sandi playing the main character. They were helped by a mentor by the name of Georges Cardona who provides support financially and creatively. Suddenly once the shooting wrapped, Georges appeared to be missing with all of the footages. 20 years later, Sandi starts the journey to find the bottom of the mystery and to finally understand the meaning of ‘Shirkers’.
The way Sandi tells her misfortunate stories are so mesmerizing that it taught me that nobody can expect what the plan is going to be. Plus, despite all her film work got into a jumble of mess by her wicked mentor, she still found a way to salvage it by creating this beautiful documentary. Talking about taking the negativity into a positive outcome, Shirkers is one to remember.
JIM & ANDY: THE GREAT BEYOND
Back in 1999, Jim Carrey was offered the role to play the idiosyncratic comedian Andy Kaufman in a biography film titled Man on The Moon. The documentary follows a behind-the-scenes look at Jim Carrey finding his ways to adopt the persona of the beloved comedian and the issues he has caused throughout the shooting that made an impact with the rest of the film crew.
We all knew Jim Carrey is already a comedian, but in this film he took it one step ahead by using method acting, ala Daniel Day Lewis and Heath Ledger. Method acting can be tough at times as it messes with your mind, and Jim proved that it made the film (Man on The Moon) ten times better when you know what’s going on during the production.
HOLY HELL
Will Allen, a filmmaker and ex-member of a cult named Buddhafield has documented an amount of footage surrounding the cult activities throughout the 22 years he was in. The compiled footage was initially only to be viewed by the upcoming cult members but things went sideways when Will left the cult. Holy Hell is an exposé on the filths done by the West Hollywood cult and how their leader, Michel is abusing his followers throughout the years.
I always fear the idea of joining a cult so this one really opens up for me. All the hectic experience that the filmmaker Will got into throughout those 22 years got me thinking “The world is fucked as it already is”. We tend to look over the ability of a deranged man to influence the others and Holy Hell shows that faith is man’s powerful weakness.
PARIS IS BURNING
Paris is Burning tells the tale of the invaluable “Golden Age” of New York City drag balls, with an attentive reflection of gender, class, sexuality, and race in the United States. Featuring legendary voguers, drag queens, and trans women, the documentary provides an interesting perspective from a somewhat minority group that struggles with their identities and acceptance.
The subject matter of LGBTQ has always been taboo for the past few decades, only now that it has been a discussion on whether it is acceptable or not. The fact that this documentary was released in 1990 made it clear that it’s not that of a taboo; it’s the perspective that you choose to look from. Wonderful documentary, I recommend this for the people who felt despised on.
THE EDGE OF DEMOCRACY
I feel like this fits in the list with what’s happening around the world right now, especially in Malaysia. The Edge of Democracy chronicles the impeachment of a president, the imprisonment of another and the triumph of authoritarian politics. Seeing the news everyday was pretty okay, but when everything is put together into a documentary like this, it really shows the truth that was always hidden from the public eye, and it is radical.
Honestly, the idea of democracy is already complicated as it is and we can’t deny the fact that politics are never not dirty. The narrator, Pedra Costa’s writing and voice is the highlight of this documentary and Brazil’s President, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva’s final speech shows the great kind of empowerment for the fate of democracy, not only in Brazil but the whole world.
