The Documentary Blog’s Top Ten Documentaries of 2006

It’s a little late, but here it is. This is my list of my top ten favourite documentary films of 2006. Before we get into it, let me just say that this film is based only on the films i’ve seen. (DUH!) Just keep in mind that even the folks here at The Documentary Blog don’t get a chance to see every single film that comes out in the year. In fact, the limited releases of these films usually mean that we end up seeing them on DVD months after their initial release. So, unfortunately there’s a handful of films that I just didn’t have a chance to include in my list. That being said, here we go!

10. An Inconvenient Truth

Riveting filmmaking? Not really. But Al Gore’s take on the current global warming situation (depending on if you believe if there IS in fact a situation) is quite the eye opener. I always have my guard up when being bombarded with facts that I can’t really qualify. You never know who you can trust. But Gore provides a clear explanation of how global warming works and it’s possible long lasting effects. Dry at times, but definitely worth watching. But probably only once.

9. Dave Chappelle’s Block Party

This one is sort of in a league of its own. Definitely not my favourite film of the year, but seeing Michel Gondry’s documentary/concert film in theatres was a unique experience that i’m glad to have had. Dave Chappelle is a charming man, and although some of his hardcore fans may find themselves disappointed in the lack of actual comedy in the film, newcomers may discover a newfound respect for the 55 million dollar man.

8. Wordplay

I was unsure about sitting through yet another film about word games after already enjoying last years Word Wars (a film about a Scrabble tournament), but I gotta say I’m a sucker for these tournament style documentaries. The first half of the film introduces us to some of the best puzzle makers around, but it’s the last half of Wordplay that held my interest. An annual crossword tournament that ends with an edge of your seat finale that will make you rethink everything you knew about people who stay at home and solve puzzles alone every day of their lives.

7. Rank

I’m in no way a fan of rodeo’s or bull riding, but Peter Hyams somehow managed to create some of the most beautiful images out of a sport that’s actually pretty ugly. No matter what the subject matter, be it football, fishing, or ultimate fighting, (such as Hyam’s pervious film, The Smashing Machine) one thing that I can always relate to is passion. Watching a group of young cowboys talk sincerely about their love for bull riding is enough to keep me glued to the screen. Rank also has one of the best opening sequences, set to some unusually appropriate and espically beautiful organ music. A great film.

6. When the Levees Broke

It’s hard not to include Spike Lee’s epic two part, four hour look at the Hurricane Katrina disaster. Although some people have managed to pick apart Lee’s film, searching for any signs of unbalanced story telling, I personally thought it was a fair look at how this disaster affected the citizens of New Orleans. The films are beautifully shot and full of emotion.

5. The War Tapes

Thank goodness The War Tapes blew my socks off. It seems like there’s an Iraq war documentary released every other week, and I’ve become very weary of which ones are worth the watch. Luckily, The War Tapes delivers on many levels. It’s an inside look at the every day life of a hand picked group of national guards serving in Iraq as they’re shot at, shooting at, and guarding giant trucks of cheese only to end the day with a trip through the local Iraqi Burger King in the good ol’ Humvee.

4. 49 Up

Here’s another great installment in Michael Apted’s groundbreaking Up Series. In 49 Up we catch up with all of the familiar faces as they approach their senior years. Although the Up Series requires some pretty dedicated viewing, 49 Up does a great job at summing up the past 6 films, keeping those casual viewers up to speed. But I do recommend a fresh start at 7 Up. It’s well worth it.

3. Jonestown: The Life and Death of People’s Temple

I sort of had a built in interest with this one. Although everyone knows what it means when someone refers to ‘drinking the purple kool-aid’, they might not know the story behind it. Jonestown: The Life and Death of People’s Temple gives us an inside look at the life of Jim Jones and his rise to power among his brainwashed disciples. Ultimately, the film ends in one of the craziest real life shoot outs since One Day In September.

2. Darkon

Darkon is up there on my list of the most fun I’ve had at the movies this year. (Right behind Borat and of course, Jackass Number Two) The film chronicles the struggle between two factions fighting over an imaginary piece of land, using foam covered swords, ‘magic spells’, and a basic set of rules. This is a hysterical look at the world of live action role playing (LARP’ing), hobby that’s as unusual as it is charming. Darkon also features some battle scenes that give The Lord of the Rings AND Braveheart a run for their money.

1. Jesus Camp

I don’t know if Jesus Camp is the most fun I’ve had watching a film all year (that would go to Darkon), but it’s definitely a beautifully shot, accomplished look at a group of people that frustrate me to no end: the evangelical church and their fanatically religious followers. There’s no denying the buzz that Jesus Camp (and Deliver Us from Evil which I unfortunately haven’t seen as of yet) has caused throughout the left and the right. But politics aside, this was simply a great film.

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