EF 1944462's Recommendations
When We Left Earth
Follow the 20th century's space race all the way to the moon -- and beyond -- in this incredible, comprehensive six-part documentary series narrated by Gary Sinise. Chronicling America's space program from the early days of the Mercury project to the era of the space shuttle, the sensational series features eye-popping footage from a host of various missions, plus in-depth interviews with NASA astronauts and engineers.
Frontline: Sick Around the World
With the U.S. health care system needing urgent care, "Frontline" looks to other leading capitalist democracies to see how their health care systems operate and whether those systems might be a model for much-needed reform at home. But are Americans willing to accept taxation or socialized medicine? Will U.S. insurance providers undermine change? Correspondent T.R. Reid examines systems in the U.K., Japan, Switzerland, Germany and Taiwan.
War Made Easy: How Presidents and Pundits Keep Spinning Us to Death
Based on Norman Solomon's revealing book and narrated by actor Sean Penn, War Made Easy exposes the government's and the media's purported history of deceiving the American people and leading us into war after war. Using archival footage of past presidents, including Lyndon B. Johnson, Richard Nixon and both Bushes, and media correspondents like Walter Cronkite, the documentary sheds light on propaganda pushing and draws parallels between the Vietnam and Iraq wars.
Frontline: Bush's War
This definitive documentary, produced to mark the fifth anniversary of the Iraq invasion, analyzes in detail controversial topics surrounding the war, including Sept. 11, al-Qaida, Guantanamo, Abu Ghraib, weapons of mass destruction and Fallujah. For years, the Peabody Award-winning series "Frontline" has brought viewers the real story of Afghanistan, Iraq and the dramatic political intricacies at the highest levels of the U.S. military.
Unforgivable Blackness: The Rise and Fall of Jack Johnson: Disc 1
This disc includes the beginning of the program.
Sicko
Michael Moore sets his sights on the plight of the uninsured in this eye-opening, Oscar-nominated documentary. In the world's richest country, 45 million people have no health insurance, while HMOs grow in size and wealth. Moore also explores the widespread use of antidepressants and their possible link to violent behavior. With his trademark humor and confrontational style, Moore asks the difficult questions to get to the truth behind today's health care.
Frontline: News War
The PBS public affairs program turns its famously critical eye on its own world: modern American journalism. Tracing the evolution of the U.S. press from the Nixon era to the Iraq War, "Frontline" interviews key figures in print and electronic media. With interviewees including columnist William Safire, conservative commentator Pat Buchanan and Google CEO Eric Schmidt, the program examines the myriad factors that shape the news.
An Inconvenient Truth
Director-producer Davis Guggenheim (HBO's "Deadwood") captures former Vice President Al Gore in the midst of waging a passionate campaign -- not for the White House, but for the environment. Laying out the facts of global warming without getting political, Gore makes a sobering impression in this Oscar-winning doc on the audiences who hear his message, urging them to act "boldly, quickly and wisely" ... before it's too late to act at all.
Wild China
This six-part series from the BBC uncovers some of the most exotic and uncharted natural habitats hidden within the vast and diverse topography of China, including Yunnan's forests, the Tibetan plateau, the Silk Road and the Mongol steppes. Through high-definition and other cutting-edge camera technologies, the footage presented here captures stunning wildlife sequences, along with a plethora of breathtaking landscape photography.
Aristide and the Endless Revolution
In this powerful documentary, filmmaker Nicolas Rossier trains his probing lens on the events that led to Haitian President Jean-Bertrand Aristide's ouster in 2004. Putting matters in context, the film delves into the country's troubled history and the role played by outside interests -- including the United States -- in deposing the controversial political figure. Aristide weighs in via interviews, as do a number of his defenders and detractors.
Taxi to the Dark Side
Just days after an Afghan taxi driver picked up three passengers and never returned home, he wound up dead at Bagram Air Base, killed by injuries inflicted by U.S. soldiers. Interviews, news footage and firsthand reports provide a gripping look at the case and the Bush administration's policy on torture. Alex Gibney (Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room) directs this Best Documentary winner for the 2008 Oscars.
The Peace!
Amid an escalating war in Iraq, rising terror levels and the threat of nuclear attack, a growing body of intellectuals, religious leaders and community organizers are getting tough with their questions about peace -- and that's no oxymoron. To shed light on the answers, filmmakers Gabriele Zamparini and Lorenzo Meccoli record a variety of speakers, including Noam Chomsky, Desmond Tutu, Scott Ritter, Pete Seeger, Howard Zinn and Gore Vidal.
Design e2
Brad Pitt narrates this PBS series on the economies of going green in our building designs. In episodes on eco-friendly skyscrapers, design as salve in regions experiencing humanitarian crises, Chicago's drive to go green, the transformation of Boston's Big Dig, Steven Holl's Beijing project and the changing face of architecture and environmentalism, viewers learn about the leaders and technologies driving sustainable design.
Jimmy Carter: Man from Plains
Prolific Hollywood director Jonathan Demme tackles the documentary form in this intimate portrait of Jimmy Carter that explicates the former president's view of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict by shadowing him on his national book tour. During this publicity junket, Carter is accused of being a liar, bigot and anti-Semite. But it's his candid responses to the controversy and criticism that reveal the Nobel Peace Prize winner's true character.
Planet Earth: The Complete Collection
Learn to see Earth in a completely new way by exploring the planet's most fascinating wildlife and challenging environments. This beautifully shot, Emmy-winning series takes viewers from the Himalayan Mountains to the depths of the ocean and everywhere in between, showing how all creatures great and small are connected. The program's epic $25 million budget was used to capture a host of rarely seen landscapes, habitats and animal behaviors.
Pete Seeger: The Power of Song
Filmmaker Jim Brown blends archival footage, interviews and home movies to paint an affectionate portrait of pioneering folk singer and political activist Pete Seeger, best known for the classic anthems "If I Had a Hammer" and "Turn, Turn, Turn." Highlights include candid conversations with legendary artists such as Bruce Springsteen, Bob Dylan and Joan Baez, who weigh in on Seeger's far-reaching influence.
Speaking Freely: Vol. 4: Chalmers Johnson
Writer and professor Chalmers Johnson warns of the dangers of American imperialism, a trend evidenced in the presence of U.S. military bases abroad, the passage of the Patriot Act and the executive branch's use of military force. The outspoken author of Blowback , The Sorrows of Empire and Nemesis: The Last Days of the American Republic predicts that the fall of the so-called American Empire is imminent.
Judgment Day: Intelligent Design on Trial
With this episode, the popular "Nova" series examines the trial of Kitzmiller v. Dover Area School District, a controversial legal battle sparked by a group of science teachers who refused to comply with an order to teach intelligent design. Through scene re-creations, interviews and expert testimony, the program presents the arguments of both sides and illuminates the conflict that thrust the people of Dover into the worldwide spotlight.
This Is What Democracy Looks Like
During the 1999 World Trade Organization summit in Seattle, activists gathering to promote economic justice managed to shut down the WTO during a days-long demonstration. Violent clashes with police were broadcast from news outlets around the world. This powerful documentary narrated by Susan Sarandon and Michael Franti tells the story from the hearts and lenses of more than 100 activists who turned their cameras on the police.
Internationally Speaking
In this documentary, voices from around the world address America and its foreign policy, sharing their opinion of the world's only "superpower," its government, its foreign policy and its people. In the midst of growing international anti-Americanism, real people tell Americans what they think and why in an attempt to further understanding and compassion. Features Medea Benjamin, Noam Chomsky and Michael Ratner. Christine Rose directs.
Raiders of the Lost Ark
Get ready to globe-trot with one of the big screen's greatest adventurers. When Dr. Indiana Jones (Harrison Ford) -- the tweed-suited professor who just happens to be a celebrated archaeologist -- is hired by the government to locate the legendary Ark of the Covenant (resting place of the original Ten Commandments), he finds himself up against the entire Nazi regime. Steven Spielberg and George Lucas teamed up to create this all-time favorite.
Extras: The Extra Special Series Finale
Despite the popularity of his sitcom "When the Whistle Blows," erstwhile extra and current TV star Andy Millman (Ricky Gervais) longs for respect in the industry. His show is critically reviled, but is he ready to sacrifice his success to follow his artistic dreams? And just how far will he go in the name of personal integrity? Stephen Merchant and Ashley Jensen co-star in the finale of this Emmy Award-winning comedy.
Flow: For Love of Water
From both local and global perspectives, this documentary examines the harsh realities behind the mounting water crisis. Learn how politics, pollution and human rights are intertwined in this important issue that affects every being on Earth. With water drying up around the world and the future of human lives at stake, the film urges a call to arms before more of our most precious natural resource evaporates.
The Daily Show with Jon Stewart: Indecision 2004
This uncensored look at the contentious 2004 presidential campaign takes sardonic aim at both political parties via reports by faux journalists Stephen Colbert, Ed Helms, Samantha Bee and Rob Corddry. Host Jon Stewart is also on hand with guests such as Sen. Joseph Biden and Sen. John McCain. Included are eight programs from the conventions (four from each side) and the windup of the show's coverage, "Election Night 2004: Prelude to a Recount."
Generation Kill
A platoon of young but highly trained Marines leads the charge of American forces during the 2003 Iraq invasion. This HBO miniseries highlights the many challenges faced by the soldiers on the front lines, such as distinguishing civilian from enemy. Starring Alexander Skarsgård, James Ransone, Stark Sands and Jon Huertas, this realistic portrayal of the Iraq War is based on a nonfiction book by Rolling Stone journalist Evan Wright.
