Aileen: Life and Death of a Serial Killer
Aileen Wuornos is hailed as the first female American serial killer. Whether or not that is true she was a highway prostitute and was convicted of killing six men in Florida. This is not the first documentary Nick Broomfield has made on Aileen Weornos. His first one Aileen Wuornos: The Selling of a Serial Killer. While this one is a follow up to his first, it can be watched on its own.
Blackfish
Blackfish documents the way SeaWorld treats the animals, specifically Orcas (killer whales), in their care. If you are an animal lover this may be for you. That being said if you are an animal lover then this might not be for you. Just know that this documentary is about the mistreatment of animals.
City 40
There is a city in Russia called Ozersk. It's a closed city, meaning people who don't live there can't visit and people who do can leave under certain circumstances. Ozersk was the Soviet Union's nuclear weapons program HQ. However, even today it is still a closed city and is seen as something of a radioactive city as they still produce weapons of mass destruction and don't dispose of the radioactive waste correctly. The story follows a human's rights lawyer, and mother of four, who lived in Ozersk.
Crips and Bloods
There are two gangs that terrorize southern Los Angeles. They are called Crips and Bloods. This documentary goes back in time to explain the elements that came together to create these two gangs. A perfect storm that also brought about decades of gang violence.
Fantastic Lies
In March of 2006 the Duke lacrosse team was accused of sexually harassing one Crystal Mangum, a stripper. Thirteen months later all charges were dropped against the lacrosse players as the accusations were found to be baseless. ESPN tells the tale of what many people believed happened that night and the real story of what actually happened.
Happy Valley
Nobody thinks that Jerry Sandusky, assistant coach of Penn State and convicted serial child molester deserves the benefit of the doubt. Joe Paterno, however, is a different story. Joe Paterno died of cancer three months after the Sanducky scandal broke out and never had the chance to defend himself or tell his side of the story. Some say that Paterno knew about Sandusky criminal activity as early as 1979. Some say that NCAA was too tough on Penn State. Some say that you can't erase the past or the more 112 wins that the NCAA took away from Penn State and Joe Paterno. (It is worth mentioning that since this documentary came out the NCAA has restored the 112 wins)
Hot Girls Wanted
Hot Girls Wanted an ad one might see on craigslist. If one were to answer to said ad they might be offered a job within the porn industry. That's right, Hot Girls Wanted is a look into the modern day porn industry. Take a peek at this peek show.
How to Survive a Plague
In the late 1900's AIDS struck fear in people all over the world. The FDA was working on drugs to help the epidemic but millions were dying as medications got tied up in legal matters and testing. The members of ACT UP, most of whom didn't have medical degrees, made the drugs happen. They did their own research, created their own drug regiments, organized demonstrations and protests. In 1996 they finally got what they'd been asking for, it was a long journey and this is their story.
The Hunting Ground
Every year thousands of American university students will report that they have been sexually harassed and so few get any real justice from the institutions they attended. This documentaries cover just a few of their stories and the epidemic that grips America.
The Imposter
Nicholas Barclay, a thirteen-year-old ran away from his home in Texas. Three years later the still grieving family finds out that Nicholas Barclay had been found in Spain. Little did this family know that this boy was not sixteen-year-old Nicholas Barclay, it was twenty-three-year-old Frederic Bourdin. A con-artist and serial impersonator.
Into the Abyss
This documentary is not for the faint of heart. This tells the story of the families of the deceased victims of violent crimes. It also includes interviews of those convicted of violent crimes and inmates on death row. This documentary does have footage and images from real crime scenes of violent crimes. This may be upsetting to some so please be aware.
The Ivory Game
This documentary does into the cause of the declining population of african elephants. SPOIL ALERT it's poachers killing elephants for their ivory tusks. This documentary takes the view further then Kenya and Tanzania and goes all the way to China and the heart of the international ivory trading crisis.
Man on Wire
On August 7, 1974 Philippe Petit walked across a wire he and his team had strung up between the twin towers in New York. This wasn't an impulse decision, Petit and his team worked towards this for years. And it must have paid off because when everything was said and done Philippe Petit was... well... Man on Wire.
The Propaganda Game
This documentary provides a look into North Korea. It takes a closer look at some of the lies that North Koreans are told. And some of the lies that the rest of the world is told about North Koreans.
Tricked
While Hot Girls Wanted is about girls who willingly decide to join the porn industry. Tricked is about human trafficking in prostitution. These are individuals who have not willingly entered the prostitution industry.
Virunga
In eastern Congo there is a place called Virunga National Park, which is home to some of the last remaining mountain gorillas. This park protects these mountain gorillas and is guarded by rangers who are willing to risk their lives for these endangered animals. When M23, a rebel group, decides to declare ware, they put that to the test.
We Are Legion
We are Legion is the story of the hacktivist group called Anonymous. This group went from posting pictures they liked on a website called 4chan to attacking Scientology and sending aid to Egyptian revolutionaries. The big question is: is hacking another form of protest or has it crossed the line into illegality. If so, where is that line anyway?
Welcome to Leith
Leith is a very small town in North Dakota that Craig Cobb, famed white supremacist tried to take over.
Winter on Fire: Ukraine's Fight for Freedom
This film documents the demonstrations in the Ukraine in 2013-2014 in support of the Ukraine joining the European Union. This follows a movement that caused real change in the world that is was proved when Ukraine's former president, Victor F. Yankovich resigned. And was the beginning of the unrest that Ukraine saw afterwards. If you liked this you should also look into the Square which is the revolution that happened in Egypt.
The White Helmets
While bombs are dropping on Syrian hospitals, schools, and homes a group called the White Helmets rush to the affected area to try to save as many people as possible. If you are interested in donating please visit www.whitehelmets.org. If you liked Virunga you may also like this one as it is made by the same people.
Whitey: United States of America v. James J. Bulger
This documentary takes a closer look at James "Whitey" Bulger, the infamous Bostonian mafia leader. This takes the audience into the trial and possible FBI involvement/cover up.
The Witness
In 1964 Kitty Genovese was stabbed to death in New York. Newspapers reported that 38 witnesses either saw it happen or heard her screaming and did nothing. In 2015 Bill Genovese, her brother, goes through the case and uncovers what really happened to her all those years ago.
Who Took Johnny
On September 5, 1982 Johnny Gosch went missing while delivering his paper route in West Des Moines, Iowa. Since then his mother, Noreen Gosch has worked tirelessly to find her missing son. This led to the formation of the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children and the emergence of public knowledge concerning human trafficking. Child human trafficking.
The Wolfpack
The Angulo family lived in Manhattan, their family consisted of a father, mother, six brothers, a sister. For most of their lives their father kept the key to the apartment at all times. He would only let his children out a few times a year and one year they didn't go out at all. The children spent their time reenacting the movies they were allowed to watch. Eventually they welcomed the film maker Chrystal Moselle into their home to help them tell their story.
13th
The 13th amendment to the constitution outlaws slavery. This documentaries explores the loophole in the amendment that allows slavery in those who are incarcerated. It allows for modern day slaver in out criminal justice system.
