Awesome Documentaries

Sometimes the simplest acts can have a lasting impact. Ivan Cash’s Agent of Connection features William Cromartie, a BART station agent who finds great satisfaction in greeting his commuters. Hats off to you, William – it’s nice to have a friend in the cold, hard city.

Brett Morgen’s critically-acclaimed documentary about chimpanzee expert Dame Jane Goodall. JANE is based on over 100 hours of footage shot by Goodall’s ex-husband Hugo van Lawick, and is narrated by the scientist herself. Premieres 10/20/17.

Nowness presents an excerpt from Christopher Kippenberger’s upcoming documentary Kart Kids. The film, which Kippenberger has been shooting for the past decade, follows three kids in Germany’s go-kart racing scene. We can’t wait to see more of it.

An upcoming documentary about the artists behind the brilliantly insane 1990’s animated series Ren and Stimpy. The film will include interviews with some of the show’s creators, celebrity fans, rare behind the scenes footage, and new animations to complement the story.

“I realized that this is what I was gonna do, what I was going to die trying.” HBO and critically-acclaimed producer Susan Lacy (American Masters) present “an intimate portrait” of one of the most talented and prolific directors of all time – Steven Spielberg. Premieres 10/7/17.

Super Deluxe introduces us to Eric Lindsey of Prosthetic Artists, Inc. to go inside the artistry of creating prosthetic eyes for people who have lost theirs. Each eye must not only be perfectly fitted, but must be precisely painted to match the patient’s natural eye characteristics.

If you’ve never seen anything simultaneously dreamy and gritty, take nine minutes to watch New York-based Aurélien Heilbronn’s Street Racers, a short film documenting the highly dangerous and illegal motorbiking culture in the Dominican Republic. Beautifully shot.

“Some things aren’t meant to scale.” Kith owner Ronnie Fieg is a divisive figure in the streetwear scene, mainly because he comes from a well off and well connected family. But in his Complex Blueprint feature, you’ll see his story is all about being his own man.

Great Big Story spent some time with stop-motion animator Phil Tippett, who worked on films like Star Wars, RoboCop, and Jurassic Park. For the last 30+ years, Phil has also been working on his passion project, Mad God, a film which he acknowledges he may never finish.

While shooting pics to promote illustrator Jon Burgerman’s new book It’s Great to Create, photographer Bas Berkhout decided to turn some of the leftovers into a wonderful documentary about the inspiration behind his whimsical, googly-eyed style.

Jennifer Brea was an avid traveler and academic. Then she was struck with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome – a mysterious disorder that is only recently being taken seriously. With no cure or even sympathy in sight, she reached out to fellow victims to raise awareness about CFS.

“It’s not a fake sport… It’s a real story that we’re telling.” Director Tim Grant introduces us to pro wrestler Cauliflower Chase Brown, who reminds us the action we see on stage is backed up by a desire to entertain and satisfy an audience with a heroes tale for the underdog.

Director Fred China and his team are currently raising funds for a documentary about the creation of Tim Burton’s 1988 classic Beetlejuice, which features amazing, never before seen archive footage of production of the film’s clever visuals. (Thanks John!)

Todd McFarlane reinvented Spider-Man, created Spawn, and helped revolutionize the comics industry by co-founding Image Comics. Now he has a toy empire. He sat down with Complex to share tons of practical tips for success based on his passion and experience.

“I don’t know what painting teaches me. I just know that it frees me.” Jim Carrey has enthusiastically shared his paintings with the public. But in SGG’s documentary, we see him open up about this lifelong passion, as well as the stories behind some of his artworks.

“It was something I was pretty good at. And then it became a disease.” Ric Flair was once the superstar of superstars in the pro wrestling world. But he was anything but a role model, whether in or out of the ring. The documentary premieres 11/7/17 on ESPN.

(PG-13: Language) Mass Appeal’s New York State of Mind spends some time with these urban daredevils who live life on the edge, popping wheelies and driving some folks mad with their antics. Whether or not they’re a road hazard, there’s no questioning their passion.

(PG-13: Language) “It’s now how you play the game. It’s why you play the game.” Vice Waypoint spoke with a couple of former inmates who played tabletop RPGs such as Dungeons & Dragons while they were in prison to unwind, connect and stay sane. More here.

National Geographic takes us inside the world of artists Lori Nix and Kathleen Gerber, who have been creating intricate miniature dioramas together for almost 15 years. The scenes portray a post-apocalyptic future in which buildings and material possessions have been abandoned.

Filmmaker Bryan Fogel initially wanted to learn more about performance-enhancing drugs. His research unwittingly got him caught in Russia’s doping scandal. Critics say Icarus has a poorly-edited first half, but its twists and bombs make it worth watching. Premieres 8/4/17 on Netflix.

(PG-13) “Equality and Opportunity Worth the Fight.” Louis CK is hosting Dana Flor and Toby Oppenheimer’s documentary Check It on his site. The film is about the eponymous gang-turned-foundation that was created by gay African-American teens in Washington DC.

“What’s my job description? I provide for my family.” Leonard Logsdail is one of the most sought after bespoke tailors in the US and England. But he has no delusions about his career or his legacy. He spoke with Coronation Media about his youth, setbacks and success.

“I think of it as putting together a puzzle when you don’t have a picture of what it’s supposed to look like.” Oscar-winning documentary filmmaker Morgan Neville talks about his world and his mindset, using the interview itself as an example.