Alrighty, alrighty, okay okay, so, you’re a fan of that jekyll-and-hyde dual nature, the reality of unreality, the theater of the absurd voyaging into the abyss of the truthie-bruthie, the unscripted script-o-rama— aka documentaries! And you’re looking for docu-dingleberries from the 2020s? Ho-ho, you’re asking for the moon on a stick there! But don’t you worry, your wish is my command! Just give me a sec, let me just… *mimics dialing a rotary phone and talking to an imaginary old Hollywood agent* “Hey, yeah, it’s genie…Yeah, the guy in the lamp, that’s me! I need your finest documentaries on the double!”
Alright, good news gains value with age, like a fine wine, so let’s see what fine vintages the 2020s have to offer!
1. “Tiger King: Murder, Mayhem and Madness”
This one’s so wild, you’re gonna have to bring your own grrrrr… and maybe a leash. It’s raw, it’s in your face, it tells the story of a mullet-sporting, gun-toting guy by the name of Joe Exotic, who has this crazy, no-make-that-insane obsession with big cats. It’s got murder-for-hire plots, polygamy, and a cast of characters more colorful than my magic carpet rides!
2. “My Octopus Teacher”
It’s not an eight-day week, it’s not an octo-mom… it’s something SO much better. Prepare for a heart warmed more than a beach in Agrabah with this touching story between man and cephalopod, a kind of ‘When Harry Met Squiggly’. Our man dives into the chilly waters off South Africa every day for a year, making friends with an octopus who seems to become as intrigued by him as he is of her.
3. “Once Upon a Time in Iraq”
Hold on to your magic carpets, this ain’t the fairy tale the title suggests. It provides a look into the lives of ordinary Iraqis who lived through the 2003 invasion, narrating their own stories, with no fairy godmothers, guaranteed. It’s a carpet ride down a memory lane littered with IEDs rather than INRIADS.
4. “The Last Dance”
*Singing like Sinatra* ‘And now my friends, the end is near!’ This 10-part series is an all-access look at Michael Jordan and the 1990s Chicago Bulls during their six-championship run. So if you fancy some hoops, free-throws and high-top hi-inks, this one’s got you covered. DON’T bring your dancing shoes, DO bring the popcorn!
5. “I’ll Be Gone in the Dark”
Turn the lights down low for this one, because it’ll give you the heebie-jeebies! A true crime docu-series following the late Michelle McNamara as she dives into the dark world of a notorious serial killer, armed with nothing but a laptop, a go-get-em attitude and some seriously late nights.
6. “Cheer”
Not about the woman who puts the bottle of wine in the fridge ha-ha! It’s about a cheerleading squad that puts the ‘cute in acut-letics’. It’s raw, it’s real, and it takes you inside the world of competitive cheerleaders who put it all on the mat for the big W.
And there you have it, half a dozen dazzling docu-dandies from your docu-loving-djinni! Now, if I had to make one recommendation, I won’t grant a wish— I’d inspire one. For its profundity of heart, depth of emotion and splendid filmmaking, I choose…*drum roll please*…”My Octopus Teacher.” Why? Because it’s not only about our eight-legged amigo under the sea, but also about the remarkable ability of nature to heal, transform and connect on a soul level. It’s a voyage into the blue, all without having to get your feet wet! Watching this doc is far from a soppy love story though, it’s a tidal wave of empathy meeting a tsunami of introspection. So there you have it! End of transmission, kiddos!”
