Documentaries That Make A Difference profile picture

Documentaries That Make A Difference

I am here for Networking

About Me


Before you decide on which candidate to support
visit...
...to see how each candidate stands in relation to what you care about!
It's a 20-question questionnaire (no ads!) that takes only a minute, and then you can see where each candidate stands on each issue.
BE INFORMED! The whole world is at stake!
An amazing number of excellent and informative documentaries have been released in the last few years. In part, it's because of how front and center many issues are, such as the war in Iraq, global warming, gay rights and the media. The media is the most central issue to me since it's mainly because they are not doing their job that these films are being made. There are already fifteen movies out about Iraq; why? Because the media isn't really covering the situation with any detail. There was a time when news equaled journalism. Even PBS, which still does churn out a few good documentaries now and then, has been less vigorous in tackling subjects head on. Thirty years ago, many of the documentaries listed below would have appeared on PBS. Today, one must search them out. One can occasionally find good documentaries like these on the Sundance Channel...
...The other source for finding good documentaries, believe it or not, is Netflix. Most of the documentaries listed throughout this page I rented at Netflix. In fact, Netflix apparently is quite liberal. They're one of the official sponsors of the Media That Matters Festival, and often times they will pre-release liberal documentaries and other progressive films on their own label. I heartily recommend that you subscribe to Netflix and rent these films there so that they’ll know that there’s a strong demand for these films. It will encourage them to pick up more great documentaries that haven't been able to find a distributor.
And no … I'm in no way affiliated with Netflix! Just a subscriber.
In the blog section you can find 400+ PROGRESSIVE DOCUMENTARY TITLES with brief descriptions that in my opinion run the gamut from pretty good to excellent.
Regretfully, there are hundreds more documentaries that are not listed. That's mainly because I haven't seen them but there is a small percentage of documentaries that I have seen but felt were not quite good enough to recommend. I regret that I haven't included dozens of human-interest documentaries that I love (like Tarnation or Sans Soleil or Michael Apted's 'Up' series) but perhaps another time [one of these days I'd love to take on mockumentaries as well!]. Also, I have only a small number of historical documentaries listed. I've only kept those titles that are pertinent to the history of today [unfortunately, history does repeats itself – a lot!]. Also, you will notice lots of documentaries made for TV including a few series.
Last but not least, a word about the 'bias' of these films. They’re liberal, no question about it. Many people think that these sorts of films are just preaching to the choir and I admit, most of these films wouldn't open the clam-like mind of most conservatives. But these films are necessary for our – and the next generation's – education. Many of us buy books that are written by liberals in order to find in-depth information on issues, so it really isn't any 'worse' to create documentaries in the same vein. And things are beginning to actually shift a little out there. Many conservatives have come around to understanding what we knew all along about George Bush, and even a significant number of right wing Christians are becoming environmental activists. The best of these films do in fact, bring Americans together to look at the bigger picture for our planet's survival and humanity.

My Interests

Documentary subjects include the war in Iraq, 9/11, environmentalism, corporatism, GLBT issues, civil & human rights, peace issues, activism, American media and culture, US foreign policy & globalisation, poverty, AIDS, Africa, Israel/Palestine, Tibet, New Orleans, oil depletion, race, immigration, Native Americans, women's issues, the meat industry, the agricultural industry, prisons, political campaigns, Vietnam (revisited), and (ssssss!) George W Bush, Rudy Giuliani, Faux News and Christofascism - to name a few!

You can watch this amazing hard-to-find movie PURPLE HEARTS in its entirety at You Tube!

I'd like to meet:


Those who are seeking knowledge, inspiration, and a sliver of hope.

If you are associated with a documentary company or with a particular documentary and want to advertise it in the comments section, feel free to do so! As usual, comments are monitored so this page won't be saturated with Macy's ads or women's asses (male asses are ok though!). Nor will I be accepting ads for documentaries that are extremely right wing; this page celebrates documentaries that are making a positive difference!

If you don't see a title on the 400+ Documentaries list that you'd like to recommend feel free to do so!

My deepest gratitude goes out to those who made these films, as well as those who watch them. Things can't change until we have the opportunity to witness the truth!

Hoodoo Rhabyn
September 18, 2007

Click HERE to buy or look for a screening or host a screening for this important new film about how WE can make a difference with what we buy and throw away!

Music:

These musicians either made documentaries or their music was an important factor in documentaries:
Bob Geldof, Michael Franti, Gil Scott Heron, Kinky Friedman, Philip Glass, John Lennon, Sierra Leone’s Refugee All Stars, Michael Stipe/REM, Melissa Etheridge, Moby, The Coup, John Trudell, The Hidden Cameras, Marilyn Manson, Judas Priest, Hugh Masekela, Joan Baez, Neil Young, Jeff Buckley, Flii Stylz and The Beach Boys.

Movies:

Below is my top 25 list of films that I believe altogether can help us understand the world we’re living in today. Some of these films are depressing, some are amusing, some are maddening and some are inspiring. Some may not be very good quality in terms of production values, and some may even have poor narration or be 'preaching to the choir. But I consider all of them important for how much they make us think, and – hopefully – how much they will inspire us to act.
TOP 25
Unprecedented: The 2000 Presidential Election
The Corporation
Stolen Childhoods
Life and Debt
The Future of Food
911: Press for Truth
Motherland Afghanistan
The End of Suburbia
A Patriot Act
V-Day: Until the Violence Stops
The Oil Factor
Who Killed the Electric Car?
Rx for Survival
Fahrenheit 911
Super Size Me
Maxed Out
The Gleaners and I
Bowling for Columbine
Soldier Child
Hijacking Catastrophe: 9/11, Fear and the Selling of American Empire
Dream of Sparrows
McLibel
Drowned Out
Orwell Rolls in His Grave
The Control Room

Television:

Progressive documentary series have included Michael Moore's "Awful Truth" and "TV Nation", Morgan Spurlock's "30 Days", and Jamie Bakker's "One Punk Under God". Then there's anything with Bill Moyers (!), and often PBS's programs like Frontline, POV, Independent Lens and The American Experience are very factual (which means they are progressive by default!)
C-SPAN is quite informative too (albeit maddening at times!)

Books:

Some documentaries that have been turned into books (or occasionally vice versa): America Beyond the Color Lines, Anthem, The Atomic Cafe, Before Stonewall, Born Into Brothels, Bush's Brain, Coming Out Under Fire, The Corporation, Dear America: Letters Home From Vietnam, Enron: The Smartest Guys In The Room, Eyes On the Prize, Fahrenheit 911, Fires In The Mirror, The Fog Of War, Fortunate Son (Bush biography by 'Horns and Halos' Hatfield), Geldof In Africa, Go Further, Guns Germs and Steel, Hijacking Catastrophe: 9/11, Fear, And The Selling Of American Empire, The Hunting of the President, An Inconvenient Truth, The Lost Boys of Sudan, Maxed Out, McLibel, One Day in September, Outfoxed, Pandemic: Facing AIDS, Planet Earth, Popaganda: The Life and Times of Ron English, Road Scholar, Rx for Survival, Shirley Chisholm: Unbought and Unbossed, The Trials of Henry Kissinger, Twilight Los Angeles, The Vagina Monologues, Wal-Mart: The High Cost of Low Price, Why We Fight, The Yes Men ... and no less than 7 different books of Bushisms and a couple of Bushism calendars!

Heroes:

Some of the talents who made these great films: Robert Greenwald, Michael Moore, Morgan Spurlock, Arthur Dong, Errol Morris, Mark Achbar, Rob Epstein, Marc Levin, Barbara Kopple, Jonathan Demme, Franny Armstrong, Marlon Riggs, Albert & David Maysles, Godfrey Reggio & Ron Fricke, Emile de Antonio, Danny Schechter, Kevin Rafferty, Kirby Dick, Barbara Trent, Monika Treut, Spike Lee, Louis Malle, Agnes Varda, Michael Apted ... ... and those who have dared to speak out: Howard Zinn, Noam Chomsky, Mike Ruppert, Eve Ensler, Greg Palast, Mark Crispin Miller, Michael Parenti, Abbie Hoffman (we miss you!) ... and last but not least: the father of the documentary; a man who brought us new worlds and showed us that we have much in common with those who are 'different' than us; Robert J. Flaherty.
What political party are you?
created with QuizFarm.com
You scored as Green Party

The Green Party is America's fastest growing third party and prides itself on not excepting donations from corporations. It champions nonviolence, and believes in both grassroots activism and electoral participation.


Green Party


95%

Socialist Party


80%

Anarchist


60%

Democratic Party


60%

Workers World Party


50%

Libertarian Party


35%

Constitution Party


30%

Republican Party


0%
What Famous Leader Are You?
personality tests by similarminds.com
The Only Formula For Success:
( Womankind + Mankind = Humankind )
FIGHT THE OPPOSITION!
Rudy Giuliani:
Hates poor people and minorities and looks terrible in lavender.
Donald Trump:
Hates poor people and minorities and doesn't have the guts to wear lavender.

My Blog

News and Reviews

I've transferred several of my full-length (300 to 1,000 word) reviews to my other blog and I'll be updating them as well as other news on this page now and then.Some new additions to the list of film...
Posted by Documentaries That Make A Difference on Thu, 08 Nov 2007 11:31:00 PST

Its the End of the World As We Know It & And I Feel Fine!

We became a world power in the 1940s and 1950s because we manufactured everything and because the GI bill created jobs in science and technology that revolutionized every segment of society. Now, the...
Posted by Documentaries That Make A Difference on Wed, 07 Nov 2007 01:25:00 PST

Revisionist American History 101 A La Ron Paul

Yes folks, I must rant again!  Luckily, more and more people are becoming aware of Ron Paul's total conservative viewpoint but I could not sleep with a full conscience if I did not do my little b...
Posted by Documentaries That Make A Difference on Mon, 05 Nov 2007 03:44:00 PST

New and Improved Documentaries List -updated

Hi Friends! I believe  I hope  I've finished tweaking this thing into perfection. I kinda left out a few dozen titles before [oops] The 400-plus titles are still divided into six pages according t...
Posted by Documentaries That Make A Difference on Mon, 29 Oct 2007 02:52:00 PST

Group One -new

GROUP ONE Activism The 1960s Please Bogart That Joint! War- General War- Iraq War- Vietnam ACTIVISM 101 Act Of Conscience (1998) [C] A good movie to show how you should not go about tax evasion f...
Posted by Documentaries That Make A Difference on Mon, 29 Oct 2007 02:42:00 PST

Group Two -new

GROUP TWO Corporations Vs Workers Food Free to Be You And Me Media Nukes Oil Our Furry, Slimy and Feathered Friends Save the Planet Tee-Vee Programmes   CORPORATIONS VS. WORKERS American Jobs (2...
Posted by Documentaries That Make A Difference on Mon, 29 Oct 2007 02:37:00 PST

Group Three -new

GROUP THREE 9/11 Africa Global Visions Israel/Palestine Other Countries   9/11 Fahrenheit 911 (2004) [A] There's a reason that the far-right feels threatened by Moore. Moore's success is in rais...
Posted by Documentaries That Make A Difference on Mon, 29 Oct 2007 02:34:00 PST

Group Four -new

GROUP FOUR Bad Government Campaigns Crime and Punishment Dubya Giuliani Is Our Children Learning? Katrina Quintessentially American   BAD GOVERNMENT Axis of Evil: Perforated Praeter Naturam (200...
Posted by Documentaries That Make A Difference on Mon, 29 Oct 2007 02:32:00 PST

Group Five - new

GROUP FIVE Biographies Religion- The Bright Side Religion- The Dark Side Religion- An Eastern Approach BIOGRAPHIES The Agronomist (2003) [B] Jean Dominique was an outspoken human rights activist in H...
Posted by Documentaries That Make A Difference on Mon, 29 Oct 2007 02:26:00 PST

Group Six - new

GROUP SIX Bigotry The Real Americans (Hint: They're not actually from India!) Say It Loud; I'm Black and I'm Proud! Uppity Women Unite! We're Here, We're Queer& Get Used to It! BIGOTRY Blood In The F...
Posted by Documentaries That Make A Difference on Mon, 29 Oct 2007 02:23:00 PST