Up the Yangtze (2007)

A luxury cruise boat motors up the Yangtze - navigating the mythic waterway known in China simply as "The River." The Yangtze is about to be transformed by the biggest hydroelectric dam in history. At the river's edge - a young woman says goodbye to her family as the floodwaters rise towards their small homestead. The Three Gorges Dam - contested symbol of the Chinese economic miracle - provides the epic backdrop for Up the Yangtze, a dramatic feature documentary on life inside modern China. 93 min. Written by National Film Board of Canada

Director: Yung Chang
Writer: Yung Chang

IMDB 7.5

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The Devil and Daniel Johnston (2005)

In his second film, former commercial director Jeff Feuerzeig tackles the documentary format, introducing the world to Daniel Johnston -- a reclusive musical genius now in the throes of manic depression. Blending up-to-date footage with home movies, archival material and rare audio, Feuerzeig creates a dizzying -- and heartbreaking -- portrait of a man whose inner demons are taking over, one delusion at a time. 110 min.

Director: Jeff Feuerzeig
Writer: Jeff Feuerzeig

IMDB 8.0

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Unforgivable Blackness: The Rise and Fall of Jack Johnson (2004)

Long before Jackie Robinson broke baseball's color barrier, boxer Jack Johnson became the first African-American to obtain the world heavyweight title. This documentary tracks the life of the trailblazing boxer, from his early days as the son of former slaves to his rise through the ranks of a traditionally all-white sport, culminating with the 39-year-old's achievement of the prestigious title in 1908. 214 min.

Director: Ken Burns
Writer: Geoffrey C. Ward

IMDB 8.2

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A Touch of Greatness (1964)

In an era when Dick, Jane, and discipline ruled America's schools, Albert Cullum allowed Shakespeare, Sophocles, and Shaw to reign in his fifth grade public school classroom. Through the use of poetry, drama and imaginative play, Cullum championed an unorthodox educational philosophy that spoke directly to his students' needs. Many of Cullum's projects were recorded on film by then novice filmmaker Robert Downey, Sr. Weaving stunning black and white footage and rare archival television broadcasts together with interviews of Cullum and his former students, this is a portrait of a maverick teacher who transformed a generation of young people by enabling them to discover their own inner greatness. 54 min. Written by Anonymous

Director: Robert Downey Sr.

IMDB 7.3

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Encounters at the End of the World (2007)

Filmmaker Werner Herzog takes you on a wild and woolly journey to the South Pole in this Oscar contender -- from the National Science Foundation's headquarters on Ross Island to some of Antarctica's most remote and dangerous terrain, where we meet the odd men and women who have dedicated their lives to furthering the cause of science in treacherous conditions. A scientist studies neutrinos, which are everywhere, yet elusive; he likens them to spirits. A researcher's nighttime performance art includes contorting her body into a luggage bag. A survival guide teaches his students to survive white-out conditions by wearing cartoon-face buckets over their heads. Animal researchers milk mother seals as part of their study. Volcanologists offer advice on what to do when a volcano erupts. A pipefitter shows us the anomaly in his hands that he says are a sign he descended from Atzec royalty. A former Colorado banker drives what he has christened Ivan the Terra Bus. An underwater diver shows his colleagues DVDs of apocalyptic sci-fi films like Them! (1954). 99 min. ... Written by J. Spurlin

Director: Werner Herzog
Writer: Werner Herzog

IMDB 7.8

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Thelonious Monk: Straight, No Chaser (1988)

Madness and genius are often inexplicably intertwined, as was the case with brilliant jazz pianist Thelonious Monk, who spent his last years living as a virtual hermit. Straight, No Chaser's archival footage only hints at the madness to come. Interviews with Monk's family and collaborators complement footage shot in 1968 for German television in this music-filled portrait of talent and torment. 90 min.

Director: Charlotte Zwerin

IMDB 7.7

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Touching the Void (2003)

In the mid-80's two young climbers attempted to reach the summit of Siula Grande in Peru; a feat that had previously been attempted but never achieved. With an extra man looking after base camp, Simon and Joe set off to scale the mount in one long push over several days. The peak is reached, however on the descent Joe falls and breaks his leg. Despite what it means, the two continue with Simon letting Joe out on a rope for 300 meters, then descending to join him and so on. However when Joe goes out over an overhang with no way of climbing back up, Simon makes the decision to cut the rope. Joe falls into a crevasse and Simon, assuming him dead, continues back down. Joe however survives the fall and was lucky to hit a ledge in the crevasse. This is the story of how he got back down. Written by bob the moo

Director: Kevin Macdonald
Writers: David Darlow (script writer), Joe Simpson (book)

IMDB 8.1

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Dark Days (2000)

Near Penn Station, next to the Amtrak tracks, squatters have been living for years. Marc Singer goes underground to live with them, and films this "family." A dozen or so men and one woman talk about their lives: horrors of childhood, jail time, losing children, being coke-heads. They scavenge, they've built themselves sturdy one-room shacks; they have pets, cook, chat, argue, give each other haircuts. A bucket is their toilet. Leaky overhead pipes are a source of water for showers. They live in virtual darkness. During the filming, Amtrak gives a 30-day eviction notice. 94 min. Written by <jhailey@hotmail.com>

Director: Marc Singer

IMDB 7.8

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Murderball (2005)

Quad rugby as played by the US team, between 2002 games in Sweden and the 2004 Paralympics in Athens. Young men, most with spinal injuries, play this rough and tumble sport in special chairs, seated gladiators. We get to know several and their families. They talk frankly about their injuries, feelings in public, sex lives, competitiveness, and love of the game. There's also an angry former team member gone north to coach the Canadian team, tough on everyone, including his viola-playing son. We meet a recently injured man, in rehab, at times close to despair, finding possible joy in quad rugby. After Athens, the team meets young men injured in war: the future stars of Team USA. Written by <jhailey@hotmail.com>

Directors: Henry Alex Rubin, Dana Adam Shapiro

IMDB 7.8

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Howard Zinn: You Can't Be Neutral on a Moving Train (2004)

The life and times of Howard Zinn: the historian, activist, and author of several classics including "A Peoples History of the United States".

Matt Damon narrates this documentary chronicling Howard Zinn's commitment to social change through archival materials, commentary from Zinn and interviews with contemporaries Noam Chomsky, Daniel Ellsberg, Tom Hayden and Alice Walker, among others.

Directors: Deb Ellis, Denis Mueller

IMDB 7.4

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