Documentaries have long since moved out of the category of elitist and obscure. Today there are more and more fans of the facts. There is even an opinion that modern documentaries in terms of popularity will soon displace TV series, which have recently replaced feature films. An important advantage of documentaries over feature and soap operas is their truthfulness. They give the opportunity to see real footage of events and incidents, hear the opinions and comments of direct participants, look into places that feature films do not consider interesting. And with the development of technology, documentary filmmaking has reached a new level: it can simulate the past, clearly convey the atmosphere, and paint incredible pictures of the past and the future.
Service EssayAssistant present you a selection of such beautiful and incredibly interesting documentaries, which will give food for mind and expand your consciousness and horizons.
Baraka
Year: 1992
Country: USA, 96 min.
Directed by: Ron Fricke
A meditative picture film that takes you on a tour of the globe. A silent tour. No dialogues, but nature sounds, great images, ethnic music. It took 14 months to make this film. Filming took place in 24 countries around the world. Here and the horrific images of the industrial world, and the beauty of wildlife. All thoughts, feelings, experiences are transferred through the picture. At the end of the film there is a catharsis and a great rush of love for our planet.
Home. The Story of a Journey
Year: 2009
Country: France, 113 min.
Directed by: Yann Arthus-Bertrand
A warning film, in a sense even a disaster film, which shows how our planet suffers. The film shows the realities of human life on our planet. The consequences of human intervention, where the natural beauty coexists with the lifeless landscapes that man has left behind. This is insanely beautiful footage, breathtaking panoramas and sweeping views. It’s a real story, told with precision and taste.
Everything Is A Remix
Year: 2010-2012
Country: USA, 37 min.
Director: Kirby Ferguson
The film says that many works and discoveries are not original, they have been copied or borrowed. That there is no such thing as “copyright” and we can only talk about piracy and plagiarism. An interesting point of view especially for those who work with discoveries, inventions, and creating masterpieces on a daily basis.
The Creative Brain: How Insight Works
Year: 2013
Country: UK, 83 min.
Director: Kate Dart
The brain is a great enigma. Treasure trove of knowledge and keeper of memories. The great “emperor” who guides us and gives us inspiration. Where does it come from, inspiration? That’s the question you’ll find the answer to in the documentary. Scientists have already unraveled the phenomenon and researched moments of insight. They know how to effectively influence the creative abilities of man. In fact, they know how to make any of us geniuses.
The Ascent of Money: A Financial History of The World
Year: 2006, 4 episodes
Country: UK, 4 hours
Director: Niall Ferguson
Professor Niall Ferguson explores the origins of the pillars of the global financial system and how behind every great historical phenomenon – empires and republics, wars and revolutions – lies a financial mystery. He tells his thoughts, historical facts, arguments, and conclusions in 4 episodes.
The Transcendent Man
Year: 2009
Country: USA, 83 min.
Director: Robert Barry Ptolemy
For decades there has been a debate as to whether robots will defeat human intelligence, whether they can replace humans, or whether we will exist peacefully? The debate is now flaring up with renewed vigor, then subsides. But the question remains open. The film chronicles the life of inventor and futurist Raymond Kurzweil, who presented his bold vision of the singularity (the point of explosive growth of technological progress). Here you will also trace possible scenarios for the development of technology and the future, and, in general, hear the forecast for the next 20-40 years.
A Brief History of Stephen Hawking’s Time
Year: 1992
Country: UK, Japan, USA, 80 min.
Director: Errol Morris
At the end we left the film about the life and science of the great genius of our time, Stephen Hawking. Without further ado, just watch the movie. It is incredible.
The Inner Universe: The Secret Life of the Cell
Year: 2012
Country: UK, 57 min.
Director: Michael Davies
All of our body parts are made up of a cell. The smallest fundamental unit of life. Scientists never cease to study it, to break it down into its components, to encounter its various problems. Again and again they surprise and amaze us with their discoveries. And yet this beautiful microcosm is still unexplored. But some of the mysteries we have nevertheless comprehended. See what they are in the documentary.
DMT: The Spirit Molecule
Year: 2010
Country: USA, 75 min.
Director: Mitch Schultz
DMT is a powerful psychedelic also known as “dimethyltryptamine”. It has interested a group of scientists, because DMT is present in small quantities in the human body and is produced by the pineal gland, which is located in the center of the brain. Even in ancient times, people believed that the pineal gland was the seat of the soul. In fact, DMT causes hallucinations and significantly affects the perception of reality.
