Farrar Posted February 16, 2014 Share Posted February 16, 2014 We've enjoyed several good slightly offbeat documentaries and I'd love to see recommendations for more. By this I just mean that they're not things that clearly align with a school subject. For example, we really enjoyed Life of Mammals, Life of Birds, etc. when we were studying zoology. So not that. More like things about unexpected subjects or follow a variety of issues or things that don't fit neatly into a single category. The two that come to mind are Between the Folds, about origami, and Objectified, about the design of everyday objects. Any other well made, engaging documentaries that you and you kids have enjoyed together? Bonus if it's on Netflix or available online easily. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nart Posted February 16, 2014 Share Posted February 16, 2014 I really like "Vote for Me" documentary on Netflix. It was about third grade class elections in a school in China. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Upward Journey Posted February 16, 2014 Share Posted February 16, 2014 We really enjoyed "A State of Mind". It's follows two young girls as they train to be in the North Korean Mass Games. It was very interesting! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elegantlion Posted February 16, 2014 Share Posted February 16, 2014 "Jiro Dreams of Sushi" is quite fascinating. It's on Netflix. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ElizabethB Posted February 16, 2014 Share Posted February 16, 2014 That sounds like a Netflix category I would enjoy, LOL, "offbeat documentaries." Animal Planet most extreme I will look through my Netflix history for more, we watch weird educational stuff On nova/PBS online: The Dust Bowl Making Stuff Colder A few more I can't find right now, they have many interesting things Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Emerald Stoker Posted February 16, 2014 Share Posted February 16, 2014 "Helvetica" (about the font) was great! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scrapbabe Posted February 17, 2014 Share Posted February 17, 2014 The Story of 1 is really quirky and fun. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chelsmm Posted February 17, 2014 Share Posted February 17, 2014 This may not be random enough, but we watched "Titanoboa" the other day, and it was SO cool! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pen Posted February 17, 2014 Share Posted February 17, 2014 I'm not sure we have found ones that are quirky enough but I'm enjoying the thread. Would this one fit: What the Bleep Do ___ Know? in the blank goes We or You or some such. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stripe Posted February 17, 2014 Share Posted February 17, 2014 I really enjoyed Donald in Mathmagic Land. That would be Donald Duck, mind you. In a similar vein (pun intended) is one about the body, whose name escapes me. They're very retro. My son really enjoyed some episodes of Dirty Jobs. There is some occasional "coarse" language but anything really bad gets bleeped. The host goes around trying out different jobs. I highly recommend the one where he works on the farm recycling Las Vegas buffet food into pig feed. The trip down the SF sewers was pretty lively too. Not quite what you're asking for, but close enough! ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dbmamaz Posted February 17, 2014 Share Posted February 17, 2014 I was also thinking of Story of 1, which was on Netflix when we watched it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wabi Sabi Posted February 17, 2014 Share Posted February 17, 2014 "Jiro Dreams of Sushi" is quite fascinating. It's on Netflix. I was going to make the same suggestion. My sushi obsessed nine year old is already making plans to fly to Tokyo with his dad on his eighteenth birthday to eat there, LOL! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Annie Posted February 17, 2014 Share Posted February 17, 2014 We really liked Jiro Dreams of Sushi and A State of Mind. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
................... Posted February 17, 2014 Share Posted February 17, 2014 I have THE best offbeat weird documentary that you will ever see.... http://www.shoppbs.org/product/index.jsp?productId=2766730 It is so hilarious. so weird. It will give you something to shake your head at for the rest of your life. Really. It's appropriate for kids over about 10. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
................... Posted February 17, 2014 Share Posted February 17, 2014 We loved Jiro Dreams of Sushi. What a beautiful example of a true food artist and his sons. There's one about chicken people, people who love and own chickens that is cute and fun on amazon....we also loved Helvetica and The Story of 1. But the ferret one...that's a classic. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Farrar Posted February 17, 2014 Author Share Posted February 17, 2014 I saw Jiro Dreams of Sushi, which is awesome, but I'm thinking the subtitles might be too many for my kids, though parents of older kids should take note! The Story of 1 seems perfect. It's not on Netflix anymore, but it is uploaded in full by several people on a certain popular video site that everyone has surely heard of and hasn't been taken down yet. Several of these others look really interesting. I'm psyched to load up our watching queue. Keep 'em coming... :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wabi Sabi Posted February 18, 2014 Share Posted February 18, 2014 Not exactly a documentary, but what about a series? My kids recently started watching the first season of Meerkat Manor and LOVE it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pen Posted February 18, 2014 Share Posted February 18, 2014 "You Have Used Me as a Fish Long Enough" and others by BBC director Adam Curtis. Even the title sounds quirky. They are excellent movies and I highly recommend them, but not till at least Logic stage. Somewhat like Connections they pull together a whole lot of information from many areas, but they are all (or the ones I have seen) dealing with events from 1900 till present and mainly recent past, not long past, and are more about propaganda and politics in history and less about science in history. Cooking Your Life was different and not a fit in any exact category. Not sure if I have the title exact. It features a Buddhist monk/chef. I think younger kids could possibly appreciate it. We saw one of service dog training that was very good. Take Back Your Power doesn't fit any exact category and was one my logic age son thought so important he insisted I post about it after we saw it. He feels it is a subject that other his age should know about for the good of the world. It is a good fit with the Adam Curtis and Connections films, but easier to understand IMO than Adam Curtis films or Connections films. At age 11 my ds can understand Connections and Take Back Your Power, but the Adam Curtis films are still a bit of a reach. We saw a wonderful documentary film about Spirit Bear, but I cannot recall the title now. South of the Border is excellent, though maybe not so quirky as you seek, and again a Logic stage or older film. Art Made the World The Ascent of Money. also logic stage, IMO. Other films besides the Story of 1 by Terry ______ -- such as histories of the middle ages are very quirky in terms of the way they are done, though all of those including the Story of 1 to me fit in with standard academic subjects (history, math). Maybe Paper Clips. Incredible Human Journey if it is the one with a female anthropologist--I may have title confused with another. For younger kids, the documentary parts that go with the Young Indiana Jones have a lot that we found good, for example, an introduction to opera better than anything in our music materials. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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