the documentary project

My New Year's resolution for 2013 is to watch one documentary per month for the year.**

Here is my year so far in documentaries:

January: Searching for the Sugarman

Oscar prize winner, watched at Nova in 35 degree heat with no air-con.  But still amazing. My favourite scene is the interview with Rodriguez's labourer-workmate, describing his disbelief that Rodriguez is an internationally famous musician.  "They put your face on a milk carton?!?'

February: If you're feeling sinister.  

A Belle and Sebastian documentary.  Watched in bed, on my phone, whilst failing to sleep at 5am after nightshifts.  I fell asleep to happy West End Glasgow dreams.

March: West of Memphis

Bleak, but beautifully shot by Peter Jackson.  Covers the conviction and eventual release of the 'West Memphis Three'- three teenagers charged with killing and mutilating three young boys.  Falls squarely in the genre I like to call, "Those Crazy Americans."

April:  Grizzly Man

BEARS!!  Ever since we visited Yosemite National park, Jason and I have been a bit bear-obsessed.  Oh, and there's a crazy blond American guy- but don't worry,  he gets decapitated.

May: How to survive a Plague

AIDS in the 1980s- back when it killed *Americans*.  A case study in effective advocacy and activism.  Peter Staley comes out very well- an impressive, articulate spokesman.

June: Ping Pong

We drove to Elsternwick  to watch Ping Pong, a documentary about the 2012 World over-80s table tennis championships in China.  It was a lovely piece on ageing well. The highlight is a Chinese TV reporter asking a 101 year old participant, in stilted English, "Why are you even in the championship?  You are so old!"

**To clarify for those who think I am completely crazy: this is in addition to essential TV shows (eg FNL repeats, Mad Men, Top of the Lake) and films.

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