I recently saw a small doco called Maker. It’s a concise hour-long watch on the resurgence of DIY manufacturing in the digital age, presenting a community full of real creators and their creations produced through this modern trend while breaking down fundamental concepts (open source, crowd-funding, etc.) with ease.
Maker also made me feel like shit.
I’m not saying the film itself is shit. Hell, I’d even recommend it to anyone needing an inspirational jab in their lazy ass – lazy asses like mine. But like any (proverbial) needle to the (metaphorical) rectum, it came with a (figurative) stinging pain: the thought that I wasn’t doing enough with my creative endeavours. It’s a shittiness that many great documentaries tend to make me feel – and this is a good thing.
A doco like Maker invigorates self-improvement by showing its audience how much better we can be. On the other end of the spectrum are docos that warn us of how God-damn shitty we are as a species – docos like…
What it’s about: Members of the Indonesian death squads, recreating their kills in cinematic fashion.
What we said: “An insight into the banality of evil and humanity’s propensity for cruelty… unmissable viewing.”
How I felt: Chilled, dazed, and like shit.
What it’s about: The cause of the 2008 financial collapse – that cause being rich human assholes.
What we said: “You may exit the cinema feeling utterly powerless but this is a must-see.”
How I felt: Angry, utterly powerless, and like shit.
What it’s about: Brazilian social photographer Sebastião Salgado, and the beautiful imagery he captured of human suffering.
What we/I said: “A crippling collage of disintegrated hope and hollow misery… [and you should absolutely, totally see it.]”
How I felt: Crushed, depressed, and like shit. But also inspired, invigorated, and like shit.
It seems pretty wack to recommend films that clench the throat of your emotional well-being, but it’s just like recommending squats an unfit friend. It may be painful and exhausting, but with that endurance comes numerous health benefits – whether you’re exercising the mind or your butt muscles.
