No Impact Man
A couple of years ago I ran across a magazine blurb and photograph of a family in big city America attempting to live a carbon footprintless year. I was fascinated but never bothered to check into the book that had just been released.
But when I saw the documentary I had to watch it. I love reality-TV-type journeys of self-discovery.
Colin Beavan ignited a bit of controversy during his journey and some of it came with his interaction with his wife and her agreement to join him in his experiment. I'd say the process ended up costing her a little more as she was a Starbuck's junkie and addicted to shopping. They ended up spending several months eating from various homemade coolers, feeding their garbage to a box full of worms, living by candlelight and without toilet paper.
The obstacles faced and the information gathered by this family was fascinating. Of course there was a bent as in all documentaries. But, overall, the entertainment, educational and voyeuristic appeal was high and it was well worth the time investment. There is a bit of language so parents may want to preview it.
Super Size Me
Super Size Me inspired my family's love of quirky documentaries. (Super Size Me is also joined by the classic Best In Show Mockumentary on our list of favorites.) Though we first saw Super Size Me a few years ago it is in our DVD library and
we have watched it several times. And our youngest daughter used Spurlock's findings in a recent term paper.Though this documentary was just the beginning of our awareness of what you eat can kill you, Super Size Me made a lasting difference in our lives. Now bad choices in food are still guilt-ridden but Spurlock's experiment and the knowledge that came from it helps us to avoid mindless eating. This documentary was fascinating from a medical and psychological standpoint and entertaining, too. The extras are worth watching.
King Corn
My family loved Super Size Me. We've watched it several times and always with horrified fascination at the downward spiral of Morgan Spurlock during his 30-day fast-food experiment.
A friend recommended King Corn and once she told me the premise I had to see it.
King Corn does with ingredients what Super Size Me did with McDonald's.
Two recent college
grads set out to discover the whats, whys and hows of high fructose corn syrup. They rent an acre of land in the heart of Iowa and grow their own corn crop.Entertaining, shocking and horrifying details follow and the viewer gets an education that may inspire some serious rethinking of what is allowed on said viewer's table. Well worth the time investment.
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