Dig! (2004)
A music documentary covering seven years of the friendship and rivalry between the singers of the American rock bands The Dandy Warhols and The Brian Jonestown Massacre. Courtney Taylor-Taylor and Anton Newcombe are both very interesting men with big egos which end up clashing when the Dandies reach commercial success. Anton is the real star of this documentary. He’s all the negative stereotypes of rock musicians come to life. This is one of the best documentaries I’ve ever seen and I cannot recommend it highly enough.
Grey Gardens (1975)
The aunt and cousin of Jackie Kennedy live a reclusive life in a decaying 14-room East Hampton mansion full of fleas, cats, raccoons, animal feces and rubbish. We learn that Big Edie and Little Edie are both very eccentric yet loveable characters as they perform, bicker and tell the stories of their lives. It’s gripping and sad, but also oddly liberating seeing these fabulous ladies turning their back on society and living life according to their own rules.
The Imposter (2012)
A 13-year-old boy goes missing in Texas. Three years later his family get a phone call from a young Frenchman in Spain who claims to be their son. Shockingly, they decide to believe him and ignore his French accent along with everything else that doesn’t seem right. The story takes an even stranger turn when a private eye starts investigating. This is a captivating watch and you will find yourself completely flabbergasted as the craziness unfolds.
Tarnation (2003)
This is the filmmaker Jonathan Caouette’s documentary about growing up with a schizophrenic mother. It’s compiled of Super-8 home movies, video diaries, snapshots, old answering machine messages, early short films and much more, spanning 19 years of his life. I was absolutely blown away by this psychedelic, queer trip and I desperately wanted to give Jonathan a hug. It’s beautiful and heartbreaking in equal measures.
Cutie and the Boxer (2013)
The fascinating story of the New York boxing painter Ushio Shinohara and his wife Noriko who have have been married for 40 years. This documentary is really about Noriko as she fights to shed her role as her demanding husband’s assistant. She’s a strong woman and it’s very inspiring to see her create her own identity. Her autobiographical art is gripping and beautiful. This is a wonderful art documentary.
I Think We’re Alone Now (2008)
We follow super fans Jeff and Kelly who claim to be in love with the 80s pop singer Tiffany. Jeff has Asperger syndrome and Kelly is transgender. Both of them have been labelled stalkers by the media but they are in complete denial about how delusional they are. They lead lonely lives and cling to their obsession with Tiffany, which seem interchangeable with faith. It’s a sad and disturbing yet thought-provoking exploration of erotomania and religion.
Chiaki L’Argent
